http://blog.z-word.com/2010/06/useful-idiocy-in-oakland/ Commentary about Zionism, anti-Zionism, antisemitism and the conflict in the Middle East Thu, 24 May 2012 03:44:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5-RC1.1 http://blog.z-word.com/2010/06/useful-idiocy-in-oakland/#comment-12636 Jordan Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:24:52 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1642#comment-12636 Ditto to what Fabian said; the video has disappeared. Ditto to what Fabian said; the video has disappeared.

]]> http://blog.z-word.com/2010/06/useful-idiocy-in-oakland/#comment-12612 Fabian from Israel Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:20:50 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1642#comment-12612 El video ha sido suprimido por el usuario... El video ha sido suprimido por el usuario…

]]> http://blog.z-word.com/2010/06/useful-idiocy-in-oakland/#comment-12609 Ross Tue, 22 Jun 2010 02:29:20 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1642#comment-12609 The west coast longshoremen (ILWU) was not in any sense "expelled" by its "parent union", by which I assume you mean the ILA. The West Coast left on their own in 1937 to join the CIO and left behind the mob-ridden, corrupt ILA to create one of the most democratic rank-and-file unions in the country if not the world. To claim the union was "completely controlled" by the CP, or anyone else for that matter, is an entirely ignorant claim. The ILWU is, and always has been, solely controlled by the rank-and-file. They and they alone have controlled everything from the start - every dime spent, every resolution taken, whether to strike and when to end the strike. Harry's job was to implement the will of the rank-and-file, whether he agreed with it or not. He ran for office every two years for nearly 40 years and was returned to office every time. All it takes to recall any officer in the ILWU is a petition signed by 15% of the membership. Harry Bridges remains revered up and down the west coast and within the union because of his unswerving devotion to the union and the issues they cared about. The last paragraph above concerning why the SF Bay Area has long been a bastion of left causes is also incorrect. San Francisco was a center for radical labor long long before Bridges was even born. Radical labor in SF was born immediately after the Gold Rush and continues today. Any decent history of California will tell one that. The west coast longshoremen (ILWU) was not in any sense “expelled” by its “parent union”, by which I assume you mean the ILA. The West Coast left on their own in 1937 to join the CIO and left behind the mob-ridden, corrupt ILA to create one of the most democratic rank-and-file unions in the country if not the world. To claim the union was “completely controlled” by the CP, or anyone else for that matter, is an entirely ignorant claim. The ILWU is, and always has been, solely controlled by the rank-and-file. They and they alone have controlled everything from the start - every dime spent, every resolution taken, whether to strike and when to end the strike. Harry’s job was to implement the will of the rank-and-file, whether he agreed with it or not. He ran for office every two years for nearly 40 years and was returned to office every time. All it takes to recall any officer in the ILWU is a petition signed by 15% of the membership. Harry Bridges remains revered up and down the west coast and within the union because of his unswerving devotion to the union and the issues they cared about. The last paragraph above concerning why the SF Bay Area has long been a bastion of left causes is also incorrect. San Francisco was a center for radical labor long long before Bridges was even born. Radical labor in SF was born immediately after the Gold Rush and continues today. Any decent history of California will tell one that.

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