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International Women's Day, as described
byAlexandra Kollontai, began as “a day of international solidarity, and a day
for reviewing the strength and organization of proletarian women.” Established through the determination
of radical activist and organizerClara Zetkinand a resolution adopted at the
International Conference of Working Women the first IWD was marked in
1911. Today, IWD is
commemorated around the world as “a global day
celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past,
present and future.”
In recognition of
International Women’s Day 2010, here are some biographical sketches of some women I admire:
Nadezhda Krupskaya(1869 – 1939)Married to V.I. Lenin, Krupskaya was a very important
revolutionary in her own right, educating and supporting fellow Bolsheviks in
the years leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917. Suffering through persecution and arrest under
the Tsar, Krupskaya endured the struggle and supported Lenin through the tumult
that would eventually bring the Soviets to power.Krupskaya was an archivist and librarian and did much work
in the establishment of the new Soviet library system following the
revolution.In 1933, she published
Reminiscences of Lenin, a biography of her husband which is often regarded as
one of the best assessments of his life and work. Further Reading:Nadezhda
Krupskaya Internet Archive
Madhubala (1933 – 1969) One
of the most popular actresses of Bollywood’s Golden Age, Madhubala performed in
over 70 films before her untimely death at the age of 36. Her most celebrated part was the lead
role in the epic film Mughal-e-Azam. At the time of her passing, she was
regarded as an icon throughout India and beyond. She remains one of India’s most beloved film
stars to this day.
Ida B. Wells-Barnett(1862 – 1931)Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a
journalist and activist who used her exceptional talents as a writer and a speaker to raise global
awareness
regarding crimes against African-Americans in the South during the
decades
immediately following the Civil War.She wrote extensively on the problem of lynching in the
United States,
beginning with two groundbreaking pamphlets Southern
Horrors: Lynch Law in All
Its Phases, and a A Red Record.She co-founded the NAACP
with W.E.B. DuBois and others
in 1909. Further Reading:Southern
Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases(full text) by Ida
B. Wells-Barnett
Mother TsaiImmortalized
by Agnes Smedley in her article “No Sacrifice…No Victory,” Mother Tsai
was a
leader of women in the “south Yangtze valley” during China’s War of
Resistance
against Japan from 1937 – 1945.Well into her late 60’s, Mother Tsai worked in the fields with
her
daughters-in-law while her sons fought in the guerilla armies against
the
Japanese invaders.She was an
important member of the Women’s Association, delivering inspirational
political
speeches to to wounded soldiers as they convalesced in hospital wards.She mounted aggressive campaigns
against opium use and corruption in the region, declaring war on the
oppressive
conventions of sexism and exploitation.
Lili Brik (1891-1978)Intimately
involved at a number of levels with the Russia’s Futurist movement of
literature and art, Lili Brik was a close personal associate of Russia’s
celebrated poet Vladimir Mayakovsky.After Mayakovsky's death, Brik penned a personal appeal to Joseph Stalin in 1935 in which she advocated
for the widespread dissemination and popularization of Mayakovsky’s works.She wrote: “…I address myself to you
because I do not see any other means to realize the tremendous revolutionary
heritage of Mayakovsky.”The
appeal was met with the approval of Stalin who famously responded, “Comrade
Brik is right: Mayakovsky was and remains the most talented poet of our Soviet
epoch.Indifference to his memory
and words is a crime.” Her memory lives on in the works of Mayakovsky and the art of Alexander Rodchenko. Further Reading:I Love: The Story of Vladimir Mayakovsky and Lili Brik(Amazon listing)
The grim news from Iran is that student and activist Ali Kantouri has been sentenced to 15 years in prison as a result of his political activities. Kantouri participated in the National Students’ Day demonstrations of December 2007 and, like a number of his fellow left activists, he was persecuted for his activities and was subsequently arrested, tortured and detained for an extended period of time over the course of the last two years.
According to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Kantouri‘s sentence was issued by Branch 104 of the Sanandaj General Court and immediately prior to the pronouncement of sentencing, Ali continued to deny the charges against him. There is a chance that the sentence may be reduced or otherwise amended but there is no information regarding the likelihood of such a development.
