SPRINGFIELD, OH, October 14 - "This was great! I'm ready to come back.” “I'm glad you invited me, and I'm ready to meet whenever you set it up. Just let me know and I will be there." That’s how two Black workers from Detroit responded after making the trip to Springfield with Progressive Labor Party (PLP) today. A carload of us went to Springfield to meet with workers and protest the racist attacks against workers from Haiti by Donald Trump and JD Vance. The workers in Springfield gave us a warm welcome. They were impressed with us trying to respond and to reach out to workers in Springfield to build support.
We met some friends from Columbus at a Haitian restaurant in a multiracial working-class area. White workers told us they were coming to the restaurant to support the community and enjoy a good Haitian meal. We distributed CHALLENGE newspapers, and workers eagerly took our fliers home, even though some only read Creole. We had many good discussions with Black and white workers about racism and communism. Notably, many white workers denounced Trump and Vance for their racist garbage. This experience built our confidence in the working class as the class that can and will run the world in a communist future.
Smash racism, the bosses’ tool
As the capitalist system deteriorates and the billionaires battle over who will control the U.S. economy, they inevitably turn to racism to scapegoat some workers and deflect attention away from themselves. This is their primary weapon to attack all workers and provide cover for their failing system. The immigrants from Haiti are in Springfield legally and have integrated into the community and built their lives here. They contribute to the local economy after 35 years of the auto and steel bosses moving factories overseas. Workers from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and many industrial cities in the Midwest are suffering as the capitalists prioritize cheaper labor and maximum profits over workers’ lives.
Donald Trump’s vulgar, racist attacks have emboldened the fascist Proud Boys and Neo-Nazis to march in Springfield and distribute racist literature, forcing many workers from Haiti to temporarily pull their kids out of school and disrupting their daily lives. These are some of the reasons it was so important for our small group to go to Springfield and show solidarity and support for the Haitian community. At the same time, liberals are also no friends to our immigrant brothers and sisters. Big Fascist Kamala Harris has mentioned strengthening border security in response to the charge that democrats have exacerbated the “border crisis,” doubling down on the fascist declaration she made in 2021 when she warned migrant workers: “Do not come.” (Associated Press, 9/28 ).
Maybe more importantly, our small action inspired the workers who came with us from Detroit. It was their first action with PLP. They felt it was important to respond to the anti-Haitian gutter racism and after the trip they both took fliers to distribute in their neighborhood. They want to join our study group and learn more about the Party. Our experience shows that even with small numbers, if we are bold, we can make a difference and influence people to fight back against racism and build the Progressive Labor Party.
