On January 9, Tom Condit died at the age of 72. See this blog post from the Peace & Freedom Party’s blog. Condict lived in Berkeley. He had run for partisan office eight times on the Peace and Freedom ticket, in 1978, 1980, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1996, 2004, and 2006. In 2006, he had been one of the two PFP statewide candidates who polled over 2% of the vote, keeping the party on the ballot. Thanks to John Crockford for the link.
His best showing had been in 2004, when he polled 5.40% for State Senate, in a race that also included a Republican and a Democrat.
I know that for all smaller political parties the loss of any member hits hard, especially one as vital and involved at Condit was. RIP Tom.
Don’t mourn. Organize! – Joe Hill
I had the pleasure of meeting comrade Condit in 1984 at a national meeting (SCULPT – Search Committee For A United Left Presidential Ticket) down in the LA area, I think?).
Just heard about this on KPFA. Wanted to say how sorry I am. He will be missed.
Extremely sad news! I first met Tom when we were on strike at SF Yellow Cab in 1979. We’ve crossed paths many times in each of the thirty years since then, at picket lines, demonstrations, and political meetings. We Oakland teachers have certainly grown accustomed to seeing Tom (along with Marsha Feinland) at many an event in our long fight for decent compensation, conditions, and educational equality. Thank you, Tom. We will miss you and carry on in your spirit.
I’ve known Tom since 1968. I saw him at a meeting last weekend (Jan. 2); he participated in discussions and seemed OK.
Tom knew a lot about nearly everything, and willingly shared his knowledge. I’m very sorry to hear the news of his death. He was a very decent man, and his death is a loss to all of us who fight for a decent society.
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I was a Peace and Freedom candidate in the 1980’s at Tom’s urging. I met Tom at the Western Socialist Social Science Conference (a meeting place for academics and activists before there “radical psychologists”,etc could present information in their own disciplines) in 1980. Tom and I were very close friends and went out for a time. Tom always stuck to working for real change but opposed sectarianism of an elitist kind. While I now live in Oregon (married to Barry Gorden, another of Tom’s old friends) – we know how much Tom will be missed. Jinx
It seems that good people die before they should. Tom was one of those good men. My condolences to his partner, Marsha Feinland, the woman to whom he was married. The best tribute we can offer is to go out and continue to organize and build the Peace and Freedom Party. Presente.
I first met Tom at the 1958 Socialist Party Convention in Chicago when we were crowded into a car with the late Ann Draper and others, on the way to hear a talk by Eric Fromm, then an SP member, at U of Chi. Since moving to the Bay Area in 1960, I’ve run into him frequently. I recall when he was IWW SF Branch Secretary in the 1960s and printed its pamphlets. He wasn’t feeling all that well when I saw him at the PFP’s solstice party on Jan. 2. But I nver expected him to leave us so suddenly. A good man, affable, with a great sense of humor, and a tireless activist for the underdog. My condolences to Marsha and others in his family. Harry Siitonen, member Bay Area IWW