[Peace] Defending Rights & Dissent: slip now to stop Illinois anti-protest bill

Tue May 21 15:09:42 UTC 2019

I have submitted my witness slip, and contacted both state rep.offices.

I doubt that Carol Ammons will step up and make a fuss about this bill. She
has little or no history of challenging Madigan. I will be happy to be
proved wrong.

Scott Bennett is a prosecutor who like to opportunistically grandstand
about sexual predators and to attend police-supportive functions. His
appointment as state senator was a matter of cronyism. I also doubt that he
will oppose this bill; I will be happy to be proved wrong.

DG

On Tue, May 21, 2019 at 8:23 AM Robert Naiman via Peace <
peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:

>
> The fact that this bill is a going proposition in the
> Democratic-controlled Illinois legislature is pretty disturbing. Is this
> why we have a Democratic-controlled Illinois government? So they can vote
> to take away our right to protest the fossil fuel industry that's
> destroying our planet?
>
> Please slip against the bill, and ask Rep. Ammons to lead the fight to
> block this assault on our right to protest.
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ---------
> From: Sue at Defending Rights & Dissent <info at rightsanddissent.org>
> Date: Mon, May 20, 2019 at 5:03 PM
> Subject: The vote is tomorrow: take action to stop Illinois anti-protest
> bill
> To: Robert Naiman <naiman at justforeignpolicy.org>
>
> Robert,
>
> I guess you might be tired of hearing from me about this terrible bill
> winding its way through the Illinois legislature... but here we go again.
>
> HB1633
> <https://default.salsalabs.org/Tbafc3727-fefb-4e51-9adf-0b9e6bdea52b/a73233ab-83f8-4f98-ba57-2cebd3646427>
> would create draconian new penalties for protests at pipelines, refineries,
> and other sites deemed "critical infrastructure." The bill also includes a
> "guilty by association" provision that would impose catastrophic fines on
> organizations that support these grassroots protests. *Please see below
> for more details about the bill.*
>
> *Can you take two minutes to file 2 witness slips against the bill?* It's
> not as easy as signing a petition, especially because I need to ask you to
> file two witness slips, one for the subcommittee, one for the committee.
> But this is the best way to convey your opposition.
>
> *Click here to file a witness slip to OPPOSE the bill in  Subcommittee.*
> <https://default.salsalabs.org/T6a31c7fb-568b-4365-9e7f-fd471b8bab06/a73233ab-83f8-4f98-ba57-2cebd3646427>
>
> Then come back to this email and...
>
> *Click here to file a witness slip to OPPOSE the bill in Committee*
> <https://default.salsalabs.org/T43f80b4c-ab9a-4d0f-9c8f-22d23fed3185/a73233ab-83f8-4f98-ba57-2cebd3646427>
>
> I agree the forms ask for too much information and are not very clear...
> but it is easier than driving to Springfield for most. *The key is to
> remember to check yourself as an Opponent to the bill, *and check "record
> of appearance only"
>
> HB1633 is backed by ALEC, the extractive industry and other corporate
> interests, and has bi-partisan support. It is scheduled for a hearing in
> the Senate Criminal Law Committee on Tuesday, May 21 at 5 p.m.
>
> Let's show that people power can overcome corporate greed, and we won't
> give up our right to dissent without a fight.
> Please take action against this anti-protest bill now:
>
> *Click here
> <https://default.salsalabs.org/Tf2a6fb76-65b0-43f5-8867-ea98212a5e74/a73233ab-83f8-4f98-ba57-2cebd3646427>...
> and then return to this email and click here
> <https://default.salsalabs.org/Taacf8218-43e5-4ead-9734-82b4dce2512d/a73233ab-83f8-4f98-ba57-2cebd3646427>..... to
> submit OPPOSITION witness slips to HB1633 for the subcommittee and
> committee*. The process takes a minute and is important, it allows you to
> "testify" against a bill without being present in Springfield. The links
> above will take you to the Illinois general assembly website where you'll
> be able to fill out the witness slips against HB1633. Fill out all your
> info, mark yourself as an OPPONENT to the bill, and check "record of
