[Peace] [Announce] funny you should mention our freedom to speak and protest....

Sat Nov 12 01:17:38 CST 2011

Read the highlighted text below (highlighting is mine). Yeah, it restates reasons for the protests and goals of the protesters,,, But First Amendment guarantees the right of free speech and peaceful assembly regardless of merits of the protests.  

--- On Thu, 11/10/11, John W. <jbw292002 at gmail.com> wrote:

From: John W. <jbw292002 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Peace] [Announce] funny you should mention our freedom to speak and protest....
To: "Barbara kessel" <barkes at gmail.com>
Cc: "CUCPJ" <announce at communitycourtwatch.org>, "Melodye Rosales" <melodye at nitrogendesign.com>, "Peace Announce" <peace at anti-war.net>
Date: Thursday, November 10, 2011, 12:43 AM

Let me put this in the form of a question:  In what way(s) does Rep. Ford's proposed resolution, laudable though it may be, protect the freedom of speech of the protesters?
John Wason

On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 4:03 PM, Barbara kessel <barkes at gmail.com> wrote:

Rep. Ford files House resolution to support Occupy movements in Illinois. This is a blll that is apparently coming up for a vote tomorrow Thursday in the House - to protect freedom of speech of protesters. Naomi Jakobsson needs calls in support of HR0610. I hear that just a few calls for it could swing her. I called and left a message on the machine. Please.....Barbara Kessel

(217) 373-5000 district office(217) 558-1009 Springfield office

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Griffis Ryan <ryan.griffis at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 7, 2011 at 9:49 PM
Subject: [Discuss] Fwd: >>>Rep. Ford files House resolution to support Occupy movements in Illinois

To: discuss list <discuss at communitycourtwatch.org>

Begin forwarded message:

> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

> NEWS RELEASE: November 8, 2011

>

> FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

> Ashley J. Bohrer, ajbohrer at gmail.com, 818.923.8348

> Stephen F. Eisenman, s-eisenman at northwestern.edu, 626-394-3311 (cell)

>

> SEE BELOW FOR:

> 1) full text of resolution

> 2) transcript of recent House floor discussion of Occupy Chicago and link to audio

>

> HR0610 info is at:

> http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=HR&DocNum=610&GAID=11&SessionID=84&LegID=62508

>

>

>

> ____________________________________________________________

> REP. LA SHAWN K. FORD FILES RESOLUTION IN SPRINGFIELD ABOUT OCCUPY MOVEMENT

> CHICAGO LAWMAKER SAYS THE STATE MOVEMENT FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE IS FREE SPEECH

>

> SPRINGFIELD – Rep. La Shawn K. Ford today filed a Resolution in the Illinois House of Representatives expressing support for “the peaceful exercise of First Amendment Rights” by people across the state engaged in the Occupy protests. The resolution reaffirms what the First Amendment of the United States Constitution explicitly protects:  "freedom of speech" and "the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

>

> “This is a statewide movement from all walks of life,” Ford said, “there are young people and seniors, teachers and veterans, all protesting the economic crisis that has destroyed families and whole communities."

>

> Ford agrees with housing advocates who say that banks and brokerage firms have to be held accountable for putting in jeopardy the lives and fortunes of millions of Illinoisans. He said that legislators must take stronger measures to keep people in their homes.

>

> “Lawmakers in D.C. and in Springfield must deliver relief to families in Illinois just as they did to Wall Street,” he told the Chicago protesters. “The Occupy movement will help legislators stay focused on helping families who are losing their homes. This is a new sit-in movement."

>

> First elected to his 8th district seat in 2006, Ford represents several West Side neighborhoods hit hard by the economic collapse, including Austin, Berwyn, Riverside, Forest Park, Oak Park, LaGrange and Brookfield. He said that he and his House colleagues have seen their communities decimated by a high number of foreclosures, evictions and underwater mortgages.

>

> The preamble to the Resolution speaks directly to these issues. The foreclosure rate in Illinois is the 9th worst in the country, and the rate in Cook County is worse still, at 1 of every 357 units. Nearly 45% of mortgages in Chicago are currently underwater.

>

> "The Occupy protestors in Illinois have been peaceful, thoughtful and respectful,” Ford continued, “They deserve our recognition.”

>

> "I live in a relatively affluent northern suburb," said Stephen F. Eisenman, a professor at Northwestern University in Evanston, and a regular Occupy protester, "and even here the economic toll has been bad. People can't sell their houses and the banks won't refinance them — even people with jobs are afraid to spend and insecurity is growing."

>

> The resolution recognizes the hardships experienced by the people of Illinois and their right to protest.

>

> On October 26, 2011, Ford asked the House assembly for a moment of silence to recognize the "march for justice" taking place by Occupy Chicago protestors. The request brought a rebuke from Representative Rosemary Mulligan (R) who stated that the Occupy people "are homeless people that have nowhere else to go" and "some of them are very strange people" and that they should not be honored.

