CLASS WAR - NOT RACE WAR RACISM IS THE IDEOLOGY OF THE RICH

R a c i s m p l a y s a p o w e r f u l ro le in d iv id ing the w o r k i n g c l a s s . T h e i d e o l o g y of r a c e i s u s e d to jus t i fy i m p e r i a l i s m , w a r s , a n d the r a c i a l d i v i s i o n of labor . R a c i s m p r o m o t e s n a t i o n a l i s m o n the b a s i s of e t h n i c ident i ty . T h i s o n l y s t r e n g t h e n s e n t h u s i a s m for p a r t i c i p a t i o n in na t iona l a r m i e s . T h o s e p e o p l e w i th in the W o r k i n g C l a s s w h o h o l d r a c i s t v i e w s a r e p u p p e t s of the r i c h .

C o n t r a r y to p o p u l a r bel ief , r a c i s t i d e o l o g y is a c t u a l l y d e r i v e d f r o m the Middle a n d U p p e r C l a s s e s w h e r e the real p o w e r to s p l i t a n d w e a k e n the l o w e r c l a s s e s l i e s . T h i s d i v i s i o n o c c u r s t h r o u g h d i s c r i m i n a t i o n in s o c i a l s e r v i c e s , e d u c a t i o n , immigra t ion , a n d w o r k i n g c o n d i t i o n s . T h e c r u c i a l part the Middle C l a s s p l a y s i s to m i m i c m a s s c u l t u r e w h i c h t h e n b e c o m e s the "of f ic ia l " w a y of s e e i n g the W o r l d . Wi th in t h e " c u l t u r e " s p e c i f i c r a c i s t a n d n a t i o n a l i s t i c i d e a s a r e p r o m o t e d t h r o u g h the s c h o o l s , m e d i a , c h u r c h , etc.. T h i s c r e a t e s a c o n s t a n t f low of r a c i s t a n d na t iona l is t i d e a s a n d d i s i n f o r m a t i o n , s o m e of w h i c h is a i m e d at the r i c h t h e m s e l v e s to e x p l a i n w h y s o m e m u s t be at the " top" a n d o t h e r s o n the " b o t t o m . " M o s t of t h i s r a c i s t filth i s r e c e i v e d by the major i ty of the p o p u l a t i o n , w h i c h i s , of c o u r s e , not in p o w e r . T h e r i ch a c t i v e l y p r o m o t e n a t i o n a l i s t a n d r a c i s t l ies a n d a l w a y s h a v e .

" A r y a n R a c i a l i s m " (White S u p r e m a c i s m ) w a s f i rst d e s c r i b e d in E u r o p e by C o u n t d e G o b i n e a u in h i s " E s s a y o n the I n e q u a l i t i e s of t h e H u m a n R a c e . " P r i o r to W o r l d W a r I, r i ch E u r o p e a n s c r e a t e d " c h i c " A r y a n s o c i e t i e s a n d e s t a b l i s h e d s t r o n g f o u n d a t i o n s for Hi t ler 's Naz i d o c t r i n e a m o n g the U p p e r a n d Middle C l a s s e s . In the Un i ted S t a t e s , the K u K l u x K l a n w a s or ig ina l ly a r a c i s t s o c i a l c l u b f o u n d e d by s e v e n s o u t h e r n a r i s t o c r a t s - J . L e s t e r , J . C r o w e , J . K e n n e d y , C . J a m e s , R. R e e d , F . M c C o r d , a n d later, N a t h a n B e d f o r d F o r e s t . R a c i a l " E u g e n i c s " (pur i fy ing the r a c e by s te r i l i z ing p e r s o n s c l a i m e d to be " in fer ior" ) w a s p i o n e e r e d b y d o c t o r s in L y n c h b u r g , V i r g i n i a a n d later c o p i e d by Nazi d o c t o r s in G e r m a n y . A m e r i c a n r a c i s t s l ike H e n r y F o r d w e r e q u o t e d in Naz i n e w s p a p e r s . F o r d got a Nazi m e d a l for h i s r a c i s t w r i t i n g s .

