Reprinted from CounterPunch:

A Letter on Gary Leupp’s “The RCP, Fascism, and Chairman Bob’s Endorsement of Biden for President”

by Larry Everest et al

August 18, 2020 | revcom.us

 

Lies, slanders, distortions, and ad hominem attacks don’t constitute substantive discussion, debate and controversy – they prevent it.

Dear CounterPunch,

We, the undersigned have all written for CounterPunch. We come from different perspectives, but we all greatly value your work for its edge, willingness to engage controversy, and openness to a diversity of views and expression.

However, we were shocked and outraged to read Gary Leupp’s dishonest, unprincipled, hit piece on Bob Avakian, his August 1 Statement, and the RCP.

We call on you to publish Bob Avakian’s Statement in its entirety so that readers can assess the original statement and decide for themselves if Gary Leupp’s opinion piece is accurate or a grab-bag of distortions – on matters of great import for humanity at this perilous moment.

It would have been one thing – a very good thing as a matter of fact – if Leupp had seriously and honestly engaged Avakian’s Statement and the questions it addresses – the current moment, the nature of the Trump/Pence regime, the issue of fascism, the urgency of mass non-violent protest, the role of the elections, and the ongoing need for a revolution to overthrow this system – and critiqued Avakian’s analysis based on what he actually says.

These are serious questions that have enormous implications for the lives of literally billions around the world, questions that demand serious engagement and argument, questions people of good will and conscience can certainly differ on.

But serious, fact-based disagreements are not what we get in Leupp’s screed, starting with the headline. (No, Bob Avakian has not “endorsed” Joe Biden, as the rightwing media reported, and “Chairman Bob” is not a term used by the RCP, but a snarky put down based on decades old, anti-communist stereotypes.)

A reader would never know, for example, that Avakian’s whole Statement is focused on the grave danger Trump/Pence poses for the world and all of humanity, beginning with its very first sentence: “The situation today holds truly unprecedented and momentous challenges, with profound implications not only for the people in this country but for all of humanity.”

And the blatant misrepresentations and distortions go on from there. In fact, there’s no evidence that he actually read Bob Avakian’s Statement, and certainly made no effort to allow readers to see the Statement and assess it themselves:

* Did he link to or list the title of the Statement which speaks volumes about its content — ON THE IMMEDIATE CRITICAL SITUATION, THE URGENT NEED TO DRIVE OUT THE FASCIST TRUMP/PENCE REGIME, VOTING IN THIS ELECTION, AND THE FUNDAMENTAL NEED FOR REVOLUTION? No.

* Was there a single quote from the 4,000-plus word statement in Leupp’s piece? No. (Even the rightwing correctly, if selectively, quoted Avakian.)

* Did he accurately characterize Avakian’s views, and for example his analysis of fascism – in the Statement and dating back to the Clinton years? No.

* Did Leupp make clear that Avakian primarily emphasized mobilizing masses to drive out the Trump/Pence regime, not relying on voting? No, a reader would never have guessed that.

* That Avakian argued Biden was no “better” than Trump? No.

* That stopping Trump/Pence fascism was an essential element in preparing for an actual revolution? Again no.

Instead of engagement and yes, serious criticism and analysis of what Avakian actually argues – again, which we all would value and encourage at CounterPunch — we get distortions, outright lies of omission and commission, and ad hominem snark.

We do not all see eye-to-eye on Bob Avakian, his Statement, or the RCP, but we all stand against dishonest, unprincipled attacks on anyone, especially those fighting for humanity, or dishonest, unprincipled means of intellectual engagement, discourse and debate.

In that spirit, again, below is Bob Avakian’s Statement in its entirety so that its readers can decide for themselves, and so we can all keep our focus on the momentous issues facing humanity and our world.

In solidarity,

Ron Jacobs

Prof. David Orenstein, City University of New York

Sunsara Taylor

Coco Das

Paul DeRienzo

Paul Street

Larry Everest