Robin D. G. Kelley delivers the 13th Annual Robert Fitch Memorial Lecture at LaGuardia Community College, CUNY. Introduced by Karen Miller, Professor of Hist...

Robin D. G. Kelley delivers the 13th Annual Robert Fitch Memorial Lecture at LaGuardia Community College, CUNY. Introduced by Karen Miller, Professor of History at LaGuardia, and Doug Henwood.

Robin D. G. Kelley is Gary B. Nash Professor of American History at UCLA, a contributing editor at Boston Review, and the author of many books, including Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination and Hammer and Hoe: Alabama Communists During the Great Depression. In this lecture, Kelley discusses how Robert Fitch’s critique of American “union democracy” as well as his work on international labor solidarity can help us understand current divisions over Palestine within U.S. organized labor.

  • @jimmydoreisalefty
    1•8 months ago

    edit: fixed format error

    Summary

    1. In the “Robin D.G. Kelley: Working-Class Democracy and the Question of Palestine” YouTube video, historian and journalist Robin D.G. Kelley pays tribute to the late historian and activist Bob Fitch, discussing the importance of working-class democracy and solidarity in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Kelley highlights the historical connections between the struggles of black Americans and Palestinians, drawing on Fitch’s critique of the labor left’s focus on union democracy at the expense of working-class democracy. The speaker also discusses the role of labor unions in Palestine during the Israeli occupation, criticizing the exploitation of Palestinian workers and the suppression of labor democracy. Kelley emphasizes the need for international solidarity and nonviolent tactics like boycotts and general strikes to challenge Israel’s settler colonialism. The video also touches on the historical context of Israel’s founding and its impact on Palestinians, as well as the role of organized labor in Palestine before and after the Nakba.

    Short Summary

    1. Karen Miller welcomes the audience to the 13th annual Robert Fitch Memorial lecture, live-streamed by Boston Review.
    2. Karen introduces the speaker, Robin G. Kelly, and mentions previous speakers of the lecture series.
    3. Doug Henwood will introduce Robin G. Kelly, providing background information about Doug and his work.
    4. Doug talks about his friendship with Bob Fitch and reflects on Bob’s work, including his analysis of New York City in his book “The Assassination of New York.”
    5. Doug describes Bob as warm and generous, expressing his feelings of missing him as a friend and thinker.
    6. The video transcript discusses the analysis of Eric Adams, the cop and austerity mayor of New York City, criticized for shady company dealings despite his love for law enforcement.
    7. The speaker points out the absence of a crime wave in the city contrary to what figures like Donald Trump and Adams suggest.
    8. The speaker highlights the history of solidarity between Palestinians and Black Americans, critiquing the labor left’s focus on union democracy over working-class democracy.
    9. Robin G. Kelly emphasizes the importance of thinking with Bob Fitch and addressing the situation in Palestine through a labor or working-class lens.
    10. The transcript delves into the exploitation of Palestinian labor by Israel, particularly focusing on the period between 1970 and 1994, highlighting challenges faced by Palestinian workers in terms of wages, working conditions, and lack of services.