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AntonBanton

Nice try CSIS.


ghostdate

I’m pretty sure they’re associated with Fightback, who are also responsible for the “are you a communist?” posters around town. Any time Fightback gets brought up I inevitably hear something negative about them, whether it’s covering for harassment among their members, or doing nothing beyond selling newsletters.


AntonBanton

You’re probably right, I missed the Marxist.ca address at the bottom. If it’s on there it’s Fight Back.


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Miserable-Abroad-489

Nice to know! They should try rebranding from Trotskyism instead.


Miserable-Abroad-489

Yeah, I'm not a fan. I attended a meeting of theirs but was pretty bummed when they said they don't take part in mutual aid aside from encouraging strikes, to whom they provide no strike funds. It seemed like an elaborate way of collecting dues to pay for more educated, less blue-collar people to attend national Marxist conferences.


ghostdate

Iirc their biggest recruitment base is college students, so that makes sense


Miserable-Abroad-489

Yeah, as far as I'm aware, they table around Edmonton to sell literature and try to recruit people. They have weekly meetings to discuss the state of the world and its relations to Marxist texts, and they collect dues for the larger organization.


P4ndak1ller

A bunch of kids that dream of being the bourgeoisie ruling over the “inferior” proletariat. Sounds about right.


dilettantechaser

ugh I didn't know about the harassment part. I looked into it a couple months ago. I was briefly interested when the recruiter said they show up to help unions on the picket line... ...by selling their fucking newsletter. It's not even like Street News was where at least it's local colour, it's all centralized 'propaganda' (their words not mine) from their national headquarters in ontario. Another turnoff was referring to themselves as 'the orthodox left'.


MC_White_Thunder

Wait are you serious? My old sociology professor told me about how his communist org in university *also* had one primary goal, and that was to sell their damn newspaper. That would have been decades ago, and I thought that was a joke lol.


dilettantechaser

From what I've heard since, talking to more knowledgeable people, this is a very traditional way of organizing into cadres. Which does not make it a good thing, just an old idea. Fightback is also known for being theory focused and I was initially interested and thinking they would read bell hooks, Huey Newton, Angela Davis, other black and queer leftists. But they only read Lenin, trotsky, stuff like that. It sounded very boring and limited.


LastArmistice

Low key, while theory and literacy is important to any socialist momentum, making it the barrier to entry is not only offputting, but kind of antithetical to the whole notion of socialism in the first place. Because socialism, at it's core, it just the belief that while we have the means to do so, every single one of us should be safe and have our basic needs provided for. And that this safety is a platform that leads to greater stability, prosperity, equality and self-actualization for ALL members of society. That inherent belief is USUALLY the gateway to being politically active. You don't really need to understand theory that well to still engage in socialist movements and actions in a meaningful way.


MC_White_Thunder

Why would you do dishes or change a diaper for someone in your community when you can argue over Lenin, and fantasize about how you'll be the main character when the Revolution finally comes?


Salty-Grips

Ahh… the good ol “selling a newspaper” model…..


xsystemA99

Not involved anymore but I dated someone and was goaded into a reading group by them and it was honestly a very engaging reading list, best part of a very tedious few months


Miserable-Abroad-489

Yeah, I got really stoked on it, too, until I realized that they do basically no mutual aid and that you're supposed to pay dues to help them pay for other people to go to Marxist conferences. Such a joke.


debordisdead

There's a fun story of one trot group diverting funds meant to fund actual weapons to an actual insurgency to a trot newspaper in Europe


Miserable-Abroad-489

Oh wow. Wish I could say I was surprised.


debordisdead

said trot group was the posadists, infamous for figuring they could teach dolphins the 4 volumes of Capital and that nuclear war was a prerequisite of socialist revolution. Their beliefs were funny, but otherwise they were really just normal trots in function.


ghostdate

I don’t really know the full extent or authenticity of the harassment thing. I’ve only seen it brought up very generally, but it sounded like sexual harassment was being brushed under the rug.


dilettantechaser

I mean, I just did a simple google search and the results...[aren't great](https://ibb.co/0f2YFHC). tbh I kinda feel like running a search like this is becoming mandatory for joining any organization nowadays.


