First of May

Today is May the first, an historic day with emotional content - for those who know that is. The day has been thoroughly appropriated by state socialists, to the point where it only gives rise to dull disgust and half assed protests on my behalf.

This day was never their day, but like all other symbolic aspects related to socialism the statists abused it, and took it over. Even to the point where their governments, totalitarian and democratic alike, elevate the first of May to a national holiday. What? This international day of anti-authoritarian protest has become a symbol of nationalism, celebrated with national flags? Indeed.

In may 1886 several striking workers had gathered in haymarket square in Chicago, to protest against appalling conditions imposed on them by the capitalists. It was a part of a proposed general strike, that gathered perhaps as many as 500,000 supporters in cities all over the United States. 40,000 of these were on strike in Chicago. Naturally the capitalists and their mercenaries feared for their money and system - as well as their lives. They were met with strike breaking, pinkerton men and armed police. As a small group of strikers attacked a group of strike breakers police fired indiscriminately at the crowd. (Sounds familiar?) Six strikers were killed.

They day after, workers met at Haymarket Sq., some of them armed. Police came and started "dispersing" the crowd. That is attacking people. A bomb was thrown at the police, and they opened fire again, and kept shooting for five minutes. Police reports in the Chicago Tribune even state they fired so wildly around them that several police officers were wounded by friendly fire. There are reports that some strikers fired back, but it has been establised that most police were injured by their own. As for the bomb, to this date noone knows who threw the bomb, and there is even speculation that a pinkerton man was responsible. Hardly likely, but I wouldn't be shocked. That kind of stuff still happens. I believe a worker threw the bomb, with ample reason, considering the incident from the day before. Even though I do not support or condone such violence I would be hard pressed to condemn it, given the situation.

The results were clear: more than fifty dead workers as well as several injured on both sides. After the entire affair eight anarchists were trialled, and four were executed. One killed himself in jail.

That is why we commemorate may day. Not because of Marx, not because of Gramsci, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Gro Harlem Brundtland or Tony Blair. Not for communism, social democracy or democratic socialism, but because of anarchism. Real socialism is about freedom and protest against authorities, not lying, cheating and oppression in the holy names of Marx and Engels. Granted, the day was inaugurated by the Second International, but the people they chose to commemorate were anarchists. Communists have never been above using whatever means they have at their disposal to further their own cause. The victims of their anti-anarchist terror under Trotski's Red Army, or in the spanish civil war can testify that they didn't stop at symbols either.