Martin also campaigned at the annual Juneteenth celebration in the Black community here, commemorating the end of the Civil War and the defeat of slavery. One Juneteenth participant who signed Martin’s petition said he very much appreciated that the candidate pointed to Benton Harbor as an example of the police brutality workers are up against today, referring to the racist actions by cops that led to the death of a Black motorist in that city June 16. Campaign supporters have set a goal to collect nearly double the signature requirement over the next few weeks.

At a campaign rally and barbecue later in the day to celebrate the first day of campaigning, Martin, 51, who works as a sewing machine operator, explained why the Socialist Workers campaign “offers the only fighting alternative to the twin parties of imperialist war and economic depression—the Democrats and Republicans.” Martin said she is “proud to carry the banner of the Socialist Workers—a campaign that is part of building a movement of working people and farmers along with youth that will stand up and resist the brutal effects of the crisis of the capitalist system.” She added, “Many working people are hoodwinked into believing the Democrats have something for them, when in reality the voice of the working class has only been heard through struggles for our rights waged under a two-party system that opposes ours interests.”

The Des Moines Register and KCCI Television Channel 8 covered the campaign rally. The Register published an interview with Martin on the front page of the daily’s June 23 “Metro” section (at right).

At the campaign rally, Mike Worrall, who recently graduated from Drake University, pointed out, “Every week in the news, another business is closing and workers are out of a job, but the rich keep getting richer and more working people are being forced to work two or more jobs to survive.”

Martin said her campaign calls for a steeply graduated income tax with no taxes for workers or exploited farmers, raising the minimum wage, instituting a sliding scale of wages and hours to spread around the available work, defending the rights of immigrant workers against government attacks, and the cancellation of the foreign debt of semicolonial countries. These proposals, she said, along with actions in defense of the unions, address some of the most critical issues facing the working class. “What the Socialist Workers campaign calls for is a movement to replace capitalism with a workers and farmers government,” Martin said.

The socialist candidate invited participants to travel with her and other workers to Jefferson, Wisconsin, the following day to attend a solidarity rally for the United Food and Commercial Workers members there, who have been on strike against Tyson Foods for more than four months.
 
 
Related articles:
Des Moines daily reports on socialist mayoral campaign  
 
 
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