Why you should sign this urgent statement:
First Amendment Pledge
of Non-Cooperation with Police Repression
Why you should sign this urgent statement:
Millions have already voiced outrage at the ongoing brutal police attacks against those peaceably assembled in the public spaces of our nation as part of the Occupy Wall Street protests. Public anger has risen as evidence has emerged that the Homeland Security Agency and other federal agencies have had a role in encouraging and coordinating these police attacks.
This public statement calls for an investigation into the federal role in the recent crackdowns. It calls upon government officials to protect the vital public dialogue that is taking place as Americans assemble in the squares and commons and streets of our nation. And it pledges collective non-cooperation, including a withdrawal of political support, with First Amendment repression by federal, state, and local officials and agencies.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT PLEDGE OF NON-COOPERATION WITH POLICE REPRESSION
We, the undersigned, affirm our support for the constitutional right of the people to freedom of assembly in the public spaces of our nation, whether to protest government policies, to request relief from persecution, or to call attention to injustices. Free assemblies such as the Occupy Wall Street protests serve an invaluable civic purpose and should be accommodated, not suppressed, by government agencies. Therefore:
1. We call upon the President, our governors, and our mayors to instruct the police and security forces under their control to immediately end the use of brutal or intimidating tactics against those exercising their First Amendment assembly rights. The highest duty of government is to protect public assemblies, not to attack and disperse them. Brutal police tactics such as the use of pepper spray, rubber bullets, pepper pellets, noise cannons, billy clubs, and attack dogs infringe on our rights of free assembly and free speech, and should not be used against non-violent demonstrations.
2. We demand a thorough, independent investigation of the role of federal agencies in encouraging and facilitating recent attacks upon Occupy Wall Street sites.
3. We pledge our personal and collective non-cooperation with First Amendment repression by those public officials and agencies responsible for these recent attacks, and any future such attacks. We will not vote for, or otherwise politically support, those responsible.
Signed,
Dr. Jill Stein, Green Party presidential candidate
Medea Benjamin, CODE PINK
Mike Ferner & Leah Bolger, Veterans for Peace
David Swanson, author, "When the World Outlawed War"
Rabbi Arthur Waskow, The Shalom Center
Matt Rothschild, The Progressive
Anne Feeney, past president, AFM Local 60-471, activist/folksinger
Margaret Flowers & Kevin Zeese, Occupy DC at Freedom Plaza
Ben Manski, Liberty Tree Foundation
Jeff Cohen, Roots Action
Mary Zepernick & David Cobb, POCLAD
Margo Baldwin, Chelsea Green Publishing
Shahid Buttar & Leesa George Friday, Bill of Rights Defense Committee
Kevin Alexander Gray, author, "Waiting for Lightning to Strike"
Victor Wallis, Research Group on Socialism and Democracy
Brett Kimberlin, Velvet Revolution
Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap, Democracy Unlimited
David Rovics, singer songwriter
Charles Derber, professor, Boston College
Josh Healey, writer and organizer
Sue Udry, Defending Dissent Foundation
George Martin, United for Peace and Justice
Howie Hawkins, Teamsters Local 317
Nancy Price & David Delk, Alliance for Democracy
Josh Lerner, Participatory Budgeting Project
Marnie Glickman, Green Change
Anthony D. Prince, Esq, Teamsters Local 705 and Madison NLG
Jack Gerson, education activist and writer, Oakland
Benjamin Ratliffe & Martin Alvarado, AFSCME Local 60
Dianne Wittner, environmental justice advocate
Mike Imbrogno, AFSCME Local 171
Tarak Kauf, Occupy DC
Jay Wenk, Town Councilman, Woodstock, NY
James Latimore, writer
Bob Fertik, Democrats.com
Rev. Ed Pinkney, Benton Harbor, MI
Mel King, former Alder, Boston City Council
Cheri Honkala, Kensington Welfare Rights Union
Bill Schuerer, Fellowship of Reconciliation
Paul Buhle, author and professor
and more . . .
* all organizations listed for identification purposes only