DIVIDE AND RULE D u e to C a p i t a l i s t - i n d u c e d l a b o r s h o r t a g e s in s o m e n a t i o n - s t a t e s , the exp lo i ta t ion of w a g e s l a v e s f rom o t h e r c o u n t r i e s b e c o m e s prof i table . Wi th i m m i g r a t i o n , o u r c l a s s r e c e i v e s di f ferent ' e t h n i c i t i e s " a n d c u l t u r e s . T h i s d o e s not c a u s e a na tura l c o n f l i c t . T h a t i s , unti l it i s p r o m o t e d a s s u c h by r a c i s t p u n d i t s . T h e r i c h h a v e a lot to g a i n by tak ing a d v a n t a g e of o u r s u p e r f i c i a l d i f f e r e n c e s . T h e r a c i a l d i v i s i o n of l abor is the m o s t f u n d a m e n t a l d i v i s i o n in o u r c l a s s a n d c a u s e s fu r ther d a m a g e w h e n m e m b e r s of o u r c l a s s fo l low t h e s e d i v i s i o n s .

S e c t o r s of the W o r k i n g C l a s s c a n b e c o m e r a c i s t w h e n t h e y s e e t h e m s e l v e s h a v i n g art i f ic ial c o m m o n a l i t i e s l ike " w h i t e n e s s " w i th the ru l ing c l a s s ra ther t h a n s t i c k i n g wi th the rea l p r o b l e m s of their o w n c l a s s - the W o r k i n g C l a s s . T h e y c a n a l s o b e c o m e c o n f u s e d by the ef forts of the R u l i n g C l a s s to tr ick u s into c o m p e t i n g w i th e a c h o t h e r a n d be s w a y e d by R u l i n g C l a s s l ies that p e o p l e w h o a r e s u p e r f i c i a l l y di f ferent f rom u s b e c a u s e of their s k i n c o l o r o r cu l tu re a r e the c a u s e of o u r e c o n o m i c p r o b l e m s i n s t e a d of the R E A L b a s t a r d s w h o c o n t r o l the e c o n o m y - the C a p i t a l i s t s a n d the R u l i n g C l a s s ! T h e i r c l a s s ident i ty b e c o m e s c o n f u s e d a n d is e v e n t u a l l y r e p l a c e d by a r a c i a l a n d / o r na t iona l c o n s c i o u s n e s s . T h i s is a f a l s e a l l e g i a n c e w h i c h o n l y s e r v e s to k e e p o u r c l a s s d i v i d e d a n d e n s l a v e d to w o r k a n d the g o v e r n m e n t of the R i c h .

S i c k e n i n g l y , m a n y of the m o s t pol i t ica l ly a c t i v e W o r k i n g C l a s s y o u t h a re r a c i s t / N e o - N a z i s . B u t a l o n g wi th b e i n g " w h i t e " m o s t a r e a l s o d i s a f f e c t e d a n d d i s p o s s e s s e d . T h e s e y o u t h s a c t u a l l y h a v e m o r e in c o m m o n both mater ia l ly a n d s o c i a l l y wi th the B l a c k s , L a t i n o s , o r A s i a n s in their c o m m u n i t i e s , w h o m t h e y c l a i m t h e y hate s o m u c h , t h a n w i t h the i r r i c h " A n g l o - S a x o n " R u l i n g C l a s s ro le m o d e l s . T h e v io len t r a c i s m a n d v e h e m e n t s u p e r - p a t r i o t i s m of t h e s e d u p e s h e l p s

to leg i t imize the R u l i n g C l a s s ' s s u p p r e s s i o n of o u r c l a s s .

W h y i s r a c i s m s o s t r o n g in m a n y s e c t i o n s of o u r c l a s s ? It i s b e c a u s e the r i ch n e e d it the re . W e l l - p l a c e d r a c i s t filth d i s t o r t s a n d c o u n t e r s a truly uni f ied c l a s s c o n s c i o u s n e s s . It h a s b e e n in the b e s t in te res t of o u r r u l e r s to d is tor t the d e v e l o p m e n t of c l a s s ident i ty , p r ide a n d so l ida r i t y wi th the i r o w n r a c i s t / n a t i o n a l i s t v e r s i o n of t h e s e n o t i o n s .

