EQUAL OPPORTUNTIE:
their rights'.
producing the black communities themselves.
The formation of Blacks Against Harassment (BASH), in which Asian and Afro-Caribbean organisations and have In important coalition, is one sign of these changes.
The growth of groups like Socialist Alliance Ine Sack Movement is Turther evidence and the Bradford Asian Youth of the growing sentiment for united action by blacks to fight QUESTIONS This sharply poses questions which revolutionary socialists, despite their participation in anti-fascist and anti-racist activities, have for too long left partially or completely unanswered.
type of movement Is needed? What sort of demands do we need to fight for to eliminate racism? What attitudes should we have separatism?
It's high time we not only answered such questions but made them part and parcel of our activity.
The Bolsheviks were the first to develop a clear understanding Inat socialist revolution could not be a simple class against class' confrontation.
FESTIVALS When Lenin spoke revolutions being festivals of the oppressed', he was clearly recognising that Wile oppression class by the bosses was the motor force for revolution, were were many of oppression which capitalism The oppression of colonies by imperialism, the the rebel music of Steel Pulse and Aswad, to the massive strike and demonstrations against racist attacks in the East End, to their role on the Ford and Grunwick picket lines, they are serving notice that they will 'stand up for COLIN TALBOT explains how this struggle is also important political convulsions oppression of national minorities within states, oppression of women were all seen by the early communist movement as important struggles in their own right, separate but linked to the struggle for socialism.
Today black people Britain are struggling against their oppression as blacks, and STORTE part of of the working class, as workers.
It is important to understand exactly the oppression of black people in Britain consists of.
Some examples are obviously better known: for instance, the fact that the immigration laws mean racist tion in entering this country and racist harassment, includblack ing detention and deportation, for those blacks already here.
HUMILIATION and Similarly with the fact that the state, especially the cops, COLISISECHLIY Harasses people throne amelike sust blatant irame-ups physical assaults.
But what racism means for black people in their daily lives less well known. reformists, of course, that it's simply a question of attudes legacy of colonial pride and the great brusa empire This is one element in the daily people. But it's far from the whole story. Here are some of CEnC working the facts.
the In council average rent for black people is the same as for whites. Yet 18 per cent cent of Afro-Caribbean tenants have to share accommodation, compared to only 0.6 per cent of whites.
Furthermore, 62 percent of within blacks and only 25 per cent of whites SuVe before 1940. A GLC survey in systematically allocate blacks 1974/5 SHOWCO to poor quanty mael-city areas and reserve the better estates for whites. overall the racist discriminaIn jobs the story is repeated.
Unemployment as a whole rose by 138 per cent between 1974 and 1977, but for blacks it rose v super cent back your lave suffered the wors WHeN jobs their wage: than whites. Whilst 40 per cent of white men get white collar.
and or higher jobs, only 8 per of Afro-Caribbeans and 20 per cent of Indians can Many reformists believe that The education is the problem. But believe only 31 per cent of black male graduates Tne managerial jobs, compared to almost 80 percent of whites ASSAULTS black And on top of the racist harassment from the state and the racist jobs, housing and education, black people now have to face the assaults of the fascist goon squads who are trying to drive Capitalism is incapable of overcoming suca probiems While the mighty USA, the housing, the years since une of Asian and 10 per obvious nouses built doesn't. they Many because reformism MATION Grunwick hunger strike outside TUC should instance!
blacks do get average less blacks and workers autonomous HLOVCHECHE Black organise oppressior get professional or black unity.
Reformists reject 'splitting unity discrimination In strengthened ane mutancy rebel. wealthiest state on earth. has failed to end racism in the 113 abolition of tends to slavery, it took the victorious only couple of years to root out the black worst effects of decades of sort of The conclusion is patently revolutionary socialism works and reformism so-called Marxists anu-racist one therefore adopt a wait until after the revolution' attitude to blacks (and women). But just an doesn't movement like massive which mass fighting working So what type of fight do we need? Because we recognise the for blacks are doubly oppressed a recognise the need both fo workers.
The working class unity and for an demands black liberation people have fight their as Malcolm X so clearly put minority "There can be no black-white unity until there is first some which and sectarians • se -orlansanor working class bul une exocnence black self-organisation in the black US trade unions is that it has workers unity seen greater.
