[George Chomalou died Dec. 4, 1991, at the…]

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George Chomalou died Dec. 4, 1991, at the age of 62. As a child growing up during the Great Depression, George became convinced of the need to replace capitalism with a system based on human needs. At the age of 12, he joined the Communist Party's Youth for Democracy. Although he left after a year, he remained true to his socialist convictions his entire life.

After leading a student strike at Akron, Ohio, Central High School in his senior year, George joined the Akron branch of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP).

In 1949, George married Sophia M. Pappas, who became his lifelong companion, comrade, and friend. Before, during, and after their marriage, George received formal training as an opera singer. He studied at Julliard in New York City and with private teachers in Cleveland.

George's singing career was interrupted when he was drafted for military service despite a history of rheumatic fever as a youth. After being honorably discharged from the army, George returned to his home in Akron. He tried to join other members of the Akron SWP who were actively participating in the Rubber Workers Union. But a day in one of the local tire plants was enough to convince George that his health would not allow him to hold such a job. He resumed his musical training and went on to sing professionally.

Both the Akron and Youngstown SWP branches were hit hard by the 1953 Cochran split, in which a large number of party trade unionists left the SWP.

Losing membership under pressure of the witch hunt atmosphere of the 1950s, the SWP was forced to close both the Akron and Youngstown branches, and many other branches. For a time, George traveled to Cleveland to participate in the Cleveland SWP.

Eventually, George found it impossible to remain a member of the Cleveland SWP while living in Akron and dropped out. But he continued to support the SWP, holding firm to his political beliefs. When he moved back to Cleveland, he became a familiar sight at the SWP's weekly Friday night forums. He would come in dressed in a cape (the costume he was wearing at his singing engagement of the time.)

George rejoined the SWP in Cleveland and was a leader in the local Central America solidarity group. In 1981, openheart surgery further restricted George's physical activity. At this time, George was concerned with the direction the SWP was taking. He fought against the SWP's increasing abstention from social movements and against the party's abandonment of its political program, especially its rejection of Trotsky's theory of permanent revolution.

George was inspired by the general strikes sweeping Poland in 1980 and 1981. He was shocked when the SWP organizer confronted him before a branch meeting and, pointing to the Solidarnosc button George was wearing, ordered him to "remove that reactionary button." In January 1984, George was one of many SWP members undemocratically expelled because of their political beliefs.

After his expulsion from the SWP, George joined the Fourth Internationalist Tendency and remained in it until his death. Despite increasingly poor health, George participated in anti-racist and anti-apartheid activities and joined in the movement against the U.S. war in the Persian Gulf. George's media expertise benefited many local social movements.

George maintained a personal friendship with members of many socialist groups. His home was always a place where one could count on lively political conversation, good food and liquor, and a large collection of classical music. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and worked with him. to raise in total pledges. realistic goal.