An Open Call for the Left

Dear Readers,

I write in response to the storming of Capitol Hill that took place yesterday. A group of Nazi and Nazi-sympathizing terrorists broke into our offices of government with little resistance from the police — indeed, they were even helpful, in stark contrast to the militarized response to this summer’s protests in support of Black Lives Matter.

One would hope that such an event would be a wake-up call to the Left, a clear and straightforward declaration of the problem at hand: the right is organized, militant, and ready to lay down their lives. The two pipe bombs and stash of Molotov cocktails that were found nearby speak to this. Moreover, they have the support and cooperation of the police, the military, and all branches of government. I would specifically point out that the Democrats are complicit in the rise of fascism — not only have they ignored the calls for change from the people who brought them into power and continued to support oppressive policies, years of milquetoast responses have only enabled the far-right.

We need to stop being passive. We need a strong response to a real threat.

On Princeton’s campus, the Left that is already organized is underfunded, overworked, and exhausted. I would imagine that the same is true for most universities. However, there are many members of our communities who are open to leftist ideas but without the means to develop them. Meanwhile, a number of avowed leftists are still seeking a way to band together.

This is an open call for anyone who wishes to develop their political education, for anyone who has mastered theory but has yet to organize, for anyone who is adept at organizing but loses sight of the big picture. Contact the Prog at princetonprogressive@gmail.com and mschorin@princeton.edu.