FUCK YES!!!!1!1!oneleven

[haruhiko]

So there was a HUGE network of labor rallies that took place all across the country today to stand in solidarity with Wisconsin (AND mark/mourn the brutal murder of MLK Jr. when he was standing up to support striking sanitation workers in Memphis over thirty years ago), and I attended one outside the beautifully restored old county courthouse after

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[doe_witch]

YAYE. This reminds me I haven't shared my thoughts about being a renegade ~pamphleteer~ on Thursday... There was some hubbub regarding a general strike then, except by general strike I mean "evidently some FB group that 13k people were a part of total but that nobody arranged anything for in Boston (BOSTON!)." Not that I was expecting anything big, but I had made up some leaflets about socialism/the labor movement and their place in the US, and I was all thinkin' I'd have some people on the Common to maybe try and hand them out with me. Anyway by the time that morning hit I was pretty certain no one would actually be there at all, but I went anyway. Holy crap it is intimidating to do that kind of thing all on your own. 8| I did still get some people to take what I'd written, but finally I decided it wasn't going to be nearly as productive as if I'd had a couple companions, so then I just went around taping leaflets up, dropping them in subway cars, etc. I don't know, it was all very uneventful... but still exciting to even distribute the literature in any form. And it clinched for me that something can Happen if we want it to. It felt more real than the rallies and I'd gone to a couple other times throughout this past year. I can only imagine that what you went to was significantly more invigorating, and that says a lot. XD omg, I am getting really really excited for the May 1 march here...

[haruhiko]

Holy crap that big of a FB group and there was no one around? D: Shit Tyrone Boston get it together!

And yeah doing that on your own can be really intimidating. I can do it and do it well because I've worked in sales for years and I know how to turn on that persona, but I haaaaaaaate it. That sort of schmoozing/easy icebreaking/being very outgoing with people does NOT come naturally to me so it really is WORK to go out there and do it. Definitely bring a frond (or a Stu XD) with you next time, even if you split up and each work the crowds on your own it's nice to know that you can run back to someone you know and chill with them when you need a break from putting yourself out there.

But yes thanks bb the rally was awesome! :'''') The people in the thick of the rally had signs like I did but the people on the edges were more shy about participating and were more likely not to have signs so I worked the rim that's what she said handing out my flyers to anyone who would take them. I could tell a lot of people were kind of side-eyeing me for the stealth "THIS IS Y DEMS SUCK AND Y SOCIALISM RULEZ LOLOLOL" message on the back of the signs and I was kind of wondering if anyone would get it but then later on in the rally my friend and I were in the middle of the throng and she pointed over to the edge and said, "Look, there's a whole line of people waving your flyers!" I looooooooved that, NEGL.

A May Day march sounds awesome! I'll have to see what we're doing around here on that day. I don't blame you for being excited, I've been revved up since yesterday and can't WAIT for the anti-war/Free Manning that's gonna be in SF this weekend. *_* I AM EXCITE LET'S DO THIS

[doe_witch]

Boston's been having a revived May Day march/rally since... 2006 I think? It was pretty neat last year. Very immigration-focused, but I think the focus changes yearly, so I can imagine this will be more about the unions. And I'm really hoping it's big; I think last year there were 500-1000 people.