BALTIMORE, December 8- With huge banners, a group of anti-racist workers and members of the Progressive Labor Party crashed Baltimore’s phony liberal mayor’s holiday parade demanding enforcement of the new law banning gag orders for victims of police brutality. Gag orders prohibit hundreds of victimized families from saying even a single word about what happened, once they sign a financial settlement with the City. However, the gag orders don’t stop the cops and the media from saying whatever they want.
The bosses’ democracy is nothing more than the dictatorship of the capitalist class. They use their state violence to keep themselves in power. This violence includes the 1,100 or so police killings each year in the U.S., with Black workers two-and-a-half times more likely to be killed. It also includes 679 interventions from 1943 to 1990 by federal troops and the National Guard, involving over 681,835 troops. Those military interventions, just like today, have included attacks on workers’ strikes, on uprisings against racism, on student protests, and on prison rebellions.
It has taken two years of struggle, and a victory in court by Ashley Overbey – one of the hundreds of victims of racist violence by Baltimore cops – to compel the Baltimore City Council to pass a new law ending gag orders. After police lies about Ashley’s case were published locally, repeated attacks were made on her character in blog posts. Ashley finally responded, stating publically the truth about what had been done to her. Consequently about half of her settlement money was stripped away by the City. Her court case reversed this. Starting in 2020 gag orders will finally outlawed in Baltimore. The mayor, however, has said he will refuse to enforce the ban.
But, even though the capitalists control the government, sometimes a particular law causes a problem for them. Then they don’t hesitate to break their own laws. That’s what tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt – one of the richest capitalists in U.S. history – meant when he roared, “What do I care about the law? Ain’t I got the power?” That’s also what Baltimore Mayor Jack Young meant when he arrogantly stated that he will not enforce the ban on gag orders.
When the mayor drove by organizers we boldly stepped into the street, holding the banners next to the mayor’s car. That sparked more boldness as several organizers led us to proudly stretch our banners across the entire width of the street, marching right in front of Mayor Jack Young’s car. Very loudly, so the thousands of parade watchers lining the sidewalks could clearly hear, we sang, “Hit the road, Jack, and don’t you come back no more!” We also chanted, “Enforced silence condones police violence!”
The mayor’s community relations flunky repeatedly told us to get out of the march. We ignored him. Later Baltimore’s police chief, Michael Harrison, walked purposefully next to the mayor’s car. Undoubtedly, they were discussing whether to use their kkkops to throw us out of the parade. They apparently decided that wouldn’t look good, and the mayor was forced to endure our bold protest. In fact, when his car stopped in front of the reviewing stand, our loud chanting and singing apparently shut down part of his intended speech.
Although two-thirds of Baltimore’s population is Black, the parade was held in Hampden, a nearly all-white section of the city. The crowds watching the parade were about 95 percent white. It was particularly impressive, when folks – reading our anti-racist banners, and listening to our chants – broke out into enthusiastic cheers and applause!
For days Facebook and Reddit were abuzz with highly spirited comments about our action. Some focused on the Progressive Labor Party banner about the police murder of Tyrone West. That banner says “PUT KILLER COPS IN CELL BLOCKS” and “SMASH RACISM & CAPITALISM.”
Here is a sampling of the social media posts:
“I had to admire the chutzpah of the people marching in the Hampden Christmas parade to protest police violence. They were shout-singing ‘Hit the Road Jack,’ and Mayor Jack was in the yellow car right behind them.”
“The capitalist model, at its core, empowers wealth inequality and disenfranchisement of many. I’m curious …how opposing capitalism is irrelevant.”
“Y’ALL DID THAT THING! Nothing but mad respect for you.”
“I love this!! I love you All for doing this!!”
When fighting against racism and capitalism boldness is vital. As communist Frederick Engels said: “Surprise your antagonists while their forces are scattering, prepare new successes, however small, … rally those vacillating elements to your side which always follow the strongest impulse, … force your enemies to a retreat before they can collect their strength against you; in the words of Danton, the greatest master of revolutionary policy …, de l’audace, de l’audace, encore de l’audace!” which means, boldness, boldness, and more boldness! This is true in the fight against police brutality, against racism, and against capitalism.
It’s also important to understand that the capitalists control state power. Electoral politics cannot defeat capitalism. Electoral politics cannot take us to working class power and communism. After all, revolution is not on the ballot.