Sacco & Vanzetti

Woody Guthrie wrote an album about it, and after about half way through I decided to do some research on it. Heres what I found: The Sacco & Vanzetti Case

Very enlightening stuff. Turns out, persecution of anarchists goes way back in american history. My favorite quote in that article comes right at the end:

Surprisingly, although the Sacco-Vanzetti case is considered the political case par excellence, few accounts have taken the politics of the two men--their anarchism--very seriously and fewer still are knowledgeable about it. As in all great political trials, the figures of Sacco and Vanzetti have been transformed into passionate symbols, symbols that are often rather understood. A full and accurate account of the political dimension--and, in particular, the anarchist dimension--still remains to be written. The importance of the Sacco-Vanzetti case remains not only because it called into question some of the fundamental assump- tions of American society, but because it calls into question some of the fundamental assumptions of American history.

This happens all the time. There is an assumption that if you become a martyr for your cause, that it will advance your cause. I would put forward that being a martyr will do more to expose the injustice of your enemies rather then open the minds of the people. Just a thought, and still not fully formed.

Oh, and The Ballads of Sacco & Vanzetti is a fantastic album.