Donald Trump’s 35-day government shutdown left 800,000 people out of work without pay. These workers were more likely to be black than the percentage of black workers in the US would predict. Not only did these workers not get paid, but those with certain job categories were required to still go to work anyway.
As a communist, I can see the crime in this: the capitalist system makes us reliant on money and separates us with racist competition.
Although the shutdown is over, Trump promises there will be another one soon unless an agreement is reached on funding the border wall. We need to unite workers in fighting for communism to end our dependence on money and to defeat racism against foreigners
On my job, I have seen some people affected by the shutdown react in a racist way—blaming immigrants instead of Trump. Most black people I know, however, hate Trump so much that they don’t buy this. They know this fool is happy to attack black people to promote racism against immigrants.
An interview on National Public Radio stated that African-American workers make up a higher percentage of the federal work force due to the job security and benefits government jobs used to provide.
For more than a month, job security for government workers or anyone reliant on government aid was shattered due to the shutdown. This caused some US-born workers to blame foreigners and the Democrats for not giving Trump the funds for his wall.
But what if money was not in the equation? How would the masses react to such a situation?
In a communist society we will all be expected to contribute work for the better of all of us in society to share. We will all work to produce what is needed for all. Yes, we are working, but not for a wage to pay for the things we need, but actually to help produce what we need.
Communist society shares in abundance and in scarcity. We aren’t fighting for a fairy tale. We are fighting for a reality which is on the horizon, which will not have a place for money because of what it does to people and their lives. We are fighting for a world where money doesn’t dictate social relationships or economic wellbeing which affects lives. ICWP is fighting for a revolution which will end all suffering and to shut this government down for good.
—Los Angeles Comrade