Ali Kantouri has friends and admirers around the world. We grieve for Ali and his family and we hope that the Iranian people will ultimately unite and set right the terrible crimes committed by the theocracy and its ruling clique. These despots have systematically and methodically victimized the people of Iran for decades.
The unjust imprisonment of Ali Kantouri should serve as a stark reminder to Western Marxists -- as well as progressives and activists everywhere -- that anti-imperialism is not the sole hallmark of a worthwhile or viable political system. Political Islam is, in and of itself, overtly hostile to political opponents, workers and students, employing barbarism of the worst kind upon all those who struggle against such dogma and oppression. Ali Kantouri – like his comrades Peyman Piran and Behrouz Karimizadeh – can certainly attest to this.
A better world is possible. A better world is necessary.
It didn't take long for us to realize that we didn't want to be without a Boxer in the house. After just a few days without Domino, we decided that we wanted to go back to being a "two dog family" for everyone's sake, including that of our very grief-stricken Lhasanese, Stupsi. A few of our friends, including some fellow Boxer enthusiasts, encouraged us to "get back on the horse" as soon as we could and we took that advice to heart. We looked at a few older dogs in area shelters but we just weren't feeling the connection that we were hoping to find.
Late yesterday, I found a classified ad for a litter of 9 week-old Boxer pups. The seller was in South Charleston and she was very nice over the phone, even agreeing to hold one puppy in particular as we were very interested in him from the photo in the ad. Immediately after work, Thomai , the girls and I set out to visit South Charleston, braving the dropping temperatures, freezing rain and dark rural roads to reach the seller's home.
The lady was one of the most conscientious breeders I have ever met. She had folders prepared with documentation, medical histories and feeding instructions for each individual puppy. The parents of the litter were both present for us to meet and inspect. It was all very nice and reassuring and the fact that she was offering the pups at very "non-breeder" prices (so to speak) was even more encouraging.
In the end, we left with the very pup we had come to see. He is a handsome boy, indeed. He's a reverse-brindle Boxer with big paws and he's naturally curious but a little on the skittish side. The breeder described him as "stubborn and bull-headed but a bit of a sissy" (Those are her words, not mine). I have to admit that it will be quite funny to see our Stupsi -- a tiny little Tribble of a dog -- ultimately take her place as the dominant dog in the house, especially when this male pup grows into a full-size, muscle-bound 70+ pound brute.
We named our new guy "Dutch" (or "Dutchie") and the origin of his name is really something of a long story for another day. Stupsi has welcomed him to our family with cautious enthusiasm and we are all so excited to have Dutch with us. Of course, it's not the same as having our old girl Domino here with us, but it's a nice new beginning for everyone.
Thanks to everyone who shared words of support and encouragement.
Given the enormous human suffering brought on by the recent
disaster in Haiti, it doesn’t seem right to publicly dwell for too long on the
death of a family pet. But because
greeklish.org has been something of an "online diary" for us for such a long
time now, I wanted to mark the occasion with a few reflections on the recent
passing of our good friend Domino.
Thomai and I bought Domino as newlyweds in 1997.She was our second family pet after our
green iguana Oppie (named after J. Robert Oppenheimer) who passed away in 2002.We bought Domino from a farm in rural
Eaton and we named her after the Kiss song "Domino."I have always been proud to say that Domino’s name was
Thomai’s idea.
Domino was a huge part of our lives for 13 years.She welcomed our two daughters into the
family and she was always patient and always gentle with the kids.I think that there aren’t many dog
owners who can honestly and accurately say that their dogs never bared teeth,
growled or showed aggression in any form but this was absolutely the case with
our dog Domino.Whether it was all
those times when the girls inadvertently smacked her with toy golf clubs and
the like or it was those first few years when Thomai and I used Domino to test
out our developing “parental skills,” Domino was always understanding and
always forgiving.
When we brought Stupsi home a couple of years ago, Domino
was kind enough to welcome one more member to the family.As a rambunctious puppy, Stupsi was
awfully trying in her own right but it was great to see Domino acting as a
“mentor” of sorts to our newest four-legged addition.We lovingly called Domino our “Grand Dame” as we watched her
teach Stupsi the ropes.
