May Day

[chlamor]

WHERE HAVE ALL THE RED FLAGS GONE?

May 1, 2008



Long time passing….. May Day has become nothing more than the 1st of May in many countries, Israel included. It was once the day the workers of the world took to the streets and demanded their rights…
Has that been achieved? Has the Working Class finally gotten its fair share? Somehow, I think not…. yet the red flags are not as visible as they once were.
Where did May Day start? Americans were under the assumption that it was a Soviet holiday…. it is as American as apple pie itself, born in Chicago in 1886.
More importantly, where has May Day gone? Where have all the red flags gone?

Below is a slightly updated version of a post I did in honour of May Day last year.



Today, May 1st is the 122nd anniversary of the first May Day. A Holiday born in the United States of America, but officially celebrated in most countries EXCEPT the United States.

A Holiday born out of the struggles of the American Working Class… a day set aside for workers to demonstrate and put forth their demands to the government.

A day where the most progressive of the Union’s leadership would address the mass rallies of the workers. Pictured here is Henry Foner, addressing a May Day Rally in New York’s Union Square in 1952.



A Day that the government saw fit to ignore and to establish a different day for the Workers… a day in September called Labor Day. But, nothing can take away from the glorious history of May Day. It will continue to be celebrated throughout the world, including the U.S.of A.

It will be recognised by all who work for their wages… by all who want peace and justice in our world. In every nation by every race. No one can stop that.

So on that special day, remember those that struggled and gave their lives to make this a better place for all of us. In their memory continue that struggle till victory is won

http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2008/0 ... lags-gone/




Henry Foner, Labor Legend
From: John Pietaro

An Arts-Activism Report from the Cultural Workers
Consort...

Friends,

We on the Labor-Left have had an awareness of the Foner
family for many years. Activists, historians,
organizers, union officials, coalition builders,
teachers, artists, makers of merriment and tireless
fighters for the working class. Philip, Moe, Henry and a
bit later, Eric--and beyond.

In recent years, Moe Foner was posthumously honored at
NYC's Town Hall for his work on behalf of all unionists,
but particularly his efforts to build and lead 1199's
Bread and Roses Cultural Project. This writer was proud
to have been a part of that program. But what better way
to honor someone than to celebrate their life while they
are able to be a part of the evening? Yes, last night
(3/23/04), New York University's Tamiment Library/Robert
Wagner Labor Archive hosted HENRY FONER'S 85th BIRTHDAY
CELEBRATION. And, happily, no one seemed to enjoy the
moment more than the honoree.

The program was put together by, among others,
Tamiment's Rachel Bernstein (co-writer of "Ordinary
People, Extraordinary Lives"). The host was retired NYS
Legislator and NY Supreme Court Justice Frank Barbaro.
Being a Brooklyn native, I've long known of Mr Barbaro's
name and reputation as "one of the people", but it was
really wonderful to see him preside over a gathering one
could only call downright radical. And he never missed a
beat ("I would say 'God bless Henry', but it would
probably be more appropriate to say 'Marx bless'," he
said, accompanied by a roar of laughter). The audience
included so many long-time Labor and otherwise
activists. Hard to name them all, but i was happy to see
Nora Guthrie, daughter of Woody and head of the Woody
Guthrie Archive there, as well as Harold Leventhal,
manager of so many of our folk music legends and Esther
Cohen, director of Bread and Roses.

After an address by the Archive's director, Michael
Nash, Jackie Steiner, topical singer (and writer of "The
MTA Song", by the way) offered a song parody in honor of
Henry. Pete Seeger, long a heroic figure in Left circles
(and so many other circles from Sesame Street to
Pennsylvania Avenue!) came on next. Though Pete had told
the event's organizers that he would not be singing--
only speaking--he brought along both his banjo and
guitar anyhow. Wonderfully, he led the crowd in a gentle
but profound "Turn, Turn, Turn", his composition from
the early 1960s. This deeply progressive crowd was so
obviously anti-war and so far removed from the notions
of the Bush administration. Pete never had to say
another word; his song spoke volumes to us all, as it
did several wars back.

