Freedom Road Socialist Organization

Freedom Road Socialist Organization
Founded	1985
Newspaper	Fight Back! News
Political orientation	Marxism–Leninism (claimed) Anti-imperialism (claimed) Mao Zedong Thought (claimed) Proletarian feminism (claimed)
Website
https://frso.org/

The Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) is an organization in the United States that claims to be Marxist–Leninist consisting of revolutionaries across the country. The organization seeks to build a united front against monopoly capitalism and a new communist party. It held its 9th congress in the spring of 2022 and released a written program shortly after.

History

Foundation

The FRSO was founded in 1985 when the older Proletarian Unity League and the Revolutionary Workers Headquarters merged to form a new organization. More groups from the New Communist Movement joined as the 80s and 90s went on, these included the Organization for Revolutionary Unity, Amilcar-Robeson Collective, and the Socialist Organizing Network. The FRSO held its first congress in 1994.

Second Congress

At its second congress in 1997, the FRSO adopted its strategy for revolution, emphasizing a strategic alliance between the multinational working class the oppressed nations of the Black Belt, Aztlan and Hawaii.

Split

A group of social democrats calling themselves "Left Refoundationists" split from the party in 1999. Despite struggles within the organization and in the whole new communist movement, the FRSO continues to grow and make progress. In a 1999 statement, the organization said they will strive to keep a "commitment to building a revolutionary movement in this country." The FRSO adopted a statement of unity at its third congress in 2001.

FBI repression

In 2010, the FBI launched a campaign against more than a dozens of anti-war activists, including members of FRSO. Many of these activists were simultaneously raided, supposedly to find evidence of providing material aid to terrorists. This was largely in relation of their solidarity work with activists in Columbia and Palestine. In the end the mass resistance to these subpoenas, including the refusal to cooperate with the Chicago based grand jury, was able to successfully keep the anti-war 23 out of prison.

Program

The FRSO's current program was adopted at its 9th congress held in 2022.

The program starts by outlining its own history, giving a history of class struggle within the United States, describing monopoly capitalism as the enemy and socialist revolution as the solution, ending with some immediate demands.

Immediate demands of labor

This section of the program demands fair and respectable conditions and wages for the working class and the unemployed.

The FRSO demands an survivable and enjoyable life from one job. Unions must be expanded and any and all anti-labor legislation like the Taft-Hartley Act must be removed. Improved conditions for the working class such as affordable housing, free education, free healthcare & childcare, parental leave, etc. are also demanded.

The FRSO demands an end to discrimination against oppressed nationalities during the hiring practice and on the job, as well as a strong implementation of affirmative action and an end to document checks.

The FRSO demands an end to discrimination against women in the workforce, in hiring practices, promotions. It also demands an end to sexual harassment in the workplace.

The FRSO demands immediate income or a job for all unemployed workers.

Immediate demands of U.S. colonies, indigenous peoples, and oppressed nationalities

This section of the program recognizes the struggles of colonized, indigenous, and oppressed peoples.

U.S. island colonies

The FRSO demands immediate independence for the U.S. colonies of Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa as well as the neocolonies of the Marshall Islands and Palau. It demands removal of U.S. military bases from these areas and a nuclear-free zone in the Pacific. The United States should continue to provide economic aid and social security and allow unrestricted immigration.

Indigenous peoples

The FRSO supports full sovereignty and national development for American indigenous peoples: the Alaskan Natives, the Native Americans, and the Native Hawaiians. It advocates abolishing the Bureau of Indian Affairs, protecting indigenous cultures and languages, and upholding past treaties.

Other oppressed nations

The FRSO demands self-determination and full equality for the African diaspora, Chicanos, and Native Hawaiians, including the right to secession.

The FRSO also demands the empowerment of the working masses of the oppressed nations and nationalities.

Activities

On 10 November 2022, FRSO supported black students at a school accusing a fellow student of being a Nazi due to a costume he wore. The man in question wore a German Democratic Republic military uniform (which bears a resemblance to a Wehrmacht uniform), goose stepped, and performed a military salute during a costume show held at the school. Although goose stepping is not unique to Nazi Germany (as many armies, including the East German National People's Army also performed the goose step in some cases), and although the student did not perform a Nazi salute, it seemed that he played on the controversy as he described himself as "a German soldier from the 1940s", and the NVA was not founded until 1956. Additionally, the NVA uniform has sometimes been worn by fascists (such as Heath Hitler), and many of these uniforms are sold as Wehrmacht uniform.

Criticisms

Endorsement of Democrat politician

On April 6, 2023, FRSO endorsed Brandon Johnson for mayor of Chicago, a Democrat who conflated anti-Zionism with antisemitism and supported Israel while denouncing Palestine. FRSO argued for Johnson on the basis that he ran on a platform to keep police accountable, whereas his Republican opponent, Paul Vallas, was in support of a stronger police union in Chicago.