THE SOCIALIST concept of this performance was ... Lee Newman, recited W.H. Auden's poem “September 1, ... We must love one another or die

ISSUE 4 | DECEMBER 2016

THE SOCIALIST

theSOCIALIST

EDITOR & LAYOUTLynn Lomiba

COPY EDITORJim Marra

EDITORIAL BOARDWalter BeckSally Joyner

David KeilLauren Ann Read Koslow

Jim MarraAmanda RiggleSteve RossignolBrooke Shannon

The Socialist is published by the Socialist Party USA. Unless otherwise noted, the views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily of

the SPUSA or the Editorial Board. The Socialist may be reprinted with permission for non-profit

purposes.

Rights revert to the writer upon publication, but credit should be given to The Socialist upon

re-publication. The Socialist retains the right to republish material that initially

appears in the magazine.ISSN 0884-6154

168 Canal St 6th FlNew York, NY 10013

Copyright © 2016 The SocialistIssue 3 | November 2016

Art has the power to heal. Art gives a voice to the voiceless. Art is an act of activism. Art can challenge the establishment and can (somewhat) safely call out those in power for their misdeeds. Given the relationship the media has with our current president-elect, being able to express discontent in an age where lawsuits (or worse) could potentially be the punishment for criticizing our Cheetos-colored-commander-in-chief becomes tricky. When you can’t call Trump an asshole rapist in an article or on social media, you can write about Zeus — a mythological rapist asshole. For good measure, and to ensure your audience gets who you’re talking about, you can mention that Zeus has a tiny Cheetos-colored lightning bolt. Art gives us, the artist, plausible deniability. This abstraction has allowed Shakespeare to criticize royalty in the court of kings and queens, Donne the ability to challenge the power of the church and the validity of monarchies, and Milton the courage to overthrow a king. The Socialist chose to continue with its pattern of releasing an art issue because art is our way of healing, giving the disenfranchised a voice, engaging in activism, and showing our readers that there is one thing Trump won’t take away from us — and that’s our art and our ability to challenge him with it.

— Amanda Riggle

RESISTANCE!

theSOCIALIST

EDITOR & LAYOUTLynn Lomiba

COPY EDITORJim Marra

EDITORIAL BOARDWalter BeckSally Joyner

David KeilLauren Ann Read Koslow

Jim MarraAmanda RiggleSteve RossignolBrooke Shannon

The Socialist is published by the Socialist Party USA. Unless otherwise noted, the views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily of

the SPUSA or the Editorial Board. The Socialist may be reprinted with permission for non-profit

purposes.

Rights revert to the writer upon publication, but credit should be given to The Socialist upon

re-publication. The Socialist retains the right to republish material that initially

appears in the magazine.ISSN 0884-6154

168 Canal St 6th FlNew York, NY 10013

Copyright © 2016 The SocialistIssue 3 | November 2016

CAPITALIST PIGHOLLY CARPENTER

the history of progressJEN MCCLELLAN

SEPTEMBER 1, 1939introduction by AJ SEGNERI

TEMPTATION OF AN AMERICAN CHRIST CHER GUEVARA4

8910

FIREWORKSAMANDA RIGGLE12

COVER ARTIVAN GONZALEZ

on being a comradeADAM POWELL13

IN THIS ISSUE

CHER

GUE

VARA

Temptation of an American Christ

The devil returned and said to the church, I will give you power,

Strength, respect, all of it, all you have to do is vote for me,

All you have to do is turn a blind eye to all the debauchery you see

Coming from my empire, scandals and sleaze appearing every hour.

It is yours for the taking, it is yours for you to keep, I will devour

All those who challenge you, disagree with you, you will see

What I can do if only you pledge yourself, don’t mind that I’m beastly,

Uncouth, vulgar, an expert in all the sins, come live in my golden tower.

The church shook the devil’s hand, making excuses for his immorality.

It was an offer they couldn’t turn down, a chance to have it all.

