USA- Kansas City Maoists were an embarrassment to the MLM cause

By Steve Otto

Last Sunday I attended a Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) meeting, in Wichita, Kansas. I usually don’t post articles about such meetings here at this blog because most of our readers have no interest in DSA. Some of our readers dislike DSA very much. So such news doesn’t make it to these pages.

However last week I was unhappy to learn that a DSA related organization, that sets up pen pals for people in prison, was disrupted by a local group of Maoists. This incident took place in Kansas City, Missouri. The DSA people, who were present, invited the Maoists, who were wearing ski masks, to take the microphone and address the crowd. They refused. Instead they physically attacked the people in attendance. They grabbed DSA pamphlets and threw them all over the floor. They disrupted the meeting in general. They physically beat up a World War II veteran who was invited to the meeting. He had to have stitches (actually staples) on his head.

I don’t object to militant actions. I don’t object to confronting people of different factions and political ideals. But these actions looked mindless and juvenile. No attempt was made to influence anyone’s ideas or beliefs. There was no discussion or explanations as to what or why this action took place. As a Maoist I was unable to explain to any of the DSA members as to why such actions were taken by this group. There is at least one Maoist organization that I am aware of in Kansas City. There may be more than that. I don’t know if these Maoists were from that organization. As far as I know the Maoists left no pamphlets of their own. Without any propaganda or promotions of the group’s goals, this was just mindless stupidity. I’m fairly opened minded about Maoist groups and I usually don’t criticize other organization's tactics, but this group is an embarrassment to Maoist all over.

These Maoists need some serious self criticism. They are not helping the Maoist cause.