The fight against racism and sexual harassment

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For forums, classes and other activities, contact the Socialist Actio ALIST ACTION NOVEMBER 1991 19 Clarence Thomas versus Anita Hill. While most of the news media focused on the issue of sexual harassment and whether Thomas did or did not harass Hill 10 years ago, many in the Black community wondered if the whole sordid affair would be used by racists against Blacks in general.

Thomas himself raised the issue of "lynching" in response to Hill's charge of sexual harassment. He and others claimed that the old racist lie was again being spread about Black male sexuality. Some even said liberal whites were using Hill (a conservative Republican herself) to prevent a Black man from getting on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Hyperbole aside, there are some real issues underneath the Thomas-Hill affair. The most glaring is the attempt of the White House and Senate to cover up the charge of sexual harassment before it hit the public's eye. Of course, as polls indicated, most Americans assume that corruption (including the sexual kind) is commonplace in the capital.

Thomas is now sitting on the highest court in the land. He's made known his opposition to basic civil rights from affirmative action to the rights of women. He's pro-big business and anti-worker.

Yet the issue In touch Dear editors, Please accept this $8 for a renewal of my subscription. Your paper is keeping almost all of us in touch with the real world. I was inspired by the article by Dr. Neville Alexander.

A.S., Gloucester, Mass. harassment and racism is one that needs to be addressed. It got the least attention by the major media. But it was on the minds of most Blacks.

What is the relationship between sexual harassment and racism? Should Black women press their claims against Black men who harass them? Or should they "let it slide" so as not to give racists a handle to attack Black men and thus the Black nationality?

Few would deny that sexual harassment of women occurs. Or that many Black (and white) men harass Black women. The only issue is whether, because of racism, such conduct by Black men should be tolerated. To expose such sexism, the argument goes, opens the entire Black community to attack.

Here's a typical comment. "We have two African-American people pitted against each other," Raymond Anderson of Los Angeles told The New York Times. "It really doesn't matter whether Judge Thomas is guilty or innocent. It doesn't matter whether Ms. Hill has credibility or not. What the image is throughout the country, throughout the world, is that we are not credible, trustworthy people, but vulgar, shiftless ... I could go on."

Blacks—men and women— are discriminated against in our society. Racism is used by the employers and the government to keep all Blacks in secondclass status. That's why the average income of Blacks is qualitatively less than for whites. That's why it is harder for Blacks than whites to get bank loans, to buy homes, and get jobs-no matter what our financial or social status is.

That's why racism is institutionalized throughout society. Even the growing Black middle class faces discrimination. Racism is very profitable.

Clarence Thomas and other Black conservatives are a byproduct of changes wrought by the civil rights movement. Before the defeat of legal segregation in the 1960s, the rulers did not need a Thomas. Today they do.

But racism is still prevalent. It is for this reason that many Blacks backed Thomas despite his views. They preferred a conservative who is Black rather than have an all-white U.S. Supreme Court. It is also why many Blacks became upset at Hill for exposing Thomas' sexism. They don't defend Thomas' actions but see Hill's charge as a "problem" for themselves.

In truth, sexism hurts the fight against racism, as it does the fight of workers against employers-the main promoters of racism and sexism. What we need most in the Black nationality and the working class as a By Malik Miah whole is solidarity One of the most forms of solidarity men and women.

The onus is on men port women's rights and unity. important is between to supand to Julia Steinberg, Baltimore, Md. branch in your area!

Cleveland P.O. Box 6151 Cleveland, OH 44101 (216) 429-2167 Detroit P.O. Box 1613 Detroit, MI 48231 Kansas City P.O. Box 32543 Westport Station, Kansas City, MO 6411' Forinformation about other areas, contact the national office of Socialist Action at (415) 821-0458. oppose all forms of sexual discrimination, including harassment by the boss or a co-worker. Not to do so is to play into the employers' game, which is divide and rule.

The fact that women are more than 50 percent of the population (even higher in the Black nationality) should make this ing a new militant leadership in the Black nationality. For any Black man to believe that because racism is prevalent means we should look the other way or not expose sexism among ourselves, is only undermining the overall fight for equality.

No people can be freu that treats women as less than equal. Affirmative action not only applies to oppressed nationalities but to women also. It is doubly so if you are Black and a woman. The lesson of the Clarence Thomas case is that sexual harassment exists among Blacks and must be vigorously fought. this country: "Protect the rich and greedy, and screw the needy!"

Warren E. Klaschus, TV violence Dear editors, Movie and television violence could be contributing to a significant increase in serious crime by displaying illegal behavior that some viewers may imitate.

Preservation of a single life would be sufficient reason for the enactment of laws to prohibit violent entertainment!

Kenneth Berger, Teaneck, N.J.

Los Angeles P.O. Box 862014 Los Angeles, CA 90086 (213) 660-2891 Minneapolis P.O. Bo: :4087 Cinkeytown Station Mirneapolis, MN 55414 (612) 430-1476 New York P.O. Box 20209 Ca. Fin. 693 Columbus Ave.

New York, N.Y. 10025 San Francisco 34:5 Army St., Suite 308 San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 821-0458

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point obvious. Black women in particular are essential to build-