Progressive Labor Party (PLP) fights to destroy capitalism and the dictatorship of the capitalist class. We organize workers, soldiers and youth into a revolutionary movement for communism.
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MAY DAY: CHICAGO
Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 5:33PM “It comes down to: who do I trust with my life? It sure isn’t the capitalists. I trust you all.”
This closing sentiment from a young comrade at our annual May Day dinner received a round of applause.
As everyone clapped in the colorfully decorated hall, one could see why he would put his life in our hands. The room was filled with women and men workers of all backgrounds, united in a common goal. It was an inspiring sight!
The love and camaraderie people showed for one another made it obvious that we should trust each other and trust the working class as a whole to create a better society for everyone.
Our dinner’s theme was “A Vision of Communism.” Lately, with the miseries of capitalism especially obvious to us and our friends, we wanted to be positive and optimistic. One skit, “Before and After,” showed a medical drama set in the current capitalist world and then re-imagined it in a communist future.
There were multiple songs sung as a group including “Power to the Workers,” “Bella Ciao,” and, of course, “The Internationale.” Two poems read by young black women were quite moving. Two speeches, both by young black men who are PL leaders here, covered local struggles and international news, as well as personal stories of these comrades’ experiences in PLP.
A teacher related her experiences in the Chicago Teachers’ Union and what education might look like in a communist world. Another spoke about the fightback he is helping to lead against his school becoming a “turnaround” school.
Overall our May Day celebration was a success. The food was plentiful and delicious. The audience, a majority of them black and Latino youth, responded enthusiastically to the speeches, poems and songs. Approximately 125 people attended the dinner and helped us raise needed funds. We also added six new subscribers to our CHALLENGE list.
Although we worked hard planning a program around the theme, it turns out that having the dinner itself was the best way to envision a communist world. It’s a world where everyone — black, Latino, white, Asian, young, old, women and men — is involved in running society for the benefit of all, without the shackles of racism, sexism and capitalism. Power to the working class!
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