A resolute struggle by any black the oppressed strengthens all other struggles Time! because we are fighting same enemy. In a very direct sense it encourages others to the ters At a more "ideological" level, any struggle by the oppressed illuminate the real nature of the society we live in Establishing the need for a movement doesn't answer the question of what movement. The oppression which blacks face as a social group defines what sort of political basis such a movement should have - an Obviously such a movement has an anti-capitalist logic, but explicitly anti-capitalist would hinder rather than help a united black embracing all political currents within the black masses. It would militate against unity in action against black oppression, racism.
FLEXIBILITY In organisational terms the greatest flexibility and democracy is called for in building such MOYCHICHE Developments BASH are obviously strides forward to revolutionaries must give full support In addition, people need to take the fight into the organisations the class through the formation of black caucuses.
This is especially important because racism in employment, example, will only be fought by winning the trade unions to support for black only way that such 'affirmative as action' in hiring, training, and TOMOROI WILL OC LOICCU LO LE fore is through black self-organisation within the unions.
Black people are a small Britain. This means that the construction of a united anti-racist movement supports movement is crucial to any successful anti-racist struggle.
Such a movement is already developing, as is an embryonic movement, and the potental for bou nas neve To use a well worn slogan of the American movement Seize the of aim then Bengali struck against racist attacks in London's East End in July it symbolised the growing resistance of blacks in Britain The visit of Nan Bailey, leading black militant of the US Socialist Workers Party, gives socialists here the chance to rights and freedom struggle of Come and hear Nan Bailey at SOCIETIN Challenge Day School on Racism and Black Liberation. It's on Sunday 3 December in London (people attending the ANL Trade Unior Conference can stay over I London). Admission is open to all Socialist Challenge Suppor- contact your local group for further details.
NORTH-WEST FESTIVAL ONE of the biggest anti-racist events in Lancashire outsid Manchester/Liverpool takes place on Saturday 25 Novem ber. That's the date of the NW Festival for Racial Harmony, to be held in Preston Polytechnic Students Union.
The festival runs from 11am to Spm, and then from 7.30 to 11pm Belt & Braces Roadshow will perrorm along wit ofe bands (tickets El in advance for evening). There will be a creche throughout. Details, tickets leaflets from: PO Box 21, WOLVERHAMPTON 4 ACTION continued ir support of the four Wolvernampion anti-racists arrestec during a demonstration last March. Both Birmingham and Mosely ANLs have organised and petitioning demand that all charges dropped But 'unofficial' intimidation continues. Last Thursday brick throwers attacked the home of one of the four, Dave Stevens, for the third time, although he moved to an unpublicised address some months ago.
This type of harassment seems to nave peen too muc for another of the four, David Hines. who was charged with assault and malicious wounding. He talled to turn up i court when his case came up SE MONU TORY attempts to stop support for the ANL backfired on 7 November wnena student union meeting at University College, London voted 3 to 1 to every Saturday for the Chapel OLEC action against the NF Most union meetings only attended by about 150 people and are dominated by the right. But this time students turned after anti-racists distributed 2,000 leaflets highlighting the issues. And the voice of the "silent majority soon put paid to the Tories.
THE NEW Nazi pamphlet Taking the Lidoff the Anti Nazi League has resulted in a number those who have been attacked, including Peter Hain taking the NF to court for gros slander It would be of considerable aid to them if details could be received as to how and to what extent the pamphlet is being circulated. All information to SC, PO Box 50, London N1.
ANL TRADE UNION CONFERENCE THE ANL is organising a trade conference December at Congress House, Great Russell St, London WCI. The conference is open bona -T10E trade -1110 1 bodies and workplace organisa tions', and all readers should get credentials.
Registration (El) from: ANL, PO Box 151, London WC2.
Laird Liverpool, NULAN More Liverpool cies are threatened at Cammell ship repair yard reports JOHN Full-timeunionofficial Harry Murt has responded vigorously by demanding that.a social makersbeganto drift away from the meeting Workers Action supporter Lol Duffy tried tc speak in favour of a real fightback.
Only when Duffy managed to get tothefrontof the meeting did Wehh acknowieuge pre
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Socialist Challenge 16 November 1978 Page 6 BLACK PEOPLE in Britain are fighting back. From
socialists see the fight for black liberation