Bicyclists save your rights - stop the anti-protest ordinances now!

Bicyclists save your rights - stop the anti-protester ordinances now!

Mayor Emanuel has proposed two ordinances to change the city code to pre-emptively impede protests at the G8 and NATO meetings coming this spring.  There are very good reasons every Chicagoan should oppose this set of ordinances - it's a violation of civil rights, it's unnecessary, lack of oversight, etc. - but for us cyclists there is a very specific one: it will turn lakefront bike riders into criminals/outlaws by forbidding us to right during certain periods during the meetings.

Now is the time to tell your alderman to OPPOSE these ordinances.  Committee meetings will be tomorrow (Tue, 1/17), and a full council vote is expected on Wednesday (Wed, 1/18).   Call or email now - do it TONIGHT!  For your convenience here are the north side rookie aldermen - if you recognize yours, contact him or her as soon as possible tell them to stand up for our rights:

Ward 1: Proco Joe Moreno, (773) 278-0101, ward01@cityofchicago.org
Ward 32: Scott Waguespack,(773) 248-1330, info@ward32.org, http://www.Ward32.org
Ward 36: Nicholas Sposato,(773) 836-0036, http://aldermansposato.com
Ward 43: Michele Smith, (773) 348-9500, yourvoice@ward43.org, http://www.ward43.org
Ward 45: John Arena, (773) 286-4545, ward45@cityofchicago.org, http://ward45.org
Ward 47: Ameya Pawar, (773) 868-4747, info@chicago47.org, http://www.chicago47.org
Ward 48: Harry Osterman, (773) 784-5277, harry@48thward.org, http://www.48thward.org
Ward 50: Debra L. Silverstein, (773) 262-1050, info@50thwardchicago.com, http://50thwardchicago.com

If you don't see your alderman listed, go here to the their contact info at: http://chicago.legistar.com/People.aspx.  

Don't know your alderman?  Go here: http://tinyurl.com/chiwardlkup

This article has more info including links the important committee webpages which have meeting details: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-thayer/why-emanuels-proposed-ant...

And here's some other coverage:
http://afsc.org/event/stop-rahm-emanuels-anti-protester-ordinances
http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/95586/index.php
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/9970412-418/city-local-taxpayers...

Power to the people!
Kevin Anderson

Views: 286

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by April on January 17, 2012 at 11:43am

I wrote my alderman (Arena) and received a response from his office this morning saying my comment would be included in his briefing materials for the meeting.   

Any updates on how it went?

Permalink Reply by blair on January 17, 2012 at 12:20pm

Our rights are becoming a joke - you have the right to protest...but only if you can do it in less than two hours.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Anderson on January 18, 2012 at 4:11am

The ordinances passed both committees, but not without the mayor backing down some:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-emanuel-summits-201....  The changes weren't given to the aldermen to vote on until shortly before their vote, and it's unclear to me how much of an improvement it is.  The full council is expected vote for the ordinances today.

RSS

Groups

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service