If anyone can provide advice on rural organizing efforts I think that would be helpful for many people ! - ThreadSky

nerdjpg.com • 29 days ago

If anyone can provide advice on rural organizing efforts I think that would be helpful for many people !

Town of like 18,000 people ☹️ it’s scary I feel like there’s not a single other communist in this place. surely there have to be others

Comments

metavulture.com•29 days ago

Beer, pretzels, and the truth that "The rich folk aren't helping you"

birdcommunism.bsky.social•29 days ago

Seriously. 18,000 is considered a large city where I live. The industry I work in is notoriously hard to unionize. My main form of leftist community is just me propagandizing my friends and coworkers.

Luckily I've gotten good at talking politics with vaguely right-wing, sorta apolitical folks

thatguybsky.bsky.social•29 days ago

Engineer i bet. Yea im just glad when classmates arnt overtly bigoted

wannabeshax.bsky.social•28 days ago

We’ve organized an ICE watch. Protested. Lots of angry folks about to lose their hospitals, clinics, SNAP etc.

happymemeco.bsky.social•29 days ago

Local city council meetings are a good place to start, rural or not. The population selection simply by being there means they're dedicated to your locality and at least somewhat versed in politics. You're more likely than you think to meet like minded folk or at least people you can work with.

happymemeco.bsky.social•29 days ago

Likely there are groups there you can join already and if not, it only takes two, some poster board, and markers to form a group. You're more likely to change things locally anyways simply by showing up to these meetings. And you're more likely to notice these changes in the place you live.

dalivelyghost.bsky.social•29 days ago

Might be able to start a union. You'd be surprised at who would support one.

Big thing that helped me organize was just making friends with people and easing them into concepts about how their relationship to their labor should be.

aprilciate.bsky.social•29 days ago

I just ran an event with this guy https://www.netrootsnation.org/profile/matt-hildreth/, chair of rural organising, and ex advisor to Kamala. He now warns what happens when you refuse to listen to the grassroots. Is not a fan of Dems currently and is a very good and knowledgeable person.

theeveningprimrose.bsky.social•29 days ago

https://youtu.be/V8nLk--EGjw?si=bNFYBflP1_fmM_CQ

karlmollusk.bsky.social•29 days ago

Love this guy

mommunism.bsky.social•29 days ago

In Kentucky- Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, Hood to the Holler, All Access Eastern Kentucky, Letcher Governance Project (that’s stopping a prison right now), there’s also some worker collectives, and there are various socialist organizers but I’m too out of the loop to know who’s doing what there

mommunism.bsky.social•29 days ago

First two are more liberalish but as any good progressive non profit is- full of lefties- All Access Eastern Kentucky is providing contraception- there’s more that’s who I thought of off the top of my head though

mommunism.bsky.social•29 days ago

And DSA I think has made some in roads statewide which may not be everyone’s cup of tea nationally- but I’ve had generally good experiences with the Louisville chapter

mommunism.bsky.social•29 days ago

Oh yeah and Kentucky Health Justice Network- I always think of them as more of a Louisville thing but they are statewide

mommunism.bsky.social•29 days ago

I’ve got limited rural organizing cred here seeing as I’m a Louisvillian- but my experience organizing in a red state is you meet the people where they’re at- and focus on specific issues where there is common ground

mommunism.bsky.social•29 days ago

The teachers in Kentucky have been particularly fantastic about organizing

karlmollusk.bsky.social•29 days ago

Thanks! I’m in western Kentucky so I’ll need to see if any of those have arms out here. The orgs around here are very few and far between

mommunism.bsky.social•29 days ago

Lot of that is in the East! Let me think about the West- I know Bowling Green has some stuff

karlmollusk.bsky.social•29 days ago

Yeah, bowling green does which is nice. I’m about 2 hours from there so I’ve driven out a few times. I’m in the campus workers union but that is made up of lots of students and faculty- not exactly the rural demographic of the town I’m in lol

mommunism.bsky.social•29 days ago

Which county?

karlmollusk.bsky.social•29 days ago

Calloway! 😁

8bitblunder.bsky.social•29 days ago

They don't have an account on BlueSky but a comrade here in Georgia has started a mutual aid co-op he wants to use to incubate worker-owned local businesses called the Fayette-Spalding Cooperative.
https://fayette-spalding.coop/

thewitches.bsky.social•29 days ago

gwen: rural places are still full of working class people who you can organise. there will likely be many people in your local area who *also* feel constrained by the "small town" vibes. find a way to reach them and give leftist answers to their problems & concerns.

