Erik Loomis

So it's 1913, and you have a lot of militant workers out there. I mean, a lot of people who are immigrating from Eastern and Southern Europe bring over ideas of radicalism with them, particularly Jewish immigrants who are fleeing persecution in Russia and Eastern Europe. And a lot of them had already committed to socialism.

So it's 1913, and you have a lot of militant workers out there. I mean, a lot of people who are immigrating from Eastern and Southern Europe bring over ideas of radicalism with them, particularly Jewish immigrants who are fleeing persecution in Russia and Eastern Europe. And a lot of them had already committed to socialism.

And so they're bringing these ideas into the American labor movement and really energizing it and turning it into a modern movement. And, you know, the American Federation of Labor is like real scared of immigrants. It's a real problem for them. They're very anti-immigrant.

And so they're bringing these ideas into the American labor movement and really energizing it and turning it into a modern movement. And, you know, the American Federation of Labor is like real scared of immigrants. It's a real problem for them. They're very anti-immigrant.

Since the AFL is not organizing these apparel workers working in these like textile plants in Lawrence, Mass., at Fall River, New Bedford, Patterson, New Jersey, the IWW, the Industrial Workers of the World, are going in and doing it. And the IWW is like, we romanticize the heck out of them because they're really good at culture making and images and doing cool, dramatic stuff.

Since the AFL is not organizing these apparel workers working in these like textile plants in Lawrence, Mass., at Fall River, New Bedford, Patterson, New Jersey, the IWW, the Industrial Workers of the World, are going in and doing it. And the IWW is like, we romanticize the heck out of them because they're really good at culture making and images and doing cool, dramatic stuff.

They're not actually very good at organizing, to be totally honest at the time. And so they have a lot of like wealthy supporters in the arts. They have these conversations and like, let's put on a big play to like show the people what the conditions are really like in New Jersey. And so they rent out like, you know, the big hall in New York City and they have this pageant.

They're not actually very good at organizing, to be totally honest at the time. And so they have a lot of like wealthy supporters in the arts. They have these conversations and like, let's put on a big play to like show the people what the conditions are really like in New Jersey. And so they rent out like, you know, the big hall in New York City and they have this pageant.

Let's get the workers on the stage and let's show them what's up. And, you know, we'll do these songs and dances and have these dramatic scenes. And so you have this play that's supposed to raise money and all these cultural people come out or like, yeah, you know, we're going to do this in solidarity. But the functionality is, is it does two things.

Let's get the workers on the stage and let's show them what's up. And, you know, we'll do these songs and dances and have these dramatic scenes. And so you have this play that's supposed to raise money and all these cultural people come out or like, yeah, you know, we're going to do this in solidarity. But the functionality is, is it does two things.

It pulls people from the picket lines and then it divides the workers themselves between those who are like chosen to be on the play and those who are not. And the ones who are not are obviously like, why are I supposed to be in the fucking play?

It pulls people from the picket lines and then it divides the workers themselves between those who are like chosen to be on the play and those who are not. And the ones who are not are obviously like, why are I supposed to be in the fucking play?

gruff workers are just not getting their part they're going running up to the board to see that they're not in the fucking play yeah they're really upset and so it actually helps destroy the strike like there's this idea of like let's put on this cultural thing destroys the strike and the strikers totally lose and it actually ends the iww's attempt to organize in eastern factories by and large because they figured out they don't really know how to do it it's kind of a funny story in some ways but it's an example of how just because you have like

gruff workers are just not getting their part they're going running up to the board to see that they're not in the fucking play yeah they're really upset and so it actually helps destroy the strike like there's this idea of like let's put on this cultural thing destroys the strike and the strikers totally lose and it actually ends the iww's attempt to organize in eastern factories by and large because they figured out they don't really know how to do it it's kind of a funny story in some ways but it's an example of how just because you have like

your finger on the pulse of American culture and you are really good at producing leftist culture does not mean it's actually good for the workers. And I think that's something we always have to keep in mind. When we're trying to engage in an action of solidarity, it's not about us. It's about the workers.

your finger on the pulse of American culture and you are really good at producing leftist culture does not mean it's actually good for the workers. And I think that's something we always have to keep in mind. When we're trying to engage in an action of solidarity, it's not about us. It's about the workers.

Too often, I think, in this extremist individualist age in which we live in, acts that we claim to be solidarity acts are so often really just about making ourselves feel good. And it needs to come from the workers themselves, basically. And the solidarity is us doing what we can to assist the workers, not sort of imposing ideas upon them.

Too often, I think, in this extremist individualist age in which we live in, acts that we claim to be solidarity acts are so often really just about making ourselves feel good. And it needs to come from the workers themselves, basically. And the solidarity is us doing what we can to assist the workers, not sort of imposing ideas upon them.

Yeah, well, I mean, I certainly agree with you in my much of what you said. I mean, I, and it's confounds me that in a post 2024 election, the kind of giving up by seemingly by large parts of the, of social media or the democratic party. I mean, if you look back to say the, the, the protest against the Muslim ban in 2017, I mean, it was tremendously effective, right?

Yeah, well, I mean, I certainly agree with you in my much of what you said. I mean, I, and it's confounds me that in a post 2024 election, the kind of giving up by seemingly by large parts of the, of social media or the democratic party. I mean, if you look back to say the, the, the protest against the Muslim ban in 2017, I mean, it was tremendously effective, right?