This is Bob Avakian—REVOLUTION—number 106. 

IN THE NAME OF HUMANITY, WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT A FASCIST AMERICA! 

THIS WHOLE SYSTEM IS ROTTEN AND ILLEGITIMATE—WE NEED AND WE DEMAND: A WHOLE NEW WAY TO LIVE, A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT SYSTEM!

In my last message (#105), I answered arguments that are too often raised to justify capitulating to and going along with Trump/MAGA fascism. The fact is that Democratic Party functionaries—and other “liberal” representatives of the ruling class—will approach things on a fundamentally wrong basis: on the terms of what serves this murderously oppressive system of capitalism-imperialism (which they call “democracy”) and the literally genocidal American empire (which they call “the free world”). This must not be allowed to set the terms, and the limits, of the struggle—against this Trump/MAGA fascism, and against the system that has given rise to this fascism, along with all its other atrocities.

Liberals (and “progressives”), who are not part of the ruling class, can play a significant role in building broad unity against this fascism, and in searching out the answer to what has given rise to this fascism, and what is the solution to this—but, at the same time, these liberals and “progressives” need to open their minds, be willing to honestly engage ideas and solutions that are outside of and beyond the confines of this system, and strengthen their backbones for the fight that is necessary.

From the time of the outcome of the election, beginning with my message #102, I have emphasized: This is not a time for demoralization and despair—it is a time for righteous anger and revolutionary determination; and what is needed is bold defiance and a determined refusal to go along with any of this—now, and in an ongoing way.

IN THE NAME OF HUMANITY WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT A FASCIST AMERICA! is not an empty slogan—or merely some kind of general statement of opposition—it is an active orientation for building mass opposition and resistance to Trump/MAGA fascism. 

In its most important dimension, this means uniting all who can be united—mobilizing people growing into the millions, and ultimately tens of millions—in protest and resistance against this fascism.

At the same time, an important part of this will involve defending people against attacks on their rights and even on their very lives. This defense will need to involve many different dimensions: legal and political defense—and defense against attempts to carry out physical attacks on people who are targets of this fascism.

As I emphasized in “Something Terrible, Or Something Truly Emancipating”:

There is plenty that needs to be done, and urgently, which requires real boldness and heart, to stand up against the fascists, and any other oppressive force, in their moves to threaten and intimidate, brutalize and even murder people. Let me make clear that I am not calling for launching unprovoked and unjustified attacks on anybody; but there is a right, and a need—and there is the responsibility—to defend the people who are oppressed and brutalized under this system, and those who represent and stand for what is right, and are being attacked because of that.

Now, with the re-election of Trump, the MAGA fascists are pumped up, feeling they have powerful backing to intimidate and attack immigrants, women, LGBT people, Black people and others who are targets of this Trump/MAGA fascism. Those who recognize the importance of defeating this fascism, need to have an offensive orientation in challenging this fascism, while defense is built against attacks by these fascists.

As we revcoms (revolutionary communists) have made clear in the Declaration WE NEED AND WE DEMAND: A WHOLE NEW WAY TO LIVE, A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT SYSTEM: “So long as we are still living under the rule of this system of capitalism-imperialism, we will defend people against attacks on their lives and on the rights that are supposed to be guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution.”

At the same time, this Declaration goes on to make this crucial point: 

we need a whole different system, with a whole different Constitution—the Constitution for the New Socialist Republic in North America—which will provide much greater rights for the people, including the basic right to have the fundamentally determining role in a new society and government whose purpose and goal is to eliminate all exploitation and oppression, everywhere.

This flows from the understanding that is concentrated in the second slogan I included at the start:

THIS WHOLE SYSTEM IS ROTTEN AND ILLEGITIMATE—WE NEED AND WE DEMAND: A WHOLE NEW WAY TO LIVE, A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT SYSTEM!

For very good and important reasons, I have repeatedly emphasized this: It is this system of capitalism-imperialism that has given rise to this fascism, along with all its other atrocities. It is this system that must be swept away through a revolution that millions are won to actively fight for, with many millions more supporting this emancipating revolution.

The basic approach to building for and then carrying out this revolution is set forth in the important document at revcom.us: Revolution—Building Up The Basis To Go For The Whole Thing, With A Real Chance To Win: Strategic Orientation And Practical Approach. With regard to what needs to be brought into being, with the defeat of, and in place of, this system of capitalism-imperialism, this document refers to the following, from the Declaration “We Need And We Demand”:

The Existing Capitalist-Imperialist System and Institutions of Government of this Country Must Be Abolished And Dismantled—And Replaced By A New, Socialist System Based On The CONSTITUTION FOR THE NEW SOCIALIST REPUBLIC IN NORTH AMERICA.

“Building Up The Basis” goes on to make the very important point that the Declaration “We Need And We Demand” provides a basic summary of fundamental principles and specific goals of the revolution and the new society and way of living we are working for, as set forth in the Constitution for the New Socialist Republic in North America. And this Declaration:

needs to be very broadly distributed and popularized, among millions of people, in all parts of the country, now and throughout the development toward a full-out crisis. It needs to be driven home very clearly how the new socialist Constitution provides the foundation, the framework and practical guidelines for a radically new, emancipating system, really enabling and empowering the masses of people to move to abolish inequality and discrimination, oppression and exploitation, and to provide powerful support for revolutionary struggles throughout the world striving for the same goal, while also moving quickly, systematically and effectively, to address the already acute and fast accelerating environmental crisis, with the aim of bringing into being a world where humanity can truly be fit caretakers of the Earth.