Revy
3rd November 2008, 16:29
I live in Jacksonville which is not exactly the center of left-wing political activity....in the rare case of an anti-war demonstration it tends to be very small. Now there is a Jacksonville SDS that recently formed, so I'm heartened that I might be able to start Jacksonville's first socialist organization (the Socialist Party of Jacksonville). Unfortunately, there's not a lot of people into socialism around here, and I'm not exactly the most social person on the planet. So I feel extremely limited by it all.
I was doing some research on Google News, trying to find out about any kind of socialism in Jacksonville. Couldn't find anything about socialism, but I looked up communists, and found a story about a guy named William Alexander Trainor. This was the only registered member of the Communist Party in Jacksonville. he was arrested in 1950 for violating a law which limited where communists could live or something like that. Anyway, he attempted suicide when the arrest happened and was taken to the hospital. I don't know if he died, but he probably did.
The thing is, this city needs socialism more than ever. Its filled with despair, racism, bigotry, murder, police brutality, poverty, pollution, corruption. It represents the gray ash heap of capitalism. I have this overwhelming feeling that *any* kind of future for socialism here rests upon me. And I don't want that huge responsibility. I feel like the *heart* from which all veins will flow. This kind of role would be perfect for anyone with a huge ego, but I am terrified of attention, as a sufferer of social anxiety. But maybe I can overcome it. I hope so.
I was doing some research on Google News, trying to find out about any kind of socialism in Jacksonville. Couldn't find anything about socialism, but I looked up communists, and found a story about a guy named William Alexander Trainor. This was the only registered member of the Communist Party in Jacksonville. he was arrested in 1950 for violating a law which limited where communists could live or something like that. Anyway, he attempted suicide when the arrest happened and was taken to the hospital. I don't know if he died, but he probably did.
The thing is, this city needs socialism more than ever. Its filled with despair, racism, bigotry, murder, police brutality, poverty, pollution, corruption. It represents the gray ash heap of capitalism. I have this overwhelming feeling that *any* kind of future for socialism here rests upon me. And I don't want that huge responsibility. I feel like the *heart* from which all veins will flow. This kind of role would be perfect for anyone with a huge ego, but I am terrified of attention, as a sufferer of social anxiety. But maybe I can overcome it. I hope so.