THE HISTORICAL ORIGINS OF RACISM R a c i s m / N a t i o n a l i s m b e g i n s wi th the d e v e l o p m e n t of cap i ta l is t s o c i e t y . N a t i o n a l i s m p l a y e d a k e y ro le in the d e v e l o p m e n t of cap i ta l d u r i n g the last p e r i o d of E u r o p e a n f e u d a l i s m a n d w a s f o s t e r e d by the e m e r g i n g C a p i t a l i s t C l a s s . T h e n e w c l a s s u s e d the "f lag of n a t i o n h o o d ' to o r g a n i z e the p o p u l a t i o n a g a i n s t the old a r i s t o c r a c y . P o p u l a t i o n s w e r e o r g a n i z e d a l o n g " e t h n i c " a n d / o r r e l i g i o u s l i n e s to c r e a t e na t iona l a r m i e s w h i c h d idn ' t e x i s t in E u r o p e unti l af ter the N a p o l e o n i c W a r s . Nat iona l a r m i e s w e r e u n p r e c e d e n t e d in that t h e y i n v o l v e d m i l l i o n s of s o l d i e r s a n d o v e r w h e l m e d the s o c i e t i e s o u t s i d e of E u r o p e ( t h r o u g h c o l o n i a l i s m ) w h i c h i n t r o d u c e d a n in jec t ion of w e a l t h that s p u r r e d indus t r i a l i za t ion a n d the p r e - e m i n e n c e of c a p i t a l i s t s o v e r the a r i s t o c r a t s . T h u s , it w a s by u s i n g t h e lie of N a t i o n h o o d that the n e w c a p i t a l i s t c l a s s g a i n e d c o n t r o l of s o c i e t y .

W h e n the n e w W o r k i n g C l a s s ( rura l p e a s a n t s h a d b e c o m e u r b a n w o r k e r s after 1850) r e a l i z e d that the " l i b e r a t i n g " p r o c e s s of off ing the o ld a r i s t o c r a c y w a s o n l y a " c o u p d ' etat" by the n e w r i c h , N a t i o n a l i s m b e c a m e a r e a c t i o n a r y m o v e m e n t . It b e c a m e a w a y of m a i n t a i n i n g the loya l ty of the rura l a n d u r b a n l o w e r c l a s s e s t h r o u g h pa t r io t i sm. T h e p o s i t i o n of the r i c h w a s s t r e n g t h e n e d , a n d loya l ty w a s o b t a i n e d by c r e a t i n g the i l l u s i o n of p e o p l e u n i t e d by the c o m m o n g o a l s of the i r " n a t i o n . "

A s c a p i t a l i s m d e v e l o p e d a n d p r i m a r y r e s o u r c e s w e r e dep le ted (e .g . l a n d , t imber , o r e s , etc.), c o m p e t i t i o n b e t w e e n t h e s e n e w n a t i o n - s t a t e s b e g a n . T h i s led to a n e w a n d u n p r e c e d e n t e d e r a of i m p e r i a l i s m a n d c o l o n i a l i s m w h i c h w a s e f f e c t e d in o r d e r to g a i n m o r e p r imary c a p i t a l . T h e s e n e w c o l o n i a l p o w e r s u s e d x e n o p h o b i a ( fear of p e o p l e of o t h e r "na t iona l i t i es" ) a n d r e l i g i o u s b igot ry to jus t i f y long a n d terr ib le w a r s for r i c h e s . X e n o p h o b i a w a s a l s o u s e d to e x c u s e the exp lo i ta t ion a n d s y s t e m a t i c g e n o c i d e (ex te rmina t ion of a n e t h n i c g r o u p ) of c o l o n i z e d p e o p l e s a s c h e a p a n d e x p e n d a b l e s o u r c e s of labor .

