If Trump were to hold a rally in my town, and if I were physically capable
of doing so, I would attempt to join with others in peacefully protesting
his speech. I would carry a sign which expressed my thoughts about what he
has been saying, and I would either peacefully stand inside the venue,
holding that sign, or I would stand outside or walk back and forth in front
of the venue, holding my sign. The attempt is to dissuade people from taking
what he says seriously, and to demonstrate that there are people who
disagree with him and who are willing to show their disagreement publiclhy.
If I were able to mobilize enough demonstrators to fill the venue so that
his supporters couldn't get in the doors, I'd do that. Given the incredible
publicity that has been given to Trump, counter demonstrations and attempts
to prevent his ability to speak, don't appear to me to be akin to blocking
his free speech. He has had an incredible amount of publicity. It's
important to remember that when he has been interviewed, TV journalists have
refrained from challenging him strongly about any of his lies and
distortions or about his racist statements. They have treated him with kid
gloves in the guise of being fair and balanced. Free speech doesn't mean
allowing someone to spout the kinds of insightments to racist violence that
he has uttered. It means free and open debate. We haven't seen free and open
debate. On the Republican side, we've seen name calling, insults, and
extreme statements. On the Democratic side, there's been a little bit of
give and take, but only within the framework of an agreed Washington
consensus point of view about foreign policy and a caution of not providing
amunition to the Republicans. From my point of view, the SWP has taken some
very bizarre stands lately. If we were in the 1930's Nazi Germany, would
they have supported the Brown Shirts because these were frustrated working
people? Would they have assumed that they could convince them to stand
together with all German workers and workers internationally? The
contemporary American working people who understand that their lot is the
same as that of American workers of color and workers in other countries,
are not attending Trump rallies and are hardly potential members of the SWP.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2016 11:49 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Socialist candidate gets hearing at Trump
event
Good article.
In my opinion, protest should be practiced whenever there are differing
positions on any given subject. But when the protest attempts to shut down
the opposition during public forums, they are no better than those they are
protesting against.
Rather than spending time and energy attempting to block another from
expressing their opinion, we would be better served by organizing efforts to
assure free access to public forums by any who have a position they want to
share.
When I stumbled across Mike Savage some years back, I did not try to have
his rants blocked. Why drive people like this underground? I spent time
writing sponsors and asking them if they actually listened to this man's
rants. I wrote stations that carried the program, asking them if they
really wanted the sort of world this man was promoting. And I quit
listening to the negative, divisiveness being spewed by Savage. I also
suggested to both sponsors and stations that they consider allowing time for
other opinions. That never happened.
And I knew that those backing Savage would do all they could to block any
opposing discussion. Still, we need to practice what we preach.
If we want our position spread before the public, then we must defend the
right of those who disagree with us to have equal access. Of course the
current deck is stacked against those of us holding positions contrary to
those favored by our Corporate Masters. And we do need to remember that
even as they shout out that we are blocking open discussion, they are
controlling the Mass Media and the Laws in many communities that are quietly
blocking our freedom of expression.
But if we fall into the trap of countering by blocking their shills from
speaking, then we are no better than they.
Carl Jarvis
On 3/20/16, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
http://themilitant.com/2016/8012/801203.htmlresistance,"
The Militant (logo)
Vol. 80/No. 12 March 28, 2016
(front page)
Socialist candidate gets hearing at Trump event
Militant/Dan Fein
Socialist Workers Party presidential candidate Alyson Kennedy, left,
talks with Jordan Strange about fight to win jobs and higher wages in
line for Donald Trump rally March 11 in Chicago.
BY DAN FEIN
CHICAGO - The organized disruption that forced the cancellation of
Republican candidate Donald Trump's campaign rally here March 11 "was
a blow to free speech," Socialist Workers Party candidate for
president Alyson Kennedy said. "Shutting down political expression is
inevitably turned against workers."
Kennedy's statement stands in stark contrast to the celebration of the
disruption on the left and among liberals who are increasingly shrill
in charging Trump with being the spearhead of a rising racist and
fascist movement. This could be "remembered as the dawn of the
declared Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson March 14.East."
Republican rivals Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich said they
opposed the disruptions, but argued they are Trump's own fault,
suggesting his politics encourage violence.
None of this has derailed Trump's campaign. He won four of the five
primary elections held March 15. Rubio, a senator from Florida,
suspended his campaign after losing to Trump in his home state by a
wide margin. Trump's loss to Ohio Gov. Kasich in Ohio was expected. In
all these states Trump won a big vote from working people.
