Today in Labor History August 12, 1936: The First International Brigades arrived in Spain to fight against Franco. Organized by the Communist International, between 40,000 and 60,000 men and women from around the world fought on the Republican side against the fascists. 10,000 of them died. Thousands more international activists joined anti-Stalinist forces, like the socialist POUM, or anarchist groups, like the FAI, CNT and the Durruti Column. Americans defied federal law to participate in the International Brigade, as members of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. Famous Lincoln participants included Avant Garde composer Conlon Nancarrow, labor organizer Delmer Berg, scifi author Theodore Cogswell, novelist William Herrick. The Tom Mooney Company, named for San Francisco labor organizer, Tom Mooney, who was wrongly imprisoned for the WWI Preparedness Day bombing, was commanded by African American labor organizer Oliver Law, the first African-American to command an integrated American military unit. Many African-Americans joined the anti-franco forces. Langston Hughes, who was writing for the Baltimore Afro-American, said: "Give Franco a hood, and he would be a member of the Ku Klux Klan." There was also a George Washington Battlian, and a John Brown battery. Once the U.S. entered World War II, the FBI recommended that none of the veterans of the Spanish war against fascism be given any promotions within the U.S. military, to prevent the “rise of communists” in their ranks. The House UnAmerican Activities Committee (HUAC) blacklisted all American veterans of the Spanish war.

You can read my complete article on Tom Mooney here: https://michaeldunnauthor.com/2024/05/19/tom-mooney-and-warren-billings/

#workingclass #LaborHistory #lincolnbrigades #spain #fascism #antifa #antifascism #anarchism #communism #socialism #stalin#fai #cnt #durruti #tommooney #oliverlaw #union #books #author #writer #composer#Blackmastadon @bookstadon

Today in Labor History August 12, 2017: Heather Heyer was killed and dozens were injured in a white supremacist terrorist attack in Charlottesville, Virginia. Heyer was an antifascist organizer and one of thousands of people who came out to protest against a Unite the Right rally of neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan activists and other white nationalists. A 20-year-old Nazi deliberately plowed his car into the crowd, causing the injuries and death of Heyer. President Donald Trump described the neo-Nazis as "very fine people." There have been numerous similar attacks on antifascists since then, killing or injuring 100 more activists. At the same time, Republicans in 15 states have attempted to introduce laws that would either legalize vehicular terrorist attacks against activists, or at least protect the attackers from legal liability.

#workingclass #LaborHistory #fascism #antifascism #antifa #heatherheyer #kkk #nazis #trump

Today in Labor History August 12, 2017: Heather Heyer was killed and dozens were injured in a white supremacist terrorist attack in Charlottesville, Virginia. Heyer was an antifascist organizer and one of thousands of people who came out to protest against a Unite the Right rally of neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan activists and other white nationalists. A 20-year-old Nazi deliberately plowed his car into the crowd, causing the injuries and death of Heyer. President Donald Trump described the neo-Nazis as "very fine people." There have been numerous similar attacks on antifascists since then, killing or injuring 100 more activists. At the same time, Republicans in 15 states have attempted to introduce laws that would either legalize vehicular terrorist attacks against activists, or at least protect the attackers from legal liability.

#workingclass #LaborHistory #fascism #antifascism #antifa #heatherheyer #kkk #nazis #trump

Today in Labor History August 12, 1936: The First International Brigades arrived in Spain to fight against Franco. Organized by the Communist International, between 40,000 and 60,000 men and women from around the world fought on the Republican side against the fascists. 10,000 of them died. Thousands more international activists joined anti-Stalinist forces, like the socialist POUM, or anarchist groups, like the FAI, CNT and the Durruti Column. Americans defied federal law to participate in the International Brigade, as members of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. Famous Lincoln participants included Avant Garde composer Conlon Nancarrow, labor organizer Delmer Berg, scifi author Theodore Cogswell, novelist William Herrick. The Tom Mooney Company, named for San Francisco labor organizer, Tom Mooney, who was wrongly imprisoned for the WWI Preparedness Day bombing, was commanded by African American labor organizer Oliver Law, the first African-American to command an integrated American military unit. Many African-Americans joined the anti-franco forces. Langston Hughes, who was writing for the Baltimore Afro-American, said: "Give Franco a hood, and he would be a member of the Ku Klux Klan." There was also a George Washington Battlian, and a John Brown battery. Once the U.S. entered World War II, the FBI recommended that none of the veterans of the Spanish war against fascism be given any promotions within the U.S. military, to prevent the “rise of communists” in their ranks. The House UnAmerican Activities Committee (HUAC) blacklisted all American veterans of the Spanish war.

You can read my complete article on Tom Mooney here: https://michaeldunnauthor.com/2024/05/19/tom-mooney-and-warren-billings/

#workingclass #LaborHistory #lincolnbrigades #spain #fascism #antifa #antifascism #anarchism #communism #socialism #stalin#fai #cnt #durruti #tommooney #oliverlaw #union #books #author #writer #composer#Blackmastadon @bookstadon

The Techno Machine knows where to stand.

