Las Vegas march to protest the death of anti-fascists
By Martha Grevatt
On July 4 Lin "Spit" Newborn reported for work
as usual at a body-piercing shop in Las Vegas. A customer
invited him to a party. Newborn, an African American leader of
an anti-racist skinhead group, assumed she was also an
anti-racist skinhead. He agreed to meet her and a friend at
midnight outside the shop.
That night Newborn and Dan Shersty were murdered. Their
bodies were dumped about five miles outside the city in the
Nevada desert.
Shersty had clearly been badly beaten before he was shot.
Newborn's body was riddled with bulletholes.
They were found in an area where neo-Nazis are known to
conduct target practice on a regular basis.
Both men were members of the Las Vegas chapter of
Anti-Racist Action. "We are calling it an assassination,"
states ARA, a national organization based in Columbus, Ohio. In
response to the cold-blooded killings, ARA has called a
national protest in Las Vegas for Aug. 29. Anti-racists plan to
march through the Spring Valley neighborhood, a Nazi
hangout.
Jess Kreis, an ARA organizer in Las Vegas, attended a
vocational high school with Newborn. "He was always nice to
everybody," Kreis told Workers World. "He stuck up for anyone
who was messed with. He was one of the most popular kids in
school."
But, being so outspoken, "Spit was always on the danger
line."
While Newborn was only 25, many anti-racist youths saw him
as an older brother. For 10 years he had been active on the
anti-racist skinhead scene, playing a leading role in Las Vegas
Unity Skins, as well as the ARA chapter which had just been
formed.
He was undoubtedly a role model for Shersty, a white
19-year-old serving in the Air Force.
Over 400 people attended the funeral.
The Aug. 29 Las Vegas demonstration will begin at 5 p.m. at
the corner of Torrey Pines and Flamingo. Those wishing further
information can contact ARA at (614) 424-9074.
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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