by Raymond Lotta

These are some initial reflections on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the imperialist world economy and the people of the world. These reflections are offered to contribute towards understanding this unprecedented situation and the potential for radical upheaval. Further reflections will be coming.

“The Fight Against Fascism and the Revolutionary Struggle—
In the Streets and in the Courts”

Editors’ Note: Following are edited excerpts of commentary by Andy Zee on Episode 16 of the RNL Show—Revolution, Nothing Less!, a weekly show on the @therevcoms YouTube channel. The July 4th weekend was marked by continuing protests against police murder and the oppression of Black people, and in which people righteously took up burning the U.S. flag, including in manifestations led by the Revolution Club (see  revcom.us coverage here). But there was another ugly side, of what Zee terms “the fascist-in-chief Donald Trump on the stolen sovereign native land at Mt. Rushmore or, as it should be rightly known, Paha Sapa,” referring to the name used by the native people.

by Bob Avakian

The title of this article will likely come as a surprise to many—not least Roger Federer himself, since he is clearly not an advocate of the kind of revolution I am talking about, a revolution to bring about socialism and ultimately communism throughout the world, in place of the current capitalist-imperialist system that now dominates the world. Federer himself is not merely a tennis player with world-class—and, as I will speak to, unrivaled—abilities; he is also a multi-millionaire, on the verge of becoming a billionaire, as a result of business deals and investments that his tennis achievements have made possible. (At the same time, Federer has devoted significant resources, and personal efforts, to charity benefitting children in southern Africa in particular, and he is widely respected and admired for being, at the risk of sounding corny, “a genuinely nice guy” on a personal level. Federer, from the small country of Switzerland, is one of the most recognized, and popular, athletes in the world, not only among tennis fans but more generally, and that is not just because of his accomplishments on the court, or simply because of successful “marketing of his brand,” but also because of what people perceive in his personality.)

The beautiful uprising against institutionalized racism, police brutality and murder that was sparked by the police murder of George Floyd, is powerfully challenging the “established order” and entrenched “tradition” in wave after wave of protest and rebellion of various kinds. In response, those who are determined to maintain, fortify and carry to even more hideous extremes the white supremacy that has been built into this system from the beginning of this country are at one and the same time going so far as to deny the existence of this white supremacy while vigorously upholding it, and seizing on, and blowing entirely out of proportion, secondary negative tendencies within the outpouring against it.

by Bob Avakian

Recently there has been an uproar at Liberty University, in Lynchburg (!) Virginia, over the fact that its president, Jerry Falwell Jr., who (like many other Christian fundamentalists) had been refusing to wear a mask, then posted a picture of himself wearing a mask with a “blackface” image. This was actually a photo of Ralph Northam (Democratic governor of Virginia) in “blackface” during his college days, and Falwell’s apparent purpose was to use this to ridicule Northam (and, by extension, Democrats, “liberals,” and other enemies of Christian fascists like Falwell). Falwell was apparently “tone deaf” (as the saying goes) to the fact that this “blackface” image would be highly offensive to Black people (and others opposed to racism), and he at first tried to “stonewall” the criticism that arose (and “stonewall” is a very appropriate word here, as it is associated with the Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson). Even when Falwell finally seemed to backtrack and issue an “apology,” it was at least as much a continuation of his attack on Northam as it was any self-criticism. All this has led to an outcry, and some resignations, even from the highly “conservative” students and alumni of this Christian fundamentalist university, which has become a major institution, with tens of thousands of students.

by Bob Avakian

One of the significant trends associated with the upsurge sparked by the sickening murder of George Floyd has been the targeting of statues and monuments honoring a number of historical figures and events. This began with the attempts (some successful, some not) to tear down (or have removed) statues and monuments to soldiers and political leaders of the Confederacy—which is entirely justified and righteous! Clearly, removing these Confederate statues and monuments is not only justified and righteous, but long overdue! As I have written previously, the “tirades” from Trump (and others) against tearing down these statues and monuments to white supremacy is “one of the clearest demonstrations of the poisonous presence of ongoing white supremacy, from the White House to the white people (and a few Black lackeys) who are defending these statues as part of the ‘great history and heritage of this country!’” And it must also be said:

“As BA has posed: Radical Change Is Coming: Will It Be Emancipating, or Enslaving—Revolutionary, or Reactionary?”

On youtube.com/therevcoms

Bob Avakian (BA) is the most important political thinker and leader in the world today.