The Internet Anti-Fascist: Tuesday, 12 Sep 2000 -- 4:74 (#467)

[Paul Kneisel <tallpaul@xxxxxxxx>]

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           The Internet Anti-Fascist: Tuesday, 12 September 2000
                         Vol. 4, Number 74 (#467)
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Action Alert:
   Laure Akai, "Polish Anti-Fascist Needs Your Support"
Announcements
   Dr. Wigand Lange <wigand.lange@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Ludwig Renn: 1937 fund
      raising tour through US," 30 Aug 00
   Gerald Blaney, Jr. <G.J.Blaney@xxxxxxxxx>, "The Civil Guard and the
      Second Republic," 7 Sep 00
What's Worth Checking: 10 stories

- - - - -

ACTION ALERT:
Polish Anti-Fascist Needs Your Support

On September 27, Tomasz Wilkoswewski's case will be heard in court  here in
Warsaw. He has already served more than 4 years out of a 15- year sentence
for the murder of a nazi skinhead committed in self- defense during an
attack. We are trying to help publicize his case  and are asking for your
solidarity. Please send information about  Tomek to all the ABC groups you
know and ask people to write with  protests. We really would like to help
out in some way and we think  that if different groups could take a few
minutes to write letters,  it would help. If they could send copies of
their protests to this  address, we could also translate them into Polish.


We really would appreciate any show of solidarity we can get. Poor  Tomek
has been totally victimized in this case and needs to get out  of jail soon
before long-term imprisonment takes its toll on his  health and his
spirits.

  --  Thank you.
      Laure Akai

- - - - -

Tomasz Wilkoszewski (Tomek), is from Radomsk, a medium-sized, working-
class city with a skinhead problem. Tomasz was one of only a handful  of
anarchists in this city which has recently become more and more
economically depressed as a result of the destruction of Polish  industry.
The local skinheads would constantly be on the prowl for  these anarchists,
often attacking them and in effect, terrorizing  them. Tomasz could have
fled the city, as so many people in similar  situations are forced to do,
but instead he decided he'd stay - but  that he's have to carry a weapon to
defend himself. In March of 1996,  the worst happened. Tomasz was attacked
again and fought back with  his knife. Unfortunately, he cut an artery when
he stabbed one of his  attackers in the leg and the person died. Clearly,
there was no  intent on Tomasz's part to committ a murder; he was only
trying to  defend himself.

It probably does not need to be said that local police did nothing to
prevent the attacks that eventually lead up to the tragedy in the  first
place. Tomasz was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison.  At the
time, he had not even finished high school. The sentence is  exceptionally
harsh compared to others normally given in Poland; such  sentences are
reserved for premeditated murders and felonies  committed by hardened
criminals. Gazeta Wyborcza wrote about this  case years ago and presented
it as a tragedy - and as the failure of  society, including the police, to
control such street violence that  may end in murder. It is that, but even
more so, it is a case of the  police looking the other way as skinheads
terrorize the town and then  blaming the victim who would not take it any
more.

Tomek's case is important not only to us as anarchists, his comrades,  but
also to anybody who wants to put a stop to police-endorsed  violence
against anarchists, leftists, immigrants, and anybody  targetted by these
ring-wing thugs. We think that some protest  letters will help; we have a
petition, but think that short notes by  e-mail from abroad would be even
better. I am sending a small sample  text but think it would be even better
if people added their own  personal touches; it will show more than an
international campaign -  it will show that people are thinking about Tomek
and people like him  around the world.

  --  Thanks!
      Laure

- - - - -

To:    Dr. Lech Gordacki,
       Supreme Court of Poland
       Pl. Krasinski 2/4/6
       00-951 Warsaw 41
       Fax: (48) 22 530-91-00
       E-Mail ppsek@xxxxx

On September 27, the case of Tomasz Wilkosweski will be heard before  your
court. Tomasz Wilkoszeski was sentenced to 15 years in jail in  connection
with tragic events occurring in Radomsk in March of 1996.

Tomasz was given a harsh murder sentence despite the fact that it is  clear
that the tragic events were a result of his attacking in self-
defense after having been terrorized by local skinheads. We feel that  the
sentence was very harsh in light of these circumstances. Tomasz  has
already served 4 years of this sentence, during which time he has  finished
his high school education, passed exams and stated his  desire to continue
his studies.