She wasn't a show dog. She had a "point" on the top of her head. Her bottom front teeth looked like the salt from a big soft pretzel. Her nose was often dry and crusty. She drooled spit and sludge from her jowls and often left a trail of the stuff through the house. But Domino was made out of incredibly tough stuff.Her health problems were always minor
and we were often told by fellow boxer owners how fortunate we were to enjoy
such a long time with our beloved friend.We didn’t have to deal with a lengthy battle with cancer (boxers are
notoriously cancer prone), heart problems or hip issues.In the end, it was her 13 year-old liver
that gave out.He decline started
last Thursday and I already had a pretty good idea what we were facing by the
time I helped her into the van to go to the vet on Saturday.In addition to her lethargy and obvious
discomfort, the jaundice in her eyes signaled that she was in a bad way.
The doctor was very nice as he explained things, ending our difficult discussion
by saying that he thought that letting Domino go would be “fair.”Thomai and the girls arrived in time to
say a difficult goodbye and when they stepped out, I got a few minutes alone with
Domino.I sat on the floor with
her, wrapping my legs around her body and my arms around her neck.She rested her chin on my arm and
closed her eyes as I whispered in her ear.She had been virtually deaf for years but something about
the situation was comforting to her and for a few moments she dozed comfortably
as I spoke softly to her.The
doctor joined us and the end was fast and merciful.She fell asleep once more in my arms and I gently laid her
down for one final goodbye.
The whole situation was wonderfully materialistic in a
manner of speaking.There was no
talk of God or Heaven, no musings about religion and spirituality or the grand cosmic meanings of life and death.We were
straight with our girls about what happened and why and they are stronger surely
because of the experience and its lasting lessons.Even the doctor was very concrete in his description of how
Domino reacted in her final seconds, describing some involuntary movements as
“random electricity.”It was all consistent with how I view life and existence and thus
reaffirming and ultimately very comforting.
I sat down at the computer late Saturday afternoon and
opened up the web browser, landing on my default home page here at greeklish.org.Right there in front of me were the
words I typed just a few weeks ago:
Nothing ever truly goes away. Our favorite things,
places and people will last forever but in different shapes and forms.
It is a comfort to me that Domino will exist in our memories
and beyond for many, many years to come.Thomai and the girls struggle now and again and I have apologized many
times over the course of the last few days for all of the times my girls have had
to see me sob and cry.Stupsi is
having a hard time as well, spending hours laying near Domino’s favorite spots in
the house and periodically searching for her around the house as she softly
whimpers.
This is real life though, and there are many problems much
worse than this all around the world, every single day.We are surely fortunate that this is our
greatest of challenge at the moment just as we are fortunate to have enjoyed so
many years with such a dedicated friend.
We will always love our friend Domino.
"Suddenly... You were gone... from all the lives you
left your mark upon.” ★
Today I watched a snowflake drift to the ground and melt and
it was in this brief moment that years of reading and reflecting on materialism
and physics became clear to me:
Nothing ever truly goes away.
Our favorite things, places and people will last forever but in
different shapes and forms. After
being free of religious dogma for over two decades, it is this very realization which yields the most liberating feeling of all. (Written on 19 December 2009)
"Life, everyday practical activities,
convince us that the world exists
it is of a material nature
objectively, independently of man,
of his consciousness, sensations and desires." – O. Yakhot
Most people who know me – even in passing – know of my profound interest in Soviet and Russian history. Back in June of this year, my years of interest and study culminated in the completion of my self-published book project, Red Youth: Young Heroes of the Great Patriotic War. The book chronicles the life and martyrdom of Zoya Kosmodemyanska, one of the best-known and most loved heroines of the Soviet Union’s war against fascist Germany. Regular readers to this site know that I had a lot of help on this project and a lot of support for my efforts as well.
In the months that have followed since the initial release of the book, I have received kind words and encouragement from many different places in the world and I have shipped copies all over the United States and as far away as the Middle East and Australia. I also shipped a copy to Peyman Piran, one of the Iranian students to whom the book is dedicated. Last month, I filled a wholesale order for Red Emma’s Bookstore and Coffeehouse in Baltimore and they are now selling copies online and in their store.
