Progressives Use Frustration as Fuel for Action

A A A Comments By Alexis Sottile Tuesday, Feb 28 2006

photo: Errol Maitland

Left of the dial: Deepa Fernandes

Details

Left Forum 2006
Cooper Union
7 East 7th Street
212-817-2003
Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday & Sunday at 10 a.m.
$15 to $50

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"People always say lefties complain too much," I complained to Stanley Aronowitz, one of the organizers of this weekend's Left Forum 2006, "instead of coming up with . . . " "Alternatives!" Aronowitz, the noted labor activist, finished the sentence. "You asked the right question." Examining the list of more than 70 panels to choose from in this three-day assemblage of activists, scholars, and artists, I felt my post-2004-election slump unslumping. Political rapper Immortal Technique and Nana Soul of Black Waxx Productions speak on the politics of music and the music of politics. Roger Toussaint of the Transport Workers Union (got to ask him about that strike) and social critic Frances Fox Piven are on board, as well as Leslie Cagan of United for Peace and Justice, Amy Goodman (host of Democracy Now!), Doug Henwood (editor of leftbusinessobserver.com), and WBAI's Deepa Fernandes. Media hero Jeff Cohen of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting talks about the future of media, and Aronowitz himself takes part in "Do We Need a New Radical Party?" a seminar that focuses on 2008, and what that election might look like. So, for lefties still stuck in the '04 slump, check out the numerous choices at leftforum.org and, um, get over it.