Parallels between Charleston and Sacramento (forwarded)

[Macdonald Stainsby]

All over the country support committees are raising money to support the 
Charleston 5.  Some of the same conditions South Carolina conditions exist 
elsewhere.  
In South Carolina, a "right to work" state, the attacks on dock workers was 
in part a reaction to political activity being organized by the mostly Black 
union.
In California, former governor Wilson, pushed to make California a "right to 
work" state.    Governor Davis refused to meet with the state employees' 
union as required by law and the union's leaders, SEIU 1000, were arrested 
when they went to his office to demand that negotiations continue.  I was a 
young working mother in a "right to work" state.  The weakening of unions and 
the increased racism and sexism lowered wages and working conditions to an 
intolerable level.  I had no medical or dental care and made only $1 per 
hour, never making enough to buy enough food.
In Carolina, prosecutor Charlie Condon, filed false rioting charges against 
mostly Black dock workers who were engaging in their legal right to picket.  
Part of this jerk's motivation is the further his own pursuitt of higher 
political office.
In California, because of cynical media and politician hysteria two 
ridiculouss initiatives have been passed, the Three Strikes law and Juvenile 
Justice initiative.  These laws take control out of the hands of judges, who 
are a little less political, and into the hands of district attorneys.  DA's 
who want to run for higher office can determine when to charge a crime or any 
other activity as a strike (three strike and you are in prison for life) and 
they can determine whether a child will be charged as an adult.  They can 
also very broadly determine what gang activity is.  District attorneys, like 
Jan Scully in Sacramento, charge rioting where there is none (as in the 
Zapatista fund raiser event) and charge strikes for misdemeanors.  She, like 
Condon, is destroying families and children to run for higher office.  She 
racistly takes no action when local law enforcement shot a Black man who was 
reaching for his cell phone and beat up local black high school foot ball 
player.  She has done nothing about the repeatedly beatings and restraint 
chair torture in our county jails.  
We only have those rights that we fight for!  Stand up before it is too late!
Linda Roberts, SEIU 1000 retiree, FACTS member, FRSO  454-9330

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Macdonald Stainsby
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