Fighting fascism ♬
"Shelter line stretching around the corner. Welcome to the new world order."
—Bruce Springsteen, "The Ghost of Tom Joad"
> the rulebreakers | fascists
The working class, labor unions, and America's fight against fascism during World War II were important causes for Oklahoma folk icon Woody Guthrie.
On one important occasion, however, Guthrie was forced to choose between loyalties.
He could either conform to racial discrimination and avoid social discomfort. Or, he could stand by his friends and anti-racist values.
Guthrie had been invited to perform at a rally and banquet in Baltimore.
But the organizers told Guthrie that the two black performers who were there with him – blues artists Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee – would have to eat in a "negroes only" area.
The event coordinators told Guthrie that he also wasn’t allowed to eat at the "negroes only" table with his friends.
According to Guthrie biographer Joe Klein, Woody told Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee to ease out of the building and meet him at the train station.
Guthrie then walked over to a seven-foot-long buffet table piled high with food. Despite his small stature, he turned it all over and sent dishes and silverware crashing to the floor.
He shouted in defiance:
>> "This fight against fascism gotta start right here! This fight against fascism gotta start right here!"
Guthrie was quickly ushered out.
- next time "I don't exist."
- listening Townes Van Zandt "If I Needed You"
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