"The Old Movement"

"The Old Movement"

I always liked this old Commie tune below there. This version of the "Red Flag" by Billy Bragg. As ya know my Mom was a Party Member in the late 1940's.

A member of the "Young Communists" at City University.

In those days as in South Africa the "Reds" as they were called were the only ones paying serious attention to the American Apartheid of the era. That, and the routine race killings mostly, but not exclusively in the U.S. South. 

As a young lad almost the only white children I played with were the children of my Mother's old Movement friends. The other white kids were Jews from the block. Well at least before their parents took one look at us, and ran to the 'Burbs.

Btw these Reds were the only adult Whites ever to visit our house that weren't FBI or Red Squad Cops.

My Mom, and Dad were by today's standards mildly political.

However back then that was more than enough to get them watched. As a boy I met most of the folks that would eventually become National Figures...including Dr. King.

'Course I had no idea about any of that. I was a kid living a kid's life best I could what with the laws being what they were. Yes Comrades Jim Crow was enforced right here in the Emerald City.

There were places we just couldn't go or live in.

So yeah I have a place for some of that Commie stuff in my heart. My folks were just the sort they, and my Mom's old University friends were just the sort to be disappeared by the Stalinist factions.

Bleep'em to hell.

I remember the Hungarian Ambassador to the U.N. He was a very nice man very kind to me. His wife used to feed me pasties. My Mom was their seamstress. Not many business jobs for University educated non-white women back then. 

During the 1956 Revolution I recall the serious discussions my Mom had with them both. Well 'all' adult talk was mysterious, and serious to a young child. Years later Mom told me that they were in sympathy with the Revolt, but had to be quiet, and had to go back when the Russians came in.

Serious, Mysterious.

Anyway so yeah I'm part Commie even to this day. I guess I belong to the "Leave the People the FUCK Alone Woodstock cranky Artist" wing. My dear departed brother ended up a Republican. Mostly he said for business reasons. Something about just the way things are done in California.

Again...mysterious.

Maybe more about this later. My families history has been on my mind of late is all.

Btw up above there. That's our Fifteen Star National Flag from roughly the Federal Era. For reasons I could never really explain I just have a fondness for that particular version of the Colors.

Odd that.


Stay Tuned.