The meeting was chaired by David Beal, an organizer with the Union of Union Representatives. Beal read a message to the meeting sent by Adam Hurter, a student at Wesleyan University, who was one of 18 people arrested on frame-up charges of inciting to violence for participating in an October 25 demonstration against Washington's war in Afghanistan in Hartford, Connecticut. The message extended solidarity to the fight to win Italie's job back and stated that "free speech is being trampled on in America."

Italie pointed to some of the struggles by working people he has been reaching out to as part of spreading the word and seeking to win support for the fight to win his job back. This included participating in rallies of garment workers in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The morning before the meeting here Italie joined a rally outside the Employment Relations Board attended by some 60 Catholic high school teachers who are on strike against the Archdiocese of New York for better wages and improved pensions.

"I was fired not for anything having to do with my job performance," stated Italie, "but for expressing my point of view in opposition to the U.S. war in Afghanistan, in defense of the Cuban Revolution, and for union rights. Companies don't want you to speak up about immigrant rights, police brutality, and especially unions."

According to statistics recently released, noted Italie, 32 percent of those living in Miami have incomes below the government's official poverty level. "Of those who work at Goodwill, many more than 30 percent are in this category," he said. Many workers make between $5 and $6 an hour, with no benefits. "This company, which pitches itself as a advocate of the disabled, hires handicapped people and pays them even less than the $5.15 an hour federal minimum wage," Italie noted.

"This fight is not just around being fired from my job, but is aimed at making this company and others like them pay the maximum political price for taking such actions," stated Italie. "We want them to think twice, and three times, and not fire people for their political ideas."

"Without the First Amendment all those other rights contained in the Bill of Rights are without foundation," said Italie. Under federal law a company cannot fire you for being Black or a woman, but if this attack on First Amendment rights holds up the bosses could attempt to dismiss you if they didn't like what you had to say about Black rights or women's rights, he noted.

"Running for office should not make you a target for your employers," stated Italie. "If you don't have the right to speak out and advocate your ideas, then all your other rights go down the tube. And all working people need these rights to fight for unions and for dignity on the job."

Italie pointed out that he is meeting up with others who have recently been victimized for expressing their political views. He pointed to the case of Mohammad Rahat, a 22-year-old Iranian research technician who was fired from his job at the University of Miami September 25 for comments he had made.

A lively discussion period ensued in which questions were asked about the response of his former co-workers to the firing and what other steps can be taken by supporters wanting to join this fight for freedom of speech.

Italie pointed to the excellent response received by defense committee supporters at a recent book fair in Miami, where 150 people signed petitions demanding that Goodwill reinstate him to his job and that the mayor and city commissioners use the powers of their office to enforce First Amendment rights and make sure this step is taken. A number of high school students at the fair expressed real interest in this fight, one of them had already put the facts about Italie's case onto a web site.

A young Dominican worker employed at a racetrack in Queens, who attended the New York meeting, expressed surprise upon hearing about this case. "Outside the United States many people think that this country is the biggest democracy in the world," he said, "but what you hear outside the United States is very different than what you experience living here." He conveyed interest in joining the efforts of the newly formed New York Committee to Defend Freedom of Speech and the Bill of Rights.

A collection netted $729 in contributions from audience participants. "This is a very good showing on short notice," stated Beal in closing the program. "It's something we can now build on."
 
 
Related article:
In Los Angeles, socialist worker wins support in free speech fight  
 
 
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