I don't blame it on Women's Lib and I don't think the guy I spoke with did either. I think it's pretty bad that any law passed can screw up past gains.

Reagan!!! Ugggghh!

@

Carrying a tune in a bucket, and passing it on......it is a good way to live

Captain, Well there are probably endless examples of newer laws undermining older laws -- sometimes it's intentional, but often it's accidental -- a case of legislators not paying enough attention to what they're doing and/or making things far more complicated than they need to be. Too many cooks...

Len, Your dad sounds like a good man. I think greed is fueled by fear -- people's fear that if one doesn't control as much as possible, they will be buried by the people that do. I am less worried about "political" violence coming to the streets again, maybe because I think (or hope) that people have learned from the big movements (especially gay rights) that it is possible to be militant without turning violent, to refrain from violence even when horrific acts are committed against you and people you love.

I went down to the local DC rally in Dupont Circle* to support Wisconsin today. Small crowd, but it felt good to be there. (*SLG and JI's new CD has a song about Dupont Circle. )

@

Hello Arlo,
I am a teacher in Wisconsin. Need I say more? Could you come to Madison and help us? I know you were just here 2 weeks ago, but the weather has improved. It was a beautiful, snowy day in Madison yesterday. But we need someone like you to help us fight for the same cause that your father fought for back in the 20's and 30's. His song, "The 1913 Massacre" really hits home for me. My great-grandfather was one of the copper miners in Calumet, Michigan where they were trying to form a union for safe working conditions in the mines. (We haven't come very far in almost 100 years) But I remember my grandfather telling me about how the workers had a Christmas party at the Italian hall. He begged his "Pa" to take him, although his Pa didn't want to go because he had a stiff neck. But as Grandpa said, kids won't give in so he pestered his Pa and they went, but they left early. They were about 10 minutes away when they heard the screams and then the sirens as people were trampled when someone from the Company yelled "Fire" inside the hall. Grandpa said 2 little girls and their mother who lived next door to them were one of the many who were killed. My grandpa was 8 years old at the time. So could you please come to Madison and sing some of the songs your father wrote? Peter Yarrow was there yesterday singing. I tried to get Pete Seeger but someone on his Appreciation page said at almost 92, Pete doesn't get around too much anymore. So could you come? Please?
Nancy Reese
High School Drama and Math teacher for 33 years!!

reesena,

I wrote my senior thesis about the "1913 Massacre" and gave Arlo a copy of it in Easton, PA.

I'm an unemployed social studies teacher in NJ. Our governor seems to be backing yours and and is trying to blame public workers, teachers specifically, for our state's budget woes. It's disgraceful. I notice that a lot of the people in NJ who are backing the gov are complaining about their working conditions, overtime without compensation, excessive contributions or no medical insurance. Meanwhile, their bosses are getting richer. The workers need unions to protect them. Unless the powers that be succeed in doing away with collective bargaining and unions, my prediction is that the unions will become stronger by the time this is over. By stronger, I mean more unions.


Lee

I'm with you Arlo...So I'll be singing.."Oh you can't scare me I'm stickin' to the union..Sticking to the union..'til the day I die".
I worry about this country of ours and its future. I keep hoping that things get better but they just seem to get worse every year. But the good thing is that people are getting together around the world and proving that they can bring about change and peacefully. So I guess there is a little twinkle of hope. But I'll tell you the politicians on both sides in this country worry me. Maybe its time to push for term limits. Whatever the answer is Lets hope for peace and better days ahead...
-Eric

On another thought but isn't it funny how the old topical songs still have meaning even today. I have been going through the song book "Hard Hit Songs for Hard Hit People", I picked up at the library, and have found many songs in there that in one way or another could apply to what is going on today...The dollar don't go as far as it used to...the coal mine disasters..Health Insurance Execs receiving millions of dollars in compansation..and so on. So yup the world still sucks!
-Eric

Arlo, they're taking it to the union in Madison. I've been with the good people of Wisconsin in our state capitol for most of 2 weeks. Now they are kicking us out of our statehouse for "cleaning and our own security". But of course our presence will only grow larger outside of our statehouse. We had an estimated 100,000 citizens there last Saturday in our attempt only to preserve Collective Bargaining Rights.

Arlo, please come to Madison ASAP and join our union brothers and sisters on the steps of our capitol and lead us in song "Sticking to the Union". These are once again desperate times. Contact John Nichols:

http://www.thenation.com/authors/john-nichols

to make all the logistical arrangements. Time is of the essence!

The union workers compromised on benefits and wages. Isn't that enough? The governor isn't looking to get rid of collective bargaining because it's in the best interest of the workers. He's doing it because it's in the best interest of the people who put up the money for his election. I'm a member of two unions and a guild. Unions aren't perfect, but they are there for the workers. What else do we have?

Sure hope you show your support at the concert on Saturday at the Midland Theatre. Ohio is quickly following the way of Wisconsin.......sad.

Welcome to the site. Wish I could be at the show...

First of all, great concert in Middletown,Ohio last night. The band was tight and the Burns Sisters were really good.

I've gotta say, though, that attempts to draw parallels between the current issue of collective bargaining for public unions and the truly meaningful organizing struggles of the earlier 20th century in which Woody played such a prominent role just won't work. Unions today bear virtually no relationship to the organizations of many decades ago which were involved in truly heroic strugggles against serious abuses of workers' rights. Frankly, it's embarrassing to see current union "leaders" and members attempting to portray themselves as victims. It cheapens the significant accomplishments of those who went before them and really accomplished something for workers and their families.