Monday, November 21, 2011

Rocky Mount NC delcares war on the Poor within its limits

It would seem that the City of Rocky Mount, NC is using it City Codes to steal property for it owners..

They get to decide that is junk and what isn't junk. that right.. They are taking citizens land and vehicles from those who can't fight back, those whom don't have (and they know they don't) the funds to pay these fee, fines and other charges. After a few month they place a lend on the said property then wait a bit longer then foreclose or take the property away and sell to developers for a huge profit.

I know that this isn't new at all, cities all over the USA is doing, but the only stories you here are those from the rich.

So be warn citizens of Rocky Mount,,they want your money for the high light bill, and your property

Sunday, June 19, 2011

PFlag Presents

Braswell Memorial Library, Rocky Mount, NC
Warner Room
Free Admission
June 25 1:30 Prayers for Bobby
3:30 For The Bible Tells Me So
July 23 1:30 For The Bible Tells Me So
3:30 Prayers for Bobby
August 27 1:30 Prayers for Bobby
3:30 For The Bible Tells Me So
Please join us for one or both
Sponsored by PFLAG Rocky Mount Chapter
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
For more information e-mail:pflagrm@aol.com

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

STOP THE BILL!

Saturday, June 18th, 2011

STOP THE BILL!

Stop by the HRC & Equality North Carolina Booth at the Juneteenth Festival, Elizabeth City, NC
click to view flyer

On April 7, 2011 House Bill 777 was introduced to amend the constitution in the "Defense of Marriage." NC State law already limits marriage to opposite-sex couples. If the constitution is amended in this regard it will deny gay and lesbian couples access to marriage or any same-sex unions or forms of recognition such as civil union or domestic partnership.

Let us call this for what it is: "the anti-LGBT amendment or "the anti-gay amendment and an attack North Carolina’s LGBTQ Community.
This movement has been used in other states to take away private benefits such as health insurance and survival rights for LGBT couples.  The amendment would not only write the current discriminatory marriage law into the constitution, it would actually take away rights and responsibilities that are currently available to some couples.
         
This anti-gay amendment is a distraction from the voters' priorities. The legislature was sent to Raleigh to tackle jobs, the economy, and the state budget, not to advance a divisive social agenda.

What are the key arguments against the amendment?
  • Marriage is already denied same-sex couples by state law. The amendment doesn't change marriage in any way. It simply attacks LGBT North Carolinians and puts their basic rights up for a vote
  • Amending the constitution is an extreme act, not a conservative one. Constitutions are designed to protect rights and not to take them away. The rights of a minority should never be put to a majority vote.
  • The anti-gay amendment causes real harm. It harms couples who will be denied even the most basic protections and it harms vulnerable LGBT young people by sending a terrible message that their state and their neighbors consider them second-class citizens unworthy of basic dignity and fair treatment, a message which exacerbates the epidemic of LGBT young people committing suicide.

What can YOU do?
Help us send a message to the people in your community to complete postcards and write letters to their legislators in opposition to the anti-gay amendment. These post cards will be available at the ENC booth, it only takes 5 minutes to complete one or 10 minutes to write a letter – templates will be provided to assist you.

NC LGBTQ Community and Allies, can you assist in hosting letter writing parties in Bertie, Gates, Hertford, Perquimans, Northampton, Vance or Warren County? Let us know.
 
IF YOU WISH TO VOLUNTEER WITH ENC/HRC FOR THIS EVENT PLEASE EMAIL Akil@EqualityNC.org

Monday, June 6, 2011

Town Hall Meeting - Crime, Courts, Juvenile Justice

Time
Thursday, June 9 · 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Location
Rocky Mount Judicial Center
305 Cokey Road
Rocky Mount, North Carolina

Created By

More Info
Mayor David W. Combs and the Rocky Mount City Council invite you to attend this Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, June 9 at 6:00 pm at the Rocky Mount Judicial Center. This meeting is the fourth of a series of Town Hall Meetings being held throughout Rocky Mount; Councilman Lamont Wiggins is coordinating this particular meeting.