I am, of course, very happy to sell copies of the book to anyone with an interest in Zoya’s story. But one of the greatest honors thus far just happened this week. My friend Nina Lebed lives in Russia and she was kind enough to take a copy to the Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya Museum in Moscow. On Tuesday November 24, 2009 she presented a copy of the book to Museum Director Natalia Valentinovna who will place the book into the collection of materials at the museum.
To have this book placed upon so many important documents and exhibits related to Zoya and her brother Shura is one of the most tremendous accomplishments of my life and I am grateful to Nina and everyone else who helped to bring about this honor.
Museum Director Natalia Valentinovna holding the Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya Museum’s newly acquired copy of Red Youth.
The book will be added to this case which contains works about Zoya from around the world.
Red Youth sits atop Zoya’s primary school desk.
Closeup of Red Youth on Zoya’s desk.
Red Youth: Young Heroes of the Great Patriotic War is available for purchase through Erythrós Press and Media.
You don’t have to be a Marxist to appreciate the fact that few people have ever been so skilled at building polemic arguments as V.I. Lenin. Consider this passage from his 1915 work New Data on the Laws Governing the Development of Capitalism in Agriculture in which Lenin set out to refute the assertions of a prominent Russian economist of the day:
All these assertions are monstrously untrue. They are in direct contradiction to reality. They are a sheer mockery of the truth. Their incorrectness ought to be explained in detail for a very good reason…
The argument that follows this introduction is as painstakingly detailed and spot-on as required, which is a necessity given the subject matter at hand. From the caustic polemic follows a methodical deconstruction that is then buttressed by a wealth of relevant statistical data. The balance of the piece is a resounding quod erat demonstrandum.
Such an introduction to a complex and multifaceted debate immediately compels the reader to accept the infallibility of the forthcoming counterpoint(s). It’s a methodical attack, meant to undermine the fallacious claims of an opponent while simultaneously and explicitly asserting the validity of the immediate arguments.
This method is among the more useful and effective tactics in both the most simple and complex of political debates.
Signifying a sharp turn in working class movement in Sri Lanka, the plantation workers of Balmoral Estate in hill country recently took a bold step forward to establish an action committee. After weeks of preliminary strike actions which were, in turn, met with numerous betrayals by reactionary trade unions, Sri Lankan workers are still engaged in an important struggle.
The Balmoral Estate Action Committee recently published an appeal to all workers which includes a bold vision statement and call to action:
We, the workers of the Balmoral Estate in Agarapathana, have formed our own Action Committee to fight for our rights and call on workers throughout the plantations and other sections of industry to do the same.
We have taken this step because we have no faith in any of the trade unions that have sold us out time and time again. All the plantation unions are working with the employers and the government to force us to accept another two years of poverty-level wages.
The organization of the Balmore Estate labor force constitutes an important development not only within Sri Lanka but on an international scale as well. Working people and students everywhere can learn from the bravery and vision of these plantation workers. Their struggle exemplifies the vision of Indian political theorists like D.D. Kosambi who captured the very essence of workers' movements in the conclusion to his 1939 piece The Kanpur Road:
My place was not with the heroes, but with the rabble, with the men who had been pressed into the ranks by force of arms, or force of hunger, with nothing to fight or work for and little to gain; whose function in the epics was to be slaughtered by the heroes; whose role, according to the historians, was to provide a mere background for the deeds of great men. The heroes of a money-making society rose from the people, at the expense of the people; I could rise only with the common people.
It's been a few years since the last time I attended the Mid-Ohio Con in Columbus. A lot has changed in that short space of time. Then again, some things have stayed the same, too. What's changed is that money is quite a bit tighter for us these days. When I started planning to attend this year's event, I knew that I wouldn't have the kind of "mad money" that I had back in 2006. At the 2006 Mid-Ohio Con, I was able to land some pretty remarkable finds, including a classic that had eluded me for a very long time, Captain Marvel #100 (1949). That particular book was a landmark find for me, as it cracked the elite ranks of my comic book "Wall of Fame." It was truly an exciting find and it was one of my best comic con purchases ever.
Airboy, vol. 4, number 1 (1947)
My interests have changed since 2006 as well, as I've spent a good deal of the last 18 months or so working on the project that ultimately became the book Red Youth: Young Heroes of the Great Patriotic War. Add to that the fact that I've been busy with the guys from The Wrestling Daily to produce our new site that is coming along very well these days. Each week seems to bring something new for TWD and we seem to have real potential for terrific growth. It's time-consuming but tremendously exciting stuff.