Other speakers included Anne Foner (Moe's wife), Keri
Amanda Myers (an archivist, friend and one of the
event's organizers), Sonia Bernhardt Bloom (lifelong
friend of the honoree), Laura Foner (Henry's niece, who
also sang a loving song parody with other family
members, Eric Foner (Henry's nephew and the well-known
professor and historian), Henry's daughter Rachel and
grandson , assorted old friends including one of teh
veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Battalion and Paul
Robeson Jr. The latter read spoke from the heart about
Henry, the director of the Paul Robeson Society, and
read him an original poem. Also on hand was a delegation
from a British firefighrts union and Ed Ott, of the NYC
Central Labor Counsel spoke and offered a beautiful
statement as well as a Proclamation from the CLC. He
made it clear that, through it all, Henry was and is one
of the good guys.

This writer was quite honored to be among the musicial
performers, particularly Pete whom I'd performed with
only once several years before. I humorously told the
crowd that as a player of the 5-string banjo, it was
quite precarious to have Pete sit in the front row
singing along to my performance of "Solidarity Forever".
On behalf of Henry, I dedicated my favorite verse of
that anthem to the current White House inhabitant--"Is
there ought we have in common with the greedy
parasite/who would lash us into serfdom and crush us
with his might?/Is there anything left for us/But to
organize and fight!/The union makes us strong". Ted
Casselman, Tamiment librarian, joined me as we performed
several verses he wrote with Henry in mind. These
included both Yiddish and Latin! I suppose that Henry's
reputation as a joker brought on so much song parody.

All in all, this was a perfect evening. Henry appeared
so moved, so touched by the honor the crowd brought to
him. For one of the good guys--we were all so pleased to
be there.

Happy Birthday, Henry!

In Solidarity,
John Pietaro
http://lists.acomp.usf.edu/pipermail/fl ... 00520.html

[professorpan]

Thanks for calling attention to the holiday, chlamor. It's heartening to see the West Coast antiwar strike today -- gives one a bit of hope.

[seemslikeadream]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb_vuB5CJm8



Commercial Photograph. "The Five Chicago Anarchists. November 11th, 1887. Retail price, 25 cts.
Special Collections & Preservation Division, Chicago Public Library

The only original photographs, taken May 3rd, 1887, in the County Jail, by J. J. Kanberg, 433 E. Division St., Chicago.

To the Public! Ten per cent from the Retail Price, on all copies sold, will be kept separately as a fund in favor of the Anarchist's children. J. J. Kanberg, Photographer."

The five men are clockwise from 1:00 o'clock:

A. R. Parsons
Adolph Fischer
George Engel
August Spies
Louis Lingg (in the middle with two letter g's at the end of his name).

The first four were hanged on Friday, November 11, 1887. Lingg committed suicide on November 10, 1887 by lighting a stick of dynamite in his mouth.
http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/disasters/haymarket ...
...

The rally began about 8:30 p.m. May 4 at the Haymarket, a site on Randolph between Halsted and Des Plaines Street, but due to low attendance it was moved a half block away to Des Plaines Street north of Randolph Street. After 10 p.m., as the rally drew to a close, 176 policemen led by Inspector John Bonfield moved in demanding immediate dispersal of the remaining 200 workers. Suddenly a bomb exploded. In the chaos that followed shots were fired by police and perhaps by workers. One police officer was killed by the bomb, six officers died later and sixty others were injured. No official count was made of civilian deaths or injuries probably because friends and/or relatives carried them off immediately. Medical evidence later showed that most of the injuries suffered by the police were caused by their own bullets.

All well known anarchists and socialists were rounded up and arrested in the days following the riot. Thirty one of them were named in criminal indictments and eight held for trial.

Although the bomb thrower has never been identified the eight indicted men were convicted by a court which held that the "inflammatory speeches and publications" of these eight incited the actions of the mob. The Illinois and U.S. Supreme Courts upheld the verdict.

On November 11, 1887 four of the accused were hanged. One committed suicide in jail, two had their sentences commuted to life in prison and one remained in prison even though there was no case against him.

After John P. Altgeld became Governor in 1893, the petitions for pardon that had been presented to and refused by his predecessor Richard Oglesby, were again introduced. After a careful review of the case Altgeld granted a full pardon on June 26, 1893. In his remarks he claimed the jury was selected to convict and the judge so prejudiced against the defendants that a fair trial was impossible.

Two Chicago area monuments were erected to commemorate the Haymarket Riot. One stands in German Waldheim Cemetery (Forest Park, IL). It depicts Justice preparing to draw a sword while placing a laurel wreath on the brow of a fallen worker. At the base of the monument are the final words August Spies spoke before his execution: "The day will come when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you are throttling today." The monument was dedicated on June 25, 1893, before a crowd of 8,000.

