Marine Corps targets women in witch hunt

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MINNEAPOLIS—Six of the seven abortion clinics in the Twin Cities area were kept open on June 23 in spite of plans by Operation Rescue to close them down The pro-choice movement here mobilized sufficient numbers to discourage OR from attacking all but one of the clinics. OR spotters and buses loaded with the faithful circled clinics ringed with pro-choice demonstrators only to drive off in The June 23 clinic defense action here was a first for the pro-choice movement. The fact that OR was not able to close or even significantly interfere with the clinics on its main hit list means a victory for the new but growing clinic-defense SOCIALIST ACTION JULY 1989 5 In late 1987, Naval Investigative Services began an intensive investigation aimed at exposing and prosecuting a widespread criminal network operating out of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Focusing their initial efforts at the Marine recruit depot at Parris Island, S.C., the intrepid investigators netted some 17 criminals by September 1987. They succeeded in jailing three of these, with the other 14 being discharged from the service.

Was this another spy operation similar to the one that uncovered infiltration at U.S. embassies last year? Or a conspiracy to sell defense secrets? No, but those who control military spending can rest assured that taxpayer dollars have been wisely used to protect this country from a much greater threat!

This investigation was aimed at uncovering and disbanding what one of the NIS employees referred to as a "lesbian mafia operating out of the training depot at Parris Island."

According to Cheryl Jameson and Barbara Baum, two of the victims who were jailed, the witch hunt began after the new Marine Corps commander announced that he thought "lesbians in the Corps were out of control."

He alleged that the Drill Instructors at Parris Island, the main training center for women, were arranging transfers of the trainees to bases where the instructors would also be going. He didn't explain how these transfers-aimed, according to him, at keeping lesbian affairs going— were being put into effect by drill instructors who normally are not the personnel charged with these decisions. Transfer orders come from Washington, as far as any soldier knows.

Not a new policy Following these allegations by the new man in charge of the Corps, all old investiSAN FRANCISCO—On July 1, Operation Rescue (OR) struck again in the Bay Area— this time with mixed results.

The anti-abortion zealots, numbering 150 to 200, failed to close the Oakland Family Planning Services clinic. Access to the clinic was defended by large numbers of people who were mobilized by the Bay Area Coalition Against Operation Rescue and the National Organization for Women.

In response to the pro-choice mobilization, the Oakland police, whose previous inaction during an OR blockade of Planned Parenthood in March had been vigorously protested, cooperated in keeping the clinic open.

When word began to spread about the attack on the Oakland clinic, pro-choice forces (who had assembled at 5:30 a.m. at other area clinics) came to Oakland. Outnumbered and CHICAGO-On June 17, about 3000 people rallied outside City Hall to "keep abortion safe and legal." The event was sponsored by a pro-choice coalition organized by NOW. Several local Democratic Party politicians addressed the crowd.

Earlier that morning, two clinics in the area were hit by Operation Rescue (OR), which succeeded in closing one of them down.

OR sent about 100 people to heckle the pro-choice rally. But they were out-chanted by the thousands of demonstrators and kept at a safe distance by demonstration marshals.-V.L. gation files pertaining to alleged homosexuality were reopened.

The NIS did not even need this excuse to begin their witch hunt. A 1981 Department of Defense Policy on Homosexuality claims that homosexuality is incompatible with military service and recommends the discharge of any person committing, attempting to commit, or stating the desire or intent to commit homosexual acts.

The 1981 policy was not a new one. Investigations and discharges for alleged homosexual activities occurred regularly throughout the 1950s, with about 2000 personnel being dismissed annually during that decade. About 75 percent of those dismissed from the service were women soldiers.

Now, as in years past, many soldiers facing such accusations simply accept discharges— no matter what the truth or falsity of the hemmed in, OR moved their operation to Daly City, just outside San Francisco, where the Planned Parenthood clinic director decided to allow the police—not the pro-choice defenders—to take charge of opening the clinic.

Despite the fact that pro-choice counterdemonstrators outnumbered them at least two to one, the OR forces managed to block the clinic doors. Police took over three hours to arrest and remove 90 blockaders, assuring that the clinic would remain inaccessible during that time. Patients were treated at other locations.

The Bay Area pro-choice movement now has the job of redoubling its recruitment of clinic defenders for the battles ahead.—C.S.

BOSTON-Ellen Convisser, president of the Boston chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), was among the speakers at a recent Boston Socialist Action forum titled, "After April 9: What's Next for the Women's Movement."

"We've been living in a climate that is unbelievably hostile to individual rights," Convisser said. She pointed out that since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, poor people in many states have been denied public funding for abortions. "We only have funding in 12 states and Washington, D.C., she noted. "We lost federal funding in 1977."

Convisser continued, "Some people have said that the Court will 'modify' Roe. How can you 'modify' Roe? There's nowhere to go. It's not like we can live with losing a little bit of our rights. We don't have that many."

