My mom’s side of the family was on the “red” side of politics. Her father, a Union man to the core, had a picture of Uncle Joe on the wall during WWII. My uncle finally persuaded him to take it down during the ‘50s McCarthy purges.
“I’m just sorry I didn’t get him by the throat, “ has to be one of the best proletariat one liners going! And actually to hear her speak, she could have been talking about ICE today!!! Ugh! But yes, great excitement for all the wins on Tuesday. I’m actually feeling hopeful for the midterms. And also interesting hearing about how the Dems were a damper back in your socialist days! What’s wrong with them??? BTW I’m sure you know WFP, but that is the Line D that Mamdani voted for! I’ve been volunteering with them as a text mod for 5 years and I’m part of their text leadership team now. I’m pretty sure there’s a Santa Cruz WFP. Here’s the CA WFP discord invite : https://discord.gg/6jPJRKV7d
Susie, you are so fierce and brilliant. With great admiration and respect, your faithful fan (and former Trotskyist labor union activist, radical feminist, et al).
Well, I’m always learning something new about you, too, Page. The Rad Fem + Labor Shitkicker combo is one of my favorites.
You know, I always rolled my eyes at the “Trotskyist” label mouthful. Party because most of the T’s I met were really obscure cultists, like The Spartacist League, who made the IS look like Ozzie and Harriet. I think we explained Trot thing more in the early days to distinguish ourselves from Stalinists, which no one admits to have believed in anymore, but they sure did at the time. There was a real romance about China’s revolution and Cuba’s revolution, etc. Well-meaning people were schizophrenic on the subject. What so weird now is to see Trump embracing some of the USSR’s state capitalist maneuvers, right? Everything is upside down except that we call a Totalitarian a Spade now, as we always must.
As usual Susie’s piece is right on and spot on. i campaigned for Mamdani. it was exhilarating and full of hope. He can succeed if he keeps his coalition together (something Obama refused to do).I think he knows it as do his tens of thousand of activist supporters. It will be our responsibility to get involved in making sure his mayoralty works.
And as to Susie’s comment about the all male wikipedia TDU comments - again, she is so right and more important she names the women, or some of them, who were the backbone of TDU. as for Anne Mackie, she was the second driver hired by UPS in the early 1970’s a born John Lewis trouble maker she organized a rank a file movement among UPS drivers an warehouse sorters. think about this, Ann was under 30 (as were most of the other women mentioned) and led, repeat LED a mass movement of overwhelmingly male UPS drivers. They loved her and respected and treated her with great respect. She put out an exceptional newspaper UPSurge, with brilliant journalism and wickedly funny cartoons. Ann was fearless. UPSurge actually made money which no other rank and file union newspaper did at the time. She worked out of the Cleveland Ohio UPS job. One of her supervisors (or on UPSurge lingo stupidvisor) was in the very same National Guard unit which murdered and wounded the Kent State students. Every May 4, Ann would wear a Remember Kent State tee shirt to work. She also was treated like shit, her work demeaned by some of the bris in the wikipedia article. A terrific tank and file organizer, leader, role model and terrific dancer.
My mom’s side of the family was on the “red” side of politics. Her father, a Union man to the core, had a picture of Uncle Joe on the wall during WWII. My uncle finally persuaded him to take it down during the ‘50s McCarthy purges.
Oh gosh, yes, that happened in a lot of families. Such a shock and betrayal. And then the fearsome blacklist…
“I’m just sorry I didn’t get him by the throat, “ has to be one of the best proletariat one liners going! And actually to hear her speak, she could have been talking about ICE today!!! Ugh! But yes, great excitement for all the wins on Tuesday. I’m actually feeling hopeful for the midterms. And also interesting hearing about how the Dems were a damper back in your socialist days! What’s wrong with them??? BTW I’m sure you know WFP, but that is the Line D that Mamdani voted for! I’ve been volunteering with them as a text mod for 5 years and I’m part of their text leadership team now. I’m pretty sure there’s a Santa Cruz WFP. Here’s the CA WFP discord invite : https://discord.gg/6jPJRKV7d
Susie, you are so fierce and brilliant. With great admiration and respect, your faithful fan (and former Trotskyist labor union activist, radical feminist, et al).
Well, I’m always learning something new about you, too, Page. The Rad Fem + Labor Shitkicker combo is one of my favorites.
You know, I always rolled my eyes at the “Trotskyist” label mouthful. Party because most of the T’s I met were really obscure cultists, like The Spartacist League, who made the IS look like Ozzie and Harriet. I think we explained Trot thing more in the early days to distinguish ourselves from Stalinists, which no one admits to have believed in anymore, but they sure did at the time. There was a real romance about China’s revolution and Cuba’s revolution, etc. Well-meaning people were schizophrenic on the subject. What so weird now is to see Trump embracing some of the USSR’s state capitalist maneuvers, right? Everything is upside down except that we call a Totalitarian a Spade now, as we always must.
As usual Susie’s piece is right on and spot on. i campaigned for Mamdani. it was exhilarating and full of hope. He can succeed if he keeps his coalition together (something Obama refused to do).I think he knows it as do his tens of thousand of activist supporters. It will be our responsibility to get involved in making sure his mayoralty works.
And as to Susie’s comment about the all male wikipedia TDU comments - again, she is so right and more important she names the women, or some of them, who were the backbone of TDU. as for Anne Mackie, she was the second driver hired by UPS in the early 1970’s a born John Lewis trouble maker she organized a rank a file movement among UPS drivers an warehouse sorters. think about this, Ann was under 30 (as were most of the other women mentioned) and led, repeat LED a mass movement of overwhelmingly male UPS drivers. They loved her and respected and treated her with great respect. She put out an exceptional newspaper UPSurge, with brilliant journalism and wickedly funny cartoons. Ann was fearless. UPSurge actually made money which no other rank and file union newspaper did at the time. She worked out of the Cleveland Ohio UPS job. One of her supervisors (or on UPSurge lingo stupidvisor) was in the very same National Guard unit which murdered and wounded the Kent State students. Every May 4, Ann would wear a Remember Kent State tee shirt to work. She also was treated like shit, her work demeaned by some of the bris in the wikipedia article. A terrific tank and file organizer, leader, role model and terrific dancer.
Love this, Susie. Thank you. It comes to me at a dark moment when my husband is gravely ill, and your truth and your words soothe my soul.
XXXOOO
Oh Carla, I wish I could take your hand. I’m so sorry, and so glad this is a tiny bit of solidarity.