The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.60/No.11           March 18, 1996 
 
 
Young Socialists Around The World  

BY RYAN KELLY

This column is written and edited by the Young Socialists, an international organization of young workers, students, and other youth fighting for socialism. For more information about the YS, write P.O. Box 2396, New York, NY 10009. Tel: (212) 475-6482, Fax: (212) 388-1659.

LEXINGTON, Massachusetts - The Young Socialists turned out in full force to confront the Buchanan campaign with 200 other yelling protesters, outnumbering the Buchananites through most of the mobilization until two busloads of his supporters arrived. The front lines of protest were taken by students from Lexington High School.

The students carried homemade placards with phrases such as "Lexington isn't spelled with three `K's", and "Buchanan, racist bigot." The protesters chanted "Racist, Sexist, Anti- Gay, Pat Buchanan Go Away!" drowning out Buchanan's entire speech.

Elaine Lowe, a senior at Concord Carlisle High School who attended a street picket protesting Washington's war moves against Cuba March 1, joined the protest against Buchanan the next dayon Saturday. "I decided to go to both because I wanted to show the government what I want," she said. "You have to fight or they'll take your rights away." She stated that the group at the anti-Buchanan rally, "heartened me so much to see so many young people protesting for what they believe, because young people so often get overlooked."

There were also several pro-Buchanan students at the rally. Four youths wearing bomber jackets and similar military- style haircuts discussed their support for Buchanan with one of the Young Socialists. One stated, "I think that I'm a national socialist."

Jerrard Freedman, an opponent of Buchanan and a student at Commonwealth High School in Boston, agreed with the characterization of Buchanan as a national socialist. "He is an obvious parallel to other fascist leaders," Freedman commented.

After the protest the Young Socialists and nine students from Lexington High School gathered at a local restaurant. Two of the students pooled their money to buy the Militant newspaper, and invited supporters of the Militant to speak with other students interested in discussing politics. The Young Socialists in Boston gained confidence in reaching out with a real international socialist alternative to Buchanan's program, which heads in the direction of fascism and war.


BY JOELLYN MANVILLE AND JASON WEAVER

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - More than 1,500 people, mostly high school students, marched to the state capitol here March 2 to protest city school board's decision to ban all extracurricular school clubs, an attempt to stop students from forming gay rights clubs.

One of the speakers at the rally was Jason Weaver of the Young Socialists. Later, the YS chapter here hosted an open house attended by 13 students and others. Many were interested in the YS's defense of the Cuban revolution. A woman who is a founder of the Cottonwood High School Gay-Straight Alliance asked to join the Young Socialists at the end of the discussion.

 
 
 
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