SWP suit-Victory for all of us
1988Amanda Chapman 1988-04Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 2 →
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A victory that will hearten every supporter of civil liberties was won by the Socialist Workers Party in federal court last month. After 15 years of litigation, the U.S. government has accepted a court ruling that it illegally spied on and harassed the SWP. The party was awarded $264,000 in damages.
While the government will undoubtedly find ways to continue harassing antiwar, labor, and civil-rights groups, this victory forms an important basis for fighting government spying and in2 SOCIALIST ACTION APRIL 1988 timidation.
"'The price of freedom"
The point of my remarks is simply that the exercise of democratic freedoms is a threat to the tiny minority of people who have the wealth and power in our society. Since the days of the first American Revolution, they have acted accordingly.
The failure of the government to act on the basis of the popular will on such issues as putting an end to aid to the contras in Nicaragua reflects the fact that the large corporations control society through their two-party political monopoly.
Throughout American history, only social struggle has led to reforms, such as St., No. 308, San Francisco, CA 94110. Second-class postage is paid at San Francisco, Calif.
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momentum against U.S. intervention that