To: Political/Election Campaign Editor
Dear Editor:
Gloria La Riva, the Peace and Freedom Party candidate for governor of California, is the only candidate taking a progressive position on the major issues facing the people of California. It is important to the people of the state that there is a real alternative. We believe that the media has an obligation to bring La Riva's campaign, which offers unique and innovative answers, to the public's attention. Third party candidacies historically have brought progressive and groundbreaking proposals into the political arena.
To date, La Riva's campaign has been largely ignored by the media. We urge you to read the enclosed literature that describes her positions and shows her history and then arrange an interview with her. Kathleen Brown and Pete Wilson dominate the media. La Riva should be given some space in the press coverage of the gubernatorial race so people know there is another viewpoint.
Here are some of the positions that distinguish La Riva's campaign from that of the other gubernatorial candidates:
La Riva is the only candidate who calls for raising taxes -- on banks, corporations and insurance companies that have profited off California for far too long. "Governor Wilson, Treasurer Brown and the Democratic leaders of the state legislature pushed through a 1994-95 state budget, in collusion with the Bank of America, which cuts taxes for the richest Californians, raises taxes for renters and cuts assistance for the blind, disabled, elderly, women receiving welfare and their children," La Riva points out.
La Riva is the only candidate who calls for immediately doubling the minimum wage.
La Riva is the only candidate who is supporting Prop. 186, the single payer Health Security Act.
La Riva is the only candidate opposing Prop 184 and the death penalty. "The 'Three Strikes, You're Out' initiative," says La Riva, "would warehouse poor people in prison instead of getting to the root of crime by making sure people have jobs or income at living wages, access to education, substance abuse treatment and other social services. At a cost of over $4 billion, Prop. 184 would take funds away from education and other social services that could help stop crime."
La Riva is the only candidate who is actively opposing Prop. 187, the anti-immigrant "Save Our State" initiative. In fact, she not only opposes it but is organizing against it. She was the only gubernatorial candidate to participate in and speak at the march of 25,000 people for immigrant rights in Los Angeles. She has endorsed and is organizing for the Oct. 16 march for immigrant rights in Los Angeles. Both Brown and Wilson call for increased border patrols, use of the National Guard and other repressive measures against immigrants.
La Riva is the only candidate who calls for full rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people. Since the 1970's she has participated in demonstrations against such right-wingers as Anita Bryant, Jerry Falwell and Jesse Helms, marched against Reaganite anti-gay legislation, fought for domestic partner rights, and marched at lesbian and gay pride rallies.
La Riva is the only candidate who is a worker and unionist. She is a printer and member of Bay Area Typographical Union, Local 21.
La Riva is the only Latina candidate and the only person of color running for Governor.
La Riva is the only candidate that has two decades of experience as a leader in the struggle for economic and social justice in both local and national campaigns. She has organized against bus fare and utility rate increases, to stop the building of a new, giveaway stadium for the S.F. Giants, and for earthquake relief for poor residents of the Bay Area. She was a founder of the Farmworkers Emergency Relief Committee in 1991. La Riva served as coordinator of the Emergency Committee to Stop the U.S. War in the Middle East, which brought together more than 200,000 people in a march in San Francisco the same year. La Riva is presently West
Coast Coordinator of the International Peace for Cuba Appeal.
Please call (415) 826-4828 for more information or to arrange an interview.
Sincerely,
Brenda Sandburg
Media Coordinator
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