John Young has an article about the nature and tactics of the Communist Workers Party on the front page of the N&R opinion section this morning. It is so far unposted, which is a shame, because it is an important document in the search for truth and reconciliation around the events of November 3, 1979.

Young, a member of the group that organized the Truth and Reconciliation process, will be criticized for blaming the victims, but that's not what he's doing. A complete history of the Klan-Nazi killings in Greensboro has to be just that, complete. And that includes an accurate picture of the CWP.

From his article, which is documented with references to original sources:

"Many have allowed the immense pain of the survivors to keep them from scrutinizing the role of the CWP... The Klan, police malfeasance, seedy informants and the climate of racism are fertile ground and great theater for packaging this sinister story. Most in the progressive community have accepted some parts of the CWP’s narrative because we know that similar events have happened.

But the record also shows many other important facts that cannot be ignored:

• The CWP were not peaceful labor organizers but Maoist extremists seeking militant and violent conflict on Nov. 3rd...
• The primary goal of the CWP was to recruit membership for the Party, not to create effective textile unions...
• [CWP founder] Jerry Tung directed CWP members in North Carolina to sponsor militant, aggressive, anti-Klan events...
• ...The Klan/Nazis have been accused of targeting specific demonstrators, but Klan gunfire struck 15 of the 20 demonstrators.

Nothing justifies the killing, or exculpates the police for any failure to keep the peace, or negates larger questions of economic and racial justice. But any report with credibility is going to have to address the full cast of characters in this sad and violent story, and that includes the CWP.

Let's hope the N&R posts this article soon.

Comments

[Danny Wright]

Ed, THIS is what I've been after the entire time -- something that speaks to the accountability of the CWP. In all of those earlier posts, I've never attempted to justify or exculpate the actions of the KKK, but so many of the people associated with the truth and reconciliation project have spoken very softly or not at all about the truth concerning the CWP.

It's about time.

"Communists" would never try to get people together to form unions. Unions would ameliorate conditions to the extent that revolution would not happen. Or, to quote Lenin, "The unconscious growth of the labor movement takes the form of trade unionism, and trade unionism signifies the mental enslavement of the workers to the bourgeoisie."

No, if the CWP was TRULY "communist", it was after something else entirely in 1979. It's just that things did not turn out as planned . . .

[Michael Grossman]

We don't typically post Ideas content to the Web, but since we have an indepth section on the shootings we've added this story there. Direct link is http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060402/NEWSREC010202/60403007

Michael Grossman
Director of New Media Content
News & Record

[Ed Cone]

Thanks, I'll post it.

[Cara Michele]

John mentions "Codename: GREENKIL." This book is a must-read for anyone trying to understand November 3rd. Of all the texts I've read in reference to Nov. 3rd, Elizabeth Wheaton's book was the most thorough and balanced account.