Posting this sexy comment @Beatnik left in the left unity thread earlier today because it's appropriate and awesome:
Anarchists get shit done and really live by their principles. Their ability to self-organize and also hold one another accountable is admirable. Food Not Bombs is an example of an amazing anarchist organization that has saved the lives of so many hungry people.
If a large scale socialist project ever fully takes off in America, it will very likely have Anarchist characteristics. Those in power are aware of this and the fixation of politicians and media on "Anarchists" during the BLM protests was them overplaying their hand. Those of us who ascribe to other tendencies should be paying attention.
When I'm at a protest, I don't care what tendency the people marching next to me are. When I was holding a shield wall at the last protest and the riot cops were charging, all that fucking mattered was that those alongside me stood their ground so that we kept the people behind us safe. Everyone stood their damn ground. "Who keeps us safe? WE KEEP US SAFE."
Tendency and theory are tools for making sense of the world. They are not religions. They cannot represent you as a person. They are not your myers briggs personality type. They are not a fucking astrological sign. If you look to theory to hand you the answers, it will fail you. It is a means to an end and we have to remember that.
There are distinct and real differences between tendencies. This is a good thing. We should acknowledge those differences and talk about what that means for building socialism. This discussion cannot be in the spirit of "winning" some good vs bad ideological struggle. That is liberalism. That is sectarianism.
Anarchism has strength and I respect those who have found their way to the left through it. The best man at my wedding is an Anarchist and I love him the same as any biological sibling. We talk shit and grill each other all the time (including "tankie" and "anarkiddie" shittakes), but I have always been confident that we have each other's back.
I say all this as a Marxist-Leninist, which is how I found my way to the left and is informed by the theory I have read so far. Maybe some day that will change and I will shift to a different tendency. There is no "correct" theory. If you truly view yourself as a scientific socialist, then you understand this. Socialism will always change its appearance based on the material conditions it arises from.
Our goal is socialism and, past that, a classless society. I care about that. I care about building a coalition with others who want that. It's why Chapo resonates with me as a community and it's why I give enough of a fuck to work on this site alongside so many other talented and driven leftists. We need an independent platform if we're going to have any chance of bringing folks together, especially as the failings of capitalism continue to physically isolate people further and further from one another.
Anarchists are comrades. If you can't see that yet, get the fuck off this site and go outside for a while until you want to get something done in this hellworld (or at the least shitpost).
When I say leftist unity, that isn't just a buzzword. I stand by it.
Posting this sexy comment @Beatnik left in the left unity thread earlier today because it's appropriate and awesome:
Anarchists get shit done and really live by their principles. Their ability to self-organize and also hold one another accountable is admirable. Food Not Bombs is an example of an amazing anarchist organization that has saved the lives of so many hungry people.
If a large scale socialist project ever fully takes off in America, it will very likely have Anarchist characteristics. Those in power are aware of this and the fixation of politicians and media on "Anarchists" during the BLM protests was them overplaying their hand. Those of us who ascribe to other tendencies should be paying attention.
When I'm at a protest, I don't care what tendency the people marching next to me are. When I was holding a shield wall at the last protest and the riot cops were charging, all that fucking mattered was that those alongside me stood their ground so that we kept the people behind us safe. Everyone stood their damn ground. "Who keeps us safe? WE KEEP US SAFE."
Tendency and theory are tools for making sense of the world. They are not religions. They cannot represent you as a person. They are not your myers briggs personality type. They are not a fucking astrological sign. If you look to theory to hand you the answers, it will fail you. It is a means to an end and we have to remember that.
There are distinct and real differences between tendencies. This is a good thing. We should acknowledge those differences and talk about what that means for building socialism. This discussion cannot be in the spirit of "winning" some good vs bad ideological struggle. That is liberalism. That is sectarianism.
Anarchism has strength and I respect those who have found their way to the left through it. The best man at my wedding is an Anarchist and I love him the same as any biological sibling. We talk shit and grill each other all the time (including "tankie" and "anarkiddie" shittakes), but I have always been confident that we have each other's back.
I say all this as a Marxist-Leninist, which is how I found my way to the left and is informed by the theory I have read so far. Maybe some day that will change and I will shift to a different tendency. There is no "correct" theory. If you truly view yourself as a scientific socialist, then you understand this. Socialism will always change its appearance based on the material conditions it arises from.
Our goal is socialism and, past that, a classless society. I care about that. I care about building a coalition with others who want that. It's why Chapo resonates with me as a community and it's why I give enough of a fuck to work on this site alongside so many other talented and driven leftists. We need an independent platform if we're going to have any chance of bringing folks together, especially as the failings of capitalism continue to physically isolate people further and further from one another.
Anarchists are comrades. If you can't see that yet, get the fuck off this site and go outside for a while until you want to get something done in this hellworld (or at the least shitpost).
When I say leftist unity, that isn't just a buzzword. I stand by it.
:left-unity 2:
Hey Beatnik are you Breht in disguise
I am not beatnik
deleted by creator
Breht used to be an anarchist, actually
lmao I just noticed that he linked to this post in the body of this thread I'm silly
that's badass and beatnik is fucking amazing