I just went down to our local lib demonstration. All I could really feel was depressed. All those people waving signs but I wonder how many are willing to do anything more than that? Shit most of them were pretty old, tbh. I approached some people I clocked as comrades but I was very awkward and we didn’t have a conversation.

I guess I don’t really have a question here. Just feel like everybody has identified (some of) the problems, but have totally misidentified the solutions. Will these protests ever accomplish anything? Can we radicalize the protestors without them having to get beaten by cops? Or is that what it will take?

  • jack [he/him, comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    41·
    2 days ago

    How does a radical org like PSL develop a healthy, mutually beneficial relationship with a liberal protest group?

    Tactics:

    1. Form personal relationships with the most active organizers. If the vanguard party is the most active, radicalized segment of the working class, these folks are in a secondary strata below the vanguard party but above the disorganized and depoliticized general masses. Show them respect and appreciation for their dedication and effort. Do not condescend on the basis of being more experienced or knowledgeable. Understand their particular motivators, views, and political trajectory.

    2. Offer useful help. Communist cadre are trained organizers with all the skills necessary to pull off the type of actions these movements are interested in getting going. Fill in the gaps for them, do so confidently, and be open about political affiliation - when you set up AV, gice speeches, or marshall crowds, wear your org’s shirt/hat/beret/whatever. There’s no better way to earn trust than by helping folks achieve what they couldn’t on their own.

    3. Be bold in your politics. Demonstrate the unreliability of Democrat front groups (Indivisible). Hold a clear political line, point out the failures of Democrats without attacking their voters generally, and make correct predictions (they will tell you not to talk about Gaza). We are right all the time - count on people seeing that once you’ve earned enough trust to be listened to.

    4. Keep high standards of professionalism. Put out the best-designed media. Avoid gossip. Resolve conflicts between other organizers. Be early to your commitments and overperform. Demonstrate high expectations and model delivering. Don’t be afraid to hold non-party organizers accountable, but do so to support their political development, not “put them in their place”.

    Benefits:

    1. Many opportunities to develop cadre. There’s a lot of work involved in intervening in these movements. Assign the work to many comrades, provide training sessions, and encourage folks to step out of their comfort zone to build new skills and experience.

    2. Finding people in motion to bring into formal periphery or party membership. A meaningful chunk of these fresh organizers will make great comrades. Show them what your organization is capable of and how much more they could achieve in it. Beware of the demographic limitations of this movement (it’s pretty white) and don’t neglect other recruitment work.

    3. Significantly boost the reach of your political message to the large crowds these events are drawing. Get on stage to speak - if there’s no stage, set it up yourself and you’re instantly the leader. Set up a table with lots of literature and you’ll have tons of good political conversations.

    4. Keep the Democrats out. If we don’t take leadership of this movement, they will.