rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo) (11/03/84)
RAY "THE SHAM" SHAMIE: III Shamie's employee-education program, "Wake Up! America", begun in the mid- or early-70s, is considered a success (by Shamie). In a report Shamie wrote & sent to employees , he noted: In the November, 1978, election, our employees voted 6 to 1 against forced bussing [sic.] of schoolchildren, 3 to 1 for Edward J. King for governor, a conservative who won by a narrow margin, & 6 to 1 against tax classification, which passed by a 2 to 1 margin. Our people differed from the public by a factor of 12. [2] Shamie also created a Productivity Communications Center (PCC) "to spread the gospel to other corporations" [1]. According to the Boston Globe, Shamie had John McManus, "a Birch staffer since 1966 & currently its public-relations director, speak to a meeting of corporate executives of various firms in 1977" [2] through the PCC. On December 30th, 1976, Shamie distributed to Metal Bellows employees a blatantly political questionnaire soliciting answers to questions on issues that have been the trademark & the obsession of the radical- -right for decades. This was a part of the "Wake Up! America" program (whose title is a pet phrase of the far right) which also included "films, pamphlets, letters from Shamie, & literature in the company library to stimulate various forms of political activism" [2]. Some of the questions were: Will you indicate below which which answer closely expresses your opinion on the following: (circle one) [yes, no, undeci- ded] . . . Resign from United Nations Promote Free Enterprise in school systems Remove Communists from Government Reinstate House Unamerican Activities Committee Keep the Panama Canal -- its [sic.] ours Reinstate the Constitution and Bill of Rights as the law of the land [!?!] Prohibit busing of school children Protect right to own firearms Reject socialized medicine End secret agreements by Secy./State and President of US Finally, to switch from Shamie's attempt at fraud about his political allegiances to his position on actual issues: Shamie is opposed to ERA, abortion, & equal pay for equal work [3]. His Democratic oppo- nent, Lt. Governor John Kerry, favors all three. Shamie claims to support the idea of an ERA but is aginst the wording which states: Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the Inited States or by any state on account of sex. The Congress shall have the power to enforce by appropriate legislation the provisions of this article. Shamie said: "I believe the wording of the proposed ERA should be clarified so there will be no danger of penalizing women's colleges, veterans' programs, churches & synagogues and the like". But he hasn't offered any variant wording. [3] "Shamie opposes federal funding of abortions for poor women & also favors an amendment to the US Constitution that would give states the right to regulate abortion" [3], & thus the power to effect- ively outlaw or sharply restrict abortions [3]. Shamie has asserted that "the Soviets have a first-strike capabi- lity", which is entirely false [4]. He's said that federal efforts to reduce poverty have created "a poverty industry" in which 70% of funds is spent on administration; again, "this not only wrong, it is ridiculous: less than 10% goes on administration" [4]. Shamie has said nothing about CIA actions in Central America; he's opposed to the nuclear freeze. He favors virtually every new weapon proposed by the Defense Dept. [4] Shamie's campaign of evasion, coverup, & outright fraud & falsehood has become typical of New Right campaigns in many states in the 80s and illustrates the moral & political bankruptcy of the rightwing fringe. In summary, make sure to VOTE on November 6th, but ensure you know who & what you are voting for. 1. "The Real Ray Shamie" by Michael Segal & Renee Loth, BOSTON PHOENIX, 10/16/84. 2. "Right Answers: Shamie's Loaded Questions" by Richard Gaines, BOSTON PHOENIX, 10/23/84. 3. "Shamie, Kerry far apart on issues involving women" by Chris Black, BOSTON GLOBE, 10/23/84. 4. "The Shamie Difference" by columnist Robert L .Turner, BOSTON GLOBE, 10/23/84. Cheers, Ron Rizzo The views herein expressed are my own & do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.