Keep Calm and Carry On

The comedian Bill Maher had some advice for the Occupy movement recently. On his popular show “New Rules” he stated that he thinks it’s time for Occupy to change their tactics, saying :

“Instead of organizing interstate hootenannies, maybe it’s time for Occupy Wall Street to actually participate in the American political process. That means, boring stuff like canvassing neighborhoods, raising money, running candidates for office, manning phone banks and making a baby with John Edwards.”

Yes, occupy. The whole marching in the streets thing, banging drums, getting arrested, fighting fascist cops, staying out in the cold and the rain day after day that was all leading up to this moment, when we realize our real goal, our real aim, the thing we have been working so hard for, for so many months. That goal, that aim is: (Drum-roll please)

GO BACK TO NORMAL.

You see, the real problem is that there aren’t enough Democrats in office. Now, I know we’ve held power, well, still hold power in the Senate and the Presidency, but those pesky Republicans just keep throwing monkey wrenches in our gears, screwing things up for us, being the rascally little obstructionists that they are. What’s that? We had control of the house and senate before 2010? We didn’t even pass a budget while we had the chance? What’s that? Democrats voted for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? What’s that? The democrats support giving more money to the racist state of Israel? What’s that? The democrats time after time after time have reneged on their promises of social and economic progress? What’s that? The Democrats are just as corporate owned as the Republicans? What’s that? What we really need is systemic political and economic change that overhauls and replaces our current system?

No. I will not stand by while millionaire assholes like Maher whine poetic about how occupiers need to just get involved in the American political process. We can’t because to succeed in the American political process you need the support and money of the capitalist class, the class we are aiming on taking down. Do you understand that Maher? Can you get that through your thick fucking skull? We aren’t going to ask permission to have human rights, we will only get them by TAKING them. Rip what you want from the hands of the oppressor. Don’t wait for them to throw you scraps from their almighty fucking table. Knock the goddamn table over and take what you want. For too long the proletariat has been forced to produce, produce, produce, while the capitalist takes all the profit. It has resulted in poverty, war, death, starvation, strife and the coming death of our planet’s ecosystems. No, I won’t just get involved electing another lame ass Democrat into a pointless office. This whole system is rotten and corrupt to its very core. Tear it down. Burn the buildings and monuments. Stop fucking asking for permission. Kick the ass of the bourgeoisie and let’s build a better society, a better world with our hands, together.

Do you get it now Maher? We’re not the left wing equivalent of the tea party. We’re the modern, updated version of the Sans Culottes.

Nah you don’t get it.

Mayday!

If a plane is going down, its crew will sound the call for help. The international sign of distress is “Mayday.” It comes from the French phrase “m’aider” meaning “help me”. Looking forward to Tuesday’s Mayday actions that are expected to happen around the globe, it dawned on me how fitting that coincidence is. We’re in trouble, not just the US, not just Europe, but the world.

International Worker’s Day, held on May 1st of every year is not a recent tradition. It has its roots in the dark days of the industrial revolution, and was born out of struggle, oppression and class warfare. The tradition started in The 1880s, as a commemoration of the Haymarket Massacre, where police opened fire, killing several striking workers, and a few of their own policemen as well. It was a wake up call for workers around the world, as they recoiled in disgust at the harsh brutality of the capitalist machine against workers. Since then, we have commemorated their struggle, and ours, by going out into the streets and making ourselves heard.

This year is a bit different. Capitalism has dug itself into a hole that it can’t seem to find it way out of. Decades of imperialist war, erosion of worker’s rights, the diluting of democracy, the killing of our environment, and other issues to many to list here at once have capitalism on its knees. Europe struggles to recover from its years of corruption, and an angry populace who are standing up against austerity. While the 1% lived high off the hog, amassing huge amounts of wealth and power, the working classes of the world have been pressed harder and harder by the day. Less working, harder, for less pay. They tell us that there just isn’t any money, not enough to go around. All the while corporations like Apple, GE, BP, and others post record profits. They expand and build more wealth, while hiring less and less. This is not a sustainable economy, in any way, shape, or form. Someone told us this was going to happen. He wasn’t a prophet or a priest. He wasn’t a fortune teller. He was a philosopher, and a political scientist. He knew this would happen, because this is the logical end for capitalism. This is what unrestrained greed leads to. It leads to imperialism, corruption, massive economic inequality, and a crumbling country and world. His name was Karl Marx, and he was right. Capitalism is acting out the theories he put forth in the 19th century. The question, is not if, but when this system will fall. What the most important question is, is what will replace it. Do we let the fascists take over? Do we just let the world fall into a state of disarray and chaos? No. We fight for a new, better world, where workers are in control. We fight for real democracy, economic equality and social justice. We fight for a socialist future, where instead of wealth being concentrated, and most people left out in the cold, we work together to build a better society, and a better world. Inequality will be destroyed. Which side will you be on?

Join us in the streets on Mayday.  The class war is real, and if you’re not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Join us.