A reminder that you can’t vote your way out of FASCISM!

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 34 points 3 days ago (25 children)

I helped organize a 600 person union, I was doing rapid response in Minneapolis, and I helped organize the Worker Assemblies in Minneapolis.

Both sides fucking suck.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 25 child comments
  • [–] 11 points 3 days ago (4 children)

    Is there a side that while sucking is still better than the other? Both sides suck, but they are not the same.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 4 points 3 days ago* (3 children)

    To be honest with you, every time the dems have had power they have squandered the opportunity to prevent further corruption in this country, or to protect our future on a long enough timeline to negate the aftereffects of the next election cycle. That inaction and useless hand wringing is such a flaccid and disgustingly inept response to the very real dangers and very pressing concerns of the near future. If they can’t be trusted to combat republicans, then what’s the fucking point?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 2 days ago (2 children)

    The point is that doing nothing is still better than doing the wrong thing. I would also say that neolib dems are not the end goal. The increase in DSA and WFP candidates is a step in the right direction that needs support to continue.

    The civil/societal improvements of any period in history do require a fight but also legislation. The civil rights movements of the 1960s did not just have people marching in the streets or threats of fire being met with fire it also had legislators who had prior been opposing or ineffective that were able to work with newer more radical legislators. DSA and non-AIPAC candidates are those more radical ones and some (not all) of the dems are the opposing/ineffectives that can work with them.

    Tldr; Its a lot easier to fight for better than simply for survival.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 2 days ago* (1 child)

    It’s hard for me to motivate myself to care when a lot of the times it feels like the “doing nothing” that’s happening is a coordinated and controlled opposition to an evil agenda that is also working toward the same goal, but more quietly. I get that we have a token few democratic socialists, but it isn’t enough to upset the establishment that takes money/bribes from the same donors, has similar corrupt interests, and allows what’s happening to happen with only some pearl clutching and finger wagging to show their disapproval.

    At the rate that republicans are dismantling what precious little safeties there are for civilians, it’s hard to imagine some comeback renaissance where anything close to the damage caused becomes damage fixed before our country is completely destitute, and corpos poison every well they can get their greasy little fingers in to the detriment of everyone else here. It saddens me.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [+] 3 points 3 days ago* (6 children)
  • [–] 17 points 3 days ago (4 children)

    I think our answer is outside of politics. Liberal Democratic politics is only useful insofar as slowing the erosion of our rights while living under the ruling class. We have to get organized to have a national general strike and completely stop the system until we have an equitable society.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [+] -8 points 3 days ago (3 children)

    And then we could all ride our winged unicorns to the great banquet in the sky where nobody gets sick and everyone is a good person.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 9 points 3 days ago (2 children)

    The mass strike on jan 23rd in Minnesota was so effective that over 50 CEOs sent a letter to the president asking for de-escalation, and reduced ICE presence in Minneapolis by 90%. After a 1 day mass strike.

    Maybe you don't believe in the power you hold as a worker, but I do.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [+] -8 points 3 days ago (1 child)
  • [–] 8 points 3 days ago

    Why do you think I'm organizing unions? MN did great, but it was a practice run. We need more people to be organized to our cause. I cannot be in every state at the same time, but I can make my state respond better next time.

    Other areas also participated in the mass strike, but it couldn't hold a candle to the MN turnout. Organizers like me know what they need to do in their state, but we're not ready for a national strike committee yet.

  • source
  • parent
  • [+] -8 points 3 days ago (12 children)
  • [–] 10 points 3 days ago (11 children)

    No. But I did watch as liberal politicians across Minnesota tried to coopt our worker assemblies in attempts to neuter our movement for their own political goals.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 11 child comments
  • [+] -5 points 3 days ago (10 children)
  • [–] 15 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (7 children)

    We know that the GOP is the enemy. But pretending like Democrats are our allies while they hold a knife behind their back doesn't help either.

    We, the working class people, do all the work to improve this country. But democratic politicians want us to believe that only they can make things better. We've been waiting for universal healthcare since the 30s, during the great depression. Liberals pushed the Taft-Hartley act and went around the president to pass it. Liberals only liked MLK and Malcolm X after they died, and probably think Fred Hampton and Huey Newton had it coming.

    If you're expecting Democrats to save us, you will be sorely mistaken.

    Edit: also, point to the part where I said that they were the same.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 7 child comments
  • [+] 0 points 3 days ago (6 children)
  • [–] 6 points 3 days ago* (4 children)

    I'm aware of both people, and their many accomplishments.

    Believe it or not, I'm also a strategic organizer. There's a time for strategic compromise. We are not in one of those moments.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [+] -5 points 3 days ago (3 children)
  • [–] 5 points 3 days ago (2 children)

    Take a look at the other conversation that stemmed from my original comment. I don't think that the solution involves working within the political establishment, we need a national general strike.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [+] -3 points 3 days ago (1 child)
  • [–] 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

    Right now, we need to generally build up union power, so the most important task is organizing unions, which is currently what I'm doing. As union organizing and class solidarity builds, we start organizing food sovereignty programs and local worker assemblies. As these programs and assemblies grow, we start building sublocal, local, subregional, regional, district, and national organizing committees to oversee the needs of the movement. Once we reach a critical mass of support (at minimum 3 million people, but aim for much more), we strike indefinitely until the ruling class capitulates.

    Edit: tbf you did ask for some specific details that I never described. I have been organizing with CWA for 5 years as a worker-organizer, most of which were spent leading the campaign to form AQAU-CWA at Microsoft. Despite losing my lawsuit against the company for firing me, I maintain many friends and connections within CWA, and I'm still organizing with them at my new job. My local is part of several inter-union coalitions within Minneapolis and work alongside several anarchist collectives at community events. Several parts of CWA, including AFA president Sarah Nelson, support a national general strike. My CWA local worked alongside community groups, faith groups, and 5 other unions including SEIU for the mass strike on Jan 23rd.

  • source
  • parent