Rebellion in LA
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Kroger Update-5 #71 JULY/AUGUST 1992 FREE Midwifery-6 U.SPOST/ Rio Report-7 PAI AMN ARE, PERMIT NO Blues & Jazz-10 Community Events-11 ANN ARBOR'S ALTERNATIVE NEWSMONTHLY FORUM: RACISM IN AMERICA By Rachel Lanzerotti s legal abortions become harder and harder to obtain, there is a movement emerging to ensure that women will never have to return to the dark ages of the pre-Roe v. Wade era. AIn the wake of the S upreme Court's June 29 ruling, and a host of previous judicial setbacks, assistance networks like the Overground Railroad are being activated to guarantee a woman's access to an abortion. For a woman with an unwanted pregnancy, "access" means knowing PHOTO: TED SYLVESTER that abortion is an option; locating a practitioner who can provide a safe Ann Arbor responds to King verdict with downtown rally and march abortion; figuring out how to get to the practitioner; and finding the money for transportation and the procedure and maybe even food and lodging; and receiving information on how to care for herself following the abortion. As many abortion rights activists predicted, the Court's most recent ruling did not overturn Roe but continued to increase the number of Rebellion in LA. restrictions placed on a woman's access to abortion. Although the Court struck down Pennsylvania's requirement that a married woman notify her husband of apending abortion, it let stand the 24-hour "waiting period" for Michael Zinzun, a former mem- By Michael Zinzun out here. all women seeking abortions, and it let stand a parental notification ber of the Black Panther Party, has I called home yesterday and one requirement. been a leader of the Los Angeles in LA, where a lot of people were of the biggest fears that they have is Though many women already encounter significant barriers to abor- Coalition Against Police Abuse getting gunned down. They would that young Black brothers and sis- tion access, restrictions may become even more severe as the Supreme since 1976. He is blind in one eye as say that their foot slipped, and ters are coming together. When I Court makes it easier for states to determine their own abortion guidelines. the result of a police beating. A they'd gun you down. They were called home yesterday, they said In this state for example, the Michigan Supreme Court in June upheld long-time resident of South Central saying that it was "an accidental "Daddy, the gang truce is still hold- a ban on Medicaid-funded abortions. Medicaid will continue to pay for Los Angeles, Zinzun witnessed the discharge" and you were gunned ing." There ain't been no Black childbirth. This ruling ensures that a low-income woman who relies on events which followed the Rodney down. folks gunning each other down since Medicaid for her health care must "choose" bearing an unwanted child King beating verdict. What follows Chief Gates even had the au- the uprising. The Bush federal gov- over having an abortion if she doesn't have the money to pay for an are excerpts from his speech at a dacity to say that the reason that ernment is panicking. The state is abortion. Baker-Mandela Center for Anti- Black folks died more often from panicking. The city is panicking. Racist Education rally at Ann Michigan is developing its own underground network to deal with the the choke hold is because the veins The DA had enough nerve to Arbor's Salvation City. realities of the recent setbacks to abortion rights. The Michigan Religious in our necks are made differently come out a few days ago, because Coalition for Abortion Rights recently convened about 30 Metro Detroit from other people's. The veins in there ain't nobody gunning each clerics to develop an abortion counseling and referral service by clergy. A It's notaquestion of saying "right our necks are different, and that's other down, because we're tying similar stirring is occurring in several states. This activity recalls the clergy on to LA, because of what you all why they choked out 14 Black folks the rags together, red and blue [the referral networks of the Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion that Rev. did." It's a question of saying "we in one year, and killed them. That respective colors of the Bloods and Howard Moody founded in New York in 1967. At that time, women from understand what you're doing; we was his excuse. Crips gangs]. The DA came out and all over the country sought counseling and referral to reputable (though sympathize with what you're do- That was not the thing to set off said that every other Black person illegal) abortion practitioners by clergy who were part of this underground ing," so that we can learn what we an uprising. That was one of the between the ages of 16 and 26 in network. The New York model spread by 1970 to more than two dozen can do in this city against police things that accumulated that set off Los Angeles is a gang member. states including: Illinois, Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, abuse and the kind of injustices that an uprising. That means that for every two California, and Texas. Over 1,000 pastors and rabbis provided the infor- tend to follow us anywhere and ev- Is police abuse still happening? people riding around in a car, you mation and assistance women needed to get safe abortions. erywhere we go. Yeah, but let me tell you some- got one ofthemwho'sa gang mem- ber. Another assistance network, the Overground Railroad, was formed in The Coalition Against Police thing. The city of Los Angeles 1989 following the Supreme Court's Webster v. Reproductive Health Abuse (CAPA) was founded back shook the foundations of this coun- That was a justification for an Services decision. This transportation and lodging organization now has in 1976 as a direct result of the kind try. We not only shook it there, but operation that Bush has been push- of police abuse that we were getting you felt the vibrations all the way (see "LA. REBELLION" page 8) (see "UNDERGROUND" page 4) 2—AGENDA—JULY/AUGUST 1992 The parole board will review all the testi- building is a constitutionally-protected form mony, records and letters, then make a rec- of expression. Visiting circuit judge Thomas Public Unanimous: Free Ahmad! Roumell, however, limited the size and num- On June 17, some 70 people went to the ommendation to Governor Engler, who has the ultimate power to commute prison sen- etcetera ber of tents at the site on Ann S treet and North Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater tences. To support Ahmad's freedom, write Main, ordered that the protest shut down at for a public hearing before the Michigan Dear Readers: AGENDA is interested night and imposed a number of other restric- Parole Board. The subject was whether former to the board as follows: Michigan Parole Board, Department of Corrections, Grand- in receiving items from you for et- tions. The judge found that a number of B lack Panther activist and frequent AGENDA cetera. Press clippings, press re- allegations made by a group of business contributor Ahmad Abdur-Rahman, should view Plaza Building, P.O. Box 30003, Lan- leases, summaries of local events sing, MI 48909. owners against the Homeless Union and its have his sentence commuted. For the past 21 and any other ideas or suggestions members were untrue. years Rahman has been serving a life with no Voter Registration Reminder are welcome. Just mail them to: parole sentence for a murder that he did not Monday July 6 is the deadline for regis- Etcetera Editor, AGENDA, 220 S. Domestic Assault Arrests Up commit under a law that was struck down by tering to vote for the August 4 primary elec- Main St., Ann Arbor, Ml 48104 Arrests for domestic violence have risen the Michigan Supreme Court. All 31 people tion. Registeratany Secretary of State branch since most Washtenaw County police agen- who spoke at the hearing, including a number office or at your county, city or township The foundation's February 22, 1992 finan- cies instituted mandatory arrest polices, ac- of people from Washtenaw County, sup- clerk's office. cording to the Domestic Violence Project/ ported Ahmad's release. The first speaker to cial plan has been revealed in the course of an ongoing freedom of information suit. SAFE House. The "must bust" policy, the support commutation, Heleen Abramson Free Parental Consent Law fruit of many years of political pressure by Eichen, is the sister and only surviving rela- Pamphlet Available So what's the plan? It includes line items for administrative salaries through the year feminists and other human rights advocates, tive of Frank Abramson, whose 1971 death is A new pamphlet explaining Michigan's 2000. It also includes an executive travel requires that where domestic violence has the basis for Rahman's imprisonment. parental consent and judicial bypass law is budget through the end of the century. The taken place, the police shall arrest the assail- available from the Michigan Abortion Rights plan does not, however, mention anything ant regardless of whether the victim files a Action League. This law requires parental or about how much will be spent on scholar- complaint. court permission for minors seeking abor- ships. In May 1992, SAFE House on-call teams AGENDA tions. The pamphlet is straightforward and responded to 48 requests from the county's may be duplicated without permission. Con- Ann Ajrbor'* Alternative Hewsmonlhly Feel Good About Feeling Good police agencies.