Ngifundisa ku-Labour Studies e-Penn State nase-University of Illinois emakilasini aku-inthanethi. Bengilokhu ngiqhubeka nomsebenzi wami njengombhali ozisebenzelayo, ngihlose ukuqedela incwadi emayelana nokusakazwa kwabezindaba kwebhizinisi kokuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke (okunesihloko esithi I-Giant Sucking Sound: Indlela Imidiya Yebhizinisi Egwinye Ngayo Inganekwane Yokuhweba Kwamahhala.) Ngibhala njalo Z, The Progressive Magazine's indawo ye-inthanethi, I-Progressive Populist, kaMadison I-Isthmus okunye kwamasonto onke, kanye nezinhlobonhlobo zezincwadi ezihlanganisa Yebo!, Inqubomgomo Eqhubekayo, Yezangaphandle Ekugxileni, kanye namawebhusayithi amaningana. Bengilokhu ngibhala ibhulogi ngezindaba zabasebenzi for workinginthesetimes.com, ngenza izingcezu ezingaphezu kuka-300 eminyakeni emine edlule. Umsebenzi wami ugxile kakhulu ekuhwebeni kwezinkampani, ezabasebenzi, kanye nokuguqulwa kokunakekelwa kwezempilo... Ngibe isishoshovu esinenqubekela phambili kusukela ngesikhathi ngineminyaka engaba ngu-17, lapho ngithinteka kakhulu izinhlangano ezimelene nempi namalungelo abantu. Ngangena ekolishi eNyuvesi yaseWisconsin eMilwaukee ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngemva kokubuka amaphoyisa aseChicago ehlukumeza ababhikishi abamelene nempi e-Democratic Convention ka-1968. Ngangikhuthele "emandleni abafundi" kanye nemisebenzi ephikisana nempi, eqokonyiswe ngoMeyi, 1970. isiteleka ngemuva kokuhlasela kukaNixon eCambodia kanye nezibhicongo eKent State naseJackson State. Unyaka wami omkhulu wavinjwa ukuqhunyiswa kwebhomu kuka-Nixon e-Haiphong Harbour kanye nokuhlala kwebhilidi lasenyuvesi, konke ngalelo sonto kwadingeka ngiqedele amaphepha ethemu angu-5-6 ukuze ngithweswe iziqu, engawenza ngandlela thize. Umkami uCarolyn Winter, engahlangana naye ku-Wisconsin Alliance, futhi besindawonye kusukela ngo-1975, sishada ngokusemthethweni 10/11/81. UCarolyn, ongowokuzalwa eNew Yorker, ubelokhu esebenzela ubulungiswa bezenhlalakahle kusukela ebusheni bakhe (wahambela imashi edumile yango-1963 Yamalungelo Abantu lapho uDkt. King enikeza inkulumo yakhe ethi "I have a dream speech"). Sinezingane ezimbili esezikhulile, u-Lane (nonkosikazi u-Elaine kanye nomzukulu oneminyaka engu-11 ubudala u-Zachary, owazisa i-poker kubafundi afunda nabo ngesikhathi sekhefu) abahlala e-Chicago kanye no-Rachel (okunye nomyeni wakhe uMichael abanoTalia Ruth, 5 omangalisayo, ongakwazi chaza "i-surreptitious" yakho) ohlala e-Asbury Park, NJ. Udadewethu uFrancie uhlala ezansi nebhlokhi ukusuka kimi. Ngingowokuzalwa edolobhaneni lezimboni elake lahlanganiswa kakhulu i-Racine, Wis. (ohlangothi lwesokudla ngokukloloda balibiza ngokuthi "I-Moscow Encane" phakathi nezinxushunxushu zama-1930's), futhi bobabili okhokho bami babengabasebenzi bezimboni kanye namaSocialists. Ngasohlangothini lukababa, umkhulu waxoshwa kathathu ngenxa yomsebenzi weSocialist noma wenyunyana. Umndeni wakhe walahlekelwa ikhaya ngesikhathi sokucindezeleka. Ubaba kamama wayeyilungu lesikhathi eside le-UAW Local 72 e-American Motors, lapho asebenza khona iminyaka engaphezu kwengama-30. Njengoba bevela emikhayeni empofu, abazali bami babehlangana ngendlela yokuzijabulisa engabizi kakhulu: I-Racine's Hiking Club.