No, I don't think you were wrong that it could have been a radicalizing event. It very well could have bee. It wasn't because there is no infrastructure or organization into which rage can be channeled. The Dems are there to stop that sort of thing, especially when they are in power. There is no broader left movement and the big tent orgs are largely ineffectual and aren't willing to do anything other than lobby Congress. Back in the day, you would go down to your neighborhood bar/pub, get everyone drunk and riled up, and then drag the railroad boss out of bed and beat the shit out of him. Now there is no where for that rage to actually go other than the Internet, which is inherently alienating.

American left doesn't need "radicalization" they need some fucking organization. The DSA is literally the most we have and they aren't particularly impressive tbh. Most of the "hard communist" groups are fed honeypots or cranks still debating the impact of the Spanish civil war. All the radicalism in the world doesn't mean anything if you just post about it on twitter or in your stupid trot newspaper where nobody cares.

Honestly I think white Americans are nearly hopeless at the moment, totally captured by liberalism and the Democratic party. Black and Brown power moments are the most organized forces in the American left right now, but their reach is limited by ethnic and social divides unfortunately. That means most Americans leftists have no way to express their demands politically (besides :vote: for the controlled opposition)

Yes. Radicalization requires capitalizing on such events and the left is too disorganized to do so. Okay, a train fucks everything up. Now what? Who's explaining it and pointing fingers? The general public is only presented with two narratives:

1. [The other side, R or D], is really responsible for failing to run safe trains.

2. The government set fire to them and made the problem from bad to disastrous.

Know what's missing? Anything about capital and how we organize against it. Fuck, I've barely seen anyone draw a line from The Dems busting the unions and breaking their strikes and the consequences of giving capital interests so much power that they skimp on safety.

We need to do the hard work of building longer-term projects and political education programs (and not the strident infighty kind certain western leftists are addicted to).

Yes

I have adapted the “expect the worst and always be disappointed as a default” mindset for all areas of my life

feel like these are excellent opportunities that have gone to waste.

Don't worry, more opportunities are coming :doomer:

If we recognize our response to this was a failure, we should prepare to respond better next time :stalin-approval:

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There's no moment that will really amount to anything. You just have to get out there and talk to people. Almost all of their lived experiences are marred by capital, and with experience/education and a good bit of peer pressure - you can make almost anyone a leftist.

It's hard to get excited about the whitest state in America. Being rural doesn't help, either.

Have been thinking the * exact same thing *, comrade…

The people there are definitely having some epiphanies about capitalism. And connecting it with all of its manifestations, such as corporate and government malfeasance, lobbyists, union busting, no universal healthcare, bureaucratic buck-passing, the lie of partisan difference. All in full, bright, blinding exposure.

There’s definitely an opportunity for serious galvanization, and quite possibly revolutionary awakening.