In e a r l y A m e r i c a , c o l o n i a l e l i t es l ike G e o r g e W a s h i n g t o n ( w h o w a s the r i c h e s t m a n in the U . S . at the t ime) , f e a r e d c o n c e r t e d rebe l l ion by E n g l i s h i n d e n t u r e d s e r v a n t s ( p r i s o n e r s s o l d to r i c h c o l o n i a l l a n d ­o w n e r s a s s l a v e s ) , l a n d l e s s " W h i t e s , " a n d A f r i c a n s l a v e s ( l ike the u p r i s i n g w h i c h o c c u r r e d in 1676 in B a c o n ' s R e b e l l i o n ) , w h o t o g e t h e r m a d e u p m o r e t h a n 5 5 % of the E n g l i s h c o l o n i a l p o p u l a t i o n . D u r i n g the A m e r i c a n R e v o l u t i o n , p o o r w h i t e s w e r e k i d n a p e d a n d f o r c e d to f ight in the A r i s t o c r a t s " C o l o n i a l A r m y , " but m o s t b a t t l e s w e r e w o n by f ront ier mi l i t ias f ight ing a l o n g s i d e the u n i f o r m e d a r m y m a d e u p of f o r m e r E u r o p e a n s l a v e s w h o h a d b o u g h t the i r f r e e d o m a n d s e t t l e d o n the f ront ier to get a w a y f rom the c l a s s d i s c r i m i n a t i o n of el i t ist E n g l i s h l a n d - o w n e r s . W h e n the U . S . C o n s t i t u t i o n w a s wr i t ten , J a m e s M a d i s o n w a s s c a r e d of the be l ie f in s o c i a l equa l i t y of W o r k i n g C l a s s A m e r i c a n s . He i n s i s t e d o n a n e l e c t o r a l s y s t e m w h i c h w o u l d f o r e v e r i n s u r e that o n l y the R i c h c o n t r o l l e d the g o v e r n m e n t . T h e or ig ina l C o n s t i t u t i o n d e n i e d f r e e d o m to n o n - w h i t e s a n d w o m e n .

After the s u c c e s s f u l Hai t ian R e v o l u t i o n by A f r i c a n s l a v e s a g a i n s t the i r F r e n c h c o l o n i a l r u l e r s , A m e r i c a n s l a v e o w n e r s , fearful of the p o s s i b i l i t y of p o o r w h i t e s a n d A f r i c a n s l a v e s s t a g i n g a s i m i l a r revol t in A m e r i c a , p e r s u a d e d the C o n g r e s s a n d P r e s i d e n t J e f f e r s o n to e n a c t l a w s inst i tu t ing s p e c i f i c legal d i v i s i o n s b e t w e e n " W h i t e s " a n d " B l a c k s " : O n l y W h i t e s c o u l d b e a r w e a p o n s , c r i m i n a l p u n i s h m e n t s w e r e m a d e m o r e s e v e r e for B l a c k s , in ter - rac ia l m a r r i a g e s w e r e i l legal , mi l i tary a n d c iv i l i an life w e r e r a c i a l l y s e g r e g a t e d , a n d o n l y w h i t e s c o u l d o w n land o r be p u b l i c o f f i c ia ls .

After the r e v o l u t i o n , r i c h l and s p e c u l a t o r s b e g a n to e y e na t ive A m e r i c a n n a t i o n s in the O h i o R i v e r V a l l e y . T h e y u s e d the A m e r i c a n A r m y to c o e r c e t h e n a t i v e p e o p l e into c e d i n g K e n t u c k y to t h e m in e x c h a n g e fo r p e a c e t h e n u s e d the a r m y to b u r n the i r f a r m s b e f o r e i n v a d i n g the i r l a n d a n d e x t e r m i n a t i n g t h e m . In 1831 , C o n g r e s s p a s s e d the " I n d i a n R e m o v a l A c t " w h i c h s t o l e all r e m a i n i n g n a t i v e l and e a s t of the M i s s i s s i p p i , t h e n u s e d the A r m y to m o v e the na t ive p e o p l e to p r e s e n t - d a y O k l a h o m a . O v e r Vi Mil l ion p e o p l e d i e d r e s i s t i n g the U . S . i n v a s i o n o r f r o m s t a r v a t i o n a n d e x p o s u r e to h a r s h w e a t h e r o n w h a t b e c a m e k n o w n a s the "T ra i l of T e a r s " to the U n ­d e s i g n a t e d r e s e t t l e m e n t a r e a . T h i s g e n o c i d e w a s t h e b e g i n n i n g of " r e s e t t l e m e n t " to r e s e r v a t i o n s w h i c h w a s later c o p i e d by I tal ian F a s c i s t s , G e r m a n N a z i s a n d r a c i s t S o u t h A f r i c a n s .

THE MYTH OF NATIONAL/RACIAL PRIDE A t the hear t of r a c i s m / n a t i o n a l i s m i s the t ruly l ies i d e a that " e t h n i c " , n a t i o n a l , o r r e l i g i o u s p o p u l a t i o n s h a v e a c o m m o n d e s t i n y , d e s p i t e a n y a n d all o b v i o u s c l a s s t e n s i o n s wi th in t h e s e p o p u l a t i o n s . U n d e r t h i s i d e a the R u l i n g C l a s s i n v e n t s a f a l s e uni ty a m o n g the W o r k i n g , Midd le a n d R u l i n g C l a s s e s b a s e d o n e i ther na t iona l o r r e l i g i o u s o r i g i n s .

