Submitted by Joelle Fishman, Chair Connecticut Communist Party USA

Our name embodies our outlook, tactics and strategy and is an integral part of building a bigger Communist Party and a stronger labor and people’s movement. If we separate our name from the tasks we are called upon to do we will not be able to fulfill our role.  Two of those tasks are building unity and developing working class leadership.

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If we didn’t know it was time to “turn up the heat” before, we knew it for sure  in February when a community outpouring including the newly elected mayor of New Haven, showed up to pay tribute to Communist Party and union leader Craig Gauthier on African American History Month. The Peoples Center was  overflowing and crowds of people who could not get in gathered in front and in back of the building, straining to hear and be a part.  

The extraordinary day began with a march organized and led by the YCL and New Elm City Dream youth group to end the violence and create Jobs for Youth and Jobs for All, joined by the Mayor, many members of the Board of Alders, union leaders and about 100 young people.

The depth of respect and appreciation for Craig and the Communist Party as stalwart fighters of the working class expressed that day was echoed at the state convention of the Connecticut Communist Party on May Day weekend. Union leaders and elected officials emphasized how proud they are to stand with the Communist Party “that never stops fighting for the people,” as several said.

That same respect and public identification with the work of the Communist Party has been expressed at the People’s World Amistad Awards presented each year on the occasion of the anniversary of the Communist Party USA.  The Award has been accepted by the top labor and community leaders in the state, reflecting relationships built in the struggle for social justice.

“I will always remember that I was recognized by a group of people that is different than other recognitions,” said State Rep Edwin Vargas of the teachers union upon accepting last December.  “Because you are the people that have skin in the game.”  

1. A foremost responsibility of Communists is to forge unity among the working class.  

The capitalist class is expert at dividing us workers against each other to increase profits and maintain  power.  Workers are divided by job category, by race, by age, by gender, by location, by nationality, by religion and yes, by politics.  

Taking on racism is an ideological challenge.  When white workers realize that they too are hurt by the racism used against their African American, Latino, Asian and Native American sisters and brothers, they are ready to join together for common needs.  A current example is among fast food worker organizing.  There are many historic examples within industrial union organizing led by Communists. When workers join together they can win.

The use of anti-communism as a scare tactic is another way of sapping the strength of workers by lowering their sites.  That’s why the history of the Communist Party as a leader in organizing unions in our country is part of the training for new organizers in the strongest unions today.  And why the participation of the Communist Party is so highly valued in the fierce ongoing struggles for jobs for all with decent pay and benefits and the right to organize.

The class struggle and the struggle to expand democratic rights require that we as Communists play our role to overcome divisions and win unity.  From experience we can say that taking on anti-communism and learning about what the Communist Party is has strengthened our allies and brought more people to join our ranks.

In the year 2014 when economic inequality is greater than ever, when more and more children go to bed hungry at night, and more and more people are talking about how the system is broken, this is the time to “turn up the heat.”  This is the time to ramp up our organizing, raise up our presence, and step up our size and ability to fight alongside our allies.  

Instead of becoming divided over our name, we should be uniting every resource that we have to resist the assault on the lives of workers, young people and retirees, and go onto the offensive to win the jobs, education, housing, health care, security, peaceful and sustainable environment that will yield a better  future.

2. Another task of Communists is to develop working class leaders for our communities and our country.

Figuring out that the system is broken is just the start.  The task is to change it.  That requires understanding how society works and having a vision that socialism and workers’ power is both possible and necessary.

Explaining “communism” and breaking it down is key to the process of developing a working class world view.  Engaging about what “Communist” is and what “Communist” stands for allows others the opportunity to develop understanding and put it into action.

Communism is the name of our theory, and an essential part of our work is to educate people about our theory, our vision, nature and values and how our strategy, tactics, methods are designed to advance the struggles for social progress. It is our essence that is targeted by anti-communism.

Developing this understanding brings forward new leaders who may become inspired to join the Communist Party and encourage others to do likewise, thereby strengthening the foundations of the labor and people’s movement.  Not giving in, but learning to take on anti-communism, makes someone stronger for the overall struggle.

The root word of Communist is community. Let’s explain that to our co-workers, friends, family, face to face, on-line, People’s World, local media, everywhere.  Let’s break down the barriers that hold people back from joining together, stand tall and “turn up the heat.”

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When then president of the Connecticut AFL CIO John Olsen accepted the Amistad Award a few years ago, he ended up on the chalk board of rabid TV talk show host Glenn Beck.  “You were more successful than you thought,” Olsen told us.  “The reason I did this was to take on the myths against the Communist Party. If you are going to stand with me on the picket line and help us get out the vote, I am going to stand with you.” He repeated this message at the State AFL CIO convention and at many other union meetings, rallies and events.

Let us not abandon our allies who understand that taking on anti-communism makes the working class stronger, and who identify with the Communist Party USA.  Let us keep our eye on the prize to defeat the extreme right-wing and move forward.

“If there ever was a time to stand and fight that time is now,” declared Rev. Scott Marks at our convention.  “It’s time to turn up the heat.”  It’s time to proudly reaffirm our name, our organization and our vision.

The views and opinions expressed in the Convention Discussion are those of the author alone. The Communist Party is publishing these views as a service to encourage discussion and debate. Those views do not necessarily reflect the views of the Communist Party, its leading bodies or staff members. The CPUSA Constitution, Program, and all its existing policies remain in effect during the Convention discussion period and during the Convention.

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CONVENTION DISCUSSION 
30th National Convention, Communist Party USA
Chicago | June 13-15, 2014

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