Green Party of the United States
End Corporate Rule.
Legalize Democracy.
** MOVE TO AMEND **
=====================
CONTACT:
Jennifer and John La Pietra, (269) 781-9478,jennysweetheat@yahoo.com
INTERVIEWS:
David Cobb, (707) 362-0333, david@duhc.org
National Democracy Activist to Visit Battle Creek
(Battle Creek, MI) – The First United Methodist Church of Battle Creek will host a community forum on "Creating Democracy and Challenging Corporate Rule" with guest speaker David Cobb of the Move to Amend campaign. Part history lesson and part heartfelt call to action, the event will be at the Fellowship Hall of the church at 111 E. Michigan Ave., from 7pm to 9pm on Wednesday, June 27.
The U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 ruling in _Citizens United v. FEC_ opened the floodgates to unlimited corporate spending on elections. Cobb, an attorney and organizer for the Move to Amend coalition, will help local residents understand the history behind the recent decision and how they can work to abolish "corporate personhood" and re-establish a government of, by, and for the people.
"Corporate personhood" commonly refers to court-created precedent that gives corporations constitutional rights intended solely for human beings. "Corporate personhood is not an inconsequential legal technicality. The Supreme Court ruled that a corporation was a 'legal person' with 14th Amendment protections before they granted full personhood to African-Americans, immigrants, natives, or women," states David Cobb, a spokesperson for Move to Amend and an attorney helping to lead the coalition.
"We are inspired by historic social movements that recognized the necessity of altering fundamental power relationships," said Cobb. "America has progressed through ordinary people joining together—from the revolutionaries to abolitionists, suffragists, trade unionists, and civil rights activists through to today. Move to Amend is a long-term effort to make the U.S. Constitution more democratic."
The forum will focus on how the Battle Creek area can join the national movement against Corporate Personhood. Cobb will provide information about the issue and facilitate a discussion about local action in Battle Creek, across the state of Michigan, and in communities across the United States to win the amendment campaign through grassroots mobilization.
"We are a diverse coalition with deep roots in communities nationwide. We recognize that amending the Constitution to restore the power of the people over corporations will not be easy, but we know correcting the Supreme Court is imperative to the progress of our nation," stated Cobb.
Over 200,000 people have signed an online petition at http://www.movetoamend.org/ supporting a constitutional amendment to end corporate personhood.
The local forum will take place 7-9pm on Wednesday, June 27 at the Fellowship Hall of First United Methodist Church of Battle Creek, 111 E. Michigan. For more information call 508-280-1360, visit the Move to Amend webpage for the event
(http://MoveToAmend.org/events/battle-creek-mi-move-amend-barnstorming-tour-david-cobb), or look for the event page on Facebook.
End Corporate Rule.
Legalize Democracy.
** MOVE TO AMEND **
=====================
CONTACT:
Jennifer and John La Pietra, (269) 781-9478,jennysweetheat@yahoo.com
INTERVIEWS:
David Cobb, (707) 362-0333, david@duhc.org
National Democracy Activist to Visit Battle Creek
(Battle Creek, MI) – The First United Methodist Church of Battle Creek will host a community forum on "Creating Democracy and Challenging Corporate Rule" with guest speaker David Cobb of the Move to Amend campaign. Part history lesson and part heartfelt call to action, the event will be at the Fellowship Hall of the church at 111 E. Michigan Ave., from 7pm to 9pm on Wednesday, June 27.
The U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 ruling in _Citizens United v. FEC_ opened the floodgates to unlimited corporate spending on elections. Cobb, an attorney and organizer for the Move to Amend coalition, will help local residents understand the history behind the recent decision and how they can work to abolish "corporate personhood" and re-establish a government of, by, and for the people.
"Corporate personhood" commonly refers to court-created precedent that gives corporations constitutional rights intended solely for human beings. "Corporate personhood is not an inconsequential legal technicality. The Supreme Court ruled that a corporation was a 'legal person' with 14th Amendment protections before they granted full personhood to African-Americans, immigrants, natives, or women," states David Cobb, a spokesperson for Move to Amend and an attorney helping to lead the coalition.
"We are inspired by historic social movements that recognized the necessity of altering fundamental power relationships," said Cobb. "America has progressed through ordinary people joining together—from the revolutionaries to abolitionists, suffragists, trade unionists, and civil rights activists through to today. Move to Amend is a long-term effort to make the U.S. Constitution more democratic."
The forum will focus on how the Battle Creek area can join the national movement against Corporate Personhood. Cobb will provide information about the issue and facilitate a discussion about local action in Battle Creek, across the state of Michigan, and in communities across the United States to win the amendment campaign through grassroots mobilization.
"We are a diverse coalition with deep roots in communities nationwide. We recognize that amending the Constitution to restore the power of the people over corporations will not be easy, but we know correcting the Supreme Court is imperative to the progress of our nation," stated Cobb.
Over 200,000 people have signed an online petition at http://www.movetoamend.org/ supporting a constitutional amendment to end corporate personhood.
The local forum will take place 7-9pm on Wednesday, June 27 at the Fellowship Hall of First United Methodist Church of Battle Creek, 111 E. Michigan. For more information call 508-280-1360, visit the Move to Amend webpage for the event
(http://MoveToAmend.org/events/battle-creek-mi-move-amend-barnstorming-tour-david-cobb), or look for the event page on Facebook.
