I am typically one who calls for unity. I preach a gospel that seeks to remind y'all that solidarity is internal- it is something within movements or struggles, not between people. That is what solidarity forever means. It means we are in the same fight, and we will have each others’ back, come what may.
In the coming weeks, we need to prepare to stand together and have each other’s backs. Moves are being made once again for division, and they should be called out and told to step aside so we can march on. The people have been on the offensive, and now we have quite skillfully been placed on the defensive.
In recent days, we have seen attempts by progressive politicians to drive wedges in popular movements, condemnations and possible collaboration by celebrity-led non-profit organizations, the unpaid suspension of 32BJ unionist Rob Murray without due process for allegations made by cops and press in an incident wholly unrelated to his job (murderer-police at least get PAID leave before a Grand Jury treats them with impunity), public statements in support of cops, public statements against protestors.
How did this look in the past, when we were all far left, and not wishy-washy progressives? Did celebrities like Paul Robeson, painted in the halls of our unions, condemn violence and collude with the very police that tried to run him out of Peekskill? Did Marlon Brando call the Black Panthers too violent? Did the ILWU put its members on unpaid leave? Does the National Lawyers Guild cherry-pick who to support? Were anarchist immigrants fingered by police by the IWW for pushing more radical demands?
In most cases, no. In some cases, yes, and as those moments happen, we see how much we can trust some of today’s celebrity organizations, today’s Alinskyite non-profits, and unions. I want to be able to trust them at times. On principle, they are still not the enemies. But it will be a lot harder for me to want to show my face at their rallies or defend them as they once again act out traitorous behavior. We are watching the progressive left’s institutional failures before our eyes, and it has real costs for both militants in particular and the wider uprising in general. The progressive/social justice left has its place in the struggle, but it also has moments where it needs to shut the fuck up or reveal that we in the anti-capitalist left should have only trusted it so far. There is often place for all of us in the streets, but there is never place for even just one of us in a jail cell.
Call PBA President Pat Lynch what we will, but that motherfucker knows solidarity. He knows how to back his soldiers, and fight for their interests against ours. Giuliani did too. Obama won’t prosecute Cheney because what? A little thing called solidarity.
If we are still on the march (e.g. 5th Ave and 59th St at 5pm today), let’s take a note from our enemies and from our ancestors-in-the-struggle. Let’s show true solidarity, and call out our alleged friends and ‘social justice’ leaders when they put people in danger. But most of all, let’s not let us divide us on the grander scale, because if we’re careful with each other, we can be dangerous together.
Addenda:
Another good statement
On a practical basis:
Do not tell law enforcement whether or not you were on a bridge or who might have been. Do not talk to police.
Do not believe a District Attorney or a cop when they say someone said something. They have been pulling that snitch-jacketing tactic since their jobs were created, and long before.
