Good gracious, we've got a lot of ground to cover.
My goodness The Rebel Girl's speech was long, I found myself in the middle of it ready to acquit simply from fatigue of detail.
But here's the kicker - don't we all imagine, or maybe just the nerdy ones who think about things like "What was the Red Scare like?" that communists are people with sharp teeth and Nosferatu like features who are sliking rodent like along our baseboards spreading their subversive message.
Wait though, here's a bonafide American born Rebel Girl - she's traveled the country, she's seen and talked with people the workers, she's read, one assumes, both the constitution and the Bill of Rights (she wanted to be a constitutional lawyer). She's committed to the equality of all, and no stranger to oppression (recall No Irish need apply). And what's more she thinks she's a good American, undoubtedly she would feel that not working with the Communist Party would make her a bad American.
I quite frankly don't know enough about the American Communist Party to argue the merits of her opening statement. But she does kind of sound like a woman you could sit down with, on maybe a cold blustery day in a greasy spoon diner over a cup of coffee and talk with. Anyone who got read Marx as bedtime fare would be worth listening to for awhile just for the sake of interest and variety.
She's only been advocating for a peaceful, happy world. It lifts one really to read the following: Our country is a rich and beautiful country, fully capable of producing plenty for all, educating its youth and caring for its aged.
I've heard presidents and politicians say the same.
8.13.2008
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2 comments:
I have no clue why this speech is included as one of the great ones. I would imagine this woman was passionate about her beliefs and committed to communism – but a great speech?
The early years of the twentieth century gave activists and reformers much to be passionate about and surely much to try and reform. It is I think interesting to note the progression from involvement in the labor movement to socialism to communism. Should we then conclude that the labor movement is like a gateway drug for communism? She apparently hit all the turn-of-the- century movements; suffrage, birth control, civil rights, labor and Sacco and Vanzetti. No wonder she got arrested.
Of course, I had to chase a rabbit and found the Smith Act of 1940 has been used to arrest socialists, Nazis and communists at different times since its enactment. I think it is still on the books. Many of the early convictions were overturned in the late 50’s by the Supreme Court. Interestingly enough, the Smith the act was named for was a Virginia Democrat who was a leader of the anti-labor bloc in Congress. In my quick searches about this, I found no evidence that she ever advocated violence, and I’m not going to do any extensive digging to read any more of her words. She was convicted and served two years in prison. After that, she was later elected to the presidency of the American communist party and remained active till her death in 1961.
Most interesting rabbit was that Joe Hill of labor movement fame wrote a song ‘The Rebel Girl’ about her. I’m kind of surprised that Joan Baez didn’t.
This was an articulate and passionate woman. It took great courage for her to speak out as an American Commie. I agree with Mom though - not sure why this is a great speech.
Joe Hill was framed - he did not murder the shopkeeper and was executed because he was a trade unionist and rabel rouser.
I am glad you have come out of your malaise.
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