BY FRANK FORRESTAL AND ELIZABETH STONE
CHICAGO - Protesting a year-long witch-hunt of the Puerto Rican community, 100 people gathered March 4 at the State of Illinois Office Building in downtown Chicago, the site of hearings organized by Democratic State Representative Edgar Lopez. The hearings are part of a series of attacks on Puerto Rican activists that began a year ago. In February l997 the Chicago Sun-Times, one of the two big-business dailies in the city, raised a hue and cry on its front pages claiming state funds were used at Roberto Clemente High School to "support a campaign to promote Puerto Rican independence and free convicted terrorists."

Examples cited included the invitation of Puerto Rican poets Avotcja Jittonlro and Piri Thomas, who is also author of the acclaimed novel Down These Mean Streets. According to the Sun-Times, "they were booked not only to lecture students, but also to perform at two evening poetry readings from which proceeds went to an organization working to free the FALN (Armed Forces of National Liberation) terrorists."

In the wake of the Sun-Times attack, Illinois House Majority leader Michael Madigan announced the creation of a committee with subpoena powers to investigate the charges made in the press. The head of the witch-hunt committee, Rep. Lopez, is an advocate of statehood for Puerto Rico. Several government agencies, including the Illinois State Police, the FBI, and the Internal Revenue Service, were also called on to participate in the investigation.

Lopez asserts that the hearings will result in "criminal charges." A special target is the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, a community organization that has held some classes for Clemente. The center is headed by José López, a longtime activist in support of Puerto Rican independence. López's brother, Oscar López, is one of 14 Puerto Rican political prisoners held in U.S. jails.

To enter the hearings people had to pass through police, a metal detector, and a search of personal belongings. More than 250 people attended the two-day hearings, including many Clemente students.

The main event the first day was the testimony of Rafael Marrero, a former Puerto Rican independence activist and a government informer. From l989 to l994 Marrero worked at the Puerto Rican Cultural Center. Cited in testimony by Marrero as evidence of misuse of funds was spending for student trips to Puerto Rico, a legal clinic at the school, presentations by pro- independence speakers and artists, and a school bulletin that noted such days as the birthdays of Malcolm X and Ho Chi Minh, as well as May 1, International Workers Day.

During the first day, about 10 people were removed from the hearing. Despite this, the audience found ways to make their opposition known. Marrero was interrupted during his testimony by a member of the audience who chanted, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, McCarthyism has got to go." After receiving applause from most people in the room, this person was ejected from the hearing.

Marrero is the FBI's main witness against Jose Solís Jordan, a professor at the University of Puerto Rico and former faculty member at DePaul University, is being framed up on charges of attempting to bomb a military recruitment center.

On the second day of the hearings, an "educator" testified that the curriculum at Clemente was "too political." Patricia Boland, another teacher at Clemente, complained that school board meetings were conducted in Spanish.

José López, who sat through the hearings, was denied his request to speak before the panel. "What we have here, in my opinion, is a total witch-hunt," said López. "This was an orchestrated kangaroo court."

Despite Edgar Lopez's claim of evidence for criminal charges, according to the Chicago Tribune, "several members of the state panel said they were still unclear if any laws had been broken." More hearings are scheduled for later this year.

Elizabeth Stone is a member of the International Association of Machinists.  
 
 
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