A former childhood friend appeared at an online Trotskyist meeting. I wrote:

Hey, I just saw you on the youtube chat for this Trotskyist speech. How are you?

A short exchange ended in a planned phone conversation:

Me:

I can tell you the whole story if you’re interested. I’d also like to hear about you and how you’ve been.

Him:

Sure, I’d like that

Easier to get on a call, I’d think

After a long delay without a response, I wrote:

I was unfairly expelled from the party like a lot of other people. If you want to help me and feel empowered to do so, you can act like a secret agent to get into the party. Then let me in. If you want to learn more about what happened, you can check randomposter33.org in important documents. I have 5 books there. Reading the introductions alone would fill you in and only take an hour or two. The rest could be searched with ctrl-f or skimmed, especially the first and last.

O..i G..m:

Hi …, I’m sorry to say I can’t help you. I haven’t heard from you in nearly two decades, and you approach me under false identity and try to recruit me for political subterfuge.

I’m glad to hear you continue to sympathize with the International Committee. Despite your short tenure there, those who knew you continue to grieve for your loss. But your condition is disqualifying for revolutionary leadership. This plot and the fact you think you can trick your way into the party testify to that fact.

I wish you the best. I hope B… [your brother] and your parents are well. Take care of yourself.

My response:

It would be in the party’s best interests, that’s why it would not be wrong. Not a false a identity, a pen name. A common practice. It is they who lost when they lost members and lives. I knew to leave before the seriousness of their problems started affecting me. They want to disqualify people en masse as has happened in recent ways to the IMT, ISO, Spartacist League, MPP, RT, etc. Socialism is more popular but still not less dangerous. The government wants to silence reporting that influences the debate. You can see that from the Julian Assange case. Anyway, I will still be an influencer, one way or another. I know how to answer arguments against the revolution. That is why hope is still strong for the revolution and the revolutionary struggle.

I hope Nimrod is doing alright. He is lucky he did not get involved at HH.

I thought of visiting your parents when I was in F…, but I’m glad I decided against it.