More Than 150 arrested at NC Legislature during Monday protests

[marions ghost]

Source: Charlotte Observer --Charlotte, NC

More than 150 arrested at NC legislature during Monday protests
By John Frank
Posted: Monday, Jun. 03, 2013
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RALEIGH "Jennifer Ferrell stopped so her husband could take her picture. Then she waved goodbye to her 3-year-old twins and marched into the Legislative Building to get handcuffed.

“I’m excited. I’m not nervous,” the 34-year-old Raleigh resident said as she walked in a line of demonstrators. “I’m passionate. I’m not crazy.”

For weeks now, Ferrell heard about protesters getting arrested at the statehouse to demonstrate against the Republican majority’s legislative agenda. And like many Monday, she felt compelled to add her voice to the chants and her wrists to the handcuffs. “I knew it was time to stop watching and do it myself,” she said.

Authorities arrested 151 people in the rotunda between the legislative chambers during the latest “Moral Monday” protest – the largest mass arrest since the N.C. NAACP began organizing the weekly civil disobedience events in late April.

The number is nearly the equivalent to the arrests at the four prior protests combined and brings the total above 300 this session.

The crowd of spectators also exploded, with hundreds rallying on the mall outside the legislative building, listening to speakers condemn Republican legislative leaders. “That’s extreme,” shouted the Rev. William Barber, the N.C. NAACP president, into a loud speaker as he listed legislation Republicans have approved this year. “That’s immoral, and we must stand up and wake up right here, right now.”

Police estimated the crowd at 1,000 – about five times more than the last protest – but organizers counted 1,600"


Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/06/03/4083626/more-than-100-arrested-at-moral.html#storylink=cpy

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shout out to Moral Monday Protestors

[iemitsu]

1. Good for these North Carolina residents.

At least the idiots, who voted for the offending republicans, controlling the legislature, can see how their neighbors feel about their voting choices.
This is an odd context for community discussions but it certainly is a way to force all the citizens to examine what path they want their state and communities to head.

[illegaloperation]

19. It's hard to remove them.

The Republican gerrymandered themselves in and it's going to be hard to remove them.

North Carolina general assembly went from Democratic supermajority to Republican supermajority.

[iemitsu]

28. Yeah, I know its hard to remove them but

this is the sort of airing of the issues that might help in ousting these idiots come election day.
Keeping the masses from communicating with each other is the best way to keep us divided. When we talk we discover we share the same concerns.

[asjr]

2. I am so sorry this is happening in N.C. My daughter and I

loved going there on vacation--she attended college there. I would visit her at least 3 times a year from Middle TN while she was there. Republican reptiles have taken over so many states I don't recognize my own state anymore.

[Berlum]

3. Republicans are just now starting to get the backlash from their lies to and theft of America

I predict a Mighty Wave of Backlash -- aka KARMA -- will send them swirling back down the drain into the spiritual cesspools where they appropriated their so-called "values" of fear, hate and greed

[marions ghost]

4. Seconding that vision

We need to pump that cesspool all right....

[mountain grammy]

8. Right on!

[dembotoz]

5. courage on display

[marions ghost]

6. Check this out

Great vid of the June 3 Moral Monday protest-- posted by mmonk in GD.

Fiery speech by Rev Barber as the protestors file inside to be arrested.

"Some of them in there are high on Koch. Koch money puppets in there...drunk with power and greed. The people are awake now..."

"We're gonna walk forward UNTIL...Don't ask us to stop...I intend to stay UNTIL...(no further words)"
Chants of "UNTIL"....

[mountain grammy]

10. My heart soars to see many of my age bracket there. We are not all teabaggers!!

[marions ghost]

18. Absolutely NOT--( tho maybe tea drinkers....LOL)

Go progressive grammies. Long may you soar.

NC protestors run the gamut. All types, all ages, all causes.

[blm]

7. We should start DU meet ups here over the summer.

Anyone want to take a few vacation days in North Carolina?

