Thomas K. | Red Phoenix correspondent | Ohio–
On March 28 people millions of people across the U.S. gathered together at rallies and protests for the third series of mass mobilizations against the Trump regime under the banner of “No Kings,” demonstrating a popular disregard for the oppressive policies of this administration. The energy of the masses organizing and attending these protests signals a call for solutions to the ailments that plague us, and in the past year there has been a noticeable shift in curiosity and support for socialism. Advanced workers have the goal and responsibility of attending such events to help guide frustration into a force of change.
The organization that coordinates the “No Kings” mobilizations, 50501, has reported that over eight million people participated in the protests worldwide and that over 3,300 No Kings events took place in the U.S. alone. In Columbus, Ohio around 20,000 people participated in the demonstration with around 25 simultaneous events in the surrounding suburbs and communities. The event was a strong reminder that the masses of the U.S. are looking for answers, with many looking for social and political changes outside the status quo of the two-party system.
In Columbus, the rallies were filled with live music, marches, voter registration drives, and collections for mutual aid distribution. Speeches were filled with calls to organize, and passionate cries to rally with the community, along with a push for another “general strike” on May 1, International Workers’ Day. Additionally, a large signature drive took place in an attempt to get Greg Levy, a socialist candidate, on the ballot for Senate, signaling a popular shift toward support for socialist platforms.
Rep. Munira Abdullahi gave a passionate speech on the need for community organizing: “We need to keep the pressure up, we need to make them nervous!” Abudullahi also made reference to “disgusting bills and documents” passed around the state house. Included among the speeches was community singing, and the rally was led by the strains of “Hold On” written by Heidi Wilson.
The event as a whole showed the tremendous diversity of the American working class and the power of our class’ unified action against fascism. Attendees ranged from 6-80 years old. People from all walks of life stood together in support of the oppressed. Newspapers, bulletins, zines, pamphlets, and flyers were passed out in droves by dozens of organizations.
No matter one’s individual opinion of the No Kings protests, there is one thing for certain: the American people want a system that serves their interests and not the interests of multi-millionaires, billionaires, tech CEOs, and warmongers.. The protests were filled with throngs of individuals enraged with the current situation and unsatisfied with the solutions provided by bourgeois politics. Hurt, angry, exploited, and in some cases hunted, masses of people demanding change not only for themselves, but also for the people they care about. The workers must be organized into a fighting force, always pressing forward towards a socialist world!
“Strikes, boycott, parliamentarism, meetings and demonstrations are all good forms of struggle as means for preparing and organizing the proletariat. But not one of these means is capable of abolishing existing inequality. All these means must be concentrated in one principal and decisive means; the proletariat must rise and launch a determined attack upon the bourgeoisie in order to destroy capitalism to its foundations. This principal and decisive means is the socialist revolution.”
J. V. Stalin, “Anarchism or Socialism?” 1907.
Rallies similar to this took place all over the country, revealing a large presence of working-class people looking for direction. These actions are where the communists must be: in the midst of working-class people, fighting beside our fellow workers, suffering together, and eventually guiding each other, pointing that fiery passion in their hearts towards our class enemies, our exploiters and oppressors: the landlords, the capitalists, ICE, DHS, and the police.
While the iron is hot we must deepen bonds between workers’ organizations, and establish connections throughout our communities. These are connections built on trust, comradeship, and genuine militant working-class solidarity. The working masses want to be educated to see what is necessary to defeat their true enemy. The American proletariat must be organized into their independent class Party and shown the goals, the program, and the plan towards a system beyond capitalism and imperialism. As agents of capital continue to exploit our communities to the point of devastation and disrepair, we must build a defense, and strengthen a mass movement against capital, with communists at the head – and it starts with actions like these rallies. They are the spark that will ignite the flame that is the social revolution.