Vol. 80/No. 37      October 3, 2016

 

25, 50, and 75 Years Ago

October 4, 1991

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Supporters of the right to abortion gathered at the Emma Goldman Clinic here September 14. Right-wingers claiming to speak for Operation Rescue had threatened to close down the clinic that day.

By 10:00 a.m. when the first Operation Rescue supporters showed up, 400 supporters of abortion rights had already occupied the ground in front and on all sides of the clinic.

The rightists numbered less than 80 and were never able to hold any ground near the clinic. As they sent picketers in ones and twos past the defense lines, each picketer was surrounded by supporters of abortion rights.

Supporters kept a steady flow of spirited chants such as “Right to life. That’s a lie. They don’t care if women die.” In less than an hour it was clear that abortion rights forces had won the day.

October 3, 1966

LOS ANGELES — A California law on “criminal syndicalism,” which was last used 29 years ago to crush a drive to organize Sacramento County agricultural workers, was resurrected here Sept. 21 by the Los Angeles County grand jury to be used against John W. Harris. Harris is a 23-year-old Black member of the Progressive Labor Party.

This time the police are attempting to intimidate the civil rights and antiwar movements. But the response of civil rights and antiwar organizations was immediate and representatives from 15 of them joined forces within three days to form the John Harris Defense Committee.

Harris was charged with distributing anti-police and pro-revolutionary leaflets. Harris was arrested at his home in Venice by six district attorney’s undercover agents.

October 4, 1941

NEW YORK — A National Committee formed to fight for the release from jail of Negro soldiers court martialed in World War I held its first meeting in Harlem this week.

Delegates were present from such organizations as the Better Harlem Association, the Baptist Ministers Conference, representing 100,000 members, the German Lutheran Church, and the Socialist Workers Party.

The general sentiment was one of active opposition to the current World War. For here, in the unjust imprisonment of innocent Negroes was concrete proof that democracy is no more an issue in this war than it was in the last one.

The freeing of these Negro soldiers whose only real mistake was to suppose that they “were fighting for democracy” can only be achieved through organized mass action. Put text above here  
 
 
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