[marions ghost]

17. Good idea

DU it.

[mountain grammy]

9. I remember when 15 teabaggers showed up anywhere

and the national "news media" was on it. Over 1000 every Monday and not a whisper. But, they can't be ignored forever... march on, people! It's still a free country! This movement will grow because it's an honest grass roots effort.

[SunSeeker]

11. Exactly. If these folks were teabaggers it'd be all over the news!

But if these folks were teabaggers, there would only be a dozen of them--their typical turnout--and they'd still get on the news.

[mrmpa]

12. So what are the charges?...........

peacefully entering a public building? I understand the protests, of course, I don't understand the arrests.

[marions ghost]

15.

http://charlotte.cbslocal.com/2013/06/03/140-people-arrested-in-naacp-protest-against-nc-republicans/

"Unlike in past weeks, police couldn’t clear out all those being arrested before the Senate’s Monday floor session began, which led to some grumbling from lawmakers who had to work around the rotunda filled with police and demonstrators."
(snip)

"Those arrested have been charged with second-degree trespassing, failure to disperse and violations of building rules. The NAACP chapter president, the Rev. William Barber, has said his group is researching challenges to those arrests based in part on constitutional provisions that say citizens have a right to “instruct” their legislators.

Barber is among those arrested in the first wave of protests headed to court in late June."

[MynameisBlarney]

13. Good to see my fellow Tar Heels

Standing up for what's right.

[marions ghost]

20. Here's another good video just up on youtube

down in the crowd while Rev Barber is speaking. So many there who have worked hard for Early Voting and Same Day Registration...only to see the Legislature try to take it away. It IS like being plunged back in some horrible civil rights era nightmare...

[groundloop]

14. I'm disappointed that the linked article did a poor job of explaining the issues

IMO the linked article did a better job of gathering quotes from repubs, and did a very poor job of explaining why people are protesting. The author should have dug deeper and explained the issues that are being protested, and a good reporter could have done that without the appearance of taking sides.

[marions ghost]

16. You have a point

& I agree --but also the Charlotte Observer is a local paper and there have been other articles.

The scope of the Rethuglicon takeover of NC is so comprehensive it would take a very long piece to do justice to it. But I agree, they could do a better job of coverage. I wonder how many arrests it will take before they decide to do that.

The dismantling of everything progressives have worked for and voters have supported-- is unfolding daily in the Legislature. As the article says there is more "fuel" for the protestors every single week:

"The protesters’ list of grievances was as diverse as the crowd: education spending, voter ID, women’s rights, the elimination of the estate tax, private school vouchers and more.

Sen. Mike Woodard, a Durham Democrat who watched the protest from the sidelines, said each week Republicans seem to add more fuel with their actions. The next step, he said, is to take the energy to legislative districts and influence the 2014 election. “The key is if the legislature doesn’t listen ... then constituents need to start taking action to vote them out,” he said.

PS: --------------------------------------------------

If you really want to know in depth what's going on in NC I recommend this article from The New Yorker:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/10/10/111010fa_fact_mayer

[marions ghost]

21. Gov McCrory's statement at noon..."Not Impressed"

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/politics&id=9126902

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory says he is not impressed with the state chapter of the NAACP's weeks-long protest of the conservative policies of the Republican-led General Assembly.
(snip)

"On Tuesday, McCrory said people refusing to leave when ordered consumes a lot of resources.

"We welcome feedback, we welcome lawful demonstrations," he said. "However, we don't welcome unlawful demonstrations, and that should not be accepted."

McCrory added that he is not interested in speaking with the group.

"No," he said. "I am pleased that it's been non-violent, though, and that's the second most important parameter. That it be lawful and non-violent. I'm very pleased with the way the authorities have handled it, in a non-violent manner."

