For over a week now, I've been posting diaries about the six Iraqi labor leaders who have come to the US to talk about what they and the people of their country are going through. (Just go to my homepage, it's all there.)
These are extremely brave people, who are targeted by both the military/industrial occupation and the insurgents. Yet very few here in the Daily Kos seem interested.
One story made an impression, but the follow-ups apparently didn't. Most recently, I posted diaries urging those in the D/Kos to either write comments expressing support of the Iraqis or sign on to a general message of solidarity.
The response has been underwhelming. And embarrassing.
Working with US Labor Against the War, which organized the Iraqis' trip here, the idea was to get a solid demonstration of support from the D/Kos and put it all on CDs to be given to each of the Iraqis before they go back home into the fray.
Well, it doesn't look like that's going to happen now--with apologies to those who actually took the time and the effort to respond--because so few people were interested. In my humble opinion, it would be an insult to the Iraqis to present them with such a paltry demonstration of support.
I don't get it. The members of the D/Kos repeatedly express outrage about the war and all the horrible things that have come of it, yet don't have the interest or won't take the time to convey their support for the very people this war has hurt the most.
Diaries, comments--millions of words--but so little to say to the Iraqis themselves? What does that mean? What does that say about what we are doing here in the D/Kos? Talking to ourselves, preaching to choir, chalking up points, building resumes, promoting blogs...what?
I want to believe it is more than that, a higher purpose than our individual self interest, otherwise I could not be here. I'm a trade unionist. I don't wear any label but that. Not Democrat or Republican, not liberal or conservative, not Deaniac or Dittohead--just trade unionist, and I've been proudly wearing that label for (my God!) forty years now. If there's anything I've learned over that very long period of time it's this: "Individuals" can't make shit happen for anybody but themsleves and even then that's not always a given. It's only through collective action--organizing, working in cooperation with others, getting out of ourselves and doing what's best for the whole--that we not only survive but succeed. That's what I thought the D/Kos was about. Was I wrong?
I know those of you who are union or "get" union understand exactly where I'm coming from. You are the folks whose encouragement and responsiveness has kept me on top of the Iraqi trip. I apologize for letting you down. I especially apologize to the Iraqis for letting them down. But to paraphrase the Borg, "Persistence is futile." There was a limited time frame to make this happen; it didn't. That's just the way it is. Still, it was worth the effort, because I know this campaign reached some people here; great things, it's been said, can come from small beginnings.
If this is the first time you've read about this and wonder WTF I'm talking about, again, just go to my homepage. Lots of info, links, etc. Also, check Google news for "Iraqi unions"; the media has picked up on this somewhat.
Thank you, One & All.
An Injury to One Is an Injury to All
