From Margaret - For 1/21 action:
I have sent a copy of my eulogy for Saturday's events. I've tried to tighten it up and strengthen it. Take a look. I'd appreciate your feedback.
I guess you can't sent an attachment with a PM. Excuse me while I cut and paste.
Eulogy for the American voter
Dearly beloved occupiers and friends, we are gathered here today to mourn the passing of a founding principle of the United States. This tragedy occurred because five justices have no respect for the American voter. Exactly two years ago, the concept of ‘one man, one vote’ was killed by the United States Supreme Court. We have been taught that every court in our land is impartial. Shouldn’t the highest court in the land be subject to the same standard? Supreme Court justices must not bring personal political beliefs into their decision making process. Instead, the Court’s cynical, partisan decision has destroyed a fundamental right of every American citizen.
In dictatorships it’s not unusual or unexpected that the judicial system is corrupt and biased. In America, it has always been a source of pride that our judicial system was fair and followed the guidelines set down in the Constitution. Those days are over; a biased Supreme Court allowed an unprecedented amount of corporate donations to candidates. In the Court’s opinion, corporate contributions may remain anonymous, no matter how large the donation. America integrity has been compromised. Our Constitution has been trampled.
Justice John Paul Stevens, in a dissenting opinion joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Brayer and Sonia Sotomajor, said the court's decision “undermines the integrity of elected institutions across the nation. The court's opinion is thus a rejection of the common sense of the American people who have recognized a need to prevent corporations from undermining self-government since the founding and who have fought against the distinctive corrupting potential of corporate electioneering since the days of Theodore Roosevelt."
We have a difficult task ahead of us. Congress and the States can overturn a decision by amending the Constitution. Congressmen and Senators must propose a constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United. Two-thirds of the House and Senate must approve the proposed amendment. It is then sent to the states for a vote. Three-fourths of the states must ratify the proposed Amendment. This is not as impossible as it sounds. Half the states joined in a brief when the Supreme Court was considering Citizens United. The brief said that elections and unlimited corporate spending do not belong together. We must undertake the task of convincing our fellow citizens to insist that a constitutional amendment must be passed. We must inform and educate. We must demand that our congressmen and senators pass an amendment to overturn the Citizens United decision. We must demand that our state legislators ratify this amendment.
Another process which can overturn a US Supreme Court decision was demonstrated by the action of the Montana Supreme Court. Montana’s top court restored its century-old law banning corporations from directly spending on political candidates. Contradictory rulings cannot stand. Legal experts believe that upon appeal, this case will come before the nation’s highest court. While there, it could serve as the first test of the precedents in the infamous Citizens United decision that essentially allows unrestricted corporate spending in campaigns. We urge the State of North Carolina to pass such a law. We urge our Supreme Court to follow Montana’s bold path.
This death is tragic for us, but it is much more tragic for future generations, who will only experience elections decided by corporations and lobbyists. For the sake of our children and their children, we must remain strong and steadfast in our principles. For the sake of our children and their children, we must remain strong and steadfast in our principles. We cannot allow this sacrilege to continue.
There is hope for resurrection and renewal only if we keep fighting this injustice, for as long as it takes. Unless we resist and resist strongly, a small group will continue to own our political system. We must speak the truth. Corporations are not people. Money is not free speech. The political system must be transparent. If we allow this abomination to continue as the law of our land, we will be complicit in the total annihilation of our democracy. We must repeat these truths over and over until our elected and appointed officials understand our words.
