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Hi John,
I return to the issue of Atlanta’s Cop City somewhat frequently, as it’s an issue of huge importance not only for Atlanta but for American citizens everywhere. Atlanta has been trying to raze a forest to build the facility, which is a police militarization center containing a mock city where police would train in urban warfare. Advertised as a training and community facility to support law enforcement, it does not support the kind of law enforcement that should exist in a democracy. For it fosters a dangerous separation of law enforcement from identification with and relationship to the rest of the population. It is a template for something very undemocratic, some might say even the beginnings of a police state. For the power of the citizenry to control the police would become way too little compared to the power of the police to control the citizenry.
That is not the way we want to live.
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The people of Atlanta have stood up to this, and faced unprecedented repression. A young forest defender, Tortuguita, was assassinated by Georgia police. He was shot 57 times while sitting cross-legged with his hands in the air. This is the first and only time that an environmental activist has been killed by U.S. police.
Other forest defenders have been arrested and charged with domestic terrorism — a vague, authoritarian charge. One activist faces up to 20 years in prison for – literally – distributing flyers. While the city of Atlanta – including its Democratic mayor – refuses to listen to the forest defenders, activists have successfully gathered 100,000 signatures, more than enough, to get a referendum to Stop Cop City on the ballot.
Right after they announced their successful signature gathering, however, the city announced new rules for strict signature verification. Strict signature verification laws are a tactic used by Republicans to suppress the vote – especially poor voters and voters of color — and the laws have been condemned by Democrats, including the Georgia Democratic Party.
Yet now the Democrats are using the same tactic to suppress democracy in Atlanta. Voting rights experts have described the practice as “witchcraft” and “the phrenology of elections,” since it frequently results in real signatures getting thrown out over minute differences.
I am very impressed by, and supportive of, the brave Stop Cop City activists . Such projects as Cop City do not belong in the United States, and the suppression exhibited to stop those trying to protest it is unacceptable.
As President, I would use whatever power given to me to challenge this draconian project. And I would use the bully pulpit to make sure that the American people were aware of its consequences .
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This is a time to protect our freedom, not build structures that further erode it. Our democracy needs this generation of Americans to champion it fiercely right now, and as President I would.
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P.S. Show your support with a donation today. You can read my policies on Crime Prevention [[link removed]] and Criminal Justice [[link removed]] .
Together, we can end these harmful policies and deliver true freedom to ALL Americans.
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Resources
Tortuguita [[link removed]]
Domestic terrorism [[link removed]]
20 years in prison for – literally – distributing flyers [[link removed]] Atlanta announces new rules [[link removed]]
Progressive laws condemned by Democrats [[link removed]]
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