Letters of May 8

Christianity and Communism
I’ve had quite a journey, from Christianity to communism. I grew up in the church, sang in the choir, attended Sunday school and bible study weekly, and participated in outreach — what the church calls “soul-winning.” I was taught to be leery of material that contradicted my beliefs, lest they plant seeds of doubt, and so I read books that mostly encouraged my faith and reassured my beliefs, music that gave “glory to God” and surrounded myself with other believers.
However, a few outside messages crept in. I remember a high school teacher lending me a book entitled, “Ain’t I a Woman” by the feminist writer Bell Hooks. It prompted me to question the church’s stance on women.
Years later, in college, the professor of my Africana Studies class shared his radical political ideas about the U.S. and its class system, its treatment of black people and its foreign policies. It opened my eyes to things I had never thought of or heard before.
In another class, “Lies My Teacher Told Me” by James Lowen was required reading. I began to see that the world was a lot more complex than the church had taught me.
Still, I remained devoted to my Christian beliefs. It wasn’t until 2008 when I met someone (who later became my husband, and later on my ex) who confronted my beliefs head on. He challenged me to read books that argued against my beliefs. If after having read them I was still convinced of my beliefs, fine — but no belief should go unquestioned. It was after much study, many questions and many tears that I finally walked away from Christianity. It was the most liberating experience of my life.
I became a military wife. The man I married was a U.S. army officer. More than ever I was able to see how the rich used racism, poverty and the poor to their advantage. It was mostly young black men who served as soldiers; mostly white men who were officers; mostly people from impoverished neighborhoods trying to make something of their lives.
My eyes were opened to military culture: the admiration for the latest weapons, the instilled distrust for the Arab world. I learned of soldiers who had been deployed several times, of families torn apart by war, either through death or because the soldier came home mentally broken. My husband was well aware of these things as well, but said, “It pays the bills.” He also said, all the time, that those who want to see this system fall won’t see it fall unless there is bloodshed.
In 2010, I visited the professor from my Africana studies course. I told him that I’d de-converted from Christianity. We talked politics. Obama was now president. This professor used terms like “capitalism” and “ruling class” to show why Obama was no different from the rest, despite his charisma and his liberal stance. He gave me a copy of “Marx for Beginners” by Rius and told me I should check out the Brecht Forum.
I met some wonderful people there, including, years later, the couple who eventually invited me to their study group and introduced me to Progressive Labor Party, a journey of much quantitative change evolving into a qualitative change, from Christianity into PLP.
Whenever I think that change is impossible, I remind myself of my own transformation. A better world is possible!
Daycare Worker

How to Be Part of the Solution
I remember walking into Hunter College one day to attend a study group, not knowing really what to expect. All I knew is that I had this urgent feeling inside of me for a while that kept saying: “the world needs help. The world needs to change.” So I decided to do something about it, anything about it, and that’s when I reached out to my friend and that’s what brought me to the study group.
The first activity we did was to read and discuss some articles about hot-button issues. I noticed that the specific new articles we talked about weren’t really that talked about in the mainstream media, and didn’t get as much recognition as I thought they deserved. Reading and discussing the newspaper was really refreshing. I was surrounded by a group of open-minded people around my age, who all had their own opinions and had a common interest like me in becoming more concerned with the world and its problems instead of turning away from them.
I knew for a while how important the human connection was, but the study group just reinforced my long-held belief. There was a flow of interpretations, a flow of opinions, a way of looking at things you might not have thought of before. I felt like I was a part of something, a small community where I could see myself grow and evolve, and where maybe I could help someone else do the same thing.
I learned more about the political concept of communism and why people held onto it as much as they did. One of my friends also came along with me, and she began questioning everything that was said. At first that made me uneasy, because I knew that she is naturally very curious, and wants to hear as many sides as possible. But would the others see it that way as well? I was happy she did question many things though. Because she did that, I learned not just how, but why, communism.
I also realized that asking questions also can help bring out the situations that might cause dissent or problems for communism as a way to govern. And through bringing up the possible roadblocks, we also help discover questions other people might have and work towards solutions or answers in preparation.
What brings about changes in society is what is happening at the study group -- people coming together, and sharing. By actively thinking and collaborating we are able to come up with solutions together and then expand. Our study groups are definitely something to be proud of, because no matter what happens in the world, at least we tried to be part of the solution instead of letting life pass us by.
Challenge reader

