SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Anita Zeidler was the brilliant, hard-driven daughter of Milwaukee's beloved (and controversial) Mayor Frank Zeidler - the last of the three socialist mayors who put our city on the map. (Photo: Milwaukeeindependent)
Balancing Ourselves in the Activist Fight
The amount of work can seem endless, but we need to pace and yes, enjoy ourselves for the long haul
Sep 28, 2018
"Sometimes you have to live someone else's life." Those were the last words spoken to me by a terrific activist the day before she suddenly collapsed and died this Labor Day while staffing a United Nations Association table at Laborfest.
Anita Zeidler was the brilliant, hard-driven daughter of Milwaukee's beloved (and controversial) Mayor Frank Zeidler - the last of the three socialist mayors who put our city on the map. The frugal and ethical Zeider brought honesty back to city government, grew the city's size, multiplied the park system, presided over a factory boom, and brought crime and poverty to a new low. Public structures and a park were named in his honor, and he was even the Socialist Party's national presidential nominee in 1976. Mayor Zeidler followed in the dreams of the first Milwaukee socialist mayor who said:
"We wanted our workers to have pure air, we wanted them to have sunshine, we wanted planned homes, we wanted them to have living wages, we wanted recreation for young and old, we wanted vocational education, we wanted a chance for every human being to be strong and live a life of happiness. And we wanted everything that was necessary to give them that--playgrounds, parks, lakes, beaches, clean creeks and rivers, swimming and wading pools, social centers, reading rooms, clean fun, music, dance, song and joy for all." (Socialist) Mayor Emil Seidel
Daughter Anita grew up with awe and pride, but also protectiveness of her father, who was initially feared by the 1950's McCarthy-era public which confused "socialist" with "communist"
She worked tirelessly for decades as a professor of Educational Psychology and ran city-wide organizations such as the United Nations Association, the Public Enterprise Institute, Milwaukee's Socialist Party, the Zeidler Institute and more. But those who knew her heard stories of overwork and strain. In fact she was endlessly driven, quite perfectionistic, and too often unwilling to ask for help.
The day before she died, she called me and we talked for over an hour. She sighed, "I've got so much to do that I can't even organize my Dad's papers." I reminded her that yes, her father was amazing and legendary, but she was exceptional in her own right and had so very much to offer the world. I said, "I hope you are taking some time to enjoy life. We can never accomplish everything. After all, when Einstein died he had a desk full of paperwork."
"Sometimes you have to live someone else's life", were her last words to me.
Less than 24 hours later the slim and energetic Anita was gone, suddenly dead of undiagnosed heart disease - too busy to get a check up. She left our city shocked and lost, in need of many to now fill her shoes.
Yes, our world needs saving in so very many ways. The amount of work can seem endless, but we need to pace and yes, enjoy ourselves for the long haul. Maybe Anita got satisfaction in her tireless efforts, but I think we would have all enjoyed seeing an often happier and refreshed friend as the struggle continued.
Dear companions in the struggle, please smell those roses yourself today - for yourself; and for Anita.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Debbie Metke
Debbie Metke works with GlobalSolutions.org, Democratic World Federalists, the United Nations Association, Peace Action, the World Parliament Campaign, the World Federalist Movement and the Center for War/Peace Studies to develop the pathway toward a livable world. She is currently authoring two books on the route to get there.
"Sometimes you have to live someone else's life." Those were the last words spoken to me by a terrific activist the day before she suddenly collapsed and died this Labor Day while staffing a United Nations Association table at Laborfest.
Anita Zeidler was the brilliant, hard-driven daughter of Milwaukee's beloved (and controversial) Mayor Frank Zeidler - the last of the three socialist mayors who put our city on the map. The frugal and ethical Zeider brought honesty back to city government, grew the city's size, multiplied the park system, presided over a factory boom, and brought crime and poverty to a new low. Public structures and a park were named in his honor, and he was even the Socialist Party's national presidential nominee in 1976. Mayor Zeidler followed in the dreams of the first Milwaukee socialist mayor who said:
"We wanted our workers to have pure air, we wanted them to have sunshine, we wanted planned homes, we wanted them to have living wages, we wanted recreation for young and old, we wanted vocational education, we wanted a chance for every human being to be strong and live a life of happiness. And we wanted everything that was necessary to give them that--playgrounds, parks, lakes, beaches, clean creeks and rivers, swimming and wading pools, social centers, reading rooms, clean fun, music, dance, song and joy for all." (Socialist) Mayor Emil Seidel
Daughter Anita grew up with awe and pride, but also protectiveness of her father, who was initially feared by the 1950's McCarthy-era public which confused "socialist" with "communist"
She worked tirelessly for decades as a professor of Educational Psychology and ran city-wide organizations such as the United Nations Association, the Public Enterprise Institute, Milwaukee's Socialist Party, the Zeidler Institute and more. But those who knew her heard stories of overwork and strain. In fact she was endlessly driven, quite perfectionistic, and too often unwilling to ask for help.
