#bartolomeo vanzetti

[muhammadgiovanni]

Joan Baez "The Ballad of Sacco & Vanzetti, Part 2" Montreux, 1973.

[silliestcolressfan]

thinking about the sacco and venzetti case in the 1920s, and seeing parallels with luigi mangione. men accused of murder. men who opposed capitalism in some way (sacco and vanzetti were anarchists, luigi allegedly shot a ceo). evidence was likely faked. unfair trials. death penalty wanted. etc. for those not in the know, nicola sacco and bartolomeo vanzetti were two italian immigrants who lived in and worked in south Braintree, Massachusetts. on 5th May 1920, they were arrested and charged with the murder of fred parmenter, the paymaster of a shoe factory. the two men allegedly shot parmenter and a security guard in a robbery on 15th April 1920, where a significant amount of money was stolen. parmenter described them as "slim foreigners with olive skin" before he died. they were arrested carrying the guns used (sounds familiar?)

the trial took 45 days and started in May 1921. it took several days to find a full jury. the two men had 107 people confirm their alibi, but they were italian immigrants with poor english, so they weren't believed. sacco and vanzetti had a guilty verdict on 14th July 1921 and lost all their appeals until 1927, when they were executed by electric chair on the 24th of August.

this case made world news and there were many demonstrations for them across the usa, as they were given unfair trial. it was an important case to many, as they were (new) immigrants, who were disliked in general in the 1920s.

unfortunately it took until 1970 for the govenor of massachusetts to realise that there was a mistrial and that these men were likely innocent, and got the blame because they were immigrants. they were granted a formal pardon,,,,,,, over 40 years after they had died.

see the parallels?

[rebel-girl-queen-of-my-world]

Was just minding my business listening to assorted Wes Anderson soundtracks, now I’m crying bc of Joan Baez’s beautiful song for Sacco and Vanzetti:

Here’s to you, Nicola and Bart

Rest forever here in our hearts

The last and final moment is yours

That agony is your triumph.

For more on the tragedy of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti:

Sacco and Vanzetti - Wikipedia

Sacco and Vanzetti - Wikipedia

[intotheclash]

Ho già detto che non soltanto non sono colpevole di questi due delitti, ma non ho mai commesso un delitto in vita mia non ho mai rubato, non ho mai ucciso, non ho mai versato una goccia di sangue, e ho lottato contro il delitto, ho lottato sacrificando anche me stesso per eliminare i delitti che la legge e la chiesa ammettono e santificano. Questo è ciò che volevo dire. Non augurerei a un cane o a un serpente, alla più miserevole e sfortunata creatura della terra, ciò che ho avuto a soffrire per colpe che non ho commesso. Ma la mia convinzione è un'altra: che ho sofferto per colpe che ho effettivamente commesso. Sto soffrendo perché sono un anarchico, e in effetti io sono un anarchico; ho sofferto perché sono un italiano, e in effetti io sono un italiano; ho sofferto di più per la mia famiglia e per i miei cari che per me stesso; ma sono tanto convinto di essere nel giusto che se voi aveste il potere di ammazzarmi due volte, e per due volte io potessi rinascere, vivrei di nuovo per fare esattamente ciò che ho fatto finora.

Bartolomeo Vanzetti, ultima dichiarazione davanti ai giudici

[bobdylan-n-jonimitchell]

Political portraits, including Joan Baez & Bob Dylan, art by Bruno Zoppetti.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

Pages from The case of Sacco and Vanzetti in cartoons from the Daily Worker by Ellis. New York: The Daily Worker, 1927. Read here.

[anarchistin]

Anarchists are the radical of the radical – the black cats, the terrors of many, of all the bigots, exploiters, charlatans, fakers and oppressors. Consequently, we are also the most slandered, misrepresented, misunderstood and persecuted of all.

Bartolomeo Vanzetti

[tu-jardinero]