Youth, Workers in L.A. Protest Proposition

IN SID E Excerpts from Che Guevara’s ‘Bolivian Diary’ — PAGES 8-9 Youth, workers in L.A. What U.S. elections protest Proposition 187 revealed Anti-immigrant measure passes in California BY PAUL MAILHOT Media pundits are working overtime to BY LAURA ANDERSON dissect the meaning o f the 1994 elections. AND JOHN EVEN H U IS Reams are being written on what is being LOS ANGELES — In the week preced called a tsunami, a tidal wave o f change re ing the November 8 elections, high school flected in the Republican victory at the students organized virtually daily walkouts polls. The Republican Party now has a ma throughout southern California to protest jority in the U.S. Senate and House o f Rep Proposition 187. Spanish-speaking gar resentatives, and control o f the state legis ment workers and truckers also carried out latures in 7 o f the 8 biggest states in the job actions here in opposition to the mea country. sure. But the election results do not signal a Proposition 187, which would legally change for the working class. The 1994 bar undocumented immigrants from public elections simply registered the continuing education, health care, and social services, bipartisan shift to the right o f capitalist pol was approved at the polls by a substantial itics in the United States. A t the same time, 59 percent margin. Incumbent Republican the elections did not demonstrate a right governor Pete Wilson, who handily won ward move in attitudes in the working reelection over Democrat Kathleen Brown, class. Workers continue to bear the brunt had actively campaigned for the proposal. of capitalist depression conditions, and The day after the approval o f the initia most see no way out o f the crisis other than tive, some o f its provisions were blocked to vote for someone different, or in big by federal and state judges. Several law numbers not to vote at all. suits were filed challenging its constitu ■Summing up the results o f a survey of tionality. 5,260 voters leaving the polls. New York Some 2,000 garment workers stopped Times writer Richard Berke surmised, work here November 7, the day before the “ Though the newly elected class o f House elections, and took to the streets to oppose and Senate Republicans has a conservative Proposition 187. tilt, it does not appear to reflect an ideolog ical shift among the voters.” The walkout began in the morning in a Militant/Harry King couple o f nonunion garment shops with a High school students rally on steps of Los Angeles City Hall November 7 to oppose W ith no sustained working-class fight- small group o f workers who marched to the anti-immigrant Proposition 187, which voters approved the next day by a 3-2 margin. back against the consequences o f defla downtown garment district, which has tionary pressures on jobs, real wages, and dozens o f shops. The marchers stopped pe economic security, the political vacuum riodically along the way, chanting to work Later on November 7, hundreds of truck Latin American Truck Drivers Association keeps getting filled by the rightward march ers in other factories to join them. The drivers drove their big-rigs, with horns (LA TA ), which represents the nonunion o f the dominant capitalist parties and the crowd of mostly Mexican workers contin blaring and hand-lettered banners draped drivers, mostly Mexicans and Chicanos, government. The middle class especially, ued to grow as it snaked through the gar over them, in a convoy that began at the who serve the railways and the Port o f Los and large numbers in the working class, are ment district. Many other workers watched Port o f Los Angeles and ended at city hall. Angeles daily with shipments. Along with frightened by a present and future that from windows. The marchers then headed Some 70 big trucks slowed traffic on the banners opposing Proposition 187 in the Continued on Page 4 to city hall, followed by police and televi freeways and in the downtown area. convoy, others declared “ Stop police bru- sion helicopters. The demonstration was organized by the Continued on Page 12 Antiabortion terrorist guilty of murder Defenders of BY MAGGIE McCRAW threatening phone calls. tional Organization for Women (NOW), Cuba protest MIAMI — A Pensacola, Florida, jury Prior to the July 29 shooting, Paul H ill and Eleanor Smeal, president o f Feminist found antiabortion terrorist Paul H ill guilty openly defended the actions o f Michael Majority Foundation, both advocates of November 2 of two counts of first-degree G riffin, who was convicted o f the March abortion rights, spoke against the death rightist attack murder and one count o f