"Victims Of Americanism"

Malcolm X:
"No, I'm not an American. I'm one of the 22 million black people who are the victims of Americanism. One of the 22 million black people who are the victims of democracy, nothing but disguised hypocrisy. So, I'm not standing here speaking to you as an American, or a patriot, or a flag-saluter, or a flag-waver-no, not I. I'm speaking as a victim of this American system. And I see America through the eyes of the victim. I don't see any American dream; I see an American nightmare."

Victims of this American system? Who can blame the many blacks who feel like this about the country they were born in? But let's also recognise the larger perspective, the millions of undocumented 'illegal' immigrants trying to hang on to a job to provide for their families, the millions of all colours who have to rely on food stamps because of awful pay, the millions of children living in poverty, the millions of unemployed workers, the other millions of under-employed or under-paid workers, the millions who've lost their homes because they can't make the payments, - the question becomes just how many people are left living in any real comfort and security in this land of the free?

Minority groups are picked out and demonised all around the world. It's an old ploy to keep the workers divided and focussed on the wrong issues, to prevent them coming together and get serious about implementing a solution to their problems. Whilst many would agree that 'America' is the epitome of what a country organised for capital accumulation at whatever cost to people and planet - and those costs are clear for all to see - 'America' and the 'American system' are not the focus for socialists. America is a prime example of what the global capitalist system is and how it works brilliantly well for a small minority and how it repeatedly fails the vast majority. This is the lesson to be learned and understood.

Our common problem is the global system of capitalism. This is our focus. We are all citizens of the world and together we can achieve the goal of a world which celebrates diversity - our world, a world in common.