Why after the natural disasters and recesion are we silent

[MarxistLeninistMaoist]

Communists are shit at whipping up public support, in japan when the earthquake hit, the yakuza went out as public help and wore red vests to flag themselves out, this gained them alot of public support, yet when katrina or floods in the uk happen why dont communists have and similar actions, and when we have just had s resecion that is still affecting millions, do the far left lose their fucking voice, seriously we are leaving all the public anger to find a scapegoat, the muslims and immigrants, with the BNP shouting we are the only way forward.
Come on commies, get it together.
(BTW this is also a critiuqw of me and all of us as a political entity.

[Dimentio]

Communists are shit at whipping up public support, in japan when the earthquake hit, the yakuza went out as public help and wore red vests to flag themselves out, this gained them alot of public support, yet when katrina or floods in the uk happen why dont communists have and similar actions, and when we have just had s resecion that is still affecting millions, do the far left lose their fucking voice, seriously we are leaving all the public anger to find a scapegoat, the muslims and immigrants, with the BNP shouting we are the only way forward.
Come on commies, get it together.
(BTW this is also a critiuqw of me and all of us as a political entity.

Because communists in the UK and the USA are not so many and they are not so many because communism is widely disliked, at least in the USA.

[MarxistLeninistMaoist]

WHERE AS THE YAKUZA ARE LOVED AND EVERYONE IN JAPAN IS YAKUZA:rolleyes:

[Tower of Bebel]

Because the communist movement today is badly rooted (mostly parasitically attached to the labour bureaucracy or just unstable) making it hard to act confidently and in an organized manner?

[ZeroNowhere]

I think you'll find that the US left is generally very loud, and busy scapegoating 'greedy bankers', condemning the bailout as being meant only to give money to said bankers, and so on.

[MarxistLeninistMaoist]

any ideas how to change this?

[Bitter Ashes]

Maybe it's because the left in the UK is all " revisionist sellouts who knowingly harm the working class."?

Or maybe it's because we're not actualy bieng silent at all. Factors to think about:
1) The left is still very small
2) Most activists have to try hold down a job, or some other kind of work, to survive, which makes finding the time more and more dificult to organise every single week.
3) The mainstream media is still fiercely pro-bourgeois.

[Q]

Maybe it's because the left in the UK is all " revisionist sellouts who knowingly harm the working class."?

Or maybe it's because we're not actualy bieng silent at all. Factors to think about:
1) The left is still very small
2) Most activists have to try hold down a job, or some other kind of work, to survive, which makes finding the time more and more dificult to organise every single week.
3) The mainstream media is still fiercely pro-bourgeois.
1. An intervention can even been done with small forces, possibly even one. The point is to propagandise about workers solidarity as a communist. It might look a little awkward to start with just one, but you have to start somewhere, no?
2. You never have time, you make time. It is a matter of setting priorities.
3. So is the Japanese media, I don't see your point here.

This is actually a good example of how we can root in working class communities and propagandise for our ideas in a daily fashion, making the apolitical political. I know of many examples of writing pamphlets that link disasters with the failures of capitalism (Katrina being a very good example actually), but sadly don't know that many examples of communists intervening as rescue workers and collecting funds (I know one: a campaign we had a few years back on the Earthquake in Pakistan). So this thread makes me a bit slap my forehead in how simple and obvious politics can really be.

[Red Fist]

I remember that in the Revolutionary Warfare user group, there was one who mentions something to organize an Red guard force in these cases. mabey this theory will help.


I have been reading one of my favorite books, Socialism on Trial, by James P. Cannon for the second time and I came across the section that discussed workers' defense. Back when socialism, labor activism and what have you were more popular in the 20s, 30s, 40s, workers' parties in America had Workers' Guards or Red Guards who defended meetings of unions and workers' organizations from harassment from proto-fascist groups like the Christian Front, KKK, Bundists, Silvershirts, etc. who were constantly trying to violently break up these political gatherings. Cannon doesn't describe them in detail, but he does lay out the need for workers' guards in the labor movement to protect them from repression. I would have thought this irrelevant several years ago when I was a naive reformist type, but now that many of my comrades are being put in jail, that I am very possibly an "enemy of the state" because of reactionary laws that prohibit me from being a member of the Fourth International, the rise of various fascist militias all over the country, the formation of the "Tea Party" and the governments' constant violation of the first amendment, I am now seing the very serious importance of developing a Red Guard, or even preparing one at least. I am currently designing uniforms for such a group should it be formed in the future. Why uniforms? Well, it is a way to make the guard look more legitimate, and uniforms do give a sense of political and revolutionary unity, they are in fact a form of agitprop. I am saying this so that people know I am not being nostalgic here; I am very serious about what I am doing. The uniforms are:

-Generally olive green military style shirts I found at vintage and surplus stores, which symbolises the colors of the uniforms worn by communist revolutionaries throughout the world and history.
-Red collar insignia. This does not mean ranking in this case. In fact, the insignia will be a symbol of uniformity in rank amongst the guard, and each rectangular piece of red patchwork on both collars will represent the colors of the Paris Commune and the October Revolution.
-A red star badge, sewn over the left breast pocket, placing the revolution over our hearts :wub:
-A red hammer and sickle armband, worn on the upper part of the right arm, symbolising our dedication to workers' democracy and the communist revolution. I am actually planning on distibuting the armbands en masse.
-Caps may also be worn with red star insignia as well.
-Belt worn around waist to be used in the case that a human barracade can be formed by guard members holding firm onto each others belt and forming a link to protect a gathering.

