BROOKLYN, July 16—A small group of Progressive Labor Party (PLP) members joined a rally calling for an hour of “Black vulnerability.” The crowd that gathered was multiracial and multi-generational. Before the speeches began, the PL’ers walked through the crowd, distributed CHALLENGE, and had conversations with many workers.
But what do you mean by revolution?
In the first hour of an open mic, it was announced that only Black speakers should come up. This is an unfortunate theme within the Black Lives Matter uprising. While capitalism super-exploits Black workers, all workers are under attack by the system. A better world can only be won through multi-racial unity, and falling for capitalism’s ideology of dividing the working class and that some workers can only be involved in minimal ways, is a fast way to kill the movement.
The first several speakers gave passionate speeches about the oppression faced by Black workers under capitalism and by the bosses’ thugs, the kkkops. One speaker spoke of the failures of the system and said we need to be ready for a revolution—but what kind of revolution?
The only kind of revolution the workers need is a communist one. Capitalism needs to be smashed and communism is the way forward for workers. That’s where PL’ers must sharpen the fight.
Black nationalism: been there, done that
The dead-end path of identity politics and Black nationalism will inevitably lead workers into the capitalist bosses’ camp. From Haiti to South Africa, nationalism has derailed workers’ revolts and led them to death and exploitation by a new set of bosses. When these ideas take power within the working class, the oppressors win.
By dividing us, nationalism conquers us. There is another choice for all workers: multiracial unity.
Multiracial unity is non-negotiable
Unity of the international working class is the only force that can end racism and ultimately smash capitalism with communist revolution. Progressive Labor Party is taking that path. For over 55 years, PLP has built a multiracial movement and fought racism and sexism in the streets, in factories and hospitals, in schools and colleges. Struggle has taught us that there are no good bosses, regardless of color, gender, or nationalist identification.
The latest wave of rebellion keeps teaching us that multiracial unity is indispensable and non-negotiable. The only way forward is together.
On the road to communist revolution
A Black PL’er went up to speak and make these points. To break the idea of only Black people at the mic, a white comrade went up with her. Her speech was powerful, as she spoke about the failures of the system in her school and in her family’s healthcare. She broke down the reasons why multiracial fightback is essential, and why as we continue to join the fight for various reforms we have to always be in fact fighting for a communist revolution as the end goal.
At every key point she made, she made it clear, for example: “We can fight to abolish police, but only on the road to communist revolution.” With that repeated refrain, the protesters were energized and applauded. This shows that workers can be won to the most left ideas.
Anti-capitalist ideas are spreading, and this is inspiring and invigorating! But until workers own the idea that there is a whole alternative to this rotten system, we will be continuously roped back into the electoral system, being convinced that finally picking just the right politician will “fix” this. It is the job of communists to show that there is no end to the working class’ oppression and misery until a workers’ world, communism, is won. Keep on fighting!