Did anyone else watch American Experience last night?

[catmandu57]

Emma Goldman was the subject and it was a facinating story, what struck me though is the similarities between the 1890's and today.
Granted there is a social safety net in place (for now), that makes a difference, but, the division of wealth is moving back in the direction that it was then, top heavy.
The panic of 1893 was in my opinion much deeper and more deadly than the depression of the 1930's and I'll have to look more into both for a better comparison.
That and the sediton laws passed during wwI, much of which is still in place, and could be dusted off and used again.
The idea of concentration camps isn't new, they used them then, that, and physical violence against the American people when they demanded something be done about the inequality of wealth.
It was very well done, if you missed it catch the next airing, or go to http://pbs.org to check it out.

[Neecy]

1. I saw it...

And enjoyed it very much.

All I can say is - thank god for PBS. Yes, I know they have been subjected to some valid criticisms from the left of late, but what mainstream media right now would dare air a documentary about the world's best-known anarchist? Or the conditions that created her (that exist today even more so - the gap between rich and poor is greater today, and workers' rights are being eroded by the second)?

It was timely programming, and hopefully it got people thinking about social conditions as they exist now.

[catmandu57]

2. Hopefully

This should be a mandatory watch by high school kids.

[Neecy]

3. totally agree

This should be required viewing for all of those high-schoolers who think it's okay for the government to censor our news.

For documentaries, I'd give PBS a much, much higher rating than the putrid History Channel, which only brings us war and Jesus. What was so impressive about this is that it wasn't merely a history of a life, but it placed her activities in context with the times. This was dangerous stuff, folks, and PBS deserves a lot of accolades for airing it.

[brindis_desala]

4. Thanks for the link. I don't think most Americans fully

appreciate the legacy of slavery and how it impacts this country's struggle for a genuine democracy. Wherever slavery still existed well into the 19th century economic grassroots movements have been met with state supported thuggery. As Michael Moore touches on ever so faintly it is the root cause of our world beating incarceration rate and gun violence. The same vigilante tactics used to hunt and intimidate slaves get transferred to suppress the people and divide the workers: black and brown vs white; immigrant vs native. The de facto American dream thus becomes emancipation from being oppressed; race and nationality ("All- American", "the girl-next-door") the proxies for admission to "full" citizenship so that those who would agitate are seen as a threat rather than what they are which are at minimum a check on power and at best the vanguard for essential changes towards true democracy.

[Morose]

5. I saw it and thought it was a very well done and balanced

view of an amazing woman with an even more amazing life story. I think their critique of her was also on point. It's amazing how few people today have even the slightest clue about America's early labor movement and the philosophies that were at war behind it all.