GUEST SPEAKERS:

The Honorable Robert Evans
DISTRICT ATTORNEY, SEVENTH PROSECUTORIAL DISTRICT

Dick Jenkins
NASH COUNTY SHERIFF

James L. Knight
EDGECOMBE COUNTY SHERIFF

John Manley, Chief
ROCKY MOUNT POLICE DEPARTMENT

Capt. Keith Stone
NC HIGHWAY PATROL

Mike Walston
CHIEF JUVENILE COURT COUNSELOR

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Rally in Raleigh date change

After reviewing the date and time of the rally we decided to change it to Thursday, June 2nd from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm. The legislature is out on Fridays and we felt it important to hold the rally when our representatives are present.

Please pass the information along and help get the word out.

Several anti-equality, "pro-marriage" groups gathered in Raleigh this week for a rally of their own. They had several thousand people show up to demand passage of SB106. It is our time to gather in unison for equality.

You've heard the saying "If you are not outraged you're not paying attention". Outrage is easy, action is hard. Are you willing to take action? You've sent in postcards, signed petitions, sent emails to your representatives, now it is time to join together, united, and make a stand. Will you stand with us to let our North Carolina lawmakers know that we refuse to be even further alienated from and discriminated by our government? We are all equal, and it is time our government started treating us as such.

Our message to NC legislators: we are your neighbors, your doctors, your lawyers, your teachers, your child care providers, your mothers, your fathers, your sons, your daughters, your brothers, your sisters. We are your constituents. We are your fellow human beings. We deserve more and will no longer settle for less.

Stay up to date at www.getequalnc.org/rally-in-raleigh/

Contacts us:

Jonathan Green, SAGA

jsg47235@yahoo.com

Angel Chandler, GetEQUAL NC

angel@getequalnc.org
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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Models posing in the Park

Yes, this young couple was working it today in the park. Bring joy to all of those who were brave enough to sneak a peek.

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Sunday, May 15, 2011

Trashing Our Park

If you don't know how to dispose of our child's diaper then please don't visit our parks.
We come to our parks for nature's beauty not for your trash.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Dream Act

For Immediate Release
Senators Reintroduce the DREAM Act
May 11, 2011
Washington, D.C. - Today,
Senators Richard Durbin, Harry Reid, and Robert Menendez re-introduced the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. Last fall, the DREAM Act passed the House of Representatives, and garnered the support of a majority in the Senate, but was ultimately defeated when the Senate failed to invoke cloture and proceed to debate. The sponsors of the DREAM Act hope to build on last year's momentum and continue to highlight the importance of fully utilizing the talent and potential of thousands of young people who are Americans in every way but their birth certificates.

First introduced in 2001, the DREAM Act would address the plight of young immigrants who have been raised in the U.S. and managed to succeed despite the challenges of being brought here without proper documentation.

The proposal would offer a path to legal status to those who have graduated from high school, stayed out of trouble, and plan to attend college or serve in the U.S. military for at least two years.

Each year, approximately 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school, many at the top of their classes, but cannot go on to college, join the military, work, or otherwise pursue their dreams.

They belong to the 1.5 generation: immigrants brought to the United States at a young age who were largely raised in this country and therefore share much in common with second-generation Americans. These students are culturally American and fluent in English, growing up here and often having little attachment to their country of birth.

The moral, intellectual and practical rationale for the DREAM Act is overwhelming. The White House supports it. The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Justice, entrusted with enforcing and implementing our immigration laws, support it. The Department of Education and America's academic and faith community support it, as well as state legislators, community groups, and the American public. The DREAM Act is even part of the Department of Defense's 2010-2012 Strategic Plan to assist the military in its recruiting efforts.

Despite broad support for the legislative proposal, the divisive political environment around immigration poses an enormous challenge for the DREAM Act. If Congress fails to act, the Administration can and should take more decisive steps to ensure that the values driving their legislative agenda are reflected in their implementation and interpretation of current law. DHS should ensure that its officers use their prosecutorial discretion to defer the removal of any eligible student caught up in the broken immigration system.

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Thursday, May 5, 2011

Racist Tricks of Extreme Ultra-Conservative Republican Tea Party

5 May 2011

Contact:  Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President, 919-394-8137
                Mrs. Amina J. Turner, Executive Director, 919-682-4700
                Atty.  Al McSurely, Communications Chair, lawyers@mcsurely.com

RE-SEGREGATE THE BLACK VOTE
Racist Tricks of Extreme Ultra-Conservative Republican Tea Party
Politicians Exposed

"The extreme right-wing, ultra-conservative tea party that has apparently captured the North Carolina Republican Party has gotten so cocky, it now brags in public about its plans to use tactics rooted in racism and political segregation in order to gain and control political power," said Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President of the NC NAACP. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), recently bragged to the Washington media:

"It's politically probable that there will be a new minority influence district.  Republicans should pick up three seats under any fair and legal [redistricting] map. That is huge. No other state in the nation would gain as many Republican seats. This would be in a state that Barack Obama won in 2008 and where we have had a Democratic governor since 1992 - the longest such period in the nation. A 9-4 [Republican majority] delegation is pretty good and would attempt to avoid the risk of a bad year for Republicans. Clearly, Reps. Kissell and Miller are serving their final term."

