From The Archives- As The First Anniversary
Of Charlottesville Approaches-We Are In A Cold Civil War In America-No Platform
For Fascists-No Platform For Nazis Or KKK Either-Join And Built The People’s
Resistance
By Frank Jackman
[I really hate to start
a piece with a bracketed introduction, really a double bracketed introduction
since I had to do the same when I introduced the original piece last year
around this time in the wake of the events in Charlottesville down in Virginia,
down in the college town of the University of Virginia. However given the
nature of the subject, no, given the impeding urgency of the subject the
heating up of the cold civil war in America, a phenomenon not seen in this
country since the decade before Civil War which ended slavery only after a
series of compromises proved illusionary to end the damn institution and the
only way to resolve the situation was with arms in hand and its concurrent
phenomenon the rise of the organized fascist movement, aided not a little by
the rabid occupants of the White House and the rest of the governing apparatus
we need to talk.
This heating up of the
cold civil war is a phenomenon which I have been noting for maybe a decade,
maybe a little less but certainly since the big Great Recession as the
economists call it now in historical hindsight when many people’s live were
hung out to dry, hung out big time which started toward avalanche toward the big
break of the have-nots, or maybe have not enough toward the right after
flirting with Barack Obama to no avail. During that time, say since 2011 when I
reported heavily on the wisp of the will phantom Occupy movement in these pages
(and in Progressive Nation now
on-line but which I was one of the hard copy founders of back in the 1970s but
which was subsequently bought to a writers collective), I have interviewed many
of those who have not move forward, no, who have been left behind for no fault
of their own and no reason that they can figure out why they lost out except
that now they have a handle on the damn thing as victims of globalization,
liberal cabal globalization.
Still in 2016 despite
knowing, feeling this unsatisfied undercurrent I was as taken aback, as
shocked, and plainly speaking as clueless as any other of the talking class, of
the political pundits who are supposed to have a ide about what was what in the
political arena. Worse on the second point, on that rise of the fascistic
elements from their cubbyholes and warrens in backwoods America, was not that I
was unaware of it, hell, I had done a whole series on militias, survivalists
and others who had a morbid fear ignited by their race hatreds, by their hatred
of Barack Obama despite their generally have no contact ever with black people
and despite not living within fifty miles of any black communities, barrios,
Asian enclaves or urban Jews. Jesus. What had, has me stumped in that after
fifty years or more of political struggle, fifty years since I wrote my first
term paper on fascist groups in America (think of the name George Lincoln
Rockwell as the poster child of that movement back then) I have to go out on
the streets and hold the bastards off. Below is a quick review and summary of the
past year complete with that bracketed introduction, now second introduction,
that I have threatened you with. Frank Jackman]
Original Introduction
[Under the now not so
new direction of site manager Greg Green who has made some mistakes and made
some very right decisions as is usual for chief editors and assignment
impresarios we writers, young and old, free-lance or staff, stringers or
by-line worthy have been given the green light as part of our works to discuss
how we got the assignment or any other material the reader may find interesting
as back story. I will do so here in a review of what I have called the impeding
cold civil war in American over the past period. Frank Jackman]
Sometimes out in the
political hustings you come across a piece of written propaganda which hits you
exactly where you live. Expresses your sentiments better than you could on your
own. That is the case with the small, inexpensive paper leaflet that I picked
up, or was handed to me, at an anti-fascist demonstration last summer on the
Boston Common which I was covering for this publication. I subsequently
received the same copies at a few other anti-fascist rallies and stand-outs
again not sure which I picked up and which were handed to me although that is
of no import to the political message stated. This “pick-up” “handed” conundrum
the result of the fact that I grab one way or another every piece of literature
that I come across at any rallies or such events that I cover or take part
in.
I headlined the
beginning of this piece with the statement that we are in a cold civil war in
this country, in America, and have been for a while, maybe the last twenty
years at least but that fact has only been pushed in our faces bigtime since
the age of Trump began where all the contradictions, all the divisions and all
the cultural clashes have become part of the daily political battleground.