"In the name of the people I command peace" reads the inscription below the police officer depicted on the second monument. Since its dedication in 1889 peace has been somewhat elusive.

The monument was originally situated in the middle of Haymarket Square, where street car lines were forced to swerve around it. On May 24, 1890 an attempt was made to blow it up. In 1900 the monument was regarded as a traffic hazard and moved to Union Park at Randolph and Ogden Ave. On May 4, 1903 the city seal and state crest were stolen from its base. A disgruntled streetcar driver ran his vehicle into it, knocking it off its base on May 4, 1927, claiming he was tired of seeing it. On May 4, 1928, after repairs were completed, it was moved further into Union Park. The statue was again moved on May 4, 1958 and placed at Randolph St. at the Kennedy Expressway, 200 feet from its original location. The Chicago City Council granted the monument landmark status on May 4, 1965. In October, 1969 a dynamite bomb exploded at the feet of the figure damaging it from the calves down. In November black printers ink was tossed on it, doing further damage. Another bomb was exploded there in October 1970. After each incident the monument was restored, but after the 1970 incident Mayor Richard J. Daley placed a round-the-clock police guard at the site. When this proved too costly, the statue was moved to Police Headquarters at 11th and State Street in 1972. In October, 1976 the monument was again moved. It was rededicated at the Police Academy and can only be seen by making arrangements in advance. Peace.
http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/disasters/haymarket




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmyRip9OTZk

JOE HILL

I dreamed I saw last night alive as you and me.
Said I, "But Joe, you're ten years dead",
"I never died", said he.
"I never died", said he.

"In Salt Lake, Joe", I said to him standing by my bed,
"they framed you on a murder charge."
Says Joe: "But I ain't dead!" (2x)

"The Cooper Bosses shot you, Joe, they killed you, Joe", says I.
"Takes more than guns to kill a man", says Joe, "I didn't die!"

And standing there as big as life and smiling with his eyes,
Joe says: "What they could never kill went on to organize."

"Joe Hill ain't dead", he says to me, "Joe Hill ain't never
died,
when workers strike and organize Joe Hill is by their side."

From San Diego up to Maine in every mine and mill,
where workers stand up for their rights,
it's there you'll find Joe Hill.

I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night alive as you and me.
Said I, "But Joe, you're ten years dead","I never died", said
he.






No man survives when freedom fails, The best men rot in filthy jails, And those who cry 'appease, appease' Are hanged by those they tried to please.

Hiram Mann

[Perelandra]

Beltane (Beltaine, Belltaine, Bealtaine, Beltain, Beltine, Bealteine, Bealtuinn, Boaldyn), meaning 'bright fire' or 'lucky fire' is held on May 1st (May 15th in Scotland) and celebrates the start of summer, the crop and pasturing season. Although scholars are non-commital, many of us believe Beltane honors the ancient continental Celtic sun and healer God, Belenus.

Father Sun shines brightly
Warming mother Earth
Joining in creation
Nurturing growth

At Beltane, we open to the God and Goddess of Youth. However old we are, Spring makes us feel young again, and at Beltane we jump over the fires of vitality and youth and allow that vitality to enliven and heal us. When young we might use this time as an opportunity to connect to our sensuality in a positive creative way, and when older the mating that we seek might well be one of the feminine and masculine sides of our nature. Integration of the male and female aspects of the Self has long been seen as one of the prime goals of spiritual and psychotherapeutic work, and Beltane represents the time when we can open to this work fully, allowing the natural union of polarities that occurs in nature at this time the opportunity to help us in our work - a work that is essentially alchemical.

[Avalon]

Cora Anderson, co-founder of the Feri tradition with her husband Victor, died on Beltane at the age of 93.

