Women's role in CND

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Greenham Common: "did as much for the feminist cause as Sheffield SO London N2 squib from the I FAIL to comprehend the attitude expressed by the two Notts . supporters (Writeback, SO114) with regard to the women of Greenham Common and peace camps in general.

The fact that CND is middle class dominated and not entirely sympathetic to socialism is to be regretted but should not be the reason for not supporting it. I believe, as many frightened people do, that time is rapidly running out, and that if CND doesn't win, we can forget about socialism because there won't be a world left to be socialist in.

Therefore to talk about building a campaign to stop imperialism and so away with capitalism instead of fighting the arms race is naive. Aren't we trying to build such a campaign anyway?

The unfortunate fact that socialism is not Rates: £5 for three months, £8:75 for six months, and £16 for a year.

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Address i enclose £ To: Socialist Organi901, 28 Middle Lane, London N8 8PL. attractive to working class people (for various reasons) as CND; if it were half our troubles would be over. 10 take the view that we should reject CND in case we get let down is like telling a battery hen not to support the animal liberation movement; we have no choice.

Instinct

The instinct to survive is just as strong whatever the political beliefs of some CND members, and I don't understand any socialist who can reject the aims of an organisation aimed towards the preservation of life on this planet. You can use the "come the revolution" argument for. any political issue from female to gay liberation but it turns intc an excuse to do nothing and when you're talking about the arms race you can't play around with time.

Thare corinia some people's minds that the human race will even see the end of this century.

As for questioning the relevance of the activities at Greenham Common 'to the women's struggle as a whole" I'd say that the events which took place there did as much for the feminist cause as anything since the Suffragettes.

Setting aside the hanging of baby clothes on the wire (a debateable point, although I'd accept they ANNE-MARIE Graham's attempt on behalf of the ILP to dig up 'errors" in my report of the Lul 11. - ANI AGM ends up with a pretty damp squib.

She complains that I said Anne Cesek and Jon Lansman were 'kicked off' the LCC executive, when in fact they were democratically voted off. But that's what I said - " ... the AGM took place against a background of defeat in the EC elections for most of those who have tought against equl- hare frunht arrainot Ionivocation on the witchner one orner complaint was about my description that 'the Clause 4/ILP/ Peter Hain grouping tightwere meant to be symbols of lifel the merlia coverage of Greenham Common VI LILLI VAAN showed women on the front line, leading a campaign instead of being behind male leaders, living in rough conditions in zero temperatures and prepared to go to prison for their beliefs. This, in my view, went a long way to blowing. the myth that women are weak, helpless creatures, fit only for household chores.

Action such as this does more than endless rhetoric. That CND is using the The feminist cause as LCe, their gru on the ened • She cites the fact that the ILP voted against once! Rot cne ovners once: Dur never said they were 'homogeneous', and certainly do not believe that one disagreement stops them being a "grouping'.

I do not know the precise relationship between Clause. 4, the ILP, and Peter Hain, or even whether the ILP attends the caucus meeting with the others on the night before the LCC AGM But the plain fact is that on the major issues inside tho If nues tha loot voar ut Iuv uvei vut last year or so — opposition to the Left organising; equivocation on the witch-hunt; women as "objects of sympathy" is ridiculous. Every great cause has its martyrs (remember Bobby Sands), and if every time women get involved in a political fight it will be interpreted as exploitation then maybe our Notts comrades feel women should be kept out of politics.

Eat Your can't have your cake and eat it: if you want women involved in politics you have to realise that they'll be seen in a different light from men mainly because they are still a phenomenon (as seen by some) in political activities, and the more you try to keep women out of the limelight for fear of being exploited the more you reinforce the prejudices.

To conclude, I think the Notts supporters who wrote in should examine their own views and consider whether they may be restricting the causes that some people genuinely believe in.

ELAINE JOHN turning away from the fight for democracy and accountability - they have consistently voted togetner.

They were the majority on the old LCC EC; they are the overwhelming majority on the new one.

Why deny it? If you have not got a 'grouping', how else can you ensure that 'the EC voting was in keeping with the line adopted on the register" , when you remember that the EC vote took place in a postal holst hafnesthe ARM dori- udlul vert bit num ueuision on the register?

If there is an 'error' it is in Anne-Mane uranam s Nanhamin letter. It's a blatant!:: dishonest one.

She writes: ' Audrey

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anything since the suffragettes" Damp