Some may say this is too nostalgic, but I have reasons for every detail of the uniform. The socialist symbols such as the hammer, sickle and star are not a recycling of the past, but are instead a symbol of our internationalist unity and devotion to our cause. Comrades, this to me is a very serious matter, because the tide of democracy is looking very, very bleak and we need to be able to defend ourselves from tyranny, both from the State and from paramilitary thugs. I am not, I repeat, not, saying that the guards should be required to carry arms. I am sort of taking inspiration from the tactics of the Guardian Angels on this one. Love to hear feedback. I am mainly planning on distributing this to my organisation (SA/YSA IV International) but it can be applied widely, so don't let my political organization or tendency limit you.



I think this idea has potential. My main questions are:

1) What role d'you think this kind of organization could play in an era where heated workers' struggles seem to be few and far between?

2) A lot of revolutionaries will meet this idea with skepticism at first, so how d'you think a project like this could get off the ground?

I'm interested to hear more about this idea.



1. When I say "workers' struggles," this is a pretty broad term. In Cannon's time it may have only meant union and party meetings, but to me it also means anti-war demonstrations, health care demonstrations and meetings, antifascist protesting, G20 protests, etc. While the actual life of the labor movement is at a lull, the opposition has recently become not only much more vocal, but also physically provocative. Here in the U.S., something as simple as a "town hall" meeting gets busted up by skinheads, tea party members, Palinites, you name it. Also, the number of neo-fascist and ultra-nationalist militias are on the rise. In fact, a local right wing militia in my town, who call themselves the "Ohio Valley Freedom Fighters" have doubled in membership over the past couple of months. In California, the immigrrant rights movement is harassed daily by neo-fascists. I have also been disturbed by the number of people in the movement who are being jailed for petty and outdated laws violating the American constitution. Here is an article just to gve you an idea of the dangerous reactionary movement today:
www DOT socialistaction DOT org/foley141 DOT htm

2. I have stressed that this is a serious idea of mine and not a trivial, idealistic dream. I know, however, that many on the left will not like the nature of such an organisation. First of all, I don't think this group would be conscriptory for all members of the Fourth International (or whatever organization you prefer to apply this to) but only for those who volunteer. Also, the militant nature of this organization, which would be governed by the strictest interpretation of democratic centralism (more focus on centralism than in a regular political party, where democracy would be rightly more emphasised) would provide a very effective role in philanthropic duties. For example, if another Hurricane Katrina occured, uniformed members of the Workers' Guard could go and help with construction, food distribution, rescue efforts, safety, first aid, etc. When talking about this to other revolutionaries, it is important to stress that this is not a gang or even a militia. Many uniformed and somewhat paramilitary organisations have successfully refrained from senseless violence, terrorism, etc. and kept their duties on the goal. The Guardian Angels protected communities from gang violence without degenerating into a gang themselves. The Black Panthers, before the mid-70's, were also a uniformed paramilitary group that protected Black communities from anti-Black pogroms by the police and fascists. For a good while they were able to keep violence to a minimum, using force only when necessary, and they contributed a great deal to the welfare of the Black Community. A uniformed and disciplined organisation can do more work in areas that a regular political cadre could not. Why? Well, I would of course want some light training for the Guard, and they would be equiped for more situations, notably the Katrina scenario I told you about but also doing work for the working class (building tents for striking union workers even). In many ways, what I am describing is sort of a left-wing "boy scouts," minus the homophobia, sexism, nationalism, juvenilism, religious indoctrination, racism, imperial glorification, mindless militarism, etc....

If you have further questions or I haven't answered well enough, please feel free to ask I am glad you are interested...

personally I like this idea (as long as it is only created for the people across the world and the world's communist parties and not for some military force) but this requires a good Financing.

Money talks baby!:D

[ZeroNowhere]

I think Andrew Kliman's investigation of the current crisis is pretty important as regards what we have to do.

"Working people need to be provided with the theories and concepts that will enable them to understand how the system works and why it cannot work for the benefit of the vast majority of people. Not slogans-genuine theories and concepts that provide real understanding. Working people have minds as well as bodies."

Unfortunately, it would appear that a large amount of the left more or less ignores (or dismisses as internally inconsistent, etc) Marx's investigation into capitalism's laws of motion, and the subject in general, and as such deprive themselves of what I would see as important for the explanation of why capitalism can't work in the interests of workers. Often, they also end up falling into populism and sloganeering.

Quite a few socialists also tend not to be particularly concerned with the TINA idea which is, I think, a major reason for people not even considering socialism. Kliman also talks about that here (http://akliman.squarespace.com/writings/not%20by%20politics%20alone%204.2.06.doc). While I think sometimes his terminology can get a little slippery (eg. the use of 'alienated labour'), and don't necessarily agree with everything in it, he does bring up quite a few valid points, I think.

It seems I've been citing that guy quite a bit recently.

[Minotaur]

(In the UK) The left has grown complacent it rarely organises events it just seems to be happy to be a critique rather than a revolutionary force which in my opinion is not what the left should be doing. The BNP started off with little to no support but through campaigning it managed to win seats in the European election, we need organisation the left has been historically unorganised and willing to wait until class consciousness spontaneously develops. What the left really needs is a charismatic leader and a team all round the country to give out leaflets and propaganda, the communist party here seems to be selling the morning star as a way to upholding class consciousness but it is a sad fact that no one want to read it and standing on street corners selling it will do nothing. We need a different approach where we can actually reach the proletariat on there level.

[The Red Next Door]

You know you really one to talk when you support people who killed the people with are fighting for and used them for religious imperialism so do something about yourself before you judge others.