Letters of February 29

Winds of Change Blow Fiercely As Workers Hug CHALLENGE

The wind was from the north, cold and sweeping. Our CHALLENGES fluttered in our attempt to keep them open to show the workers exiting Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn, NY at the end of their shift and others entered to start their shift. 

“Is that the latest CHALLENGE?” asked one worker. “Thanks.” He said a few words and moved on to get out of the cold wind. A doctor in scrubs who walked up to me said “Thanks,” when I gave him a paper, shook my hand, and moved into the building. 

A tall worker came out of the hospital and asked, “What’s that?” The front page spoke of class war and we discussed it for a few minutes. He moved on to a group of friends standing by the car service drivers nearby. He showed them the paper. A lengthy conversation followed as the biting wind continued.

One after another, almost every individual who went in or came out of the hospital entrance took a CHALLENGE and had something nice to say. In some cases I was thanked over and over again, and my hand was shaken. 

The other person distributing the paper had similar experiences.  One woman, on seeing somebody refuse the paper told the other, “You should read that. It has good information.”  

It was not just the cold wind blowing or the icy sleet that started to fall, it was as if a great change was beginning to take place. Their hospital is under attack. Half of the large institution is slated to be closed down. Not because it doesn’t serve its purpose to the large population in the area, not because the hospital workers and medical staff are incapable, but because of the needs of war, fascism, and profit. 

Our distribution of CHALLENGE brought all of these views to the workers. For those taking the paper, it reflected their growing workers’ anger, not only at the fraud that removed millions of dollars from their pension funds, but at the racism that would close a hospital that serves mostly a black, Latino and immigrant population.

We have been back about three times in four weeks with three different editions of CHALLENGE. The first time, two of us brought 60 papers, and they went in about 15 minutes. 

The second time we brought 65 papers, and they disappeared in about 20 minutes during snow flurries. 

The third time we had three sellers and 100 papers that disappeared in about 18 minutes. People were eager for information about the system we’re living under and information on the hospital.

I got a sudden feeling that this is what it means to be serving the people. The bosses’ newspapers raise all of the terrible things that exist in our society. 

The only answer that’s ever put forward is incarcerating more of our youth or voting for one of the bosses’ politicians. We point out the need to struggle and fight back, no matter who the politician or boss is, that the way forward is to read and distribute CHALLENGE, struggle on the job, struggle with our friends and help people understand the true nature of this class society.

A CHALLENGE seller
 

‘I know capitalism isn’t working so I want to find out more…’

“I don’t know exactly what communism is, but I know capitalism isn’t working, so I want to find out more.”

These were the words of a teacher who had just attended his first PL study-action group. He is a fellow co-worker of a PL’er in a special-needs high school for emotionally disturbed youth. He’s intimately confronted with the racism, injustice, and inequality inherent in capitalism’s education system every day.   

Another first-time attendee was a college student who had spent virtually every night at Occupy Wall Street (OWS). He had a lot to say at our discussion based on the CHALLENGE (12/14) article “OWS Slogan Hides Class Nature of Profit System.” The article discussed how part of the 99% is also a part of the power structure that supports the capitalist system. We all read the article together and listened to each other’s understanding of it. As a recent PL’er struggled with the student, it was inspiring to watch her give leadership based on her understanding of the Party line. A greater understanding of communism occurred. 

A PL teacher had arrived a bit late because several high schools had walkouts against school closings earlier and some of her students had participated in it. Excited to see so many youth and so few phony leftists at the walkout, she took the opportunity to get out 50 CHALLENGES. She also had good political discussions with her students who’d walked out. She invited them to upcoming PLP events and congratulated them on taking part in such a sharp political action.

With another large study group and protests to look forward to, this PL club feels that growth is on the horizon.  Within the context of a deepening financial crisis, the police murder of an unarmed teen in the Bronx, and sharpening imperialist conflicts, it is inspiring to see so much work transform into potential growth. 

A Comrade

Palestine: Youth Know the Score and Fight Like Hell

As a college student in the U.S. on my first international trip, I was astounded by the situation in Palestine and at how blatantly the U.S. media manipulates reports on Israel and Palestine. The trip was at once infuriating and exhilarating. The great ugly gray walls penning Palestinians in their allotted lands, the widespread pattern of rubble where homes had once been, are now taken over by either Zionist Jewish settlers or the government itself. The situation is similar to what the U.S. did to the Native Americans when penned into reservations. 

What was exhilarating, however, was the spirit of fighting back that was as strong as their coffee. The women, children — both Palestinian and Jewish — and workers united to fight and demonstrate on a regular basis. In Sheik Jarah, the demonstrations are militant and frequent. They recognize that the fight is not between “races” or religions, but between classes. 

As a young student, the most inspiring thing to me was the force with which the children fought. Young children no more than nine years old were leading massive marches. 

Their political consciousness is something that we can aspire to in the U.S. They understand democracy does not exist in the U.S. any more than it exists in Israel, before they have even memorized their multiplication tables. 

But it is also sad because their consciousness comes from growing up with brothers and cousins tortured in prisons, watching as the elderly are thrown to the ground and their homes taken in front of their own eyes. They grow up living in tents, cemeteries, encampments and streets. 

They grow up in racism and fascism so blatant and unavoidable that they have no choice but to be militant fighters and organizers. It is deep-rooted into their growing process. We can learn from their militancy and awareness that the working class is expendable in this racist system. Join the fight for a communist revolution!

Young Red

March vs. Racist Cops: ‘Can’t stand living under capitalism’

When I first heard about the shooting of 18-year-old Ramarley Graham on February 2nd in the  Bronx, I instantly called bull****.

According to details (which are sketchy at best), police saw Graham adjusting his pants on a street corner and, since he was black, assumed he was taking out a gun. They then chased Graham to his home, where one of the cops cornered and fatally shot Graham in his own bathroom. No gun was found on him at all. Shocker.

I knew that I had to be at the protest against this grave injustice, which took place two days later in the Melrose area.

As I arrived with my communist friends I could feel a palpable anger in the air — the unrelenting fury and disgust towards the NYPD’s treatment of an innocent youth who was doing nothing wrong.

A young Latino man dressed in a red hat with matching sweater passionately read off the names of the officers involved. Community leaders became southern pastors in full sermon, asking in booming voices when will the violence be stopped.  

Mere yards away, an auxiliary band of pigs in blue watched the spectacle, supposedly there to “keep the peace.” My journalistic senses kicking in, I took out my camera, activated the video function, pressed “record” and let the Cyber-Shot tell the story.

We traveled from an apartment complex to the 42nd precinct, the location which produced this particular group of pigs. On the way, I made sure to spit on a police wagon for good measure. Outside the station-house, cries of “Jail those killer cops” and another listing of the guilty party reverberated loud and clear for the officers stationed inside and out.

Soon after, the march’s leaders led us down another street, blocking traffic on one side and encouraging people to join in.

I eventually found Graham’s siblings, one of whom thanked me for showing my support. A man even took the opportunity to shout himself out before my camera lens.

Overall, I was enthused to have been part of this. While I don’t consider myself a communist, I am a supporter and I do believe that a revolution can and will happen. 

I can’t stand living in a capitalist world where the police pit bulls are free to harass and kill black and Latino people, with Mayor Bloomberg holding their leashes. If this murder shows anything, it’s that we need to protect ourselves. After all, these cops sure won’t help us there.  In the word of the rap group NWA, “Eff Tha Police.”

Friend of PL