attempted first- 1993 murder o f Dr. David Gunn outside penalty. “ Paul H ill is a menace to society, degree murder. the other Pensacola clinic that provides but his execution would only serve to in Miami Last July, Hill opened fire with a 12- abortions. H ill regularly marched in front cheapen humanity and add to the already gauge shotgun outside The Ladies Center o f The Ladies Center with a huge sign pervasive climate of violence,” said Ire BY ERNIE MAILHOT clinic in Pensacola, killing Dr. John Brit reading, “Execute Murderers, Abortion land. M IA M I — In one o f the most serious at ton and volunteer escort James Barrett. ists, Accessories.” Spokespeople for anti-abortion rights tacks on activists here who oppose the U.S. H ill wounded Barrett’s wife, June, who During his first trial H ill was convicted groups expressed different views. Flip embargo of Cuba, four rightists attacked also volunteered to shield patients from an on federal charges o f interfering with and Benham, head o f Operation Rescue Na the offices and warehouse o f the Alliance tiabortion protesters and to drive doctors to injuring those involved in the delivery of tional, said H ill “ must forfeit his own” life o f Workers o f the Cuban Community and from the clinics. reproductive services. These charges were for killing Britton and Barrett, because (ATC) November 2. The jury unanimously recommended the first ever filed under the recently en “ that is God’s way.” Three o f the attackers — Sixto Reinaldo two death sentences for H ill. Judge Frank acted Freedom of Access to Clinic En Other anti-abortion rights leaders who Aquit, 55; Miguel Angel Suarez, 50; and Bell will decide whether to side with the trances (FACE) law. H ill faces a possible visited H ill during the recent trials likened Jorge Luis Valdes, 54; were captured by jury and send H ill to the electric chair or life sentence on these charges also. him to “a soldier dying in a war for his the police at around 10:00 p.m. as they sentence him to life in prison. In both trials H ill requested to use country” and a martyr who “ would be more broke a window to the ATC office. They Three U.S. doctors who perform abor “justifiable homicide” as a defense, argu powerful dead than alive.” were armed with 10 gallons o f gas, fuses, tions have been shot in the past 18 months, ing that the murder o f abortion providers is A Miami Herald editorial on November and a fully loaded semiautomatic handgun. two fatally. A doctor in Canada who per justified to prevent “ the killing of innocent 7 called for the death penalty, claiming it The ATC warehouse contained more forms abortions has also been shot re babies.” Judges in both trials rejected this w ill send a message to those who might than 10 tons o f medical supplies. Less than cently. Vancouver physician Dr. Garson defense on the grounds that abortion is a emulate H ill. a half hour before the terrorist attack sev Romalis was shot in his kitchen November legal medical procedure. H ill acted as his In her nationally syndicated column, eral Cuba solidarity activists had been in 8 by a sniper using an assault rifle. He took own attorney, offering no testimony or de Ellen Goodman says that Paul H ill himself the warehouse labeling and packing these one bullet through the thigh and lost a large fense. is “ proof of the absurdity o f believing in supplies to be donated to Cuba on the up amount o f blood. Romalis was taken to a the death penalty as a deterrent.” She coming U.S.-Cuba Friendshipment cara hospital where he is in serious but stable Debate over death penalty points out that H ill was a “ diligent student” van. condition. On the heels o f the verdict a debate has o f the “ moderate” antiabortion movement According to the Miami Herald, the Antiabortion forces had previously broken out over whether Hill should be and cautions abortion rights supporters F B I’s Terrorism Task Force had learned demonstrated in front o f Romalis’s house sentenced to death and whether such a sen against thinking that H ill “ was just another that the ATC headquarters was to be fire- and office, throwing roofing nails on his tence w ill deter other anti-abortion rights sick, disaffected loner with no one to re bombed and moved to capture the men. driveway and harassing him at Vancouver fanatics. place him on the picket line.” They were charged with attempted arson. General Hospital. His family also received Patricia Ireland, president o f the Na- Continued on Page 12 Continued on Page 12 Strikers fight Caterpillar’s legal attacks— page 10 Palestinian death sparks protest 1990.

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