Just need to vent, I swear to god the revolutionary potential in America is just not there. So many people just have zero ideological conviction and because we’re not subject to the worst of the empire’s violence many feel no constant need to fight it, an encampment can end and so many people just go to brunch. The constant need to fight against the empire’s propaganda, infiltrated orgs, and most of all the powerful combination of privilege and individualism is so incredibly exhausting. All that feels good to do is sit home, read theory and talk with my closest comrades, I can’t be led into another unprepared police raid by people who had just collaborated with the kops, or in an org led ultimately by some undemocratically elected leader, or talk to another “ML” or anarchist white boy that can’t even admit racism and imperialism still fuckin exists.
Gonna be real with you chief. The reason why the encampments closing up don’t really affect me because I never believed they would work. I only believed they would work for propaganda purposes and pissing off zionists, which succeeded. But had I believed that camping on the lawn would end Raytheon investments, I would also be depressed when they went belly up.
I don’t fault the protestors. Those who had an understanding of material reality should’ve made sure the participants understand that this is another chapter of imperialism, not a case of bad apples. Without that, they are doomed to repeat the same mistakes. Instead - while well intentioned and fine - the calls for ceasefires and making Biden and Netanyahu the center of attention gives me the impression many protestors think it’s a temporary problem and not a feature of capitalism. I don’t really have a solution to this, by the way. I don’t lead anything. But having your narrative hijacked or overshadowed is how the wrong expectations are set.
Of course many people learn the truth, but if it’s too late and they didn’t adjust their expectations before/during the actions, then that truth will lead to doomerism instead of further tactics and planning.