The Feri community has asked for candles to be burned in her honor for the 3 days her body will lie in state.

http://www.wildhunt.org/2008/05/cora-an ... -2008.html

[MinM]

Friday, March 09, 2012

Professor Timothy Messer-Kruse has devoted the last ten years of his
life to one topic -- the 1886 Haymarket Riot. But when Messer-Kruse
tried to correct a wrong fact about the event, he ran afoul of
Wikipedia's thorny editing culture. Brooke talks to Messer-Kruse about
his editing travails, and Phoebe Ayers, Wikimedia Foundation member,
about Messer-Kruse's experience from Wikipedia's side.

http://www.onthemedia.org/2012/mar/09/p ... wikipedia/

Commercial Photograph. "The Five Chicago Anarchists. November 11th, 1887. Retail price, 25 cts.
Special Collections & Preservation Division, Chicago Public Library

The only original photographs, taken May 3rd, 1887, in the County Jail, by J. J. Kanberg, 433 E. Division St., Chicago.

To the Public! Ten per cent from the Retail Price, on all copies sold, will be kept separately as a fund in favor of the Anarchist's children. J. J. Kanberg, Photographer."

The five men are clockwise from 1:00 o'clock:

A. R. Parsons
Adolph Fischer
George Engel
August Spies
Louis Lingg (in the middle with two letter g's at the end of his name).

The first four were hanged on Friday, November 11, 1887. Lingg committed suicide on November 10, 1887 by lighting a stick of dynamite in his mouth.
http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/disasters/haymarket ...
...

The rally began about 8:30 p.m. May 4 at the Haymarket, a site on Randolph between Halsted and Des Plaines Street, but due to low attendance it was moved a half block away to Des Plaines Street north of Randolph Street. After 10 p.m., as the rally drew to a close, 176 policemen led by Inspector John Bonfield moved in demanding immediate dispersal of the remaining 200 workers. Suddenly a bomb exploded. In the chaos that followed shots were fired by police and perhaps by workers. One police officer was killed by the bomb, six officers died later and sixty others were injured. No official count was made of civilian deaths or injuries probably because friends and/or relatives carried them off immediately. Medical evidence later showed that most of the injuries suffered by the police were caused by their own bullets.

All well known anarchists and socialists were rounded up and arrested in the days following the riot. Thirty one of them were named in criminal indictments and eight held for trial.

Although the bomb thrower has never been identified the eight indicted men were convicted by a court which held that the "inflammatory speeches and publications" of these eight incited the actions of the mob. The Illinois and U.S. Supreme Courts upheld the verdict.

On November 11, 1887 four of the accused were hanged. One committed suicide in jail, two had their sentences commuted to life in prison and one remained in prison even though there was no case against him.

After John P. Altgeld became Governor in 1893, the petitions for pardon that had been presented to and refused by his predecessor Richard Oglesby, were again introduced. After a careful review of the case Altgeld granted a full pardon on June 26, 1893. In his remarks he claimed the jury was selected to convict and the judge so prejudiced against the defendants that a fair trial was impossible.

Two Chicago area monuments were erected to commemorate the Haymarket Riot. One stands in German Waldheim Cemetery (Forest Park, IL). It depicts Justice preparing to draw a sword while placing a laurel wreath on the brow of a fallen worker. At the base of the monument are the final words August Spies spoke before his execution: "The day will come when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you are throttling today." The monument was dedicated on June 25, 1893, before a crowd of 8,000.

"In the name of the people I command peace" reads the inscription below the police officer depicted on the second monument. Since its dedication in 1889 peace has been somewhat elusive.

The monument was originally situated in the middle of Haymarket Square, where street car lines were forced to swerve around it. On May 24, 1890 an attempt was made to blow it up. In 1900 the monument was regarded as a traffic hazard and moved to Union Park at Randolph and Ogden Ave. On May 4, 1903 the city seal and state crest were stolen from its base. A disgruntled streetcar driver ran his vehicle into it, knocking it off its base on May 4, 1927, claiming he was tired of seeing it. On May 4, 1928, after repairs were completed, it was moved further into Union Park. The statue was again moved on May 4, 1958 and placed at Randolph St. at the Kennedy Expressway, 200 feet from its original location. The Chicago City Council granted the monument landmark status on May 4, 1965. In October, 1969 a dynamite bomb exploded at the feet of the figure damaging it from the calves down. In November black printers ink was tossed on it, doing further damage. Another bomb was exploded there in October 1970. After each incident the monument was restored, but after the 1970 incident Mayor Richard J. Daley placed a round-the-clock police guard at the site. When this proved too costly, the statue was moved to Police Headquarters at 11th and State Street in 1972. In October, 1976 the monument was again moved. It was rededicated at the Police Academy and can only be seen by making arrangements in advance. Peace.
http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/disasters/haymarket