August 15, 2007

Does the IWW Want to Criminalize the Receipt of Private Income?

Carroll Andrew Morse

The “Industrial Workers of the World” have been drawing some media attention due to their North Providence protest where one protester, Alex Svoboda, was hospitalized after a confrontation with police. In a Richard C. Dujardin article in today’s Projo on the latest developments, a local IWW leader briefly describes the history and the mission of the organization…

[Mark Bray], a candidate for two master’s degrees at Providence College in areas of European and American history, said the IWW was formed close to a century ago to help protect the rights of workers, though its Providence chapter experienced a revival during the last year.
However, Mr. Bray seems to have soft-pedaled his organization’s stated purpose. The IWW Constitution describes much more ambitious goals than “protecting the rights of workers". Here is a section of the preamble…
Instead of the conservative motto, "A fair day's wage for a fair day's work," we must inscribe on our banner the revolutionary watchword, "Abolition of the wage system."
Seems like Mr. Bray missed a chance to get the watchwords printed by the mainstream media. I wonder why he decided to go with the milder description. Anyway, the IWW Constitution continues…
It is the historic mission of the working class to do away with capitalism. The army of production must be organized, not only for everyday struggle with capitalists, but also to carry on production when capitalism shall have been overthrown. By organizing industrially we are forming the structure of the new society within the shell of the old.
So here’s the question: Given the goals described in their Constitution, isn’t it fair to say that a primary goal of the IWW is the criminalization of private income?

Comments, although monitored, are not necessarily representative of the views Anchor Rising's contributors or approved by them. We reserve the right to delete or modify comments for any reason.

Philosophical issues aside with the wobblies? Did you pay attention to how the North Providence PD folded that girl's leg like a pretzel? Would your reaction be different if this was a group of Evangelical Protestants or a Conservative organization?

My reaction would be the same across the board. Disgust.

Posted by: John at August 15, 2007 3:08 PM

Philosophical issues aside with the wobblies? Did you pay attention to how the North Providence PD folded that girl's leg like a pretzel? Would your reaction be different if this was a group of Evangelical Protestants or a Conservative organization?

My reaction would be the same across the board. Disgust.

Posted by: John at August 15, 2007 3:08 PM

"Philosophical issues aside with the wobblies? Did you pay attention to how the North Providence PD folded that girl's leg like a pretzel? Would your reaction be different if this was a group of Evangelical Protestants or a Conservative organization?

My reaction would be the same across the board. Disgust."


Bad things happen when you resist arrest. I felt bad for the kid who got her leg broken. The only disgust I felt was while reading the reaction to the unfortunate event and the demands of the IWW "union," ie: payment from the North Providence taxpayers for medical expenses and dropping all charges.

Posted by: Michael at August 15, 2007 4:14 PM

As a union guy, I believe the IWW manifesto goes too far - I plead guilty to being a capitalist. That said...
As a North Providence resident, I'm appalled and disgraced both by Saturday's events, and by the yahoos from NP calling Dan Allen's show vowing vengeance against the IWW and anybody who dares stand with them - when they ask my family to bring the brass knucks and tire irons, my response will be an apology that the lynching must go on without us. And let's just say my experiences with the NPPD (no, I have never been arrested) preclude my having any sympathy with them.
It's about time for other North Providence residents to stand up and tell Rhode Island (and the talk radio hosts) we're not all a bunch of jackbooted thugs.
I know, I shouldn't be shocked. Plenty of my neighbors kept Father of the Year, who hired our magnificent police force, in Town Hall (and now in the S of S office).

Posted by: dp8362 at August 15, 2007 4:25 PM

"Would your reaction be different if this was a group of Evangelical Protestants or a Conservative organization?"

No, because members of the above named groups would have been doing their best to obey the law, not trying to provoke and agitate the police.

Not only should North Providence not pay for her medical bills; they should bill the union/communist front group for the expenses that they incurred trying to restore public safety. The IWW had a clear disregard for the drivers on Mineral Spring Avenue, and I think, the more I've heard about this mini-riot, that the police ought to be commended for their restraint.

Posted by: Will at August 15, 2007 4:28 PM

Only thing missing from the IWW moonbat Commie manifesto is how to employ proper body mechanics when inciting the police to arrest you. I more than welcome the state police or any other reputable group to review the actions taken by the NP police dept. on Saturday. That review will ensure the town of NP doesn't have to pay a dime to that foulmouth moonbat for the injuries she brought on herself.
Hoping next time Alex will watch her step. Literally!

Posted by: Tim at August 15, 2007 4:43 PM

Sounds to me like the NP Police tangibly assisted the demonstrator in realizing their dream of being a truly wobblie!

Posted by: Tom W at August 15, 2007 4:55 PM

Tom,

I couldn't have said it any better. Touché!

I can't even believe we're taking these folks seriously. Calling them moonbats is an insult to the bats!

Posted by: Will at August 15, 2007 5:16 PM

This was a disgusting display of police officers throwing their weight around, literally and figuratively. Although it involves two group of people (International Workers of the World and North Providence Police), it comes down to violence and pain on an individual level that should not have happened and no one should stand for it.