The devil smiled, knowing the church was now his well-kept,

They would forgive his hatred, his pride, his brutality;

He would let them cash his checks, let them believe he would never fall.

Jesus wept.

4 THE SOCIALIST - ISSUE 4 | DECEMBER 2016 - COPYRIGHT © THE SOCIALIST

TeARS OF PEACE

Thousands gathered on the statehouse lawn,

Believing that there was a new dawn

Rising, that we would wake up from this horrible dream,

And find a reason to cheer and laugh instead of scream.

People started dancing to the music’s beat,

Started feeling love right there on the street.

The speakers rallied the crowd to heartfelt revolution,

Speaking that strength and solidarity was the only solution.

Not even the scattered hecklers could sour the crowd’s mood

They were all riding high on a hope that felt too good.

The rally ended and most of the crowd went on their way,

But some continued marching, they decided to stay.

They stayed too long according to the boys in blue,

Who unloaded onto the peaceful crowd, breaking through

With rubber bullets and blasts of tear gas,

Violently refusing to let the people pass.

The impatient cops charged through on wild horseback,

Not caring who they trampled, not caring who they attacked;

Now under the moon the tear gas clouds rise,

Standing in testimony to the country’s demise.

WWW.THESOCIALIST.US 5

sunset

The light is fading on this blacktop street,

The shadows are growing longer in the night;

We can hear in the distance the riot boots beat

Coming towards us, ready to smite,

Stop, kick, while the dogs begin to bite.

We can see the cold bars of the cage

Looming ahead as we shiver ghostly white.

It is sunset in America.

In the darkness, we can see the calloused hands ready to greet

Us with batons and the people on the sidelines who say it’s right

To brutalize us, to kill us, if that’s what it takes to make us retreat.

They give our killers a thumbs up, tell them “It’s alright

Those people are outsiders, agitators, go ahead and indict

Them here on the street, put a bullet in their head, I won’t feel any outrage.“

Our bloody bodies are their life’s only delight.


We cling to each other for the courage to meet

Our killers and those who cheer them as they ignite

This long bloody war, our tears are bittersweet;

We shed them not in vain, our hearts ready for this fight,

We are ready to lay down our lives for each other, despite

The odds stacked against us, despite this new darkened age

Rising, we will not panic, run, or take flight.


Our pure and frightened voices rise in might;

The cracked and gas-clouded stage

Is set in this cold heartless twilight.



paid agitator blues

I got the paid agitator blues,

Told I’m a slacker that I’m born to lose.

The Right says I live on their taxes, I need to find a job,

A way to be productive, instead of being paid to be part of a mob.

But getting paid to riot, what else would I choose?

George Soros cuts my checks, at least that’s what Brietbart News

Says, and you know they’d never lie, you know you can trust their views.

They tell you I’m paid to wreck property, I get money to rob.

I’m digging that paid agitator blues.

Yeah you know the DNC paid me to light this fuse,

Filled my bank account to beat and bruise

These poor cops out earning a living, just trying to get along.

You know it’s all a lie, just the Right’s way to confuse.

I can’t trust these paid agitator blues.

.


HOLLY CARPENTER

CAPITALIST pig JEN MCCLELLAN


JEN MCCLELLAN WWW.THESOCIALIST.US 9

In 2002, I participated in a performance art piece called

“Speaking Freely.” The concept of this performance was

to explore what freedom of speech means. We used both

original work and performance pieces and literature from of

other authors. One of my favorite moments was when one

of the performers, Lee Newman, recited W.H. Auden's poem

“September 1, 1939.” The house was already in the dark,

but when the stage light began to dim, the entire theater

was eventually shrouded in complete darkness. A spotlight,

with an amber hue, shone onto Lee. He sat in a chair on the

stage, and next to him was a table with a bottle on top of it.

