Yankee Come Home!

(PHOTOS BY GREGORY FOX)

Yankee Come Home!

by Phillis Englebert

On Jan. 8, about 35 people protested U.S. policy in Central America at the National Guard armory in Downtown Ann Arbor. Former congressional candidate Dean Baker and his campaign manager, Mark Weisbrot, were arrested when they refused to leave the building.

The protest, organized by the Latin American Solidarity Committee and endorsed by several organizations including the Ann Arbor Sister City Task Force, marked the beginning of a series of scheduled weekly events.

The first two protests happened on Jan. 8 and 15; both were staged at the National Guard armory. The target of the 3rd week's protest was the Navy Recruiting Station. The 4th protest, in which 9 were arrested was held on Jan. 29 at the Federal Building.

The protesters targetted these institutions because each is in some way contributing to the U.S. war in Central America. The Michigan National Guard has taken part in "exercises" in Honduras which aid the contras in their efforts to terrorize the Nicaraguan people. According to a recent New York Times article, the Michigan guard is scheduled to return to Honduras in the next few months.

The protests also sought to draw attention to the recently passed Montgomery Amendment which takes control of the Guard out of the hands of Governors and places it into the hands of the President. The repeal of this amendment was one of the demands of the protesters.

The weekly protests are scheduled to continue indefinttely or until the US changes its Central America policy. Cali the LASC office at 665-8438 for current protest updates.