By Chris Crass (May 1, 2017)
As we build the broad based progressive left to stop and bring down the Trump/GOP agenda that attacks almost every community except the rich, we must do all we can to keep Black Lives Matter and the fight against anti-Black racism at the center.
Anti-Black racism is at the center of capitalist exploitation of working people and the earth. Anti-Black racism is at the center of our political system designed specifically to maintain ruling class power, align white people of all classes to the ruling class and away from multiracial movements for economic justice for all and multiracial democracy.
On this May Day, we honor the legacies of Albert and Lucy Parsons, Southerners who crossed the color line of white supremacy for love, were run out of Texas by the Klan and became leaders of the working class movement in Chicago fighting for the 8 hour day and socialism.
We celebrate German immigrant anarchists like August Spies who witnesses the police murders of striking immigrant workers and called for the Haymarket rally, where the police attacked a peaceful rally. This was before German, Irish, Italian, Eastern European, and Jewish immigrants from Europe, were brought into whiteness through the Americanization programs of the late 1800s. Key to the process of these unruly, union joining, striking working class immigrants becoming white in law and culture was indoctrination into and participation in anti-Black racism.
Let us build big and explore ways of moving people in these times, be creative, be bold, go past our left/activist comfort zones, and continue to make challenging and ending anti-Black racism central.
Beautiful Chris
Thanks once again and for ALL you do!