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MB: Maybe the word scares them a bit, as well. In CA, the Peace And Freedom Party had a platform much like yours. Was the Peace and Freedom party representing the Socialist Party? Was there a connection?
MS: I know that Stewart Alexander had a past connection with the Peace and Freedom Party.
As far as this new incarnation of the Los Angeles Local is concerned, there has been no connection.
Our primary focus is organizing and achieving the level of unity required to take this fight to the streets.
MB: OK so there's that unity again. And the Greens and PAFP are so close to Socialists. I won't belabor that point anymore, though
MS: There's no problem with coalition building, in my opinion. We're open to that.
I was happy to know that many friends voted for Carlos Alvarez.
MB: Let's look at the other end of the spectrum. Having made use of the phrase "nanny state", Libertarians say that Socialism flies in the face of America's "can do" attitude. How do you answer the "nanny state" argument?
MS: I think that the corporate elite have a much better idea of what a nanny state looks like than the working class.
MB: Touché. Does part of your messaging speak to the basic misconception of Socialism=USSR?
MS: To be honest with you, what I find most shocking is those on the far left who continue to reiterate this problem. It seems to drive home the notion that such a problem exists.
I'm not saying that this perception doesn't exist. It does.
What I am saying is that we intend to focus on what Socialism is and what it offers the working class. If we can collectively concentrate on that, I think we'll start to see real progress.
I think we know why many connect Socialism to Stalinism and it's time to let that connection die. It's an absurd connection.
MB: If you were to compare your ultimate goal, would it line up more with what Marx, Engels and Trotsky wrote about or more with what Scandinavia, especially the Swedes, have done?
MS: I think that Marx, Engels, and Trotsky can't be ignored. But many in the United States have a very limited knowledge of who these people are and what they stand for. We have a responsibility to present those historical examples in a way that's palatable and practical for the daily life of the working class. With an educated and empowered working class, I think we'll see something a bit different from the sorts of Socialism practiced in the rest of the world. We can maintain an identity, while still adhering to Socialist principles.
