Gov. Wilson of California was too w

[waterly@xxxxxxxxx]

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