A History lesson:
November 19, 1915 union organizer/songwriter Joe Hill was executed by the state of Utah, his crime: murder. Thus ending the mortal life of possibly the most influential political songwriter. Five years previous to his execution, Hill joined the cause of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) or Wooblies, as they were known. The IWW had the vision of joining all labor unions into one big union. One of their goals was to take back the world's wealth and put it into the hands of those who actually did the work. This was during a time when the working classes were all but slaves to the capitalist owners. They had no set wages, no workmans comp, no insurance, no benefits, no overtime, and no forty-hour workweek. These rights were only granted after decades of organizing, striking, and educating the exploited working class. These rights were also paid for with police beatings, jail time, and in many cases the deaths of the organized worker.
One thing Joe Hill did for the movement, in addition to being an active demonstrator and recruiter, was writing powerful songs for the struggle of the worker. The IWW would sing these songs in prison cells, striking lines, meetings, and rallies to further their solidarity. Hill's songs were and still are highly influential, and echoes of his voice can be heard in the music of Woody Guthrie, Phil Ochs, early Bob Dylan, John Lennon's solso years and from Joan Baez. Joe Hill never electronically recorded, but his songs were published by the IWW in what is known as The Little Red Songbook:
"Workers of the World awaken
Break the chains, demand your rights.
All the wealth you make is taken,
By exploiting parasites.
Shall you kneel deep in submission
From your cradle to your grave?
Is the height of your ambition
To be a good and willing slave?"
Workers of the World, Joe Hill
Hill believed strongly in the power of song, to get at the heart of people and cause change in the world. He once wrote, "A pamphlet, no matter how good, is never read more than once, but a song is learned by heart and repeated over and over. I maintain that if a person can put a few common sense facts into a song and dress them up in the cloak of humor, he will succeed in reaching a great number of workers who are too uneducated, or indifferent to read."
Whether or not Hill committed the murder of the ex-cop turned shopkeeper has been the subject of debate for ninety years. One thing is certain: Joe Hill used the high profile case in order to publicize the cause of the IWW. He offered little testimony in his defense, claiming he was not given a fair trial, and that because of who he was, he was to be made an example of by the capitalist class. He spent his time on death row not pleading his innocence, but urging the workers of the world to unite and carry out the cause he viewed as far more valuable than his own life. His last official statement, in a telegram to IWW leader Bill Hayward was, "Do not waste time mourning, organize!"
When you hear that another corporation has moved its operation overseas, in order to increase profits by using cheap, unorganized labor remember Joe Hill. Remember that the poor are in continual battle with the ruling elite. The beatings and blood shall not be in vain. What we need now is solidarity of the entire world of workers. A new tide of justice must rise to combat the ravenous greed of the ruling elite, these capitalist kings of the globe. Free your mind and sing your heart, and be prepared to give your blood. Your struggle is our struggle, we must rise together now while we still have legs to stand. Joe Hill laid out the blueprint. You can and do make a difference, keeping fighting the good fight!