Arizona Communist announces candidacy

By Joe Bernick

This article was reprinted from the May 9, 1998 issue of the People's Weekly World. For subscription information see below. All rights reserved - may be used with PWW credits.

TUCSON - Arizona Communists celebrated May Day by launching a petition drive to place the Communist Party on the ballot for the 1999 city elections.

The campaign will be a challenge not only to the two parties of big business, but also to the "cold war" anti-Communist Arizona statutes that prohibit the Communist Party from participating in the electoral process.

Lorenzo Torrez, chair of the Arizona District of the Communist Party USA, began a May Day press conference by applauding the Arizona Supreme Court's ruling that that state's "English Only" law is unconstitutional.

"We are commemorating 150 years since half of Mexico was annexed by the United States," he said. "Even though the treaty of Guadalupe-HIdalgo guaranteed our language and culture ... struggle over language and cultural rights has been part of our everyday lives ever since."

Torrez said that like the struggle for the eight-hour day that gave birth to the May Day holiday, today's crises of capitalism call for renewed struggle. Tucson has the lowest wages of any city west of the Mississippi while sharing in the national crises of layoffs, racist attacks on immigrant workers and attacks on affirmative action and bilingual education.

"It is these attacks," Torrez said, "that contribute to the abysmal conditions of our communities." While the quality of life for working people is deteriorating, "greedy, criminal, irresponsible corporate transnationals, with no loyalty to any community, are responsible for the increased suffering of growing numbers of people." The government, from the White House and Congress down to City Hall, has become a vehicle for "corporate profit making," he said.

Torrez accused both the Democratic and Republican parties of being behind the policies that are ruining our country. "They don't have answers for us - they cannot provide answers - because they both serve the same boss whose name is Wall Street."

Torrez said the Communist Party is a workers party that offers real solutions to the country's problems and advocates transferring the wealth of this country back to the people who create it.

Torrez has until next May 1999 to collect 1,400 valid signatures to get on the ballot. Any registered voter residing in Tucson can sign regardless of party affiliation. Contact the CPUSA in Arizona at (520) 623- 5280.