First Published: Unity and Struggle, Vol. IV, No. 14, October 1975.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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Newark has been rated the worst city in the country: the worst housing, the worst education, the highest TB rate (in 1975 when TB has been cured for years!), the highest infant mortality rate, etc. All this due to the super exploitation of Black and other third world people, which make up 87% of Newark’s population, and the exploitation of workers in general. The capitalists invest no money in this city. Yet on Saturday October 4th Lt. Jerry-veto the people’s needs-Ford spoke at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, New Jersey at a $1,000 a plate dinner, at a fund raiser for the Republican party and there aren’t even any Republicans in Newark.
Awaiting his arrival was $30,000 worth of Newark police. Check it, Newark city officials spent $30,000 of taxpayers money in a city where the workers get nothing in return for their labor. To guard a man, who in the interest of big business. Rocky and the other 15 families – has vetoed: children’s school’ lunch, housing, jobs (when the overall unemployment rate is 13% and 25% in the Black community) and has prevented money from coming into the cities, 39 vetoes this year. Riding shotgun for these repressive anti-people measures is the S-l Bill now in the Senate with Ford’s full support. This bill would make it illegal to even demonstrate for jobs in front of the White House (or any other government property). $30,000 is 6 minimal salary jobs, or housing rehabilitation, or the school supplies that were cut out of this year’s budget. At the same time Lt. Jerry – “I admire Gibson for keeping the people passive” – Ford came with his own security entourage of Secret Servicemen, FBI and CIA (which also came out of our tax money). The strict security is the result of the “attempts” on Ford’s life. Although twice they were close enough to hit (once by a woman who “just wanted some attention” then by a friend of the FBI) missed. These dubious assassination attempts served to open the door again to the call for “gun control” and “law & order.”
We were also there, waiting for the president. 400 demonstrators from the Congress of Afrikan People, El Comite-MINP, the October League, and the community, demonstrated in Military Park which was barricaded for the occasion, across from the hotel. Across from because police and city officials reneged on a permit that had been granted for the front of the hotel, thereby violating the democratic rights of the people.
Lt. Ford is on the campaign trail across the country to gather support and money for the Republican party, while the head of the command, General Rocky, gives orders from the vice presidency. Ford, trying to push Watergate in the closet with the other skeletons. Opposing what the people need for the maximum profits of the bourgeoisie. Ford even goes so far as to repeat the threats of war to save Rocky’s oil holdings in the Middle East. While the democrats are hoping dead bodies don’t float (Chappaquidick), await victories, pulling Watergate and the CIA’s assassinations and domestic spying out of the closet (although they only tell enough to get the people to think they are telling you something), but the Bay of Pigs was the oinks of the Democrats (their liberal sector at that). These two bankrupt parties of the rich ruling class few, who work to keep working people oppressed and exploited under the guise of “democracy”, raises the question again for the need for “Strategy ’76”. A political movement pulling together all progressive elements in this country into an anti-Democrat, anti-Republican, anti-depression and anti-repression united front, that would actually be an anti-fascist front to oppose the rightward swing of both parties. Like the demonstrators demanded: “FASCIST REPRESSION IS NOT THE ANSWER TO DEPRESSION – DEFEAT THE S-l BILL!” “Strategy ’76” would also speak to the needs of Black and third world people in this country as well as the whole working class.
Finally as the demonstration put out the call:
“WHAT’S THE ANSWER? REVOLUTION!!!
WHY IS THAT? – IT’S THE ONLY SOLUTION!!!
TO STOP JERRY FORD AND HIS $1,000 PLATES, THE PEOPLE MUST RISE AND SMASH THE BOURGEOIS STATE!!!”
We know that it will not be until the people take control of this country and the power is in their hands will the government be by and for the people. THE PEOPLE NEED REVOLUTION!!!