This week, we bring out a bonus conversation with author and immigrant justice activist Justin Akers Chacón (who talked with us about border politics in episode 18) about his new book Radicals in the Barrio: Magonistas, Socialists, Wobblies, and Communists in the Mexican-American Working Class, published by Haymarket Books.
Justin is a San Diego-based professor of U.S. History and Chicano Studies. In addition to Radicals in the Barrio, he’s the author of No One is Illegal: Fighting Racism and State Violence on the U.S.-Mexico Border, which he has recently updated and republished with Haymarket.
Jen was out of town for this conversation, so Lupita Romero (our episode 4 guest) joined Danny to talk with Justin about the under-appreciated legacy of Mexican and Mexican-American socialists and anarchists in the formation of the U.S. left. Justin talked about the legacy of the Mexican Revolution on both sides of the border, and some of the inspiring victories and devastating defeats of farmworkers, miners and factory workers in the first half of the 20th century, who faced the threat not only of mass firings and police violence but also deportation.
In our opener, we talk about the smear campaign and attacks on Jeremy Corbyn in Britain. Corbyn is the enormously popular leader of the Labour Party and has been responsible for bringing hundreds of thousands of young activists into Labour and helping to revitalize the left. But he is hated and feared by the British establishment and has come under sustained attack. Zionists have attacked him over accusations of anti-Semitism. This week, we discuss a turning point in this campaign, one that represents a threat to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement in solidarity with Palestine.
Links for this week’s interview:
Justin’s new book Radicals in the Barrio: Magonistas, Socialists, Wobblies, and Communists in the Mexican-American Working Class (http://bit.ly/RadicalsBarrio)
Justin’s updated version of No One is Illegal: Fighting Racism and State Violence on the U.S.-Mexico Border (http://bit.ly/NoOneIllegal)
Links for this week’s opener:
Socialist Worker interview with Scottish socialist Neil Davidson about “Confronting the lies they tell about Corbyn” (http://bit.ly/SWDavidson)
Music and audio for this episode
The Boy & Sister Alma, “Lizard Eyes” (Dead Sea Captains Remix)
Narcicyst ft. Shadia Mansour, “Hamdulilah” (Gaza Remix)
Omar Al-Abdallat, “We Shall Not Be Moved”
El Teatro Campesino, “El picket sign” (Luis Valdéz)
El Poder del Norte, “Carabina 30/30”
La Rondalla Amerindia de Aztlan, “No nos moverán” (“We Shall Not Be Moved”)
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, “Matador”
