How to Fight Backhee

Gwendolyn Rogers, coordinator

of the Lesbian and Cay Focus of the All Peoples Congress, spoke at the Women's Building on July 1, 1982. the theme of her speech was "Reaganism is Racism How We Can Fight Back." She dedicated her speech to the people of South Africa in remembrance of the 16th anniversary of Soweto. Rogers pointed out that all peoples' movements are under attack with the present Reagan administration. She reminded us that it is no

accident: that New Jersery just passed the death penalty; that there is an increase in arson for profit; that the KKK is on the rise all over the country, including Richmond and Sacramento; and that the ERA vas just recently "put to bed. All of these are the results of Reagan's "war mongering anti-people machine. very quality of life is threatened with needed human services funds going into an already bloated Penta- gon budget."

Our

Looking at the Reagan programs that propound to replace missing human services, Rogers notes the built-in failure mechanisms: Enterprise Zones- Gives tax breaks to businesses to open slave labor camps in poor communities. These jobs provide no health care bene- fits, pay minimum wage and forbid the organizing of unions; Workfare- Puts welfare mothers in demeaning, dead-end jobs in order to work for their welfare checks. These jobs provide no day care and require these mothers to leave their chil- dren at home unattended; and Project Jobs- A mass campaign to round up Third World undocumented workers.

Roger's solution to "How to Fight Back" is broad based coalition building. "We must do organizing that goes directly to the people, because our only hope is to encourage development of leaders from the ranks of the people. All oppressors work

1982 Lindsay Elam

tore Food Stamps

to keep the people divided by creating diversions: Such as "Do you want your child taught by a gay teacher?' when the real issue is the actual quality of education that the children are receiving." Rogers concluded by stating that, "All oppressed people have the power to say no to racism, sexism and anti-lesbian and gay forces. We want no concessions, no piece of the pie. Hell, the apples were rotten to begin with. We are going totally turn this system around." Gwendolyn Rogers lives in New York and can be contacted through: All Peoples Congress

2718 24th Street

San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 821-6545

1982 Vivienne Walker-Crawford

DONATIONS

We now have non-profit status through the sponsorhip of the San Francisco Women's Centers. Therefore all donations are tax deductible. Checks should be made out to the San Francisco Women's Centers/ Black Lesbian Newsletter in order to benefit from this status.