There have been over the past year or so some important nodal points making
that cold civil get at least momentarily hotter-one was horrendous
Charlottesville which put all on notice that the divisions were deep and maybe
had reached some boiling point. Make no mistake that Charlottesville was a
“victory” for what passes as the Alt-Right, Nazi-Fascist-KKK-Militia combine
which has been emboldened by the rise of the Trump reaction. Another was the
recent nationwide student lead-high school student-led March for Our Lives demonstration,
so you know this is something very different on the political horizon which was
a “victory” for our side, for the people’s resistance which is important if we
can keep up the momentum.
One of the problems if
you will of our side is that some people, a lot of people, many of whom have
only recently come to political life have many mixed and confused feelings
about what to do to stop the Alt-Right-Nazis-Fascist-KKK in their tracks. Have
bought into at least partially the notion that these bastards have some “right”
to free speech that we must respect. That we must expend political capital
defending. “Forget that noise” as the late Pete Markin, a guy I grew up with
and who gave me plenty of political insights said and would say today as well.
We are private citizens and not governmental agents so have no obligation to
defend such rights to free speech under any constitutional theory.
But the Constitution is
only the bedrock of running a civil society. We the people of the resistance
have to be clear that we do not support any right for the
Alt-Right-Fascist-Nazi-KKK-Militia cabal to free speech to spew their
genocidal, ethnic-cleansing, race war programs. And that, as history shows us,
and everybody should read the history of the rise of fascism in Italy and
Nazism in Germany, is their calling card, their intention and we had better be
clear that we have to nip that movement in the bud. Not only by confronting
them across the police lines, police lines there to protect them and their
so-called right to free speech since the police are governmental agents but to
make sure they find not havens, no platforms, to spew their hateful messages.
So yes so-called free speech issues take a very far back seat to the fight
against the intentions of these monsters if we don’t stop them. Believe me they
don’t give three-fifth of a damn about our free speech rights, will see us in
hell first another sign we are in a cold civil war situation. More later.
In Boston –The Latest
Bash Back Boston-Stop The Fascists In Their Tracks November 18th on
Boston Common
Frank Jackman comment:
I have mentioned on more
than one occasion that we have been for a while in a state of cold civil war in
America that has only had fuel to the fire added to it, make it tend toward a
hot civil war, by the massive frauds, midnight rip-off actions, and general
ignorance promoted by the Trump Administration. This rightly, and I think most
thankfully, has gotten the previously moribund left, the bewildered and the
oppressed up in arms enough to slowly begin a counter-attack against the
night-takers from corrupt and venal right-wing bourgeois politicians like Trump
and his ilk to the more dangerous extra-parliamentary forces-call them
alt-right, fascist, KKK, etc. that have been unleashed-have been given fresh
wind in their sails.
Not everything the left
and its allies argue for in counter-attack either makes senses or provides a
road forward in the anti-fascist struggle for example RefuseFascism has
identified the Trump-Pence regime as fascist and to call for a parliamentary
impeachment process to get rid of the bums. This Bash Back Boston grouping seems
to be more militant but not quite sure that confrontation in itself without
more gets us anyplace. I leave it an open question today. But for now as we
sort things out, or as they get sorted for us which is as likely and has
actually been the case over the past several months, let’s keep to the united
front idea going until further notice. In short Saturday November 18th
in Boston be on the Boston Common to stop the Nazis, fascists and their ilk in
their tracks whatever anti-fascist ideas you march under.
In Boston Nov 4
-ResistFascism Rally Report From Allan Franklin
By Political Reporter
Frank Jackman
[I have recently at Allan
Jackson’s, the site administrator, request done a review of a lesser Humphrey
Bogart movie Sirocco from the early
1950s because it had a political theme-or at least touched about what World War
I wrought on the world beyond murder and mayhem in the trenches on all sides.
Because I spent some time on that and a few other projects I missed a local
event in Boston on the Boston Common on November 4th sponsored by an
organization called ResistFascism.org who were attempting to build some
momentum to publicize an upcoming counter-demonstration against a thing called
“Rally For The Republic,” a seemingly innocuous front name for a cohort of
Nazis, Alt-Rights, KKK, White Supremacists, wacky Trump supporters and street
thugs to be held at the Parkman Bandstand on November 18th . The
grouping had applied for but had been rejected for a permit to use that
facility by the City of Boston but nevertheless intended to demonstrate that
day for “free speech” rights or whatever other cover story they were pushing.
