Breaking Silence & ICE, PL’er lays foundation for fightback
Two weeks ago, two other teachers and I led a Know Your Rights training at our school for the majority of students. We distributed “red cards” (Know Your Rights cards), flyers in five different languages, and a list of resources.
The culture at my school tends to be one of silence in the face of injustice—a culture that pretends we don’t all, on some level, feel the rise of fascism or hear the drums of world war growing louder. While the content of our training stayed within the bounds of legal rights, it was a significant step toward confronting that silence and beginning to build a culture of resistance. It sent a clear message to students: we care.
After the session, several students shared personal stories with me about seeing ICE in their neighborhoods. Just one week later, ICE detained Dylan, a high school student in NYC. Because of the training, it felt natural to hang a sign in my classroom with Dylan’s picture and the caption: “Free Dylan.” Another teacher joined me at the protest for Dylan—a small but meaningful step toward building a base for resistance within our school.
The other two teachers involved in the training have both received CHALLENGE, and one has participated in study groups and May Day. As I presented to different grade levels, I found myself thinking about students in the audience who had received CHALLENGE over the past few years.
We have a long way to go in our school. This was just a small step. But the experience reminded me of the power of staying in one place over time and consistently building a base. It also reinforced our responsibility, as communists, to actively shape the culture of the spaces we are in.
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Free Dylan! Fight fascism
Another line was crossed on the road to fascism recently when racist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in New York City arrested a public school student. The student, Dylan, is the first reported case of this happening during Donald Trump’s second term. He was taken after reporting for an asylum hearing.
Hundreds of workers and students around the city quickly mobilized to support him. This included hundreds turning out for a protest and more than $27,000 being raised for his family. More on Progressive Labor Party’s organizing efforts in the next issue.
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Lesson from student protester: patriotism & reform won’t save us
Recently, I, along with some of my peers, attended a student-led protest against the Trump administration. Although it was somewhat comforting to see other youth take a stand against fascism, the movement’s liberal outlook ultimately watered down this message and its impact.
Beyond the collective loathing for Trump’s regime, there was a great fear amongst the organizers to mention anything past that. Unlike during the May Day rally I attended with the PLP, words like Palestine and genocide were replaced with more vague descriptions, as people like Mahmoud Khalil were portrayed simply as protesters, not Palestinian activists. Although one of the speakers did express disapproval for Khalil’s capture, he refused to use any buzzwords that would trigger Zionists in the audience. It was disappointing to see the momentum against Trump halted in the face of other controversial subjects. Out of fear of losing their base, they glossed over genocide to protect the image of student unity. The liberal approach of the protest accommodated other forms of fascism to avoid inevitable conflict.
The sheer patriotism expressed by the protesters was also especially notable, with red, white, and blue face paint being shared around the second groups congregated. Students walked proudly with American flags draped along their backs, and chants expressed this same pride. Signs and speakers both emphasized the message that we must save the country through voting, implying that life under leaders like Obama and Biden was the ideal, despite the continued suffering of workers under their leadership. More radical approaches to ending fascism were so discouraged that some signs even blatantly stated “I am not radical…” and “I pledge allegiance to the law.”
Even though this experience demonstrated the flaws of liberal reformism, I was able to reflect on how it varied from approaches that aim to make definitive change. Attending events with the PLP and reading CHALLENGE has allowed me to see beyond the illusion that solutions can only be made under capitalism. Being united with others who aren’t afraid to call out fascist attacks has brought me much hope, and I want my peers to be able to embrace justice without fear, too.
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