Riots and Parties

On the Absence of the Organized Anti-Capitalists

Morning Comrades.

Picking up on a note from Monday, this dispatch is going to focus on a what may seem like a contradiction at first glance and a critique at a bad time, it’s neither, but it will take some explaining, which I am hoping to do as best as I can. Also, this dispatch is specifically for those readers in the Capital West, as these critiques and observations mostly do not apply, based solely on personal experiences not actual research mind you, on organisations I have worked with in the Global South. I’ll go even further to say this predominately applies to Majority White organisations, but that is a topic I will leave to more qualified people than myself.

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I had left, both, the British and German Communist parties due to their bullshit statements and stances on the existence of Trans People. Reason enough, despite the age long memberships and work put into these organisations, but it goes a lot deeper than that. I realise that the below may come as a seeming contradiction to my, and others, calls for organising but as with everything in life, success in any endeavour not only takes luck but hard work, and often, “simply” joining an existing party is not enough.

There is an obvious difference between a protest and a riot. The best analysis within the context of the West comes from the Invisible Committee. Much of what follows is based on my understanding of their work as well as hands-on interaction. If you find yourself capable, read their work. All of it. In short, and again, in my own experience over the last 30 years, much if not all genuine attempts at breaking the capitalist stranglehold happened without the involvement of established anti-capitalist organisations let alone parties. From the early days of ATTAC, ALF et all to Occupy and then others, when shit got real, none of the forward facing organisations and “organisers” were to be found and often, as it is the case in L.A. right now you’ll have Communist Parties renounce the riots, for example:

This needs to be addressed and dealt with. Let’s get into it.