I was almost hesitant in posting this entry. I didn’t want to reach a judgment too soon but I feel the movement has more or less ‘calmed’ or rather, it started out calm is still calm.
The answer to the question of ‘Where this movement is going?’ is simple: back to the drawing board. The movement thus far is unorganized. The radical left has ‘left the building’. The people in the streets are demanding something, but that something is undefined. The radical left needs to go out and form organic connections with the Hispanic proletarians. From here, we need to build up a central organization with the demand of ‘Legalize Everyone!’
However, despite the shortcomings of the movement it takes a higher role. The movement generates social antagonism that provides the basis for discovery and resolution of class antagonism. In the words of Ernst Mandel:
Yesterday, I discovered that there would be no rally points in my town. The nearest rallies were in Bentonville (Yes, that Bentonville) and Springdale. So I made a deal with my inner-self, I will still go to school but I will wear white in solidarity. Fast forward to today, I wore a white shirt and what do you know? I was the only one in support of the movement. No Latinos walked-out, no one spoke up, and people only mentioned it in brief — until I brought it up.
In one of the positive moments of today, around the trashcan, some friends and I brought up the issue of immigrants’ rights. It was one of those rare moments when rather than be told their opinions students put forth their own opinions.
The answer to the question of ‘Where this movement is going?’ is simple: back to the drawing board. The movement thus far is unorganized. The radical left has ‘left the building’. The people in the streets are demanding something, but that something is undefined. The radical left needs to go out and form organic connections with the Hispanic proletarians. From here, we need to build up a central organization with the demand of ‘Legalize Everyone!’
However, despite the shortcomings of the movement it takes a higher role. The movement generates social antagonism that provides the basis for discovery and resolution of class antagonism. In the words of Ernst Mandel:
Elementary class struggle, elementary class organisation and elementary class-consciousness are born, then, directly out of action, and only the experience arising out of that action is able to develop and accelerate consciousness. It is a general law of history that only through action are broad masses able to elevate their consciousness.And how was my May Day? Like this:
Yesterday, I discovered that there would be no rally points in my town. The nearest rallies were in Bentonville (Yes, that Bentonville) and Springdale. So I made a deal with my inner-self, I will still go to school but I will wear white in solidarity. Fast forward to today, I wore a white shirt and what do you know? I was the only one in support of the movement. No Latinos walked-out, no one spoke up, and people only mentioned it in brief — until I brought it up.
In one of the positive moments of today, around the trashcan, some friends and I brought up the issue of immigrants’ rights. It was one of those rare moments when rather than be told their opinions students put forth their own opinions.
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