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JULY 17, 1981 75 CENTS VOLUME 45/NUMBER 27 SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY /PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE WORKING PEOPLE NAACP backs AFL-CIO march· against budget·cuts -PAGE 5 Defending Bill of Rights Rallies back socialist · suit against se~ret police PAGES 9-11 . Polish workers vow: 'We · won't be divided' -PAGE7 Lester Cole, one of Hollywood Ten, addresses San Francisco rally sponsored by Political Rights Defense Fund. How miners pushed back bosses, gov't. -PAGE& Militant/Stu Singer In Our Opinion VOLUME 45/NUMBER 27 JULY 17, 1981 CLOSING NEWS DATE-JULY 8 A woman on the Supreme Court If she's approved by the Senate, Sandra O'Connor will become the first woman ever ap pointed to the Supreme Court in its 191 years of existence. That tells you something about the reaction ary nature of the institution right off the bat. The media have called O'Connor's nomination a "milestone" and a "breakthrough" in the fight for women's rights. It's nothing of the kind. The decision by the rulers of this country to nominate a woman does reflect their recognition that giant changes have occurred in women's role in U.S. society. These changes have produc ed a deep sentiment against the pervasive sex discrimination women face. The exclusion of women from the Supreme Court has stood as a glaring contradiction to the myth that women have all the equality they need. So, just as they added a Jewish judge to the court in the early part of this century; just as they added a Black judge, Thurgood Marshall, when the civil rights movement exploded in the Arizona, praised her as a "conservative jurist. And on June 29, they upheld the revocation of 1960s; they decided it was time to appoint a . She has not been an advocate of the pro Philip Agee's passport, ruling that the State De woman. choice people." partment has the right to decide who can and can From the standpoint of the ruling rich, O'Con Liberal Democrats joined in. Sen. Edward not travel abroad. nor's appointment will enhance the image of the Kennedy said: "Every American can take pride in The Supreme Court has also consistently cut Supreme Court so it can better serve their inter the President's commitment to select such a wom away at abortion rights over the past few years, ests. an for this critical office." undermining its own 1973 decision legalizing They consciously foster the idea that the court O'Connor's political record helps explain the abortion. is an independent wing of the government praise she's receiving. O'Connor's nomin~tion comes at a time when -that it stands above class conflicts. It's sup She assured Reagan that she finds abortion women are increasingly angry at government posedly immune from the corruption of the De "personally abhorrent." moves against their rights. Liberal Democrat mocrats and Republicans, from corporate con As an Arizona state senator, she introduced the Morris Udall heaped praise on Reagan for select trol. It's the last resort of those seeking justice Equal Rights Amendment into that body in 1974, ing a woman. "This is incredibly smart politics," -the last court of appeals. but later withdrew her support for the measure. the Arizona congressman said. "It's a real strike. The reality is that the Supreme Court is one of She helped draw up death penalty laws as a You take all the groups in America, and there has the three institutions through which the state senator. On the bench, she's known for met been none more distrustful of Reagan than the wealthy maintain their rule. It-along with the ing out the death sentence. women's movement. This just cuts the ground out president and Congress-exists to protect the This hanging judge also supported a resolution from under them." profits of the bosses and restrict the democratic urging Congress to stop busing for school desegre Indeed, National Organization for Women Pres rights of the masses. gation. ident Eleanor Smeal immediately issued a state These nine robed reactionaries of the ruling And she's a staunch supporter of "state's ment calling O'Connor's nomination "a victory for rich-in particular-have the job of giving legal rights"-the racist code word for rolling back the women's movement." sanction to attacks on working people's rights. civil rights legislation. But 'the presence of a woman on the Supreme Although some Moral Majority spokespeople O'Connor will fit right in with the current Su Court-regardless of her politic~oesn't change have criticized O'Connor's nomination, Reagan preme Court and its recent decisions. in the least the purpose of that reactionary insti and his supporters are clearly united on the