We put the City on notice that we will not tolerate violence in any form against peaceful protestors

[Fire Walk With Me]

Contact: Kari Koch, 580-716-4729, [e-mail]

For immediate release, Nov 12, 2011

COMMUNITY LEADERS URGE NO VIOLENCE
AGAINST OCCUPY PORTLAND

Groups ask for alternatives to forcible removal

Open letter to the City:

We support the Occupy Wall Street movement in Portland and around the world. It is a commendable and muchneeded
response to the corporate greed and government corruption that negatively affects so many people in our
communities and beyond.

As organizations advocating for economic and social justice, we owe the men, women and youth of this movement a
great deal of gratitude for the tremendous shift they have created in the national debate. After years of effort, the
nation is finally beginning to consider the root causes of the nation's economic woes rather than seek out scapegoats.
This positive momentum must be continued.

Obviously, the movement's successes have made it a target for those who prefer the status quo. We acknowledge that
the Occupy Portland encampment is not without problems. That said, it would be wrong to suggest that the
homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse and violence so often highlighted by the corporate media and certain
public officials was created by the encampment. Putting the many hardships associated with poverty on public
display should be a step towards addressing them, not an excuse for political repression. Volunteers within Occupy
Portland have done an amazing job trying to address these issues and they deserve far more help and credit than has
been given them thus far.

We urge the City to reconsider plans to forcibly remove demonstrators from Lownsdale and Chapman Squares, and to
instead work with Occupy Portland to address whatever legitimate concerns exist regarding health and public safety.
There is no shortage of peaceable and respectful actions the City could take to achieve those goals, while also
protecting demonstrators' First Amendment rights.

We put the City on notice that we will not tolerate violence in any form against peaceful protestors.

In Solidarity,

Alliance for Democracy
Association of Western Pulp & Paper Workers
Cross Trade Solidarity
East Timor Action Network – Portland
Global Justice for Animals and the Environment –
Portland
Jewish Voice for Peace - Portland Chapter
Jobs with Justice
No War Drum Corps
Oregon Fair Trade Campaign
Oregon New Sanctuary Movement
Portland Area Rethinking Schools
Portland Peaceful Response Coalition
Real Wealth of Portland
UNITE HERE Local 9
Heather Conroy, Executive Director, SEIU 503 *
Richard Sanders, Executive Director, Oregon Education
Association *
Linda J. Burgin, President, SEIU 503, OPEU *
Marcy Westerling, founder, Rural Organizing Project *
Kelly Campbell, Executive Director, Oregon Physicians
for Social Responsibility *
Abigail Singer, Rising Tide *
Adam Carpinelli, Oregon Jericho *
Allah Parks, Indasia Summerfield, Jessica Valdefira,
Hayley Bauske, Scott Nugyen, youth program of
American Friends Service Committee *
Allen Hines, Civilian Soldier Alliance *
Barbara Dudley, Working Families Party *
Bruce Dennis, Carpenters Union 15-6 *
Bruce Fife, Musicians Union *
Christopher Beck, Vice President, OSEA Chapter 40 *
Craig Henneke, Chair, Portland Central America
Solidarity Committee *
Curtis Bell Ph.D., Peace Action Committee First
Unitarian Church *
David e. Delk, President, Alliance for Democracy *
David Osborn, member, American Federation of
Teachers, Oregon Local 3571 *
Eryn Slack, UNITE HERE Local 9
J. Linda Peterson, President, AFSCME Local 3214 *
Jamie Partridge, Delegate, Northwest Oregon Labor
Council, AFL-CIO & National Association of
Letter Carriers, Branch 82 *
Jeanne Carpenter, Retiree Member CWA Local 7901 *
Jillian Balderson, Students for Unity, Portland State
University *
Kari Koch, President, Oregon Fair Trade Campaign
Karly Edwards, UNITE HERE Local 9
Maureen Crawford, member SEIU 503 *
Megan Hise, co-founder, Climate Justice Portland *
Mireaya Medina, AmericanFriendsServiceCommittee *
Norm Diamond, Pacific Northwest Labor History
Association *
Paul Cone, Treasurer, COPPEA *
Peter Parks, Jobs with Justice &, retired, International
Longshore Worker Union, Local 8*
Ray Kenny, member LU48 IBEW *
Stuart Fishman, member, United Food & Commercial
Workers Local 555 *
Wesley Buchholz, Laborers Local 483 *
Bill Bigelow
Lise Brown
Jake Dacks
Leonard Fearn
Jan Haaken, Clinical psychologist, documentary
filmmaker, and professor emeritus of psychology
Richard and Erin Heymann
Michael Horner
Rev. Lynne Smouse Lopez
Ellen McKeever
Bonnie McKinlay
Brenda Medina
Michael Medina
Joan Nugent
Bill Resnick
Mary VanZant
Dana H Welty, RN
Mary Winzig
* titles & organizations are for identification
purposes only

http://occupyportland.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Comm-Leaders-say-no-to-violence-.pdf

[lonestarnot]

1. K & R! Peace Portland!

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. Anything we who aren't there need to do? Anything we can do? nt

[Fire Walk With Me]

3. From the parent thread:

Sam Adams, Mayor
City Hall @ 1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 340, 97204
Phone: [phone]

Police Bureau
1111 SW 2nd Avenue, 97204
Non-Emergency Phone: [phone]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2295900

[Sarah Ibarruri]

7. I'm watching it. I love the Occupiers of Portland. They're amazing! nt

[pacalo]

4. That's a beautiful, substantial letter.

:applause:

[Trillo]

5. Great letter!

"the nation is finally beginning to consider the root causes ..."

[PETRUS]

6. K&R Some great words:

"...it would be wrong to suggest that the homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse and violence so often highlighted by the corporate media and certain public officials was created by the encampment. Putting the many hardships associated with poverty on public display should be a step towards addressing them, not an excuse for political repression."

Well said.

[Enthusiast]

8. K&R! Beautiful! nt

[markbark]

9. There seems to be an implied "or else" in there.

What's the next move if TPTB moves in and forcible removes the protesters?
(Something better than a strongly worded letter to the editor I'm hoping)

--MAB

[socialist_n_TN]

10. THIS is the way we need to approach the "violence" aspect

(and I DO NOT consider property crimes to be "violence" and self defense I consider JUSTIFIED violence). WE set the standards by putting the police on notice that violence against the occupiers will NOT be tolerated.

[Electric Monk]

11. k&r

[lunatica]

12. This is major. I think of it as the second wave

Lots of unions and businesses!

[bertman]

13. Huge K & R. nt