Encyclopedia of Anti-Revisionism On-Line

RCP Issues Call: Enlist In Revolutionary May Day Brigades


First Published: Revolutionary Worker, Vol. 1, No. 37, January 18, 1980.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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If they think they’ve seen political mobilization so far, wait till you see what’s in store for building Revolutionary May Day’.–Bob Avakian, RCP Chairman, at the Nov. 18 rally in Washington D.C.

The Revolutionary Communist Party is issuing a call to those who urgently see the need to wake up our broader ranks to volunteer to join Revolutionary May Day Brigades. These brigades will travel to key battle areas, spreading experiences and heightening this fight as a nationwide effort of our class.

The storm around May Day will be built mainly through local efforts in the industrial and urban centers of this country, and the major cities where workers and others will march on May 1. May Day will be built in these cities by drawing forward and activating new revolutionary-minded workers in a way never seen before in this country. At the same time, these Revolutionary May Day Brigades will build boldly for Revolutionary May Day and help buttress these local efforts, leaving behind a much more politically hot situation for the locality to fan and defend around May 1.

These brigades will be traveling for the three months from now right up to when May Day will occur, striking with lightning force to electrify the scene. We can see from the volunteers who went to Washington D.C. to fight the railroad of Bob Avakian and the Mao Defendants what a powerful impact we can have on our class and society overall by concentrating our forces in the key fronts of the battle, striking while the iron is hot.

Just imagine: Brigades of fighters from the working class of all nationalities, native and foreign-born, students and others who enthusiastically see the potential for May Day 1980, converging together on cities and also hitting other areas of capitalism’s powers; challenging their class brothers and sisters to actually march May 1 in their true revolutionary interests and join the ranks of the international proletariat; miners from the hills of West Virginia; brigades of auto and steel workers; workers from the garment sweatshops that rot in the shadows of New York skyscrapers; workers in defense plants that churn out preparation for World War 3–stirring up those cities lingering under the stillness of once booming factories.

We’re calling on workers and others to make the sacrifice of leaving home and family to carry the message to distant neighborhoods, factories, mills and unemployment offices–living proof of the strength our class has when we’re unleashed, a potential that will bust loose on a grand scale on May Day 1980. And as these brigades roll out, thousands more must come forward to donate and raise the much needed funds to bring this about.

These brigades will be running ahead and diving into the quickening movement, linking up with those who have already stepped forward; laying the ground work, summing up the lessons, getting down on the questions, beckoning many others to step out. And together with local forces, they will leave behind a force many times greater than before, awakened, galvanized and steeled in its determination to make its mark on the ’80s–so that on May 1 a significant developing section of the sleeping giant, the army of the proletariat, will be roused, preparing for the future prospects and possibilities as never before.

We must strike with all our fury in building Revolutionary May Day, pull out all the stops that have held our class back. Contact the Revolutionary Worker in your local area right now to answer this call, to be part of the Revolutionary May Day Brigade and/or to be part of these efforts in your localities, including donating and raising funds to get these brigades on the road soon.