September 8, 1997
The statement below was released by Olga Rodríguez, Socialist Workers candidate for mayor of New York City, and Robert Miller, Socialist Workers candidate for governor of New Jersey.
“We salute Abner Louima for standing up to fight the horrendous brutality that New York cops inflicted upon him. We call on all working people to join our Haitian brothers and sisters August 29, to march in New York City in the Day of Outrage Against Police Brutality, demanding ‘Justice for Abner Louima!’
“Workers of oppressed nationalities and immigrants are special targets of cops in a social system that profits from fostering racism and anti-immigrant hostility to maintain layers of workers in pariah status. Cop brutality and racism is an integral part of this picture. Every time cops lift a club against a worker, they deal a blow to all workers.”
September 8, 1972
Nineteen escaped political prisoners surrendered on Aug. 15 to troops of the military dictatorship at the Trelew airport in southern Argentina. On Aug. 22, a quick burst of gunfire in the Trelew naval air base ended the lives of 16 young Argentine revolutionists. Defense attorneys for the slain prisoners denounced the deaths as “a virtual execution.”
Public reaction to the killings was immediate and angry. The bodies of the revolutionists became focuses of public protest when they were sent back to cities all over Argentina. Despite repression, the protests quickly assumed a very broad character.
An Aug. 25 Associated Press dispatch from Cordoba reported, “This industrial city of nearly a million people was crippled today by a 14-hour general strike protesting the slaying of the 16 guerrillas and supporting a demand for higher wages.
September 8, 1947
Popular anger at the high cost of living is being further inflamed by awareness of capitalist profiteering and thievery. Corporation “earnings” are at such fantastic heights, monopoly price-fixing and price-gouging have become so open, that the government and press can no longer hide the direct link between rising living costs and profits.
In recognition of this fact, Wall Street’s Republican and Democratic agents in Washington are now in a political duel of “probes” and counter-“probes,” trying to shift sole blame for inflation on each other.
Corporation net profits for April, May and June were the “biggest on record.” These profits are being amassed while production has been on a steady decline for the past five months and retail sales fell off. Price rises have cut the buying power of the dollar to 50 cents, according to Associated Press.