> appearance only"
>
> *The hearing for the bill is TOMORROW, Tuesday, May 21 so please fill out
> your witness slips today!*
>
> Stay Loud, Stay Strong,
>
> Sue
> More about HB1633:
>
> Fifty Illinois and national organizations signed the following letter (also
> available here
> <https://default.salsalabs.org/T0ce9aaca-8499-4dc0-bec0-1555ac0c0aa9/a73233ab-83f8-4f98-ba57-2cebd3646427>).
>
>
> To Members of the Illinois Senate:
>
> The undersigned racial justice, criminal justice reform, and other civil
> society groups and individuals urge you to oppose Illinois House Bill 1633.
> The bill undermines the promising reform efforts in Illinois and nationally
> designed to remedy the harm caused by mass incarceration, and it threatens
> to silence already marginalized voices. HB 1633 is an unnecessary proposal
> that creates new draconian penalties for conduct already covered by
> existing criminal statutes and could have dire unintended consequences,
> including for youth. HB 1633 is part of a national trend of so-called
> “critical infrastructure” legislation promoted by the American Legislative
> Exchange Council (ALEC) that is intended to neutralize climate justice
> activism. We urge you to oppose HB 1633.
>
> Critical infrastructure bills disproportionately affect some of the most
> underrepresented communities, criminalizing their right to protest. These
> bills target many already marginalized voices, in reaction to some of the
> most high-profile protests in recent history. Native Americans—women, in
> particular—are playing an important role as “water protectors” in protests
> against pipelines; low-income communities of color are most affected by
> unchecked environmental pollution; family farms have the most to lose by
> unfair land-grabs for large infrastructure projects. These communities have
> a right to peacefully resist environmentally unsafe and unjust policies,
> and unchecked corporate abuse.
>
> HB 1633 is purportedly designed to protect critical infrastructure, but
> the definition of “critical infrastructure” is overly broad and would cover
> large swaths of the state in urban, suburban, and rural areas, creating the
> unintended consequence of ensnaring many in Illinois’ already overburdened
> criminal justice system. For example, someone trespassing in rail yards or
> on el-tracks without intent to damage or destroy could be charged with a
> class 4 felony punishable by a fine of $1,000, one to three years
> imprisonment, or both. Currently, criminal trespass to property is
> punishable as a Class B or Class A misdemeanor, depending upon the nature
> of the offense (720 ILCS 5/21-3).
>
> Additionally, the bill does not distinguish between criminal damages of
> one dollar or a million dollars. Each would be eligible for the same
> penalty of ten years in prison and a $100,000 fine. At a time when many
> people, including lawmakers, have recognized the deleterious effects that
> mass incarceration has had on society and have attempted to rectify laws
> that have criminalized certain conduct or imposed unreasonable penalties,
> HB 1633, is a giant step backwards. By creating a whole new class of
> nonviolent offenders who could serve serious prison time, it is
> antithetical to criminal justice reform.
>
> Environmental advocacy, including civil disobedience, does not threaten
> physical infrastructure or safety, it threatens corporations that put
> profits and pollution ahead of justice and the environment. Critical
> infrastructure bills are based on model legislation crafted by corporate
> interests to establish special protections for some private industries
> engaged in controversial practices that attract opposition and protest.
> These bills, including HB 1633, are rooted in animus against environmental
> justice advocacy because it threatens the profits of these corporations.
> Whenever states enact legislation based on animus towards particular
> political speech it has a chilling effect that will be felt widely.
>
> We urge you to oppose HB 1633. From a criminal justice reform perspective,
