Book launch shows hope for another and better world

“A Realistic Path to Peace: From Genocide to Global War … and How We Can Stop It,” 2024 Edition, by Dee Knight, Solidarity Publications, Bronx, New York. Contact [email protected]

New York City, May 9. Tonight, activists from the Bronx Anti-War Coalition helped launch the new edition of Dee Knight’s book, “A Realistic Path to Peace” with a seminar-like presentation breathing struggle in a midtown Manhattan office shared by the International Action Center and Workers World Party.

The office was an appropriate space for the book launch, as it is often used by labor and community organizations and recently by student encampments for meetings and work sessions.

Beyond announcing Knight’s volume, the young activists — representing the diverse population of the poorest of the city’s boroughs and one of the U.S.’s most impoverished counties — brought a blast of oxygen and hope that the movement that sprung up on hundreds of universities is bringing a much-needed turn toward anti-imperialist class struggle in the United States.

The discussion showed that sectors of the movement against genocide are connecting the dots that point toward Washington as the instigator of wars and a mass class-conscious movement as the route to stop those wars.

Dr. Anamaría Flores, who teaches at Hostos Community College and coordinated tonight’s presentation, outlined the agenda for the discussion. Knight, a veteran of labor, anti-war and anti-imperialist activity starting in the late 1960s, then laid out his reasons for writing the book and reading a selection. The four young activists  each discussed one key chapter of the seven total in the book, each showing how the chapter increased their understanding.

Gaza, Ukraine, China

Knight had revised his original text to account for the new urgency in Palestine and the recent explosion of political ferment among U.S. students and youth. It was obvious the genocidal war against Gaza had raised their anger at imperialism to a higher pitch.

“Realistic Path to Peace” explained how U.S. imperialism was waging an aggressive offensive not only in Gaza against an oppressed people, but also with the U.S./NATO- armed and -backed war in Ukraine aimed at Russia and the ongoing targeting of the People’s Republic of China.

Bronx Anti-War Coalition

All of the presenters were active in the Bronx Anti-War Coalition, which defines itself as a “Lënapehòkink (Bronx) based working-class, BIPOC-led, anti-imperialist, direct-action coalition fighting state violence while advancing decolonization.” (The Lënape Indigenous nation inhabited what is now the Northeastern part of the United States.)

People who follow the coalition know its members have organized militant street actions. These actions not only condemned Washington and its allies for the wars they instigated but have protested against local Bronx politicians like U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, who they believe, and with good reason, put the interests of the U.S. military machine and the Israeli state before the needs of their constituents. The Bronx activists are both politically bold and ready to take to the streets.

Anyone who watches the video will know they are as determined to understand the machinations of the imperialist U.S. state power as they are ready to confront it. Time spent with the video will deliver a stronger review than any written report could. (To skip directly to the video, click on tinyurl.com/bdt799mv)

Richie Merino spoke of Knight’s first chapter, “Palestine & the End of Modern Colonialism.” He was struck that Knight refused to condemn Hamas for its fight against national oppression and his recognition of the need to restore what existed before the Zionist entity and dismantle supremacist ideology.

Saher Al-Khamash discussed Chapter 2, “Ukraine Conflicts: U.S. Proxy War Against Russia.” Already aware of the vilification of “my people,” she was curious about what drove the U.S. vilification of Russia and Vladimir Putin. She was struck by this quote: “The U.S. military-industrial complex needs enemies like human lungs need oxygen. When there are no enemies, they must be invented.”

Brandy Gonzalez brought their Marxist knowledge to the discussion of Chapter 4, “China is not our Enemy,” and made it clear that when it comes to the danger of war, the United States is our enemy, that is, the enemy of the people of the world.

Marina Samuel discussed chapter 5, “What Makes the U.S. War Machine So Monstrous.” She condemned the U.S. for pouring billions of dollars into the NATO proxy war in Ukraine and the CIA for intervening in Syria, noting that ISIS is back in action, this time attacking the countries of the axis of resistance to Zionism. She noted a significant growth in an anti-capitalist movement since 2008.

The anti-globalization movement said, “Another world is possible,” said Samuel. “Now we can say, another world is here.”

The speakers may well add to readers, listeners and viewers. “It just needs you to devote yourself to fighting for that new world.”