Image is of Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Ansarallah.
The death of Zionism has just massively accelerated.
previous preamble
BRICS has expanded to include Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Argentina is currently experiencing technical difficulties due to the election of the ancap clown Milei - once he's out of office, maybe they can try again.
I don't really have much to say about this one way or another. BRICS has, so far, made only nervous and small steps towards challenging US hegemony. This isn't really that unexpected, as only China and Russia are the real "true believers" in ending US hegemony (and even then, China's government either believes, or is pretending to believe, that reconciliation is still possible). Brazil, India, and South Africa are less enthralled by the concept of dethroning the US, most especially India, who had to make a firm decision in 2023 whether they were going to be on the side of America, or on the side of the Global South, and chose the former, strengthening their military relationship. They're still best of friends with Russia, but they are very obviously the sussy imposter of the BRICS group.
The prospects of BRICS are only really loosely correlated with the prospects of multipolarism, though. It's not a process that hinges on BRICS's successes or failures. It is coming because the contender states (in Desai's terminology) are irreversibly rising, and the US is irreversibly falling. If it will not be BRICS that leads, it will be a different organization. A better world is not only possible, but inevitable - unfortunately for the US.
I'm taking a week off the updates because I've been swamped lately, and also feel the need to reconfigure (and find new) sources. Needless to say that I've grown tired of Financial Times headlines, even if they do represent the actual views of the bourgeoisie.
The Country of the Week is Ethiopia! Feel free to chime in with books, essays, longform articles, even stories and anecdotes or rants. More detail here.
The bulletins site is here!
The RSS feed is here.
Last week's thread is here.
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Sources on the fighting in Palestine against Israel. In general, CW for footage of battles, explosions, dead people, and so on:
UNRWA daily-ish reports on Israel's destruction and siege of Gaza and the West Bank.
English-language Palestinian Marxist-Leninist twitter account. Alt here.
English-language twitter account that collates news (and has automated posting when the person running it goes to sleep).
Arab-language twitter account with videos and images of fighting.
English-language (with some Arab retweets) Twitter account based in Lebanon. - Telegram is @IbnRiad.
English-language Palestinian Twitter account which reports on news from the Resistance Axis. - Telegram is @EyesOnSouth.
English-language Twitter account in the same group as the previous two. - Telegram here.
English-language PalestineResist telegram channel.
More telegram channels here for those interested.
Various sources that are covering the Ukraine conflict are also covering the one in Palestine, like Rybar.
Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Examples of Ukrainian Nazis and fascists
Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Sources:
Defense Politics Asia's youtube channel and their map. Their youtube channel has substantially diminished in quality but the map is still useful.
Moon of Alabama, which tends to have interesting analysis. Avoid the comment section.
Understanding War and the Saker: reactionary sources that have occasional insights on the war.
Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict. While he is a reactionary and surrounds himself with likeminded people, his daily update videos are relatively brainworm-free and good if you don't want to follow Russian telegram channels to get news. He also co-hosts The Duran, which is more explicitly conservative, racist, sexist, transphobic, anti-communist, etc when guests are invited on, but is just about tolerable when it's just the two of them if you want a little more analysis.
On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent and very good journalist reporting in the warzone on the separatists' side.
Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.
Pro-Russian Telegram Channels:
Again, CW for anti-LGBT and racist, sexist, etc speech, as well as combat footage.
https://t.me/aleksandr_skif ~ DPR's former Defense Minister and Colonel in the DPR's forces. Russian language.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad ~ A few different pro-Russian people gather frequent content for this channel (~100 posts per day), some socialist, but all socially reactionary. If you can only tolerate using one Russian telegram channel, I would recommend this one.
https://t.me/s/levigodman ~ Does daily update posts.
https://t.me/patricklancasternewstoday ~ Patrick Lancaster's telegram channel.
https://t.me/gonzowarr ~ A big Russian commentator.
https://t.me/rybar ~ One of, if not the, biggest Russian telegram channels focussing on the war out there. Actually quite balanced, maybe even pessimistic about Russia. Produces interesting and useful maps.
https://t.me/epoddubny ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/boris_rozhin ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/mod_russia_en ~ Russian Ministry of Defense. Does daily, if rather bland updates on the number of Ukrainians killed, etc. The figures appear to be approximately accurate; if you want, reduce all numbers by 25% as a 'propaganda tax', if you don't believe them. Does not cover everything, for obvious reasons, and virtually never details Russian losses.
https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses ~ Pro-Russian, documents abuses that Ukraine commits.