T h i s f a k e ident i ty c r e a t e s a s e n s e of p r i d e , a s e n s e of " a c h i e v e m e n t ' a n d a s e n s e of " h i s t o r y . " T h e A m e r i c a n ident i ty is t ied to a p r ide of " m o r a l " s u p e r i o r i t y a n d the C a p i t a l i s t d o m i n a t i o n of the T h i r d W o r l d . T h e A m e r i c a n R u l i n g C l a s s u s e d t h i s pr ide o f " m o r a l " i m p e r a t i v e to w a g e g e n o c i d a l w a r s a g a i n s t the i n d i g e n o u s p o p u l a t i o n s of a n ent i re c o n t i n e n t . T h i s e x c u s e h a s a l s o b e e n u s e d to w a g e w a r a n d i n v a d e m a n y o t h e r n a t i o n s . T h i s " p r i d e " is all bu t i m p o s s i b l e fo r m a n y A f r i c a n , Nat ive , L a t i n o , or A s i a n A m e r i c a n s to fee l . It i s not m e a n t for t h o s e p e o p l e but it i s m e a n t for the Whi te R u l i n g C l a s s . N a t i o n a l / R a c i a l p r ide i s s i n g u l a r l y d e s i g n e d to m a n i p u l a t e the W o r k i n g C l a s s into na t iona l a r m i e s a n d to l ight w a r s o v e r s e a s s o o n e g r o u p of C a p i t a l i s t s c a n s t e a l f r o m a n o t h e r at o u r e x p e n s e .

T h e t h o r o u g h l y r e p u l s i v e i d e a of r a c i s t / n a t i o n a l i s t so l ida r i t y i s e x e r c i s e d t h r o u g h the p r a c t i c e s of d e facto r a c i a l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n w h i c h e x c l u d e s a n d i s o l a t e s p e o p l e of c o l o r f r o m c e r t a i n a r e a s of c a p i t a l i s t s o c i e t y : a r e a s s u c h a s " d e c e n t " j o b s , l ivable h o u s i n g , a n d " g o o d " s c h o o l s , t h e r e b y f o r c i n g a s i z a b l e s e g m e n t of the p o p u l a t i o n into the d e a d e n d of petty c r i m e a n d p r i s o n s , o r a n e n d l e s s l ine of d e m e a n i n g m i n d - n u m b i n g l o w - w a g e j o b s . T h i s p r a c t i c e fur ther d e e p e n s the rifts w i th in o u r c l a s s by c r e a t i n g an a t m o s p h e r e of f ea r a n d s u s p i c i o n b e t w e e n m e m b e r s of our c l a s s .

T h e p o w e r to d i s c r i m i n a t e l i es a l m o s t ent i re ly in the h a n d s of the U p p e r C l a s s a n d the i r v i c i o u s g u a r d d o g s , the S t a t e . T h e w h i t e W o r k i n g C l a s s d o e s not h a v e the p o w e r to d i s c r i m i n a t e , but, p l a y s a part in j u s t i f y i n g d i s c r i m i n a t i o n by d o i n g s u c h f o o l i s h t h i n g s a s e x c l u d i n g c e r t a i n " e t h n i c " g r o u p s f rom w o r k p l a c e a c t i v i t i e s o r b y in t imidat ing t h e m wi th in the i r c o m m u n i t i e s . R a c i a l v i o l e n c e a n d e x c l u s i o n a r e the o n l y e l e c t i v e d i s c r i m i n a t o r y p o w e r W o r k i n g C l a s s r a c i s t s h a v e . A l t h o u g h t h i s p a l e s in c o m p a r i s o n to the r a c i s t p o w e r of o u r r u l e r s , it c a n st i l l b e a mat te r of life a n d d e a t h for W o r k i n g C l a s s p e o p l e of c o l o r .

HOW RACIST LIES ARE SPREAD R a c i s t i d e o l o g y g a i n s m a s s a p p e a l by p r e t e n d i n g to be " c o m m o n s e n s e " , W h e n r a c i s t l i e s b e c o m e s c o m m o n s e n s e , it t h e n e v o l v e s into " u n q u e s t i o n e d k n o w l e d g e " , " t a k e n for g r a n t e d " , o r " the t ruth."

