SEVERAL US marines who refused to fight in the Gulf war are facing heavy prison sentences. Most immediately threatened are Marine Corps reservist Erik Larsen and reservist Tahan Jones. Both are from California.
Originally the two were charged with "desertion in time of war which carries the death sentence. This has now been altered to desertion to avoid hazardous duty and or shirk important service", which carries up to seven years in prison.
Larsen is a particular target because of his outspoken anti-war activities before and during the war. He spoke at over 100 rallies in 20 US states, as well as anti-war protests in Germany, Italy and Britain.
At a preliminary hearing the Marine Corps deliberately proceeded while Larsen's civiian lawyer was out of the country. Marine Oct. 26. 1991 No. 10 lawyer Captain Wendell Arsi, assigned to defend Larsen, protested at this and was told by the prosecutor Cilian counsel is a prick and has to be taught a lesson now or later. A judge ruled that the preliminary hearings were invalid and had to be redone.
The Marines have also tried to obstruct Larsen's attempt to gain conscientious objec tor status. But a district court judge in San Francisco has ruled that Larsen's application has to be heard.
Meanwhile a broad-based defence committee is conducting a vigorous campaign on behalf of the two marines.
Messages of support, and resolutions from labour movement and campaigning bodies should be sent to: Larsen/Jones Defence Committee, Box 225, 1678 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley. CA 94709. USA. Telephone (415) 655-1201. Auto Workers and dissident networks among railworkers around the journal Straight Track. Other militant caucuses include the Hell on Wheels caucus among New York transit workers.
In addition to these stirrings of rank-and-file activism there is a growing interest. albeit modest so far, in international labour solidarity.
Labour Party But the absence of a coherent nationwide independent working class politics is seen as a serious deficiency by growWhile old-time bureaucrats and many sectors of the union movement "professionals" committed to the Democratic Party, sig nificant numbers of union members are looking to the creation of a Labour Party Tony Mazzochi, a leader of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers says "The bosses have two parties. We want one'. He has recently initiated and urged heid.
Such activists have also been in the forefront of struggles to defend abortion rights, which is a central struggle in the US at the present time. government and the Supreme Court's conservative majority have been eating away at the legal rights of women to safe and affordable abortions, while right. wing Christian fundamentalists have been mobilising violent attempts to close down abortion clinics. Some of the most massive and militant demonstrations in recent years have been called counteract these reactionary attacks. This issue is likely to be a focal point for future mass actions.
Many of this layer of activists have been active in anti-racist campaigns - for example over the cases of vicious police brutality in Los Angeles and against mob violence and killings in New York's Howard Beach and Bensonhurst. New York has also seen recent mass campus