Mass response needed to defend women's rights

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The need for an independent militant women's rights movement was never more clear.

Many events point to this conclusion: A ix The right to abortion, while still the law of the land, is in danger of being overMAN turned. It continues to be chipped away EN piece by piece. Abortion is no longer a right for those who cannot afford to pay.

mi KEEP YOUR BNE It is no longer a right for young women in many states. In almost all states, the right to abortion is restricted.

All the attacks on the living standards of the working class hit women harder.

Last hired, first fired. Lower wages, regressive taxes, childcare costs—all FREEDOM FO these hit women with a vengeance.

The need for a well-organized defense of rights and living standards is well-established. But, the unions are not mounting such a defense. And there is no working-class political party fighting for the interests of working people in the political arena.

The absence of these needed components of a serious fightback (militant unions and a workers' political party) creates a special responsibility for the women's rights movement to mobilize the most effective response possible to the attacks on women.

The components of such a response are the independence of the women's movement from political institutions run by the rich (chiefly the Democratic and Republican Parties) and a perspective of (continued on page 4, in “Perspectives on Independent Political Action”) Pro-choice supporters demonstrate against Operation Rescue in Wic hita, Kan. Tina Beacock/Socialist Action p. 11 Activists debate fall of Stalinism pp. 12-14 Banning of Soviet CP Up. 15 How the left responded to coup pp. 16-19

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What has happened in the Soviet Union? Trotsky's prognosis confirmed

What policy for nationalities? DD. 20-21