black vouth!

Scan page 12

IF the LPYS black youth conference on July 3-4 only showed that the YS leadership now acknowledge that black youth are doubly oppressed because of their colour and that we have to have a special orientation towards them, then it would have been worthwhile.

In the event the conference went a lot further than that. We discussed in some detail how we can attract black youth through the YS into the labour movement.

And it was a raré sight to see YS leaders calling on campaigns like the Bradford 12 and Scrap Sus to give their opinions on the YS. Asss Fighter - paper of the ¡tand Left Wing Youth Memen: si he LPYS. 10p Des poser tom BM Bor The new found enthusiasm for these campaigns must be taken into the pages of the YS paper, Socialist Youth.

In the main workshop there was a lively discussion about riots. Supporters of Class Fighter and Revolution Youth argued for us to get involved with the youth who were rioting. We could help them learn the political lessons when we had won their respect. But Militant we should be trying to stop them. According to this logic, the youth of Brixton should have sat back while "Swamp "81" was in motion.

Andy Bevan, the Labour Party youth officer (who is a Militant supporter) spoke at length on the importance of understanding imperialism. It is a pity that he did not do this a few weeks ago when imperialism was high on the agenda in the war over the Malvinas and Militant failed the test.

And Militant's weaknesses also showed up on positive discrimination. GLC leader Ken Livingstone gave us an example: the London fire-service used to employ only three blacks. "Through positive discrimination. are now creating a multiracial fire service in London" Livingstone said.

Unfortunately supporters of Militant waited until Ken Livingstone had gone before they attacked the policy. It would only create a black middle class, like in America, they said.

In the Sunday discussion on the conference statement, supporters of Class Fighter proposed an amendment on the call for a mass labour movement campaign against racism. We wanted to commit the YS leaders to work with _others such as Coventry Trades Council, whose recent conference on racism also came out for such a campaign.

No amendments were taken, however, and the statement stood, with Class Fighter supporters and Revo supporters abstaining.

The final discussion saw quite a lot of sectarianism from Militant • supporters.

But summing up, YS chairperson Lawrence Coates pointed to the need for the YS to become more active in anti-racist work and to build for the October 16 demonstration.

Class Fighter supporters will continue to argue that the YS should use its power to initiate a labour movement campaien, and that the only way 1o win black youth to the labour movement is to be part of their struggles.

MICK LIGGINS Oxford YS

----- pull-quotes -----

FIGHTER ATLAN HO'

supporters argued that the riots were a step back, and