Thread by @ChallengeYCL

As it's Christmas we thought we'd give an honourable mention to #GeorgeMichael who died on Christmas Day in 2016 ❤️🎄

In his youth George was a member of the Young Communist League of Britain @yclbritain under his original name, Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou.

While not...
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much is known of his activities & involvement in the League, his father Jack Panos is believed to have been a Greek Cypriot Communist whose influence may have guided his sons early politics.

To label George a Communist throughout his life is likely incorrect, however...
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politics & social activism did play a large part throughout his career. As part of Wham! he performed a benefit concert for the National Union of Mineworkers in September 1984 at London's Royal Festival Hall during the miners strikes. In 1985, Wham! became the first...
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Western pop act to visit China, embarking on a historic 10 day tour, acting as a cultural shift & development of position by the Communist Party of China. During the trip they played 2 concerts, visited the Great Wall, played football, and met Communist Party officials.
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People attending the concerts in China were each given a free cassette tape, with Wham’s original material on one side, and a Chinese singer, Cheng Fangyuan, version on the other, with lyrics changed to add some "Communist flair”, such as “Wake me up before you go go”...
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being changed to “Women are on the same journey and will not fall behind”.
While it was evidently a difficult change of pace for the band who were used the screaming and adoring fans of Britain, it's safe to say that the group's ideas about Communism in China were altered.
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As was that of the Chinese people's in relation to popular Western music, and the development of its own less traditional, more contemporary music moving forward.

As a solo artist, George played a big part in supporting the struggles for Gay & Lesbians rights, even...
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before coming out as Gay himself, such as performing at a concert for World AIDS Day at London's Wembley Arena in 1993.

In 2002 he wrote the song "Shoot The Dog" with lyrics blatantly in opposition to the Iraq invasion, berating the warmongers George W Bush...
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and his “poodle” Tony Blair. In relation to the song, George said that it was: “intended as a piece of political satire, no more no less, and I hope that it will make people laugh and dance, and then think a little, that’s all”.

In 2006, he performed... (9/12)

a free concert for NHS nurses in London to thank those who had cared for his late mother who had died of cancer in 1997. He told the audience: "Thank you for everything you do — some people appreciate it. Now if we can only get the government to do the same thing.”
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After his death, it came to light how he had secretly given away millions to charity & progressive causes over the years, such as to the charity Childline, and volunteered at homeless shelters, while not wanting any public recognition for these acts while alive.
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So today let's all think of George, and let's work together through our various struggles around the world, to progress and better the future for us all.

❤️🌍🤝 #GeorgeMichael
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The music video to 'Shoot The Dog':