In recognizing this, however, it is extremely important to stress once again, in the strongest terms, that, for the reasons spoken to here, relying on voting--without this mass mobilization --will very likely lead to disaster.
There is the possibility that Trump could actually win the election--although whether he wins or loses, this election will involve unprecedented moves to suppress the votes of those opposing him and to use other illegal means to enable him to remain in power. And, even more essentially, with the clear understanding of the fascist nature of this regime, and the full implications of that, this regime is illegitimate, regardless of the means by which it has come to power and moves to retain and further consolidate power. Hitler and the NAZIs came to power in Germany in the 1930s through the "normal channels" of the "democratic system" there--including elections--but there was absolutely nothing "legitimate" about their rule and all the truly unspeakable horrors it led to. And the same basic principle applies to the Trump/Pence regime. By its very nature and content, there is no such thing as "legitimate" fascism.
Whatever happens with the election--and even if Biden wins and succeeds in actually taking office--there will be no "return to normalcy." First of all, the fascists--those still in powerful positions, and the fascist "base" in the wider society--will not allow it. And, in any case, no one should want it. The "normalcy" of this system has always included the barbaric oppression of Black people and other people of color, with systematic terror, brutality and murder to enforce this oppression. It has always included vicious discrimination, bigotry and violence against immigrants, women, LGBTQ people, and any others regarded as inferior and "alien." It has always included unjust wars for empire, and continuing crimes against humanity. It now poses a threat to the very existence of humanity through its increasing devastation of the environment and the ever present threat of nuclear war.
The many-sided struggle to oust the fascist Trump/Pence regime must be taken up not as a substitute for but as a part--a crucial part--of moving to get beyond all that is represented by and embodied in the "normalcy" of this system.
6
Finally, regardless of what happens with this election, it remains profoundly true--and it is vitally important to recognize, and to act on the understanding--that no fundamental change for the better can come under this system. Even as sustained mass mobilization urgently needs to be built around the unifying demand of Trump/Pence OUT NOW!, all those who have come to see that institutionalized white supremacy, male supremacy and the many other outrages and crimes against humanity perpetrated under this system are in fact built into this system of capitalism-imperialism must work together, in an ongoing way, to build a continually growing movement and to strengthen the organized forces for an actual revolution to overthrow this system.
In summation: Given the truly monumental stakes involved, not only in terms of any particular issue, no matter how important, and not merely in terms of this country, but for the masses of people throughout the world and the future of humanity, there is a great need to approach things and act with the sophistication necessary to handle the complex and difficult contradictions involved in all this--having a broad vision, rejecting petty sectarianism and brittle dogmatism, and not falling into a paralyzing "either/or": either we fight against white supremacy and police terror, or we fight to bring about the removal of the Trump/Pence fascist regime; either we vote in this election, or we build mass struggle against outrageous oppression and against this fascist regime; either we oppose this regime, by all appropriate means, or we work for revolution. In this extraordinary and very complex situation--and from the point of view of advancing the struggle toward the goal of finally eliminating all exploitation and oppression, everywhere--there is an urgent need to do all of that, and to do so with an understanding of the correct and necessary relation between the different parts of this overall approach: putting the main emphasis and reliance on mass mobilization, with voting in this extraordinary situation necessary and important but not the main thing to be relied upon; and, in fundamental terms, making all this contribute to creating more favorable conditions for, and building up the organized forces for, not only resisting the crimes of this system but finally carrying out the revolution that is needed in order to put an end to this monstrously criminal system and its domination in the world, in any form.
(Article changed on August 23, 2020 at 16:12)
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