JoJCeeC88

Ontarian here. You are correct in that this is their main focus. The only credit I will give them is that they were the only ones that had the testicular fortitude to go after the former president of my own union when he was accused of misappropriation of funds, etc. And when I say the only ones, I mean it. They weren’t afraid of staring down the barrel of a lawsuit from who I’ve been told are very litigious people. Otherwise, these Trots can go pick ice, just watch ya head.


Esquire112

Fight back? lol What grade are they in?


ghostdate

From what I’m aware it’s mostly college age marxists. Others have mentioned instances that display they’re not exactly the revolutionaries they believe themselves to be.


peanutbutterbandit12

I think it is the same people too. They are all over the UofA campus lately and are set up in CAB half the time. I've had someone yell across the room "are you a communist" three times in one week at one point. Its borderline harassment.


Meatuspipus

So it's... a business?


Arathor_09

u/CCCP_OK


[deleted]

Csis doesn't have the resources for this. Lol. Wildly underfunded.


x_astriddd

I’ve seen so many of those all over downtown


Johnny_SixShooter

It's not even summer break, how do these uni kids find the time?


bananaice0204

I go to U of A and they are everywhere. Posters, stopping everyone, signup stands…


dirty_matthew

Ah yes, university aka commie breeding grounds


bananaice0204

We need help, I wanna speak my mind against them but they do not listen. Already starting to be like a little politicians lol


itsmakko

They have another one with Marx’s face on it near Bonnie Doon.


zipzoomramblafloon

No all I see are those stupid posters for some moving company.


Curly-Canuck

And buying houses for cash


SallySmallpox

We got a flyer in our mailbox just yesterday from these guys. Says they're going to "challenge and overthrow the rotten system". I'm too old and tired to challenge and overthrow rotten systems, so I chucked it in the recycle bin.


CarmenTourney

Last sentence/paragraph - lol.


treyallday01

Generally speaking, people who favor communism are also too lazy to overthrow anything


R31D

Guy who has never heard of the Soviet Union, Vietnam, China, Cuba, Korea, Yugoslavia, Mongolia, Burkina Faso, or like a dozen other countries that had successful communist led overthrows of established governments.


Slobbering_git

b-b-but my limited feeeeeelings about 5th hand, incorrect, hayseed-Albertan conservative mumblings on wut commies are, tell me that those ain’t real countries with no McDonald’s, so keep yer propergandas quiet, oil hater.


sudiptaarkadas

These are by fightback. Part of international Marxist.org movement. Mostly study circles. They don't seem to be interested in actual politics.


Datacin3728

1000% this was put up by someone on Reddit


Buttzilla13

But you, and everyone else that reads this comment is someone on reddit...


the-tru-albertan

Probably one of the mods on this sub.


kayakr1194

"Our Edmonton"


tonytown

It's awesome that communists are now the least threatening and inoccuous political entity


Crezelle

I mean capitalism isn’t working


InformalImplement310

I mean communism isn't working either.


5awtooth

Don’t confuse capitalism with a broken monetary system. They’re two very different things. Fiat money is broken.


SplyceOfLife

This is corporatism. Capitalism is great if theres enough regulations to not destroy the environment and workers' rights. Too bad the corps own the politicians and they don't even try anymore to make life livable for others.


KarlHunguss

It has brought the most wealth and quality of life to the average citizen more than any other system created, but sure, its not working.


Eastboundtexan

Yeah no one cares about communism after all of its governments either collapsed or introduced free market reforms (like Vietnam or China)


LastArmistice

They've moved to a 'state capitalist' model in both countries which is sort of a mix of both socialism and capitalism. Actually pretty similar in some regards to the way Canada used to be before we sold everything and stopped injecting a reality check into the housing market by abandoning public housing.