"Let us look at the racist implications of McHenry's statement," Rev. Barber said. "When he says 'minority influence district' he means the tea party wants to draw new lines around Black areas, and lump us all into a third segregated voting District. Their aim is to remove progressive black voters out of surrounding areas, where we can create a strong voting majority with the growing number of white and brown progressives to get our anti-racism, anti-poverty agenda passed.  McHenry and the extreme ultra-conservative Tea Party Republicans want to defeat our progressive agenda, and take us back to their good old days.  John Tedesco wants to keep us in our 'neighborhoods.'  Ron Margiotta wants to keep 'the animals' in our 'cages.'  McHenry wants to resegregate our voting districts so the tea party can win 9 out of 13 of North Carolina's congressional seats and pass their regressive agenda.

"In 1898, the racist red shirts murdered scores of Black people who had created a fusion alliance with progressive white people in Wilmington and were building a world-class port city.

For the next 67 years, the red shirts, with their white friends in high places, disenfranchised one-third of Southern voters--all of us with black skins.  In 1965, after many courageous anti-racism fighters--Black and White and Jewish--were murdered, beaten and jailed, the Congress passed the Voting Rights Act.  This set the stage for the long struggle to insure the safety and protection of our voting rights.  Five years ago, Congress found that white supremacists still use voter suppression and dilution tricks, and re-authorized the VRA for another 25 years.  Now, the virtually all-white tea party ultra-conservative wing of the Republican Party is trying an end run of the VRA.  The NAACP will continue to fight to guarantee the right of every voter of color to cast her ballot against the tricks of the tea party and, at the same time, build a new progressive fusion alliance that can usher in a society of human beings of all colors, a beautiful diverse society--One North Carolina."

"We're sick and tired of the tea party's politics of yesterday. Black people can count too, Mr. McHenry. We understand your racist game. This is 2011. It's our agenda of tomorrow vs. your agenda of yesterday. The new fusion of Black, Brown and White voters who want to move North Carolina forward is forming. The Tea Party wants to segregate our Congressional Districts--three Black and 10 White.  We say No to Re-Segregating our Schools and our Voting Districts. Yes to One North Carolina."

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.  For more information, call the State Office at 866-626-2227 or e-mail us at execdirnaacpnc@gmail.com.  ###

Sunday, May 1, 2011

If anyone else did this

Local RMPD officer illegal park to get his dinner at Wal-mart. Anyone else who have gotten a ticket.

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Local couple enjoy a beauty day at the Park

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Prom photo taken in the park

Many high school prom goers were at City Lake Park yesterday so their families could take photos of them before heading out to dinner then off to their junior or senior Proms

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Saturday, April 30, 2011

City lake

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Douglas Block Festival

Photo copyrighted to James Smith (2011 (c) jamestsmith72@gmail.com)

Today I decide to attend and photography the Douglas Block and Haramabee Festival in Rocky Mount, NC. Well the work on the Douglas is almost complete, The Block looks great.

As I walk around taking photographs of the folks whom attended this event, I was saddened to see that racial lines in Rocky Mount still exists today. Douglas Block back in its early days was the hub for local African-Americans Businesses and Social life. Over time as Rocky Mount grew, many changes happen to the Douglas black and the rest of Downtown Rocky Mount.

During its golden age, the Douglas Block was brimming with economic activities and entrepreneurial spirit. It was the heart of the community. On Saturday afternoon you could find everything from clothes to doctors, food to entertainment, dancing and plenty of jazz, and see all your friends along the way. It was a community full of spirit, diversity, and an incredible hub of commerce, culture and entertainment. (to learn more click here)

Most of Downtown Rocky Mount is wore down and falling apart. The City Council decided to revive Down Town in hopes that new life would be brought back to downtown.

