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Vol. 77/No. 43      December 2, 2013

 
25, 50, and 75 Years Ago
 

December 2, 1988

On Nov. 8, referenda banning, or upholding a ban, on the use of state funds to pay for abortions passed in Michigan, Colorado and Arkansas.

The antiabortion campaign can only be taken on by mobilizing the reservoir of support that exists for abortion rights among millions of working people. As part of this, a serious effort is needed to politically respond to the flood of propaganda churned out for years by antiabortion groups, church hierarchies, Democratic and Republican politicians, and the government.

The only way to defend the right to abortion and win over those who have been confused is on the basis that abortion is every woman’s right to choose, regardless of age, income, or marital status.

All working people — men, as well as women — have an enormous stake in defending this right, and reconquering the ground that has been lost.

December 2, 1963

Immediately after news of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy was flashed over radio and television on Nov. 22, Farrell Dobbs, national secretary of the Socialist Workers Party, issued a statement. The full text follows:

“The Socialist Workers Party condemns the brutal assassination of President Kennedy as an inhuman, anti-social and criminal act. We extend our deepest sympathy to Mrs. Kennedy and the children in their personal grief.

“The act springs from the atmosphere created by the inflammatory agitation and deeds of the racists and ultra-conservative forces. Political terrorism, like suppression of political freedom, violates the democratic rights of all Americans and can only strengthen the forces of reaction. Political differences within our society must be settled in an orderly manner by majority decision after free and open public debate in which all points of view are heard.”

December 3, 1938

Handicapped by a half-hearted and treacherous leadership, 2,000,000 French workers last Wednesday demonstrated their readiness to fight the advancing menace of Fascism.

Under the direct threat of powerful repressive forces mobilized by Bonaparte Daladier, the general strike, tardily called and ham-strung by the leaders who tried to keep it from developing into a struggle for power, was limited in its effectiveness.

Daladier deliberately set out to crush the resistance of the workers to his program of misery and starvation. Because the trade union bureaucrats, the Socialist and Stalinist leaders refused to meet the issue of political power, Daladier was permitted to score a bloodless victory for the advancing cause of Fascist reaction.

Daladier openly challenged the workers precisely on the issue of political power.  
 
 
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