He has been called a model prisoner and it is our opinion that  justice
will not be served by continuing to keep him imprisoned. He  is not a
threat to society and deserves a chance to get out and lead  a normal life.
The longer he is denied this chance and kept in  isolation with hardened
criminals, the less likely he is to get this  chance. We ask that you
consider his immediate release.

Signature.

- - - - -

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Ludwig Renn: 1937 fund raising tour through US
"Dr. Wigand Lange" <wigand.lange@xxxxxxxxxxx>
30 Aug 00

dear friends: i am looking for information on Ludwig Renn's fund raising
tour through the US, Canada and Cuba in the fall of 1937. Renn was a German
author who joined the international brigades. His original name was Arnold
Vieth von Golssenau. In the beginning of October 1937 he came by ship to
NYC and gave over 70 talks in the US, Canada and Cuba asking for money,
food and medical equipment. Does anybody have more specific information on
this tour, i.e. was it successful, where and when did he speak, what kind
of audiences, any reports in the media, how was the reception? I would
appreciate any information. -- wigand lange

- - - - -

The Civil Guard and the Second Republic
"Gerald Blaney, Jr." <G.J.Blaney@xxxxxxxxx>
7 Sep 00

As my subject title mentions, I am researching the Civil Guard during the
Second Republic.  I am looking for any references made to the Civil Guard
in the various memoirs, accounts, art and literature of the period
concerned (or earlier)for the purpose of demonstrating attitudes towards
and perceptions of the "benemerita".  Any help would be greatly
appreciated.

Sincerely,
J. Blaney

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                        WHAT'S WORTH CHECKING
   stories via <ftp://ftp.nyct.net/pub/users/tallpaul/publish/story7/>

John Laughland (The Spectator), "We Are Only Following Orders," 15 Aug 00,
"If you had been in Trafalgar Square on Monday at noon, you would have seen
a puzzling sight. A lot of people wearing black staged a "die-in" to
protest against the war with Iraq. Iraq? Surely the war with Iraq lies in
the distant past ten years ago, the last time a Bush was President. In
fact, unbeknown to the majority of the British public, a low-level war of
attrition has continued there almost unabated since the end of the Gulf War
in 1990. In the last 20 months, ever since the United States and Britain
launched a Blitzkrieg on Iraqi targets following the collapse of the arms
inspection mission, a total of 21,600 US and British planes have flown into
Iraqi airspace, dropping bombs or firing missiles on average once every
three days." <1821.txt>

Stephen Labaton  (New York Times), "Court Curbs Agents' Ability to Monitor
Cellular Phones: F.C.C. Must Rethink a Much-Disputed Rule," 16 Aug 00, "A
federal appeals court today struck down parts of a government order that
broadly expanded the ability of law enforcement agents to monitor cell
phone conversations of criminal suspects. The outcome was a partial victory
for the telephone industry and privacy groups that had challenged the
order, and was a setback for the government, which must now consider
revising its rules for electronic surveillance of wireless communications."
<1822.txt>

Americans United for Separation of Church and State (press release),
"Watchdog Group Files Complaint With IRS About Politicking By Georgia
Church: Records Show Warner Robins Congregation Gave Donantions to
Legislative Candidate," 16 Aug 00, "Americans United for Separation of
Church and State today asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate
reports that a Georgia church gave cash donations to a state legislative
candidate in violation of federal tax law. Americans United, a national
church-state watchdog group, said financial disclosure forms filed with the
Georgia state government by Rep. Pamela Bohannon say the First Assembly of
God in Warner Robins, Ga., made a $1,000 donation to Bohannon in her 1998
campaign and a $1,000 donation to her current reelection effort."
<1823.txt>

Americans United For Separation of Church and State (press release), "Suit
Challenges Public Hospital Run by Religious Directives of Catholic
Bishops," 16 Aug 00, "Four national advocacy organizations, along with four
concerned community residents, filed a federal lawsuit today against the
City of St. Petersburg, Bayfront Medical Center and BayCare Health System
over the operation of a public hospital under religious doctrines. The suit
charges that direct and indirect support of the hospital with taxpayer
funds violates the separation of church and state because the medical
facility operates under the religious tenets of the Roman Catholic Church,
an unconstitutional religious entanglement for the city-owned hospital."
<1824.txt>

