Author’s Note: My just-published book, Up From Socialism: My 60-Year Search for a Healing New Radical Politics (Bombardier Books/Post Hill Press), devotes hundreds of pages to lovingly describing and subtly critiquing the inner life of “idealistic” leftist organizations, and the outer and inner lives of left activists. I don’t think any insider has ever done this more honestly, thoroughly, devastatingly, or usefully for future generations. When I was invited to provide an excerpt for The American Spectator’s readers, I immediately thought of many you might enjoy. But I eventually settled on this one. It depicts parts of a Governing Council meeting of the New World Alliance, an ambitious precursor of the U.S. Green Party. I was its first “staff person.”
TO ENSURE THAT the next Governing Council (GC) meeting would get things done, I arranged for it to be held in a big, windowless conference room on the top floor of the ancient Woodward Building in Washington DC, just two blocks from the White House. I prepared an agenda with 33 items on it.
At first, nothing went according to plan. National security activist Norie Huddle’s father had recently died, and the GC spent a good part of Saturday morning listening to her grief, watching her tears, and trying to console her. A session on the still largely undrafted political platform became so poisonous that, on the rooftop afterward, Donald Keys of the spiritually oriented Planetary Citizens accused John McClaughry, a principled decentralist and former Republican member of the Vermont legislature, of working on behalf of the Devil. Keys meant it literally. None of the projects the committees had been working on were received well.
But as the afternoon wore on the mood changed, almost as if God or spirit was willing us forward (some whispered), and we engaged in hours of intense and constructive talk. The Living Political Platform Committee was induced to incorporate hundreds of Alliance members into its drafting process. The Political Awareness Seminars Committee revised the content of its day-long seminar thanks to in-depth assessments by journalist Eric Utne and others. The Values and Goals Committee’s list of the Alliance’s Ten Principal Values was rounded into shape (hope, healing, rediscovery, human growth, ecology, participation, appropriate scale, globalism, technological creativity, spirituality).
I was feeling pretty hopeful when we convened on Sunday morning. “All” that was left was to hear my staff report, and to address the crucial question of fundraising.
That’s when the new member of the GC spoke up. She had not been a part of the Alliance’s organizing process, but radical UC Berkeley professor Len Duhl had threatened to quit the GC if the Coordinating Council failed to add her. So it did.
“I have lost my sense of identity with this group,” announced Len’s addition, Cheryl Baker-Belcourt, spouse of a leader of the Blackfeet Tribe in Montana.
Stunned silence filled the room.
“There’s this abstract, blind dedication to moving ahead,” Cheryl continued. “We’re being defeated by the process we’re using. We’ve been abused in this group—abused by words. … For me this group has just not got it!”
At least a dozen hands shot into the air after Cheryl finished. “I’m facilitating, I’ll call on each of you, this is so important!” shouted Oregon pesticide activist Nancy Cosper.
“I feel alien because of all the decisions we’re making,” said Rene Cardenas, a business development consultant. “We’re sacrificing the identity of our group to advance the progress of the organization. …”
“I don’t know—I feel good about the progress we made yesterday,” said Michael Marien, a journal editor for the World Future Society. “I was afraid we’d be playing in a kind of sandbox here. But yesterday, we weren’t .…” (Silently I cheered Marien on.)
“I want to confess I was dishonest yesterday,” said Mark Mawrence, an events producer from Los Angeles. “I felt intimidated by the pressure of moving on, and I wasn’t up front about it. …”
“I felt alien yesterday too,” said Arnold Klassen, coordinator of the Gay Health Collective of Boston. “We’ve forgotten that we’re a collection of unique individuals. …”
“I haven’t been sharing anything but cognitive thoughts,” said Steve Woolpert, a political science professor at the University of Maryland. “I’m in love with everyone here. …”
(While these speeches were going on, Rarihokwats slipped behind a partition, lay on the floor, and began moaning softly – my sentiments exactly! Rari was born white but had been adopted into the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne. He and Len Duhl did not get along.)
“I felt raped after some of our discussions last night,” said Jim Turner, founder of the Food Safety Council in Washington DC. “We had no manners. …”
“I apologize for participating in Jim’s rape,” said Neal Hurwitz, a professional fundraiser.
“I’d like to hear from the people who haven’t spoken,” Nancy—still facilitating—announced sternly.
I couldn’t believe it. People had gone on for nearly two hours. Soon we’d be going home.
“My wife has suffered this weekend,” said Donald Keys, taking Martha’s hand. “She’s carried a lot of pain for this group. She’s experienced damaging internal processes. …”
“I anticipate no problem with our platform,” said George Litwin, a human resources consultant to major corporations. “The deeper question is how we see each other. We have to let go of ego, see each other as an infinite potential of wisdom. …”
Finally I couldn’t stand it anymore. “We’ve got to deal with fundraising!” I shouted. “We’ve just got to!” I stood up and started waving my arms. “The day is slipping away! If we don’t have resources, we’re not going to have an organization—.”
“For Chrissake Mark, relax!” said my lawyer friend Gerry Goldfarb. “We can deal with fundraising later. … Don’t you realize what an incredible group of people we’ve brought together here?”
Yeah, incredible, I thought silently to myself as two people rushed over to comfort me.
Read Up From Socialism: My 60-Year Search for a Healing New Radical Politics.
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