9/19/09

9/30 Politics and Organizing in the Fall Quarter

Wed 9/30 7pm
UW School for Social Work Room 30

Join us as we continue to discuss organizing plans for the fall semester on campus
including our semester kick off meeting on October 7th, the Oct 11 National LGBT Equality March in Seattle, and our Northwest Socialist Conference "Crisis and Resistance: Organizing for Socialism" Nov 7-8 at UW. Come with ideas and join in the discussion about how to build the ISO.

9/18/09

9/23 - Discussion Pt 2: Subterranean Fire: A History of Working-Class Radicalism in the United State


Join us for part two of our discussion of Subterranean Fire: A History of Working-Class Radicalism in the United States by Sharon Smith.

Wed 9/23 7-8:30pm
University of Washington School of Social Work Room 032
4101 15th Avenue NE

For the Second part of the discussion we will cover the last two parts of the book (parts 3 & 4), taking us from WWII through the cold war, the 60's radicalization, the employers offensive of the 70s, Neoliberalism and the Neocons. We'll also discuss what has changed since the book was written and Bush was in power.

This accessible, critical history of the U.S. labor movement examines the hidden history of workers’ resistance from the nineteenth century to the present. Workers in the U.S. have a rich tradition of fighting back which remains largely hidden. Subterranean Fire brings that history to light and reveals its lessons for today.

The title is taken from the inspiring words of August Spies, a U.S. radical and labor activist executed during the fight for the eight-hour day. He said, “If you think that by hanging us you can stamp out the labor movement, then hang us. Here you will tread upon a spark, but here, and there, and behind you, and in front of you, the flames will blaze up. It is a subterranean fire. You cannot put it out. The ground is on fire upon which you stand.” These words remain fundamentally true today, as Sharon Smith demonstrates by tracing the legacy of worker’s struggle from August Spies’ days to the present.

You can pick up the book at any ISO tabling event or buy it online from Haymarket Books

9/14/09

9/16: Politics and Organizing in the Fall Quarter

Join us for a 2-part Meeting on Political Perspectives and Organizing in the Fall Quarter

Wed 9/16 7-9pm
University of Washington
School of Social Work Room 032
4101 15th Avenue NE

1. Perspectives for Socialists
(1 hour)
Heading into the fall and the start of a new school year, we've now seen Obama in power for the past 9 months. What have his policies looked like and what does liberalism in power mean for organizing a new socialist movement? With the economy still in crisis, US military escalation in Afghanistan, a raging debate on healthcare and a burgeoning LGBT civil rights movement, more people are questioning the way US capitalism works. We'll discuss how socialists can intervene in these tumultuous times in order to build grassroots movements for fundamental change.

2. Local Fall Organizing plans
(1 hour)
In this second part of the discussion we'll take the national political picture that we discussed in part one and focus it down to our local organizing in Seattle and at the UW. We'll talk about organizing plans for the fall semester on campus including our semester kick off meeting on October 7th, the Oct 11 National LGBT Equality March in Seattle, and our Northwest Socialist Conference "Crisis and Resistance: Organizing for Socialism" Nov 7-8 at UW. Come with ideas and join in the discussion about how to build the ISO.



9/9/09

9/9 - Discussion Pt 1: Subterranean Fire: A History of Working-Class Radicalism in the United States

Join us as we begin discussing Subterranean Fire: A History of Working-Class Radicalism in the United States by Sharon Smith.

Wed 9/9 7-8:30pm
University of Washington School of Social Work Room 032
4101 15th Avenue NE

For the First part of the discussion we will cover the first four chapters of the book, taking us from 1865 up to the eve of WWII. Part two of the discussion, covering the remainder of the book - WWI through the Employers offensive and the rule of the neocons will take place on September 23rd.

This accessible, critical history of the U.S. labor movement examines the hidden history of workers’ resistance from the nineteenth century to the present. Workers in the U.S. have a rich tradition of fighting back which remains largely hidden. Subterranean Fire brings that history to light and reveals its lessons for today.

The title is taken from the inspiring words of August Spies, a U.S. radical and labor activist executed during the fight for the eight-hour day. He said, “If you think that by hanging us you can stamp out the labor movement, then hang us. Here you will tread upon a spark, but here, and there, and behind you, and in front of you, the flames will blaze up. It is a subterranean fire. You cannot put it out. The ground is on fire upon which you stand.” These words remain fundamentally true today, as Sharon Smith demonstrates by tracing the legacy of worker’s struggle from August Spies’ days to the present.

You can pick up the book at any ISO tabling event or buy it online from Haymarket Books