Once again, an unarmed black man, George Floyd, a ”person of colour”, has been arrested and killed by police in America, in the city of Minneapolis, state of Minnesota. The only difference is that this time, the event has been captured on video. At least one bystander has recorded this on his cell phone, and the whole country is shocked and outraged. The video suggests that four Caucasian officers, or ”white policemen”, arrested this man, subdued him by handcuffing him with his hands behind his back, placed him on the ground face down, and then one officer placed his knee on the back of the neck of the prisoner. Floyd complained that he could not breathe, but the video suggests that the officer kept his knee on the neck of the prisoner for possibly eight minutes. It is further suggested that the officer kept his knee on the neck of Floyd for almost three minutes after he became ”unresponsive”. Floyd was later taken to hospital, and upon arrival, declared legally dead.
The details of the ”incident” have outraged people of all races and ethnic backgrounds. As the journalists phrase it, ”unrest is erupting across the U.S.”, as a ”rainbow coalition of political discontent.” This is their rather stilted way of saying that all Americans are outraged by this act of police brutality.
Floyd was arrested for allegedly ”passing” a counterfeit twenty dollar bill. The officers involved in the ”incident” have all been fired, and the police department issued a statement saying that an investigation is underway, ”expeditiously”, following ”due diligence, gathering evidence as quickly as possible”. As it is now four days after the killing of that man, the members of the public are convinced that the authorities are merely stalling.
On the third night after the killing, the protesters turned violent. The journalists who are covering the protests are correct in distinguishing between those who are protesting peacefully, as opposed to those who are engaging in acts of violence, as well as those who are vandalizing and looting. This stands in stark contrast to the government officials, those who are referring to these protesters as ”THUGS”, as Trump phrased it. He is suggesting that the protesters are guilty of ”rioting”. He has wasted no time in fanning the flames of discontent, suggesting that ”as soon as the looting starts, the shooting also starts”. The message is quite clear. Damage to property is punishable by death.
The governor of Minnesota made an official statement, in which he made it clear that he disapproves of the use of violence as a means of protest. As he put it, the government ”cannot address problems if anarchy reigns… violence leads only to more violence. ” No doubt this was spoken in the finest tradition of Martin Luther King, a noted pacifist. Equally without doubt, the governor has never heard of the American Revolutionary War, or the American Civil War. Perhaps someone should point out to the good governor that the country, of which Minnesota is a state, was created as a result of revolution. King George of Great Britain did not respond to sweet reason and failed to grant independence to the American colonies. King George responded to violence. That is the reason for the existence of the United States of America.
In much the same way, the American slave owners parted with their slaves as a result of war, the American Civil War, not through appeals to their humanitarian impulses. In each case, violence achieved a great deal. It took a civil war to secure the abolition of slavery. War is absolutely violent, and revolution is civil war.
The third night of protest was significant, in that for possibly the first time in the history of the country, a police detachment was set on fire! This building is referred to as the headquarters of the ”Third Precinct”, apparently the precinct in which this man was killed. As the protests grew in strength, the local police decided to vacate the premises, rather than confront the protesters. The detachment was then set on fire, along with various other buildings. It is very likely that the destruction of the police station was more an act of protest rather than an act of vandalism. By contrast, the firing of other buildings and looting of businesses was an act of vandals, those criminal elements who took advantage of the revolutionary situation in order to pursue their own ends.
The journalists who were present at the protests reported that for several hours during the night, there was no police presence. Of course, the fire department also refused to respond. Who can blame them? They get paid to fight fire, not to fight protesters. It was not until day break that the police showed up, in the form of state troopers, local police and National Guardsmen, dressed in riot gear. In the interests of ”restoring law and order”, they proceeded to arrest various people, including a CNN camera crew!
The arrest of these journalists was not only illegal, but also an act of incredible stupidity. This arrest of a journalist and his camera crew was filmed and broadcast live on national television. It was immediately obvious to all viewers that the journalist was black, or a ”person of colour”, to put it in politically correct terms. Even though the journalist politely identified himself, and produced identification to prove his credentials, as a member of the press, he was still arrested. The arresting officer refused to say the reason for the arrest, merely stating that he was ”following orders”. Perhaps someone should explain to this misguided soul that such an excuse is not a legal defence. It is quite possible that this officer could be charged with unlawful arrest.
The protests have now spread to various other cities across the country, and it is not just confined to the death of one man in Minnesota. The members of the public are convinced that this discrimination and police brutality is not an isolated incident. Numerous other acts of violence against other people of colour are being mentioned. Citizens of all races and ethnic backgrounds are now active, protesting police brutality.
The death of Floyd has been compared to the beating of another black man in Los Angeles in 1992. In that case also, people were outraged. The protests resulted in various buildings being burned and businesses being looted, no doubt by criminal elements, those who took advantage of the revolutionary uprising. The journalists who are covering the death of Floyd are reporting the situation is more intense than the similar situation of 1992 Los Angeles.