karlmollusk.bsky.social•29 days ago

You are gods most perfect person

deviljobob.bsky.social•29 days ago

Ok so my thing has been planting public access fruit trees and basically you don't pitch it as communism but rather appeal to "well, the US constitution says we have a right to LIFE, liberty, pursuit of happiness--and people need food to live" or quote the bible at em.

deviljobob.bsky.social•29 days ago

Pitch your ideas as charity work or something that they've heard before. Look for common goals and foster community

deviljobob.bsky.social•29 days ago

📌

nerdjpg.com•29 days ago

Serious !

nerdjpg.com•29 days ago

It feels like reaching out to orgs in your nearest city or town about potential ways to collaborate or get support seems like a good starting point. Also maybe local book clubs?

highcountryrose.bsky.social•29 days ago

Might not work for everyone but a part time job as a waiter or barista basically plugs you straight into the subculture in some towns

archnemesisg.bsky.social•29 days ago

A lot of really small towns don't have a coffee shop, and the few restaurants are family operated.
But the cashier at the dollar general might do.

archnemesisg.bsky.social•29 days ago

The vast majority of the tiny "town" of 1400 people nearby spent over a year publicly deriding everyone who suggested opening a public library. They revelled in their typo rampant Facebook posts. They gleefully declared that they would rather be illiterate than educated.
No bookclub could ever exist

curiouslyclever.bsky.social•29 days ago

I doubt I'll ever find a book club in my area that would want to read and discuss works by Angela Davis or Sylvia Federici...

westvirginia.bsky.social•29 days ago

stickers at trailheads, gun ranges, in bathrooms of local eateries, libraries, social services, ATV parks, rafting companies, hunting outfitters, local parks, fishing/outdoor shops.

geocaching is popular - why not leave some trinkets?

as for organizing, it’s… a work in progress.

karlmollusk.bsky.social•29 days ago

Great ideas, thanks!

korakosrising.bsky.social•29 days ago

sampling of like n=2 but I've had moderate success with "if you go far enough left you get your guns back. It's just that instead of having them to shoot some kid in a hoodie, you use them to shoot your boss"

blahpers.bsky.social•29 days ago

I love this.

Plus you'll have plenty of buds to help you hide the body, and that kid in the hoodie will carry you on your next raid and show you were all the hidden collectibles are

wrenarid.bsky.social•29 days ago

Maybe this is less true of other parts of the country but at least where I am, the orgs in a city generally include people from all over the country/area. If there are other communists in your small town you're most likely to meet them at org meetings in the nearest city

wrenarid.bsky.social•29 days ago

The second "country" was meant to be county OTL

frenchetchings.bsky.social•29 days ago

to be completely serious you can't, communism will never come to rural america dressed in red, you would have to create a new party calling it's self the farmers party or somthing. believing all the same things but without any of the iconography and a focus on hatred of central authority.

rationalfailure.bsky.social•29 days ago

So cowardy lie about our real demands and appease to the agricultural petty bourgeois? What's that has to do with "dictatorship of the proletariat"?

frenchetchings.bsky.social•29 days ago

no, you just can't say your communist because you might as well be speaking of the devil to the people. it doesn't really matter what you call it as long as policies get pushed to help the common man especially field laborer who cares. you have to adapt to what location and time you find yourself in

rationalfailure.bsky.social•29 days ago

That is honestly insulting to the intelligence of people. If we don't call ourselves 'communist', the capitalist media sure as hell will. If you want to gain support, educate them on what we are and how we can help them, not lie a about it.

archnemesisg.bsky.social•29 days ago

I've lived in a rural area for almost a decade, and these people would actually choose to kill off brain cells than try to educate themselves. They have vetoed every improvement to the local school. It's almost the worst in the state of Texas. (There are a FRIKKEN lot of schools in Texas)

frenchetchings.bsky.social•29 days ago

I think we're having a misunderstanding. What I am trying to say is to adapt to the location you are trying to prosthelytize to and not lie to them. You got to meet people halfway. also, people in rural areas aren't amenable to centralization and would much more in favor of decentralized power

westvirginia.bsky.social•29 days ago

be serious

frenchetchings.bsky.social•29 days ago

I am I entirely responding with good faith and giving advice based on experience

westvirginia.bsky.social•29 days ago

okay, fair. my b. you kinda have a point. example: the polling between obamacare vs the ACA.

