DancingLarry
19th March 2009, 02:47
Real solidarity, real unity on the left, is built in the process of struggle. Via an email from the Friends of the RNC8, here's a mainstream labor body "getting it" and supporting the RNC8 in their fight against unjust prosecution as "terrorists:
The DCLB represents 17,000 members in the Twin Ports of Northern MN.
Resolution in Support of the RNC 8 and Stating that the Anti-Terrorism Act
Should be Repealed
Whereas, a free society is one in which people can organize collectively to
improve their lives without fear of persecution by their government; and
Whereas, the labor movement has historically suffered state intimidation and
repression in our efforts to organize working people, including the
unconstitutional arrest of labor organizers and publishers of union papers
under criminal syndicalism laws of the first half of the 20th century;
and
Whereas, changes to the Minnesota criminal code under the so-called
Anti-Terrorism Act of 2002 threaten political speech by defining acts that
further terrorism so broadly as to encompass civil disobedience designed
to disrupt or interfere with the lawful exercise, operation, or conduct of
government, lawful commerce, or the right of lawful assembly, including
strikes, blockades and other union actions to defend workers rights; and
Whereas, the first criminal charges under this law were filed by Ramsey County
prosecutors in September of 2008 against organizers of Republican National
Convention protests in St Paul (known as the "RNC 8"), with no evidence that
the defendants committed any act of violence;
Therefore, be it resolved that the Duluth Central Labor Body stands in
solidarity with the RNC 8 and goes on record as opposing the
politically-motivated terrorism charges filed against them; and
Be it further resolved that the Duluth Central Labor Body goes on record as
opposing 609.714 of the Minnesota criminal code (CRIMES COMMITTED IN
FURTHERANCE OF TERRORISM) and calls on Minnesota state legislators to work
for the repeal of this law;
Be it further resolved that the Duluth Central Labor Body urges that labor
unions across Minnesota consider the implications of the RNC 8 case and the
Minnesota Anti-Terrorism Act on their own organizing and to support the cause
of repeal.
Proposed and passed with unanimous support from the delegates of the Duluth
Central Labor Body on March 12, 2009
Defend the RNC8!
http://rnc8.org (http://rnc8.org/)
The DCLB represents 17,000 members in the Twin Ports of Northern MN.
Resolution in Support of the RNC 8 and Stating that the Anti-Terrorism Act
Should be Repealed
Whereas, a free society is one in which people can organize collectively to
improve their lives without fear of persecution by their government; and
Whereas, the labor movement has historically suffered state intimidation and
repression in our efforts to organize working people, including the
unconstitutional arrest of labor organizers and publishers of union papers
under criminal syndicalism laws of the first half of the 20th century;
and
Whereas, changes to the Minnesota criminal code under the so-called
Anti-Terrorism Act of 2002 threaten political speech by defining acts that
further terrorism so broadly as to encompass civil disobedience designed
to disrupt or interfere with the lawful exercise, operation, or conduct of
government, lawful commerce, or the right of lawful assembly, including
strikes, blockades and other union actions to defend workers rights; and
Whereas, the first criminal charges under this law were filed by Ramsey County
prosecutors in September of 2008 against organizers of Republican National
Convention protests in St Paul (known as the "RNC 8"), with no evidence that
the defendants committed any act of violence;
Therefore, be it resolved that the Duluth Central Labor Body stands in
solidarity with the RNC 8 and goes on record as opposing the
politically-motivated terrorism charges filed against them; and
Be it further resolved that the Duluth Central Labor Body goes on record as
opposing 609.714 of the Minnesota criminal code (CRIMES COMMITTED IN
FURTHERANCE OF TERRORISM) and calls on Minnesota state legislators to work
for the repeal of this law;
Be it further resolved that the Duluth Central Labor Body urges that labor
unions across Minnesota consider the implications of the RNC 8 case and the
Minnesota Anti-Terrorism Act on their own organizing and to support the cause
of repeal.
Proposed and passed with unanimous support from the delegates of the Duluth
Central Labor Body on March 12, 2009
Defend the RNC8!
http://rnc8.org (http://rnc8.org/)