Submitted on Mon, 02/18/2008 - 10:33am
Saturday, February 16, 2008.
Approximately one dozen fellow workers from the Twin Cities General Membership Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World marched in support of immigrant rights and struggles in Minnesota on Saturday. The demonstration was organized by MIRAC, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition.
The rights of immigrant workers - both documented and undocumented - is part of a nationwide discussion during this election year, and an international discussion. The terms of the discussion are often the same in today's neoliberal environment. The reactionary right demonizes all those who are forced or choose to travel in search of security, opportunity, and a life; the reactionary left pretends that this is merely a moral issue and ignores the economics of immigration, and the 'muddled middle' hold a variety of contradictory opinions.
Submitted on Thu, 12/06/2007 - 1:12pm
DETAILS:
UTAH PHILLIPS BENEFIT
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 6PM
EAGLE'S CLUB - 2507 E. 25th St.
PERFORMERS: Charlie Parr and Bernie King; Pop Wagner & Friends; Gabe Barnett; Mary Dushane; Paul Metsa; Bill Hinckley & Judy Larson; Papa John Kolstad; Maureen McElderry; Peter Lang; Dakota Dave Hull; Phil Heywood.
ADMISSION $10
Utah Phillips, the “Golden Voice of the American Southwest,” and one of America’s longest-performing and most beloved folk singers, has had to end his 40-year career as a traveling musician, due to serious heart problems.
As a result, he is without the means to support himself. The Industrial Workers of the World, which Utah is both a member and a important supporter of, is holding a benefit to help Utah continue to live a decent life, and to help defray his overwhelming medical bills.
Utah is an American military veteran, rail-riding hobo, co-founder of the Joe Hill house, pacifist, former candidate for U.S. Senate (Utah), and former host of National Public Radio (NPR) program Loafer’s Glory: The Hobo Jungle of the Mind.
A major influence on American Folk Music, as well as on the culture of the modern American labor movement, he taught and inspired contemporary folk icons like Rosalie Sorrels, Kate Wolf, and Ani DiFranco, and his music has been covered by countless musicians.
Utah has many Minnesota connections that make it particularly appropriate for this benefit to be held here: he used to play in the hobo jungles at Pig’s Eye Landing, and in the Finnish Socialist Communes that played such an important role in the Minnesotan North.
This is our humble attempt to help out someone who desperately needs our help, and to pay him back a little for his countless contributions to our lives and world. I sincerely hope all can come and help support Utah in his current difficulties.
Submitted on Fri, 10/26/2007 - 4:55pm
Current Classes
Updated October 2007
Chomsky 101: An Introduction to Noam Chomsky's Life and Political Thought.
FW Facilitator Stephen Holm
This 6-part class will introduce participants to the thinking and writing of one of America’s preeminent dissidents- the MIT Linguistics professor, Wobbly, and anarchist Noam Chomsky.
Themes covered will include Media and Propaganda; U.S imperialism around the world; and the anarchist alternative. There will be short readings and group discussion.
Chomsky 101 meets Saturdays
November 17th - December 22nd 2007 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Downtown Minneapolis Public Library
4th Floor, Conference Room N-402
Submitted on Thu, 07/19/2007 - 10:37am
The
Twin Cities branch of the Industrial Workers of the World has restarted the historic school known as the
Work People’s College. We are dedicated to providing free, radical, and practical education to the working women and men of our communities, education that will further the aims of the working class revolution that we advocate as a union.
We are now accepting class proposals from prospective instructors for classes beginning in early October 2007. Instructors are not paid, except in gratitude for service to the struggle. We are looking specifically for classes in, but not necessarily limited to, the following areas:
- History (e.g., The Spanish Civil War, the 1934 Strike)
- Vision (e.g., Political Economy, Philosophy)
- Culture (e.g., Working Class Culture classes)
- Organizing (e.g., Direct Action, Social Mapping)
Submitted on Sun, 01/14/2007 - 11:40pm
The Twin Cities Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) is pleased to announce the Winter session of the WORK PEOPLES COLLEGE. The WORK PEOPLES COLLEGE continues the legacy of working-class education for emancipation carried out by the Duluth, MN IWW in the first part of the 20th Century.
The first Winter class offering is "Imagination and Social Liberation."
This class is dedicated the concept of the ‘imagination,’ which is increasingly used almost as a code-word for modern struggles for social justice and liberation. But what do we mean when we use the word? This class will examine the history of the word in philosophy and practice, from Greek and Muslim philosophers to contemporary social thinkers, and rely on the participation of the students to create a practice-based definition of the word, and justification for why we might (or might not) care about ‘liberating the imaginary.’
This class may be of interest especially to workers and students involved in such movements but lacking a philosophical background, or students of philosophy and psychology with an interest in such movements.