T h e p r o b l e m for the R u l i n g C l a s s i s that the i r " c o m m o n s e n s e " i s tota l ly c o n t r a d i c t e d by the real i ty of c l a s s s o c i e t y . B e c a u s e of t h i s , r a c i s m n e e d s to be p e r p e t u a l l y u p d a t e d a n d put f o r w a r d a n d r e i n t r o d u c e d at e v e r y " o p p o r t u n e " t ime ( s u c h a s w h e n there i s c iv i l u n r e s t in c o m m u n i t i e s of c o l o r o r " g a n g k i l l i n g s " ) . T o d a y ' s r a c i s t j a r g o n t r i e s to c a m o u f l a g e i tself , e v e n to the point o f d e n y i n g it i s r a c i s t , put t ing it u n d e r the h e a d i n g of j u s t p la in " c o m m o n s e n s e " , a s a r a c i s t ag i ta tor l ike R u s h L i m b a u g h w o u l d put it.

T h i s " c o m m o n s e n s e " r a c i s m is a p h i l o s o p h y w h i c h r e l i e s h e a v i l y , if not en t i re ly , o n i ts gu t - l eve l , e m o t i o n a l i m p a c t . It r e l i e s h e a v i l y o n F E A R , w h e t h e r f ea r of the B l a c k popu la t ion o r the c o n s e q u e n c e s of a l a rge a n d g r o w i n g i m m i g r a n t p o p u l a t i o n . T h e u s e of f ea r a s a b a s i s

of r a c i s m h i g h l i g h t s the v e r y n a t u r e o f the p r o b l e m of " c o m m o n s e n s e " r a c i s m . A n d that is t h i s , f e a r m a k e s p e o p l e feel w e a k a n d i n s e c u r e , a n d p e o p l e of c o u r s e wi l l r e a c t n e g a t i v e l y to n e g a t i v e e m o t i o n . T h i s i n s e c u r i t y r e s u l t s in b e h a v i o r b e t w e e n m e m b e r s of o u r c l a s s w h i c h c a n n o t a l w a y s be e x p l a i n e d ra t ional ly . T h u s p l a y i n g o n the f e a r s of a s e g m e n t of c l a s s a l s o m e a n s p l a y i n g f a s t a n d l o o s e wi th the t ruth a n d t w i s t i n g in te rpre ta t ions of e v e n t s to fit a r a c i s t po int of v i e w .

F e a r of the B l a c k p o p u l a t i o n a n d g r o u p s l ike L a t i n o s w h o a r e s t e r e o t y p e d a s " i m m i g r a n t s " h a s long b e e n u s e d to jus t i f y r a c i s m . T h e r a c i s t d e m a g o g u e s c o n c e n t r a t e o n d i f f e r e n c e s of w h a t T H E Y ca l l " a l i e n " c u l t u r e s w h i c h a r e then c o m p a r e d a g a i n s t the s u p p o s e d l y " m o r a l l y " s u p e r i o r " A m e r i c a n W a y . "

T h e p r o m o t i o n of t h i s b a s i c c h a u v i n i s m a l o n g w i t h the de l ibe ra te t w i s t i n g of the c u l t u r e s of p e o p l e of c o l o r in a g r o s s a n d a l a r m i s t w a y c r e a t e s a n e g a t i v e f e e l i n g t o w a r d p e o p l e of c o l o r . M a n y of the s t e r e o t y p e s t h u s c r e a t e d a r e u s e d to s u s t a i n the m y t h s a b o u t r a c e .

M a n y of the s t e r e o t y p e s at the fore f ront of the r a c i s t p r o p a g a n d a m a c h i n e a r e o n e s tha t s h o w a d i r e s t th rea t to " W h i t e " s u b u r b a n t ranqui l i ty , s u c h a s w a n t o n , u l t r a - v i o l e n c e . D u r i n g the 1 9 6 0 s d r u g s a n d c r i m e w e r e p r e s e n t e d a s s y n o n y m o u s wi th B l a c k inner -c i t y y o u t h , a l t h o u g h m o r e d r u g s fac tua l l y r e s i d e d in the "Whi te ' s u b u r b s . T h e m y t h of v i o l e n c e i s n o w i n g r a i n e d in m a n y " W h i t e " m i n d s . T h i s i s o n e of the m a n y w a y s that the R u l i n g C l a s s p r o m o t e s r a c i s t f ea r w h i c h of c o u r s e l e a d s to n a k e d host i l i ty a n d o p e n ha t red b e t w e e n la rge s e g m e n t s of o u r c l a s s . T h a t i s e x a c t l y w h a t o u r r u l e r s w a n t !