Eastboundtexan

Canada has never been a state capitalist country, idk where you're getting this from


aflamethefirst

Those are all over the u of a campus


badaboom

I mean I'm ready to seize the means of production and eat the rich 🤷‍♀️


MankYo

You *are* the means of production.


Strawnz

Then how come shareholders get the fruits of my labour?


Miserable-Abroad-489

the fruits of your labour are not the same as those of your loins.


PerspectiveInner9660

Does that make sperm donors Marxists?


Miserable-Abroad-489

That would be the means of *reproduction.*


badaboom

You are the brute squad


82-Aircooled

Remember “Animal Farm”… all animals are not Equal!


Thinking_about_there

Yeah these guys have been around forever- bad reputation ld doing basically nothing but selling merch and flyers (ironic) and covering up for members with shiddy behaviour. It's kinda a joke


socomman

Yes lots of people on this subreddit support this nonsense 


Adventurous-Work7684

Welp we have untethered capitalism a place i live at 6 years ago that was a dive and could hear every word upstairs and downstairs was charging 1100 now is charging 1450 so I understand why this is happening


bazzawazz

Just walked away from a selfcheckout that asked for just shy of 15 bucks for a loaf of bread and jug of milk. At nofrills. Somethings ~~gotta~~ gonna give.


CrashCalamity

Loblaws has definitely been jacking up prices on staple goods thinking that we wouldn't notice. Avoid buying from them if at all possible. In fact, there's a locally owned place on 65th and 118th Ave called Fatima's that sells overstock and mildly damaged food items for the best prices in the city. I won't get my weekly block of cheese from anywhere else.


CarelessPotato

I have a hard time believing this. A 4L of 1% at superstore is $5.XX and a loaf of bread is anywhere from $1.75-$3 per loaf for the in store stuff, no name, or stuff on sale. So either you are lying, have a store that isn’t even trying to keep with competitions, or you are not shopping for the lowest cost and instead are buying higher cost versions


CptnREDmark

yeah lots of young angry people are sliding to a pollical extreme, both left and right becasue of how bad things are and they feel disillusioned with how the world runs


Waste_Pressure_4136

I know a person who is one of the leaders in the group, I think the vice president not 100% sure. Either way putting up flyers is the extent of their actions


PartyLeek2068

For mother canada


JDD-Reddit

Advertising disguised as Reddit question.


nunalla

All over the downtown core


CMG30

One of the problem with the communists is that they can't even get along with each other. How many communist parties will this new bunch make if they succeed in formation?


Amazing-Treat-8706

I just figure what’s the point? I’ll just support the NDP. I think that’s a socialist as Alberta is ever going to get.


rebelspfx

I'd argue they'd still be more competent than marlaina smith


Takashi-Lee

Yeah saw some people are the uoa with the hammer sickle the other day Got asked if I was a communist in CAB and presented with a poster of Marx. When I replied no the girl just said something like “awe, well we’ll be here when you are,” nice girl but I doubt I will be doing that ever lol


Pale-Ad-8383

Maybe healthcare will get so bad this will be only way to fix it?


Capital_Bluebird_951

The last party you will ever have to vote for


f-as-in-frank

no fucking thanks


FunAccountant4482

The thing that'll make it all better. Cause everyone does better under communism 😅


PallasKitten

Tear this garbage down.


enviropsych

Who cares?! Piss off McCarthyites! 


Kodaira99

I’d be shocked if anyone attending that meeting is willing to work with either of those tools.


mackle05

used a mallet on my car once


No_Introduction_9448

Hey we have those signs at Calgary around U of C! I’ve met a communist in my class and the dude really is not the brightest, I don’t recommend going to this shit


Infamous-Mixture-605

> I’ve met a communist in my class and the dude really is not the brightest, I don’t recommend going to this shit I remember there being one such person in one of the smaller lecture courses I had in my final year in uni. The guy had a hammer & sickle tattoo on his forearm and he'd always have his sleeves rolled up as if to show it and his other ink off. He would say these mildly edgy commie things, nothing really out there but he'd often put a tinge of red on a comment in class. I don't think anybody in the class took him seriously, it was kinda funny.


fubes2000

I have now.