i personally think it’s better a better long term strategy to be honest about moving to a new economic system tho.

frenchetchings.bsky.social•29 days ago

I am not saying lie to them I am just saying adapting the message for the ears the that are going to hear it and not worry about calling yourself a communist as that just an aesthetic and what really maters is that the work gets done

lsdjelly.bsky.social•29 days ago

Talk to the lonely old guys who hang out at the gas station. Buy em dollar beers at the American Legion. Volunteer for the foodbank. Dont be afraid to talk politics, you're neighbors, you want the best for your community.

wisco-disco.bsky.social•29 days ago

The movie Harlan Co USA

mclovecraft.bsky.social•29 days ago

I work with feral cat colonies and some of the maddest people I know right now are little 80y.o. women living out in the countryside who have nothing but time and spite on their hands. If you are looking for warm bodies, look at your local animal rescue organizations. These folks have decades of

mclovecraft.bsky.social•29 days ago

experience with literally herding cats, and many of them have been active in mutual aid and other community organizing efforts as well. Nearly every day I have pissed-off octogenarians coming to me, looking for ways to be useful. If you have a project that just needs footsoldiers, they are waiting.

shenanigans.bsky.social•29 days ago

Yeah, it's hard as hell in rural areas. The town I live in has 3,000 residents total and is hours away from any more densely populated area

bishopwhitewind.bsky.social•29 days ago

I am literally in the middle of nowhere. It is crazy times.

thatguybsky.bsky.social•29 days ago

In my experience just find the other gayest people at your job and they will probably be close enough

montimer.bsky.social•29 days ago

One approach might be to look for non-political groups whose aims are similar. A good example here would be Quakers. Their philosophies are broadly in line with inclusion and acceptance, and they're probably already active in the community in some way

ozymandias23.bsky.social•29 days ago

Maybe not so much rural, but still seems like a good idea.
https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanalter.bsky.social/post/3ljqwx3k32c2w

dissenterbedamned.bsky.social•29 days ago

I don't feel like it's safe to organize in the rural u.s. unless you do it in a dark basement with concealed identities or something.

nerdjpg.com•29 days ago

Many of people have demonstrated otherwise in this thread. And cities are more violently surveilled. You have to make do with what you got

dissenterbedamned.bsky.social•29 days ago

The feds are more likely to know you're in Chicago and arrest you, but your neighbors are more likely to shoot you for being "anti-christian" (feeding homeless people) in Alabama. Each presents unique challenges.

codyharrison.bsky.social•29 days ago

On this especial point re:surveillance I was to agree with Ahhhhh

brindlecat.bsky.social•29 days ago

Speaking from experience, one of the best ways to get started is to connect with your county's Democratic Party. Odds are good your county will have one and it will be meeting at least semi-regularly. Even if your county is small & very rural, there will be one.

brindlecat.bsky.social•29 days ago

This is worth trying even if you hate the Democrats. It's an easy way to find people in your area who are left-of-center or further left.

You'll meet a lot of great people this way. And it's a good start for further organizing.

hawkbox.bsky.social•29 days ago

It’s tough. I grew up rural and I’m pretty seriously leftie and my mom is on board but it’s hard to branch out cause I’m not cool with humouring hateful bigots just because I know them. My mom doesn’t want to alienate herself and I understand that but I personally don’t care.

zeroisanumber.bsky.social•29 days ago

Yeah, go through churches and organizations like the Elks or youth sports. Foot troops are going to be found in local theater and the arts. Organized camping, fishing, hikes, softball games, and picnics should be your bread and butter.

zeroisanumber.bsky.social•29 days ago

Commies like our guns, but if you're in an area where folks REALLY like their guns then organizing a regular range meet-up or even shooting competition is a good move.

zeroisanumber.bsky.social•29 days ago

Left-wing organizing has a goal, but your immediate goal is to build a strong community. What you should be showing in your organizing is that politics, revolution, and community are intertwined.

comradeinternet.bsky.social•29 days ago

If one's area does not have a Food Not Bombs chapter, set one up. If people are facilitating a free community meal once a week every week, that will get noticed and appreciated.

comradeinternet.bsky.social•29 days ago

What I point out to folks is that even if they have a full fridge and pantry at home, they can't get "new" time to replace lost time.

comradeinternet.bsky.social•29 days ago

If there's a crew of volunteers turning donated ingredients into free meals, that's at least one round of kitchen work one can write off, freeing up a few hours for things that need time and attention.

mizshellytee.bsky.social•29 days ago

📌

coughinlord.bsky.social•29 days ago

I put out a call ro organize on facebook, were having our first Book Club meeting this weekend.

