Stop the killings: The people want a world of peace, justice and equality

Latest

Non-violent protesters of the police killing of Alton Sterling are met by heavily armed police response in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. ABOVE AND BOTTOM-RIGHT PHOTOS/JULIE DERMANSKY
Non-violent protesters of the police killing of Alton Sterling are met by heavily armed police response in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
ABOVE AND BOTTOM-RIGHT PHOTOS/JULIE DERMANSKY

 
The killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castille by the police and the killings of eight police officers are having a major impact on American politics. On the one hand, the killings have made millions of people angry, fearful and open to extreme solutions. On the other hand, the killings have caused millions to call for unity across the color line, and an end to all the killing. To stop the violence, we must look at the conditions that give rise to it.
The capitalist economy is based on a handful of wealthy people owning the means of producing what we need to live, and the rest of us being employed by them. That kind of economy can’t work if there aren’t enough jobs. The computer and the robot have been eliminating jobs for more than 40 years.
People whose labor is no longer needed are a threat to the ruling class, because these workers’ needs can only be met by a new society based on public ownership of the means of producing our food, housing, healthcare, education, water and other necessities. In such a cooperative society, we would simply produce what we need and distribute it. Our rulers have to suppress that threat to keep their property and power. They do this by sowing historical divisions, keeping the people fighting one another.
Because of the history of slavery in this country, any time the ruling class needs to attack the working class it always falls first and heaviest on the Blacks.  This is why the Black poor are under siege today. When, for example, the ruling class needed to destroy the public welfare system, ending the right of millions to survive, they started their assault by blaming the Black poor. Once the rights of this section of workers are eliminated, the attack falls on the rest of the class.
What we are witnessing today is the rise of fascism in our country, and if we don’t stop it, it will strip everyone of their rights, regardless of color or nationality. This drive toward fascism is happening now because of the irresolvable economic crisis. The targeting of the poor, especially the Black poor, is part of an effort to get people to accept a police state that will be imposed on everyone.
We, the people, have a common enemy in the system of private ownership. We have a common interest in building a new, cooperative society where everyone’s needs are guaranteed and where there is no need for violence against anyone. Those who are destitute and becoming destitute are of every color and nationality, and are already united by their common poverty. They need to unite around a common program.
Imagine if millions were united around a program that says every human being in this country has the right to food, clothing, housing, education, healthcare and other necessities, and the government is obligated to guarantee that right. This would be a force that could lead the fight for a new society free of poverty, racism, violence and repression. It would be a force for class unity, for peace, and for a government that is of, by and for the people. The future of humanity lies in creating this new society.

PT Logo collage
+ Articles by this author

Free to republish but please credit the People's Tribune. Visit us at www.peoplestribune.org, email peoplestribune@gmail.com, or call 773-486-3551.

The People’s Tribune brings you articles written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Unsigned articles reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: ©2024 peoplestribune.org. Please donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

Journalist Says Why ‘I Can No Longer Work With Reuters’

A photojournalist says why it is impossible for her to maintain a relationship with Reuters "given its role in justifying and enabling the systematic assassination of 245 journalists in Gaza."

Abrego Garcia Detained Again, Could be Deported to Uganda

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran immigrant worker, was freed from detention in Tennessee Aug. 22 and then re-arrested by ICE on Aug. 25 in Maryland. The Trump administration is trying to deport Abrego Garcia to Uganda.

An Open Letter to Mayor Matt Mahan of San Jose, CA.

From the San Jose CA Frontlines: Stop the sweeps. Unhoused people want a safe place to stay. All people should be respected, shown compassion, understanding.

Global Food Authority Declares Catastrophic Famine in Gaza

On Aug. 22, the world's top authority on hunger crises officially declared that a catastrophe-level famine in Gaza exists—a humanitarian disaster engineered by Israel's relentless blockade of food aid and other life-saving supplies.

Thousands of Texans Protest Trump’s Redistricting Plan To Get More Votes

The Texas capitol of Austin saw 5,000 people protesting Trump’s unconstitutional redistricting plan and other issues threatening our democracy.

More from the People's Tribune