Washington, DC, August 24 — Today’s March on Washington, 50 years after the historic march that helped lead to the Civil Rights Act, was a timely reminder that reformist politics cannot fundamentally change the racist inequalities of capitalism.
Back in 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. and other mainstream civil rights leaders argued that working within the system — by allying with liberal President John F. Kennedy — would win the fight against racism in the United States through federal action. Others, like Malcolm X and Jim Forman of SNCC, engaged in a more militant struggle against racism. The Progressive Labor Party went a step further by calling for revolutionary action to smash capitalism, the source of systemic racism in the United States.
The same political debate raged at the anniversary event. PLP called on marchers to join the fight for revolution, while the leaders of the march stressed the importance of working through the courts and elections to bring about change.
In reality, the advances made against racism decades ago grew out of grassroots militancy and rebellions in black communities throughout the U.S. in the 1960s and 1970s. Since then, those gains have eroded as a reformist, electoral strategy came to dominate the struggle. PLP asked the marchers: Why embrace the losing strategy that has cost us so much? Instead, let’s build a revolutionary party to smash the racist capitalist system and replace it with communism, a system of workers’ power based on equality and collectivity.
Spread Anti-Racist Grassroots Struggle
PLP members joined the People’s Coalition of Prince George’s County, Maryland, and the Shantel Davis Committee at a major subway stop to spread this message and to assist with the goal of strengthening anti-racist grassroots struggles. These include battles against the police murders of two young black people, Archie Elliott 3rd in Prince George’s County and Shantel Davis in New York City.  PL’ers also joined with Metro transit workers and residents of Stoddert Terrace, a local public housing site, to fight against the new Jim Crow in the Washington, D.C. transit system. New management policies ban for life anyone with a criminal record. This excludes thousands of black youth from even being considered for a job in public transit (see page 3).
Many marchers cheered on the rally and scores signed our petitions. At noon, participants marched to join the main rally on the national mall, where they brought our message of anti-racism and revolution to thousands more

On August 24, I rode with hospital workers attending the 50th anniversary of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The bus ride seemed to be shortened for us by watching Salt of the Earth. I have seen this film many times, but this group of mainly black women hospital workers, who are fighting their hospital shutdowns, was simply the best audience I have watched it with.
As the film plot developed, Ramon and other men’s sexism were greeted with jeers in the bus. As the men stopped work, ignored their bosses’ demand that they return to work and set up their picket line, cheers of approval rocked the bus. Hoots of anger greeted the injunction to limit the strikers’ picket line. As Esperanza and the women took over picket duty and showed their ability to lead the struggle, approval was heard over and over. In fact the movie hadn’t ended as we reached RFK stadium and groans were heard as the bus captain started making announcements. On the ride back to NYC, a tired group watched the end of the movie and took a well-deserved rest after a grueling day.
One reason we showed this film was to help overcome the divisions in the three hospital struggles in Brooklyn. Workers are looking at their “own” hospital as most important. Each union acts as if the struggle affects only their members and makes deals allowing for layoffs, service cuts and closings. They urge workers to rely on politicians to “save” us rather than using the power of our class to fight back.
Although seemingly dated in its black-and-white format and old cars, Salt of the Earth is powerful as it shows workers fighting sexism, the need to fight racism and nationalism, the role of the police and courts, the limitation of simple bread-and-butter trade unionism, and much, much more. Directed by one of the blacklisted pro-communist Hollywood Ten and banned for years in the U.S., this film offers many opportunities for us to discuss with our friends the wide-ranging reasons why capitalism needs to be overthrown with communist revolution.
Red Glasses

This is my first political action since moving to Indianapolis from Minnesota. I went to the Indianapolis celebration of the historic March on Washington. This “celebration” was a farce since in it was tightly controlled by open supporters and flunkies of the local bosses (Al Sharpton’s National Action Indiana chapter officiated) along with Mayor Greg Ballard who just came back from meeting President Obama. Ballard gave us capitalism’s idea of “antiracism,” saying,  “when I went to see President Obama there were mayors of other races there too and it showed how far America had come.”
This is the same Mayor whose cops were hassling black homeless workers in the park. Also, Ballard walked into the event with an entourage of city and county cops to let everyone know the Indianapolis bosses were in “control” of this gathering.
I did not give out CHALLENGE but I met an organization that I can get involved in to raise the Party’s communist ideas. They are needed now more than ever as the international working class is under increasing racist attack. From Indiana to Syria communist revolution lead by PLP!
Indiana Red

CHICAGO — This September marks the third anniversary of the 49-day sit-in to hold onto La Casita. For years there had been an on-going struggle between Whittier Elementary School parents and the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education (CPS) to have a library.
The struggle came to a head when, by accident, some members of Whittier’s Local School Council (LSC) found a work order to demolish La Casita. A sit-in began on September 15.  On its second day, police cordoned off the entire block, trapping mothers and supporters inside and keeping the rest of us out. The police threatened to arrest and even deport the moms if they didn’t vacate La Casita.  There was no food or water inside.
The sit-in would have ended there had it not been for a Progressive Labor Party member, a mother as well, who shouted that the moms inside LA CASITA were fighting for all of us, and that they needed support.  She called for everyone to follow her and they did!   The multitude of parents and kids marched under the yellow police tape.  They jumped over the front fence and headed straight to La Casita.  We all held our ground and the police were forced to end their threats of jail and deportation. Working-class solidarity made its presence known in the city of Chicago!
 Since then, there were a few meetings with CPS and the existing parent group, La Casita Parent Youth Center.  The parents’ pleas for the renovation of La Casita fell on deaf ears, and there ended communication with CPS.  Three leadership bodies came and left. The few parents remaining were left to fend for themselves.  The PLP mom stayed with La Casita’s parents all this time.
But CPS had the power to shut down La Casita anytime, and so they did, this August 16. Parents and neighbors responded with anger, and there were three arrests that night.  The PLP mom organized supporters to form a chain around the paddy wagon holding the arrested, chanting, “Let them go!” But we had to step aside or be run down.  The following day, a few supporters were able to get inside the grounds to form a human chain to keep the bulldozers at bay.  Some were moms but they were pulled out and finally seven more supporters were arrested.   La Casita was demolished. CPS and Chicago’s politicians won out that weekend.
There are lots of divisions among workers here.   Some neighbors, Whittier School parents included, wanted to be rid of La Casita because it was an “eyesore.”  But the fact is that all the poor working-class areas in Chicago are “eyesores” to the city politicians and the banks they serve.
There are many lessons to be learned from that Saturday morning, particularly the question of state power under capitalism.  Who do the cops defend?   And what is the role of the courts? (This will be exposed more clearly September 9, when 10 of the arrested go to court.)
For Progressive Labor Party, the crucial element is that ten parents get CHALLENGE. While some communist politics surfaced at the weekly La Casita meetings, and some parents have come to May Day and other PLP events, they have yet to join a PL study group. What has been lacking is a collective plan to win these parents and many more to joining the Party and becoming communists.
Breaking traditional sexist roles is one key obstacle.  The parents’ trust in liberal politicians’ promises is another one. The mothers and fathers are struggling to make ends meet. Many lack documents and fear reprisals from La Migra, the immigration polices.  Now, more than ever, our Party must win these friends to join PLP and fight for communism, an undertaking worth every breath we take.