Alderman Call-In

Over the past month, we have made several attempts to contact City Council Alderman to find out their stance on the 'Blue Lives Matter' Ordinance (#4878). Thus far, we have only received a response from one Alderman (Alderman Carlos Rosas, Arena, Zadewski) about their stance on the Blues Lives Matter Ordinance.

We need your help to call-in to Aldermen and ask if they support or are against the Blues Lives Matter Ordinance. To help find your Alderman, please visit: www.bluestlie.com. 

Please call between tomorrow, Friday, September 9th and Wednesday, September 14th and encourage others to do so on social media. We are extending the call-in to get more responses from Aldermen on their stance on the Blues Lives Matter Ordinance. 

Sample post: @BYP_100 @thebluestlie Chicagoans, call your alderman and tell them to oppose the blue lives matter ordinance  http://bluestlie.com/

SURJ Chicago & #TheBluestLie Collaborative picket City Hall

MEDIA ALERT - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:

Alyssa Smaldino              

SURJ: Showing Up for Racial Justice

(724) 355-4683; [email protected]

The Bluest Lie Collaborative

(708) 580-0255; [email protected]

HAPPENING NOW: SURJ Chicago & #TheBluestLie Collaborative picket City Hall

WHO: Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) is leading this picket, in support of #TheBluestLie Collaborative

WHAT: SURJ organizers are picketing, canvassing and speaking out as endorsers of #TheBluestLie Campaign, to rescind ordinance #4878 in City Council. In the face of an ever mounting city-wide police accountability crisis, the proposed ordinance would expand the Municipal Hate Crimes law to cover current and former police, firefighters and first responders.

WHERE: Chicago City Hall, 121 N LaSalle st. (Exterior)

WHEN: Monday, July 11th at 7:30 a.m.

WHY: The passage of this ordinance would adversely impact citizens’ ability to advocate for First Amendment protections, political dissent and genuine pathways to police accountability. There is currently no path to charge an on-duty law enforcement officer with a hate crime, yet this ordinance would deepen their pre-existing “Blue Code of Silence” protections from accountability as public servants. Anyone having an “adverse encounter” with police could potentially experience a hate crime charge - a felony carrying 6 months imprisonment and a $2,500 fine.

Follow @jbyrd130 and @SURJchicago on Social Media: #TheBluestLie

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Will fighting for police accountability be labeled a hate crime?

SURJ Chicago & #TheBluestLie Collaborative picket City Hall over “Blue Lives” Ordinance.

Chicago, IL: Members of the Chicago affiliate of Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) are endorsing efforts of #TheBluestLie Collaborative, by picketing City Hall on Monday, July 11, 2016 at 7:30 A.M. to denounce Ordinance #4878, announced in City Council a week ago. In the face of an ever mounting city-wide police accountability crisis, the proposed ordinance would cover current and former police, firefighters and first responders under the Municipal Hate Crimes law.

Criminalizing civil disobedience is a long standing tactic toward eroding non-violent movements for social change. Charges of “assaulting an officer” and “trespassing” placed on protesters have become routine. If ordinance #4878 passes a City Council vote, anyone having an “adverse encounter” with police could potentially experience a hate crime charge - a felony carrying 6 months imprisonment and a $2,500 fine.

#TheBluestLie Collaborative is campaigning to stop this ordinance, and other legislative efforts that adversely impact citizens’ ability to advocate for First Amendment protections, political dissent and genuine pathways to police accountability. There is currently no path to charge an on-duty law enforcement officer with a hate crime, yet this ordinance would deepen their pre-existing “Blue Code of Silence” protections from accountability as public servants.

A SURJ Chicago organizer notes, “We’re going to City Hall as part of SURJ’s nationwide Call to Action as we stand in opposition to [14th Ward] Alderman Burke’s efforts to criminalize dissent. We want City Council to know we won't let them buy #TheBluestLie.”

