First Issued: February 4, 1980.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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Feb. 4, 1980
If Nov. 3 was a sign of what the U.S. government wants to do to people’s resistance, then Feb. 2 is a sign of what the U.S. people’s response will be to it. In spite of intimidation by the government, some 7000 people poured into the streets of Greensboro demanding, “Unite to stop Klan/Nazi terror now!” First the government tried to stop the demonstration. This was shown in their refusal to give the march a permit. Then they tried to split it to keep people away. The attempt to keep people from coming was shown in the SBI and FBI attempts to portray the demonstration as a bloody confrontation, saying that most likely there will be violence and most likely CWP will start it. The government rumor-mongering campaign and provocation was only successful to the extent that reformist, self-proclaimed leaders readily accepted these vicious rumors as truth, and acted to break the coalition agreements not to make the manner of self-defense an issue. Joseph Lowery of SCLC openly called for the demonstration to be disarmed. This violation was immediately seized upon by the FBI, SBI and the Greensboro police. In breaking with the rules of the coalition, Joseph Lowery and the opportunists called an independent press conference and tried to impose his passive, non-violent philosophy on the 2/2 coalition, which is composed of many groups with different philosophies. This was a vain attempt to fill their coffers with 30 pieces of silver and regain the backing of the rich. In inner circles, Lucius Walker and Joseph bowery actively encouraged the Klan defense and government’s view that the CWP brought the Greensboro massacre upon ourselves because of our philosophy. Publicly, they attempted to jam the CWP to permit ourselves to be disarmed and to disarm the masses. These opportunists collaborated with the state hand-in-glove in an attempt to isolate the CWP. Only because of the secret love between Lucius Walker and the state, the city of Greensboro allowed Lucius Walker to be the sole representative of the 2/2 mobilization committee, and egged him on to ban the CWP from the demonstration.
The march was non-violent and peaceful primarily due to the unity achieved in the broad coalition and CWP’s selfless and strenuous independent efforts to prevent violence both inside and outside the march. The CWP security was organized in such a way as to prevent violence and to make sure that provocateurs and attackers would be severely punished and that the Nov. 3 massacre would not be repeated against the Party and the masses. This is in stark contrast to the claims of the FBI and SBI, city officials as well as media that the demonstration was peaceful and non-violent because of “peacemaking efforts and protection of the state.” It has been shown repeatedly that the state has attempted to create an atmosphere of fear and tension.
There will be untold sufferings and challenges in the 80’s. There will also be historic opportunities for the workers and the oppressed. This requires sharp line and strong leadership instead of the limp-wristed, muddle-headed yes-men of the 60’s who could not even stomach Fred Hampton, who denounced Malcom X as a provocateur and government agent, and George Jackson as a terrorist. This motley crew was clearly rejected at the 2/2 demonstration and rally and will surely be buried in the ’80s.
Opportunists in the coalition openly tried to change the character of the march from a militant anti-Klan march to an Uncle Tom revival. This was vividly shown in the difference between the first coalition leaflets which were based on the Atlanta conference in December and the coalition poster released just before the 2/2 demonstration which refused to even mention Klan/Nazi terror. The opportunists long for a return to the passive, non-violent aspects of the 50’s rather than the uprisings of the 60’s, let alone face the challenge of the 80’s. This is in total harmony and in coordination with Andy Young’s statement at the Feb. 1 commemoration at A & T.
He claimed that as the great Afro-American masses protested, the vicious police dogs lowered their heads and wagged their tails, the policemen wept and firehoses were dropped. This is a betrayal of the struggles and heroic self-sacrifice of the great Afro-American people and a complete distortion of their history.
This retrograde trend was overwhelmingly beaten back by the demonstrators who chanted: Cops/Klan, just the same; they shoot us down and give us the blame! Fired up; death to the Klan! First the Reds, then the Blacks; we fight now or face the axe! Rise up the CWP 5; world war and fascism will not survive! When Joseph Lowery tried to ride on American, Klan-type chauvinism against the Iranians and called on the U.S. to fight the “economic ayatollas,” he was resoundingly drowned out by the chanting of the demonstrators: The whole world is watching; which side are you on!
Phil Thompson, national spokesperson for the CWP, won the day by denouncing self-seeking careerists who blamed CWP victims for the murders perpetrated by the Klan/Nazi and FBI assassins and by calling on the people to rise up strong like the CWP 5 to defeat the U.S. ruling class’ attempt to impose fascism and World War Three. The Rev. Ben Chavis brought the house down with, “We will not fight another imperialist world war. We have to tear this whole system down.” He dedicated his remarks to Martin Luther King and the CWP 5: Jim Waller, Ceaser Cauce, Mike Nathan, Bill Sampson and Sandy Smith.