Today in Labor History December 22, 856: The Damghan earthquake in Persia killed an estimated 200,000 people. It was the sixth deadliest earthquake in recorded history
December 22, 1731: There was a Dutch revolt against a meat tax on this date.
Today in Labor History December 22, 1894: The Dreyfus affair began in France, when Alfred Dreyfus, was wrongly convicted of treason because of antisemitism. Writer Emile Zola famously came to Dreyfus’s defense. So did Anatole France.
December 22, 1922: The International Congress of Revolutionary Syndicalists met in Berlin, leading to the founding of the International Workers Association (AIT/ IWA). The anti-authoritarian AIT served as an umbrella for numerous anarcho-syndicalist unions from 12 countries (FORA, USI, SAC, FAUD, CNT, etc.). It had several million members at its height.
December 22, 1989: Ion Iliescu overthrew Nicolae Ceaușescu, the Communist dictator of Romania, after days of bloody protests.
Today in Labor History December 22, 1997: Méxican paramilitaries associated with the ruling PRI party massacred 45 peasants in the village of Acteal, Chiapas.
December 22, 2010: President Obama signed the repeal of the Don’t ask, don’t tell policy. The 17-year-old law banned LGBTQ people from serving openly in the U.S. military. Now LGBTQ people can serve openly and kill innocent civilians throughout the world for the benefit of American corporations. Just like their straight sisters and brothers.