It was sad to see that Many of Rocky Mount white citizens didn't show up to support their city efforts to put Rocky Mount back on the map and to proudly say once again, Rocky Mount, The City on the Rise. Yes they are trying to Rise from their ashes of the past into a better future.

Downtown Festival

Harambee Festival is still going on strong. More great music and vendors have arrive, one is selling green candy apples they look so good. Those whom didn't show, you are missing a lot of fun.
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People starting to have fun

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More folks are showing up

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Downtown Festival

For a much talked about festival tied in with the grand opening of the Douglas Block not much is happening at all here. (at that time)

There is about two vendors here. Those that present are the Boys and Girl clubs of Nash and Edgecombe Counties, the food vendors, three gift type vendors and Great Healthy. With more on the way, I'm sure.

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Friday, April 29, 2011

Trail work at Battle Park

City has money problems like most cities, however they found money to rip up parts of the Battle Park walking trail and I guess soon will be laying a new asphalt one.

photo is copyrighted to James Smith (c)jamestsmith72@gmail.com..

The Douglas Block Project, is it worth the Money?

The Douglas Block is a public-private redevelopment project that will result in a thriving commercial center in Downtown Rocky Mount. Phase One of the Douglas Block calls for the renovation of six historically significant buildings, all of which comprised the African American business district of the downtown area in the early to mid-1900’s. The $8 million effort to redevelop this site has been financed by a combination of historic tax credits, new market tax credits, a Section 108 HUD Loan, and public investment. This special financing structure allows for unique and remarkable opportunities for locating your business at the Douglas Block.


Today was the so-called grand opening of this Block Happen. There was nice crowd of folks at this event.

Which by the way is noway finish at all. Yes, Most of the buildings are done and sidewalk is down, however No lamp posts are in yet, The road in front on of the Main Douglas Block Building isn't yet finish at all.  Landscaping is a joke, unless you truly love pine straw.

One of the Building have a large facade area damage, which I guess happen during the brick laying for the sidewalks, which is excellently done. So far the sidewalk are the best part of this Project..

Enjoy the Slide show...

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

NAACP Sponsors Education Forum to Discuss Possible Legislative Impacts on Public Education

MEDIA ADVISORY
Immediate Release
March 21, 2011                                 

Contact:  Rev. Andre’ D. Knight, President, (252) 544-2949
Reuben Blackwell, NC NAACP Community Coordination Chair (252) 544-3343
    

NAACP Sponsors Education Forum to Discuss Possible Legislative Impacts on Public Education


Rocky Mount, NC – The Rocky Mount Branch of the NAACP, in conjunction with area ministers, will host a discussion with local and statewide leaders in education.  “The NC General Assembly is on a fast track to drastically change the face of public education,” Andre’ Knight, President of the Rocky Mount Branch said. “We want to make sure that our local legislators and the people they serve understand the full ramifications that Senate Bill 8 will have on public schools in the Nash/Rocky Mount and Edgecombe County Public Schools.”  This bill deals with lifting the cap on charter schools in North Carolina as well as their funding and governance.

The Education Forum will be held in the OIC Auditorium located at 402 E. Virginia Street at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 24th.  Reuben Blackwell, NC NAACP Community Coordination Chair stated, “The North Carolina NAACP and the HKonJ coalition has made a clear call to all chapters throughout the state to support progressive legislation that helps every child in North Carolina receive a sound education.  We want to have a good dialogue that might help our legislators craft and support bills that will move our state forward, not cripple and destroy public education opportunities for every child.” 

Confirmed panelists to date are: Rick McMahon, Retiring Nash/Rocky Mount Public Schools Superintendent; Marvin Pittman, Education Consultant and former Associate Superintendent of NC Public Schools; Evelyn Wilson, Chair of the Edgecombe County Board of Education; Michael Pratt, Headmaster, Rocky Mount Preparatory School; Keith Sutton, Wake County School Board Member; and NC Rep. Angela Bryant.  The complete delegation of members of the NC General Assembly from the Twin Counties has been invited to attend and participate.

