Unity is a beautiful idea. A society of peace and justice can only be achieved if the people are united, if the oppressed and exploited are united. All those who play a constructive role and advance the struggle are to be welcomed.
But the European-American who attended Tuesday night’s meeting at Highbridge called for unity with the politicians, claiming we need (are dependent) on them. Such unity doesn’t advance the struggle. For politicians are buffers. They shield our enemies. They divert us from effective struggle. They encourage a sense of dependence on them when what we need is a realization of the PEOPLE’S power.
The notion of unity for unity’s sake pursues an arithmetic logic. That is, that 2 is more, hence better, than 1, that 100 is more, hence better, than 20. What is needed is not arithmetic but political logic, which means understanding that sometimes less is more, understanding that one should not hold hands with someone who is pulling us in the wrong direction.
