BROOKLYN, November 12—In the face of rising anti-Muslim racism stirred up by president-elect Trump, members of Progressive Labor Party and others in our local Unitarian church organized an even bigger annual interfaith dinner this year. Over 100 people of all ages gathered at our Unitarian church for our 16th annual dinner with Muslim workers and their families! After the September 11 terrorist attacks, we made a concerted effort to reach out to our Muslim working-class sisters and brothers to build solidarity against anti-Muslim racism. Over the years, we have built a thriving relationship that has enriched the lives of all. We are one step closer to building class-consciousness, one step closer to communism.
Cultivating Multiracial Unity
What began as a divided room 16 years ago has blossomed into a working-class family. More members of the Unitarian church participate now, and the dinner is an even mix of Muslim and Unitarian workers. We no longer have to encourage people to sit at a table with folks they don’t know. People socialize naturally regardless of their background. It’s a testament to our comrades’ outreach and community building that has fostered this sense of family and mutual respect. Our unity is based on our common struggle to end capitalism.
Many attendees gave captivating speeches. A Black Muslim imam stressed the need to overcome the racism, sexism, and division stirred up by the election. A spokesperson from the church conveyed a prayer of healing and solidarity from our minister. One PLP member who helped foster the relationship between the religious organizations spoke of the need to fight together in the face of rising fascism. These words prompted a church member to spontaneously stand up and talk about protecting and standing up for anyone who is being bullied or harassed.
The final speaker, a Muslim woman involved in many community organizations, emphasized that hate crimes are on the rise in New York. A racist letter was distributed in an apartment building in Queens saying that it is a Trump building and non-white person was not welcome. She stressed the importance of Muslim workers uniting with other antiracists to fight anti-Muslim racism and sexism being espoused by those emboldened by the election.
The election of Donald Trump has shown that capitalism is in crisis and open racism is increasing as a result. However, antiracist workers are emboldened, too. Mass marches all over the country show that millions of workers will stand up against racism. Marches show that we have the capability to fight this racist system, and dinners like these show the potential for a new communist one. In these volatile times, it is more important than ever to unite under one flag, the red flag of communism and PLP. Only with class-consciousness and multiracial unity can we defeat the capitalist bosses looking to divide us. This dinner showed that with workers looking out for one another, anyone could be a family. There is hope for a brighter future. We are already seeing glimmers of what could be! Join the fight against racism and the fight for communism now! We strive to build a world without inequality, religion, borders, and capitalist exploitation.