Socialists arrive in Evanston for national convention

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-socialists_grossmannov15,0,1094911.story

Eschewing Barack Obama, Democratic Socialists of America plan to 'fight for causes not yet won'



Members of Democratic Socialists of America Erik Rosenberg of New York (left), DSA national director Frank Llewellyn of New York, John Strauss of Philadelphia, Ron Baiman of Chicago and Theresa Alt of Ithaca at the Haymarket Memorial at the site of the Haymarket Tragedy in Chicago, Thursday, November 12, 2009. Their national convention is underway in Evanston. (Heather Charles, Chicago Tribune / November 12, 2009)


By Ron Grossman Tribune reporter

November 15, 2009

Marching to a different drummer who perennially draws dreamers and dissenters to Chicago, the Democratic Socialists of America came to town Friday -- or at least close. Their three-day national convention was held at an Evanston hotel.

The faithful still display the passion of predecessors who made Chicago the birthplace of working-class politics. At a time when the word "socialist" has been hurled as an insult at President Barack Obama and some of his policies, these socialists embrace the label and make sure to point out the difference.

They wore buttons proclaiming: "Obama's No Socialist But I Am." To them, with their vision of a world without bosses, Obama represents a wishy-washy liberalism they rejected long ago.

"Getting into the workplace was my revelation," said Theresa Alt, 66, describing how she found socialism in a university library decades ago. "I saw very stupid bosses having insane amounts of power."

They were the flower children and student radicals of the 1960s. Some still dress in the blue jeans and wool work shirts that marked their self-conscious rejection of middle-class origins. Alt wears her hair in a crown-like braid.

Photoshop out her gray streaks. Airbrush her comrades' wrinkles and bald spots. They'd look -- and act -- just as they did when carrying signs protesting the Vietnam War and demanding racial justice.

FULL story at link.

[reggie the dog]

1. This is great

I wish I were in Chicago still, I never knew about this while I lived there.

[Vidar]

2. K&R

[mistertrickster]

3. We should be pressuring Obama for the Employee Free Trade Act right now. nt