Constitutional Amendment Introduced in Congress Ensuring Rights for People, Not Corporations

This topic has been broached here (and here) before. And there has been movement elsewhere in the state. Now, who on Richmond City Council will put forward the resolution of support? Certainly we have seen plenty of corporate manipulation on the local level.

From MoveToAmend.org:

Reps. Nolan & Pocan Respond to Hundreds of Local Resolutions Calling for “We the People” Amendment

(Washington D.C.) – The movement for constitutional reforms that would end what organizers call “corporate rule” has arrived in the chambers of Congress. This morning, two members of the U.S. House of Representatives joined Move to Amend by announcing their sponsorship of the “We the People Amendment,” which clearly and unequivocally states that:

Rights recognized under the Constitution belong to human beings only, and not to government-created artificial legal entities such as corporations and limited liability companies; and
Political campaign spending is not a form of speech protected under the First Amendment.
In making the announcement, lead sponsor Rep. Rick Nolan (DFL-Minnesota), said: “It’s time to take the shaping and molding of public policy out of corporate boardrooms, away from the corporate lobbyists, and put it back in city halls – back with county boards and state legislatures – and back in the Congress where it belongs.”

Ben Manski, a spokesperson for Move to Amend, agreed, saying: “Today, members of Congress join a movement that insists on the fundamental equality of all Americans, and that rejects the idea that the corporate class should have special protections against We the People.”

The Move to Amend coalition was formed in 2009 in preparation for the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision. Today, the coalition of nearly 260,000 people and hundreds of organizations has helped to pass nearly 500 resolutions in municipalities and local governments across the country calling on the state and federal governments to adopt this amendment.

The Move to Amend coalition makes a point of differentiating themselves from the other proposals that have come forward in response to Citizens United. “In every single community where Americans have had the opportunity to call for a Constitutional amendment to outlaw corporate personhood, they have seized it and voted yes overwhelmingly, stated George Friday, Move to Amend spokesperson. “The Citizens Uniteddecision is not the cause, it is a symptom. We must remove big money and special interests from the legal and political process entirely.”

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Read the text of the We the People Amendment by clicking here.

JEB Stuart Cannonfire

From Hollywood Cemetery management:

This message is to remind you of the memorial ceremony for JEB Stuart beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 10th.

There will be cannon volleys fired as a part of the memorial service. The participants have assured me that the minimum amount of powder will be used in the volleys.

Thank you for assisting us in getting this message out to the surrounding neighbors.

Vicarious Trip to Thailand

No, not a review of Elephant Thai, though that can be good too.

From email announcement:

Richmond Hostel Friends:

Amy Nichols-Belo will talk about her recent trip to Thailand and Cambodia at this Saturday’s Vicarious Travelers Series at the Richmond Public Library downtown on Franklin St between 1st and 2nd streets. It’s a free event and refreshments will be provided. Hope to see you there: Saturday, February 9, at 3:00PM.

Also, the Richmond Hostel Committee will be meeting at Storefront for Community Design at 205 E Broad Street next Tuesday at 7PM.

Check out the HI-Richmond Hostel Facebook page to find the latest hostel events — facebook.com/rvahostel .

Sarah Weisiger
Richmond Hostel Committee, Chair

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

From press release:

In Virginia, 12.1% of high school students have been hit, slapped or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend during the past 12 months (10.7% male and 13.4% female). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey reports “1 in 5 women and nearly 1 in 7 men who ever experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner, first experienced some form of intimate partner violence between 11 and 17 years of age.” Beside physical injury, teen dating violence can lead to adverse health outcomes and increase unhealthy behaviors.

Visit the Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month website to learn what youth and concerned adults can do to address this issue – http://www.teendvmonth.org/

The Virginia Department of Health’s Teen Dating Violence Prevention program provides information, training, and resources on dating violence prevention to professionals working with youth, teens, and college students.

Click here for a list of available national resources on Teen Dating Violence.