Today, on January 20th, we will see if what Trump has unleashed in a more emboldened white nationalism follows through on their threats, or, like Trump, if they will slink away and regroup (potentially returning in an even more virulent form given the permission they have enjoyed and the collusion of the vast majority of the Republican party and ruling elites). As Trump announced today, “I’ll be back, in some form.” Regardless of what happens today, the Trump administration has exposed, in more explicit terms, the roots of white nationalism, patriarchy and ruling class interests of the United States and the overwhelming numbers of people invested in maintaining the forest that has sprung from these roots (even if against their self-interest in the short and long-term). He has unleashed the potential for civil war, leveraging rage fueled by a public health disaster and dire economic conditions made so much worse by the administration's negligence and disregard for human life. With support from Twitter and FaceBook, he has then diminished the value of facts, material evidence and truthful testimony and replaced it with false propaganda and personal attack and threats. Ongoing threats of state and civil attacks are not new but a daily calculation for Black, indigenous and other people of color, exploited workers, gender non-conforming people (queer, transgender, gender expansive, fierce women) and those fleeing to and deported from our borders due to US-invested and implemented military coups, violence, genocide, environmental and economic devastation and the destruction of indigenous and traditional ways of sustainably living, and using the wealth of this planet’s natural resources. Today Biden talked about a cry for racial justice going back over 400 years and a cry for the planet and all living things facing growing threats of destabilization. He speaks of unity and reaching back to some false true democracy or goodness in the U.S. past. There have been courageous struggles, an ending of some atrocities even in the face of new ones, and hard won rights and protections. But the only unity worth anything will be our ability to build it based on principles of true justice that is translated into economic, social and political rights. Biden acknowledges that the unity he calls for has to go beyond words and beyond reversing four years of damaging and deadly policies. It’s going to require a fight for what is just. A fight is necessary for the more profound uprooting of the legacy of the U.S. and a stop to the global rise of authoritarianism and fascism, concentration of natural resources and wealth in the hands of the few, and growing public health crises and environmental devastation. While mass dissent and outrage is necessary, the fight is not likely to be won in street fights or through community defense against armed and hateful fascists alone, particularly with the complicity and collaboration of law enforcement. As with the ruling elite of the past, the Republicans made it clear that they can accept white nationalism, authoritarianism and fascism if it protects their interest. The fight is in, among other frontline movements, the growing mass protests against the murder and mass incarceration of Black and Brown, transgender and disabled people, organizing against deportation and displacement, the growing calls for decarceration and decriminalization led by formerly and currently incarcerated people, political prisoners and their loved ones, and international solidarity and resistance to authoritarianism and environmental injustice and destruction. The work of the NLG is to defend those on the frontlines of that fight. Biden’s unity will require not only a “crackdown” on white nationalist extremists but his ability to demonstrate that he can control the left and contain popular uprisings. Mass dissent against things like police violence, growing economic devastation and loss as a result of COVID and its acceleration of capitalism and climate disaster will be treated as treason against “unity”. The NLG will play an important role in providing political clarity and in anti-repression practice in making the distinctions clear - between the acts of violence and hateful speech of white nationalist extremists and acts of resistance and calls for radical transformation by those committed to their own and collective survival, humanity and liberation. Today our legal observers will be joining with Sacramento LOs and our hotline will be on-call to provide legal support. Our chapter, the NLG and our movements owe a huge debt of gratitude to our legal observers who are putting themselves on the streets and on the line in the face of COVID, National Guard deployment and fascist threats. It is a central practice of the NLG’s solidarity with those resisting and transforming injustice for themselves, their families, their communities and for humanity and the livability of the planet. We are also seeing an escalation in FBI door-knock visits over the weekend to anti-fascists across the country. Portland has had over fifteen door knocks since Friday. They are asking questions trying to get people to talk about fascists but experience tells us that any engagement with the FBI is used against movements for social justice, even when disguised as questions about white nationalists. In response, we are reposting our Know Your Rights series of pamphlets and links below and will be organizing a Know Your Rights series in the weeks ahead (you can contact our E Conner, another of our new Program Coordinators to get involved in Know Your Rights work).
-NLG-SF Bay Area Team
|