Posted by: chloe at August 15, 2007 6:42 PM

Chloe -- It's Industrial (not International) Workers of the World.
---------
I've posted quite a bit on this issue on RI Future, so I don't have a lot more to say.

I do believe that we should get a complete investigation of the facts. On its face, it looks as if the police overreacted, but we really need someone to get statements from all participants and bystanders, photos, medical reports, etc., before reaching any conclusion.

I don't think there are many in RI who would agree with the positions of the IWW on virtually any topic. They are against capitalism and against trade unions as well (they say there should be only one union -- the IWW). That does not excuse the police if they misbehaved.

I just hope that anyone who associates with the IWW on this issue does so with full awareness of the group's philosophy.

Posted by: brassband at August 15, 2007 7:49 PM

No one is right or wrong until we have more evidence - preferably impartial. Bring on the film from the DOT camera on the corner.

In the meantime, as to Andrew's post, if I'm drawing pay whether I work or not, what's my motivation for leaving my comfy sofa, my cable tv and that box of bon-bons every morning?

Posted by: SusanD at August 15, 2007 8:31 PM

Wow,

Look at the big men call out a 22 year old female after she gets her leg broken.

You guys are cool, can I hang with you??

Last time I checked, we were a country of innocent until proven guilty. Your posts will be used to motivate our side, much bigger than your side, congratulations.

My posts over at RIFuture are clear too:

I didn't support the protest; I don't support anyone getting hurt over it.

You 3 sound like you had your lunch money stolen a lot. Who else would pick on a defenseless female after the fact??

Justin,

Once again, the contributors have proven above all else that they hate women.

Tom W,

Since your such a man, I'm sure you won't have a problem repeating that line to my face. I'll be calling with a time when I'll be stopping by. (I'd tell you to come here, but like Greg and so many others, following in the footsteps of Don Carcieri, you're all talk and no action. Therefore, this one goes to your house or your office.)

Posted by: Bobby Oliveira at August 15, 2007 10:23 PM

A decent number of legbreakers call North Providence home. Some of them even wear police uniforms.
My town, once again living up to all the worst stereotypes...

Posted by: Rhody at August 16, 2007 1:44 AM

Bobby,

Why so shrill? Hanging with the girls at RIDemise too much lately? lol Let me help you out with the facts of life Bobby. There's a big big difference between females and women. I love women but there weren't any women at that protest. There were lots of females at that protest, in fact they were 'all' females but no women were there. Anyone with any experience with the outside world does realize in today's American society the behavior of females in many circles is as aggressive and foul mouthed and rowdy as any male.
Part of the liberal devolution of our society.
Far too many females act out as males and far too many males act out as females. Bad behavior put Alex on the ground. Bad body mechanics broke her leg.
Since there were no women at that protest so how do you draw the inference that we hate women because of our commentary on it?
Just that facts ma'am! lol
Btw only the mentally imbalanced could inject Don Carcieri into this discussion. Is your stalking of his wife proof of your love of women Bobby? lol

Will,

You may be right about the bats. I'll call them losers instead. Much more accurate.

Posted by: Tim at August 16, 2007 7:04 AM

Hey, Bipolar Oliveira,

You'd better start taking your prescriptions again - at best you're making even more of an ass out of yourself than usual, and could be setting yourself up to get arrested given the threats you are making.

I know that while at work - peddling timeshares / doing the hard-sell dance on gullible tourists - the bosses won't let you wear that tinfoil hat you made to repel alien mind-control rays. But you'd best wear it everywhere else, 'cause those rays are starting to effect you man!

Posted by: Ragin' Rhode Islander at August 16, 2007 9:48 AM

To make the point that comments don’t get deleted here just because they’re unpopular, I tend to err on the side of letting stupid sh** stand in the comments section. Thus, I’ll let Bobby Oliveira’s comments above and the direct responses to it stand.

However, I am declaring an end, in this thread or any others, to invitations from one commenter to another to test pugilistic skills.

Posted by: Andrew at August 16, 2007 11:17 AM

John and Chloe,

Welcome to Anchor Rising.

John, Chloe, and Rhody,

Around this time last week, I was being told by some sources that the Woonsocket PD had callously and maliciously denied a person in their custody medication, leading to this death. That narrative turned out to be not true.

Likewise I’m not ready to believe, based on one side of the story, that everything that happened in North Providence can be blamed on demon cops.

I will say, that as the sole "owners" of the monopoly on force in society (sorry for introducing the concept of ownership to the conversation, IWW fans), police are reasonably expected to be experts in the use of force and should be held to the highest standards when deploying it, warranting a thorough investigation of what happened.

Posted by: Andrew at August 16, 2007 11:20 AM

I can tell you from my experience with the NPPD that these guys love to act tough. They love to use the power of the uniform to get their way with citizens, businesses, women, etc.
And judging from Lombardi's comments in today's ProJo, there isn't any more real leadership coming out from the mayor's office than there was under Mollis. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Thank God I didn't vote for either of those charlatans.