On June 25, the court ruled that registration tution. Witness the unemployment, discrimina choice. and the draft are constitutional, opening the door tion, and racist violence suffered by Blacks more Reagan said, "I am completely satisfied with to reinstituting conscription and arresting draft than a decade after Marshall was appointed to the her." resisters. same post. Sen. Barry ~ldwater of Arizona, O'Connor's The next day, the court ruled that divorced For 191 years, the Supreme Court has faithfully home state, said the president couldn't have found spouses of military personnel are not entitled to served those who profit from the exploitation of a woman more qualified for the job. any of their military pension, a big economic blow the great majority in this country. Adding a wom Sen. Dennis DeConcini, the Democrat from to thousands of women. an's face will not alter that record one bit. Militant Highlights This. Week The Militant Editors: CINDY JAQUITH ANDY ROSE Business Manager: NANCY ROSENSTOCK Editorial Staff: Nan Bailey. Nelson Blackstock, Steve Bride, Fred Feldman, Nelson Gonzalez, Wil· 4 Postal workers' protest liam Gottlieb, Sue Hagen, Suzanne Haig. Diane Texas Blacks killed Jacobs. Margaret Jayko. Malik Miah, Harry Ring, Vivian Sahner, Priscilla Schenk, Stu Singer. 5 News from Iran July 19 actions set Published weekly except two weeks in Au 8 Socialist wins delay in gust, the last week of December, and the first deportation hearing week of January by the Militant (ISSN 0026· 9 Bay-area PROF rallies 3885), 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. Civil rights leader on SWP suit 10014. Telephone: Editorial Office, (212) 12 ERA rallies 243-6392; Business Office, (212) 929-3486. Correspondence concerning subscrip 13 Dominica coup plot tions or changes of address should be addressed to The Militant Business Of 13 Solidarity with Central fice, 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. America & Caribbean 10014. 14--16 World News and Analysis Second-class postage paid at New York, 17 AsiSeelt N.Y. Subscriptions: U.S. $24.00 a year, out Learning About Socialism side U.S. $30.00. By first-class mail: U.S., 18 The Great Society Canada, and Mexico: $60 .00. Write for air Union Talk mail rates to all other countries. What's Going On Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily 19 Letters Tomas Borge is interviewed about the church, U.S. threats, represent the Militant's views. These are expressed ff You Like This Paper . .. Nicaragua's relationship with Cuba and the Soviet Union. Page in editorials. 14. 2 THE MILITANT JULY 17, 1981 Fifth Irish hunger striker dies Belfast councilman appeals for U.S. support By Steve Bride H-Block prisoner Joseph McDonnell is dead. McDonnell died July 8 in Northern Ireland's Maze Prison, on the sixty•first O'Hare to speak day of his hunger strike. at solidarity rally He is the fifth inmate to die at Maze since hunger strikes began March 1 to Belfast City Councilman Fergus protest British refusal to grant political O'Hare, currently on U.S. tour, will status to H-Block prisoners. next appear in New York City at a On July 3, as McDonnell was nearing July 11 solidarity rally for Ireland's death, a Belfast city councilman and the · hunger strikers. relatives of two other hunger strikers The rally, which is sponsored by went before the cameras and micro.- · the New York H-Block/Armagh phones in New York City to appeal for Committee, will begin at 7:30 p.m. support from the American people. at the Irish Institute, 326 W. 48th "The people of America have shown St., near Ninth Avenue. For more clearly in recent demonstrations that a information call (212) 777-2528; large section of the population is pre pared to act," Belfast Councilman Fer gus O'Hare told a packed news confer Millitani/Marc Lichtman ence. At July 3 New York press conference, from left: former Attorney General Ramsey "Now we are asking that you take Clark;.Oiiver Hughes, brother of late hunger striker Francis Hughes; former New York whatever action you can to further iso City Council President Paul O'Dwyer; Belfast City Councilman Fergus O'Hare; Alice by former New York City Council Presi late Britain, to show Britain that she is McElwee, mother of hunger striker Thomas McElwee_ dent Paul O'Dwyer, former U.S. Attor a leper in the world" for refusing to meet ney General Ramsey Clark, and Father H-Block inmates' demand~. Daniel Berrigan. O'Hare, a member of People's Demo on an H-Block platform. The elections, he said, combined with Responding to a question from repor cracy, the Irish Trotskyist group, was Alice McElwee,. mother of current "the mobilizations of tens of thousands ters, O'Hare said the recent U.S.