[blkmusclmachine]

22. Stand up against the POLICE STATE

[marions ghost]

26. He's got everything under control...Homeland Insecurity

"Since the September 11 attacks in 2001, McCrory has been heavily involved with Homeland Security efforts. In 2003, President George W. Bush appointed McCrory to the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council alongside Mitt Romney, Sonny Perdue, and Lee H. Hamilton." (Wiki McCrory Bio) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_McCrory

[marions ghost]

23. Another good video from Indy Week, (with song & chant)

http://www.indyweek.com/triangulator/archives/2013/06/03/151-arrested-at-moral-monday-protest

Allen Wellons, a former state senator (D-Johnston), was among those that chose to be arrested. "I just couldn't sit back and watch this happen anymore," said Wellons as he walked into the Legislative Building hand in hand with a line of others who planned to participate in civil disobedience. "They [Republican leaders] are taking chances with the future of our children, the elderly, poor people and just the average citizen."

(snip)

The majority of protesters were white, but the age range was more diverse than in previous weeks. A group of 10 teachers from Hillside High School in Durham, all in their 20s, were among the crowd. Jessie Odom, 25, said she had been educated about proposed changes in public education by her fellow teachers in previous weeks and decided to join the growing movement.

"When I talk to my friends who teach at other schools, I don't get the sense that they know about everything that's happening," said Odom. "But that's why we're out here."

"150 people getting arrested and thousands protesting, as opposed to business as usual at the legislature, throws a spotlight on what's happening," said Katie Barnhill, another Hillside teacher. "This might bring someone to think about what's happening in a way they hadn't before."

"They are starting to wake up a sleeping giant," said Yevonne Brannon, a longtime Wake County organizer. "It's called the middle class."

[bluemarkers]

25. iirc, McCory brought his mama, a teacher, into the campaign

they are just a bunch of, well you know, John Kerry was caught on camera saying it several years ago... Boy was he right!

[marions ghost]

29. He pretends to supports schools...but not really

http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/mccrorys-education-budget-is-deceptive/Content?oid=3461093

-------------
Gov. Pat McCrory's budget is not what it seems. It's not even what you've been told it is.

"McCrory's budget: hires 1,800 more teachers..." trumpeted The News & Observer headline last Wednesday when the 300-plus-page tome was released. You can read a nearly identical sentence in the press release McCrory's office issued that day, and in plenty of other news accounts.

But that doesn't make it so. An INDY Week analysis of budget documents shows that McCrory's 1,800 teachers may never materialize. Based on other cuts hidden in the budget, McCrory's small army of teachers could dwindle to less than 200.
(more at link)

[marions ghost]

24. "Why I'm being Arrested"

By Carol Teal, citizen
Post on June 3, 2013

http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2013/06/03/one-moral-monday-protester-explains-her-plans-for-this-evening/

This is not a decision I made lightly but in the end it’s one I made without hesitation. Before getting to the essence of why, I had to attend to some practical matters. Did I have the support of my family? – yes. Would it affect my job? – no. Could I post bail? – yes.

It’s easier for me to do this than most people. I’m almost 60 years old, nearing the end of my career. I won’t lose my job. This is not a brave thing for me to do – just a necessary thing.

Why is it necessary? Will this likely have an impact on the legislators making the decisions that I think are so harmful – probably not. Shouldn’t I honor the process of the last election that put all these people in office – absolutely. I do.

The real reason I’m doing this is I need to be a citizen today – in the most profound way possible. And I need to honor Gandhi and Martin Luther King and Jesus and do it in a serious nonviolent way.

What are the decisions this General Assembly has made that I find so troubling that I am willing to stand in front of the chamber doors blocking their way?

There are too many to enumerate here. For now, I want to just share a few that are personal to me.

Denying access to healthcare to half a million North Carolina citizens. When our governor and legislators turned their backs on Medicaid expansion, this is exactly what they did. This is personal to me because last year my son had a serious blood infection that lodged in his spine and crippled him. He is perfectly healthy today and just finished his first year in college because he had access to quality healthcare. If he had not – he might not even be here today. Denying people access to healthcare is WRONG – on every level and it will cost people’s lives.

