Michael O’McCarthy, Greenville

Social revolutionaries and “progressives” have now come to a point more important in time other than perhaps the “War for Southern Independence,” as called by the Southern revisionists. We are now challenged to make a very difficult choice. The choice is between principles and personalities – between the principles that demand a major, structural social change vs. corporate state politics; of those candidates and democratic activists who scream “electability” which is a clarion call for yet another form of “Lesser Evilism.” That strategy may had value in choosing between capitalism and Nazism, democratic socialism and the varying brands of Stalinism, but offers no discernible hope for the change needed in this country.

There were difficult theoretical as well as practical issues in that time and of course the Lesser Evil was capitalism. Today there really is no difficulty. While the political ideologues of the corporate state would have us believe that we are either on their side, as Bush and Cheney have raved, or on the side of the hordes, (represented by the terrorists,) the real choice is between the State and the people. I choose in the interest of the people of the world.

Indeed, like no other time in modern history, we have little ideological structure or international support for either our analysis or our struggle. We are left herein to our own devices. We do so under a national government that has only contempt for the people and little other purpose than of exploiting or destroying the rest of the world.

Thus, the Duopoly and its vehicle of “globalization” and its military imperialism now face us with the consolidation of corporate state rule, not democracy. This Lesser Evilism is no longer a valid choice for those of us who know the need for fundamental social change if democracy is to survive. In fact it is a continuing path to Hell.

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Former military leaders speak out

The public is invited to panel discussion moderated by Dean Charles Bierbauer at the Lumpkin Auditorium (8th fl. USC Business Admin. Bldg), College St., today beginning at 3pm.

Participants: 

Vice Admiral Lee Gunn, USN (Ret.) Vice Admiral Gunn served as the Inspector General of the Department of the Navy and commanded the USS Barbey and the Destroyer Squadron “Thirty-one,” a component of the Navy’s Anti-Submarine Warfare Destroyer Squadrons.

Vice Admiral Albert H. Konetzni, Jr. USN (Ret).  Vice Admiral Konetzni served as the Deputy and Chief of Staff of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command. He has received two Distinguished Service Medals, six awards of the Legion of Merit, and three Meritorious Service Medals.

Major General Fred E. Haynes, USMC (Ret.).  General Haynes is a combat veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. He was a captain in the regiment that raised the American flag at Iwo Jima in 1945. During the Kennedy and Johnson administrations he served as Pentagon Director for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs. He commanded the Second and Third Marine Divisions, served as the Senior Member of the United National Limitary Armistice Commission in Korea, and was Deputy Chief of Staff for Marine Corps Research and Development. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Brigadier General David R. Irvine, USA (Ret.)  Brigadier General Irvine was on the faculty of the Sixth U.S. army Intelligence School where he taught prisoner of war interrogation and military law for several hundred military personnel. General Irvine is an attorney and practices law in Salt Lake City and has served four terms as a Republican legislator in the Utah House of Representatives.

Brigadier General Stephen N. Zenakis, USA (Ret).  Dr. Zenakis served 28 years in the United States Army as a medical corps officer with a specialization in clinical psychiatry. He has written widely on medical ethics, military medicine and the treatment of detainees.

This event is free and open to the public. It is co-sponsored by The Walker Institute of International and Area Studies and the non-partisan human rights organization, Human Rights First.

A press conference was held yesterday at the State House in Columbia to announce the formation of the Southeastern Institute for Women in Politics, which aims to identify, recruit and support female candidates for political office in South Carolina.

The Palmetto State ranks 50th in the percentage of women office holders, with only nine percent serving in the State House, Senate or statewide office. Only two women serve in the State Senate.

The Institute will hold its first day-long workshop on Feb. 8. Keynote speaker will be Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, whose impressive political career demonstrates the impact women in power can have on health care, education and other issues critical to women and families.

The Institute proposes to change the gender imbalance in South Carolina politics by:

* Identifying women already elected or appointed to local government councils, committees, and task forces, and women members of PTOs and other leadership organizations;

* Recruiting women from private sector professions such as law, real estate, and education who have potential for serving as public officials;

* Building a grassroots network of these politically-viable women, including conferences, a web site, issue resources, and training in advocacy, fund-raising and campaigning skills; and

* Researching, district by district, demographic, attitudinal, partisan and other political factors that affect election outcomes.

For details, call 803-206-0901 or e-mail wil@campaignsystems.com.

Read more in today’s The State.