San Quentin
We (the inmates) have compiled this letter in an effort to communicate with all concerned parties, on all levels. We want to dispel the myths about the incarcerated people and create meaningful, friendly correspondence between us.
There are many individuals here on death row without any significant others whom we can relate to. The government tries to instil hatred and distrust in the public, sort of like "out of sight, out of mind". We are real people with hopes, fears and feelings. Contrary to what the establishment would have the public believe — some of us are actually innocent, most of us have made grave mistakes and some are guilty. But we all are human beings!
In developing channels of communication, by way of a "pen-pal" program, you will help foster, encourage and promote the improvement of the condition of incarcerated individuals.
If you have any questions and/or wish to participate in a pen-pal program, please contact one of the persons listed below. Please use the same mailing address for all names.
Gerald Cruz H-54802
Andrew Brown H-36100
Richard Tully H-58500
Stevie Fields D-79516
James D. Beck H-54801
James M. Heard H-96500
Mailing address: San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, CA, 94974, USA
Newtown "yuppies"
James Hutchings' social and economic analysis (GLW #242) is based on nothing but his own prejudices and its laws would work only in fairy land.
No, yuppies are not the cause of the rising cost of living and the locals' lack of economic power. If you look beyond matters of personal style and consumer habits you will find that the private profit-driven capitalist economic system is what drives wages down, throws unemployed people out of their homes and cares little about people's local communities.
Unfortunately, Mr Hutchings, I am probably one of the neatly dressed, middle-class background, potential "yuppies" whom you seem to despise. But I am seriously fighting, as a member of a party, against the worldwide destruction of capitalism, while you complain about the locals versus the yuppies of Newtown.
Lachlan Malloch
Newport NSW
Newtown Political Collective
We are writing about the article "A new way forward for the left?" (GLW #241), a criticism of the Newtown Political Collective. Jonathon Strauss, the author, hasn't been to a meeting or interviewed us.
The NPC does support green parties. We think they can achieve certain reforms, but ultimately they have to be swept away.
The NPC's main strategy is, as you put it, "opposing capitalist destruction by direct action". It's important to address issues like sexual freedom, the environment, etc., but they have to be linked to the wider issue, capitalism itself. We think that this is much more important than imposing a line. We do make joint decisions, because we have similar ideas. These decisions aren't forced on any members. People can work out how to think and act for themselves. In fact that's what a revolution is.
The NPC uses the slogan "I Didn't Join the Revolution to Sell Papers". After all, who did? We think the Left gives far too much emphasis to paper sales. Direct action gets the message across at least as effectively. There's no contradiction between this and our use of Green Left. Obviously if something exists it's better to support it than boycott it. It's the same as supporting a strike while criticising the union that organised it.
The fact that there wasn't a revolution years ago suggests that the Left needs to re-evaluate its tactics. The NPC isn't close to finding the answer, but at least we are trying. We aren't dismissing other groups, but we do think it's wrong that they dismiss us.
Nadia Menon, Cynthia O'Young and Sarah Fearnley
Members of NPC
Enmore NSW
[Edited for length.]
Student burnout?
The attacks planned against our education system by the Howard government are the worst we've faced. Yet the flip-side of this is a stronger basis to mobilise student anger in opposition to the cuts.
However, on Tas Uni, SRC members within the Education Action Coalition, a number of them Labor students, have already revealed their limitations as leaders of the determined campaign we need.
The August 7 rally in Hobart was far smaller and less enthusiastic than the May 22 rally. SRC members took a half-hearted approach to building it, saying that August 7 was too close to the budget to influence the government, and that students would get "burnt out" if they were asked to come to too many rallies.
This is a misjudgement and an accommodation to the disempowerment and apathy of the student body. Rallies aren't simply about showing the government how much public opposition there is to an issue; they're also about giving students a sense that their collective action can make a difference. We need to inspire and empower students and we won't do this with lacklustre rallies.
August 7 was a successful national mobilisation. However, the movement needs to grow, regardless of what is passed in the budget. Senate opposition parties should be pressured to reflect the level of community opposition to the dismantling of higher education, and refuse to pass the legislation. Or the next step could be to call on the Community and Public Sector Union to organise DEETYA bans on processing and implementing the cuts.
The potential of this issue to mobilise the entire community hasn't been fully tested. That's our task now.
Sarah Stephen, Kylie Moon and Mathew Munro
Hobart Resistance
[Edited for length.]
News from Scotland
As a follow up to my article on the Scottish Socialist Alliance (SSA) in GLW #242, readers may be interested to know that the Alliance did extremely well in its first election campaign in the West of Scotland.
In the August 8 by-election in the Glasgow area council of Toryglen, the Alliance polled 19% (315) of the vote, slightly behind the vote for the Scottish National Party. Despite a higher than normal turnout for a by-election, the Labour vote was slashed by 50%, disillusioned Labour voters giving their votes primarily to the Alliance.
This indicates that the Alliance is emerging as a formidable force on the Left of Scottish politics.
Stuart Russell
Edinburgh, Scotland
[Edited for length.]
Contaminated breast milk
As a group of mothers who are breastfeeding our babies, we commend Pam Allan, NSW minister for the environment, for her determination to close the Waterloo Incinerator. We are outraged that Dr Neil Shepherd of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has renewed the incinerator's licence.
We are extremely concerned by the toxic emissions which leave the incinerator stack. Large quantities of lead and other heavy metals, such as cadmium and mercury, and worrying levels of dioxins are emitted.
Tests in the US and Australia have shown that dioxins can cause cancer, endometriosis and second generation birth defects. Even low levels can cause low sperm counts and infertility in men and miscarriages in women.
In 1991 Newcastle University's Bioanalytical Research Group carried out a study on dioxins in mothers' milk in Sydney. It found that no sample of breast milk analysed would pass the test for standards applied to drinking water. We are horrified that the natural act of nourishing our children may actually be poisoning them and want the incinerator closed immediately.
We urge Dr Shepherd and the EPA to do what the agency was set up for: protect our environment!
Annolies Truman, Jeanette O'Dwyer, Laura Smith, Rhonda Hunt
Sydney NSW
[Edited for length.]