Led by Burke, the aldermen co-sponsoring this ordinance in Chicago City Council’s Public Safety Committee are all previous law enforcement officers and first responders, most of whom receive campaign contributions from firefighter and police unions. Among them are Willie Cochran (20th Ward), Vice Chairman of the Public Safety Committee; 38th Ward Alderman Nick Sposato and 41st Ward Alderman Anthony Napolitano.

As an organization committed to mobilizing white people for racial justice, SURJ Chicago members are concerned that the proposed expansion of the hate crimes ordinance could be used to disproportionately target organizers of color who are critical of police misconduct. Another SURJ Organizer adds, “Over the past 2 years, we’ve followed the lead of black organizers in showing up for racial justice and  making our city safer by holding CPD accountable. This time, we’re going to City Hall to defend their rights to organize and protect the progress they’ve won.”

Three ways to get involved:

SIGN + SHARE the petition at www.bit.ly/TheBluestLiePetition

CALL + TWEET the Public Safety Committee. Find contact information and phone script here: http://bit.ly/BluestLiePhoneIn

CONTACT your Alderman and urge them to OPPOSE Ordinance #4878 if it gets out of committee. Find your Alderman here: bit.ly/YourWardChi

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About Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) http://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/

Through community organizing, mobilizing and education, SURJ moves white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for justice with passion and accountability. We work to connect people across the country while supporting and collaborating with local and national racial justice organizing efforts. SURJ provides a space to build relationships, skills and political analysis to act for change. We envision a society where we struggle together with love, for justice, human dignity and a sustainable world.

https://www.facebook.com/SURJChicago

https://twitter.com/SURJchicago

#TheBluestLie Collaborative is lit and led by young Black Chicagoans committed to each others’ autonomy, liberation and abundant futures. We are a rapid response team from different neighborhoods, organizations and spaces. Follow us at http://thebluestliechi.tumblr.com. Receive updates by liking our Facebook page at www.bit.ly/BluestLieFacebook.

Phone-in to these Aldermen

‪#‎TheBluestLie‬ Collaborative is continuing our call to action, to phone in to alderpeople regarding Ordinance 4878. Please take a moment RIGHT NOW to tweet and/or ring the alderpeople listed: ____________________________________ WE NEED YOUR HELP contacting alderpeople of the Public Safety committee, who also supported the Reparations ordinance last year: 1. Ariel Reboyras (312) 744-3304 / 3305 @ald_reboyras 30th Ward: (Old Irving Park, Irving Park) 2. Michelle Harris - (312) 744-3075 / 6825 @AldermanHarris 8th Ward: (South shore, Chatham, Calumet Heights, Avalon Park, Burnside, South Chicago) 3. Emma Mitts - (312) 744-3180 / 1589 @EmmaMittsAld37 37th Ward: (Austin, Garfield Park) 4. Daniel Solis - (312) 744-6845 / 6846 @AldermanSolis 25th Ward 5. Walter Burnett, jr. - (312) 744-6124 / 6125 @aldermanburnett 27th Ward 6. Carrie Austin - (312)744-6820 / 6829 @tweetinin34 34th Ward 7. Harry Osterman - (312) 744-6834 / 6860 @48ward 48th Ward: (Edgewater) ____________________________________ SAMPLE SCRIPT Hello, I would like to speak to Alderman ____ about opposing Public Safety committee Ordinance #4878, concerning acts of hate crimes. My name is ________ and I am a member of ________ (your organization or affiliation, if applicable). I live in ________ (neighborhood//Ward). In the midst of a continuing police accountability crisis in Chicago, this ordinance would expand the Hate Crime statute to cover current and former law enforcement officers, firefighters and first responder personnel. We know that violence against police is at an all-time low while reported deaths from police violence are at a record high. The ongoing U.S. Department of Justice investigation into CPD - for systemic violations of the Constitution and federal law - includes CPD’s Civil Rights Unit, which manages Municipal Hate Crimes complaints. Moreover, there is currently NO PATH to charge an on-duty law enforcement officer with a hate crime, yet this ordinance would deepen their pre-existing protections from accountability as public servants. I appreciate that Alderman ____ declared their support for the Reparations for Jon Burge Torture Victims ordinance that was introduced to City Council in October 2013, and passed in May 2015. I encourage them to continue their commitment to police accountability in Chicago, by opposing Ordinance #4878 when it is brought to the floor in the public safety committee. Please ask Alderman ________ to contact me to confirm their position on this issue. Again, my name is _________. I will be anxiously waiting to hear from them. May I ask your name? Thank you so much for your time! ***If the staff person wants to know more please have them contact [email protected] ____________________________________ REPORT BACK Please let us know if you hear back from a alderpersons office by: - Tweeting the alderpersons you called using #TheBluestLie - commenting on your call experience here: bit.ly/TheBluestLieForm, or - Emailing us at [email protected] ____________________________________ OTHER INFO • Not sure of what Ward you reside in? Find out here: bit.ly/YourWardChi