Andre’ Knight added, “This forum is for everyone. We want to be able to discuss issues related to charter schools, education tax credits and any other issue that is relevant to the education of our children and that will either help our eastern North Carolina economies grow or fail.  We need everyone to be concerned and to attend. ” 

###

Monday, March 21, 2011

Hate Crimes Conference with the F.B.I

Time Wednesday, April 6 · 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Location Lumina Theater-Univeristy of North Carolina Wilmington

Created By OutReach, Amy Schlag

More Info
Enjoy us for a fascinating and timely discussion of Hate Crimes and Hate Crimes Legislation. This event is FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

INTRODUCTION: Keith H. Bethke Jr., FBI Resident Agencies Supervisor, Wilmington and Raleigh

PRESENTATION ON HATE CRIMES: The FBI's Civil Rights Program from Washington HQ will be conducting an unclassified presentation on Hate Crimes. It will include definitions of Federal Hate Crimes statutes (Ma......tthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009), nationwide statistics on Federal Hate Crimes cases, and examples of Federal Hate Crimes Cases previously worked by the FBI and other agencies.

SERVICES: Victim Specialist Kory Williford, FBI Charlotte Division, Office for Victim Assistance Rapid Deployment Team. Kory Williford will discuss services provided by the FBI’s Raleigh Resident Agency program to victims of Hate Crimes.

HATE CRIMES INTELLIGENCE: Tom Kuhl will conduct a brief presentation on Southeastern North Carolina Hate Crimes statistics and how Hate Crimes affect our local community.

HATE CRIMES PANEL DISCUSSION: Moderator Buffy Ruffin, Coordinator of Multicultural Student Affairs.

SHOWING OF S.P.I.C. The Storyboard of My Life (27mins)

CLOSING REMARKS: Quynh Rcom

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Town Hall Meeting host by Equality NC

Please join Equality NC Executive Director Ian Palmquist for a discussion on LGBT rights in our state.
What
  • Advocacy Event
  • Community Meeting
  • Educational Program
When
Apr 06, 2011 from 07:00 PM to 09:00 PM
Where
Greenville

There's so much going on with the NC Legislature these days that Equality NC is hitting the road to tell you all about it, and to enlist your help in what may be the largest campaign for LGBT rights in our state's history! We'll talk about the anti-LGBT constitutional amendment, as well as other policy that will potentially impact all of us who care about equal rights, and what you can do about it.


It's all happening on Wednesday, April 6th at 7pm at the Tipsy Teapot (409 South Evans Street, Greenville, 27858).



Please join us for this informative and empowering evening.

Friday, March 11, 2011

A Message from Senator Richard Burr

From: Sen. Richard Burr [mailto:info@burr.senate.gov]
Subject: A Message from Senator Richard Burr

Image removed by sender.


As many of you are aware, this week the Senate finally took up legislation that would have set a budget for the rest of the fiscal year as well as impose cuts to federal spending.  On Wednesday, I voted for the House-passed plan to reduce the federal government’s spending by $57 billion and against the Democratic alternative that fell far short by cutting spending by just $4.7 billion.

I am disappointed that a majority of my colleagues in the Senate are not taking our fiscal crisis seriously. I fully supported the House-passed proposal to reduce government spending by $57 billion, and like most Americans I would like to see even more cuts.  We cannot shy away from the fact that cutting spending is absolutely necessary to put us back on the track to fiscal sanity. We have to stop charging our children and grandchildren for our own excessive spending habits.

I am hopeful that both parties can come together to start to fix our fiscal mess and make the tough decisions necessary to keep our government solvent, create a strong economic environment and spur job growth.

Also this week, the Senate passed a resolution I sponsored to make March 30th “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.” On March 30, 1973, all U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam under the terms of the Treaty of Paris. So, this March 30th, the Senate has encouraged Americans across the country to recognize Vietnam veterans for their sacrifice and demonstrate a warm welcome to these soldiers who returned from war to a politically divided country.
I’m pleased that the Senate has agreed to set aside a day to give our Vietnam veterans a warm, long-overdue welcome home. I strongly encourage communities across North Carolina and the country to observe this day with activities and events that honor these veterans for their service. It’s time they receive the recognition they earned and have deserved for so long.  This day also provides our nation with an important teaching moment - never again should our men and women serving in the armed forces receive the same treatment as those who returned from Vietnam.
Yesterday, the Senate confirmed Max Cogburn, of Asheville, to serve as United States District Judge for the Western District of North Carolina.  I believe he is an excellent choice to serve as District Judge, and I am pleased the Senate unanimously supported his confirmation. His vast experience - including serving as assistant U.S. attorney, chief assistant U.S. attorney, magistrate judge, and in private practice - makes him a well qualified nominee for this position and an excellent addition to the Court.  To watch a video of a speech I gave on the floor of the Senate in support of Max’s confirmation, click here.

