>their right to protest near the convention site. > >A federal district judge ruled July 19 that a "no-protest >zone" proposed by the police "covers much more area than >necessary." > >"The LAPD, the mayor and members of the City Council used >vicious attacks, slander and violence baiting to stop the >planned national marches and protests," said Maggie >Vascassenno of the International Action Center. > >"But," she continued, "we refused to back down. We told >the media, City Council and mayor that we would gather at >Pershing Square and march to the Staples Center whether we >received a permit or not." > >The police commission had refused permits for Pershing >Square. It also denied the protesters' right to come within >blocks of the Staples Center, the convention site. > >Vascassenno's group is part of the Los Angeles Coalition >to Stop the Execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal. The coalition is >holding the first protest of the convention--the Aug. 13 >National March for Mumia--and was the first organization to >apply for a permit to gather at Pershing Square and march >to the Staples Center. > >The IAC and the Los Angeles Coalition were plaintiffs in >an injunction filed by the American Civil Liberties Union >against the LAPD and the city. The lawsuit challenged a >plan developed by the LAPD that blocked protesters from >using an enormous public area around the Staples Center. > >Other plaintiffs in the case were Service Employees Local >660, National Lawyers Guild and the D2K Convention Planning >Coalition. > >The IAC is also co-sponsoring a demonstration with the >Save the Iraqi Children Coalition on Aug. 15 to protest the >bombing and sanctions against Iraq, which are killing 5,000 >people--mostly children--every month. > >With buses coming in from northern and southern >California, the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest, city >officials may have decided that revoking basic First >Amendment rights was not only unpopular, but also >impractical. > >DEFEAT FOR LAPD > >In his July 19 ruling, U.S. District Judge Gary A. Feess >said: "The area to be cordoned off covers approximately 185 >acres of land surrounding the convention site. Its >configuration prevents anyone with any message, positive or >negative, from getting within several hundred feet of the >entrance to Staples Center where delegates will arrive and >depart." > >Although Feess agreed with the cops about their right to >enforce a no-protest area for "safety," he said the zone >proposed by the cops "covers much more area than necessary >to serve this interest." > >Feess added, "Although it may be more convenient for >delegates to have exclusive access to the immediate area, >convenience can never predominate over the First >Amendment." > >Fees also ruled that it was unconstitutional for the city >to demand 40-days advance notice for permit applications. > >According to IAC organizer Magda Miller, momentum is still >building for the Abu-Jamal protest and the Iraq >demonstration. "The spirit is really strong here. People >are fired up and this is their chance to be heard." > >Miller added that the LAPD's defeat in court helped build >that feeling. > >"They call this the land of freedom and then they try to >take away our freedom to walk in the street with a picket >sign. But we won. And we'll keep on fighting because the >battle isn't over yet." > >Miller said that Pam Africa, Ed Asner, Leonard Weinglass >and the popular musical group Aztlan Underground will >attend the Aug. 13 demonstration. > >But it's not only celebrities who will be at the event, >she emphasized. Los Angeles is ablaze with multi-colored >posters announcing the Abu-Jamal demonstration. Awareness >of the protest is high and many people plan to attend, >Miller said. > > - END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service. Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message >to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 22:52:38 -0400 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Mumia Tears Away Bush's "Mantle of Lincoln" >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Aug. 3, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >FROM DEATH ROW: MUMIA TEARS AWAY BUSH'S "MANTLE OF >LINCOLN" > >By Mumia Abu-Jamal > >"Slavery is a blight on our history, and racism is still >with us. ... The party of Lincoln has not always worn the >mantle of Lincoln." Gov. George W. Bush, Texas. (excerpt >from NAACP speech, July 10) > >With the pleas of half a dozen brave protestors shouting >about the "legal lynching" of the late Texas death row >inmate Gary Graham (Shaka Sankofa) ringing in the Baltimore >air, the nation's Republican presidential candidate >appeared before the NAACP national convention in an attempt >to demonstrate the ways of a "compassionate conservative." > >In his 20-minute speech that invoked the names of NAACP >founder W.E.B. DuBois, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, and >other historical figures, Gov. Bush demonstrated, if not >great oratorical ability, that indispensable political >skill of talking without saying much of anything. > >For who but the dimmest among us doesn't know that slavery >was a blight on our history," or that "Lincoln's party has >not always worn Lincoln's mantle?" Bush, speaking before a >predominantly Black group, did not mention "affirmative >action," the "confederate flag," "Amadou Diallo," "Gary >Graham," nor the "death penalty." He did refer to "school >choice," a code for public tax support for vouchers. The >national membership gave Bush polite and tepid applause. > >Despite an invitation issued in opening remarks by NAACP >President Kweisi Mfume, Gov. Bush did not define the often- >touted term, "compassionate conservative." One wonders, >however, what is it? A "reasonable racist?" A "friendly >fascist?" A "doting despot?"It appears a "compassionate >conservative" is a conservative who smiles while saying >"no." > >With regard to the "mantle of Lincoln" and the "party of >Lincoln," it appears that neither the mantle nor the party >of Lincoln were what we've come to think of as Lincoln. >Consider the insights of historian James McPherson who, in >his