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In a message dated 7/31/2004 4:17:43 PM Central Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>I remember trying to speak with the boyfriend of my first
wife's mother. He worked in a gas station. He was not stupid, but he
was angry. He directed much of this anger at Blacks, but I think he was
racist. He just had this anger and he did not know where to direct it.
Fortunately, I just read a wonderful book -- The Hidden
Injuries of Class -- which helped me to translate some of his words into what he
was really thinking rather than to come down on him as a stupid racist. I
do not pretend to be entirely successful. Usually the discussion would get to a
degree of rationality, but then would return to the same ugly spot the next time
we would meet. <
Comment I have met a few . . . not many ideological racists in my time
in the plants. They are few and far in between . . . really. And they did not
like me or my communism and this had nothing to do with my communism.
Really.
I must apologize if my distinction between chauvinism and
racism is not crisp and sharp enough because none of the comrade are racists . .
. period. I have been hard on Lou but he can take it on the chin and he has been
most generous with me as a contributor on Marxmail. I am truly grateful for his
art at moderation and squeezing out of all contributors . . . everything they
got. to give.
Folks who in fits of anger or causal conversion spew forth
some of the rot all of us inherent in our society should not be condemned but
understood and worked with. If I was held responsibly for all of my stupidities
I would be in jail facing death role.
After 9/11 about 30 percent of my electoral base wanted to
string my ass up . . .. and 70% of my area . . . the Machining Division let me
know I could kiss their multinational ass. Folks feelings were deeply
hurt. The African Americans were disoriented and trying to find their balance in
what seems to be unending waves of white chauvinism without beginning or end and
the younger white workers wanted to kick my ass.
I tend to offend America's honor. This is not my intention as
a political leader . . . but what I supposed to say when you keep fucking me up?
I happen to love America and hate being fucked up.
The Slavic workers were my dogged base of support after I
issued the open letter asking it our new German owners were going to put us in
the ovens . . . after they called the police to escort the white collar workers
from Auburn Hills during the first wave of massive layoff in 2001. (Auburn Hills
is the headquarters of Chrysler Group.)
The Slavic workers basically said "you really understand class
and the German do not discriminate . . . they are better that everyone."
Now . . . I happen to like the German managers better than my
Yankee brothers and their bullshit. But . . . no one is going to call the police
on us to escort us out of work after you have taken my fucking job and
livelihood.
I told the workers . . . "they coming for us tomorrow" and I
will be damned if they did not lay off at the Jefferson plant and ask people to
surrender their badges. I was very clear . . . you might think my badge is
company property . . . but I shall not surrender shit. Not only am I not
surrendering shit . . . but have a notion to chain myself to the job and make
your ass pay me for my work.
It got sticky and before I knew it my letters where being
published in 20 plants in Chrysler's system.
My brother was called . . . who is an International
Representative in the Chrysler division.
"What wrong with your fucking brother . . . we have to cut
back staff and this is not no goddamn blue collar workers. Talk to your brother
before we put him on the streets and make him bargain for his job back."
Big brother is the Stalin of the family and said "fuck you.
Why did you call the police on the laid off members of the family in the first
place?"
"Because they steal the software programs to start an
independent business and sabotage the system because they are mad."
Brother say "I would steal everything to make sure my family
had a chance to each what your family eat and ain't nobody a stool
pigeon."
The company say . . . "Nobody in the mood for this bullshit
Maurice. You and your fucking brother are going to hit the wall."
Maurice says . . . "what did you just say?"
"Look Maurice we need to get together and resolve this issue.
When can we talk/"
Now this crap cause me to lose my last election to a black
women I have known 40 years . . . and dated. Yers we had sex . . . and a lots of
it. Her mother and my mother went to elementary and high school together. She
became the first black women to win highest elected union position in our
industrial compound . . . by kicking my ass.
But then I ainât a trade unionist or William Foster but a
communist worker.
Ain't no abstract class shit but real people and real
individuals with opinion and prejudices.
Anyway . . . the young guys wanted to kick my ass in the wake
of 9/11 because I said I was going to get a tee-shirt that said . . .
"Abdul aint did nothing to me."
"Abdul aint did nothing to me."
I probably should have not said that . . . but so what.
Now many of the younger white workers who are my freaking
son's age are in the national guard to make money.
They hemmed me up in the locker room and pinned both my arms
and this beefy mutherfucker lifted me up in the air and said he needed to kill
me. The younger white workers grinned and the black workers . . . younger guys
waited for my response.
I did not like this mostly because these guy are my freaking
sons age . . . and I would never disrespect my father on this level. I mean I
did not like any of this acting out at all.
I already know I am not dealing with racism but some deep
imperial chauvinism. We the most imperial workers on earth and I can show you my
social security record to prove it.
I says . . . "look man. . . Abdul ain't did shit to me except
sell me some cigarette and gas. If you do not plan on killing my ass right here
. . . do not make me get you fucked up over nothing."
"You the king of mutherfucker that call us baby killers and I
plan on killing everybody and making them mutherfuckers pay. What . . . you
gonna get me time off or fired? Fuck you man and that communist shit you be
talking. I never should have voted for your skinny black ass communist
bullshit."
This guys eyes were red and then he and his crew threatened to
met me in the parking lot after work.
I says . . . "look man . . . I do not get people fired or time
off even when you no working, talking on the cell phone . .. talking about some
shit your ole lady did . . . no coming to work mutherfuckers . . . no wanting to
work on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday but wanting to work Saturday and Sunday . .
. video watching . . . rap music listening to mutherfuckers make my job hard for
nothing . . . want me to save your job. If you get fired I have to screw your
wife and pay for your kids and I would rather just give you the money . . . you
long head . . . putting your hands on me . . . can't run a machine . . . stupid
mutherfucker.
"If I knew I had to deal with yall stupid mutherfuckers I
would have never put my son out. What the fuck you talking about killing babies
. . . you mean an abortion or something . . . you thick neck steak eating
. . . always running late talkin about Melvin can you get somebody to cover for
me . . . mutherfucker."
"You still should have not said that shit about Abdul ainât
did nothing to you. That ainât right man."
By now the foreman is in the locker room wondering why no one
is working.
"I can't fired your ass but I can fire everybody else and let
God and the union sort it out."
Everyone is starting to move and I says . . . "Lets take to
the side."
"Fuck you Melvin we ain't talking about shit . . . if the guys
ainât on the floor in 3O seconds all you fired."
The guys go to their jobs and I say to the foreman "what is
that about. You know I am not on your level and should not even be talking to
your ass and let the Chief Steward handle the dumb shit."
The foreman says "Benny got all the steel backed up and start
complaining because none of the loaders were on the job."
I says . . . "how can this mutherfucker that is 69 years old .
. . getting social security and getting all kinds of checks . . . be on time all
the time and cry over other people slowing up the steel?"
The foreman says . . . "people be making Benny day go slow."
I say . . . "you mutherfuckers do not pay me enough for this
bullshit."
The foreman say . . . "you make more than me . . .
mutherfucker."
I say . . . "lets switch."
"Nope. I am not going to deal with a bunch of cry babies."
This is the class struggle in the American Union on this level
of industrial trade unions and all the little prejudices about what we think
about what we think we think are not really that important.
Its deep.
Every cat with anger and a beef is not an ideological racists.
Then again I come out of the upper stratum of the industrial
class.
There was the time this young white worker said, "Melvin . . .
I did everything they told me to do and went to school and I ended up with you."
I laughed so hard that I hurt his feelings. This is a story
for later.
Melvin P.
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- Re: A Question for the Moderator- race, ideology and... Michael Perelman
