What can I do?

[RedLenin]

I am determined to become more active but I am not sure how. I go to school with a buch of upper-middle class a-political kids. (ie they thought we invaded Iraq to catch Osama Bin Laden.) I really want to make a difference in the world but I am at a loss as to what I can do in my current situation. I would appreciate some suggestions. Thank you comrades. :)

[Zingu]

Sheet


Ditto here,

Trust me, you just got to sniff out the leftist kids, they are there, and with enough time, you can find them. Start debates in class with students, if they hear you, they'll approach you about it. Once you get enough people, you could start a club and attract even more people with orientations. :)

[RASH chris]

Stray away from using political labels. Don't say "communism, socialism, anarchism, etc" Just state your views and if people accuse you of things just shrug it off or laugh. Those titles make people leary of your views. But I think you'll find that many people will share your beliefs, then after you talk to them about it, be like "hey, you know, you're a *insert political title*, but it's cool cause so am I". It makes people feel a lot more comfortable, that's what I did when I was in school. Oh and you'd be suprised how many people know subtle things. Like I met a kid one day with the toe of his shoe painted half black half red, he turned out to be an anarchist.

[GlassDraggon]

You think you've got it bad? I went to Dick Cheney High School.

More money was allocated to the football team than the ENTIRE academic system. The football coach was paid one and a half times what the assistant principals made. It was also home to the largest vocational school in the state and one of the largest ROTC squads in the region.

The joke was- why don't we call our football team the Dicks? (instead they called themselves the Mustangs)

Just keep your spirits up and dont let ANYBODY supress you- stand firm in your beliefs and never compromise your activism. If they don't like what you have to say, say it LOUDER. Half the battle is to keep from supressing yourself and to keep from trying to "fit in".

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11 2005, 12:11 AM
I am determined to become more active but I am not sure how. I go to school with a buch of upper-middle class a-political kids. (ie they thought we invaded Iraq to catch Osama Bin Laden.) I really want to make a difference in the world but I am at a loss as to what I can do in my current situation. I would appreciate some suggestions. Thank you comrades. :)
Check out the political organisations thread and try and find an organisation in your area who you agree with, then contact them. You could also contact www.getfreedropout.tk (http://www.getfreedropout.tk) and ask them for advice.

[FeArANDLoAtHiNg]

Not sure if you said, but are you in college or high school? As, a university student myself, I see that most colleges are very open to the formation of new student clubs and organizations. Forming a leftist group would be entirely possible, if none such exist already. However, that probably wouldn't fly in a high school environment. Damn oppressors.

[bolshevik butcher]

Tell them what you believe without saying that you are a communist, you'll be surprised how mayne peeple agree with you, i've gotta admit at my school, most of the political people are socialists. I got lucky :D

[guerillablack]

Unless you plan to organize a youth group, i don't see why you should debate with your peers. Most people are stuck in their ways. I could debate until i was blue about how i'm against abortion with you and then 3 years later start to feel otherwise because of own epiphany.

I think best thing you can do is just explain your ideologies and goals, and join a youth group or become active in your community. Matterfact i suggest enlisting anyone in your school to become active in your community because you can feed the poor at homeless shelters whether your leftist or right wing.

[YKTMX]

Also, you should do some minor political "acts" in your own school (put up some stickers, flyers etc). You may find there are a few "kindred spirits" in the school, that were just reluctant to talk about these things for the obvious reasons.

Good luck comrade!

[Lost Avenger]

I was in the same position. If your involved in debates, bring up some left wing issues while not making any rash comments. Ask them if the world would be better if there wasn't any money and stuff like that. I got a band of about 3 or 4 kids on my side now by doing that, and if I can, I'm sure you can.

Good luck on your hunt.

[waltersm]

I have a similar question, I'm in sixth grade and the anti-communist brainwashing has just started, what should I do to reverse this?

[pandora]

Now is the time to influence your peers. Investigate more about poverty issues in your community and intiate service learning opportunites as far as the poor and homeless in your community.

Come from the compassion angle to open your friends minds, and then learn more Marxist theory so that when they have opened their minds more you can talk about why and how certain systems of "disenfranchisement" are in place. And how it is not all about "choice" probably many of your friends have parents who work two jobs, or work so much they can not be at home with their children. You could talk about how such a system is unsustainable for the health of children and should be changed.

Find out more info about your school lunch system and school lunch vouchers, perhaps start a campaign for healthier lunches with produce from local farmers instead of prepackaged corporate crap. If kids have better food they will be curious how and want to help to get better lunches. THink local as in your own cafeteria your own classroom for a start.

As you learn about communist leaders do not be afraid to research such things in school assignments, make school work for you rather than against you. Do well in math you need it to understand economic theory.

[waltersm]

Now is the time to influence your peers. Investigate more about poverty issues in your community and intiate service learning opportunites as far as the poor and homeless in your community.

unfortuantly I live in a fairly up scale community, we have a few lower middle class, but thats a very small amount, most people are high on their suburbia indused "everyone lives like this" trip.
Would a guilt thing work?



start a campaign for healthier lunches with produce from local farmers instead of prepackaged corporate crap

thats true, our lunches do tatse like crap, how can I get the school to crae what we think though?

and the reports on communist leaders sounds like a great idea, thanks :)

[alex d kid]

I go to a right wing school as well, but I haven't been there since the begining of December. I guess you can sniff out my opinion.

[Mitch Flo]

Next year I am planning on starting a communist group at school and ideas to help me out?

[waltersm]

I suggest gaining support of the students by sticking it to the teachers, veiw each period as a sort of guirilla war

[Lost Avenger]

Here are some tips for starting your communist club/group

1) If you have any debates at school, try to see who is leaning towards the left wing and inform them of the possible club/group.

2) I wouldn't call it a 'communist' group. Try 'leftist' or something. In our society, the term 'communist' is not taken kindly. Give it a more discrete name, find out the members political stance, then name it from there.

3) Finally, I agree with Waltersm about teaming up on the teachers. Not in a harsh or bad way that could get you into trouble, but show them how strong you are in your beliefs.

[Le Revolutionary]

im in the same boat too. Unfortunately i realy doubt i ahev any leftist people in my school though. They just do what their told without question and do not really care about politics.

[{GR}Raine]

At my school, of course, very right wing, ive been able to careflly look over and pick out the left wing kids. Ive got one marxist who is most definatley a very intelligible guy, ive got one anarchist who I can use for my own purposes, hes not really educated at all about anarchy or communism, but i m gonna get what I can. otherwise, theres about 7 othe rleft sing kids I can pull together, some of them call themselves moderstaes, but with thei hate for the right-wing, im sure I can lure them in. Last time in class, the Marxist and I were on one side of the debate, and with our knowledge on practical vs. classical education, the teacher had to join their side for rebuttals.

good luck to everyone else with these problems.