BY WILL WEYER AND CATHLEEN GUTEKANST
SAN FRANCISCO - "This weekend, celebrations begin for
the 50th anniversary of the founding of the United
Nations," said Jim Gotesky, Socialist Workers candidate for
mayor of San Francisco, at a June 23 rally here. "Working
people will not mark this date with jubilation about
humanity's triumph over war and hunger.
Gotesky is an oil refinery worker and member of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers union Local 1-326. He launched his write-in campaign at the Pathfinder bookstore here along with Jeanne Tuomey, Socialist Workers candidate for district attorney of San Francisco County, and Osborne Hart, the SWP candidate for county sheriff.
Gotesky explained that Mayor Frank Jordan and former California House speaker Willie Brown, two prominent Democrats running in the November election, have both professed opposition to the so-called California Civil Rights Initiative. This measure, on the ballot in November 1996, would "eliminate race and gender preferences in government hiring, education and contracting." Neither politician, said Gotesky, has or will do anything to mobilize working people to defend affirmative action or any of the gains made in struggle by the labor movement.
"I advocate an action program to unify workers and farmers in struggle all over the world to fight the effects of the crisis," the socialist said.
"There is no American solution. Unity is the key. Affirmative action must be vigorously defended and immigrant rights jealously guarded. The integration of the working class in the United States is one of the most unifying forces at work today."
Tuomey, a 19-year-old airline worker, is a member of the Young Socialists. She participated in a solidarity brigade to Cuba earlier this year. "In Cuba, unlike on my job, workers actually have a direct say, not only in how their companies operate, but also in what direction their country moves in." She encouraged all of those present to build the Cuba Lives International Youth Festival in Havana August 1- 7. "This will be an international leadership conference, not for CEOs, but for us. For those of us who want to learn how to fight against capitalism and imperialism and for socialism."
Hart, a meatpacker, reported that a local radio station had just reported the observance of National Sheriff's Week. "This is how they are celebrating: there have been three police killings in San Francisco within two weeks. On June 4, Aaron Williams, a laid-off factory worker who was Black, was taken from his home and mercilessly beaten by 12 cops in full view of his family and neighbors. He was sprayed with pepper spray three times and died in police custody shortly after the beating."
Hart urged protests, and said the campaign would also help mobilize opposition to the death sentence against Mumia Abu-Jamal and the death penalty.
Participants in the campaign kick-off either pledged or contributed more than $1,100 to the socialist campaign.