#AntiFa #AntiFascistFediverse #WHY2025 #AntiFascism #AntiFascist

Leftist, anti-fascist activists have got to begin making more of an effort to educate themselves about the spyware capitalist tech that they insist on continuing to use. From Substack, gmail, twitter, facebook to youtube, etc. At least make the effort to use and encourage others to use the alternatives. Make an active effort to migrate away from the spyware to the free/libre alternatives that respect users, privacy and democracy. It's an UPGRADE.

#AntiFascism#Democracy#Resist#FreeSoftware

Leftist, anti-fascist activists have got to begin making more of an effort to educate themselves about the spyware capitalist tech that they insist on continuing to use. From Substack, gmail, twitter, facebook to youtube, etc. At least make the effort to use and encourage others to use the alternatives. Make an active effort to migrate away from the spyware to the free/libre alternatives that respect users, privacy and democracy. It's an UPGRADE.

#AntiFascism#Democracy#Resist#FreeSoftware

On this day in 1962, Oswald Mosley and his British Union of Fascists got the Manchester welcome they so richly deserved.

#0161, #neverletthemhavethestreets, #antifa, #blackshirts, #antifascist, #oswaldmosley, #antifascism, #britishunionoffascists

Today in Labor History July 29, 1962: British aristocrat and fascist leader, Oswald Mosely, was beaten by antifascists in London’s east end. Even after police began to escort him away, activists from the antifascist 62 Group (AKA 62 Committee), led by Jewish, communist, and black activists, were able to pelt him with eggs, fruit and rocks. He later called a rally, which the activists successfully disrupted with shouts of “down with fascists.” The only people arrested were antifascist activists.

62 Group disrupted fascist meetings throughout the early to mid-60s, beating up or attacking fascists whenever they had the chance, much like the Jewish antifascist 43 Group did in the 1940s. As a result, they were able to significantly reduce the power and effectiveness of the fascists in the 1960s.

Mosely had been a Labor MP and junior minister from 1918-1931. As the leader of the British Union of Fascists, publicly supported antisemitism and tried to form alliances with Mussolini and Hitler. During the 1936 Battle of Cable Street, antifascist demonstrators including unions, anarchists, socialists, communists, liberals and Jews, prevented the BUF from marching through the East End of London. During World War Two, Moseley and his wife were imprisoned as threats to the national security.

Mosely is portrayed in numerous works of fiction, including the television series, The Peaky Blinders. He is portrayed in Pink Floyd’s the wall; Aldous Huxley’s 1928 novel, Point Counter Point; HG Wells's 1939 novel The Holy Terror; PG Wodehouse's Jeeves series; and Philip Roth's The Plot Against America.

#workingclass #LaborHistory #oswaldmosely #fascism #antifascism #london #antisemitism #anarchism #communism #socialism #racism #books #novel #author #writer #fiction @bookstadon

Today in Labor History July 29, 1962: British aristocrat and fascist leader, Oswald Mosely, was beaten by antifascists in London’s east end. Even after police began to escort him away, activists from the antifascist 62 Group (AKA 62 Committee), led by Jewish, communist, and black activists, were able to pelt him with eggs, fruit and rocks. He later called a rally, which the activists successfully disrupted with shouts of “down with fascists.” The only people arrested were antifascist activists.

62 Group disrupted fascist meetings throughout the early to mid-60s, beating up or attacking fascists whenever they had the chance, much like the Jewish antifascist 43 Group did in the 1940s. As a result, they were able to significantly reduce the power and effectiveness of the fascists in the 1960s.

Mosely had been a Labor MP and junior minister from 1918-1931. As the leader of the British Union of Fascists, publicly supported antisemitism and tried to form alliances with Mussolini and Hitler. During the 1936 Battle of Cable Street, antifascist demonstrators including unions, anarchists, socialists, communists, liberals and Jews, prevented the BUF from marching through the East End of London. During World War Two, Moseley and his wife were imprisoned as threats to the national security.

Mosely is portrayed in numerous works of fiction, including the television series, The Peaky Blinders. He is portrayed in Pink Floyd’s the wall; Aldous Huxley’s 1928 novel, Point Counter Point; HG Wells's 1939 novel The Holy Terror; PG Wodehouse's Jeeves series; and Philip Roth's The Plot Against America.

#workingclass #LaborHistory #oswaldmosely #fascism #antifascism #london #antisemitism #anarchism #communism #socialism #racism #books #novel #author #writer #fiction @bookstadon

On this day in 1962, Oswald Mosley and his British Union of Fascists got the Manchester welcome they so richly deserved.

#0161, #neverletthemhavethestreets, #antifa, #blackshirts, #antifascist, #oswaldmosley, #antifascism, #britishunionoffascists

Today in Labor History July 21, 1921: Hundreds of antifascist activists chased off 600 fascists in Sarzana, Italy, who were trying to free several a fascist squad from prison, after they opened fire. Led by the anti-fascist Arditi del Popolo, the people chased the fascists into the neighboring hills, killing 18 of them. Sarzana continued to be a center of partisan resistance to fascism during World War Two.

#workingclass #LaborHistory #fascism #antifa #antifascism #italy #prison #worldwartwo