Screed 7: SLA AND SUPPORT UNITS
Screed 5 follows closely upon Screed 4. Both are "military-political"; both deal with "tactical support" of the SLA by outside revolutionists; both take their tone from a single intelligent and sagacious organizing mind.
Persons experienced in activist activity will sigh in sympathy with the central paragraph of the document, where the writer effectively proposes that those who organize should organize "in support of something", and should eventually "do something" as well. The document reflects experience with tin-horn groups of the jail-lawyer and Telegraph Avenue types, where talk tends to lead to nothing except more talk.
The first and final paragraphs, where "egotistic opportunists and lovers of the group and organization" are indicted, reflect current enmity to the "star-trip" or "ego-trip" leadership of earlier organizations such as the Weather People and the Black Panthers.
TACTICAL SUPPORT UNITS
Each cell of The S L A TACTICAL SUPPORT UNITS is composed of elements of other organizations and groups and Individuals Under the strdtegy of The S L A it is totally impossi ble to follow the egotistic aspirations of many leaders of political organizations, since they continue to organize new organizations everytime one falls apart, when they fail to understand that the people always organize to fight the enemy; and when leaders fail to start the fight, then the people fall from that organization.
To continue in this manner is totally reactionary, egotistic, Opportunist and anti-revolutionary, since to do so only allows for the continued grouping and regrouping of the same revolutionary people for the fight that never comes and with the only purpose of Organizing.
This is totally anti-revolutionary for within the true purpose of revolution there is [sic] only TWO DEEP PURPOSES: TO DESTROY THE ENEMY AND FREE THE PEOPLE. This in itself means the need for an army of the people that fights the enemy.
In order to organize, one must organize in support of somethrng, one does not organize in support of having or belonging to or Just to organize, but rather one must have a purpose to organize around, and since in revolution it is the purpose to organize to fight the enemy and to support those that fight on the front lines, It is then clear that the people organize to fight and destroy theenemy. They do not organize to fight the enemy and then when it comes time to fight, claim that to fight the enemy will endanger the organization for this would show them to be lovers of positions and the organization and not true revolutionaries that love the people and children.
Since you as members of the people have organized to fight the enemy, for the reason that you are and do love the people, then it is clear to you where your true responsibility is, and that is to join and support those who are in the front lines fighting the enemy of us all, regardless of what color, group or organization they belong to, for the people are just this, they are not an organization or color or group, they are the oppressed, exploitated [sic] and the murdered, they are those we love and for whom we, if needed, are willing to die for, they are our children.
Therefore what is needed now is for you as lovers of the people to select in what area you are able and willing to fight in or give support to, either in the combat units or support units of The S.L.A., the choice is yours alone: to be and show yourselves as lovers of the people and our children and true to your word revolutionaries, or as egotistic opportunists and lovers of the group and organization and enemies of the people.
