Free Erik Larsen
1991 1991-11Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 6 →
Read from the scan by machine and not corrected: expect misread words, and now and then a caption or a line from a neighbouring story. For anything you quote, read the scan.
Scan page 6
Rev. John Chamberlain of the First St. John's United Methodist Church in San Francisco is a central organizer in the defense campaign for Jones and Larsen. 6 SOCIALIST ACTION NOVEMBER 1991 the strong participation of antiwar veterans and representatives of the Black community. Vietnam veteran Bill Short chaired the meeting on behalf of the New England Jones/Larsen Defense Committee:
"During the Vietnam War, ," Short said, "I refused to fight and was court-martialed twice and sent to prison. I know how isolated and how lonely I felt during that time. I did not have a support group. I did not have a national speaking platform. I didn't even have legal council. I defended myself at my first court-martial. So I have a real good idea of how both Erik and Tahan are feeling tonight. And I think it's important that we show our heartfelt support for both of them."
Other speakers included Stephanie Atkinson, a Gulf War resister; Prof. Gerald Gill of Tufts University, and an authority on Black resistance to U.S. wars; Assistant Minister Rodney X of the Nation of Islam; P. Jesse Perrier, Vice President of the Smedley Butler Brigade; Shakur Ali, community worker and three-tour Vietnam combat veteran; Prof. Daniel Faber of Northeastem University; and Quan Smith, President of the Northeastern Black Students Association.
Several speakers referred to the strong opposition to the Gulf War in the Black community. Assistant Minister Rodney X observed:
"We really don't have a war that's worth fighting. So we don't want to participate in taking the lives of human beings-especially to go 9000 miles away and blow someone's brains out, someone who looks just like me and some of you, who never called me a nigger, never called me a coon, never enslaved my people in the ghettos of America.
"The American people don't run this country. It's the rich, the corporations. Wars are fought over oil, gold and silver, diamonds, fought over power, land and people."
Prof. Gerald Gill presented an overview of Black resistance to war, from World War I to today. "There's a firm context of political dissent [from war] by African Americans from A. Phillip Randolph to W.E.B. DuBois to Malcolm X," he said. "Erik and Tahan are carrying on a proud tradition of resistance and defiance to what individuals perceive to be unjust, immoral, and imperialist wars."
Erik Larsen spoke movingly about the U.S. Postal Service Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulati (Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685).
1A. Title of publication: Socialist Action.
1B. Publication no. 721090.
2. Date of filing: Oct. 15, 1991.
3. Frequency of issue: Monthly. A) No. of issues published annually: 12. B) Annual subscription price: $8.00.
4. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: Socialist Action Publishing Association, 3435 Army St., Suite 308, San Francisco, CA 94110-4543.
5. Complete mailing address of the headquarters of general business offices of the publisher: Socialist Action Publishing Association, 3435 Army St., Suite 308, San Francisco, CA 94110-4543.
6. Full names and complete mailing address of publisher, editor, and managing editor. Publisher: Socialist Action breadth of GI resistance to the war. Close to 2500 resisters sought the help of antiwar organizations such as the War Resisters League and American Friends Service Committee. Thousands of others also joined the protest movement. Some groups of soldiers went AWOL [Absent Without Leave]. Others, especially Black GIs, were reported to have mutinied. Despite the harassment, intimidation, and in some cases physical abuse of resisters, the antiwar protests in the armed forces continued and deepened.
Shakur Ali, a Marine veteran of three tours in Vietnam, spoke of the brutalizing effect of war on young GIs. "Before I was 21," he said, "I killed more than a dozen people. By the time I killed the third person, I had no recollection of what I was doing. I had no conscience. I did not care. I just killed. I survived. I did whatever was necessary to survive. And these young men [Tahan and Erik and the other resisters] did something that I was unable or unwilling to do or didn't know that I could do. They stood up and said, 'No, I'm not going to take part in that.""
Ali noted that the brutality of American society is not confined to the military. "In Tahan's case, he refused to serve a governPublishing Association, 3435 Army St., Suite 308, San Francisco, CA 94110 - 4543. Editors: Michael Schreiber and Joseph Ryan, 3435 Army St., Suite 308, San Francisco, CA 94110-4543. Managing Editor: None 7. Owner (if owned by a corporation, its name and address must be stated and also immediately thereunder the names and addresses of stockholders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, the names and addresses of the individual owners must be given. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated firm, its name and address, as well as that of cach individual must be given. If the publication is published by a nonprofit organization, its namo and address must be stated.): Socialist Action Publishing Association (unincorporatcd), 3435 Army St., Suite 308, San Francisco, CA 94110, Nat Weinstein and Carl Finamore, 3435 Army St., Suite 308, San Francisco, CA 94110.
8. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or bolding 1 percent or more of total amount ment that is still enslaving his people."
Speaking for the Northeastern Black Students Association, Quan Smith observed that a real war against Black people is taking place in the United States today.
Jones and Larsen were also honored guests at a Boston reception. Jones spoke to 80, mostly Black, students at a Jobs for Youth High School.
The two resisters met with Don Muhammed, the minister of Mosque 11 of the Nation of Islam. Minister Muhammed solidarized with the unity Jones and Larsen had exhibited during the long course of their battle with the Marines. Jones and Larsen served in the same Hayward, Calif., Marine Corps reserve unit. A Black Marine and a white Marine who might be hanging separately, are hanging together, he commented.
The weekend was an important breakthrough for defense efforts on the East Coast. Veterans and anti-war networks have been activated and Black organizations are rallying support.
"For us the war is only beginning." Tahan Jones concluded, "There's going to be another Iraq, and it might be sooner than many of us think. It's important to continue the struggle. That way we don't have to of bonds, mortgages or other securities (if there are none, so state: None.
9. For completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at spocial rates (Section 423.12 DMM only): Does not apply.
10. Extent and nature of circulation. Average no. copies cach issue during preceding 12 months. A. Total no. copies printed (net press run): 3250. B. Paid and/or requested circulation (1) Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors and counter sales: 1459. (2) Mail subscriptions (Paid and/or requested: 1028. C. Total paid and/or requested circulation (sum of 10B1 and 10B2): 2487. D. Free distribution by mail, carrier or other means, samples, complimentary, and other free copies: 70. E. total distribution (Sum of C and D): 2557. F. Copies not distributed (1) Office usc, left over, unaccounted, spoiled after printing: 693. (2) Return from news agents: O. G. Total (Sum of B, Fl, and 2— should equal net press run shown in A): 3250.
Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filwith a chorus of "Shame!"