Anonymous Comrade writes: Here's a new U.S. National Lawyers Guild (NLG) announcement of its position with respect to the critique of Stalinoid-front politics of the A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition -- a critique seemingly shared by both "liberals, from the right" and a range of "autonomists, from the left."

March 1, 2003 Statement of the National Lawyers Guild

WHEREAS the ANSWER coalition has been subjected by some critics to
unprincipled attacks based on what others perceive to be the political
philosophy of some of its members; andWHEREAS we are entering a dangerous period in our history in which
reactionary and establishment political forces will attempt to isolate and
fragment the progressive movement; and

WHEREAS the National Lawyers Guild has a proud history of working with
progressive political groups and individuals representing a wide variety of
political philosophies; and

WHEREAS the ANSWER coalition has been actively involved in mobilizing a mass
movement against war and racism;

THEREFORE, be it RESOLVED:

That the NLG opposes red-baiting and similar tactics of ideologically
motivated negative labeling of sectors of the progressive movement; and

That the NLG categorically rejects calls to "purge" the movement of
progressive people who hold certain beliefs or who are members of particular
parties, and recognizes such demands and divisive attacks as a real threat
to
an effective anti-war movement; and

That the NLG will not participate in witchhunts and opposes in the strongest
possible terms calls for Congressional investigations of political
organizations, and stands ready to assist all who resist this new
McCarthyism; and

That the NLG insists that such disagreements about politics and strategy as
may from time to time exist among groups in the progressive movement must be
aired and resolved in an atmosphere of mutual respect and on a principled
basis, with the goal of building a broad-based movement.