Who's behind Wisconsin protests

The media tells us unions and workers are protesting changes in collective bargaining in Wisconsin.

But many of those taking part are outside America's mainstream.

The International Workers of the World was among the first to call for a general strike in Wisconsin. And chose odd artwork to illustrate the call.

Is that Arabic? How many in Wisconsin speak Arabic?

A similar poster presented with a subsequent article:

For over a century, the IWW has advocated socialist revolution, and was founded with the stated goal of abolishing the wage system.

Consider this excerpt from its constitution preamble:

It is the historic mission of the working class to do away with capitalism. The army of production must be organized, not only for everyday struggle with capitalists, but also to carry on production when capitalism shall be overthrown. By organizing industrially we are forming the structure of the new society within the shell of the old.


The IWW is just one of the radical groups aligning with the unions in Wisconsin.

Has anyone heard "mainstream" unions denounce the participation and stated goals of the IWW in labor's Wisconsin protests?

The IWW tells you where it stands and what it wants. Meanwhile, contemporary organisations often present themselves as mainstream American, but may have deeper hidden agendas.

In your face revolution from the IWW is easy to reject. Creeping socialism presented in small steps under banners like "social justice" makes it much harder to detect the danger that's in play.