Need Advice

[~!.ViceLordNation.!~]

At my school we've started are own political group where we talk about politics and read poems in order to give kids on the streets things to do rather than hang on the streets, but i have a problem with gettin kids to join when we talk about things like revolution and communism because there misunderstood about what they've heard and what the U.S. view on communism is which is a ruthless corrupt government, and when i try to explain it i cant help but to use big words, what are some simple things i can do to help change there point of views and show that communism isnt such a bad thing, ive even given the group kind of a street image.

[Forward Union]

Originally posted by ~!.ViceLordNation.![email protected] 21 2006, 09:22 PM
At my school we've started are own political group where we talk about politics and read poems in order to give kids on the streets things to do rather than hang on the streets...
Nothing wrong with explaining communism or anarchism in simple terms. Though It's always off putting to hear someone ramble some self-righteous rhetoric, maybe pose thought provoking questions? why do we need bosses? Aren't you the best person to decide what's right for you? Who said the world had to be like this?

I mean, they are street kids, working class people who are fucked over by capitalism. So when they're talking about something, maybe superficially agree with them and drop in the point that 'It's Capitalism's fault'

Keep up the good work!

[Niall]

good to see you doing something, and thats good advice from AF, go with it

[tolstoyevski]

you're doing a very important work..
i think the main point must be talking about capitalism, its crimes, the difficulties of people, rather than talking about communism or socialism directly.

for example Brecht rarely mentions communism in his plays. he shows that capitalism is a dead-end street; so the audience is forced to think about the alternatives. It can be useful to read marxist, socialist pedagogic works; for instance Makarenko. You can find his works at marxists.org...
Socratic way of questioning, as AF said, can also be very useful.
You must begin from the problems, not from the solutions..

[karmaradical]

I thing that i think really works is the parable.

Put it into an interesting story. Like for instance once i argued against the maoist philosophy-by relating mao to a little kid, who has no one come to his birthday party (the story also included fireworks and a purge).

Try explaining the wrongs of capitalism through interesting stories. And when i mean interesting-i mean interesting. Toss the word "mindfuck", ****, cockmaster, and douch magoosh. It makes you sound less up tight. For example:

The capitalist class oppresses the proletariat class. Revolution is the key to socialist change.

FUN VERSION:
The Capitalist hoe bags, who basically own the southern part of his moma's ass, continually *****slap you proletariat mofos. Fuck that shit man!

I hopes i help a bit.

[Guerilla Justice]

Originally posted by ~!.ViceLordNation.![email protected] 21 2006, 09:28 PM
At my school we've started are own political group where we talk about politics and read poems in order to give kids on the streets things to do rather than hang on the streets, but i have a problem with gettin kids to join when we talk about things like revolution and communism because there misunderstood about what they've heard and what the U.S. view on communism is which is a ruthless corrupt government, and when i try to explain it i cant help but to use big words, what are some simple things i can do to help change there point of views and show that communism isnt such a bad thing, ive even given the group kind of a street image.
We attempted to have a thing like thatt at my school. It fell through due to lack of interest because a rediculusly idiotic poser Anarchist that didn't know his shit would just attempt to turn someones arguement for whatever against them, and never succeeded. Basically if you want that to work try to keep kids like that out. My only advice is to try to explain things in simpler terms like Capitolism is bad and here is why. Even if they don't quite understand you they can somewhat build an idea or opionion off of it. You could also try suggest books for them to read and such.

[Jimmie Higgins]

Like other's have said, try being provacative rather than just lectureing them and saying how great socialism is and all that.

Everyone knows that things are fucked up (the economy, the rising racism, the war and so on) but no one knows what to do about it. So ask people what they think can be done - what's worked historically.

For example on the war: if you ask people who are against the war, what can be done about it, most (in the US) will likly say get Bush out of office and elect a democrat. So then ask why didn't that work in Vietnam? Then ask what did work in vietnam which leads to people talking about protests and what kinds of protests worked better and you can even start talking about soldiers resistance or attempts to shut down ports. You could then ask: what if anti-war workers today had a sit-down strike at the ports and the military couldn't move supplies? What if soldiers in Iraq stopped fighting or doing their duties? What if black workers went on strike until the government found homes for Katrina victims? Bam! Now you are basically talking about workers power revolution and you didn't even have to say: socialsim is a system where blah blah blah.

[~!.ViceLordNation.!~]

I've taken alot of your guys advice and things are goin good, kids are startin to get sick of whats goin on in are neighborhoods and were startin to be heard, anyway thanks for your guys support and i hope to get a picture of all of us soon here and when we do i'll make sure to post it.