Gradually background music echoed in the theater. At that

moment, Lee looked out from the stage and recited ...


by aj segneri


I sit in one of the divesOn Fifty-second StreetUncertain and afraidAs the clever hopes expireOf a low dishonest decade:Waves of anger and fearCirculate over the bright And darkened lands of the earth,Obsessing our private lives;The unmentionable odour of deathOffends the September night.

Accurate scholarship can Unearth the whole offenceFrom Luther until nowThat has driven a culture mad,Find what occurred at Linz,What huge imago madeA psychopathic god:I and the public knowWhat all schoolchildren learn,Those to whom evil is doneDo evil in return.

Exiled Thucydides knewAll that a speech can sayAbout Democracy,And what dictators do,The elderly rubbish they talkTo an apathetic grave;Analysed all in his book,The enlightenment driven away,The habit-forming pain,Mismanagement and grief:We must suffer them all again.

Into this neutral airWhere blind skyscrapers useTheir full height to proclaimThe strength of Collective Man,Each language pours its vainCompetitive excuse:But who can live for longIn an euphoric dream;Out of the mirror they stare,Imperialism’s faceAnd the international wrong.

Faces along the barCling to their average day:The lights must never go out,The music must always play,All the conventions conspire To make this fort assumeThe furniture of home;Lest we should see where we are,Lost in a haunted wood,Children afraid of the nightWho have never been happy or good.

The windiest militant trashImportant Persons shoutIs not so crude as our wish:What mad Nijinsky wroteAbout DiaghilevIs true of the normal heart;For the error bred in the boneOf each woman and each manCraves what it cannot have,Not universal loveBut to be loved alone.

From the conservative darkInto the ethical lifeThe dense commuters come,Repeating their morning vow;“I will be true to the wife,I’ll concentrate more on my work,”And helpless governors wakeTo resume their compulsory game:Who can release them now,Who can reach the deaf,Who can speak for the dumb?

All I have is a voiceTo undo the folded lie,The romantic lie in the brainOf the sensual man-in-the-streetAnd the lie of AuthorityWhose buildings grope the sky:There is no such thing as the StateAnd no one exists alone;Hunger allows no choiceTo the citizen or the police;We must love one another or die.

Defenceless under the nightOur world in stupor lies;Yet, dotted everywhere,Ironic points of lightFlash out wherever the JustExchange their messages:May I, composed like themOf Eros and of dust,Beleaguered by the sameNegation and despair,Show an affirming flame.

BY william h. auden.

SEPTEMBER 1, 1939

FIREWORKS

“I don’t want to see fireworks. None. I’m too mad at America today.”

“Okay,” he replied.

“And I don’t want American food, either. No cheeseburgers — in fact, fuck cheeseburgers.”

“Got it.”

He listened to my stupidity so well. He shared my anger, I think, or at least he let me vent it. The Fourth was not a day of celebration for me; indeed, the fireworks depicting independence and sovereignty were lost in irony to me. For all I knew, Trump or Clinton could be the next president of these United States. The world was cold, dark, and bleak tonight and no light could shine through its darkness.

I showed up downtrodden. He gave me a smile and we went inside. Nothing was red, nothing was white, and nothing was blue. We sat and watched Blazing Saddles and then grabbed some Indian food for dinner. Later that night, we both comforted his dogs through the loud bangs that echoed in the dark. For a bitter, sad lefty like me, the night was perfect.

As I drove home, I couldn’t help but see fireworks going off in the air. They sparkled, but I saw no reason to acknowledge their shining. I lost the awe and wonder of shiny things long ago, and instead of being dazzled by the brief and wondrous flash of chemicals burning up the night’s sky, leaving be-hind a pollutant tail of ash, I saw the burnt up cinders of freedoms and rights we had fought so hard to win not too long ago being blown away on a wind bellowing in the wrong direction.

AMAN

DA R

IGGL

E Re Evolution

Ash is the dust fire leaves behind

Dust is the beginning of new life.

Fascism Freedom never knew what was Under it Can you hear it crying Knowing who is in the White House?