Stay tuned to my
website and Facebook page, and follow me on Twitter for updates from Washington next week as the Senate continues to debate the budget cuts that must be made to get our fiscal house in order.

Sincerely, 

U.S. Senator Richard Burr


*Please do not respond to this email.  To contact me, please click  or visit my website www.burr.senate.gov

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SenatorRichardBurr
Twitter: @SenatorBurr 


Asheville
Federal Building
151 Patton Avenue, Suite 204
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: (828) 350-2437
Fax: (828) 350-2439
Rocky Mount
100 Coast Line Street, Room 210
Rocky Mount, NC 27804
Phone: (877) 703-2087
Phone: (252) 977-9522
Fax: (252) 977-7902
Washington, DC
217 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3154
Fax: (202) 228-2981
Winston-Salem
2000 West First Street
Suite 508
Winston-Salem, NC 27104
Phone: (800) 685-8916
Phone: (336) 631-5125
Fax: (336) 725-4493
Gastonia
City Hall
181 South Street, Room 222
Gastonia, NC 28052
Phone: (704) 833-0854
Fax: (704) 833-1467
Wilmington
201 North Front Street
Suite 809
Wilmington, NC 28401
Phone: (888) 848-1833
Phone: (910) 251-1058
Fax: (910) 251-7975

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

PFlag Meeting Set up

PFLAG Meeting - (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) meets Tuesday, Mar 15,. For meeting details, contact pflagrm@aol.com, call 252-443-0345, or visit www.pflag.org.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

March 8 Call-in Day: Stop the Grand Jury Witch Hunt

NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY
to Fitzgerald, Holder and Obama

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The Grand Jury is still on its witch-hunt and the FBI is still harassing activists. This must stop.

Please make these calls:

  1. Call U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald at 312-353-5300. Then dial 0 (zero) for operator and ask to leave a message with the Duty Clerk.
  2. Call U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder 202-353-1555
  3. Call President Obama at 202-456-1111 

Suggested text: “My name is __________, I am from _______(city), in ______(state). I am calling _____ to demand he call off the Grand Jury and stop FBI repression against the anti-war and Palestine solidarity movements. I oppose U.S. government political repression and support the right to free speech and the right to assembly of the 23 activists subpoenaed. We will not be criminalized. Tell him to stop this McCarthy-type witch hunt against international solidarity activists!” 

If your call doesn’t go through, try again later.

Update: 800 anti-war and international solidarity activists participated in four regional conferences, in Chicago, IL; Oakland, CA; Chapel Hill, NC and New York City to stop U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s Grand Jury repression. 

Still, in the last few weeks, the FBI has continued to call and harass anti-war organizers, repressing free speech and the right to organize. However, all of their intimidation tactics are bringing a movement closer together to stop war and demand peace.

We demand:

  • Call Off the Grand Jury Witch-hunt Against International Solidarity Activists!
  • Support Free Speech!
  • Support the Right to Organize!
  • Stop FBI Repression!
  • International Solidarity Is Not a Crime!
  • Stop the Criminalization of Arab and Muslim Communities!

Background: Fitzgerald ordered FBI raids on anti-war and solidarity activists' homes and subpoenaed fourteen activists in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Michigan on September 24, 2010. All 14 refused to speak before the Grand Jury in October. Then, 9 more Palestine solidarity activists, most Arab-Americans, were subpoenaed to appear at the Grand Jury on January 25, 2011, launching renewed protests. There are now 23 who assert their right to not participate in Fitzgerald’s witch-hunt. 

The Grand Jury is a secret and closed inquisition, with no judge, and no press. The U.S. Attorney controls the entire proceedings and hand picks the jurors, and the solidarity activists are not allowed a lawyer. Even the date when the Grand Jury ends is a secret.

So please make these calls to those in charge of the repression aimed against anti-war leaders and the growing Palestine solidarity movement.

Email us to let us know your results. Send to info@StopFBI.net

**Please sign and circulate our 2011 petition at http://www.stopfbi.net/petition

 

In Struggle,

Tom Burke,

for the Committee to Stop FBI Repression

FFI: Visit www.StopFBI.net or email info@StopFBI.net or call 612-379-3585.