Phone-in to these Aldermen

‪#‎TheBluestLie‬ Collaborative is continuing our call to action, to phone in to alderpeople regarding Ordinance 4878. Please take a moment RIGHT NOW to tweet and/or ring the alderpeople listed: ____________________________________ WE NEED YOUR HELP contacting alderpeople of the Public Safety committee, who also supported the Reparations ordinance last year: 1. Ariel Reboyras (312) 744-3304 / 3305 @ald_reboyras 30th Ward: (Old Irving Park, Irving Park) 2. Michelle Harris - (312) 744-3075 / 6825 @AldermanHarris 8th Ward: (South shore, Chatham, Calumet Heights, Avalon Park, Burnside, South Chicago) 3. Emma Mitts - (312) 744-3180 / 1589 @EmmaMittsAld37 37th Ward: (Austin, Garfield Park) 4. Daniel Solis - (312) 744-6845 / 6846 @AldermanSolis 25th Ward 5. Walter Burnett, jr. - (312) 744-6124 / 6125 @aldermanburnett 27th Ward 6. Carrie Austin - (312)744-6820 / 6829 @tweetinin34 34th Ward 7. Harry Osterman - (312) 744-6834 / 6860 @48ward 48th Ward: (Edgewater) ____________________________________ SAMPLE SCRIPT Hello, I would like to speak to Alderman ____ about opposing Public Safety committee Ordinance #4878, concerning acts of hate crimes. My name is ________ and I am a member of ________ (your organization or affiliation, if applicable). I live in ________ (neighborhood//Ward). In the midst of a continuing police accountability crisis in Chicago, we know that violence against police is at an all-time low while reported deaths from police violence are at a record high. The ongoing U.S. Department of Justice investigation into CPD - for systemic violations of the Constitution and federal law - includes CPD’s Civil Rights Unit, which manages Municipal Hate Crimes complaints. Moreover, there is currently NO PATH to charge an on-duty law enforcement officer with a hate crime, yet this ordinance would deepen their pre-existing protections from accountability as public servants. I appreciate that Alderman ____ declared their support for the Reparations for Jon Burge Torture Victims ordinance that was introduced to City Council in October 2013, and passed in May 2015. I encourage them to continue their commitment to police accountability in Chicago, by opposing Ordinance #4878 when it is brought to the floor in the public safety committee. Please ask Alderman ________ to contact me to confirm their position on this issue. Again, my name is _________. I will be anxiously waiting to hear from them. May I ask your name? Thank you so much for your time! ***If the staff person wants to know more please have them contact [email protected] ____________________________________ REPORT BACK Please let us know if you hear back from a alderpersons office by: - Tweeting the alderpersons you called using #TheBluestLie - commenting on your call experience here: bit.ly/TheBluestLieForm, or - Emailing us at [email protected] ____________________________________ OTHER INFO • Not sure of what Ward you reside in? Find out here: bit.ly/YourWardChi

San Francisco, CA – In light of the recent announcement that PRIDE participants would be subject to increased policing, metal detectors and discretionary admittance, several Grand Marshals and awardees of the “racial & economic justice” themed event are withdrawing from participation in the Pride Parade or Civic Center activities because of the unsafe conditions created for our communities by law enforcement. In the aftermath of the Orlando shooting that took the lives of dozens of queer people of color, many people in our community are afraid. For us, celebrating Pride this year meant choosing between the threat of homophobic and transphobic vigilante violence and the threat of police violence. We had a tough decision to make, and ultimately we chose to keep our people safe by not participating in any event that would leave our communities vulnerable to either.