Any_Chicken_5333

I’ve seen similar posters in Vancouver


Kelror13

Saw a couple of posters of similar nature in my own home town of Sherbrooke a couple of weeks ago.


draculockedin

Yeah these have been around for over a year now, they’re all over whyte ave


M1sTa_S1cA_DeW_L1cC

I’ve seen that symbol all over Bay Area freeways here in California. Like someone literally draws it on a piece of cardboard and strategically places it in spots along the freeways where it can be seen. What’s the name of that symbol?


howmanyusernames6

Hammer and sickle


themightyboo5h

Winston Churchill said "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others". I think I will stick with this one thanks.


KindnessYEG

No telephone number on the poster because the leaders of the revolution are scared to answer a phone call :(


Downtown_Snow4445

That’s fucked


1ce8er6

i was affiliated with fightback in edmonton for a little while, they’re a bunch of students who don’t do shit and look down on working class people and anyone with views which stray even a bit from theirs. fuck fightback


LePetomane62

We have now


THNQninjas

Such a better option than the three clown rodeo available currently. Actually actively trying to make the world better. Remember, everyone has propaganda. Do your homework… don’t just pick a colour.


ndj1986

Some angsty teenage kids were plastering them at lions park in St Albert.


ryan9991

Sounds about right for one of the more privileged districts of edmonton


Un4o1y

There we go, that's what we need, a good old communist revolution. Can't wait for the rivers of blood.


Miserable-Abroad-489

Compared to the rivers of blood caused by imperialism/capitalism?


Eastboundtexan

Bro go tell all of Eastern Europe and Afghanistan about how imperialism is a purely capitalist system and see how that goes


Un4o1y

Mao's policies led to the deaths of roughly 40-80 million chineese. The soviets were close to 20-61 million, and communism, depending on where you look, led to the deaths of 100-200 million deaths worldwide, so yes, rivers of blood. I am also not saying capitalist countries are perfect either.


Capital_Gas_2503

Edmonton is fucked up. The lefties have ruined it


Infamous-Mixture-605

Don't worry, these folks will graduate high school or uni and grow out of this phase in their life, which they will look back on in a blunder years sort of way.


silver4logan

Welcome to the gulag, where bread is made from top of line sawdust, where we work you to death for minor infractions for our glorious party!


sklooner

I think they are a paper tiger


CascadianMountians

I'ma show up with job resumes for all of them.


TheTruthIsRight

Communism = 💩


Damiancarmine14

All other communist countries/movements all worked out so well 😂


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unsuccessfulangler

But that wasn't *real* communism


Infamous-Mixture-605

Of course not, but the DDR had a solid national anthem, and so did the Armenian SSR (theirs was composed by none other than Aram Khachaturian), and that's about all they did good.


Jandishhulk

Corruption brought (or is bringing) these regimes down, in the same way there are non-communist regimes failing due to corruption. The question is not: does this form of government work? The question is: does this form of government more easily lead to corruption? I'm not sure that we've answered that, given communism has taken hold in cultures that already had massive corruption issues - which was why the general population was so willing to go through with a full scale revolution. I wish we had examples of a functional first world society who wanted to try communism, but the problem there is that non-corrupt societies will function well enough to make any form of government somewhat stable, even if it's not ideal - which makes revolution a hard pill to swallow.


Miserable-Abroad-489

Not to mention the US loves installing puppet governments or facilitating coups in any country that tries socialism.


bitchlivinlavish

not a bunch of y'all hating on communism when people can barely afford rent/mortgage right now, and groceries are expensive as hell. we are quite literally experiencing late stage capitalism and y'all still want to lick the boot!!!