As far as my taste in comics, that's still pretty much the same. I took a printout of my partial inventory with me to the Con and, as usual, I was on the lookout for affordable copies of Golden AgeAir Fighters and Airboy issues. I am also always looking to fill gaps in my collections of Power Man and Iron Fist and Rom: Spaceknight so that I might end up with full runs of each series. After all these years, I am still a sucker for the Bronze Age stuff.
Since my spending money was on the lean side, I figured I'd be pickier than usual and my expectations were pretty low as far as making a big score this year. Hillman comics seemed to be pretty scarce. I did find a dealer out of Louisville who handed me a nice stack of Airboy issues to look though, but the average price on the books was about $125. Here and there I found other copies of Airboy comics, ranging in price from about $40 to $185 or so. It was the first big comic con I've attended in a while that didn't seem to have any copies of Real Clue or Headline Comics and that was kind of disappointing.
I found one dealer who was more or less liquidating his inventory and he had a copy of Airboy volume 4, number 1 (1947) marked at $30 but he was also offering it at 50% off. I made a note of it and a few booths down the way, I found the same issue for $185! Needless to say, I walked back to the other guy and bought his copy for $15. It's got tape on the spine, but it's complete and the cover displays well. And it was way cheap, too. Those are the most important things to me when it comes to acquiring Golden Age books for my collection.
There were a couple of pro wrestling booths at Mid-Ohio and I took the opportunity to do a little networking on behalf of TWD. One guy specialized in old school DVDs and we had a nice chat about industry business. He was also nice enough to let me have whatever DVDs I wanted for $5 each. Among the DVDs I scored was a disc that features the complete ECW/USWA feud. I watched most of it last night and I have to say it is the most tremendous display of action and storytelling I have ever seen in the world of pro wrestling. This series has the best shoot promos from Jerry Lawler, Jim Cornette, Tommy Dreamer, Beulah McGillicutty and a lot of other huge names. Incidentally, I think Beulah's "eye for an eye" promo about Tommy Dreamer's injured testicles might just be my new favorite promo piece of all time. The matchups feature so many ECW originals that it's hard to even list them all from memory. I think when it' all said and done, this might be one of my favorite "unofficial" DVD compilations of all time.
I also got some face time with a promoter from an up-and-coming regional promotion and he seemed pretty interested in what we're doing at TWD. There seems to be a good chance that we might work together in the near future.
Marv Wolfman was in attendance at Mid-Ohio. I met him at the 2008 Gem City Comic Con and he didn't seem too interested in talking that day. Luckily, he was in very good spirits this time and he was happy to sign my trade paperback of Crisis on Infinite Earths. I also presented him with Total Eclipse #1, explaining that I love Eclipse Comics and that I had just re-read the entire mini-series over the summer. I told him that the editors had bragged that Total Eclipse was Marv's "most complex" plot to date and when he heard that he rolled his eyes, saying he was never really pleased with that particular series. He explained why, confirming a little of what I have previously heard about Eclipse. It was a pretty fascinating glimpse into the business side of the comics industry and it was especially noteworthy to hear It from such a legendary writer like Wolfman. He was not terribly nostalgic for the Eclispe days, but to me, Eclipse will always stand out as a tremendous source for great storytelling, particularly with their resurrection of so many Golden-Age characters. Before I moved on, I shared with Marv that his writing has been a huge influence on me for the better part of my life now and I thanked him for that. He was very gracious and it was a positive experience for me.
Marvel Two-In-One #24 (1977)
I don't usually sell or trade comics, but I did take a copy of Zoo Funnies #3 (1945) with me in hopes that I could unload it for cash or credit. It's generally considered the first Charlton comic book ever. A couple of the people I showed it to were intrigued with its historical significance as a Charlton comic but they were also quick to add that "funny animal" stuff doesn't sell these days. Whatever. After striking out with about 4 dealers, I ended up finding a guy who was willing to trade me for it, offering 20 comics from his inventory in exchange for my one book. As luck would have it, he had a ton of Power Man and Iron Fist and Rom issues, so I made out pretty well. I also landed a Marvel Two-in-One featuring Black Goliath (another one of my favorite Marvel Bronze Age characters) and a few copies of The Flash from the mid 1980s. One day I hope to put together a full run of the Silver Age Flash series as well. So I guess I ended up with a nice haul after all.