ADAM POW

ELLON BEING A COMRADE

Revolutionary fervor is at once difficult to inspire and, eventually, even more so, to control. It often takes years for a person to begin feeling the boiling sensation in the veins that revolutionary ideologies generate - years of reading the political theories of intellectuals and warriors, as well as the historic details of their uprisings. I was also slowly awakened to the decimation of one's brothers and sisters at the hands of the ruling class. But once that seed is planted, impatience overtakes it in its effort to grow into a towering oak.

Such has always been the case for me. Once I became immersed in leftist literature, I was at once deafened by the thunderous call to do something of substance; immediately to upend the capitalist system, or at least provide some relief to those who suffer from its corporate-induced diseases. But alone, the comrade with no community can do little for the suffering masses and in this predicament many a good comrade has been lost.

To this end, the first tenet of any peoples’ movement is the organization. Of a collection of disenfranchised workers and oppressed minorities into one unified organ. This is in itself a revolutionary act. For once one organizes a base of comrades and develops doctrines by which those comrades are led; a grassroots revolution is almost inescapable, at least on a small and localized level. In some parts of the country, a community of revolutionary leftist thinkers is difficult to find, let alone establish.

I am not saying that there are not those who are just as much students of socialist theories. But simply that most would rather argue with fascists than organize with communists, which is to say that most are sympathetic to the cause but unwilling to rise from their homes long enough to establish an apparatus to perpetrate offensives of the mind and will against the enemy we are, as socialists, called to fight.

I find myself in just such a state. The like-minded around me have mostly fled to the Green Party. That progressive step abandoned the two-party capitalist regime that held us captive for generations. but not enough to actually begin making a dent in the ideological blindness of most Americans. The sad truth is that the Democratic Party can undertake no reformation that that will ever make it a party of the people. It too steeps in the interests of the wealthy and the industries they control. The Republican Party, which is now flirting dangerously and blatantly with fascism, has never been a friend to the working classes and represents.

In fact, it is the enemy of the people who are their voting base that has not yet woken up to this fact is wholly confounding, if not infuriating. Worse still, many of our optimal recruits have now abandoned the idea of organized political structures all together. These are those whose political leanings have

left them disenfranchised by the corruption and ineptitude of the current government and pushed them to the fringes of acceptable domestic societal beliefs. They are therefore skeptical of an apparatus, which requires membership or the responsibilities therein. Lazy leftists and political atheists are our demographic and neither, at current, is as malleable as necessary for use in the type of ideological, social, and cultural warfare that is required.

As Socialists, we subscribe to the ideal that the capitalist system, which breeds greed and aversion, and uses as its stepping stone the working classes, must be totally eliminated from the global political sphere. We aim for the dissolution of such governments because of the havoc they wreak upon the lower classes. We believe we can construct a just and equal society that replaces capitalism for the benefit of the oppressed and disenfranchised.

While it is our ultimate goal to see global socialism, we appreciate the importance of enacting that dream wherever we can, whenever and however we can. We seek a planet where each nation is governed by the principles of production for the benefit of people rather than profiteers, and where every human being is afforded access to those programs which provide for health, vitality, and community

For those who reside in locales with a Socialist Party charter, this job is much easier — by enacting community projects, something as simple as a community garden which donates its produce to needy citizens and local food banks, a local chapter can quickly make a name for itself as an apparatus of and for the people. How better to endear oneself to the people than by feeding them?

Further, an organized unit is capable of message spreading and revolutionary action on a scale unrealized by the detached comrade. But for the independent comrade, the one who works alone and dreams of community, recruiting and action can be one in the same, if only in a meager way. Put simply, one must become the

comrade he hopes to see. While this may seem simply a rehashing of the famous Gandhi quote, it is nonetheless necessary for the independent reformer — just as revolution begins in the heart, its beat becomes stronger with time and requires attention at every new milestone.

