Monday, January 9, 2017

The US Working Class Will Fight Back.



I was somewhat put off by Meryl Streep's contribution at the Golden Globe Awards. All it was really was cheerleading for the Democrats. It is also because the US working class is not on the move that people can feel like there's nothing we can do and that all sorts of other issues dominate, issues that are really meant to distract us from the major economic and political struggles we have to wage against the capitalist offensive.

This doesn't mean there are not all sorts of issues that matter but the most important struggle of all is the battle to rid ourselves of capitalism and the filth that accompanies it. Only then will we be able to build a society, a democratic socialist society that will allow human beings to realize our full potential.

8 comments:

Anne Feeney said...

Cmon Richard - did you really think Meryl Streep should have taken that opportunity to repudiate capitalism?

Anne Feeney said...

Aw, cmon Richard. Do you really think Meryl Streep should have renounced capitalism in stead of making her very sincere and moving remarks? She's an actor, not an activist.

Richard Mellor said...

No, did I say that? I object to what she is defending. The Democratic Party and her millionaire friends, Glenn Greenwald doesn't repudiate capitalism but I respect him.

Richard Mellor said...

But she was being an activist Anne. She was speaking for the Democratic Party. Has she condemned he violence Obama has waged the last few years, the deportations and more.

Anonymous said...

They sure seem to love using awards shows for all other manner of digressions. Why should capitalism be off the table?

Frankly I find it appalling how Streep can proclaim to be part of "the Left" and then confess admiration for Margaret Thatcher and support trash like Clinton.

Anonymous said...

What are some good sources for learning more about labor history?

Richard Mellor said...

There is a lot of stuff out there about our history here in the US, Phillip Foner wrote a ten volume set on the history in general plus he wrote Organized labor and the Black Worker as well as an account of the 1877 uprising. Sidney Fine's book, Sit Down is a good one as is Art Preis' account of the rise of the CIO, essential if you want to get some idea of the extent of the sit down's and huge growth in trade unionism during the 30's. Brecher's "Strike" is also a good account of some of the great strikes. There is a good biography of Eugene Debs by a man named Ginger that is excellent. Foners vol 4 is on the IWW. The IWW was formed in 1905. If you scroll down from here you will see a book abotu the Centralia WA Massacre by the daughter of someone who as there. Dobb's books on the Teamsters is good especially Teamster Rebellion about the Minneapolis general strike in 1934, one of three, all led by leftists/socialist. The CP were influential in the SF strike that year. Ther's so many of them. You want to drop us an e mail (address on the side of the blog) I'll make up a list for you.

Richard Mellor said...

You should also read about the Seattle General strike of 1919 becasue it gives a real glimpse in to workers self rule as the workers controlled that city for five days. You can still read the minutes of the committee of 100 from that struggle on the Internet.