Mid-Ohio is a nice experience and all, but in times like these, a $15 admission fee is more than a little steep. It took patience and tenacity on my part to find a handful of good deals this year. Still, I got to see a lot of nice comics and toys and I ended up with some nice new additions to my collection. Now if I only had time to read all of these comics that I just bought…
It’s been a long time coming, but I finally managed to find some
time to add some new content to our archive of materials dedicated to Zoya
Kosmodemyanskaya.
The index page of the archive now features a new collage of
images from Zoya’s life and beyond.Also featured on the page is a banner ad for the book Red Youth, which
is still on sale from Erythrós Press and Media.It’s also worth mentioning that Red Youth recently received
a very favorable review from The Marxist-Leninist, which is one of the better
political blogs on the Internet.You can read the review here.
We have added a few images to our Post Card Gallery of
single-issue cards and selections from sets.The new images in this gallery include:
- A Soviet-era card from around 1943, likely one of the earliest post cards featuring Zoya’s image.
- A card from the 1950’s which features both a black-and-white portrait of Zoya and an artist’s depiction of her speech before her execution at Petrischchevo.
- An undated color print of what appears to be an oil painting of Zoya, dated 1953.
Tanya
Solomakha
Also in this image gallery is a new favorite of mine, a 1964
artist’s depiction of Young Pioneers laying flowers at the base of a statue of
Zoya.I happened upon this by
complete accident on eBay one evening.Although the card was not specifically listed as being related to Zoya,
I noticed the Russian inscription of her name at the base of the statue and
thought this would be a great piece for our collection.
Finally, we’ve posted a series of photographs taken by our
friend Nina Lebed during her trip to the Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya Museum in Moscow
earlier this year.The pictures
show some fantastic exhibits of property, documents and literature related to
the Kosmodemyanskie.Of particular
interest to me was the picture of Tatiana
"Tanya" Solomakha, the heroine of the Russian Civil War whose
story was especially important to young Zoya both in childhood and as a young
partisan.All in all, these are
great photos of a place that I very much hope to visit someday.Many thanks to you, Nina!
International Women's Day, as described
by Alexandra Kollontai, began as “a day of international solidarity, and a day
for reviewing the strength and organization of proletarian women.” Established through the determination
of radical activist and organizer Clara Zetkin and a resolution adopted at the
International Conference of Working Women the first IWD was marked in
1911. Today, IWD is
commemorated around the world as “a global day
celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past,
present and future.”
Nadezhda Krupskaya (1869 – 1939) Married to V.I. Lenin, Krupskaya was a very important
revolutionary in her own right, educating and supporting fellow Bolsheviks in
the years leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917. Suffering through persecution and arrest under
the Tsar, Krupskaya endured the struggle and supported Lenin through the tumult
that would eventually bring the Soviets to power. Krupskaya was an archivist and librarian and did much work
in the establishment of the new Soviet library system following the
revolution. In 1933, she published
Reminiscences of Lenin, a biography of her husband which is often regarded as
one of the best assessments of his life and work.
Ida B. Wells-Barnett (1862 – 1931) Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a
journalist and activist who used her exceptional talents as a writer and a speaker to raise global
awareness
regarding crimes against African-Americans in the South during the
decades
immediately following the Civil War.
She wrote extensively on the problem of lynching in the
United States,
beginning with two groundbreaking pamphlets Southern
Horrors: Lynch Law in All
Its Phases, and a A Red Record. She co-founded the NAACP
with W.E.B. DuBois and others
in 1909.
The grim news from Iran is that student and activist 
It didn't take long for us to realize that we didn't want to be without a Boxer in the house. After just a few days without 
The argument that follows this introduction is as painstakingly detailed and spot-on as required, which is a necessity given the subject matter at hand. From the caustic polemic follows a methodical deconstruction that is then buttressed by a wealth of relevant statistical data. The balance of the piece is a resounding 
