100 Rally in Opposition to Bork, Say He Is Threat to Constitution

A coalition of Orange County citizens opposed to Robert Bork’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court held a rally Thursday and said he presents a profound threat to the integrity of the Constitution, which is now marking its 200th anniversary.

More than 100 people gathered at the Santa Ana Civic Center’s Plaza of Flags to voice their opposition to Bork in hope, they said, of sending a message to members of the Senate who must act on the nomination.

The rally, organized by 38 political, religious and civil rights groups, was also the send-off for a busload of anti-Bork activists traveling to Phoenix to present their arguments to the staff of Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-Ariz.).

The group has targeted DeConcini, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee considering Bork’s nomination, because he has indicated that he is undecided about whether to support Bork. Organizers said DeConcini’s staff has expressed a willingness to listen and will accept more than 1,000 petitions the group has gathered urging the senator to reject Bork.

“We want people to understand that Orange County is not a vast wasteland, that there are people here who are concerned about hard-won rights being taken away,” said Miriam Eidlitz, who helped organize the event.

“We are trying to raise people’s consciousness and their awareness about just what Mr. Bork stands for. And we’d also like to change (Sen.) Pete Wilson’s mind about how he will vote on the confirmation.”

Speakers at Thursday’s rally voiced a common concern: the fear that Bork’s confirmation would mean a setback for civil and human rights and free speech.

“I think the advances that a number of groups have made in this country are at stake,” said Chris Hagstrom, a 16-year-old Irvine High School junior. Hagstrom is one of about 40 representatives traveling to Phoenix.