The press is also reporting that ”stars and celebrities” are now taking an interest in the murder. This is most significant, as it clearly indicates that the revolutionary motion is now broad and deep. This brings me to the opinion of Lenin, as expressed in Left Wing Communism, An Infantile Disorder:
”The fundamental law of revolution, which has been confirmed by all revolutions and especially by all three Russian revolutions in the twentieth century, is as follows: for a revolution to take place it is not enough for the exploited and oppressed masses to realize the impossibility of living in the old way, and demand changes; for a revolution to take place it is essential that the exploiters should not be able to live and rule in the old way. It is only when the ‘lower classes’ do not want to live in the old way and the ‘upper classes’ cannot carry on in the old way that the revolution can triumph. This truth can be expressed in other words: revolution is impossible without a nation wide crisis (affecting both the exploited and the exploiters). It follows that, for a revolution to take place, it is essential, first, that a majority of the workers (or at least a majority of the class conscious, thinking and politically active workers) should fully realize that revolution is necessary, and that they should be prepared to die for it; second, that the ruling classes should be going through a government crisis, which draws even the most backward masses into politics (symptomatic of any genuine revolution is a rapid, ten fold and even hundred fold increase in the size of the working and oppressed masses – hitherto apathetic – who are capable of waging the political struggle), weakens the government, and makes it possible for the revolutionaries to rapidly overthrow it.” (all italics and punctuation by Lenin)
I have chosen to quote this passage by Lenin, in rather great length, as it is so important. Without doubt, the country is in a state of crisis, as it is currently entering a Second Great Depression, as well as being devastated by the corona virus, with over a hundred thousand Americans fatalities so far. To top it off, the working people are fed up with violent repression on the part of the police, and are determined to enact change. Countless people, those who have never taken the slightest interest in politics, are now demanding change. In short, the situation is certainly revolutionary.
As I have mentioned in other articles, it is my opinion that the most advanced workers must raise their level of awareness, starting with reading the Essential Works of Lenin. Such proletarians have got to take the bull by the horns and become true revolutionary leaders. The success -or failure!- of the approaching revolution depends upon such people. Without a proper revolutionary theory, that of Marx and Lenin, the revolution is doomed to failure! It is absolutely necessary to overthrow the capitalists, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie, and crush them under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. For that reason it is necessary to form a true Communist Party, Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, in order to combat the social chauvinists, those who are socialists in words, chauvinists in deeds. It is not enough to hope that the middle class intellectuals, those who are aware of the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin, will take action. As yet they are disgracefully silent, although it is possible that in the future they may well surprise us. I do so love pleasant surprises!
Bear in mind that the size of the membership is not nearly as important as the message it carries. Working class people are not fools. They are experts at distinguishing the truth from a pack of lies. They have come by this skill the hard way. Numerous servants of the bourgeoisie have a rather annoying habit of spreading lies and confusion among the public.
Now the police have arrested one of the officers who was involved in the death of George Floyd. The one who was sitting on his neck has been charged with third degree murder and man slaughter. To be charged with one or the other is reasonable, but it is not clear how a person can be charged with both. It is strange that the press has not clarified the confusion.
This arrest has not served to ”defuse” the explosive situation. On the fourth night, the police have declared a curfew in the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, but at the beginning of the night, it was ignored. An experienced journalist expressed her astonishment at the fact that there was no police presence, at least until the protesters attempted to storm another police detachment. It took such motivation for the police to work up the courage to confront the protesters! This is an indication of the strength of the revolutionary movement.
From the video footage it is clear that some of the protesters are members of a trend known as the centre. Such people are determined to maintain peaceful protest. They are true pacifists. Such misguided souls think that dramatic change can be secured through non violent protest. Perhaps they are not aware that the American founding fathers have given Americans the right to ”abolish any government” which does not represent them. This right was given to them in the Declaration Of Independence.
Revolutionary protests also flared up across the country. Over thirty cities reported ”riots”, as they referred to them. The current situation is similar to the situation which existed during the ”civil rights” movement of the sixties. The American imperialists responded to this movement by ordering the murder of the leader of the Black people, Martin Luther King, in 1968.
At that time, China was a socialist country, and Mao was their leader. He issued a statement, titled: In Support of the Afro-American Struggle Against Violent Repression. It is as pertinent today as it was then. He pointed out that even though King was a pacifist, the imperialists did not spare him for that reason. King was a leader, so he had to die. Mao stated that the movement was an ”extremely powerful revolutionary force… manifestation of the comprehensive political and economic struggle now gripping U.S. imperialism… The Afro-American struggle is not only a struggle waged by the exploited and oppressed Black people for freedom and emancipation, it is also a new clarion call to all the exploited and oppressed people of the United States to fight against the barbarous rule of the monopoly capitalist class. It is a tremendous aid and inspiration to the struggle of the people throughout the world against U.S. imperialism…Racial discrimination in the United States is a product of the colonialist and imperialist system. The contradiction between the Black masses in the U.S. and the U.S. ruling classes is a class contradiction. Only by overthrowing the reactionary rule of the U.S. monopoly capitalist class and destroying the colonial and imperialist system can the Black people in the United States win complete emancipation. The Black masses and the masses of white working people in the U.S. have common interests and common objectives to struggle for. Therefore, that Afro-American struggle is winning sympathy and support from increasing numbers of white working people and progressives in the U.S. The struggle of the Black people in the U.S. is bound to merge with the American workers movement, and this will eventually end the criminal rule of the U.S. monopoly capitalist class…The struggle of the Black people in the U.S. for emancipation is a component part of the general struggle of all the people of the world against U.S. imperialism, a component part of the contemporary revolution…” (my italics)
Here too, I have chosen to quote this at considerable length, as it is so important. Mao did more than give the struggle of Afro-American people his blessings. Mao also gave it direction. That direction is to the merger with the American workers movement. That is precisely the very thing which is now happening! The journalists are now reporting -to their astonishment- that the protesters are composed of a broad section of the population, of various colours, ages and ethnic backgrounds. Truly, the struggle of the Black people is indeed merging with the American workers movement!
Mao also made it quite clear that paltry reforms are not enough. The imperialists have to be ”overthrown”, the ”colonial and imperialist system” destroyed, and this can only be achieved under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. May I suggest that the social chauvinists and the central pacifists take note of this! Feel free to follow in the revolutionary steps of Lenin and Mao!
Onward to Revolution! Create a Truly Marxist Communist Party! Prepare For the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat!
Gerald McIsaac Science Project 