Pro-Ukraine Telegram Channels:
Almost every Western media outlet.
https://discord.gg/projectowl ~ Pro-Ukrainian OSINT Discord.
https://t.me/ice_inii ~ Alleged Ukrainian account with a rather cynical take on the entire thing.
Has anyone join your local CPUSA chapter? Do they still send out membership card (I saw a big campaign push to ironically send due paying members a physical card a couple years back). What is your overall experience? I do want to join my local CPUSA, but I don't have a car so getting around is pretty hard (USA infrastructure lol) and I'm afraid that I might not be able to join a lot of "local" events where local means 30-40 minutes drive away in neighboring town. I don't want to be just a due paying passive member
Nothing in particular against CPUSA, but if you're looking for a serious ML organization I would definitely recommend
if there's a branch in your area.
We are also an ML org.
Yeah, that's why I recommended PSL, since they're interested in an ML org. I'm a big PSL advocate and believe firmly that it's the party to join in the US given its organizational capacity, reach, and strong political line on a bunch of topics. Like I said, it's not an anti-CPUSA thing, just a pro-PSL thing. If someone were to ask me what org to join, that would always be my recommendation. And given their concern about being an on-paper member, PSL's a good fit in particular, because we are very, very against that. My local experience is that CPUSA has no organizational capacity and comrades have left it to join PSL. They literally got kicked out of the local Palestine coalition for being toothless and ineffective.
My experience is that people have left to join CPUSA, not the other way around. I don't know what you're talking about with the last part. CPUSA members across the country have participated in local events and FRSO kicked PSL out of their local event and harangued them on social media.
Anyway, I don't advocate for CPUSA on here unless, maybe, people ask me about it or say they intend to join because I'm obviously biased when it comes to this sort-of thing.
Louisiana CPUSA has also been working with PSL and FRSO in its own area and D.C. CPUSA literally advocated for the Green Party ticket, though we've been trying to run our own candidates lately.
Just reporting on how things are locally.
In my city, we have a coalition of organizations involved in Palestine issues. PSL, DSA, PYM, Al-Awda, some Muslim groups, etc. That coalition is responsible for all organizing on the issue here. Initially, CPUSA was in that coalition, but they were a drain on coalition organizing time by having muddy politics and monopolizing time during meetings and rallies by dully reading out long pre-written statements and generally wasting time. It got so bad that they were removed from the coalition.
I believe it and I'm sure there are high-quality branches full of good comrades. But that's not how things are locally for me. We had no issues working with them initially, it was only after they soured the Palestine coalition here that I've become more wary of them. That event also lead to several of their members leaving and trying to join up with PSL.
Stuff like this is a pretty serious knock against the national organization, imo. I don't think an ML org should be advocating for social democrats with incoherent platforms and no serious commitment to anti-imperialism.
"but they were a drain on coalition organizing time by having muddy politics and monopolizing time during meetings and rallies by dully reading out long pre-written statements and generally wasting time. It got so bad that they were removed from the coalition."
Uh, PSL literally was excluded from the Chicago coalition with FRSO and has a history of taking credit, even cropping photos of other orgs (including our own) that only shows their own activists and logos. In addition, PSL members have talked over events, including speeches by other orgs. In addition, people left for FRSO, CPUSA, and other orgs because of sex-pests and transphobia. The mistakes that both orgs have made are a two-way street here, they happen regardless of an org, and so on.
"Stuff like this is a pretty serious knock against the national organization, imo. I don't think an ML org should be advocating for social democrats with incoherent platforms and no serious commitment to anti-imperialism."
It's not. It was by the D.C. district for a municipal seat in government.
