No More Arrests for Peaceful Protests! Call for a Bill of Rights for Activists!

June 28, 2009
Obama Needs to Make It Safe for Citizens to Protest
No More Arrests for Peaceful Protests!
Call for a Bill of Rights for Activists.

President Obama has recently criticized Iran for it's violent actions against protestors in and from Iran itself. (see remarks below)

"the rights of the Iranian people -- to assemble, to speak freely, to have their voices heard -- those are universal aspirations."

"if the Iranian government desires the respect of the international community then it must respect the rights, and heed the will, of its people."

"a government that treats its own citizens with that kind of ruthlessness and violence and that cannot deal with peaceful protestors who are trying to have their voices heard in a equally peaceful way I think has moved outside of universal norms, international norms, that are important to uphold."

"I continue to call on the Iranian government to deal with people who are peacefully protesting, wanting their voices
to be heard, in a way that respects international principles."

CHANCELLOR MERKEL OF GERMANY, agreed

with President Obama, she said,

"I would like to underline that the Iranian people need

to be given the right to peaceful demonstrations..."

President Obma was moved by the murder of 27 year old, music student, Neda Agha Soltan in Tehran. He said,

"We have experienced the searing image of a woman bleeding to death on the streets. While this loss is raw and painful, we also know this: Those who stand for justice are always on the right side of history." (William J. Kole, AP writer, Web awash in tributes to slain Iranian protester, June 26, 2009)

Given that peaceful protestors have been harrassed and arrested
in the United States we need President Obama to make it safe
and legal for U.S. citizens to peacefully protest and demonstrate out of their concerns for political/social issues
of the day.

Let us then, the acitivist community, encourage President Barack Obama to do just that; to make it safe for us to protest, with proper legal requirements met, in any city in this nation when the will and desire of the people is felt and desired to express itself
in progressive and peaceful action - in the form of protest on the streets or inside buildings throughout the land,; and uphold the Constitution of the United States. (see footnote below)

Let us show evidence of arrests made by police and government enforcement against protestors over the last
few years, and in history of the United States, as well as evidence in the Constitution which gives Americans the right to protest, assemble and freedoms of speech and press, etc...

The U.S. Constitution, 1st Amendment states...
"right of the people peacefully to assemble"...

Protests and demonstrations are now occuring more frequently than ever these days around the world. The people are speaking up and expressing their opposition to government, military and economic forces which are not representing their best interests.
We need more clarity of people's rights, morally and legally in
the U.S. as well as around the world.

By starting here we can foster a movement that will change an attitude of the need to control the people to the need to protect their rights and freedoms, as determined by law. This effort
would have a very positive effect too on many other countries and help protect those people who desire change and redress for their grievances as well.

Too, the United Nations would hear the call for the establishment of a Resolution, a Bill of Rights for Activists, worldwide.

In compiling "evidence" of activist's arrests for peaceful protests and demonstrations we need someone or a group to offer to accept stories and compile a database of these incidents and any court proceeding, and to share such stories with those wanting to use that information in the lobbying effort with the President.

A coalition of groups for this effort might work best of all.

arn specter, phila.arnpeace@yahoo.com June 28, 2009

Footnote: The Constitution of the United States was signed
on September 17, 1787, at the Constitution Convention in Philadelphia; a revolutionary document, the framers gave the people real power and a structure to govern themselves.

Two years later, on September 25, 1789, 12 Amendments to the Constitution were submitted, and 10 became The Bill Of Rights.

Amendment 1 states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the
right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
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For Immediate Release June 26, 2009

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA
AND
CHANCELLOR MERKEL OF GERMANY
IN JOINT PRESS AVAILABILITY

East Room (see www.whitehouse.gov)

The Chancellor and I discussed the tragic situation in Iran. Today we speak with one voice: the rights of the Iranian people -- to assemble, to speak freely, to have their voices heard -- those are universal aspirations. And their bravery in the face of brutality is a testament to their enduring pursuit of justice. The violence perpetrated against them is outrageous. Despite the government's efforts to keep the world from bearing witness to that violence, we see it and we condemn it. As I've said before, the Iranian people will be the ultimate judge of their government's actions. But if the Iranian government desires the respect of the international community then it must respect the rights, and heed the will, of its people.

I think what's absolutely clear is over the course of subsequent days, that Moussavi has shown to have captured the imagination or the spirit of forces within Iran that were interested in opening up, and that he has become a representative of many of those people who are on the streets and who have displayed extraordinary bravery and extraordinary courage.

I continue to believe that ultimately it's up to the Iranian people to make decisions about who their leaders are going to be. But as I said this week and I've said previously, a government that treats its own citizens with that kind of ruthlessness and violence and that cannot deal with peaceful protestors who are trying to have their voices heard in a equally peaceful way I think has moved outside of universal norms, international norms, that are important to uphold.

I continue to call on the Iranian government to deal with people who are peacefully protesting, wanting their voices to be heard, in a way that respects international principles.

--------------------------------------------

CHANCELLOR MERKEL OF GERMANY,

"I would like to underline that the Iranian people need to be given the right to peaceful demonstrations; that the Iranian people have the right to have votes be counted and the election results substantiated; that the rights of human beings, of individuals, of citizens are indivisible the world over, and also apply, therefore, to the Iranian people."

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