Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Real Citizens Unite

With both political parties now taking advantage of the Supreme Court "Citizens United" decision granting First Amendment rights to corporations and allowing for unlimited anonymous donations to fund political advertising, you just know Congress is going to do zilch to pass a law to overturn it.  But there is now a way you can add your name to a petition and find information on events in your own neck of the woods on how to get the ball rolling on a constitutional amendment declaring that money is not speech and corporations are not persons.

"Thanks to the hard work of local organizers," says Move to Amend's Kaitlin Sopoki Belknap, "Boulder, CO could become the next community to officially join this growing effort. Councilmember Macon Cowles is proposing to place a measure on the November ballot, giving Boulder voters the opportunity to support (the)  amendment."

Here is where to get involved  to help put human rights back where they belong: in human beings.  The reason you may not have heard of this group is because the corporate-controlled mainstream media just might not want you to --  and no self-respecting monolith will ever voluntarily give up its God Supreme Court-given right to personhood.  Time to show them what it feels like to be dehumanized.

8 comments:

VLT said...

Thank you, Karen. You are right. The corporate owned main stream media does not want us to hear about this movement. How exciting! I wish I was living in the States and could take part! THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY IS ALL ABOUT!

Janet, I know you are stretched thin but this sounds like something you would love. LOCAL ACTION!

I must say I have been really encouraged by the comments written here lately. I sense a restlessness and a growing awareness that things need to change and we all have to take some responsibility for that happening. No one else is going to do that for us.

“I have always been interested, but never active in politics, but I feel it is the duty and obligation of those of us that can see through the lies and propaganda to make a stand. Not just for the USA, not just for Democracy, but for all Mankind. It gives me some hope to read blogs like this and see that while sometimes it may feel this way, I am not alone in my worries and my hopes.”- Black Swan

@Black Swan,
I know what you mean. I was asleep at the wheel during Clinton’s betrayal but I am awake now and ready to work and fight the good fight. If I go down, I am not going to go quietly.

Kat said...

Thanks Karen. I attended a protest on the one year anniversary of this decision (it was cold!) and found out about this organization.

Janet Camp said...

I have sent a link to Progressives United--and yes, VLT, I will get involved with this if it's something I can "bring home". Thank yous to you and Karen for keeping up the message on the disastrous CU decision. I think it's the one fight that might be winnable from the grass roots and would make a huge difference if it can be overturned. You can bring moderates into this I think (hope?).

VLT said...

Janet,

Yes, I agree. I think everyone is getting really sick of money running everything. I wish I was there to phonebank beside you. - I actually could, you know (phone bank I mean). Can you send me a contact number to call to help? I can call the U.S. now for something like $7 an hour. It would be great to be able to do something other than write and call (read nag, nag, nag) my reps in Congress. I also write the White House - not that it makes and iota of difference.

The Black Swan said...

The real question is how do we disseminate this information beyond those of us that read these types of blogs and actively seek out these types of movements. I know a lot of people who just don't know enough to care or are too busy to look beyond the mainstream. I send links to friends/family every day, but this only reaches a small group of people. It is an uphill battle, but one we can and must win.

Anonymous said...

Said wrote:
"The real question is how do we disseminate this information beyond those of us that read these types of blogs and actively seek out these types of movements."

I think you have to get actively involved in local government.

I'm speaking tomorrow at a local gov't mtg on the issue of police misconduct and the "special privacy rights" afforded to police in my state. I'm pretty freaked out about speaking out, and am not sure whether I really will go through with it. 

But I feel that because I'm white (mostly) and female and "polished", it's important that I talk about how even someone like me can be harassed by the police, and share what happened to me after I filed a complaint, and how much secrecy the local gov't has afforded the police who engage in misconduct.

I have to say I've learned quite a bit during this process, and I can't say I'm looking forward to learning more... Ignorance was bliss.

One thing good came out of this: In pursuing my complaint, I sought the advice of our local public defender, and I met the "true believers" in that office. Talking with them cemented in my mind that I had to speak out BECAUSE I din't belong to any of the minority groups that face the most harassment from police.
 
But I sure don't believe my life is about to get easier after I publicly criticize a powerful and corrupt local institution.

-definitely anonymous for now

Karen Garcia said...

@Anonymous,
Good luck and please check back here to let us know how it went.

VLT said...

Good for you, Anonymous! What you are doing shows courage and integrity.

And yes, I agree with your comment to Said. All we can do is our best. Spread the news the best we can. Be a worker bee like Janet. And step forward when we get the opportunity.