book The Negro's Civil War (1965/1991), notes the idea >of the Republican Party as anti-slavery and Lincoln as the >supporter of equal rights were seen as nonsense at the >time: > >"The Republican party, nominally anti-slavery, was >officially opposed only to the extension of slavery into >the new territories. No major political party proposed to >take action against slavery where it already existed. >During the campaign, Democrats charged that if the >Republicans won the election, they would abolish slavery >and grant civil equality to Negroes. `That is not so,' >rejoined Horace Greeley, an influential Republican >spokesman. `Never on earth did the Republican Party propose >to abolish slavery.... Its object with respect to slavery >is simply, nakedly, avowedly, its restriction to the >existing states.' ...Lincoln himself had repeatedly voiced >his opposition to equal rights for free Negroes." [pp.3-4] > >The "party of Lincoln?" "Compassionate conservative?" The >brilliant Frederick Douglass, although a Republican "field >hand" (his own words), bitterly attacked President Lincoln >during the height of the Civil War: > >"I come now to the policy of President Lincoln in >reference to slavery. ... I do not hesitate to say, that >whatever may have been his intentions, the action of >President Lincoln has been calculated in a marked and >decided way to shield and protect it from the very blows >which its horrible crimes have loudly and persistently >invited... He has steadily refused to proclaim.complete >emancipation to all the slaves of rebels who should make >their way into the lines of our army. He has repeatedly >interfered with and arrested the anti-slavery policy of >some of his most earnest and reliable generals." >(McPherson, p.47) > >Frederick Douglass was speaking in 1862, several years >before the war ended. While he was a Republican (as were >many Blacks of that period) he was not reluctant to >strongly criticize a Republican President--in wartime! Can >African-Americans today do any less? > >Both major American political parties exist to serve >corporate interests, above all else, not the interests of >workers, or the poor, or the oppressed. Instead of the >sickening sycophancy that today passes for Black support of >political parties that don't support Black interests, we >should learn from the bold, outspoken Douglass. Criticize! >Viable, radical and revolutionary parties should also be >organized and energized to provide real, meaningful >alternatives. > > - END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service. Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message >to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 22:52:39 -0400 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Moorehead/La Riva 2000 Run Activist Campaign >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Aug. 3, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >MOOREHEAD/LA RIVA 2000: "WE'RE RUNNING AN ACTIVTST >CAMPAIGN" > >By Greg Butterfield >New York > >When it comes to judging this year's presidential >candidates, it's all about actions, not words. > >Republican George W. Bush talks about "compassionate >conservatism" while ordering lethal injections by the >truckload. > >Democrat Al Gore preaches "personal responsibility" while >pushing trade agreements that free big business from any >responsibility for workers' rights or the environment. > >And what about Monica Moorehead, the Workers World Party >candidate? > >She's helping to build the international movement to save >political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. > >"We're running an activist campaign," Moorehead told >Workers World. "My running mate, Gloria La Riva, and I have >dedicated this year's campaign to the struggle to avenge >Shaka Sankofa and free Mumia Abu-Jamal." > >Last spring, while other candidates were glad handing >voters and spending millions of corporate dollars to win >the primaries, Moorehead was busy too. She coordinated the >May 7 Day for Mumia at Madison Square Garden that brought >out 6,000 people to demand a new trial for the death-row >journalist. > >"The real issues this year are racist repression, the >prison-industrial complex and the death penalty," Moorehead >said. "That's exactly what the capitalist candidates, from >Gore and Bush to Nader and Buchanan, don't want to talk >about." > >Moorehead explained: "Elections don't change things. Mass >movements of the people do." > >"The electoral system is set up to serve the interests of >capitalism," agreed La Riva, a Chicana trade unionist from >San Francisco. "That's why we use our socialist campaign to >reach people with the message of fight back." > >Here's an abbreviated list of the duo's campaign stops so >far: > >On April 15, Moorehead was among 678 people arrested in >Washington at a demonstration for Abu-Jamal and against the >prison-industrial complex. It happened during the >convergence against the International Monetary Fund and >World Bank. > >On May 1, La Riva marched in Havana, Cuba, alongside >300,000 Cuban workers celebrating International Workers' >Day. At the rally in Revolution Square, La Riva told the >crowd about Abu-Jamal's case and the plight of the 3,600 >women and men on death row in the United States. > >On June 19, Moorehead and La Riva participated in a panel >discussion on Cuban national television about the struggle >to save Abu-Jamal and Shaka Sankofa, formerly known as Gary >Graham. > >On June 22, La Riva and 17 others were arrested after they >locked arms and blocked traffic in San Francisco to protest >Sankofa's imminent execution in Texas. > >On July 10, Moorehead led five other Black activists in >disrupting Bush's speech at the NAACP convention in >Baltimore. "Remember Gary Graham!" they chanted. "Bush >executed an innocent man!" The bold action made headlines >worldwide. > >Now the two communists are focused on building militant >protests at the Republican and Democratic conventions. > >"We're just getting warmed up," Moorehead said. > >For more information or to get involved in the WWP >campaign, visit the Web site www.vote4workers.org or email >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > - END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service. Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message >to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 22:52:39 -0400 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Philly: Clergy, Activists Denounce Cop Terror >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Aug. 3, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >PHILADELPHIA: CLERGY, ACTIVISTS DENOUNCE COP TERROR > >By Betsey Piette >Philadelphia > >An indoor interfaith rally against police brutality July >23 drew over 1,000 people in the wake of the racist police >beating of Thomas Jones and the killing of Robert Brown by >Amtrak cops. > >A multinational crowd of over 800 filled the Morris Brown >A.M.E. Church to capacity while hundreds more gathered >outside, a few blocks from the intersection where a news >helicopter taped police beating Jones on July 12. > >Rally organizer the Rev. Vernal Simms Sr., president of >the Black Clergy of Philadelphia, promised the movement >wouldn't stop there. He called for a march to target >Philadelphia District Attorney Lynn Abraham, who has filed >41 charges against Jones, yet refused to charge any of the >police who beat him. > >Several speakers left the indoor rally to address those >who stood outside for over three hours, frequently chanting >"No justice, no peace" and urging organizers to bring the >event outside to the streets. > >Rally speakers included Black, Latino and Asian clergy, >political and community representatives from Philadelphia, >and the Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, both >national leaders in the fight against police brutality. >Activist Pam Africa of International Concerned Family & >Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal was welcomed to the stage. >Several family members of both Jones and Brown were in >attendance. > >Minister Rodney Mohammad of the Nation of Islam denounced >claims that the Jones beating wasn't racist because Black >cops were involved. > >The Rev. Luis Cortez described the police assault and >beating of a Puerto Rican minister, the Rev. Frank Buelna, >last October. "We were told to be patient," Cortez said. >"But the officers who beat Buelna have been on the streets >for nine months now." > >Attorney Charles Bowser recalled the names of many Black >men who were killed by the police in Philadelphia. He >warned the audience not to fall victim to the press >campaign to smear the victims of police brutality, >recalling a case from the 1970s when the media found Black >school children "at fault" for allegedly inciting the >police who beat them. > >Martin Luther King III urged the crowd to join an August >26 rally against racial profiling in Washington. The Rev. >Al Sharpton challenged city officials, the media and other >church officials who violence-baited the rally. > >"They have the arrogance to tell us to calm down. Some one >should have told the police to calm down," Sharpton said, >noting that Brown was shot and killed less than a week >after Jones was beaten. > >Sharpton also chided those who publicly criticized his >participation as "an outsider," noting that they are >welcoming Bush and 45,000 Republicans to town at the same >time. > > - END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service. Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message >to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 22:52:39 -0400 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Philadelphia's History of Police Racism >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Aug. 3, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >PHILADELPHIA'S HISTORY OF POLICE RACISM > >By Betsey Piette >Philadelphia > >No Philadelphia police officer has ever been convicted for >an on-duty murder, despite the fact that police have killed >more than 300 Black and Puerto Rican people in the last 30 >years. > >>From 1989 to 1995 there were 2,000 documented citizen >complaints against the Philadelphia Police Department. >During a two-year period in the mid-1990s the city paid $20 >million in damages to 225 people who were beaten, shot, >harassed or otherwise mistreated by police. > >That was before the 39th Police District scandal in 1995 >led to the dismissal of 1,400 criminal cases where cops >ignored suspects' rights and sometimes framed them >outright. > >During Frank Rizzo's tenure as police commissioner in the >1970s, the predominantly white police force was feared and >hated in the Black and Latino communities because of its >brutality and racism. > >Police attacks on the Black Panther Party, the MOVE >Organization and the public led to many demonstrations. >This period is chronicled in the documentary film "Black >and Blue." > >Black journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal wrote about many of these >cases. Abu-Jamal was also targeted by the police. In >December 1981 he was shot, kicked and beaten by cops and >subsequently sent to death row for the killing of Police >Officer Daniel Faulkner. > >Abu-Jamal and millions of supporters around the world >maintain that he was framed by the cops, who were desperate >to silence this "voice of the voiceless." > >Philadelphia police are not only brutal. They are >notorious repeat offenders. > >During a 1978 confrontation with police in Powelton >Village, four cops dragged MOVE member Delbert Africa by >his hair, then kicked him in the head, kidneys and groin. >Like the Jones case, this brutality was also captured on >video and later led to the indictment of three officers on >assault charges. > >In February 1981 a judge acquitted the cops. Delbert >Africa was subsequently arrested and is now one of the MOVE >9 prisoners serving a 30-100 year term. > >The three acquitted cops went on to participate in the >murderous assault on the MOVE house on Osage Avenue on May >16, 1985. A bomb was dropped on the house, killing 11 >children, women and men and burning down the entire block. > > - END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service. Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message >to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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