New communist to the forum

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Hello! After many years, I've finally made my way to RevLeft. I'm a 25 year old American; CPUSA member for five years, and a dedicated communist since college. I'd describe myself as a Marxist and a Leninist, but not a Marxist-Leninist. I drink from many communist theoretical fountains, I think each group has something unique to add to the struggle, but I most strongly identify with Debs and Haywood, from my own country.

Anyway, I hope to contribute to the forum and learn in the process!

[Lucretia]

Welcome to the forum. Are you still in the CPUSA? If so, you may want to brace yourself. Many comrades, including me, find that organization to be embarrassingly reformist, liberal even.

[Taters]

CPUSA
Incoming shitstorm.

Anyway, welcome and stick around!

[Flying Purple People Eater]

Welcome to Revleft.

If you're serious about being a communist, you really might want to drop the CPUSA label. They're Obama shills and blatantly right-wing - nothing revolutionary about them.

[Q]

Welcome :)

I apologize fore not posting earlier. It seems another mod has approved your post...

If you have political questions, you can ask them in the Learning forum. That's why it's there after all!

If you have questions about your account, don't hesitate to send me a PM or ask here.

Is the CPUSA still an active organisation? My impression was that it's a pretty dead one these days.

[Cheezy the Wiz]

One need not approve of every action of an organization to remain a member of it. Personally, I believe the factionalism being encouraged even here in this thread is one of the left's most endemic problems. I think the CPUSA has taken a wrong course in sheltering the Democrats from criticism and in lending them support, but I also think it's the duty of members of that organization to change it, instead of going off to start another party with 500 people or whatever.

Much of what the party stands for, I agree with. Just not the insistence on participation in liberal politics as a strategy, or getting involved in the internecine squabbles of the American liberal parties. Both are our enemy, and sometimes the enemy of my enemy is simply my enemy's enemy.

[Philosophos]

Is this CPUSA something like Syriza (a joke of the left) and you make so much fun of it?

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

Welcome to RevLeft!

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Is this CPUSA something like Syriza (a joke of the left) and you make so much fun of it?

I don't think there is such thing as a "serious" leftist movement in the United States. I think we all are earnest, but we are a disorganized non-threat to the status quo, in terms of national politics. In order to move forward, there is no question in my mind that we require leftist unity. What I struggle to understand is: if capitalism is as a bad as we say it is, then why is working together between different socialist and communist parties so difficult?

I may have to start a thread on this soon, unless there is already one.

[mo7amEd]

You chose an odd day to introduce yourself :D

Welcome anyway.

[chase63]

One need not approve of every action of an organization to remain a member of it. Personally, I believe the factionalism being encouraged even here in this thread is one of the left's most endemic problems. I think the CPUSA has taken a wrong course in sheltering the Democrats from criticism and in lending them support, but I also think it's the duty of members of that organization to change it, instead of going off to start another party with 500 people or whatever.

Much of what the party stands for, I agree with. Just not the insistence on participation in liberal politics as a strategy, or getting involved in the internecine squabbles of the American liberal parties. Both are our enemy, and sometimes the enemy of my enemy is simply my enemy's enemy.

I am a former cpusa member, now I am more of a libertarian socialist...I can tell you alot of the membership knows nothing about theory or anything, it's quiet sad. And they basically said that voting for obama was the best thing we can do, so yeah I dropped them pretty quick...They also don't believe in armed revolution. I can tell you the membership is quite incapable of changing the organization, and they probably don't want to.

[adipocere]

Hi Cheezy the Wiz. I'm also new here and a Party member. I pretty much echo your sentiment here:

One need not approve of every action of an organization to remain a member of it. Personally, I believe the factionalism being encouraged even here in this thread is one of the left's most endemic problems. I think the CPUSA has taken a wrong course in sheltering the Democrats from criticism and in lending them support, but I also think it's the duty of members of that organization to change it, instead of going off to start another party with 500 people or whatever.

Much of what the party stands for, I agree with. Just not the insistence on participation in liberal politics as a strategy, or getting involved in the internecine squabbles of the American liberal parties. Both are our enemy, and sometimes the enemy of my enemy is simply my enemy's enemy.

And disagree with this:



If you're serious about being a communist, you really might want to drop the CPUSA label.

I would argue that the CPUSA is the the only serious communist party in the USA.

[Lucretia]

One need not approve of every action of an organization to remain a member of it. Personally, I believe the factionalism being encouraged even here in this thread is one of the left's most endemic problems. I think the CPUSA has taken a wrong course in sheltering the Democrats from criticism and in lending them support, but I also think it's the duty of members of that organization to change it, instead of going off to start another party with 500 people or whatever.

Much of what the party stands for, I agree with. Just not the insistence on participation in liberal politics as a strategy, or getting involved in the internecine squabbles of the American liberal parties. Both are our enemy, and sometimes the enemy of my enemy is simply my enemy's enemy.

I am just curious what you think you're doing, with the CPUSA, that you can't also do as a member of, say, the Democratic Party? Why, specifically, are you a member of the CPUSA? What distinctly different political practice are you advancing as a member of that group?

It's an honest question.

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

I don't think there is such thing as a "serious" leftist movement in the United States. I think we all are earnest, but we are a disorganized non-threat to the status quo, in terms of national politics. In order to move forward, there is no question in my mind that we require leftist unity. What I struggle to understand is: if capitalism is as a bad as we say it is, then why is working together between different socialist and communist parties so difficult?

I may have to start a thread on this soon, unless there is already one.

Well the Party for Socialism and Liberation got somewhere in the upper end between 9000-10000 votes at the last presidential election so I'd say that there are definitely much better parties out there. Also there are many factions, such as the Oklahoma and Houston factions, that got expelled for disagreeing with the main party. So I don't see what there is really left to do in the CPUSA

[LeonJWilliams]

Welcome comrade, enjoy your stay and don't forget to check out the Anarchist threads.

[o well this is ok I guess]

I would argue that the CPUSA is the the only serious communist party in the USA. Have you not heard of the RCP

[adipocere]

Have you not heard of the RCP
I had a friend who, if I'm not mistaken, identified with it. He took himself quite seriously.

[RFP]

RCP has a couple of bookstores here in the USA Midwest, Bob Avakian is the chair. Most of my interactions with them are centered around discussion of building a strong central party. Revolution Books in Chicago is one...I think they have a same-named store in Cleveland OH

[JPSartre12]

Welcome to revleft, comrade. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

[Lucretia]

If the CPUSA has a reputation for its liberalism, the RCP has a reputation for being a cult around Chairman Bob. They divide his books into chapters and verses so they can cite it like the Bible for chrissakes.