The “call” for the rally itself told the real story that what they wanted was a
street fight, especially targeting their nemeses the Anti-fa black-clad anarchists
and Black Lives Matter.
Not to belabor the point
the idea of a gathering momentum rally on the 4th sounded like a
good idea and so I detached my associate at the on-line Progressive America, Allan Franklin, to go check out and report
back on the event. My premise for even bothering him with the assignment was
that the literature associated with the event, including a full- page ad in the
New York Times by ResistFascism made
it appear like it was going to be a prelude similar to the massive 40, 000 plus
counter-rally in Boston also held on August 19th also at the Parkman
Bandstand. As Allan will report that was not the case, not by a long shot
although this resurgent fascist (and their sundry allies) menace needs to be
combatted and combatted with massive counter-demonstrations to make them go
back into their rat holes or wherever they hang out. To “crush them in the egg”
as an old-time militant antifascist once told me who had been close to the
Socialist Workers Party in the 1930s when James Cannon had told an audience in
New York City that he had heard their chief, Russian revolutionary Leon
Trotsky, use that expression for the tasks ahead against the Nazi-night-takers.
(That militant had at that time been instrumental through his union in bringing
out a mass of working people to surround Madison Square Garden in that city
when the fascist thugs tried to get a toehold there so I am sure he had the
Trotsky remark on good authority.)
Allan, and I had agreed,
had expected to take his notes and make a “think piece” story to be published
here and at Progressive America. Subsequently
we have decided to merely publish his somewhat edited notes which gives as much
flavor to the event as it deserved.
Frank Jackman]
[In the event the
November 18th “rally” drew about fifty to one hundred demonstrators
and a counter-rally of about one thousand to fifteen hundred mainly Anti-fa,
Black Lives Matter and Veterans for Peace militants. Curiously except for a
couple of people that Allan had recognized from the November 4th
rally selling newspapers and passing out leaflets there was no identifiable
presence by this ResistFascism operation on the Common at least. From their
literature they had planned a rally at Copley Square about one half mile away
from the Common although it might as well have been ten thousand miles away as
far as visibly confronting the fascist menace that day. Frank Jackman]
*****
Frank- Here are my
observations about the ResistFascism rally that took place at the Parkman
Bandstand on November 4, 2017 which we, you and I, have had many e-mail and
phone conversations about with the organizers who wanted us to publicize the
thing and cover it extensively. Also between us about our approach to a group
we knew very little about except their literature and their persistent at the
time and that unlike the paltry sums most leftist operations can gather these
days they must have had an “angel” to be able to put a full page ad in the New York Times.
I showed up at the
advertised spot, the Parkman Bandstand, about 3:30 for the 4:00 event at which
time there were maybe twenty people gathered while the organizers were putting
up signs and stocking a table with literature. (At first I thought I had the
wrong spot not having been on the Common in years and figuring that maybe it
was to be at the Park Street MBTA station entrance one of the historic protest
spots on the Common that I knew from previous events but after asking if this
was the right place of a person milling around I found I was indeed at the
right spot.) After finding I was in the right place I knew almost immediately
that this event was going to be far smaller than it was hyped up to be and
which the organizers hounded us to publicize extensively beforehand and provide
plenty of coverage for on the day of the event.
I did meet Steve, whom
you told me you had plenty of contact via e-mail and cellphone with when he
noticed my press tag and we talked for a bit. He continued to badger me about
covering the November 18th event they were planning at Copley
Square. I told him frankly I did not see how a rally in Copley when the
fascists were going to be on the Common a half mile away made sense, made a
statement to the scumbags, made a statement about effectively resisting fascism
as advertised. He demurred at that point and told me he had to help set up.
This Steve seemed like a nice guy of the old school 1960s organizer sort that I
have run into a lot in New York and out in San Francisco lately who under
current adverse conditions are keeping up the good fight as best they can in an
age when the social media technology and the subsequent generations’ organizing
style have down-graded the old time ways of putting together protest rallies out
in the real mean streets.
