Ah... The Good Ole Days...

[WillyT]

From Australia IWWW (The Wobblys) 1914 in resoponse to WWI:

<snip>

in Australia, no organisation opposed the outbreak of the Great War as promptly and vociferously as the IWW. The front page of Direct Action for 10 August 1914 declared:

WAR! WHAT FOR? FOR THE WORKERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS: DEATH, STARVATION, POVERTY AND UNTOLD MISERY. FOR THE CAPITALIST CLASS: GOLD, STAINED WITH THE BLOOD OF MILLIONS, RIOTOUS LUXURY, BANQUETS OF JUBILATION OVER THE GRAVES OF THEIR DUPES AND SLAVES. WAR IS HELL! SEND THE CAPITALISTS TO HELL AND WARS ARE IMPOSSIBLE.

On 22 August Tom Barker urged: 'LET THOSE WHO OWN AUSTRALIA DO THE FIGHTING. Put the wealthiest in the front ranks; the middle class next; follow these with politicians, lawyers, sky pilots and judges. Answer the declaration of war with the call for a GENERAL STRIKE.'

The Australian IWW was aware of the arguments that had motivated American IWW quietude on the issue of the war and was alert to the possible dangers of anti-war mobilisation. Yet, unlike its American progenitor, it threw itself wholeheartedly into campaigning against the war and Australian involvement. In so doing, it increased rather than diminished its opportunities to organize at the point of production, because its anti-war activity won it many supporters amongst workers inclined to be critical of the senseless slaughter. The threat of conscription in particular gave the IWW its greatest opportunity to have its voice heard. It expanded rapidly in this period.<45> 'Great crowds used to come to our anti-conscription meetings,' Tom Barker recalls, 'up to a sixth of the population of Sydney gathering around and trying to hear the speakers.'

<snip>

Link: http://www.historycooperative.org/proceedings/asslh2/burgmann.html

Everything old is new again, eh?

:shrug:

[eleny]

1. "Put the wealthiest in the front ranks..."

Perfect. K&R

[NYC_SKP]

3. Makes a good argument for reinstating the draft, doesn't it?

Right now the economy pushes people to enlist while the well-heeled have many options.

At least the draft is egalitarian.

[eleny]

4. Did you watch Amanpour's interview with McCrystal on CNN today?

He's a piece of work. Playing on our sympathies with talk of helping the people of Afghanistan. As if he's unaware of the difficulties Americans are having keeping body and soul together here in the States.

He creeps me out.

[WillyT]

7. Yeah Huh ???

You wanna just war?

Just imagine.

:hi:

[NYC_SKP]

2. Edit!

I'm too tired to post coherently!!!

:P

[WillyT]

6. I'm Confused... I Was Sort Of Riffing Off 'The People Speak'...

And enjoying the fact that they (the past generations that they were highlighting) seemed to be a lot more serious then, than we are now.

Did I miss something?

:shrug:

[NYC_SKP]

8. You're confused?

I thought I was replying to a different thread I had open in another window.

Time for bed for me!

:thumbsup:

[eleny]

11. Two windows are just for ebay, dontcha know!

Nite, nite

[leftstreet]

5. K&R

Awesome!

[proud patriot]

9. #5 for you

;)

[WillyT]

10. You Know I Love You, Right ???

:evilgrin:

:bounce::woohoo::bounce:

:hi: