Indian Religious Art Mink interview (Winter, 1978 Editor's Response Freedom issue) I received several phone calls We were in error in character­ It is extremely important that the from now-retired longshoremen izing the vast opposition as an "un­ Indian public be aware of the Indian concerning the eight lives lost in principled combination." It was no Volume 5, Number 1 Spring 1979 Religious Freedom Act. the 1934 strike. more unprinCipled than the Febru­ We are interested in hearing from The three men killed in San ary 1917 revolution that deposed the On the cover: Graphic by Marcel Hatch, inspired by tribes, non-affiliated Indian groups Francisco were: Howard S. Perry, Russian Czar and merited the sup­ 1925 Soviet poster commemorating Bloody Sunday member of Sailors Union of the In 1905. and individuals experiencing port of revolutionists everywhere. problems in asserting their con­ Pacific and a volunteer in the But it is vital for radicals to China stitutional right to religious freedom. strike kitchen; Mike Bordoise, a scrutinize Khomeini and denounce The Indian Religious Freedom cook and strike kitchen volunteer; his anticommunism and support Act requires various federal depart­ and Charles Olsen, a Longshore­ for capitalism. It would have The antics of the Chinese ments and agencies to evaluate their man shot in the arms, chest, and been dangerous and deceitful to give leadership are sowing face. Two men were killed in confusion and doubt laws and practices and determine him unqualified support before he about socialism, as what changes are needed to allow Seattle: Shelly Daffron, a Long­ seized power, regardless of his pop­ Chinese foreign policy, Indians to practice their religion shoreman; and Ollie Helland, ularity. rooted in Stalinism in­ without federal government inter­ Sailors Union of the Pacific mem­ Unity should never mean the stead of internationalism, ference. President Carter has to ber. Two were killed in San Pedro: cessation of internal criticism and shakes the world. Mary report the results of this evaluation a Mr. Knudson and Richard Parker. debate, nor blindness toward a Ann Curtis is the reporter. to Congress by August, 1979. And Bruce Lindeberg, a member of clearly impending split. In order to intervene into the eval­ Sailors Union of the Pacific, was The "Death Qr the Veil" slogan Teamsters uation process, the Native American killed in Shanghai. was reported in Workers Vanguard, 6 Rights Fund and the American In­ Hundreds of other men were the organ of the Spartacist League, dian Law Center are undertaking an gassed and otherwise injured for which attributed it to Khomeini's Indian Religious Freedom Project. striking for dignity on the job, Iranian supporters. Events have We need examples of problems equality of earnings, and union­ shown that the veil has taken on Contention over the experienced by Indian peoples controlled hiring and dispatching. different meanings during different Master Freight Agree­ They are traditionally honored on ment has forced a con­ with federal laws, regulations, stages of the revolution; under the frontation between and procedures that prevented July 5, the Longshore Holy Day. Shah, it symbolized opposition to Teamsters and the gov­ their unhampered practice orNative Melba Windoffer him, but now it is a clear symbol ernment. Harry Turner American religions. Contact Native Seattle, Washington offemale oppression. assesses the situation. American Rights Fund, 1506 Khomeini's stance on the veil has Broadway, Boulder, CO 80302, Iran Critique now been exposed on the front pages Violence against Wome 5 Phone (303) 447-8760. I enjoy your paper and was dis­ of the world press. Burgess C. Primeaux appointed that so little space was The article on Iran in this issue Wife-beating and female­ Native American Rights Fund devoted to something as earthshak­ should clarify our position. Thank battering are intrinsic to Boulder, Colorado ing as the Iranian revolution. you for your comradely criticism. the American way of life. The people of Iran are involved in Tamara Turner reports on an incredible movement against SCAT some of the victims who Getting to Know You the right wing of Iran and the world. As a woman active in the Seattle defended themselves, We call ourselves the Anti­ Their unity against imperialism has Committee Against Thirteen, I and the legal jeopardy Imperialist League. We are a small strongly protest your article on they are in. left the U.S. with no workable op­ i but militant group that believes tions to save a sinking ship. Initiative 13 characterizing SCAT as in the right of oppressed nations to But the FS characterized anti­ a white, male organization. Alaskan Natives 4 self-determination. We follow the Shah forces as an "unprincipled What a gross insult to the many teachings of Marx, Engels, Lenin combination of Left, Mosol.eru and Women who were active in arid lCflC and Trotsky. business forces" and Khomeini as leaders of SCAT! According to you, We are discussing the question: Is a "right-wing religious leader." all our efforts count for nothing; we The aboriginal people of the so-<:alled socialist camp really simply don't exist. Throughout Alaska face extinction at On the contrary, the right wing in socialist or state capitalist? Iran (the comprador bourgeoisie, history, women's contributions have the hands of the resource been systematically belittled or pillagers and land The two main activities we are in­ serving Western business) hates snatchers. But they are volved in at the present are build­ Khomeini and supports only the ignored. Your denial. ..continues fighting back. Analysis by ing support for the Newport News Shah, the Army, and now Bakhtiar. this chauvinist tradition. Phil McMurray. shipyard strike, and building an All other classes, including the petty Both SCAT and Women Against Affirmative Action Coalition. bourgeoisie, are anti-Shah. Thirteen plan to continue activities We hope to find out more in the fight for lesbian and gay ---------aI50------------- I agree with Marxist Iranian about you. rights. By praising W AT... while INTERNATIONAL GAYS students who say, "We critically Larry Txabi denigrating SCAT, I feel you are try­ Cambodia ........... 15 Gay Resistance, Part 3 8 support Khomeini as long as he Newport News, Virginia ing to drive a wedge between the Iran ................. 10 follows the demands of the people." two organizations and prevent fur­ GENERAL To do otherwise is to. play into the Editor's Response ther collaboration of the kind that Freeway Hall Ev.iction 9 hands of the right wing in their effort LABOR We think it crucial that the defi­ was so fruitful in the campaign. Pulp-PaperWorkers .. 4 Open Letter ......... 8 to divide the opposition. at a time nition of "nation" be applied Should such efforts on your part Weber Case .......... 6 MS.Tami ............ 14 when unity against the right is with great care. We don't, for in­ succeed, the gay movement can only The Uncivil Service .... 7 crucial. Unity of the anti-Shah POETRY stance, view Blacks as a nation but lose. NY Doctors' Strike 7 masses and the striking oilworkers Ann Barada ......... 12 as an oppressed race. We promote You owe SCAT, particularly the brought Death to the Shah. the program of Revolutionary women in SCAT, and the entire WOMEN EDITORIAL I support the Iranian leftists Rebuttal ............ 14 Integrationfor Blacks in the u.s. Seattle gay community, a public Clara Fraser . 13 (See FS Vol. 3, Nos. 3 & 4,for a who joined with the masses in wel­ A Victory for Labor Party .......... 12 apology for printing such a slander­ Socialist Feminism 16 thorough analysis of this issue.) coming Khomeini. They were not ous statement. We agree with Trotsky's view that "collaborating with class enemies," Caryl Sholin MOVIE REVIEWS the so-called "socialist" countries but were expressing unity with their MINORITIES Witchhunt Nostalgia 13 Seattle, Washington Japanese Americans .. 3 Previews ............ 13 are saddled with a bureaucratic class. caste rather than a ruling class, The time to criticize Khomeini will Editor's Response so they are workers states (in various come when and if he falters in his We wrote, "SCA T, composed degrees of degeneration, deforma­ "leadership" and the masses pass predominantly of white gay men. .. tion, and crisis). Their national him by. But until then we should rec­ moved quickly into emphasis on Efree~ ownership of the means of produc­ ognize that this movement is pre­ moderation. .pushed a generally tion, monopoly offoreign trade, and dominantly progressive - no single-issue line of 'war on homo­ Published quarterly by the Freedom Socialist Party. Editorial and planned economy are a tremendous matter how much the terms phobia,' but pressure from WAT production offices: Freeway Hall, 3815 Fifth Avenue N.E., Second advance OVer capitalism, and we "moslem," "holy war" and "aging forced it into occasional opposition Floor West, Seattle, WA 98105. (206) 632-7449. staunchly defend these lands against religious leader" are thrown around. to Initiative 15 and into addressing Staff all imperialist onslaughts. N one of the Iranians I know the issue of the 'right wing." White males did predominate at SCA T EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION BOARD PHOTOGRAPHY ever heard of "Death or the Veil" as Sam Deaderlck Doug Barnes You Bet! a right-wing slogan against op­ meetings, and this was significant in Clara Fraser We recently received a copy of the pressed women. I do not think it the light of its cautious program. Marcel Hatch TECHNICIANS The anti-I3 forces were led to victory Ivan King Barbara Brown Freedom Socialist and found it to reflects the true nature of the situa­ Janet Sutherland Megan Cornish be very informative. tion and wonder if that slogan by feminists who rallied the minority Tamara Turner Beth Kellner Chama Klein Would it be possible to receive originated as a plant in some "news" communities, labor, and the liberals MANAGER Eugenle Nlbouyet into opposition.