While the following writing is meant to provide a path for the isolated leftist to develop change independently and still feel connected to his distant brothers and sisters across the globe, it is as well a good set of guidelines for any member of the Party who wishes to stay steadfast in his allegiance.

First and foremost, a comrade must steel his mind through constant education.

A doctor does not become so simply by claiming himself a doctor, he studies countless hours and works over several years to hone his craft. And even once established, failures and missteps will cause the good doctor to turn to that, which guided him in his formative years — analysis, research, and study.

In much the same way, a good comrade is constantly educating himself on political theories and theorists, peoples struggles across the globe, historical figures in our ideology’s creation and mutation, as well as world history and religions, military texts and historic documents. Obviously, there is required reading for anyone aiming to become more than a casual supporter of leftist thinking. “The Communist Manifesto” and “Das Kapital” by Marx and Engels are a good place to start. From there, the possibilities are endless.

My own path pointed me toward Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, and the Cuban Revolution, particularly Guevara’s seminal masterpiece “Guerrilla Warfare,” which documents the struggles of the Cuban Revolution and details the tactics used by guerrilla fighters in that conflict.

But my own literary path has not been spent wholly on the Cuban struggle, I have also read



extensively on the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the Irish Revolution(s), specifically in the book “Armed Struggle” by Richard English, and the impact that Marxism had on that movement. Further, I’ve read extensively on Leon Trotsky, Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks and have found a great fondness for the writings of Trotsky. George Orwell, best known for “1984,” has also written non-fiction works that pertain to the workers’ struggle and socialist ideology. These include “Road to Wigan Pier,” which details the struggles of the working poor of the day and theorizes on ways their suffering might be allayed; “Homage to Catalonia” a first-hand account of the Spanish struggle against fascism and displays eloquently some of the in-fighting that caused leftists to ultimately lose that war.

In short, there is no scarcity for revolutionary and educational literature and the benefits of ingesting as much as possible cannot be understated.

A comrade must make his home the image of the world he would like to see and his daily encounters those of generosity and kindness.

While many versions of socialism call to a larger execution, the way we live our daily lives is a testament to all those we encounter, that our principles are those of a just and benevolent faction. This means that our eyes are often so set on the ultimate victory that we ignore the need for tiny, domestic victories in order to truly win.

To this end, we start in our homes. If we truly believe in creating a world where all are afforded a better life, we must start with our environment. By raising gardens, livestock or bees, we give back to the environment and lessen our reliance on a system we intrinsically oppose. Further, if we are able to raise a surplus in any of these arenas, we are in a position to contribute goods for the benefit of our neighbors.

We must also be conscious of our waste, whether it be food, disposables or even energy.

Again, by limiting our environmental impact — our carbon footprint — we are fighting back against those who would funnel plumes of toxic smoke into our air and gallons of petrol into our waterways.

Another simple way to execute the tenets of socialism within the home is to establish residence as the optimal communist village. This means that all goods in the home are shared fairly, including food and money. All tenants have household jobs for which they are responsible, and are aware that the house cannot function properly if one fails to do his share. Simply seeing the doctrine in action each day, even on a tiny scale, and realizing the efficiency and equality inherent in such a system, makes one more efficient and fulfilled as a comrade — remember, we are called to implement the principles of socialism where we are, however we can.

And those whose households include children are in a particularly prime spot to perpetuate revolutionary principles daily, by raising children who understand and subscribe to the ideals embodied in their daily lives. If a child grows up in a home where the word “mine” is discouraged, a system which focuses on personal possession will seem wholly foreign and flawed; if a child is raised in a home where crops are grown and shared with the community, a system fueled by greed and waste will seem profligate and harsh. The point to be made is that the home is a community within itself, it should be run in a manner consistent with the principles we aim to see implemented globally one day.