One of the first things this General Assembly did was drastically cut unemployment benefits at a time when so many in North Carolina are hurting and our unemployment rate is so high. My brother, an Iraq war veteran was unemployed for a long time. Fortunately he now has a job in another state – but I know how hard this was for him and his family. We can’t turn our backs on people who through no fault of their own are out of work and want nothing more than to find a job to support themselves and their families.

Another thing I find very troubling is the proposal for “tax reform” that will bring in less revenue and cause a reduction in services while shifting the tax burden to working families and giving those of us who are better able to shoulder the tax burden a break. I can’t believe we are “reforming” our tax policy so working families pay more and millionaires pay less.

The strength of a democracy depends in large part to the extent to which we all participate in the process – primarily by voting. We should do everything in our power to encourage people to vote and make it easier to vote. We should expand early voting – not cut it. We should make it easy to register to vote and not impose unnecessary barriers to voting.

Another pillar of a strong democracy is educated citizens. Our NC Constitution is clear about our responsibility to provide a quality education. Almost everyone in my father’s family is a public school teacher. They work hard, don’t make a lot of money and know how important their work is. I admire them greatly for their dedication to the common good. We need to do everything we can to strengthen public education – not take money away from it by providing vouchers to attend private schools. And I really can’t believe we are talking about increasing class sizes and eliminating teacher assistants in elementary grades.

In the 1960’s, birth control became widely available to women in this country. We know that women gain sovereignty over their lives by controlling their reproductive lives: this is one of the most important advances in the history of civilization. Really it is. If women can’t control this aspect of their lives, they have no control. I never thought we would be trying to deny access to birth control in 2013. Women should be able to make their own personal decisions about their bodies and reproductive health. Period.

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These are the actions of the General Assembly — among many others — that compel me to act as a citizen and engage in non-violent civil disobedience. It is a simple thing that one individual can do and I am proud to stand with my fellow citizens to say this to the General Assembly:

You have gone too far. The things you are doing are hurting our citizens and the damage can’t be easily undone. Think about the mother being denied healthcare, the father whose unemployment benefits are cut, the child lost in a crowded classroom and all the people waiting in long lines, unnecessarily, to exercise their most basic responsibility of citizenship – voting.

I implore our legislators to care about all the citizens of the great state of North Carolina. Let’s do everything we can to make sure everyone can reach their highest potential as a human being.

And I promise my fellow citizens that I will do everything I can to honor this great country that I have the privilege to live in by standing up against the damage being done to our state and advocating for what we need to do to make it great again.

This is why I’m being arrested.

[marions ghost]

27. "We Shall Overcome"

&feature=player_embedded

At 1:40 in the video, the crowd of people being arrested sing "We Shall Overcome" in the legislative building...powerful.

[Cha]

30. Thank you, North Carolina Protestors!

[marions ghost]

31. The protestors are "punishing" the people of Wake County is the latest whine...

http://www.wral.com/-moral-monday-protests-have-unintended-impact/12515977/



(snip)
"After the first four weeks of protests, General Assembly Police had spent an additional $11,000 in personnel costs, and the Raleigh Police Department, which has been involved in the arrests and transportation of protesters, had spent an extra $16,000 on staff.

The City-County Bureau of Identification, Wake County Detention Center and Wake County Magistrate's Office have also had to bring in additional staff to book protesters.

The cases then end up in Wake County courtrooms, where, Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby says the prosecutorial staff and judges have to look at each case individually and see it through the court system.
"If we have to try all of these cases, it will take weeks and weeks of court, of judge time, of prosecutor time," Willoughby said.

He fears the number of people arrested could more than triple by the end of the legislative session this summer.
"By the time the General Assembly recesses, we may have a thousand cases pushed into a system that is already strained," Willoughby said.

For him, he said, it's not about politics but about pragmatism. "I don't think the people who are doing this understand what they're doing to the system," Willoughby said. "They're not punishing the General Assembly. The General Assembly is not hurting because of this. The people who are getting punished are the citizens of Wake County."