Fw: Re: VL-IV: Chap7- Mafiosi- friends or foes?

[kelber at mindspring.com]

-----Forwarded Message-----
>From: Joseph Tracy <brook7 at sover.net>


This is a provocative question. What is the difference between a  
criminal enterprise that caters to non state-approved activities  but  
needs political influence to survive and other corporate interests  
that need the political influence of the state to  criminally limit  
the bargaining power of people organized for fair wages, and safe air/ 
water/food/working conditions?  The friendliness between DL and  
Wayvone reminds of the historic connections between the mob and big  
labor.

The scene where the Wayvone muscle man  is abut to beat up Billy Barf  
is, to me, credible and telling. In a sense the Mob dude has both  
power  and a kind of case in that they have been lied to. At  that  
point  Isaiah 2:4

( He will judge between the nations
  and will settle disputes for many peoples.
        They will beat their swords into plowshares
        and their spears into pruning hooks.
        Nation will not take up sword against nation,

        nor will they train for war anymore.)

intervenes  and using a great volume of words to let tempers cool  
and persuasive logic about the costs and benefits of violence vs. non- 
violence acts as a kind of ambassador for a very different culture.  
This lower ranking  Mafia dude  is more open to reason  and a win win  
negotiation than any rep of the Govt  that I can think of in the  
story.  I find this totally credible, because I have seen this kind  
of intereaction.

Ambiguity saturates everything except aggressive  violence in this  
story. Isaiah wants to make a commercial go of fantasy gunplay,  
partly in reaction to his over-earnest peacenik parents, but when  
push comes to shove his instincts and skills are adequate to bring  
about peace and the music of the evening unfolds with  pleasure for all.