This one's for the ones who haven't seeked out a party or organization to join. I'm just curious what's stopping you? We're at the tail-end of a global pandemic and a deepening crisis within capitalism, and the sooner you develop the organizational skills necessary to navigate the coming years the better off you'll be to agitate for the working class, for the dispossessed etc.
This post isn't meant as an attack, just thought it'd be good to start a conversation on the matter. Perhaps there are things I haven't contemplated and I'd like to shine a light on my blind spots.
(p.s. shouldn't this comm be called askhexbear? idk)
Old org was nuked by undercover feds (we were about to become too based). Was an awful experience, though very educational. I do admit I'm now somewhat cynical of orgs that don't take security very seriously like DSA.
I remember a comrade of mine back at the old trot org we both ended up leaving at once. She kept requesting security measures to be established before we turn up on any significant radars and like the most prominent member in the country said some shit like "If the Okhrana couldn't beat the Bolsheviks I doubt the (National security police) could do anything against us", which is both dumb cause the Okhrana did fuck up revolutionaries a lot but they got lucky in that exile was used as a punishment. Secondly its dumb cause like, theres no reason that a relatively non-active secret police cant decide to crack down all of a sudden and its bad to only start protecting yourself then.
I'm pretty sure that orgs start to get infiltrated as early as 5-15members. It is absolutely the ideal time because it's so early on and so incredibly easy to earn trust in the inner most circles during the early formative stages. Just be incredibly helpful to efforts initially, nuke it later if it becomes a problem, you have complete immunity as an early member.
there's something genuinely funny about a movement that hasn't updated its security practices for a century. like fuckin, Lenin's eyes would pop out of his head if you showed him a Gameboy, never mind tried to explain Facebook.
rip. FRSO?
Is it not wanting to go through the emotional turmoil again or just thinking that the feds 2 strong 2 beat?
not gonna say the specific org. The emotional turmoil did fucking suck and they used some dirty tactics. I don't think the feds are too strong though, it was honestly the orgs' own fault the feds just exploited some shitty decisions by the old decrepit leadership. Looking back with hindsight it was kind of obvious who the fed was, mfer was always taking notes but since he was in leadership and I was new I thought he was just the most organized. Also knew about all the obscure online shit from 200 years ago that leftists argue about, almost like he took a class on it...
But even though this was supposed to be a revolutionary org I never head anyone even mention the threat of feds, so unless an org has some sort of plan for their eventual infiltration and recognizes the threat I just feel like nothing serious will ever happen in that org. We'll just be selling stupid newspapers or knocking on doors for "progressive" democrats all day, which I'm now like half convinced is a literal op lol
Excellent point, thanks.
Sounds horrible, fascinating, and like a useful story to tell. Sorry that happened to you. If you ever felt like writing it up in a way that protected your info, I'd read it!
It was a good story, though I would have to change some details especially because I know the fucking fed has notes on me. I might write a post in a few days with some lessons to others.