Living in the States has me genuinely frightened. I’m not so naive as to suppose it’s not always been rough, but it’s clear we’ve entered a qualitatively different era. The moderate wing of fascism has died, and barbarism is all that remains.
I want to fight back in a substantive way, even if it’s small. I want to participate in institutions which protect the vulnerable, myself included. I don’t want to lock my doors and peek out the windows, but I know better than to engage in adventurist, individual “resistance.” I also don’t want to be in a social club where we sit and congratulate each other on having the right opinions. I’m past wanting to be on the “right side of history,” where I content myself with personally disagreeing with the nightmare we live in. Something needs to be done; the window for taking action is swinging shut.
I have almost no experience in organizing. I’ve attended a handful of protests which mostly felt like a venting of frustrations for everyone there. I’ve associated with a few comrades who had good intentions, but never accomplished much. That’s about it.
How do I actually go about being a part of something effective?
Write what you believe; keep it short and succinct. Print it out into pamphlets and carry a red flag. Go to protests, and when people approach, explain to them what you believe and that you’re trying to build an organization to protect the most vulnerable. Hand out your pamphlets, walk through the crowd, and ask if they would take one. You’ll find that socialism is no longer a boogeyman. You can also reach out to your local orgs; if there isn’t one in your area, ask those organizers for the contact information of anyone who’s in your area. Then, call each one individually and gauge their interest in meeting up.