Carl Shier

Carl Shier, a kind giant of the labor and left died last week at the age of 89 after a long and productive live.

In 1982, Carl received the Debs-Thomas award at a Chicago dinner that celebrated the merger of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee and the New American Movement to form the Democratic Socialists of America. William Winpisger, President of the Machinists was the keynote speaker.

(In the photo at the right, from an earlier dinner, Carl is pictured with Dolores Huerta of the Farmworkers.)

Here's what they said about Carl that evening

We honor you as an exemplary socialist and trade unionist

You have spent a lifetime in the effort to build a socialist movement. You have refused to succumb to disappointment and defeat. You have helped win the small and lasting victories that inspire others to join and continue in the struggle.

Above all, your life has been a constant act of sharing - sharing your time, energy, enthusiasm, intelligence, and constant good spirits with your friends and co-workers.

You have demonstrated that true comradeship is capable of breaking the bonds of generations, color, sex, and class which separate us from one another in this society - and will be broken forever in the society that we seek.

We honor you for living for others and the Norman Thomas - Eugene V. Debs Committee does hereby present you with its award on this 1st day of May, 1982.

The family requests that contributions be made to Dissent through its nonprofit foundation FSISI (310 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10025.)