Town of about 4k people

nerdjpg.com•29 days ago

You’re amazing

graphitediaries.ca•29 days ago

📌

starshipsolidarity.bsky.social•29 days ago

i haven't had a chance to look at this yet but it may be useful, it just came out in january of this year

starshipsolidarity.bsky.social•29 days ago

this is also a classic, obviously more geared toward labor organizing but a lot of very basic organizing 101 stuff

synrasa.bsky.social•29 days ago

Be normal, don't cite Mao, and focus on their needs and relationships. Where does their money go?

Mao wrote a great piece here, and you can compare and contrast material conditions to gain inspiration.

https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-1/mswv1_2.htm

Parkroseperma also does this and you can follow her.

greenspe.bsky.social•29 days ago

George Goehl + Jenn Carrillo's Fundamentals of Community Organizing (podcast, pamphlet, newsletter, some online trainings etc).

retroition.bsky.social•29 days ago

I started a group here in Helena (MT) that has grown to 50+ people, all incredible.

I did it by posting on the local subreddit inviting people to join @goreckis.co and me at a brewery after a rally. We expected half a dozen, 30 showed up. We're building a solid mutual aid/social support network!

johnbrownii.bsky.social•28 days ago

Im in a rural area myself. I hate to be ThatGuy but really you just have to start. A book club, giving away free clothes, volunteering, an exercise group. Just start something that will help, attract, agitate, educate, and organize people. My party started as a reading group now we’re 20+

karlmollusk.bsky.social•28 days ago

How do you recommend getting over the initial hatred from other rural people? Is this something you deal with too? Im already pretty awkward and when I can tell someone’s first reaction to me is disgust it certainly doesn’t help

johnbrownii.bsky.social•28 days ago

Im honestly still scared of people like that. But I always have at least one comrade with me so I just stiffen up and grit through it. If you’re less comfortable with confrontation there’s a spot for you supporting people who are comfortable with it for sure

karlmollusk.bsky.social•27 days ago

Glad to know you’re still scared of it too lol. That sounds silly but it’s nice to know

wespelletier.bsky.social•29 days ago

brakelight clinics are great inroads and starter projects, and give people a good in for casually talking about people's relationship to cops and capital. Also, organizing around like school boards is a good way to get people in and focused
https://mutualaid.dsausa.org/projects/brake-light-clinics/

karlmollusk.bsky.social•29 days ago

Thank you!!

wespelletier.bsky.social•29 days ago

getting started is for sure the hardest part, but there are 100% people who want to get involved around you. If there are bars or spots that seem chill, try putting up a poster to talk like mutual aid or smthng w/ a meeting time and a protonmail will eventually pay off

spookymovietime.bsky.social•29 days ago

Chill bars are great but also do local coffee shop bulletin boards; peep Parsons' book "Dangerous Grounds" about coffee shop organizing during the Vietnam War. Local chapters of Food Not Bombs and War Resisters League have put up flyers at coffee joints and chill bars near me with some success

wespelletier.bsky.social•29 days ago

also, it gets a mid rap but dsa is for real a great place to at least feel like part of a greater whole, even if there isn't a local presence. can't say it won't be a mess or frustrating, but its something. Also nothing wrong with joining lib groups like indivisible to try and get a lay of the land

spookymovietime.bsky.social•29 days ago

love the idea of street-level organizing and mutual aid but DSA and Indivisible are too Dem party adjacent IMHO. Democrats blew the election cycle on purpose and Dem establishment needs to be told to kick rocks; organizing needs to be done without them. Including the newer members like AOC

wespelletier.bsky.social•29 days ago

the dem adjacency of dsa varies hugely chapter to chapter and even year to year, and nationally there’s nowhere close to a consensus. also most people’s connection to politics is purely electoral, and using that as a way to bring them into the movement pays dividends as long as it’s not the endgame

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