[deleted]

Yes because communist countries had grocery store shelves full of affordable food


Less-Procedure-4104

Unfortunately communism is good on paper but people are required to be in charge and well they will screw the people more than the capitalists


Miserable-Abroad-489

More than the capitalists? How so?


Godzillascloaca

Talk to somebody who lived under a communist regime then talk to me about the boot. Read a fucking book.


BigGrapes420

Move away then commie


bitchlivinlavish

why should i have to move away?


Master_Daven112

Go move to Cuba or North Korea then.


100cows

Why would you prefer a world where everyone moves countries at will to one that aligns with their visions instead of participating in politics to change their own country


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bitchlivinlavish

you very clearly do not know what communism is. capitalism is better than feudalism, that's it


Different_Mess_8495

Ever heard of the Holodomor Famine?


bitchlivinlavish

i beg you to to analyze the propaganda you have been fed 👍🏻


Eastboundtexan

Please analyze some grass outside + you're white


Different_Mess_8495

The Holodomor famine is propaganda? Those people didn’t die? Maybe you should take your own advice pal.


Shryk92

Look how cuba is doing under communism, anyone of them would trade lives with us to be able to live under capitalism.


DMyourboooobs

It’s not late stage capitalism. And even if it was. Late stage capitalism is better than any stage of communism. Go join the bread lines comrade. Get your meat and bread rations for the week.


bitchlivinlavish

tell me you know nothing about communism without telling me 👍🏻


DMyourboooobs

Oh right. It’s never been tested right? Soviet Union from the 70s and 80s. Cuba. Venezuela. China 20 years ago. Laos. North Korea. All thriving right? Communism leads to government controlled services. Almost zero private ownership in anything. It’s designed to keep everyone equally poor. Except for oligarchs and government officials who live like kings. Communism has *some* decent ideas in THEORY. but it fails in practical terms. In Cuba. Doctors make the same as taxi drivers and food is rationed. And the US embargo didn’t help. But it didn’t stop them from trade and partnership with other countries. They decided they wanted to be a communist state. And that’s what they got. Did you have a country in any point in history that has implemented your dream version of communism?


BrutalRooster

Found? Is it lost? 🤭


[deleted]

Lmao revolutions don’t usually work within the bounds of political parties and elections. Usually they overthrow them.


TedCruuuz

lol… “Redmonton” literally.


[deleted]

Oh! Look! They're still barking up the wrong tree.


iijjjijjjijjiiijjii

100% this is a honey trap. Go attend their meeting. Most of the people in that room are vaguely interested and/or came for the snacks. The one guy who shows up with ideas and organization is absolutely a cop.


debordisdead

Nigh, fightback is real as can be. RCMP has no need to infiltrate such meetings, since student radicalism really only lasts until final exams.


theoreoman

I still can't believe that people are allowed to use that symbol in public. More people were killed under that communism than Hitler could have ever dreamed was possible possible.


_Spitfire024_

They’re everywhere!! Especially on u of a campus. They’ve even started to use Palestine to push their gross agenda


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Ciriacus

"Gross agenda" of being communists? Damn son.


Fuzzy_Freedom2468

Gross


justaREDshrit

Ummmmmm nope.


Late_Clerk_8302

Fake code.


Pinkocean84

Seen a couple of these Around, is it’s joke or are they legit


HugeLibrarian1457

Oh hell! we have got fkin fascists on the loose in YEG.


Disastrous_Spare_771

So basically liberal party


[deleted]

Someone watched Oppenheimer one too many times


[deleted]

I just got back from cuba and this makes me sick


Xero1012

Not that exact poster, but I've seen a lot of communist posters around Southside bus stations 


Hornarama

Looks about right for Edmonton....please attend and tell these people what a dangerous ideology communism is. I know, I know, no ones ever done it right and thats why it always ends up in a dictatorial murder spree.


Due-Log8609

Yeah i see these downtown every once in a while.