Far from representing a rising rightist movement, Trump gets a hearing
from workers and others who have been battered by the effects of years
of the world capitalist economic crisis, and who are looking for
something different from "establishment" politicians they know offer
no solutions.
It's for similar reasons that Bernie Sanders continues to get a
substantial response. He got nearly half the vote in both Illinois and
Missouri, even as the media is declaring that Hillary Clinton has the
Democratic nomination virtually sewn up.
On the day of Trump's rally, several thousand people demonstrated
outside while others entered the meeting room. Their goal was "for
Donald to take the stage and to completely interrupt him. The plan is
to shut Donald Trump all the way down," Quovadis Green told the
Associated Press.
When a campaign staffer announced that due to safety concerns the
rally was canceled, those who organized to disrupt it erupted in
cheers, celebrating their victory over free speech. Some chanted
"Bernie, Bernie," waving Sanders campaign signs. A few Trump
supporters confronted them. The big majority of those who had come to
hear Trump looked incredulous, upset he wouldn't be speaking.
Fight for unions, jobs, wages
SWP candidate Kennedy had wide-ranging discussions with many workers
and young people who came hoping to hear Trump. She handed a campaign
flyer to Jordan Strange, an 18-year-old student from Naperville, as
they waited in line to get in. The Socialist Workers Party campaign
"is part of the struggles of working people," she said, "including the
fight for
$15 an hour and a union at McDonald's and Walmart."
"But McDonald's is not a job for life, it's a job for teenagers,"
Strange said. "Shouldn't we concentrate on creating jobs instead?"
"We need both," Kennedy replied. "Workers of all ages make low wages
and work part time or are unemployed. I took a leave from my job at a
Walmart to run in this election. We must fight to increase wages for
everyone, and also fight for a government-funded public works program
to create jobs, build schools and medical facilities, child care and
recreation centers, replace crumbling infrastructure and other things
working people need. And unions are essential, a first step to relying
on our own strength as a class."
Fernando Garcia, an engineer at a local sheet metal factory, came to
the rally with his son Eric, a brake press operator at the same plant.
"I don't know who I'll vote for," Fernando Garcia said. Like many
there he came to hear what Trump had to offer.
"Trump is not a politician. He is not bought off," said Eric Garcia,
who was wearing a Trump campaign button.
Kennedy responded, "No Democrat, Republican or other capitalist
candidate will do anything about the attacks against the working class.
They talk about getting the 'best deal' to ensure profits keep flowing
to the U.S. capitalists."
Fernando Garcia agreed. "Under Obama the border crossings are more
dangerous, resulting in many deaths" of immigrants, he said. "The
government has increased its border patrols."
After the rally was cancelled, Kennedy saw the Garcias walking to
their car. "I don't agree with Trump," she told them, "but I don't
agree with what happened tonight. Freedom of speech protects the right
of workers to speak out and organize."
"This will just mean more votes for Trump," Eric Garcia said.
The next day Kennedy campaigned door to door in the Chicago suburb of
Elmhurst. While much of the discussion was about Trump's rally being
broken up, topics ranged from police brutality to Syria to the effects
on working people of the breakup of Yugoslavia.
Kennedy told Derek Dedman, a 20-year-old broker for a logistics
company, about the fight against the cold-blooded police killing of
cattle rancher Jack Yantis in Idaho, and showed him an article about
it in the Militant. "You hear about the police killing Blacks, but you
never hear about things like this," Dedman said.
Police killings are a class question, Kennedy said. "The police
protect the interests of the wealthy by keeping workers in their
place. But because of the protests more cops are being charged. This
shows we can have an impact."
Bojka Milanovich told Kennedy about the devastation her country, the
former Yugoslavia, faces today. Rival fragments of the disintegrating
Stalinist regime went to war in the 1990s, using nationalist demagogy
to grab territory and resources. Washington and its imperialist
competitors in Europe intervened militarily to advance their
interests, adding to the carnage.
"The Socialist Workers Party campaigned against the U.S. bombing
assault on your country," Kennedy said, "and we oppose their
intervention in Syria today. They don't care what happens to us or the
Syrian workers, they're only protecting their imperial power in the Middle
"We should get out of Syria," Milanovich replied.
"I work in a hospital and see the abuse of workers, especially
immigrants," she said. She made a $10 donation to the campaign and got
a copy of New International magazine with the article "Capitalism's
Long Hot Winter Has Begun," which describes the roots of the growing
capitalist conflicts and depression conditions that mark the world today.
Related articles:
Breakup of Trump rally sets back working class Socialist Workers Party
campaign statement Socialist Workers Party launches state campaigns
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