"Another strategy that we have to work on is Operation Rescue," Convisser said. "We have to continue to defend the clinics, to defend women, to defend the issue. And we have to be there every time they're there. We cannot let them get the upper hand. We can always outnumber them."

Convisser pointed out that the pro-choice movement in Boston was able to outmobilize Operation Rescue and "chase them out of town." The following week, however, Operacharges. Those who choose to fight often cannot afford any private counsel but are forced to use military counsel.

These "homosexuality" discharges slowed down markedly during the Korean and Vietnam wars, and soldiers who admitted to being gay were allowed to stay in the service. The recent case of Sergeant Perry Watkins, whose admission of being gay was ignored by the Army from 1967 until 1981, gives a clear example of this. In 1981, the Army suddenly refused to re-enlist Watkins. Lower courts have ruled that he must be reinstated, but the case is currently being appealed to the Supreme Court.

In the meanwhile, all women military personnel remain a special target of these investigations. An officer testifying at Barbara Baum's court martial explained how women are viewed in the military. "If they're too friendly, they're sluts; if they don't smile at all (in response to overtures from male personnel), they're dykes."

Baum-who served six months of a oneyear sentence for sodomy, indecent acts, and obstruction of justice—was informed that she was on legal hold in January 1988, as she was about to transfer to Hawaii.

In mid-March she was served with papers containing allegations of homosexuality. She was being reinvestigated for a two-month affair in 1986. The file had been closed at that time due to lack of evidence. They still had no concrete evidence-merely allegations.

Tired of wondering from day to day who was going to make another allegation, Baum decided to accept a discharge. Her military attorney urged her to think about it over the weekend. The following Monday, the attorney called her and said, "Get back up here. You're going to jail." Baum was told she faced from 38 to 43 years in prison.

disgust.

movement in the Twin Cities.—R.S.

tion Rescue struck in Providence, R.I. For that reason, she said, it is important to set up a regional network for clinic defense. Ultimately, a network must be built on a national scale.

Clinic defense is "an opportunity to build our movement," Convisser emphasized.

She concluded, "We need to be active, we Over the weekend, Baum's former lover had been induced to give a statement with details of their relationship. Baum believes that the woman was threatened with loss of custody of her child.

The former lover received an honorable discharge and was awarded disability payments for an injury she received in service. Meanwhile, the military prosecutors requested a stiff sentence for Baum to "protect society from her and her way of life."

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Cheryl Jameson, a 10-year marine who served almost 10 months on similar charges, was originally called into the NIS office and questioned about another women's alleged homosexuality. She told them she knew nothing about it. Then she was called in a second and third time and told she was under investigation.

When she refused to give permission for a search of her belongings, the NIS obtained a search warrant and went through her belongings in storage. The story of the charges filed against Jameson made front-page news even before she was informed of them.

At her hearing, 48 hours later, her current lover and her former lover testified against her. Both were granted immunity. Two drill instructors who testified that they would work with Jameson again were subsequently relieved of their duties.

Baum and Jameson recently spoke at a meeting sponsored by Lesbian Uprising in San Francisco. They explained to the audience of supporters the pattern that the witch hunt has taken at Parris Island and other military installations.

Many women have been questioned. Women who play softball, socialize with other women, hug each other, don't wear makeup or appear "feminine" enough, refuse the advances of male personnel, or go to "questionable" bars have all been interrogated. They are encouraged to give statements on any other women who are suspect.

Baum, who is appealing her case, is currently in debt over $12,000 to her civilian lawyer. Jameson has been unable to afford a civilian lawyer and has to rely on military lawyers. But they both want to keep fighting to keep other women from going through their experience. need to work together, we need to use whatever strategies we can. And it's a long battle.

Also speaking at the forum were Elizabeth Ling, a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who was a speaker at the April 9 rally in Washington, D.C., and Alexei Folger, a member of NOW and of Socialist Action.—A.F.

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Socialists seek to mobilize pro-choice supporters-like these women at the 30,000-strong April 2 demonstration in San Francisco-to express the numbers and power of the women's fight for equality. AHOAT Waintan Right to choose Joseph Ryan/Socialist Action BORTION: Carole Seligman speaking at "Socialism and Feminism Conference."

petition campaigns and speak-outs, and the whole range of activities that we put forward in the women's movement. These are the kinds of activities that can attract majority support.

Mass action is the key. It expresses the power of our numbers, of the great support we have. The whole strategy of our movement has to be based on mobilizing those numbers, that strength. Mass action and self reliance are the fundamental ideas that socialists advocate in the women's We need mass independent feminist organizations like the National Organization for Women. We also need independent mass actions that are organized by coalitions. We need all the different groups to work together to put on mass actions such as defending

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Clinic defense battle escalates in San Francisco

Thousands rally for choice in Chicago

Boston NOW leader speaks out

eg Lynn Henderson/Socialist Action ChO