In light of new numbers, critics hammer SC voter ID law
SC Progressive Network Director Brett Bursey appears on MSNBC news program
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Network to show award-winning documentary “The Corporation”
The Progressive Network’s Monthly Movie Night will feature The Corporation at 7pm on Sept. 27 at Conundrum Music Hall, 626 Meeting St. in West Columbia. This award-winning two-hour film explores the nature and spectacular rise of the dominant institution of our time. Part film and part movement, The Corporation is transforming audiences with its compelling analysis. Taking its status as a legal “person” to the logical conclusion, the film puts the corporation on the psychiatrist’s couch to ask “What kind of person is it?”
The film includes interviews with 40 corporate insiders and critics – including Noam Chomsky, Naomi Klein, Milton Friedman, Howard Zinn, Vandana Shiva and Michael Moore – plus true confessions, case studies and strategies for change.
Free admission, popcorn and after-film discussion. Beverages available. For details, contact the Network at 803-808-334 or network@scpronet.com. Go here to view trailer, reviews and discussion material.
Abolitionists mobilize to save Troy Davis
Today, one man’s life is on the line. This in and of itself is a regular occurrence in the United States. The unusual thing is that so many people from all stations in life have come together for the singular purpose of saving the life of Troy Anthony Davis. Over the weekend, hundreds of demonstrations took place all over the world. Earlier this morning, several hundred thousand more petitions were delivered to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, bringing the total number of petitions to nearly one million – and those are just those delivered by the coalition organizing around this case.
The Georgia State Board of pardons and Paroles began its hearing at 9am this morning. They alone are the final arbiters in this case. Amnesty International’s Program to Abolish the Death Penalty Director Laura Moye is on-site, and she just sent us this brief text message: “Large gathering at the Floyd Building. Family is grateful for all the support. 200,000 more petitions delivered this AM. Board is meeting all day. We wait…”
People who pray are doing exactly that. All of us are waiting. We expect a decision by this evening, or tomorrow morning. Whatever happens, there is much work still to be done in this case. Here is an outline of what we have planned for this week. Please lend your support as you are able and share with your contacts:
MONDAY
ATLANTA: 7:30am vigil outside “Sloppy” Floyd Building, 2 MLK Dr. – GSU Marta station, cross street is Piedmont. (9am hearing begins, closed to public and press) The decision may come down from the board as soon as late afternoon, though it is also possible they would issue it later in the evening or on Tuesday. The vigil will end when the decision is issued on Monday or TBD if it gets late Monday and a decision doesn’t appear to be in sight.
We will do our best to update people with the decision. You will surely find it in the news media as soon as it is made. We will also let folks know as best we can by email. Follow @lauramoye for tweets, or follow her tweet feed on justicefortroy.org.
TUESDAY
If Clemency is granted or the execution is temporarily stayed:
Atlanta: gathering of gratitude at 7pm at Central Presbyterian Church (across the street from the Capitol at (201 Washington St. SW; Atlanta, GA 30303) Everywhere: gatherings of gratitude and a call to commit to building the abolition movement are encouraged. Check with your state coalition to see what plans they have.
If clemency is denied:
- We will urge the Board to reconsider, asking everyone to send more emails and faxes to the Board
Tuesday will be a “Day of Protest”
People are asked to wear a black armband, with “not in my name!” written on it
ATLANTA: protest rally at the state capitol 7pm (Washington Street side); - Everywhere: protests are encouraged. Check with your state coalition to see what plans they have.
WEDNESDAY
If clemency is denied Wednesday will be a “Day of Vigil”. Wear black armband with “not in my name!” written on it
GEORGIA focal events:
a) vigil in Jackson across from the prison at Towaliga County Line Baptist Church;
b) vigil in Atlanta on the capitol steps
Everywhere else: vigils are encouraged. Check with your state coalition to see what plans they have.
Please know that NCADP is invested in this case because its the right thing to do, and also because so many of the aspects of this case speak to the same issues that are present in so many other cases which are not nearly as high-profile. Troy Davis is already a household name, and because our our collective action, over the coming weeks many more people will learn of the systemic failures of the death penalty, and join our movement.
There is so much to do, and we want to do more. Thank you for taking action, and if you are able, please also take a moment to support NCADP so that we can continue this important work, now, and in the future. Please remember that through the end of September, all new donors to NCADP will have their tax-deductible contribution doubled by a special matching grant from Atlantic Philanthropies. Click here to donate today. Thank you.
Finally, it must be said that Troy Davis is not the only person scheduled to be executed in the coming weeks and months. Of particular note is tonight’s execution in Texas of Cleve Foster. NCADP lists every upcoming execution on the top right side of its web page, and you can click on each name to learn more and take action via our State Affiliate where the execution is scheduled.
Thank you.
Abe
Good-bye and good riddance, DODT!
Sept. 20, 2011 is a day to celebrate! Why? Because it marks the official repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and we are celebrating loud and proud in South Carolina.
In Columbia, join SC Equality, The Harriet Hancock Center and Service Members Legal Defense Network (SLDN) for a celebration ceremony including comments from Rep. James Smith at the Veterans Memorial, followed by an after-party at Blue!
In Charleston, we partner with Take-Over Charleston, AFFA, and SLDN for a celebration including live music and great speakers at Taco Boy! Details here.
SC Equality and AFFA are longtime members of the SC Progressive Network.
Town halls expand Network’s voter ID campaign
The SC Progressive Network is holding a series of community forums titled “Voter ID and the new Jim Crow.” Network Director Brett Bursey will moderate. Each event will include a Q&A session and instructions for activists to work the issue in their community.
The forums will address the moving target of DOJ pre-clearance, and where we should put our efforts to try and stop it. The meeting will recognize photo ID as a symptom of larger problems, and will focus discussion on sharpening a strategy to address The Big Picture.
