Now Is Time to Turn the Guns Around here ♦ Building Relationships with Soldiers here ♦
Now Is the Time to Turn the Guns Around
Workers around the world recognize that the power of strength and unity within the community of workers is the kindling and fuel for revolution.
In their greed and short-sighted self-interest, capitalist bosses have created their own nightmare. They spare no cost to stamp out any spark of revolution. They control education systems, media coverage, and political activity. They are afraid a critical mass of workers will awaken to the reality of this system. They try to lull us into complacence by encouraging the dopamine highs of social media and the thrills of rock-bottom prices on plastic trinkets and tech gadgets. These are sweet poison not only for our sense of entitlement, but for our very home planet. They peddle comfortable living in exchange for somnolence on matters of social responsibility.
Such materialistic rewards and illusions of happiness are dangled before us as modern bread and circuses. At the same time, the Boeing aircraft we build are used to kill and maim our working-class brothers and sisters in many parts of the world.
But as our comrades throughout the world have written, this charade is up. Now is the time to “turn the guns around.” We have had enough. The capitalist beast is in mortal danger as industrial workers, soldiers and sailors see the truth, are filled with rage, and unite to destroy the oppressors.
With zeal tempered with empathy, we must warn our comrades who still sleep in the falsehoods of capitalism. We must protect one another and our future generations at all costs. It can be tempting to shake them awake. But in doing so we run the risk of incurring misdirected anger.
Let us listen with urgency and resolve to build from common ground to strengthen our cause. We must not let our global comrades fight alone. Change can be frightening. But as we show one another the truth, the horror of capitalism contrasted with the promise of true peace that can only come from sharing life in true community will turn that fear into the raw power necessary for revolution.
A friend in Washington state
Building Relationships with Soldiers
In El Salvador in 1970, there were rumors of a resurgence of revolutionary struggles by workers, teachers, and peasants. Thousands participated in strikes and large marches for wage increases, among other things.
That year, in the city of San Miguel, I was recruited to the army’s 3rd Infantry Brigade. Visitors were not allowed until basic training was completed. My first visitor was my older brother, leader of the Textile Workers Union for Social Improvement.
He said to me, “Learn how to handle weapons because we are going to need them for the revolution.” I had never participated in any political group, but I did understand that I belonged to the oppressed working class. Often during the textile union strikes, my younger brother and I were sent to bring food to the workers. This is when I realized who the enemies of our class are.
In the army I did not have any sharp or advanced political knowledge. But I was always surrounded by soldier friends, and we discussed what was happening in the country.
I was chosen for promotion. It was customary, when obtaining a higher rank, to mistreat others in various ways. We were supposed to become despotic with the subordinates and civilians. But I never changed the way I treated my friends or soldiers of a lower rank.
The sub-sergeant of our section was sent to take a training course. The lieutenant informed the soldiers that I would be in command. I took this opportunity to talk to the soldiers about the importance of having comradely relationships. In the army, class division was very evident. There was much abuse of power. Both corporal punishment and strenuous exercise were used. Some soldiers fainted.
On one occasion when the teachers went on strike, the lieutenant told me to prepare our section with riot gear to break the strike. We gathered our equipment: gas masks, batons, and handcuffs. We were given orders to shoot if they resisted. I gathered the whole section and told them what our orders were.
I knew that my brother was a union leader and that he could be on strike. His political position as well as mine was that we were in favor of the teachers’ strike. I began to consult with the soldiers. What did they think? How should we act when we got to the strike? Some of my friends thought that we should go and warn them because the order was to beat them and kill them. Others, who had no political knowledge, said that we should not warn them but break the strike with clubs or bullets because they were unruly and wanted to ruin the country. Our duty as soldiers was to defend the homeland.
Then it was my turn to speak. “We are not career soldiers. We are in the army for different reasons. Soon we will return to being civilians. Some of us will return to work in the fields, others as laborers. And some will probably be teachers working under the same bad conditions. They are on strike because they are fighting for better living conditions since their salaries are miserable. So, we will go warn them to disperse peacefully. It is not our intention to harm them. If we have to shoot, we will do it in the air, not at the people. Let us remember that the teachers are our class siblings. They taught us to read and write. We owe them respect and gratitude.”
Within minutes we were ordered to get on the trucks to carry out our mission. But on the way we received the order to cancel the mission, since the strike had been resolved.
One of the most important things I learned from being in the army was that if you build social and political relationships with the soldiers, you can win them over to your revolutionary position.
Comrade Ex-Soldier
Read our Pamphlet:
“Soldiers, Sailors and Marines: Crucial for Communist Workers’ Revolution” here