I think you have it right, but also in Portland and Seattle (and other liberal strongholds) I think there is an opportunity right now where the Democrats are clearly just going to keep losing to trump/trump 2.0. Even if they deliver a reprieve every once in a while, anyone who is serious is having their “what is to be done?” moment (why wasn’t it in 2016 or any other time? Let’s not digress). I’m planning to tighten up a lot of my relationships in the next few weeks before MSM can figure out a way to get people placated again, although that might be really hard for them with Republicans stepping up.

It’s addressed in the last section of the linked post.

The Cascadia = white nationalism thing was mostly a figment the 70, very few people even know about it, and the imagery is used far far more by liberals in the present era. It is an important thing to be aware of, but it can be addressed down the line. For now, there is no movement, so you need to work with what you got. Rebranding is totally something that should be discussed down the line when there is a party (or other entity) to discuss it.

The thing is that in our region, it’s not very much work at all to radicalize people further to the left of what they are. We are in a place (in the major metro regions) where there is a really solid amount of people that need to give up on the US because it as anti-progressive in pretty much every way (as people here already know). Socialists and progressive liberals need to stop viewing themselves as “American” and start seeing the US government as an outside force that is holding us back, because that’s what it is.

Even with all that said, regardless of the “Cascadia” brand, the region has a long history of being infested with white nationalism. Cascadian socialists must be well educated on this, and it needs to be a pillar of the movement.

Comrades in the Pacific Northwest might be interested in my post from last week, opening discussion about a socialist movement originating in and focusing on Cascadia: https://hexbear.net/comment/5576727

There are flaws, but rhetorically it should be liberal-friendly. We live in the most politically progressive region of the US, but we are constrained by U.S. federal politics. Perhaps we should develop a Cascadian identity of our own that better represents us. Getting your politics from CNN or MSNBC will never ever take you there (as has been thoroughly proven for three elections, how much harder can our states support Democrats?bits not enough).

I can’t see any way out except third world maoism, and that’s a longshot

Socialist politics must necessarily adapt to the material conditions of where they are practiced. MTW was effective in pre-Revolutionary China, but we don’t just copy/paste what happened previously, even if it was effective.

Don’t take that as a direct denouncement of MTW, of course. It is important to study the successes and failures of our comrades of the past and learn from them. Understanding that most of the socialist successes have happened in largely agrarian countries certainly allows for some bleakness to residents of the imperial core. The wheels of history turn on, and the fight for a better future has barely even begun.

I think some of that was because my leftism was mostly online. I did what i could in person but had limited options.

It’s super important to take this all offline. Get is as offline as possible, even.

This can be very difficult for many who are truly stuck in some really bleak political territory. I’ve lived on the US west coast my whole life, so it 's unfortunately (for my message) not some thing I’m familiar with. I hope that anyone in your situation finds the means and motivation to move to somewhere they can at least have some tenuous organization, even if it’s with tha succ-dems (way better than nothing). I know many have moved to the US west coast from other parts of the country for the politics (I wish we could offer them better than bland liberalism, but I digress…). It’s not to be taken lightly, but especially if you are young, it should be a serious consideration. Every US west coast city has an active DSA, at minimum.

But to be honest what can I do other than mutual aid? Americans are too stupid to ever see past capitalism, there’s no local governance I can affect, and anything else is just adventurism.

Where are you at with education? That answer has a lot to do with what options you’ll have available (whatever it may be).

Since you asked, I’ll deliver more propaganda right here in your inbox! There’s plenty more to write up, but why don’t you throw in a question of your own to prompt me? If you don’t like my first draft of my response, we can workshop it a bit.

Nonetheless, a militant branch of the movement would find itself well situated, although the major threat comes from the occupying military bases located internally along Puget Sound.

As mentioned in the post we mustn’t play ourselves into senseless violence that achieves nothing (adventurism?). The democratic arm of the movement will need to take priority and propose peaceful solutions that achieve progress.

It’s a good spot for now cause regular posts decay after like 12-20 hours. Much easier to Ctrl+F the current megathread if someone wants to check in later in the week.

Also there are some times I end up cracking open a 5 day old mega and scroll the whole thing.

Your map might be upside down, comrade.

Cascadia General Subthread

Note: This is less ironic than it may initially sound. If you live in the region, read through before responding and it just might start to make sense.

For comrades who live in “Cascadia”, it is time to make use of the region’s political and material environment to advance the socialist cause. There is no socialist future for anyone living in this area until uprooting the influence of the US empire is made a priority. The majority urban population of our region seeks a progressive future, and would likely even support socialist development if they were presented with a strong alternative.

Cascadian socialists ought to perceive themselves as such, and organize with each other under a regional banner.

Why “Cascadia” and that dorky flag that they fly at the soccer games?