Yeah, that's true for sure. My branch is a phenomenal org but I can't speak for every local across the country. Like I said, I'm not fundamentally anti-CPUSA. I think PSL's a better org in a similar political space based on my local experience and interactions with national. The question was about attempts to join local CPUSA branches, and while I haven't attempted to join mine, I have relevant experience. My local CPUSA branch sucks ass.
If you have a good history with the org and believe in its potential to build a revolutionary movement, dope. Being the third-best ML organization in the US just makes you the third-best political organization in the US (whether that's CPUSA or PSL or FRSO) and I'd much rather have people in CPUSA than not involved.
If there's no PSL branch in @micnd90@hexbear.net's area, then yeah, go for CPUSA or FRSO (assuming they have a presence). If there is a PSL branch, I'd say check that out first.
Okay, fine.
I hope I didn't look as if I were trading blows; I can tell that you're disciplined and honorable here.
I suppose you're also right; better involved than not.
No worries, comrade. It's valuable for people to evaluate the orgs they're considering joining, and that makes these conversations necessary. Inevitably it's two sides making their case for themselves, and that looks like an argument, but I'd never assume anything bad about someone who's been involved for a long time with an ML party. In the end, we're working towards the same objectives with very similar methodology, and it's just a question of who's pulling that off more effectively. I'd certainly never say that every PSL branch is better than every FRSO branch is better than every CPUSA branch. Though we're a demcent org, there's a lot of branch autonomy, and I've heard bad stories about people's involvement in other areas. I'm not gonna dismiss those out of hand; just report on what I can see from my end of things.
CPUSA are still my comrades by default, and the members we've gotten from them clearly developed good skills and theory while there.
Yes, this is fair, and I decided to upvote this.
I think CPUSA members can definitely talk about what their own D.O.s (district organizers) have experienced over their long lives and that leads to them thinking critically about how to achieve socialism on this continent (well, that's what happened with me, anyway). While I can't say much out loud, there are certainly problems in the CPUSA that you and I may have hinted at, but that I can't speak of them willy-nilly. We're aware, trust me, is all I can say.
And let's put it this way; if one party fails or gets compromised or some other thing happens to it, then at the very least, we'll have another party that might succeed.
I flirted with my local club, but ultimately did not join due to disagreement with the national organization. The local club was full of good comrades (and they did have physical cards).
If you want a rundown on the org from a current member who is active in the org, @Pluto@hexbear.net is a good representative.
Yes.
I am active in the CPUSA and a staunch member. People can ask me anything, I guess, but it gets tiresome being the "go-to" person for whenever John Bachtell does something stupid or some controversy arises.
Still, I'll probably answer to the best of my abilities.
@micnd90@hexbear.net
I was hoping to loop you in on party questions that have nothing to do with him for once. Not that it matters, but I’ve grown a healthy respect for you and the work you do, and I remain embarrassed for showing my ass in our first interaction.
It's fine, honestly. CPUSA gets a lot of flack and I get that.
It was not even my first choice.
PCUSA was my first choice, at least in the early days.
then PSL
then FRSO
and then finally CPUSA and even then reluctantly.
Best I can say is that if you have the time and will, you can try it out for one or two years and see how it goes. We won't have any ill will toward you for leaving. But I would recommend studying up on the org a bit, just to kinda get to know it, and understand the context surrounding it.
I have been a member for nearly 5 years.
They still send out a membership card.
My overall experience is that it's been enlightening but too many people get into the org without knowing anything about it (barely reading up on the history, the politics, etc.)
Members can drive you places or you can do "platform work," I guess, to help with communications (which we suck at).
Also, consider using this:
Copy-pasta:
CPUSA Reading List - 2022
https://cryptpad.fr/pad/#/2/pad/view/VJlD0b3eh4gMJovaypGkuW4m3Au-aksj+6oNDi50UFI/embed/
Communism Reading Guide
https://cryptpad.fr/pad/#/2/pad/view/eAFqVc1JC8v8T5AEEWSPQ9YD4FR8tK6E97XEy+v78KQ/embed/
^ Made by multiple members.