Excerpt from NYC’s Why I Joined PLP Speech

What does capitalism mean?
You gotta fight back!
All of us, every single one of us has gone through the indoctrination machine, the behemoth which attempts to crush you from all sides, the machine which tries to dehumanize you and destroys any semblance of hope in our unity. The monster that makes it seem that going down capitalism lane is the only way forward, even though we’re carrying the entire world on our backs, seeing ourselves dying every step of the way. I knew that things were bad but I was told to put my faith in the system which causes this destruction, that I’d just have to wait as either a politician, or the market, or a charity, or god fixed everything that was wrong with our world!
I was told to put my faith in capitalism as I saw my family break their backs to support us.
I was told to put my faith in capitalism as I lived one paycheck away from homelessness every week.
I was told to put my faith in capitalism as I saw my mother work harder and harder, yet have less self-worth every day.
I remember asking my mother why she thought we were poor. She told me that it’s because she wasn’t smart enough, that she didn’t work hard enough. And our entire life she had been bearing the burden of our poverty completely on her shoulders, blaming herself every step of the way.
I told her that it wasn’t her fault — that the system wasn’t set up for us to be happy. It was set up for us and those like us to be slaves and the few to be the slavemasters. And she understood, because she isn’t stupid even though capitalism tells her she is every day. And we aren’t stupid. We can see how capitalism is destroying us and we know it needs to be taken down and yet still, I was told to put my faith in capitalism.
Long had I realized the very thing which I’ve been told would solve all problems in our world was in fact the root of the issue and — I was done waiting for capitalism to solve all our problems. I was done watching as capitalism destroyed humanity. I was done seeing my life become more and more commodified, objectified, and meaningless under this system of oppression. And for a long time, I just didn’t know what I should do to fight back.
But a year ago I was met with this beautiful idea, one that was quite compelling, that had me slapping my forehead saying, “Why wasn’t I able to articulate this before?”
The people I met, who helped me learn about it, spoke with such fervor it was hard to ignore. For the first time since the years my mother would tell me, “Hijo, you could become anything you want, anything that’ll make you happy,” I was filled with hope a rare and wondrous emotion which capitalism makes much too uncommon.
And one year ago today, I did become something that made me happy. I became a communist, and joined the struggle with my working-class brothers and sisters. I dedicated my life to the pursuit of a world which actually makes sense and takes care of everyone and everything in it.
Since I joined I’ve grown as both an individual and as a part of the collective. I’ve made friends that I will have for life. And I know when s*** goes down, all of you will have my back as I will have yours. Because this isn’t some club of loosely connected people. This is the working class this is a communist party ready to take it all down. That’s why I joined the Progressive Labor Party.
Now, even if you’ve been in the Party for long time, I ask you to recommit to the working class. And if you haven’t joined yet, I ask you to think about it, because no one is going to fight this fight for us. If we don’t do it soon, they’ll be nothing to fight for. So join the Progressive Labor Party, and fight for communism!