Vol. 80/No. 30      August 15, 2016

 

‘I’m glad you’re here campaigning for SWP’

 
The Socialist Workers Party is campaigning across the country, getting out the word about the only working-class alternative to the two parties of imperialism and war.

SWP presidential candidate Alyson Kennedy and supporters joined a march against police brutality in Philadelphia July 26, one of many actions organized during the Democratic National Convention there July 25-28.

Kennedy was greeted by Delphine Matthews, who has been active in this fight since her son Frank McQueen was killed by police in nearby Chester two years ago. “I’m glad you are here campaigning, Alyson,” Matthews said. “I can’t support any of these candidates that are coming to this convention.”

During one of the protests Kennedy met Dalton Roberts, 22, a mechanic who had hitchhiked from South Carolina for the demonstrations. He decided to spend several days campaigning with the Socialist Workers Party.

As they went door to door near the Mayfair Diner, a landmark frequented by capitalist politicians campaigning in northeast Philadelphia, Claire Houston invited Kennedy to sit at the shaded table in front of her row house.

“I can’t support Trump or Clinton,” she told Kennedy. “Neither one is going to do anything for older people like me who still have to work just to pay for medicine. Even with Social Security and my late husband’s Teamster pension, I have to work full time as a tax preparer eight months a year.”

Houston said she understood why so many people take Trump seriously. “He talks big and says he can fix the problems we workers face. But he won’t fix things, he can’t do it.”

“Our party says the only way to get people back to work is to demand a massive public works program,” Kennedy said. “No matter who wins this fall, nothing much will change unless we organize independent action outside of their parties on the road to replacing this government of the capitalist class with a workers and farmers government.”

“I know, I don’t listen to any of them any more,” Houston responded. “I agree there has to be a real change.”

‘Let’s keep in touch’

In North Miami retired machinist Derrick Huslin invited supporters in to talk about the party and its program. He told them he’s fed up with the Obama administration’s disregard for the problems workers face, and says Clinton’s promise to continue those policies is a stab in the back.

Huslin got Are They Rich Because They’re Smart? Class, Privilege and Learning Under Capitalism, by SWP National Secretary Jack Barnes. The book is a good introduction to what the party stands for. He also subscribed to the Militant and contributed $5. “Let’s keep in touch,” he said.

Mary Martin, Socialist Workers Party candidate for governor of Washington, campaigned in Seattle July 30 and met Robin Schwartz, 40, a preschool teacher in private school for children from well-off families. When Martin showed her Are They Rich Because They’re Smart? Schwartz responded positively.

“There’s a difference between what’s provided in the school where I teach and the public school my kids and a lot of immigrant children attend. It’s all about consolidating the power of the rich.”

In Monroe, Washington, campaigners met Judy Emery, an unemployed retail worker. “I don’t know anyone who trusts Clinton or wants her to become president,” Emery said. “I thought Trump might be OK since he’s from outside the establishment. But when he started talking, I saw he had no solutions for working people.”

Emery has a friend who lost his job, then his medical insurance, and was fined for not having any. “This isn’t a health care system for us,” she said. She got a Militant subscription for herself, another for her son and a copy of Are They Rich Because They’re Smart?

The Spanish edition of that book will be off the press soon. Workers whose first language is Spanish can preorder and have the book delivered as soon as it comes out.

To join in campaigning for the Socialist Workers Party — or for the Communist League in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom — contact party units listed
on page 8.

Edwin Fruit in Seattle, John Staggs in Philadelphia and Anthony Dutrow in Miami contributed to this article.