In personal interactions, those that happen outside of the home, a comrade must make every effort to appear as a proud and warm-hearted member of the community. In my neighborhood, and even in my larger city, I’m recognized as someone who will always display patience and affection and will offer and hand or a dollar to anyone who needs it. Is this kindness and decency exploited? Yes, quite often in fact, but that is the nature in which the socialist finds himself. Whether we are easily identifiable

as socialists or not, our behavior in public, the perception that we embody the tenets of the doctrine we follow and, therefore, legitimize that doctrine by default, is what will eventually bring people into our ranks.

Become involved in and invaluable to the citizen’s movements happening throughout your locale.

As socialists, we are called on to support all of our disenfranchised kindred, whether that be local efforts orchestrated by the Black Lives Matter movement, the LGBT community, workers strikes, feminist protests or anything of the sort. Though these movements do not intend to further the goals of socialism, socialism intends to further the goals of all of these movements.

By becoming a local activist, if not an orchestrator then at least a dependable supporter, one can achieve multiple goals. On one hand, you become a defender and proponent of civil and human rights. Further, you endear yourself to that movement’s leaders, who will in turn come to respect the principles from which your revolutionary fervor sprang. Though other circumstances also demand a certain level of integrity on the part of the comrade, it is important to educate all those who will listen to your status as a Party member. To clarify, a comrade should take any opportunity available to note his Party affiliation and expand on the details of said affiliation when possible.

Obviously, in personal education and matters of the home, such transparency is unnecessary as, if principles have been followed correctly, those involved with the earlier stages of development will know well your political affiliations. But when it comes to interaction with the public, particularly as it pertains to peoples movements that align with the tenets of socialism, it is of the utmost importance that you make clear your Party affiliation, your reasons for it and why it compels you to further the goals of a particular movement. If you are not a skilled orator or teacher of party doctrine, or simply someone averse to discussing such delicate issues with

strangers, perhaps something as simple as a t-shirt with party insignia printed on it would work as a message to sympathetic reformers of where you stand ideologically.

To be clear, we are not to act as Christians solely by sharing our testament with the unwashed masses; to simply share the source of our motives with those interested with uncovering them. Our testimony is one not of words, but of actions. There will be those interested in understanding the good comrade’s motives: Why is a straight man marching with the LGBT community? Why is a white man marching with BLM protesters? Why is a man contributing to a feminist blog? When you stand side-by-side with those of whom you have nothing in common but suffering, you make yourself unique and, therefore, worthy of further inspection.

Shouting with a bullhorn from a downtown corner the merits of socialism will never advance our cause as much as walking arm-in-arm with LGBT activists will. No matter which school of socialism you subscribe to, we almost unanimously believe in the idea of perpetual revolution. And today’s perpetual revolutions are those fought in American streets with bodies and voices. Though they march not for socialism, their victory is a victory for socialist ideals and their movement is evidence of our doctrine’s power to unite and move the overlooked, American masses.

Create and distribute revolutionary propaganda through literature, art or otherwise.

In an age where creating a social media page or a blog site are commonplace, and without cost; nothing is easier than promoting one’s agenda via the Internet. I promote socialist ideals through literature, some being overtly socialist and others simply addressing an issue of importance to the movement. You can utilize your artistic talents to disturb the capitalist system and promote unifying ideals. Artists and musicians have effectively promoted “radical” ideals throughout history, and can have comparable



impact today. The method of dispersion and the eloquence therein are irrelevant. The value resides in how adherents argue with those who oppose their message.

While the creation of socialist trolls is contrary to my proposition, and something to be avoided wholly, it is important that we be willing to enter into ideological warfare with all who oppose our notions. The use of slander or personal attacks is ineffective in this matter, as it stands only to further isolate detractors, but civil debate and the exchange of ideas is more important than ever. With your continued education intact, the good comrade is well versed in his credo and able to contradict any misleading suggestions made by fools and promote the Party’s ideals with intelligence and decency.

Strive to lead a healthy life, in both mind and body, through good diet and exercise.

