From a member of the Revolution Club, New York
In the Midst of A Real Yearning to Go Further Ideologically and Politically
February 3, 2017 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
The Revolution Club has been part of some of the major manifestations in the past week on the war on immigrants. The following are some observations and thoughts off of interactions with the crowds that are attending the gatherings and marches:
At Columbia University, it was clear that both the students and professors organizing the rally were being newly awakened to political life or re-entering the political struggle. Speaker after speaker spoke with great passion on the Islamophobia, the xenophobia, anti-immigration, and much more. In the main these were graduate students working on dissertations—highly trained intellectuals—that for an evening (because of the larger reality) put the books down and left the campuses as student contingents to march into the streets. This was very new and significant. This happened at several different campuses in the city.
The Revolution Club led chants, helped to bring together the different contingents, agitated at different points on the illegitimacy of this fascist regime. But what was different (and this I noticed at a larger march in the city the previous day) was that there was a real yearning to go further (ideologically and politically). Why is this fascism? If we drive this fascist regime out of office what will replace it? Are there radical alternatives to this system? What type of leadership do we need?
And within all this I think there's been a real struggle to take this further (ideologically and politically) with individuals and amongst groupings of people. We were invited guests at a writers’ workshop. In the main everything we talked about was either very new or were thoughts they had (but didn't know how to articulate). There was a real yearning to act to refuse to accept a fascist america and a real living curiosity of why we also advocate for a communist revolution.
While these are just a few examples I think there's more to wrestle with as the larger world is quickly changing; as we're bringing out the true nature of this fascist regime there is a need to lead people to change their priorities, to act on their convictions.... And while this fascist regime is still in power and people's fears are real, there is the reality that if we in our millions refuse to accept a fascist america it could drive this regime from power. And while that's a lot to wrestle with I think there's great openings before us amongst large sections of society.
@Noche_RC at #NoBanNoWall yesterday. @refusefascism Protests Across Country Condemn Trump’s Anti-Muslim Ban: https://t.co/tECkkd3Vz7 #revcom pic.twitter.com/MTXOBcvTBY
— NYC Revolution Club (@NYCRevClub) January 30, 2017
"American lives are NOT more important than other people's lives!"#NYC #MuslimBanprotest #DriveThemOut#NoFascistUSA pic.twitter.com/XGTCb6cJ5y
— #NoFascistUSA (@RefuseFascism) January 29, 2017
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