First Published: Revolution, Vol. 2, No. 5, March 1977.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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It has come to our attention that the October League, while busily ducking and hiding from a debate with the Revolutionary Communist Party on the tasks of U.S. revolutionaries around the international situation, has been spreading some new concoctions.
They have dared commit nothing to print on the subject of course. But in Los Angeles, for example, while jumping up and down to denounce the recent conference held there on the international situation, some OL representatives dished up the interesting fantasy that the RCP has refused to agree to conditions or ground rules for such a debate and is thus preventing it from happening.
Once again the October League is serving as a living monument to the principle that there is no absolute limit to opportunism–just when you think they have reached it, they push on into the unknown.
Well, dear October League leaders, since you insist on making such a hullabaloo out of ground rules, we will make public the proposals which you as well as we know that we submitted in discussion on the question.
The debate should be a one evening affair limited to the subject of the present international situation and the correct line and tasks of U.S. revolutionaries around that question. There should be a statement by each side, followed by rebuttal. Then there can be questions from the audience with the opportunity for both sides to reply. Final closing statements by each side would then be given. In regards to the location, we suggested New York. Additional arrangements could be easily worked out.
Meetings to further discuss these proposals were set up. But the appointments were missed by the OL. Messages and phone numbers have been left for them, but still no answer.
We are looking forward to hearing from the October League on this question, hopefully in some other form than squeaky rumormongering, but given past practice we are not holding our breath.