Building May Day Brings Out Best in Workers
This year, my pre-May-Day organizing has had some modest victories and disappointments. As a young transit worker, with only a couple years on the job, my schedule fluctuates frequently, and it has been difficult to build consistent relationships with coworkers. Still, several of them bought tickets and committed to coming to the May Day dinner.
One of my coworkers lost nearly everything during Hurricane Sandy. I started getting to know her right after the storm, when she was forced to sleep at the job because her home was uninhabitable. With the current schedule, I saw her everyday, and we often talk about politics or play board games on break. She was excited to hear about our May Day build-up event a few weeks ago, as the topics included attacks on transit workers and sandy relief efforts. She even brought soda as a contribution to the potluck. After a lively discussion about communism, she agreed to march with us on May Day.
Unfortunately, I’ve also had some setbacks. One coworker, who I consider a close friend, was forced off the job and onto medical leave (despite his ability to perform many tasks). Instead of wanting to hang out more or get politically active, he got depressed and anxious about mounting bills.
Capitalism reeks havoc on workers’ lives, kicking us to the curb when it’s sucked all the profits it can from us. This coworker was politically conscious and always made people laugh in the break room. He’d backed me up during a confrontation with ConEd scabs last summer and joined me in supporting a school bus strike picket. We became close by playing board games and because I visited him in the hospital (when he first got sick). The system’s got him down and scrambling at the moment, and we haven’t been able to link up since he’s been out, so it seems unlikely he’ll come to May Day.
However, my girlfriend and I were able to visit one coworker. This was a great experience since I got to meet some of his family, I was able to hang out with him for the first time since the current schedule began, and my girlfriend got to better understand what the PLP means when we talk about building a base in the working class. We spoke about why May Day is an important day and he bought two tickets.
Finally, there are a group of health care workers who are also passengers I see regularly. When I first showed these workers articles about hospital closings and police brutality in their neighborhood they were interested. After taking CHALLENGE, a few of them gave me large donations for the newspaper. Two workers bought three tickets and gave me their addresses. While my schedule is again changing soon, I will be able to follow up with these workers and send them the newspaper in the mail.
I’m looking forward to a great May Day march and dinner, with coworkers and friends!
Transit Worker

‘Korean War History’ Exposes U.S. Rulers’ Murderous Role
The article on the Korean War (C-D 4/24/13) was both timely and informative. A recent book, “The Korean War, A History”, by Bruce Cumings, which I got from a comrade, is worth reading for its close examination of primary sources that have come to light over the past 20 years.
Cumings argues convincingly that the Korean War started as a civil war between the U.S.-installed puppet government in South Korea (ROK) and communist-led mass organizations and guerilla groups in the south. The ROK was led by a tiny elite that had supported the 35-year Japanese occupation (1910-1945) and high-ranking Korean military officers who had fought on the side of Japanese imperialists in WWII.
The 38th Parallel, the dividing line between North and South, was set up by John J. McCloy, a top Wall Street lawyer and later chairman of Chase Bank who was a leading postwar planner for U.S. imperialism. Cumings implies that which troops crossed that line first in 1950 was secondary to the civil conflict in South Korea.
After North Korean troops crossed the 38th Parallel, Dean Acheson, Truman’s Secretary of State, pushed through a U.S. strategy of rolling back the advance of post-WWII communist-led revolutions. This strategy was set out in National Security Council (NSC) Document 68, and resulted in quadrupling of the U.S. defense budget. In Cumings’ view, this shortly led to “hundreds of permanent military bases abroad, a large standing army, and a permanent national security state at home.” This projection of U.S. power abroad represented a sea change from U.S. policy before WWII.
The book also describes the massive destruction suffered by North Korean workers in the air war launched by the U.S. Long before Vietnam, U.S. raids were murdering (and dropping napalm on) tens of thousands of Koreans. According to Cumings, “at least 50% of eighteen out of the North’s twenty-two major cities were obliterated.” The book contains graphic photos of this massive destruction. As in Vietnam, disgusting racism was used to convince U.S. troops that their victims did not deserve to live.
Unfortunately, Cumings ends his book by calling for Korean reconciliation and “truth commissions,” as in South Africa. Workers should never forgive the imperialists for the crimes of war, economic crisis and racist genocide that are the inevitable result of their system of capitalism. That is the truth, and communist revolution, not capitalist reconciliation, is our goal. 

A Comrade