Austin D, Chicago, IL
Far from a protest and closer to a music festival, the “No Kings” event in Chicago attracted all sorts. There was an expected—and rather large—layer of liberals but, more significantly, an equally large layer of disillusioned workers and youth looking for a revolutionary way forward.
When asked why they were attending, no one responded with the official purpose of the march, or even the threat of “fascism.” Instead, the response was simply, “everything.”
When we asked what was to be done about it, we got another unanimous answer, “I don’t know.”
How did the official speakers respond? “The times we are living in are scary. We should feel hopeless and afraid, because that is where the will to fight comes from.” Our comrades couldn’t believe we were hearing the quiet part out loud, “You should feel hopeless.”
Luckily, we understood that not only are these times not “hopeless” but are, in fact, the most fruitful time for communist organizing. People don’t find the will to fight in hopelessness. They find it knowing what they are fighting for is possible and necessary.
One high-school student beelined to our table and said, “Why are there so many American flags at a protest? I saw the hammer and sickle and thought: these must be normal people.” At just 15, he had already drawn the correct conclusions, and even asked to march with us!
As the march began, two more students and a worker asked to join our comrades. Halfway through, a couple more students asked to help chant and hold banners, adding to our contingent. Throughout the entire march, our slogans of “One Solution, Communist Revolution” and “We Declare a Class War” were echoed even among the usually “hopeless” liberals.
When hopelessness is encouraged, our comrades intervene to show what’s possible.