500 Participate in Boston Rally Linking Bakke Case to Racism

About 500 people demonstrated in Boston Saturday to demand that the Supreme Court rule against Allan Bakke, and to protest the role the Bakke case has played in recent racial violence in Boston.

Charles Ogletree, national president of the Black Law Students Association, told the marchers that black families in Boston "continue to be driven from their homes in predominantly white neighborhoods." Police arrest blacks for defending themselves "while their racist attackers have gone free," he added.

"These types of racist attacks go part and parcel with the kind of discrimination that led to the Bakke case," Ogletree, a third-year student at the Law School, said.

The Supreme Court will probably release its decision on the Bakke case later this spring.

Dorathea Manuela, a member of the Third World Women's Caucus, said at the rally, "The Supreme Court must understand that if they uphold Bakke, they will be responsible for a reaction the likes of which they've never seen before."

Saturday's demonstration is the "kick-off to a larger civil rights movement" that will continue with a national march in Washington next Saturday, followed by informational programs and demonstrations during the summer, Manuela said Saturday.

Regardless of how the Supreme Court decides, this movement will continue because of the widespread discrimination and racism throughout the country, Manuela added.

Ogletree said yesterday, "I'm not advocating violence, but I'm afraid it will be into Table."

The Washington demonstration will focus on the link between the University of California at Davis Medical School, the legal system and the national press, Ogletree said, adding that the press has consistently omitted important facts about the Bakke case.

"Bakke applied to 13 medical schools, and was rejected at all of them--but the press won't tell you that," Ogletree said, adding, "At least 34 white applicants to U.C. Davis were rejected with scores higher than Bakke's. The press won't tell you that, either."

Ogletree said up to 15,000 people may attend the Washington demonstration.