{"id":17092,"date":"2013-03-31T23:38:27","date_gmt":"2013-04-01T03:38:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theredphoenixapl.org\/?p=17092"},"modified":"2013-03-31T23:38:27","modified_gmt":"2013-04-01T03:38:27","slug":"the-red-phoenix-interview-with-alfonso-casal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redphoenix.news\/es\/2013\/03\/the-red-phoenix-interview-with-alfonso-casal\/","title":{"rendered":"The Red Phoenix Interview with Alfonso Casal"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"agd13\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The protests against Golden Dawn around the world gained much media attention, including the one in Chicago where you were the key note speaker. \u00a0\u00a0What happened at this Jan. 19th event?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Well, I was the \u201cMC\u201d for want of a better term.\u00a0 The event was held for, essentially, two reasons:\u00a0 Golden Dawn announced that there were opening a Chicago-area office and a call had come from Greece for an international day of solidarity rejecting fascism and austerity measures and in support of the struggle of the Greek people.<\/span><\/p>\n

You work with the American Party of Labor (APL). What role did the APL and other left-wing organizations play in organizing the action against Golden Dawn?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I have to give a tremendous shout-out to Chris Geovanis and Stavroula Harissis \u2013 if it weren\u2019t for them, this event likely would never have taken place.\u00a0 It was Chris who first reached out to folks and pulled the event together.\u00a0 She is a tireless worker, and her energy and commitment really galvanized everything.\u00a0 For her efforts she\u2019s been targeted by local fascists, who\u2019ve sent her a number of pretty vile and threatening phone calls and email.\u00a0 Stavroula did the leg work to connect with the Greek-American community, and gave a beautiful and moving speech at the event itself.\u00a0 These two comrades were really the heart and soul of the event.<\/span><\/p>\n

The APL was present from the very first organizing session for the demo; and aided with publicity, communicating with the broad-Left, putting together the list of endorsers, and managing outreach through the event\u2019s Facebook page.\u00a0 The International Socialist Organization (ISO) was also present from the first.\u00a0 The event itself drew people from the APL and ISO, of course; the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO); the Wobblies; the Communist Party, USA (CPUSA); various unions were represented; and, more local groups such as Radicals Against Discrimination.\u00a0 All-in-all it was a respectable turnout considering the short turnaround time, two weeks, we had to bring it all together.<\/span><\/p>\n

What can you tell us about the situation in Greece?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

There has been an escalating level of popular protest and mass struggle in Greece going back to 2010 when the Greek government announced severe cutbacks in social services that were part of an austerity program the government promised the EU and the IMF in return for a 110 billion Euro bailout.\u00a0 Over the past three years, as the world financial crisis deepened and the Greek economy edged near collapse, the protest movement became more militant.<\/span><\/p>\n

Predictably, this is when Golden Dawn first appeared.\u00a0 It\u2019s an almost textbook example of capitalism turning to its most reactionary and terroristic elements to save its skin in the face of rising working class and popular discontent.\u00a0 During the 2012 protests, it became public knowledge that Golden Dawn had a strong presence within the Greek police and security apparat.\u00a0 Although to what extent it\u2019s managed to penetrate other organs of Greek officialdom is unknown, Golden Dawn did manage to successfully field electoral candidates in May and June of 2012.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the implications of this electoral strengthening of fascism in Greece?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The implications are very serious.\u00a0 An openly fascist, Neo-Nazi party now sits in the Greek Parliament.\u00a0 It can influence policy and legislation; and, in future, it can run for a seat in the European Parliament.<\/span><\/p>\n

