Madison forum on Obama and the left

MADISON, Wis.--Over 300 people braved a frigid sub-zero evening on January 24 to hear a panel on "The Left and Obama" at the Orpheum Theatre.

Speakers included Lance Selfa, author of The Democrats: A Critical History; Matthew Rothschild, editor of the Progressive; Will Williams, Madison activist and member of Veterans for Peace; John Nichols, a writer for the Nation; and Jennifer Loewenstein, UW-Madison professor of Middle East Studies and Palestinian rights activist.

This panel was co-sponsored by Haymarket Books, the community radio station WORT 89.9 FM, the International Socialist Organization, University of Wisconsin (UW) Justice for Palestine, local labor unions and numerous other groups.

Coming so soon after the inauguration of President Barack Obama, the tone of the event was excited and motivated. Many of the speakers spoke of the need to continue the excitement that the majority of Americans felt around the election of Obama, and become even more active in the fight for social change.

Nichols received a great round of applause by mentioning numerous important presidential actions, including the pardoning of American socialist Eugene Debs by Warren Harding, and the signing of the Civil Rights Act by Lyndon Johnson, which came about because of intense social pressure from masses of people.

Quoting Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, who said that the American people would need to choose between "John McCain's capitalism" and "Barack Obama's socialism," Nichols said that Americans obviously made a choice in favor of this "socialism."

Loewenstein revealed chilling details about her experience in Lebanon during the present Gaza massacre. She delivered a sharp criticism of the mainstream American media and its lack of coverage of the Gaza massacre.

During the question and discussion period, audience members commented on the role of youth in social movements, the Employee Free Choice Act and the ideological impact the election of a Black president has on numerous people of all races.

Selfa rounded out the discussion by inspiring the crowd to embrace the new era in American politics, and continue to push the debate to the left. Overall, the event was inspirational, critical and focused on moving forward in a period of intense political and social change.