Making Way for Democracy

Making Way for Democracy

Progressive and radical social change has never come from above. The civil rights movements, suffrage movements, anti-war movements (embraced today as "mainstream" movements, but disparaged in their time) have all been grassroots collective actions - people's movements.


With the resurgence of the social justice movement and mass anti-war movement in the U.S. the government has, in recent years, grown more overtly repressive of domestic progressive political activity. It didn't start under the Bush administration, but there is no denying that there has been a disturbing and marked movement towards reactionary government policies in general, and an overt return to the use of federal and local "law enforcement" resources to infiltrate, target and disrupt progressive organizing and action.

In city after city, including repeatedly in Washington, D.C., government has engaged in preemptive disruptive attacks and mass false arrests of persons believed to be protestors or who happen to be in physical proximity to free speech activity. The Partnership for Civil Justice is now actively advancing constitutional rights litigation in Washington, D.C.(including two class actions), New York City (where we are fighting to stop the corporate privatization of Central Park and open it to the people for mass free speech activities), and Miami, Florida (where we are part of the NLG Mass Defense legal team litigating from the FTAA protests).

We've succeeded in overturning the unconstitutional system that the City of Philadelphia had used for years to try to prevent and disrupt groups with disfavored political opinions from collective action, marches and demonstrations and, as you can see from the Litigation page of our site, we've had many other victories along the way.

The focus of our Campaign to Defend the First Amendment is to, literally, make way for democracy in the streets, the parklands and on the sidewalks. These are public forums that belong to all of us and that have historically been reserved to the public for free speech activities, but that are now threatened in an alarmingly systematic manner, particularly for groups engaged in vigorous dissent of existing social and economic and military policies. These are the assembly sites, the launching pads, and the speakers platforms for social change and progress.

Acting in Solidarity with the People of the World

In addition to supporting those who are taking to the streets to bring an end to the criminal war and occupation of Iraq, the Partnership for Civil Justice is defending humanitarians who stepped forward to challenge the lethal sanctions and blockades that the U.S. imposes which target civilian populations in order to achieve strategic and political goals. We have invoked international law in the defense of Voices in the Wilderness, which ran the Iraqi sanctions blockade in order to deliver medical supplies desperately needed by the sick and dying children and civilians of that nation.

Defending Targeted Communities

Working with communities, including the Arab and Muslim community, which have been particularly targeted and terrorized in the past three years with raids, home invasions, interrogations and arrests, the PCJ has sought to provide both legal support and Know Your Rights educational information.

Working With the Community in Washington, D.C.

We are based in Washington, D.C., and as a member of that community have ensured that our work is also local, as well as national and international in focus. When the Mayor's Office took steps to close down the only public hospital in the District, religious, community and labor leaders turned to the Partnership, which filed an amicus curiae brief in federal court opposing the closure. When local housing activists turned to the PCJ for legal representation when the government sought to interfere with the return of abandoned housing stock to the community, PCJ stepped in to stop the government from eviction at a community rehabilitated house.

The Future

As we look to the future, the Partnership will continue to be at the forefront of legal struggle, using the law to defend and create room for the peoples' movement for progressive social change. As we challenge repression and civil rights violations as they arise, and proactively work to prevent constitutional rights violations, we shall continue to advance and protect the fundamental rights that we all share and that are essential to the unfinished struggle towards ending exploitation and bigotry and achieving social and economic justice.


We need your help to carry out this work. Please consider supporting this work today by clicking here.
Contact InformationPartnership for Civil Justice2401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Ste 320Washington, D.C. 20037(202) 955-5559 (202) 955-5589 (facsimile)

I know some of you acting democrats have a few bucks left over from your SUV and other purchases. Throw some over to these guys. They do good things.


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text "CHENEY" to 30644 to impeach him first, or text "BUSH" to 30644 to impeach him first, or text "BOTH" to 30644 if you think it would be strategically wise to go for the double play

The heart has it's reasons which reason knows nothing of.
*
We know truth, not only by reason, but also by the heart.
Blaise Pascal

Here's the last 25 messages on the Impeach Cheney matter
No Excuses : Email any rep in the country. Go ahead. They have to answer you; it's what you pay them for. Compel them to uphold their oath to protect the Constitution of the United States of America.

The lie was dead
And damned, and truth stood up instead.
Robert Browning

ANOTHER BUSH LIE


Also TEXT the word "TODAY" to 30644 to become part of the John Edwards campaign. Do it. He actually had rainbow bumper stickers. Kinda thoughtful.

I've saved some sunlight
if you should ever need
a place away from darkness
where your mind can feed.
from Rod McKuen's "I've Saved The Summer"

Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power.
We have guided missiles and misguided men.
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)

Make today COUNT.
Go to to find the phone numbers of your Senators and Representative.

Bill Nelson 202 224 5274

Kathy Castor 202 225 3376 (UPDATED NUMBER)

Mel Martinez 202224 3041

Send a letter to the St.Pete Times
I don't care what you talk about but keep sending letters until they publish one. They're very selective with WHOM they publish because I see the same names over and over. Don't let a few people speak for ALL of us.

And call your congressman and talk to her of Inherent Contempt. Do it. And hug everyone you can reach.

North Jersey JUST DOIN it.

Headlights to Impeach
Turn them ON. PlEaSe ! Help a country out here. Also, click the link to sign the petition. Takes three seconds.

Live Vote for Impeachment

Vote in the National Cheney Impeachment Poll
Click Here

Bush Business (two states moving to convene grand juries)
Email your Congressman
Court of Impeachment and War Crimes

Brought to you LIVE from THE TAMPA NAIL HOUSE ... : Proud members of the drive-by media (just like Thomas Paine, father of America)

... located in the midtown desired redevelopment center just one block from the river.
The City of Tampa and it's assorted city-sanctioned gang members need this property because it's in the middle of land they intend to develop for gambling facilities.
LaS VEgas here in Tampa : Ta-Vegas or Tam-Gas.
But it's going to cost YOU a helluva lot of money as they defend their criminal acts in federal court due to what they are doing to my family and I in
the process of attempting to steal our home.

Terrorist,"Cause" and Gang Stalking Perpetrated by Tampa Firemen and other Firemen -- revealed and written about.

Some more threats from Tampa firemen (we'll just drive by your burning house if we know who you are) no kidding? I would NEVER have guessed that !
Stop Organized Stalking
More mention of Firefighter and Police participation in gang-stalking
Technorati Tags global warming

Technorati Tags: magical sheep, Truckspy rawks, shaggy sheep, SUVs

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