The Network is planning a statewide summit on Oct. 29 in Columbia to sharpen our focus and efforts. Details and agenda to be posted as they become available.
Call 803-808-3384 or email network@scpronet.com for details or to schedule a meeting in your area.
• • •
Sept. 12, Florence: 7pm at Poyner Auditorium, 319 South Dargan St.
Sept. 15, Beaufort: 6:30pm at Golden Corral, 122 Robert Smalls Pkwy. or Hwy. 170. Come early if you want to have dinner.
Sept. 20, Charleston: 7pm at ILA Hall, 1142 Morrison Dr.
Sept. 22, Greenville: 7pm at Furman University, Younts Conference Center.
The continuing toll of 9/11
Number of people killed in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when al-Qaeda operatives hijacked jetliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field: 2,996
Date on which then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld ordered aides to look for evidence of Iraqi involvement in the attacks: 9/11/2001
Of the 19 identified hijackers, number who were Iraqis: 0
Date on which the U.S. and its allies launched strikes in Afghanistan against al-Qaeda and its ally, the Islamist militia Taliban: 10/7/2001
Date on which the U.S. and U.K. launched war against Iraq after claiming it was hiding weapons of mass destruction: 3/20/2003
Number of those alleged Iraqi weapons of mass destruction that were ultimately found: 0
Estimated number of civilian casualties in Iraq since the 2003 invasion: 102,416-111,937
Estimated number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan through 2010: 8,832
Number of coalition forces killed to date in Afghanistan: 2,705
Number of those forces killed that were U.S. troops: 1,760
Number of coalition forces killed to date in Iraq: 4,792
Number of those forces killed that were U.S. troops: 4,474
Of the over 6,200 U.S. troops killed to date in Afghanistan and Iraq, percent that were from the South: 34
Number of U.S. troops still in Afghanistan: about 100,000
Number of U.S. troops still occupying Iraq: almost 50,000
Total number of U.S. veterans who have served in Afghanistan or Iraq over the past decade: 1.6 million
Estimated cost of future disability payments and health care for those veterans: $600 billion to $900 billion
Number of U.S. veterans thought to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression: 300,000
Number of U.S. veterans who commit suicide each year: 6,500
Percent by which the Army suicide rate has increased over the past decade: almost 200
Date on which a federal appeals court ruled that the Department of Veterans Affairs was failing to properly care for vets with combat-related mental illnesses: 5/10/2011
Total direct U.S. government spending on the Afghanistan and Iraq wars so far: $2,000,000,000,000
Amount that represents per U.S. household: $17,000
Percent by which bills yet to be received are expected to increase this amount: more than 50
Amount the U.S. is expected to spend this year on the war in Iraq: $48 billion
On the war in Afghanistan: $122 billion
Number of children who could be provided with health care for two years with the money being spent on those two wars in 2011 alone: 43 million
Compiled by the Institute for Southern Studies
Home is where your heart is
By Christine Johnson
SC Equality
I was frankly a little scared when I returned to South Carolina for employment in 2010. Raised in Charleston 30 years ago and recalling the discrimination my African-American friends endured, I suspected that as an open lesbian, I might face similar discrimination and lack of understanding. I knew some people would think I “chose” to be lesbian and that I was both unpatriotic and godless. I knew many would not understand the way I value family and treasure authenticity or my profound respect for the Constitution.
When I came home, however, I remembered that I was also proud of the richness of diversity, culture and tradition that makes South Carolina my true home. We celebrate arguably the best cooking in the country and the most gracious hospitality, and we know the value of simple kindness. We are diverse in race, ethnicity and faith, and when it really comes down to it, we respect one another as fellow South Carolinians.
Make no mistake, I’ve found my fair share of unkind folk. I’ve been the target of disrespectful gestures, called tasteless names and heard jokes at my expense, but mostly found that “bless your heart” is the common response to sharing my sexual orientation and work in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy. In addition, I’ve found a LGBT community that, although challenged and discriminated against, thrives in my home state. And you know why? Because like you, South Carolina is their home too, and we share a similar adoration of this beautiful place.
People both in and out of South Carolina are surprised to learn that in 2008, the Williams Institute at UCLA Law School estimated there were 117, 500 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people living here. And according to the 2010 Census, there are 11, 532 same-sex couples in our state.
But the numbers shouldn’t surprise us, because there is no difference in the per capita number of homosexuals born in South Carolina than in California or New York — and apparently, home is where your heart is.
Last summer, S.C. Equality conducted a survey of more than 1,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender South Carolinians, from 44 of 46 counties. More than half had lived in South Carolina for more than 20 years, 86 percent were raised Protestant, 64 percent attend church, and nearly 10 percent had served in the armed forces. So there it is: We are growing in number and love our state, are patriotic and God-fearing, and I suspect that when all is said and done, there is no constitutional or justifiable reason to treat fellow South Carolinians as less than equal under the law.
Yes, there are those who perceive homosexuality a choice and a sin according to their beliefs, and I can respect that. But we cannot grant rights, protections and entitlement to only some people based upon our religious beliefs. Our federal Constitution grants equal protections, and creating classes of people based upon discrimination is unconstitutional. There’s simply no way around it.
So, we can agree to disagree, each with individual opinions and beliefs, voting our consciences, but at the end of the day, we are all South Carolinians with hopes and dreams for our families and our futures. Although there is much that makes us different, there is so much more that makes us one. Different isn’t bad, diversity is a blessing, and for me, home absolutely is where my heart is.
Johnson is a former two-term member of the Utah House of Representatives, and is executive director of S.C. Equality, a longtime member of the SC Progressive Network.