The day before she died, she called me and we talked for over an hour. She sighed, "I've got so much to do that I can't even organize my Dad's papers." I reminded her that yes, her father was amazing and legendary, but she was exceptional in her own right and had so very much to offer the world. I said, "I hope you are taking some time to enjoy life. We can never accomplish everything. After all, when Einstein died he had a desk full of paperwork."
"Sometimes you have to live someone else's life", were her last words to me.
Less than 24 hours later the slim and energetic Anita was gone, suddenly dead of undiagnosed heart disease - too busy to get a check up. She left our city shocked and lost, in need of many to now fill her shoes.
Yes, our world needs saving in so very many ways. The amount of work can seem endless, but we need to pace and yes, enjoy ourselves for the long haul. Maybe Anita got satisfaction in her tireless efforts, but I think we would have all enjoyed seeing an often happier and refreshed friend as the struggle continued.
Dear companions in the struggle, please smell those roses yourself today - for yourself; and for Anita.
Debbie Metke
Debbie Metke works with GlobalSolutions.org, Democratic World Federalists, the United Nations Association, Peace Action, the World Parliament Campaign, the World Federalist Movement and the Center for War/Peace Studies to develop the pathway toward a livable world. She is currently authoring two books on the route to get there.
"Sometimes you have to live someone else's life." Those were the last words spoken to me by a terrific activist the day before she suddenly collapsed and died this Labor Day while staffing a United Nations Association table at Laborfest.
Anita Zeidler was the brilliant, hard-driven daughter of Milwaukee's beloved (and controversial) Mayor Frank Zeidler - the last of the three socialist mayors who put our city on the map. The frugal and ethical Zeider brought honesty back to city government, grew the city's size, multiplied the park system, presided over a factory boom, and brought crime and poverty to a new low. Public structures and a park were named in his honor, and he was even the Socialist Party's national presidential nominee in 1976. Mayor Zeidler followed in the dreams of the first Milwaukee socialist mayor who said:
"We wanted our workers to have pure air, we wanted them to have sunshine, we wanted planned homes, we wanted them to have living wages, we wanted recreation for young and old, we wanted vocational education, we wanted a chance for every human being to be strong and live a life of happiness. And we wanted everything that was necessary to give them that--playgrounds, parks, lakes, beaches, clean creeks and rivers, swimming and wading pools, social centers, reading rooms, clean fun, music, dance, song and joy for all." (Socialist) Mayor Emil Seidel
Daughter Anita grew up with awe and pride, but also protectiveness of her father, who was initially feared by the 1950's McCarthy-era public which confused "socialist" with "communist"
She worked tirelessly for decades as a professor of Educational Psychology and ran city-wide organizations such as the United Nations Association, the Public Enterprise Institute, Milwaukee's Socialist Party, the Zeidler Institute and more. But those who knew her heard stories of overwork and strain. In fact she was endlessly driven, quite perfectionistic, and too often unwilling to ask for help.
The day before she died, she called me and we talked for over an hour. She sighed, "I've got so much to do that I can't even organize my Dad's papers." I reminded her that yes, her father was amazing and legendary, but she was exceptional in her own right and had so very much to offer the world. I said, "I hope you are taking some time to enjoy life. We can never accomplish everything. After all, when Einstein died he had a desk full of paperwork."
"Sometimes you have to live someone else's life", were her last words to me.
Less than 24 hours later the slim and energetic Anita was gone, suddenly dead of undiagnosed heart disease - too busy to get a check up. She left our city shocked and lost, in need of many to now fill her shoes.
Yes, our world needs saving in so very many ways. The amount of work can seem endless, but we need to pace and yes, enjoy ourselves for the long haul. Maybe Anita got satisfaction in her tireless efforts, but I think we would have all enjoyed seeing an often happier and refreshed friend as the struggle continued.
Dear companions in the struggle, please smell those roses yourself today - for yourself; and for Anita.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy