29/05/2024
From the Archives: Memorial Day in 1937 fell on May 26. This day marks the anniversary of “the Memorial Day Massacre.” Ten people were killed and 90 wounded in a steelworkers strike on that day, when the police attacked a peaceful march outside the Republic Steel plant in South Chicago. All the dead were shot in the back or the side.
On this memorial day we should commemorate those workers who died in the wars between labor and capital. Let's not forget that many of those who lost their lives were not trade unionists. We should remember that on May 25, 2020 the police snuffed out the life of George Floyd, and what followed was the largest uprising of the American people. It is estimated that 25 million people took to the streets.
Before the massacre began in 1937, clothing workers union VP Leo Krzycki gave a prophetic speech to the strikers. Only about an hour before the massacre began, Krzycki told the strikers, “Violence against peaceful picketing must stop. Republic Steel must abide by the Wagner Act. We don’t want fascism in America.” We don't want fascism in America is reverberating across this land in this year, and not just because of widespread police attacks on campus protests.
We have much to think about on this memorial day. Let's make it a day in which renew our dedication to stop fascism in America and advance the ideals of a global protest movement for peace and equality for all. We can start by urging the U.S. government to defund the Israeli war machine and use that money, as a start, to end housing and food insecurity all across the country.
https://chilaborarts.wordpress.com/2010/05/31/the-1937-memorial-day-massacre-we-dont-want-fascism-in-america-by-chris-mahin/