If we are, in fact, members of an organization built to upend the capitalist system, and that upending requires the expending of energy, both physical and mental, then it is of the utmost importance that the good comrade stay ever vigilant over his health and well-being. For my part, I exercise daily and adhere to a strict vegetarian diet. And though vegetarianism is not a tenet of socialist thought, I would encourage all comrades to take up a similar regimen — vegetarianism separates one from the brutal practices of cultivating meat and, in fact, represents the doctrine because it is a diet designed to limit waste and environmental impact. However, if vegetarianism is unpalatable, simply limiting our meat intake can work wonders for the state of the body.

As far as exercise goes, maintaining a strong and fit body also stands in opposition to a culture that breeds gluttony and has made America the fattest country on the planet. These simple actions — maintaining a fit form through healthy diet and exercise — can work wonders in the ability of a comrade to contribute, both to his community and the Party, and can act

as a silent testament to the uninitiated that our lifestyle, guided by the principles of the social responsibility, is one that truly bears fruit.

Though more is required of the independent comrade looking to do the work of a cadre, it is important that we summarize the points made thus far. The first step in maintaining and perpetuating revolutionary zeal is to be a student of socialist doctrines and theories, in an effort to be as educated on your cause as is humanly possible. Constant education and the ensuing solidification of our understanding of our movement’s doctrine and our adherence therein, is of the utmost importance to the good comrade.

As important, and simply a manifestation of our adherence to the first ideal, is the implementation of a fully socialized meritocracy within the home. Thus, those who can handle more are responsible for more, but all are privy to the benefits of the clan despite their ability to contribute equally. Being involved with the mini-revolutions in your hometown or state, such as protests and marches of the exploited, not only makes one recognizable as a thinker sympathetic to the cause, but as one willing to take his convictions to the streets.

When the time comes, the Socialist banner will fly over invaluable human resources and revolutionary experience. Likewise, disseminating the ideals of the Party through art, literature, music or other means will inevitably attract likeminded individuals to your call and, at its best, change the heart of those who oppose our principles. The arts have a disarming impact on human beings and thus are excellent tools in recruitment and indoctrination.

Although our outage as socialist students will draw some people to us, it will also push people away from us, and possibly create a local backlash. For this reason, it is important that we employ tact and decency in every facet of Party promotion. It is better to lose a recruit than to create an enemy. Just as important, there are always ongoing Party campaigns that can be

supported locally through action or otherwise. Finally, in keeping up one’s physical fitness, the mind and body are ripe for doing the work of the party and maintaining the levels of energy, mental clarity, and inspiration required therein.

Above all else, it is important for the isolated comrade to remember that, in fact, he is not isolated at all. Millions of people around the world are Socialists and believe wholly in the good that socialist policies can and have done in regular people’s lives. And even if you are cut off from Party members and unable to drum up support with your independent actions, it is important to never lose focus or become uninspired — our focus on the ultimate victory, which is in itself our inspiration, is what will ultimately pull us through in times of desperation.

You are a revolutionary, following the world’s most brilliant thinkers and nation builders. We’re all familiar with the most notable among them: Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, Che Guevara, Antonio Gramsci, Eugene Debs, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But many may not realize that also among our ranks were Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, George Orwell, Bertrand Russell, Pablo Picasso, Mark Twain, and Oscar Wilde.

You are never alone. Though you may work in isolated areas as an independent agitator, you are a friend to all peoples of the world who believe in equality and justice.

Though detached, you will never fight alone.

We have Locals and Local Organizers in:

CALIFORNIACOLORADOILLINOISINDIANAMAINEMASSACHUSETTSMICHIGANMINNESOTAMISSOURINEW JERSEY

NEW MEXICONEW YORKNORTH CAROLINAOKLAHOMAOREGONPENNSYLVANIATENNESSEETEXASUTAHWASHINGTON D.C.

DON’T DO SOCIALISM ALONE.

Learn more at www.socialistparty-usa.org.

Documents

THE SOCIALIST concept of this performance was ... Lee Newman, recited W.H. Auden's poem “September 1, ... We must love one another or die