Issued: n.d. [July 1980].
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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I must begin with a self-criticism which addresses why this outline did not get out to the region sooner. Numerous errors are involved:
–not giving the subject sufficient priority among my tasks (racist);
–failure to overcome my sense of inadequacy to write any speech for the communist movement (stems in part from my own internalized sexism and individualism in not seeking help.)
–However, what most importantly and essentially was holding me back was my own white chauvinism, which I actively maintained. I knew that in this process of identifying the errors of the OC with regard to the Resolution, my own racism would be revealed and that I would have to actively take up the struggle against it.
A. I was maintaining a conspiracy among white comrades which protects our superior situation and which keeps national minorities down; relegates them to second class status in our movement and encourages them to believe the myths perpetrated by capitalist society as to their actual and potential abilities. Specifically, that they are not capable of making theoretical contributions; that they should be ghettoized to practical tasks and questions of racism and nationalism. It’s bourgeois thinking in our midst which divides the communist and working class movements, and denies our party building movement of many of its most advanced leaders.
B. We white comrades would like to think that first we’re not a part of such a conspiracy. Or, perhaps we do recognize that we are subject to white chauvinist thinking, however, we stop short of being self-critical. Some have taken it a little deepen and are self-critical, but mostly see our actions and attitudes as “objectively” racist. Maybe we see ourselves as defensive and self-protective. But in fact, this seemingly passive position is aggressive.
A. Prior to the Second OCIC Conference:
1. OC leadership and base not recognizing the importance of the NMMLC and not supporting the process.
2. Base of the OC primarily not recognizing that it was the racism in the OC and our tendency in general that made an all-minority formation on party building a necessity.
3. Paternalistic view of some OC forces toward the Conference as a way to “recruit” advanced minority comrades into the OC.
4. NSC errors in failing to give an overview and guidance to the PC based on our relationship to the NMMLC; failure to give the NMMLC Resolution the preparation and orientation it deserved prior to the OC Conference.
5. In 1 locale OC forces sought to override PC’s leadership choices.
B. At the Second OCIC National Conference:
1. Phil C’s proposal on the observer rule; ghettoizes the tasks of national minority comrades; downplays their all-sided theoretical tasks and abilities. Further, he was using skin color rather than political line (and unity with the OC process) as criteria for participation. He also implied that unless the observers were allowed to speak we would not get the truth about the NMMLC, putting the honesty of the PC in question.
2. As subsequent events show, many white comrades at the OC Conference did not hear TS’s presentation on the NMMLC, which together with the following discussion and information from PC members preceding the vote gave more than sufficient basis for supporting the Resolution. (Review of the points made.)
3. One comrade was liberal and paternalistic and made “glorifying” generalizations about the NMMLC without speaking concretely to what he thought those advances were.
4. Especially given #2, many white comrades voted for the Resolution out of a racist liberalism. This was later borne out in the exchange of documents and in regional and local meetings since the OC Conference.
C. Since the OCIC Conference: Following the nearly unanimous vote in favor of the Resolution, many forces throughout the OCIC put forward charges of race-baiting, and called into question the major points of the Resolution. (Review of the main points of exchanges involving Phil, TMLC, BAWOC minority, and more recently in the AS & KD “Self-criticism for Racist Errors..., the Minority Position Speech Outline for this agenda topic and the Minority Position Outline for the speech on federationism. Review of the WR Dec. meeting; failure of DF and myself to put the Resolution on the April WR meeting agenda.)
A. The Resolution itself: doubts still exist in some OC member’s minds. We’re going to vote again on the Resolution with the purpose of polling the region’s consolidation around it. (Review of the Resolution’s main points & correctness.)
B. OC actively taking up the content of the NMMLC and building on its advances.
C. OC actively taking up the necessary theoretical work around the question of white chauvinism.
D. White comrades in the OC taking up an aggressive and on-going practice of identifying and eliminating the white chauvinist ideas and actions among us. We must break the racist conspiracy that divides the OCIC, our movement and the working class, and commit ourselves to a thorough-going process of criticism and self-criticism. Unless we can achieve equality in the OCIC and our tendency, we can be certain that we will not be able to build a multi-national working class party capable of leading a socialist revolution. The struggle against white chauvinism is central.