I sensed and somebody I
talked to later knowledgeable about the leftist remnant still around the
Cambridge/Boston milieu that this operation was an off-shoot of the old “Not In
My Name” grouping from Iraq War 2003 days which was organized by an old-time
cultist Maoist who didn’t hear he, Mao, died or something. It definitely had
that liberal democratic feel especially around the main villains of the piece
in their literature Trump/Pence and the urgent need to impeach them as if that
would create the “newer world” you and the older guys I know are always harping
back to when stuff like this comes up and you get all misty-eyed about the huge
X number of people who came to some event against war, racism, capitalism,
whatever about fifty years ago.
The rally itself when I
left about 5:30 never had more than one hundred people and that is perhaps
generous considering the number of student journalists and other such curious
student types who apparently were assigned by their professors to do coverage
as a class assignment. The usual run of general
curiosity seekers who peek around the edges of such events getting confirmation
for their distant hometown fears that Boston is some Red Moscow of the East
Coast and making note never to send their kids to school in the town listening
to the usual speakers preaching to the choir about that war, racism, sexism you
and your crowd are always talking about how you almost had turned the corner on
that stuff but you underestimated the forces of counter-attack arraigned
against you and have been on the run ever since. Of course this included the
usual Kumbaya folk music that is supposed to stir the crowd to a revolutionary
pitch by evoking Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and who knows who else singing
about the magic wand of getting rid of oppression. All in a regular left event
day’s schedule.
I did notice that on a
hand-out leaflet ResistFascism was advertising marching in a veteran’s peace
parade on the 11th, on Veterans Day and giving our starting time and
place. I urged all the people I met to join that march that day since we are
very familiar with and support the efforts of the main sponsor Veterans for
Peace although I think you told me they were trying to reclaim the original
purpose of the day by calling it Armistice Day since Sam Lowell, Fritz Taylor
and I think Allan Jackson are Vietnam-era veterans, right.
There were a few minor
heavy verbal confrontations between protesters and a few Alt-right people who
showed up obviously to do “recon” and size up what was what knowing they could
get a row going by spitting out their garbage in a small environment. One from
Salisbury, a young Iraq War veteran who portrayed himself as only interested in
a dialogue with the left, told me he was an organizer for the so-called
Alt-right rally on the 18th. When I asked him about the rally “call”
which we had culled from Facebook being inflammatory, calling for a street
fight like you said after you read the Facebook announcement, he said just like
the far left they had their crazy far right who wanted to stir things up. Take
that for what it is worth, although one thing I have noticed about this newer
breed of whatever you want to call these modern fascists is that that they are
a bit slicker than the old guys who used to breath fire and damnation against
the generic left, n----rs, gays, women and “commies” without blinking at eye.
They are more media savvy and couch things in terms like “free speech,”
“oppression,” “railing against the elites” and the like. Off the top of my head
I think we have to treat them at least in the post-Charlottesville era where
they showed some unsavory savvy and skills as being as smart as us in this war
of words and images.
Not much heated argument
although a woman started yelling about those NFL players who went down on their
knees during the national anthem before their football games and got into an
argument with an Anti-fa who seemed very much the angry young man masked and
dressed in Johnny Cash black of course.
A Veteran for Peace guy whom I think you know, at least he said he knew
you, was able to calm her down a bit and she left. (I told him that I had been
urging people I talked to during this time to join the Veterans Day peace march
which would be starting near this section of the Common and he corrected me by
calling it Armistice Day so I guess they are serious about reclaiming the day,
or at least the name.
All and all a waste of
time and I told Jeff whom you had also assigned to this story to do interviews
and take some photos and who was heading down to meet me to go home. Stuff
might have happened after I left but I don’t think so. I am glad we had a
hands-off with this R-F group although if they show up with any forces on the
11th for that Veterans for Peace march let’s see what they have to
offer.
I felt sorry for you and
Allan since you were inundated by phone calls and e-mails for stuff that seemed
like a big deal and was all smoke and dreams. We have to help save your time
and energy for the big stuff not this Mickey Mouse stuff so we better screen
this stuff better.
Join the monks and nuns of the Grafton Peace Pagoda at Hanscom Air Force Base on August 4 and for the other events on their 8-day walk for nuclear disarmament.
Join the monks and nuns of the Grafton Peace Pagoda at Hanscom Air Force Base on August 4 and for the other events on their 8-day walk for nuclear disarmament. 