Would you describe the political ideology that motivates Golden Dawn\u2019s actions?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Well, Golden Dawn likes to be coy in public.\u00a0 Supposedly, it rejects being labeled as fascist or Nazi, and, instead claims to be inspired by right-wing dictator Ioannis Metaxas. This is just word-play on Golden Dawn\u2019s part.\u00a0 Metaxas was dictator of Greece in the 1930s and his regime was thoroughly fascist, from insisting that Metaxas be styled as the \u201cArchigos\u201d (leader) which is the Greek equivalent of \u201cDuce\u201d or \u201cFuhrer\u201d, down to corporatist economics, book burnings, and intense anti-communism.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you elaborate on fascism? What is it and how do we fight it?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Ah!\u00a0 One could write books on the subject!\u00a0 Essentially fascism is the dictatorship of the most reactionary, most terroristic elements of capitalism.\u00a0 In a sense, fascism is the last resort of capitalism. When capitalism feels true threatened, either by the mass action of the people or by its own failures and contradictions, it pulls out all the stops.\u00a0 It sheds its veneer of liberal democracy.\u00a0 Fascism is the result.\u00a0 Ideologically, fascism combines militarism, corporatism, populist nationalism, and glorification of unlimited counter-revolutionary violence. \u00a0 Now, other right-wing and reactionary movements might have one or another of these features; but, fascism combines them all.\u00a0 Fascism also tries to create \u2013 and this is really one of the things that distinguishes fascism \u2013 a counter-revolutionary mass movement.\u00a0 This \u201cmass movement,\u201d usually composed of petty-bourgeois and lumpen elements, are the fascist \u201cstorm troopers\u201d\u00a0 — the \u201cBlackshirts,\u201d the \u201cBrownshirts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

We fight fascism by actively and militantly opposing it wherever, whenever, and however it may appear.\u00a0 We fight through education, by raising people\u2019s consciousness and awareness of what fascism is and the menace it poses; and we fight in the streets, through marches, protests, and demonstrations.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the recent activities of the Golden Dawn organization? Have they been driven back or are they making advances?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The battle is far from over.\u00a0 I already mentioned Golden Dawn\u2019s recent electoral gains.\u00a0 They have been responsible for numerous acts of racist and anti-immigrant violence in Greece; and there are signs that they are attempting to link up with similar fascist and neo-Nazi groups in Germany, Italy, Spain, and here in the US.\u00a0 The danger is very real.\u00a0 The one thing that can stop them, the one thing that history shows has always been able to stop them, is the organized mass action of working people.\u00a0 Like the thugs and cowards they are, when we say \u201cNO!\u201d they often run and hide.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the implications of this anti-fascist movement against Golden Dawn internationally and in the U.S.?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Fascism is on the rise.\u00a0 It\u2019s not just a question of groups like Golden Dawn in Greece, or the KKK and white supremacists here.\u00a0 Rather, reactionary movements like the \u201cTea Party\u201d in this country and the \u201cNational Front\u201d in Britain are a very real danger and a warning of what could happen should fascism remain unopposed.<\/span><\/p>\n

What does the APL support politically? You are deliberately different from most other activist and protest groups in terms of how you organize, correct?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The APL is a Marxist-Leninist party. As a party we stand for socialism, for a lasting peace, and for a peoples\u2019 democracy; a true democracy; a democracy by and for the working class.\u00a0 Not just one where every few years people get to choose their oppressors.\u00a0\u00a0 We see ourselves as having no interests apart from those of working class people; and we see our role as that of organizing working people around those interests, and of giving a deeper, scientific, Marxist-Leninist understanding to the various progressive and popular struggles taking place.<\/span><\/p>\n

What has been the experience of anti-fascist coalitions and organizations organizing in Chicago?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Positive.\u00a0 We were able to mobilize a respectable number of people in a very short time.\u00a0 I think this speaks not only to the skill and energy of the organizers, as I said before, but to the fact the people recognize the importance of the issue.\u00a0 The very real threat fascism poses; not just in Greece, not just here in the US, but worldwide.<\/span><\/p>\n

What lessons should we draw from this?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

That fascism not only can be challenged, but must be challenged!\u00a0 That ordinary people are not powerless; and that the defeatist mantra of \u201cwhat can I do?\u201d is false.\u00a0 We working people can<\/i> organize in the defense of our interests; we can<\/i> stand up for our rights; and we can win<\/i>!<\/span><\/p>\n

Where do we go from here?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

We keep organizing and we keep fighting.\u00a0 The stronger our response to fascism and fascist measures, the more militant our actions, the more we raise the level of people\u2019s consciousness as to what fascism is and the danger it poses,\u00a0 the more we bring other working people into the struggle.<\/span><\/p>\n

How can people get involved?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

By joining social justice organizations, by organizing in your school or union \u2013 by joining the APL!<\/span><\/p>\n

::Casal smiles broadly::<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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