Support HR610: Right to OCCUPY

In the Illinois House

IL State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford (8th Dist.) today filed a resolution (HR 0610) recognizing the hardships suffered by the people of Illinois and expressing support for "the peaceful exercise of First Amendment Rights" by people engaged in the Occupy Illinois protests..

On Tuesday, November 8, it may come to a vote but definitely by Thursday, November 10.

Please contact your state rep AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and ask their support for this resolution (HR0610).

Also, please sign the petition to drop all charges against Occupy protestors.

Then SPREAD THE WORD.

COMPLETE HOW-TO GUIDE HERE: http://yougenics.net/occupyresolution.html

 ****MAKE A CALL THAT ONLY TAKES 2 MINUTES!****

It is so easy. You simply tell the assistant and s/he writes it down!

1. CALL YOUR STATE REP and urge them to co-sponsor and vote yes on HR0610.

2. GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS and ask for a CALL BACK so we know they process the call.

3. BE POLITE and maintain good relations.

4. LET OCCUPY KNOW that you made the call by emailing <s-eisenman@northwestern.edu> so we can better strategize!

****HOW TO FIND YOUR STATE REP****

You have one state representative and you can find that person here:

www.elections.il.gov/districtlocator/districtofficialsearchbyaddress.aspx

Their contact information is here: http://www.ilga.gov/house/default.asp

PLEASE CALL both the district office and Springfield.

****SAMPLE CALL STATEMENT ****

My name is _____ and I live at ______.  I am calling to ask Representative ________ to co-sponsor HR0610. This Resolution recognizes the hardships of Illinois families due to the economic crisis and supports the exercise of free speech by the Occupy movements in Illinois.

As someone who has suffered hardships myself, it is very important to me that s/he recognize the voices of those who are speaking out. 

Please give me a call back to let me know if my Representative will co-sponsor and support this resolution. Thank you so much.

(The resolution is sponsored by Rep. La Shawn K. Ford.)

_______________________________________________________

FULL TEXT OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 0610

LINK:

WHEREAS, The people of Illinois are suffering from an ongoing economic crisis that threatens their health, wealth and security, and

WHEREAS, Occupy movements in Illinois are supported by people of all trades and occupations, from school teachers to military veterans, who are stirred to protest economic injustice by the examples of the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City and the numerous other Occupy protests across the country; and

WHEREAS, In Illinois, the unemployment rate is 10% (numbering more than 660,000 people), the poverty rate is more than 14% (1.8 million people), and the rate of people living in extreme poverty (income less than $11,000 for a family of four) is nearly 7% (680,000 people); and

WHEREAS, The average after-tax household income of the top 1% of the United States population grew by 275% between 1979 and 2007, and the average after-tax household income of the lowest 20% of the United States population grew by just 18% in that same period; and

WHEREAS, The top 1% of income earners control 40% of the wealth in the United States; and

WHEREAS, The foreclosure rate in Illinois last month was the ninth worst in the country (1 of every 463 units), the rate in Cook County was even worse (1 of 357 units), and nearly 45% of the mortgage loans on Chicago homes are “underwater”, that is, the amount of the home mortgage loan exceeds the value of the home; and

WHEREAS, The cost of the foreclosure crisis to Illinois taxpayers in 2012 is expected to reach $12 billion, blighting whole communities with decreased police and fire protection, higher crime rates, less access to health care, poorer schools, deteriorated infrastructure, diminished recreation services, reduced library services, and park closures or reduced park hours; and

WHEREAS, People of all ages (from young adults to seniors) and backgrounds, individuals from all Chicago neighborhoods, and persons who live in the suburbs, downstate cities, and rural areas are lawfully protesting the failures of Wall Street, the subsequent economic crisis, and the failure to address the needs of 99% of the population; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the hardships experienced by the people of Illinois as a result of the economic injustices and we stand in support of the continued peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights by Occupy protesters.