> this bill is damaging, as it creates new steep penalties for conduct that
> is already covered under existing criminal law. These new steep penalties
> and special protections for so-called critical infrastructure are rooted in
> animus towards anti-pipeline protesters. It is inappropriate for states to
> seek to legislation in order to penalize individuals for their First
> Amendment-protected points of view.
>
> Please direct questions to Sue Udry, Defending Rights & Dissent, at
> 202.552.7408 or sue at rightsanddissent.org.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> 350 Chicago
>
> 350 Kishwaukee (IL)
>
> American Friends Service Committee - Chicago
>
> Area Consortium of Educational Service For Our Youth  (DBA:A.C.E.S. 4
> Youth)
>
> Chicago Area Peace Action
>
> Chicago Food Policy Action Council
>
> Chicago SE Side Coalition to Ban Petcoke (SSCBP)
>
> Clean Power Lake County
>
> Climate Defense Project
>
> Color Of Change
>
> Crossroads Fund
>
> Defending Rights & Dissent
>
> Earth Defense Coalition
>
> Eco-Justice Collaborative
>
> Extinction Rebellion Chicago
>
> Faith In Place Action Fund
>
> Food & Water Watch
>
> Fox Valley Citizens for Peace & Justice
>
> Frack Free Illinois
>
> Friends of Bell Smith Springs
>
> Grassroots Collaborative
>
> Greater Highland Area Concerned Citizens
>
> Greenpeace USA
>
> Indivisible Chicago
>
> Indivisible South Suburban Chicago
>
> Illinois Green Party
>
> Illinois People's Action
>
> Lifted Voices
>
> Little Village Environmental Justice Organization
>
> Moms Demand Action
>
> National Lawyers Guild
>
> National Lawyers Guild – Chicago Chapter
>
> National Lawyers Guild - St. Louis Chapter
>
> Native Organizers Alliance
>
> Northern Illinois Jobs with Justice
>
> Nuclear Energy Information Service -NEIS-
>
> Occupy Rockford
>
> Palestine Legal
>
> Reform for Illinois
>
> Save Our Illinois Land
>
> Shawnee Forest Defense!
>
> Sierra Club, Illinois Chapter
>
> Southern Illinois DSA
>
> Southern Illinoisans Against Fracturing Our Environment
>
> The People's Lobby
>
> Vinyard Indian Settlement
>
> Water Protector Legal Collective
>
> Will County Progressives
>
> WindSolarUSA, Inc.
>
> X-Lab
>
> *Read more about "Critical Infrastructure" bills in our toolkit for
> activists here
> <https://default.salsalabs.org/Tbd6072d7-b107-4930-97e0-78e8044732e2/a73233ab-83f8-4f98-ba57-2cebd3646427>.*
>
>
> To take action against this anti-protest bill:
>
> Today I am asking you to submit 2 witness slips:
>
> *Click here to file a witness slip to OPPOSE the bill in  Subcommittee.*
> <https://default.salsalabs.org/T6aecc2f8-1180-4eb5-8386-aac64cf0a00e/a73233ab-83f8-4f98-ba57-2cebd3646427>
>
> *Click here to file a witness slip to OPPOSE the bill in Committee*
> <https://default.salsalabs.org/Tf3458f02-ca8b-42a7-9995-864e8739375c/a73233ab-83f8-4f98-ba57-2cebd3646427>
>
> The process takes just a minute and is important, it allows you to
> "testify" against a bill without being present in Springfield. The links
> above will take you to the Illinois general assembly website where you'll
> be able to fill out  witness slips in OPPOSITION to HB1633.
>
> The form is not the easiest to understand, but you can do it! Fill out
> your info and mark yourself as an OPPONENT to the bill and "record of
> appearance only".
>
>
>
> *The  vote will be Tuesday, May 21 at 5 pm  So Please Take Action Now!*
>
>
>
> Photo Credits:
>
> People over pipelines by Fibonacci Blue
> <https://default.salsalabs.org/T9d63a693-3646-41d8-8b95-c7273e3eab91/a73233ab-83f8-4f98-ba57-2cebd3646427>
>
>
> Eat Pray Protest by David Geitgey Sierralupe
> <https://default.salsalabs.org/T35b7d08d-fe59-4c6c-b38c-1f06918fe2ab/a73233ab-83f8-4f98-ba57-2cebd3646427>
>
> Repeal the Patriot Act by DRAD staff
> Donate
> <https://default.salsalabs.org/T647670b5-f7e6-4657-8224-747db112e4c5/a73233ab-83f8-4f98-ba57-2cebd3646427>
>
> *Get in Touch:* hello at rightsanddissent.org | 202.552.7408
>
> Donations to DRAD are tax-deductible. Our EIN is 27-0042821
>
> We will never, ever share your info with anyone. NEVER.
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>
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