Because it exists and is known already. If the Cascadian socialist movement wants to lead a rebrand in the future, then they ought to get some power behind them so they can communicate it. In the absence of such, it’s more effective marketing to latch on to the one thing that people may know about, even if you feel like it is sort of cringe (or worse, see below).

Why is organizing under a regional banner so important?

Geography is material. Proximity is also material. We know as Marxists that both are important to shaping a political movement alongside all the other material conditions that factor in. When you are close to one another physically, your conditions are going to be in closer alignment. A movement that accounts for geography is going to better adapt to the local nature of the conditions. Call it “Socialism with Cascadian Characteristics”.

Current socialist options available to an urban Cascadian at present include the DSA, PSL, and Socialist Alternative. While our comrades working with them may do some good work advancing the cause, they are organized in their current form as “American” organizations (the largest, DSA, in particular) and are unable to take advantage of the opportunity of developing a Cascadian political identity.

We also have an opportunity in our region due to a couple of key factors:

• We are physically far away from the center of the United States’ capital territory (the NY/DC megalopolis). Our closest neighbor is California. While our comrades there are under different conditions that may not allow for the development of an independent “Californian socialism” (we encourage them to do so!), there is still a significant amount of separation even from them due to our mountainous and unpopulated border region.
• The region was settled later than many others in the world, with the Lewis and Clark expedition only opening the door to white settlement after the year 1800. This is one reason the roots here are shallow and can be pulled out (then replaced).
• The region has historically been an afterthought of the US and Canadian federal goverments, being so far from population centers, and a result of “manifest destiny” drive rather than an intent to develop it economically. Modern technology has lowered this boundary substantially, but it used to be uncommon to see anywhere (besides Seattle on occasion) mentioned in national headlines until around the late 1990s.
• Many liberals from the rest of the United States have emigrated to Cascadia to seek a more progressive society. We should lament that we were unable to present them with a true alternative, and all they have been offered is an opportunity to vote Democrat without being shamed for it and little more.

I will conclude this section by pointing out that American Indian activist movements have found great power from their small numbers by drawing on their relationship to the land (yeah I read theory). Even if they have been contained to reservations and unfair treaties over time, they have the advantage of being bound by and to their land. It also goes to say that Cascadian Socialism will engage with and include our First Nations/American Indian tribes and intend to develop a close alliance with them.

OK so there may be some reasons to merge the “Cascadia” thing with socialism, but it almost sounds like you’re taking the “balkanize the US” Hexbear memes a bit too far…

We are taking them to just the right distance. USian socialists, especially here on Hexbear, recognize that the United States must be weakened substantially in order for socialism to thrive internationally. The same is surely true within its own borders. Cascadian socialists recognize that the path to progress is paved by turning away from the United States politically.

There are many young communists who develop revolutionary tendencies and demand that a militant revolution get underway at the earliest convenience. Typically, as they become better informed on the history of socialist movements, they recognize that revolutionary movements do not happen spontaneously, and rely on decades of groundwork. Likewise, many Cascadian socialists may initially view themselves as part of a secessionist movement. Secession is one tactic, but it is not core to the movement in the foreseeable future. It is likely a question that will be decided by generations ahead, as centering secession as a goal of the movement will lead to an immediate termination of it as the United States will view it is a direct threat to its sovereign integrity. “Cascadian secession” is its own topic within Cascadian socialist thought, and can be addressed in a future thread.

So you want to add tension to Cascadia’s relationship with the USian (and Canadian?) federal government(s), go our own independent, socialist direction, but we aren’t going to secede?

Yep, you’re getting it! Of course, there’s much more discussion to be had within the party about how that would be executed.

What is to be done?

The author of this post is comfortable with this online community. Let’s start with a chat this week in the general mega. Some topics:

• What are the characteristics of a Cascadian socialist culture, and/or a Cascadia dominated by it?
• What are the main political and economic issues at hand in Cascadia and its different regions?
• How can we develop propaganda that would target existing socialists? progressive (but misguided) liberals? the public at large?

If Cascadian Hexbears can’t come together on this concept, what future is there for the greater movement?

The next best move is to take this offline with /clean/ separation from Hexbear’s shitposting. There is a scheme in the works to bridge that gap in a way that’s secure. That can come in the future though.

Last thing, I’ve heard the talk (/done the research) about the history of white nationalism in Cascadia, and the fact that your doug fir flag has been flown in its name. That’s a bit dodgy isn’t it?

Yep, it’s critical for Cascadians to be aware of the history of white nationalism in the region. Go ahead and read about the “Northwest Territorial Imperative” here to get an intro and make sure we are on the same page. This makes it all the more important to supplant the liberalism that will at best, give a white nationalism movement room to grow.

In reality, the common perception of the Doug Flag and “Cascadia” have a lot more to do with “bioregionalism” than with white nationalism. You sort of need to be a nerd to understand that, but socialists are often huge nerds so we want to be cautious.

It’s another discussion point for the future, and could include something like a rebrand like mentioned above.