Our Legal working group has provided us with this statement from the Santa Cruz County ACLU:
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF OCCUPY SANTA CRUZ
WHEREAS, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has an ongoing stated mission to defend and preserve the Bill of Rights and the civil liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States and,
WHEREAS, by and through its more than 500,000 members the ACLU stands opposed to restraints on civil liberties wherever they may occur and,
WHEREAS, the Santa Cruz County Chapter of the ACLU has a long and cherished tradition of preserving and defending the individual rights and liberties of all those who work and strive for social justice; and
WHEREAS, the Occupy Wall Street Movement has mobilized thousands of Americans in a unified and common cause to create true economic opportunity on a global scale and,
WHEREAS, Occupy Santa Cruz has galvanized our community in an unprecedented action that reflects the finest principles of free speech and freedom of assembly,
BE IT RESOLVED that the Santa Cruz County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union supports the efforts of Occupy Santa Cruz to work for social justice and create true economic change.
Peter Gelbum Jennifer Laskin
Co-Chair Co-Chair
Santa Cruz ACLU Santa Cruz ACLU
10 Responses to “ACLU supports OSC”
OK. Let’s see them address their history of NOT “Defending The Bill Of Rights In Santa Cruz County”.
Until they do that, this is no better than a cover-up for 2 1/2 decades of dereliction of purpose and impediment to truth.
They like the limelight, not the light of truth.
I concur.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/08/29/18530949.php
Agreed. While I’d say that support is appreciated from all corners, I’m don’t think I’m comfortable plugging any and all organizations/businesses that suggest such billing.
Fortunately we will have a media content policy in place within the next couple days which will determine what is front-page newsworthy, and what is delegated to Section B.
You’re right I wasn’t sure if I was wrong to have posted this… but I think it’s important to know that they are endorsing us, not the other way around.
YES! Let’s give them a chance to align with the 99%. Remember, this is new thinking and new action for many of us, at least on this scale. There are people in the ACLU who will feel supported to work for justice and break from big money control simply because they feel supported by Occupy Together. I think these things should be posted and people must be supported to make changes where ever they are.
Where the local ACLU chapter is an utter failure is local application of values. This organization is so seriously compromised that an epiphany is unlikely as long as the prevailing cabal remains in control.
This organization purposefully misrepresents its stated mission, out of fear of outcome at best and downright cowardice at worse, and has done so for a long, long time.
Support the local ACLU chapter standing up to its disastrous history of complicit complacency. They want you to forget their past, DO NOT. They need to take accountability for what they have stood by and let happen without a whimper, all the while doling out awards to cronies and organizing fundraisers.
Please note that this is NOT OccupySantaCruz supporting the Santa Cruz ACLU. The SC-ACLU has been notably absent in recent years in offering any defense of civil liberties locally. (You could argue ‘actively hostile’.) Hopefully this resolution signals a new era for the group…
I encourage all local ACLU members to go beyond the paper support of the politician-directed ACLU Board to go down and offer tangible legal, media, and other support.
I attended the most recent Board meeting and was unable to get them (after trying since February) to get them to take a stand on any of the following issues:
The City’s anti-homeless “no sleeping after 11 PM on any public property or in vehicles parked on public property” Ban
The City’s anti-homeless Sitting Ban (no sitting within on 95% of the downtown sidewalks.
The D.A.’s use of the notorious PC 647e, the state anti-lodging law, which was threatened against Occupy Santa Cruz activists on October 7th and 9th, and which is currently being used against OSC activist Chris Doyon (“Commander X) for his participation in PeaceCamp2010 last year. Currently in danger of being taken back to jail having been convicted and sentences to 6 months for protesting in PC2010 are attorney Ed Frey and activist Gary Johnson.
The ACLU locally has a horrible track record of silence around police misconduct and corruption, the crackdown on the DIY New Year’s Parade, and even the right of its own canvassers to give out literature in the Trader Joe’s parking lot, for which they have been cited.
That doesn’t mean principled members of the ACLU can’t step forward and help–hopefully to form a new organization not compromised by the powerful corrupting influence of people like former Mayor (and ACLU treasurer) Mike Rotkin.
Meanwhile, rumors about Oakland…
City of Oakland Notice and Demand to Occupy Oakland to Cease Violations, Fri, Oct 21, 4 pm
(California Penal Code sections 370 and 647(e) and Civil Code section 3479.)
OMC 12.64.160
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/10/21/18694392.php
Section Three Hundred and Seventy. Anything which is
injurious to health, or is indecent, or offensive to the senses, or
an obstruction to the free use of property, so as to interfere with
the comfortable enjoyment of life or property by an entire community
or neighborhood, or by any considerable number of persons, or
unlawfully obstructs the free passage or use, in the customary
manner, of any navigable lake, or river, bay, stream, canal, or
basin, or any public park, square, street, or highway, is a public
nuisance.
http://law.onecle.com/california/penal/370.html
(e) Who lodges in any building, structure, vehicle, or place,
whether public or private, without the permission of the owner or
person entitled to the possession or in control of it.
http://law.onecle.com/california/penal/647.html
3479. Anything which is injurious to health, including, but not
limited to, the illegal sale of controlled substances, or is indecent
or offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of
property, so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life
or property, or unlawfully obstructs the free passage or use, in the
customary manner, of any navigable lake, or river, bay, stream,
canal, or basin, or any public park, square, street, or highway, is a
nuisance.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=civ&group=03001-04000&file=3479-3486
12.64.160 – Fires.
No person shall be permitted to make or kindle a fire of any kind within any public park in the city except at designated barbecue areas approved by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission.
http://library.municode.com/HTML/16308/level3/TIT12STSIPUPL_CH12.64PAREARUSRE_ARTIGE.html#TIT12STSIPUPL_CH12.64PAREARUSRE_ARTIGE_12.64.160FI
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