I mean terrorism is motivated by politics more than it is by hatred, of course.
So how do we as leftists apply the lessons of 9/11?
Next time some accelerationist tells you to shoot cops or something, or tries to convince you about “propaganda of the deed,” remember that terrorism is ALWAYS about PR, and as of now, the capitalist state has a better PR apparatus than you do.
Is there any possible universe where our parents WOULDN’T have been terrified by 9/11 straight into the arms of endless war? Can you imagine those grieving citizens thinking “Hold on, lemme ask Al-Quaeda why they did it”? Please.
Sure, Osama bin Laden had a better understanding of the brutality of American foreign policy than pretty much any average American. That’s nothing special. Ask any person in the Middle East about American foreign policy and you’ll see justifiable rage. But the man was utter dogshit about his theory of change. I mean seriously, it was “maybe they’ll withdraw from the Middle East if we blow up some buildings”. For fuck’s sake, that’s like a parody.
You know what stopped the Americans in Vietnam? The training and support of the population, not a few adventurist leftists with a truck bomb or an airplane.
The difference between us and reactionaries is that our theory is class-based, not individualistic. I’ve seen way too much accelerationist rhetoric on left forums, and it pisses me off. It’s going to get people killed and will only embolden the right wing press. Only the working class can defeat the ruling class, not you, your buddies, and a few Kalashnikovs.
But regardless of whether you agree with me or not, we can all agree on death to America, of course.
I mean if you think getting yourself killed because you tried to blow up a police station with tannerite and an AR is a good idea, you do you. I’m saying the working class needs to organize to be effective. That might be actual Marxism.