Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Radical Dissent of Helen Keller
Heres what they dont teach: When the blind-deaf visionary learned that poor people were more likely to be blind than others, she set off down a pacifist, socialist path that broke the boundaries of her timeand continues to challenge ours today.
...
In 1908 [Anne] Sullivans socialist husband, John Macy, encouraged Keller to read H. G. Wellss New Worlds for Old, which influenced her views about radical change. She soon began to devour Macys extensive collection of political books, reading socialist publications (often in German Braille) and Marxist economists. In addition to giving inspirational lectures about blindness, Keller also talked, wrote, and agitated about radical social and political causes, making her class analysis explicit in such books as Social Causes of Blindness (1911), The Unemployed (1911), and The Underprivileged (1931). In 1915, after learning about the Ludlow Massacrein which John D. Rockefellers private army killed coal miners and their wives and children in a labor confrontation in ColoradoKeller denounced him as a monster of capitalism.
Although she was universally praised for her courage in the face of her physical disabilities, she now found herself criticized for her political views.
In 1909 Keller joined the Socialist Party, wrote articles in support of its ideas, campaigned for its candidates, and lent her name to help striking workers. Although she was universally praised for her courage in the face of her physical disabilities, she now found herself criticized for her political views. The editor of the Brooklyn Eagle attacked her radical ideas, attributing them to mistakes sprung out of the manifest limitations of her development. In her 1912 essay How I Became a Socialist, published in the Call, a socialist newspaper, Keller wrote, At that time, the compliments he paid me were so generous that I blush to remember them. But now that I have come out for socialism he reminds me and the public that I am blind and deaf and especially liable to error.
Full article: http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/the-radical-dissent-of-helen-keller
...
In 1908 [Anne] Sullivans socialist husband, John Macy, encouraged Keller to read H. G. Wellss New Worlds for Old, which influenced her views about radical change. She soon began to devour Macys extensive collection of political books, reading socialist publications (often in German Braille) and Marxist economists. In addition to giving inspirational lectures about blindness, Keller also talked, wrote, and agitated about radical social and political causes, making her class analysis explicit in such books as Social Causes of Blindness (1911), The Unemployed (1911), and The Underprivileged (1931). In 1915, after learning about the Ludlow Massacrein which John D. Rockefellers private army killed coal miners and their wives and children in a labor confrontation in ColoradoKeller denounced him as a monster of capitalism.
Although she was universally praised for her courage in the face of her physical disabilities, she now found herself criticized for her political views.
In 1909 Keller joined the Socialist Party, wrote articles in support of its ideas, campaigned for its candidates, and lent her name to help striking workers. Although she was universally praised for her courage in the face of her physical disabilities, she now found herself criticized for her political views. The editor of the Brooklyn Eagle attacked her radical ideas, attributing them to mistakes sprung out of the manifest limitations of her development. In her 1912 essay How I Became a Socialist, published in the Call, a socialist newspaper, Keller wrote, At that time, the compliments he paid me were so generous that I blush to remember them. But now that I have come out for socialism he reminds me and the public that I am blind and deaf and especially liable to error.
Full article: http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/the-radical-dissent-of-helen-keller
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
11 replies, 2929 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (41)
ReplyReply to this post
11 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
The Radical Dissent of Helen Keller (Original Post)
salvorhardin
Jul 2012
OP
When they teach about Helen Keller in elementary school, then don't mention her politics...
backscatter712
Jul 2012
#1
The fact the J. Edgar Hoover had a huge file on her never gets mentioned, either
hatrack
Jul 2012
#3
backscatter712
(26,355 posts)1. When they teach about Helen Keller in elementary school, then don't mention her politics...
But I'd have to say that her politics are the most important element of her story.
hatrack
(59,596 posts)3. The fact the J. Edgar Hoover had a huge file on her never gets mentioned, either
I'd view such a file as a badge of honor - as I'm sure she did, assuming she found out.
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)2. k&r
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)4. k&r nt
Arctic Dave
(13,812 posts)5. She is one of Mama Bears favorite people.
She brought Helen Keller'a grand niece to Alaska for a tour of the schools.
annabanana
(52,791 posts)6. Truly a remarkable woman. . . k&r. . .n/t
xtraxritical
(3,576 posts)7. Any person of feeling and empathy MUST be a socialist.
But in the USA of today Democrats are the next best.
Egalitarian Thug
(12,448 posts)8. K&R. n/t
freshwest
(53,661 posts)9. Thanks for posting this. The link has the Zinn video on the Ludlow Massacre.
nolabear
(42,001 posts)10. Here's a wonderful Youtube video of her, late in life.
I know someone who knew her a little bit, in Dallas in her later years. She was indeed, an amazing force.
Lucky Luciano
(11,266 posts)11. She is the only socialist to appear on American money.
The Alabama state quarter!