>

> Occupy Chicago was holding a march on October 26 on behalf of Scott Olsen, a Iraq war veteran seriously injured by police while peacefully protesting at Occupy Oakland.

>

> A vote is expected this week. It will have to be voted on before the conclusion of the veto session on Thursday, November 10.

>

> ###

>

>

> ________________________________________________________

> FULL TEXT OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 0610

>

> WHEREAS, The people of Illinois are suffering from an ongoing economic crisis that threatens their health, wealth and security, and

>

> WHEREAS, Occupy movements in Illinois are supported by people of all trades and occupations, from school teachers to military veterans, who are stirred to protest economic injustice by the examples of the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City and the numerous other Occupy protests across the country; and

>

> WHEREAS, In Illinois, the unemployment rate is 10% (numbering more than 660,000 people), the poverty rate is more than 14% (1.8 million people), and the rate of people living in extreme poverty (income less than $11,000 for a family of four) is nearly 7% (680,000 people); and

>

> WHEREAS, The average after-tax household income of the top 1% of the United States population grew by 275% between 1979 and 2007, and the average after-tax household income of the lowest 20% of the United States population grew by just 18% in that same period; and

>

> WHEREAS, The top 1% of income earners control 40% of the wealth in the United States; and

>

> WHEREAS, The foreclosure rate in Illinois last month was the ninth worst in the country (1 of every 463 units), the rate in Cook County was even worse (1 of 357 units), and nearly 45% of the mortgage loans on Chicago homes are "underwater", that is, the amount of the home mortgage loan exceeds the value of the home; and

>

> WHEREAS, The cost of the foreclosure crisis to Illinois taxpayers in 2012 is expected to reach $12 billion, blighting whole communities with decreased police and fire protection, higher crime rates, less access to health care, poorer schools, deteriorated infrastructure, diminished recreation services, reduced library services, and park closures or reduced park hours; and

>

> WHEREAS, People of all ages (from young adults to seniors) and backgrounds, individuals from all Chicago neighborhoods, and persons who live in the suburbs, downstate cities, and rural areas are lawfully protesting the failures of Wall Street, the subsequent economic crisis, and the failure to address the needs of 99% of the population; therefore, be it

>

> RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the hardships experienced by the people of Illinois as a result of the economic injustices and we stand in support of the continued peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights by Occupy protesters.

>

>

>

> ________________________________________________________________________________

> HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES GENERAL ASSEMBLY

> REP. LA SHAWN K. FORD REQUESTS MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR OCCUPY CHICAGO

> TRANSCRIPT FROM 10-26-11

>

> LINK TO AUDIO: http://soundcloud.com/agentgrifray/ford_il_assembly

>

>

> MR. SPEAKER: Please proceed La Shawn.

>

> REP. LA SHAWN FORD: Mr. Speaker, as elected officials I know we all have town hall meetings, and do surveys, and go door to door to hear the will of the people, and sometimes turnouts are not always what we hope them to be. But today I want to make sure that we recognize the people in Chicago who are Occupy Chicago and let them know that here in Illinois that we hear them and that we see them. And I ask that we have a moment of silence as they march for justice in Chicago.

>

> MR. SPEAKER: Ladies and gentleman if we could have your attention please, Rep La Shawn Ford has made a motion to take a moment and Rep. Ford, staff if you could just return to the back of the chamber for a moment, if you'd like to repeat that request Representative... [GAVEL POUNDS 3 TIMES] Representative, repeat your request please.

>

> REP. LA SHAWN FORD: I just want to congratulate the people of OC as they march for justice for all of us. And we would like to encourage them as they continue to march peacefully in Chicago and I ask that we show them that we hear them and that we see them and we ask for a moment of silence as they continue to march for justice for all of us. [SOME BOOS HEARD.]

>

> [SPEAKER RECOGNIZES ANOTHER REPRESENTATIVE FOR 27 SECONDS ON ANOTHER MATTER]

>

> MR. SPEAKER: Rep. Rosemary Mulligan, for what purpose do you speak recognition?

>

> REP. ROSEMARY MULLIGAN: Thank you Mr. Speaker, a point of privilege about the former representative talking about honoring the people that are marching in Chicago. Those people are organized online, as they have been for the last ten years, by people out of there, and so a lot of those people that are marching are homeless people that have nowhere else to go, they just actually, if you get mixed up in them, I've been in them in Houston ten years ago and a lot of different places, some of them are very strange people. They just pick up other people that want to protest also, but I don't think we should honor what's going on in the Chicago Loop where people work and come and go and there are a lot of other things going on there. And I don't think it is a very safe thing, so I wouldn't honor those people if it was the last thing...and certainly not on the floor of the Illinois General Assembly.  [CHEERS HEARD]

>

> MR. SPEAKER: Rep. Ford, just for a moment.

>

> REP. LA SHAWN FORD: Just real quick, I disagree with the previous speaker because I think that it's our job to hear the will of the people and I say that regardless to what their plight is in life, we should hear from them. Thank you Mr. Speaker.  [SOME CHEERS]

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