Gwen Filosa ([NH] Monitor), "Black Prisoner Kills White 'Racialist':
Acquitted inmate sues prison staff: Skinner had been tried twice in fatal
beating," 25 Aug 00, "When the State Prison in Concord stuck inmate James
Skinner on the same tier as a violent racist, it set up the fatal beating
that put Skinner through two murder trials, according to his lawsuit in
federal court. Skinner is suing former warden Michael Cunningham and 19
other prison employees for violating his constitutional rights by
subjecting him to racism and physical abuse that culminated when he and
fellow inmate Eric Balagot were left unsupervised in a prison yard the
morning of July 24, 1998. That day, Skinner, whos is black, stomped and
beat to death Balagot, a white man with a swastika tattoo on his chest and
SS bolts above his eyes. Balagot threw the first punch, but fell to the
ground and was repeatedly kicked. He died from massive head injuries, and
tread marks from Skinner's sneakers were imbedded on his skull." <1825.txt>

Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
(press release), "Body of evidence shows Shroud of Turin is a forgery,"  16
Aug 00, "The Shroud of Turin was unveiled for a rare two-month public
viewing on Saturday, August 12, in Turin, Italy.  ... But will any one test
settle the dispute over the shroud's history? Most researchers are eager to
test hypotheses that focus on one narrow aspect of the shroud. One promotes
the pollen evidence, another questions the radiocarbon dating, a third
looks for proofs in the weave of the cloth.  Joe Nickell, Senior Research
Fellow of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the
Paranormal (CSICOP) points out that even definitive tests are vulnerable to
partisan disputes. Scientists insist that the 1988 radiocarbon dating--
performed at three independent labs--demonstrates once and for all that the
shroud is a 14th century forgery." <1826.txt>

Alissa Quart (New York Times), "Cultural Sabotage Waged in Cyberspace," 17
Aug 00, "This summer, Frank DeGraff, a 19-year-old college student, decided
that he wanted to invest money through the Web, so he started working three
jobs. When he had saved $200, he went to RTMark.com and placed the money in
one of the site's funds, the Education Fund. But instead of money, the only
returns he was promised were acts of cultural sabotage." <1827.txt>

AP, "IRS investigates church's donation to Georgia legislator," 17 Aug 00,
"The Internal Revenue Service has been asked to investigate $2,000 in
campaign donations to state Rep. Pam Bohannon from her church. Bohannon, R-
Warner Robins, and the Rev. Glenn Grantham of First Assembly of God
acknowledged the donations but said they did not know they were illegal."
<1828.txt>

AANEWS, "Atheist Plea For 'Equal Access' Over Book Covers Denied by Texas
School District? Commandments Distribution Continues," 17 Aug 00, "The
state of Texas has seen battles over prayer in classrooms, vouchers,
invocations at graduation ceremonies and football games, and teaching
creationism in the public schools.  Now, a new fight -- and possibly even a
legal showdown -- is shaping up over book covers. That's right.  Book
covers. In the Grand Prairie School District outside of Dallas-Ft.  Worth,
Karen Wiegman has been working hard to distribute 20,000 book jackets which
feature pictures of sports stars and the Declaration of Independence and a
copy of the Ten Commandments." <1829.txt>

Julie Woodcock ([Spartanburg SC] Herald Journal), "Gaffney ministers will
pray at games," 18 Aug 00, "As the controversy around the Supreme Court's
decision to ban prayer at high school football games continues, a group of
ministers has a plan to pray during Gaffney High School games. 'We're going
to pray the Lord's Prayer after the national anthem at the football games,"
said the Rev. Roger Lindler, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church and a
member of the Greater Gaffney Ministerial Association. 'The Supreme Court
has taken away student prayer at a ballgame, so we're going to do this. We
feel like it's not breaking the law, since it's a spontaneous thing.' The
plan troubles Steve Benen, a spokesman for the Washington, D.C.-based
Americans United for Separation of Church and State." <1830.txt>

                          * * * * *

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is
distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior
interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and
educational purposes only.
__________________________________________________________________________

                               FASCISM:
   We have no ethical right to forgive, no historical right to forget.
      (No permission required for noncommercial reproduction)

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