Issued: July 1970
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
Copyright: This work is in the Public Domain under the Creative Commons Common Deed. You can freely copy, distribute and display this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit the Encyclopedia of Anti-Revisionism On-Line as your source, include the url to this work, and note any of the transcribers, editors & proofreaders above.
Two young communist fighters, Michele Shubert and Jack Alley, have struck a blow for the people’s democratic rights and against rising fascism in East Cleveland, On the morning of July 22, they went to trial accused of “trespassing” and “resisting and abusing an officer”, meaning that they had “trespassed” against the exploiters of the Cleveland Transit System to sell American MASS LINE and QUOTATIONS FROM CHAIRMAN MAO TSETUNG to the striking bus drivers at Hayden Station July 9 and then resolutely resisted the attacks or the fascist police who were called to prevent this development of revolutionary ideas.
In their appearance in court, our comrades refused to follow the bureaucratic rules and formulas used by the court to smother the political issues in the trial. First, they refused to face the lackey judge but instead faced the real judges—the working and oppressed people who were present to be fleeced of their hard-earned money for trivial offences. Our comrades refused to enter pleas, saying instead: “THE ONLY “TRESPASSING” COMMITTED WAS AGAINST THE PEOPLE’S RIGHTS BY THE CTS AND THE FASCIST POLICE! THE POLICE ATTACKED US AND WE DEFENDED THE RIGHTS OF THE WORKING CLASS TO ORGANIZE POLITICALLY AND TO USE REVOLUTIONARY VIOLENCE AGAINST COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY VIOLENCE!” Trying to save face, the judge interpreted this to mean a not guilty plea, unwilling to challenge our comrades’ statement that these actions cannot be considered crimes.
The people in the courtroom were overjoyed to hear revolutionaries expose the flimsy paper-tiger nature of the court. They began applauding, slapping each other on the back and shouting “Right on!” Frightened by this militancy, the lackey judge hastily postponed the trial. Ten of our comrades then shouted revolutionary slogans right in the court room: “Long Live People’s Democratic Rights!”, “Victory to the American Working Class!”, “Victory to the Heroic Afro-American People!” and “Long Live Chairman Mao!” Our comrades then marched out and many of the broad masses came up to congratulate them and promise to attend the trial, which was set for August 6 at E, Cleveland City Hall, 14340 Euclid Av. at 9:30 a.m.
On August 6, comrades Jack and Michele are determined to further expose the gangster logic by which the fascist authorities justify their suppression of the people’s rights. This is how the gangster logic works: a young worker and student go to discuss revolutionary politics with workers on the workers’ own time, at a place built and maintained by workers, exercising the democratic rights thousands of working and oppressed people have died struggling for. A fascist lackey orders them to leave, thus indicating that the workers are prisoners there and have no rights and the young comrades refuse to leave. This is the “crime” of “trespassing”. This lackey calls in the fascist police to attack the young people who fight back and denounce these fascists for that they are. This is the “crime” of “resisting and abusing an officer,” The court puts the stamp of “legality” on these fascist acts in the name of “law and order”, and our comrades expose the reactionary anti-working class nature of the fascist courts. For this they will accuse us of “contempt,”
THIS IS OUR GREAT HONOR! THIS IS THEIR GREAT SHAME! WE, ALONG WITH THE WORKING AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE OF AMERICA, HAVE THE GREATEST CONTEMPT FOR THE FASCIST POLICE, COURTS AND THEIR MONOPOLY CAPITALIST MASTERS, WHO SURVIVE ONLY BY VIOLENTLY DENYING THE PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC RIGHT TO DISSEMINATE MAO TSETUNG THOUGHT, FOLLOW CHAIRMAN MAO’S GUIDELINES AND RISE TO THROW OFF THEIR CHAINS AND BURY THESE CRIMINAL EXPLOITERS AND OPPRESSORS ONCE AND FOR ALL!!
The American Communist Workers Movement (Marxist-Leninist) calls on all progressive people to attend our comrades’ trial on August 6 and express their militant opposition to rising fascism. We call on all progressive people to follow the way of our young heroes, oppose fascist rules and regulations, fight for the right to organize, and denounce the fascist courts!
ALL REACTIONARIES ARE PAPER TIGERS!
DEATH TO FASCISM!
REVOLUTION IS THE MAIN TREND IN THE WORLD TODAY!
American Communist Workers Movement (Marxist-Leninist)
PO 5221, Cleveland, Ohio
861-6949