On November 19th community members and fellow workers organized to counter a proposed demonstration by a White Lives Matters group in San Bernardino, California. Fellow workers and anti-racist groups were successful in shutting down the White Lives Matters group – their rally did not materialize and only a few sympathizers drove by to see fellow workers and community members stand together against a misdirected and a passé ideology. The country has erupted in anti-Trump protests, but also has embolden some misguided individuals to celebrate the “triumph” of white supremacy. However, just like the anti-Trump protesters, many which are new to protesting, so are many reactionary individuals new to the political scene. This particular individual that planned the rally was painfully unaware of the time, dedication, and passion that mobilization requires. This individual believed that having a platform on social media to spew reactionary politics and by creating an event page that it would mobilize people. In the past fellow workers have encountered more disciplined reactionary organizations i.e. the National Socialist Party aka Neo-Nazis. Nonetheless, fellow workers have been successful in organizing and mobilizing against these forces.
Mr. Trump was successful in tapping into the most reactionary feelings of the white working class and poor. The white supremacists that will soon occupy influential government positions will more likely than not enact divisive and reactionary policies – repression of undocumented fellow workers and of fellow workers of the Muslim faith. However, this does not change the fact that the white working class has the same interest as their fellow undocumented, Muslim, and black workers. The enemy to the poor and white working class is not the immigrant or black Americans. It is the capitalist that seeks to divide the working class and to implement reactionary politics which in turn further fracture the working class. After all it was the capitalist, like Mr. Trump himself, that decided that union jobs in the Appalachian were eating too much into their profit and moved the factories to exploit fellow workers in Asia or Latin America.
It is also understandable the amount of distrust and disenchantment the white working class and poor feel toward the state. The state has facilitated the dismantling of the white working class. And this is where there are so many parallels that highlight how the marginalized poor and white working class has interests that aligned with their fellow undocumented, black, and Muslim worker. It is in the interest of the state and capitalist to dismantle the working class as a whole – the attacks are not just directed towards black or undocumented fellow workers even though they are more violent. The dismantling of the white working class was a long subtle process - the capitalist and state were successful in convincing them that their fellow workers caused their destruction. The state apparatus is there to undermine any organizing of fellow workers because they are aware that an organized working class can challenge their power and that of the capitalist.
Make no mistake: Neo-Nazis, racists, and fascists are dangerous – especially if they are organized, disciplined, and armed. Some of these individuals cannot be reasoned with – especially those in positions of power and in the ruling class. But the I.W.W. seeks to create One Big Union and this union needs to engage and include all the marginalized and unorganized groups. The Inland Empire has been devastated by the recent recession – especially San Bernardino. And the ugly face of fascism has shown itself in the Inland Empire. The Minutemen and the National Socialist Party have tried and failed in their campaigns. These groups have failed because fellow workers have organized and shown to the community that their politics are divisive, reactionary, and only result in state repression. Fellow workers in the Inland Empire and in the world have much work to do. Unlike the individual trying to organize the White Lives Matter rally, the I.W.W. has fostered and trained seasoned organizers who can rise to any challenge.
Solidarity Forever,
FWs X364783 and X383349
