MPR News Feature; Angela Davis speaks about racism, oppression and busing.

The ideological struggle is elsewhere. See I could have said to you today that I'm speaking to you as a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party because I am a communist. But I did not say that I said that I was speaking to you as the co-chair person of the National Alliance against racist and political oppression. And that is because I was a member of the alliance. No I have agreed with all of the other member individuals and organizations that for the purpose of building a united front mass movement. We will put our political differences in the closet. And so you know I can work with the Reverend Ralph Abernathy who is a Christian and who believes in struggling in that tradition and he can say to me that you know he is not of course a communist but he will not allow himself

to be frightened away by all of the you know the red baiting and then the anti communism because he understands that if he allows them to rip me off then they will be nothing on his door tomorrow. With that Angela Davis invited the overflow crowd of mostly students to join in the movement against what she says is ever mounting racism and repression in this country. She illustrated her theme and cause several times relying on much of her own experience from Little Rock Arkansas in 1054 as an instructor at the University of California as a prisoner and most recently at Boston where school desegregation is underway. She said busing is not an answer to the ills of education and criticized President Ford for making busing the issue rather than the right of any child to attend the school of his or her choice. I don't know that that court decision that came down. Issuing the bus forward it was something that was false for

many many years in this country I know that that that my people lost their lives in that struggle Martin Luther King was assassinated as a result of of participating in that struggle. And I think that the struggle was not so much about altering the quality of education as about the right of any black child to put everything shine much damage or any Indian child to be able to attend any school he or she wishes. But I would defend the right of those black children to attend that school in South Boston. So I think that we have to be very clear about what's happening in Boston. You know and what's that grand dragon of the Ku Klux Klan himself said that the issue was not busing the issue was niggers. I say that the issue was not bussing The issue is race is a mistake of us

said she was encouraged by the reaction of mainstream Americans to two recent events. The occupation of Wounded Knee last year and the Watergate scandal and resignation of Richard Nixon. She pointed to them as good signs for her party and the repressed when. A poll can be conducted during the occupation of Wounded Knee and when the results of a semiofficial poll I think it was that of the Gallup Poll has can be that the majority of the people of this country were sympathetic with the Indian sisters and brothers and were opposed to the conduct of the government. You know that that has something to say about the level of consciousness of people in this country. When the response to the Watergate event did as it did and created a situation where it made it impossible for Richard Nixon to remain in office I think that says something about the developing consciousness of people in this country.

But Davis also warned of the constant and impending danger of governments exploiting racism as a tool to divide and conquer. Citing the overthrow of Chile as an example if they would go so far as to rush with the most incredible plot of bile. A government which was democratically elected by the people of Chile. What are they going to do to us. So let us not let it not be said that when you know we talked about conspiracies you did not tell us you thought that that was extremist rhetoric. No. Let that not be said. Racism is really a monster. It's a terrible disease in the US which afflicts so unfortunately so many people in this forum in this country.

And I think that we have to talk about getting together to wipe that disease. And one of the first places for this to be wiped out is in the mouth of those who are the conscious agents of racism which is used against them. That's why I want the most important role that bad white people for aggressive white people who understand the need to struggle against racism one of the most important goals that they can play is that struggle and end to the white community on the campuses in the shops in the churches wherever. And you don't have to see black people you know sort of beacons of Chicanos

in order to be races. Nor do you have to see them in order to fight racism. Black activist Angela Davis speaking last night at St. John's University. On behalf of the National Alliance against racism and political repression on Saturday night from 8 to 12 a fundraiser will be held for the Minnesota chapter of the alliance at the sheet metal workers union hall. Mr Davis and cochairman Clyde Bellecourt who is also national director of the American Indian Movement will be among those present. I'm Tom steward.