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Gov. Wilson of California was too w
- Subject: Gov. Wilson of California was too w
- From: waterly@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 16:20:00
Subject: Gov. Wilson of California was too wrong
Times Mirror Company
Los Angeles Times
January 28, 1997, Tuesday, Home Edition
HEADLINE: STATE SANCTIONS AGAINST BURMA
BODY:
Re "Wilson Rules Out California Action Against Myanmar, " Jan. 23: Gov.
Pete
Wilson was mistaken when he said at a press conference in Asia that it would
be
unconstitutional for the state of California to impose sanctions on companies
operating in Burma (Myanmar) .
The U.S. Supreme Court has specifically upheld the freedom of states to
give
their business as purchasers of goods and services to whomever they please.
Thus, California and many other state and local governments were free to
refuse
to do business with companies operating in South Africa during the apartheid
years. And they are free now to refuse to do business with companies
operating
in Burma, where an international outlaw regime is in power.
Wilson claims he wants to keep California out of foreign policy. But on
his
trade mission to Asia he was conducting a foreign policy: one that proclaims
that Californians are eager to profit from dictators engaged in drug
trafficking, environmental destruction, slave labor, torture and homicide.
ROBERT W. BENSON
Professor of Law
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
* It appears that Gov. Wilson has been suckered by the likes of Unocal's
CEO
John Imle. Surely the California Legislature has the power to ban the state
from
doing business with firms that engage in business or invest in that rogue
narco-regime known as Burma.
California should follow Massachusetts' example. Twelve American cities
have
already done so and more are joining.
U KYAW WIN
Laguna Hills
LANGUAGE: English
LOAD-DATE: January 28, 1997