SCAPEGOATING IMMIGRANTS A n o t h e r w a y the R u l i n g C l a s s c r u s h e s the uni ty of the w o r k i n g c l a s s is to c r e a t e d i rec t c o m p e t i t i o n b e t w e e n " n a t i v e " a n d " i m m i g r a n t " labor . T h e y b a s e t h i s o n the i d e a that na t ive a n d i m m i g r a n t o r f o r e i g n - b o r n w o r k e r s h a v e di f ferent e c o n o m i c p o s i t i o n s w i th in the s o c i e t y . In truth, i m m i g r a n t w o r k e r s a r e d o u b l y e x p l o i t e d . A s m e m b e r s of the W o r k i n g C l a s s t h e y h a v e both the w o r s t j o b s a n d h i g h e s t u n e m p l o y m e n t rate . In fac t , t h e y m a k e u p a s u b s t r a t a of the W o r k i n g C l a s s d u e to the in formal (but v e r y real ) r a c i a l d i v i s i o n s of l abor . R a c i s t s fl ip t h i s o v e r a n d a r g u e that i m m i g r a n t s a n d / o r f o r e i g n -b o r n p e o p l e a r e t a k i n g o u r ( "nat ive" ) j o b s . T h e y c l a i m that u n e m p l o y m e n t wi th in the W o r k i n g C l a s s i s c a u s e d by c o m p e t i t i o n f r o m i m m i g r a n t s / f o r e i g n - b o r n p e o p l e r a t h e r t h a n the U p p e r a n d Middle C l a s s e s w h o h a v e the s o l e p o w e r to h i re a n d f ire.

T h i s s c a p e g o a t i n g of i m m i g r a n t s c o n v e n i e n t l y r e m o v e s C a p i t a l i s t s f rom r e s p o n s i b i l i t y for the f a i l u r e s of the i r s y s t e m a n d for the i r o w n b e h a v i o r . It p l a c e s the b l a m e o n t h o s e w h o a r e l e a s t r e s p o n s i b l e . T h i s i s o n l y a s m a l l e x a m p l e of t h e ex tent to w h i c h real i ty is d is to r ted by r a c i s t s . B y s c a p e g o a t i n g p e o p l e of c o l o r for p r o b l e m s c r e a t e d by C a p i t a l i s t s a n d the R u l i n g C l a s s , c l a s s a n g e r at w h a t a r e rea l ly C L A S S i s s u e s is m a n i p u l a t e d a n d p r e s e n t e d to W o r k i n g C l a s s p e o p l e a s r a c i s m a n d r a c i a l i s s u e s .

R a c i s m is n o t h i n g m o r e t h a n a n o t h e r f i l thy a n d v i l e p r o d u c t of C a p i t a l i s m . R a c i s m e x i s t s a l o n g s i d e n a t i o n a l i s m to d i v i d e u s f rom o t h e r m e m b e r s of the W o r k i n g C l a s s in o u r " c o m m u n i t i e s " a n d a r o u n d the W o r l d . R a c i s m is s u b t l y u s e d to ra t iona l i ze w o r l d - w i d e p o v e r t y a n d w a r s . N a t i o n a l i s m c r e a t e s a p h o n e y uni ty b e t w e e n c l a s s e n e m i e s at the e x p e n s e of the un i ty a n d s o l i d a r i t y of the W o r k i n g C l a s s .

A n a r c h i s t s a d v o c a t e W o r k i n g C l a s s un i ty to d e s t r o y R a c i s m , N a t i o n a l i s m , C a p i t a l i s m , the C l a s s S y s t e m a n d the g o v e r n m e n t of the R i c h a n d bu i ld a s o c i e t y b a s e d o n p e r s o n a l f r e e d o m , s o c i a l equa l i t y , f ree a s s o c i a t i o n , m u t u a l a i d , c o o p e r a t i o n , w o r k e r s e l f - m a n a g e m e n t of all w o r k p l a c e s a n d d e m o c r a t i c s e l f - g o v e r n m e n t of al l c o m m u n i t i e s .

FIGHT THE RICH - NOT THE POOR! NO WAR BUT THE CLASS WAR!