Kathy Thomas Wins Appeal

As we go to press, WSW has learned that on July 23, the Cuyahoga County Court of Appeals handed down a decision reversing the homicide conviction of Kathy Thomas on the ground that the defense should have been permitted to present expert testimony on battered women. The opinion, written by Judge Alvin Krenzler with Judge Thomas Parrino concurring (our only woman appeals judge, Blanche Krupansky, dissented!) states as follows:

Where a woman charged with the murder of her husband presents evidence of an ongoing battering situation and asserts self-defense as justification to homicide, the defense is entitled to present expert testimony on the unique state

of mind of the battered woman. Such testimony is permitted to afford the jury an understanding of the defendant's state of mind at the time she committed the homicide because the subject of the battered woman and especially her unique psychological characteristics and differences in reaction and perception is not one within the knowledge and comprehension of the average person.

Defense attorney Christopher Stanley believes that the prosecution will appeal this decision, but congratulations are certainly due him and the Goldflower Defense Fund on this significant victory!

Native Americans (continued from page 3)

2,000-3,000, according to AIM, will probably remain

in Cleveland for some time and consequently will require the limited supportive services which the American Indian Center can provide. WARN Director Lynda Clause plans to return to her Canadian reservation because she believes that inner city life has harmed her four children. The public school system, in particular, remains uncommitted to recognizing the special needs of American Indian children and, for the purpose of integration quotas, does not consider their unique status.

The pattern of government paternalism against Native Americans has distorted their collective identity to the point at which they have great difficulty knowing their roots and accomplishments. At least on a superficial level their history of oppression resembles the exploitation of Black people in this country. Capitalism cleverly works to divide minority people among themselves and to reinforce the internalization of hatred against one another.

The American Indian Movement works against great odds. It even finds opposition among Indians who have assimilated into white culture and have accepted the dream of making it in the very system which overran them. Commonly known as "apple," "sell-out," "Uncle Tom-Tom," or "Uncle Tomahawk," such people criticize Indian activists no matter how sincere their intentions. In spite of inner turmoil, AIM continues to exert its power as a movement committed to achieving social justice and human rights.

For more detailed information on Cleveland WARN, call Lynda Clause at the American Indian Center, 961-3490. For further information on Cleveland AIM, Jerome Warcloud can be reached at the same number. Akwesasne Notes, a periodical on Indian affairs covering two continents, can be obtained for $1 per issue or a donation for a year's subscription. Write to Akwesasne Notes, Mohawk Nation, Via Roosevelt Town, New York 13683.

The Blue Cross Blues (continued from page 3)

their work ability. Along with this, many women are daily exposed to low levels of radiation emitted from video display units. Although the radiation emitted does fall below the government-specified limits, management has shown little concern over the impact these units have had on the health of Blue Cross workers.

A program called "You Make the Difference" offers gifts to loyal, hard-working employees. But this program is set up so that exhaustion is its major accomplishment. The incentive program allows approximately $0.003 for each award credit earned; once you've accumulated a certain number of credits through perfect attendance and increased productivity, you can "purchase" a gift. For example, the 1,600 award credits received for a month's perfect attendance is worth $4.80. To earn a bentwood rocker that costs $83.93, then, a worker could not stay home when sick at all, not for one day, for two whole

Editorial (continued from page 2) themselves seriously enough to believe they could make a difference.

Toward this end, taking ourselves seriously, WSW has formalized and extended our collective organization (see detailed diagram on p. 2). Formerly, each collective member presumably was responsible for all tasks related to getting the issue out. Now, with the creation of task groups each collective, or core group member, will serve as a coordinator and concentrate on that aspect of the paper most appropriate in view of her particular interests and skills. This will free each individual to us her time and energy more effectvely on a monthly basis, as well as in mapping out the direction of the paper and participating in the development of a working collective.

years. The "You Make a Difference" program is correct about one thing: office workers do make the difference, as the backbone of Blue Cross. The underpaid and overworked employees of Blue Cross make Blue Cross work because, without them, there would not be Blue Cross.

The workers of Blue Cross realize they are being denied their human rights. Through the Communications Workers of America they are presently organizing with their eyes aimed on a union victory. Word is spreading quickly through "Singing the Blues," the organizing committee newsletter. Cards are eagerly being signed. With a union, Blue Cross workers will be able to improve wages and working conditions and make Blue Cross a decent place to work for all people.

-The Organizing Committee of Blue Cross

Equally important, this restructuring effort will make WSW more accessible to women who chose to participate in a specific area(s) and extend the concept of collectivity by vesting each task group with primary responsibility for work done in that sphere.

This is only one step in our effort to strenghthen WSW. However well this works, and we are very optimistic, our success means nothing if we publish in a vacuum. Our goal in presenting ideas, information, and news of interest to women, is to catalyze action, not to lull readers into passivity. Respond. Tell us what you're thinking or doing about the material we print pro or con. Letters to the editor take time and energy, but imagine if you can how much they mean to us and the continuation of WSW

-Marycatherine Krause