Pro-socialist fighter Al Strasburger

Called a “far-left peacenik” who was “widely recognized for his presence at anti-war, anti-nuke and pro-labor demonstrations” in Red Bank, N.J., Al Strasburger worked closely with Workers World for four decades until his death on March 10. (Red Bank Green, March 11)

Born to labor activist parents in 1931, Strasburger lived and worked most of his life in the small cultural center about 25 miles due south of New York City, except when he was earning degrees at New York University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A social worker for New Jersey’s Division of Youth and Family Services for 37 years and a shop steward for the Communication Workers union, Strasburger was devoted to organizing his co-workers and promoting union solidarity.

Red Bank Green credits Strasburger with starting the anti-war movement in Monmouth County in 1962, when he organized the first anti-nuke protest there. As opposition to the Vietnam War grew, Strasburger organized weekly groups to leaflet anti-war literature and distribute Workers World newspapers at Ft. Monmouth and Ft. Dix. He continued these distributions for almost four decades, often accompanied by his close friend the Rev. Jacqueline Carr-Hamilton. He also organized buses to many anti-war marches in New York City and Washington, D.C.

Kevin Shomo remembers how his longtime friendship with Strasburger began during a 1969 anti-war protest in New York. The African-American high school student soon began working with Strasburger, handing out literature at military posts, local unemployment offices, supermarkets and various workplaces when workers were on strike. “Many times we were hassled by the police for distributing ‘communist material,’ and once we were issued a summons for distributing without a permit. But of course that was thrown out of court,” Shomo told Workers World.

“Al was truly anti-imperialist and strongly believed socialism was the only way to upend the capitalist hegemony, which was stalling human progress and true equality. He had strong allegiance to the African-American struggle for true self-determination, and he held the Cuban revolution dear to his heart because the triumphant struggle of the Cuban people threw off imperialism and shed light on the whole region.” Over the years Strasburger made many solidarity trips to Cuba.

“As a person of Jewish descent,” continued Shomo, “he felt it was vitally important that the Jewish community support the Palestinians’ right to their homeland, to the right to return and to an end to Israel’s occupation. In the fall of 2001 after the attack on the Twin Towers, Al was instrumental in organizing a weekly vigil at Ft. Monmouth to counteract the hysteria and attacks on Arabic and Muslim communities here and to oppose the wars against Afghanistan and then Iraq.”

Not only did Strasburger contribute generously to Workers World as one of the first members of the WW Supporter Program in 1977, but he made donations to support the many anti-imperialist struggles sponsored by the International Action Center. Jerry Goldberg also remembers the checks he sent to the Detroit branch of Workers World Party: “Al was always supportive of efforts in Detroit to fight plant closings, foreclosures, etc., making contributions and sending messages of solidarity. Like the rest of the party we will miss this dedicated fighter for socialism.”

John Parker, a leader in the Los Angeles branch and WWP presidential candidate in 2004, remembers Strasburger as his first introduction to WW in the early 1970s. “Al sometimes visited my neighbors in Fair Haven, N.J., who were in the Communist Party, and I got to see the benefits of being nonsectarian and principled. I’m sure the impression they and he made on me when I was a child helped me toward the path of fighting for revolution.”

“Al devoted his whole life to the betterment of humanity,” summed up Shomo. “Al will surely be missed by all who knew and loved him.” Al Strasburger presente!