Posted by: Rhody at August 16, 2007 11:41 AM

>>Since your such a man, I'm sure you won't have a problem repeating that line to my face. I'll be calling with a time when I'll be stopping by. (I'd tell you to come here, but like Greg and so many others, following in the footsteps of Don Carcieri, you're all talk and no action. Therefore, this one goes to your house or your office.)

Oliveira - obviously you don't understand the nuance of "black humor."

In any case, exchanging "harsh" words over a public blog is one thing. However, if you set one foot near me or mine, I'm calling the police.

Capiche?

Posted by: Tom W at August 16, 2007 1:24 PM

19 comments and less than 5 actually address the question posed.

Posted by: Jim at August 16, 2007 1:34 PM

". . .It is the historic mission of the working class to do away with capitalism. The army of production must be organized, not only for everyday struggle with capitalists, but also to carry on production when capitalism shall have been overthrown. By organizing industrially we are forming the structure of the new society within the shell of the old." (So that another 100 million or so human beings will be murdered and a few more nations obliterated.)

That being said, there's no excuse for cops to have manhandled that woman to the point where her leg broke, regardless of how foul-mouthed or verbally agressive she might have been.

On another point, after having watched some footage of that nitwit commie-instigated protest, I had to laugh at seeing another instance of the now-common specter of kids from mid to upper middle class families flogging themselves because of who they are and where they're from economically.

Among other things, thank the dumbed-down public schools,the university system with its dullard, rubber-stamped quasi-Marxist professors,and the non-involvement of many parents in the lives of their children, for that.

Posted by: Rocco DiPippo at August 17, 2007 10:11 AM

Bobby Oliviera said: "Once again, the contributors have proven above all else that they hate women.

Brilliant deduction, Bobby. Only it fell a bit short. To bolster your leftist "street cred", in future statements you should also include the following groups of people and things that conservatives hate:

Gays (including the "transgendered")
Blacks
Hispanics
"The Children"
All "indigenous" peoples
Poor people
The elderly
Disabled people
The environment
Whales
Baby seals
Trees
"The Worker"
The Earth
Everything except money,NASCAR and Jesus


Posted by: Rocco DiPippo at August 17, 2007 10:44 AM

Dear Tom,

Hal Meyer tried that. He's in Idaho.

That wasn't black humor. You stepped over a line - deal with the consequences.

Rocco,

I don't have any evidence of hatred for the other groups on your list. For the record, being a conservative by itself doesn't mean anything on its own other than you and I may have developed different stands on a few issues.

Posted by: Bobby Oliveira at August 18, 2007 1:16 PM

Let's play nice, everybody. The wiseguys and legbreakers who are calling the talk shows promising violence in my burgh next Sunday may have descended into the gutter, but we don't have to.
Otherwise, I love the good-natured ribbing that goes on here.

Posted by: Rhody at August 18, 2007 11:56 PM

>>That wasn't black humor. You stepped over a line - deal with the consequences.

BO -

The line you refer to is your (arbitrary) line. I don't respect that line and pay it no heed.

Posted by: Tom W at August 19, 2007 9:40 PM

This was an accident, pure and simple. I refuse to believe that the North Providence Police intentionally broke this misguided young woman's leg. There is a big difference between "Acting Tough" and intentionally causing serious injury to some one they have sworn to serve and protect. On the other hand the historical record stands against the IWW and their like. They are following their playbook to the letter, and the rest of us are simply reacting. Get your head in the game North Providence, ignore these morons. Most members of the IWW are there for the girls, and the rest will grow up when they get out of school and have to get a job.

Posted by: Paul at August 20, 2007 12:00 PM

Point well taken, Paul, but talk radio keeps waving the bloody shirt and by giving air time to the vigilantes, won't let North Providence ignore them.

Posted by: rhody at August 21, 2007 1:18 AM

I am personally acquainted with a witness to this incident, who is a former military police and trainer of military police. That evening he told me that the police were completely out of line, did not follow standard procedures for handling demonstrations and crowd control, and literally attacked this kids 'out of the blue' without provocation. The students were not yet even protesting, but merely walking down the street.

If you look at the pictures available online, it is quite obvious the girl who was injured was at least 10 feet from the street when she was first confronted by the police, contrary to their assertion that she was refusing to get out of the street, resisting arrest or assaulting anyone. She was at that time on private property.

It is also obvious from the pictures that these three officers were completely obsessed - they look like they want to kill something, anything.

Regardless of how misguided these kids may be, as my associate pointed out that night, nobody should be subject to the police misconduct that he saw. The right to peaceably assemble, as they were doing, is a fundamental and essential right no matter how dumb your cause may be.

The interesting thing is that, when my associate was interviewed by the police, he reversed his story and told them that the three officers were 'doing what they had to do' - because he was personally fearful of retribution, from harassment when he was driving to and from work to physically getting beaten up at some time in the future. He grew up in Rhode Island, and this is how he thinks the system works.

Posted by: garyb at August 27, 2007 3:06 AM
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