Please SIGN + SHARE:   http://bit.ly/TheBluestLiePetition

The police claim they’re targeted for hate crimes, but we all know the truth: activists are the ones with targets on their backs. #thebluestlie

Feel free to share the meme!

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#TheBluestLie Collaborative Challenges Announced “Blue Lives” Chicago Ordinance

MEDIA ALERT

For Immediate Release

Contact:  [email protected]

When: Thursday, June 16, 2016

What: #TheBluestLie Collaborative Challenges Announced “Blue Lives Matter” Chicago Ordinance

As young Black Lives from various communities and constituencies across the Windy City, we are confused and appalled by Chicago City Council Finance Committee Chairman Edward Burke’s move to push a “Blue Lives Matter” ordinance, expanding the existing Hate Crimes statute to include past and current law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical personnel as a protected class under the City of Chicago’s Municipal Code. We move together, demanding the Finance Committee to reject this deeply specious ordinance; we call on all justice loving Chicagoans to turn up with us.

The legislative arm of Chicago’s political machine is mired in a deep tradition of ignoring the surveillance, repression and terror that Black and Brown communities endure from municipal and extrajudicial actors alike. Yet, our justified dissent and self-defense as citizens is routinely criminalized. The “First Responder hate bias” framework is a bizarre and ahistoric attempt to destabilize our First Amendment rights as citizens seeking to hold law enforcement and public service departments accountable to the constituencies they are paid to serve.

It is particularly bewildering that this ordinance is being co-sponsored by Aldermen Willie Cochran and Nicolas Sposato, both of whom supported the groundbreaking Reparations Ordinance passed in City Council little over a year ago. Establishing material redress to over 100 torture survivors of former Chicago Police Department (CPD) Commander Jon Burge, this legislation marked an unprecedented moment of institutional atonement for protecting a false confessions predator and convicted perjurer (after over 25 years of grassroots organizing).

Data from CPD’s own Research and Development Division reveals that “hate crimes” advocacy is a mirage. In 2011, Police District 16--housed in Ald. Sposato’s 38th ward--reported the highest number of hate crime complaints, yet none of those investigations resulted in an actionable judgment from CPD’s Civil Rights Unit. Racially motivated incidents against African Americans were the highest proportion of investigations that year. Despite these facts, African American men were the highest proportion of identified “hate crime offenders”.

Badge of Life, a national law enforcement suicide prevention non-profit organization, reports that police officers are 300% more likely to commit suicide than they are to be killed by gunfire in the line of duty. A 2014 Bureau of Labor Statistics census notes that police officers are not even in the top ten of the most deadly occupations. In 2015, 1,186 people were killed by police violence in comparison to the 42 on-duty officers that were killed by fiirearm. In fact, police deaths by gunfire have decreased by 14% in the past year. We know that violence against police is at an all-time low while reported deaths from police violence is at a record high. This proposed hate crimes expansion ordinance is not rooted in any of these facts.

Citizens possess the constitutional right to free expression, including criticizing public servants and public officials. Since police and first responder employees fall under the latter category, it is apparent that this ordinance is targeting a social movement that is laying bare their pre-existing protected status.

We are urging all Chicagoans to tweet, email, call and visit the Alderwomen and men of the Finance Committee. Remind them that we are watching the watchers.

#TheBluestLie Collaborative is lit and led by young Black Chicagoans committed to each others’ autonomy, liberation and abundant futures. Follow us at http://thebluestliechi.tumblr.com