Annis has been out selling the Militant all these years, and all along, it seems, he thought its position on imperialist trade deals was "neutral." And I'd guess none of his comrades ever told him differently.

Now we have Jenness responding that the Militant's been opposed to capitalist trade deals for the past 69 years (though I think it's mainly the last 10 years or so Annis wants to discuss). Even a socialist in congress, Jenness says, should have been able to figure out the Militant's stand. "Never mind the jots and tittles. Just read between the lines, comrades!"

Readers of this debate, it seems to me, can come to one of two conclusions. Either Annis is dull-witted or Jenness's memory is failing him.

I know from my own experience, when I debated Jenness in your pages in 1993, that at that time he wouldn't have admitted opposition to NAFTA if he'd been beaten with a stick. I'm prepared to take Jenness's word that he was always opposed to NAFTA, but, for tactical reasons (until recently) he was also opposed to saying so explicitly.

Readers might otherwise conclude that the Militant itself was at fault. Perhaps it was ambiguous, or contradictory. Perhaps it had a mistaken tactical line - which happens to be my view. Whether it's bad politics or bad journalism, it seems to me, the Militant has some explaining to do. How could two of its long-standing supporters come up with such a counterposed understanding of its position?

Howard Brown

Rosetown, Saskatchewan

Drug laws harass unionists
The Militant has frequently pointed out how the government and the employers use the laws against illegal drugs to harass and victimize unionists, political activists, and other working people.

A recent example occurred in August at the General Motors Chevrolet Malibu assembly plant in Wilmington, Delaware. As a result of a 16-month undercover investigation, 12 workers - members of UAW Local 435 - were arrested at work by armed policemen.

The undercover job was conducted by ASET Corp., a private security firm based in Dayton, Ohio, working together with county police. According to reporter Eve Tahmincioglu of the Wilmington News Journal, "operatives hired by the company - described by workers as attractive young women -got to know employees, schmoozing with them during work hours and at local bars after work. " Nor was it big-time drug dealers who were targeted. After 16 months and a lot of company time and money, the raid netted "a quarter pound of marijuana, 6 grams of cocaine and small amounts of methamphetamine and PCP."

Many workers were upset by the raid. Paul Webb, a spot welder at the plant, commented that, "It proves that trust is a one-way street. GM wants us to trust them but they will never trust us." Assembler Gary Prucino said the raid by armed policemen put workers' safety in jeopardy. According to the article, GM has conducted similar investigations at 10 of its plants since 1994.

Bob Braxton

Atlanta, Georgia

Interested in socialism
I am presently incarcerated. My father is a prisoners' rights activist and advocate. He sent me your address in hopes of receiving information on socialism.

I have never been able to vote and I'm interested in receiving your newspaper for prisoners. I am tired and frustrated with the treatment my family and I have had to endure from a stupid petty crime back in 1989.

A prisoner

San Quentin, California

Longtime socialist fighter
On June 22, friends and comrades gathered here to honor Walter Walimaa who died earlier in the month at age 58 from complications of a pancreatic infection.

Ned Dmytryshyn, a member of the International Association of Machinists welcomed everyone. He began by reading a letter from Jacquie Henderson, a socialist worker in Minneapolis. She described the founding convention of the Young New Democrats in 1961. "That's where I met Walt and joined the Young Socialists (YS).... Walt stood out in my eyes because he didn't seem to have any of the concepts about age that I ran into in high school as I tried to express my views as a communist. Walt was old. He must have been at least 21 to my 14, But he never made me feel like I was too young to think."

Henderson wrote, "Walt hated capitalism. He hated everything about how it grinds down the human spirit. He even got fired for doing too good a job! He never did adjust to wage slavery and that made survival very complicated for him."

Retired postal worker Larry Nozaki and Walter were founding members of the YS in Vancouver and went to high school together. Nozaki, who was one year behind Walter in school, would encounter teachers who would despair when yet another socialist with controversial questions arrived in their class. He said Walter declared himself a socialist at age 13.

Longtime friend Dick Princep told about a ritual he and Walter carried out at demonstrations. They would stand on either side and count marchers as they crossed a given point to get an accurate figure on how many were there. Then they would compare their figures with the police count, the media and the organizers.

Others remembered Walter as a patient teacher. This was not lost on the many who worked side-by-side with Walter renovating the Vanguard and Pathfinder bookstores in Vancouver over the years.

Walter preferred to work behind the scenes. For him, no job was too small. He would be at the bookstore to take out the garbage and clean up before a public event. He will always be remembered as a banner-maker extraordinaire, spending hours designing and painting banners and placards along side whoever else was available at the time.

He always wanted to talk through the important issues of the day, on which he was always informed. If it wasn't bent over a banner, or with a hammer in hand, these talks unfolded while hiking through beautiful locations around Vancouver.

Walter's contribution to the working-class movement spanned almost four decades. For most of that time he was not a member of the Communist League nor the organizations that preceded it. This makes his work all the more remarkable as he did not have the benefit of organized discussion. His inspiration and friendship is missed by all who had the privilege to work with him.

Monica Jones

Vancouver, British Columbia

The letters column is an open forum for all viewpoints on subjects of general interest to our readers. Please keep your letters brief. Where necessary they will be abridged. Please indicate if you prefer that your initials be used rather than your full name.  
 
 
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