June 8, 2011 Expressions from Ellen
Ellen Finkelstein
by Ellen Finkelstein
The 50th anniversary of the historic 1961 Freedom Rides was marked by a two-hour PBS documentary, on network news, and even in the final weeks of Oprah. The precursor (1947) “Journey of Reconciliation,” organized by FOR’s George Houser and others, was noted. As part of the 2011 commemoration, some of the original Freedom Riders retraced their journey accompanied by 40 college students, exploring civic engagement, what has/has not changed, and what inspires people to “get on the bus” then – and now.
The film “Made in Dagenham” tells the story of 187 underpaid women machinists in a Ford plant in the U.K. In 1968, they took on the union, the company, and the government on pay equity, leading to the 1970 passage of the Equal Pay Act in the U.K. and similar laws elsewhere. Andrew Cornell’s “Oppose and Propose! Lessons from Movement for a New Society” (2011) examines how the innovative ideas and practices of the radical pacifist MNS (active in 1970s and 80s) are reflected in the strategies, tactics, and lifestyles of contemporary [younger] activists. He finds both inspiration and instruction, and suggests lessons to inform ongoing challenges.
As he spoke, I thought about my own organizing, carrying forward (intentionally and unintentionally) the Civil Rights Movement and MNS into the anti-nuclear movement, the women’s movement, ACT-UP, police accountability, anti-intervention work. I thought of WTO organizing and the current work of SeaSol (Seattle Solidarity), Washington CAN and others confronting the budget cuts in Olympia, local SEIU and the teachers’ union, Backbone, workers in Wisconsin, and other activists.
WWFOR stands in the stream of history. We can be a link between the past and the future, and make ourselves relevant in the present. We can articulate our vision of “active nonviolence.” We can make use of the “tools of the time” – where once we relied on door-to-door, mimeo print flyers, phone trees, and street speaking, we can also embrace the use of Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and text messaging. We don’t have to do it all alone – we never had. We can join with the many other people who are working to make change. The “Bring Our Billion$ Home” campaign is one way we are trying to do this.
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- Posted under 2011 June/August (Vol. 31 No. 3)
