ACLU Challenges Anti-Immigration Law

Today the ACLU and others were in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the constitutionality of Georgia and Alabama's discriminatory "show me your papers" laws. In both of these states, we've seen the devastating consequences these laws have had on their economies, reputation and communities.

During the hearing many of us participated in a picket/vigil organized the the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights(GLAHR)outside the courthouse.


The ACLU recently put out the following video that I think captures some of the impact of laws like HB87, interestingingly the video focuses on a conservitive Mayor in South Georgia:



Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

Steppin' Up Against HB87

It's been a prolific week in the struggle against one of the nations worst immigration bills, Georgia's HB87(Which some are dubbing, "Hate Bill 87"). Yesterday word came out that Federal Judge Thomas Thrash blocked certain sections of HB87.

Today, in an action organized by the Georgia Undocumented Youth Alliance(GUYA), about 200 people(mostly very young) demanded not only an end to HB87 but a just pathway to citizenship to all who call Georgia home. Six of today's participants choose to block traffic until police arrested them. All who were arrested today lack the identification documents the HB87 requires. AFSC Atlanta is humbled by the courage of these young people, the risks they take to stand up for their community and human dignity is awe inspiring.

There's more organized for this week. July 1st, this Friday, is a day to do nothing. Buy nothing, don't work, don't even drive. A day without immigrants, a day without their allies. Then on July 2nd, it's time to take action!

The Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights(GLAHR) is asking folks to come from near and far to march for justice, march for dignity, march for human rights. Here at AFSC we hosted an art party to create several striking and large wheatpaste installations promoting the July 2nd mobilization that will go up in legal spaces this evening...look out for them around town this wee.

We hope to see a lot of folks this Saturday at the capitol from 10am-2pm.
No Human being is illegal, everyone has the right to exist in spaces they have called home their whole life.


Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

May Day In Atlanta

Most Americans don't realize that May Day has its origins here in this country and is as "American" as baseball and apple pie, and stemmed from the pre-Christian holiday of Beltane, a celebration of rebirth and fertility. In the late nineteenth century, the working class was in constant struggle to gain the 8-hour work day. Working conditions were severe and it was quite common to work 10 to 16 hour days in unsafe conditions. Death and injury were commonplace.

For many May day is a celebration, a commemoration, and a call to struggle.
A celebration of the workers rights that have been won in struggle over the last 100 years, a commemoration of the blood, sweat, and tears shed by countless organizers in the efforts that gave us the 40 hour work week and the eight hour work day among other things, and a call to continue to struggle for a more just economic system. A system where workers have a real stake in their work, a system that will no longer tolerate massive profits made on the backs of poorly paid workers, a system to holds up human need rather than corporate greed.

In Atlanta AFSC was proud to support the Georgia Latino Alliance on Human Rights(GLAHR) effort to bring workers together at the Georgia capitol on May Day. The message was simple, House Bill 87 is not only racist by design, it's bad for Georgia workers. Over 1000 people came out to support migrant workers in Georgia and to voice opposition to HB 87, which Governor Deal has yet to sign.

There was also a group of thirty of so folks that marched from freedom park to little 5 points later in the day. Once in little 5 points they set up free infoshop and gave flyers out to folks.

Photo credit to Ghazal Ahmadi

Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

Thousands Of Georgians Rally Against HB87/SB40 At The Capitol!!

What a day! Thousands of Georgians came together today to rally at the capitol against HB87/SB40.

State Reps. Matt Ramsey and Sen. Jack Murphy, both Republicans, have sponsored legislation that would require employers to use a federal database to check the immigration status of new hires. Legislation also would authorize law-enforcement officers to check the immigration status of anyone they suspected of being undocumented. The bills would also make it a crime to assist anyone that's undocumented and it's vague enough that it could be interpreted that simply giving someone a ride to church or the store could be an arrestable offense.

The Fact that Arizona is taking a timeout from their historic anti-immigrant legislation amid concerns from business leaders that the issue is hurting the state's struggling economy seems to have caused no pause to republican's who are pushing the bill. This seems ironic because I keep hearing Georgia republicans posture themselves as the party of "common sense" and "fiscally responsible".

When one simply scratches the surface in the search for the real motives behind this bill the obvious conclusion is pretty scary. It appears to be scapegoat legislation targeted at one of the seeming least powerful voices in the state. The law makers who are crying for the passage of this bill are willing to further assault Georgia's already struggling economy in an effort to rally their base by stirring up fears based on made up "facts" that literally seemed pulled out of the stratosphere.

Immigrants, students, members of the civil rights community, representatives of labor, faith and business communities, and other everyday Georgians banded together to demand Governor Deal commit to veto harmful, anti-immigrant legislation

The message at the capitol was clear, Georgia can't afford this terrible legislation. Dozens of speakers addressed the crowd of over 5,000 including Congressman John Lewis, a leader of the 1960s civil rights movement. He said that he was arrested dozens of times while working alongside Martin Luther King Jr. "I was beaten, left bloody, but I didn't give up and you must not give up," he said to loud cheers.Indigo Girls performed their song "Shame on You" with lyrics adapted for the rally.

Indigo Girls also made an appearance, performing their song "Shame on You" with changed up lyrics just for the rally.


We were especially proud of all the high school students from several of the schools we've been working with that got permission to skip school to attend. After the rally they came to the office for a strategy session on ways to mobilize against hb87/sb40 on their campus.

The rally was called by the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights and supported by dozens of organizations across the state. It was a great day to be at the capitol. At one point, I believe the crowd made so much noise the gold dome shook.

Thanks Kelly Azabache Core for hooking me up with the pics!


Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

SCAP Teams Up With GLAHR!!

Student Career Alternatives Program has had a three year relationship with Cross Keys High School and we make it a point to visit the school at least once a month. Over the years we've observed one overwhelming obstacle that students are forced to face when considering their post high school options; their legal status as citizens.

Often times students, who may have been brought to the US as small children, don't understand the full implications of their legal status until they're Juniors or Seniors and it's time to start thinking about next steps after graduation. Cross Keys High School has on of the largest undocumented student body percentages in the state of Georgia. Faculty are often heartbroken when they're faced with students who they have grown to care for yet are unable to help.

After our recent commitment to the national Migrant Youth Voice Project through American Friends Service Committee, SCAP has been more motivated to build alliances with organizations like the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights and the Georgia Dreamers. So we were REALLY excited that after our meeting at the GLAHR office this past Monday that Gina Perez and Eva Cardenas, both with GLAHR and the Georgia Dreamers, agreed to come out to Cross Keys with us and table outside the lunch room. Our afternoon at the school was extremely productive for all of us. Gina and Eva got to practice their outreach skills with high school students, Josie and I got to hype the 2011, "It's My Life" art contest, and we were all approached by someone on the counseling staff that invited us to present workshop next Tuesday on career options for undocumented students.

So next Tuesday brings collaboration #2 for SCAP and GLAHR and we're all super excited! I feel like 2011 is the year we all stand together, the year we go beyond making the connections in our minds, the year we go further, the year we meet in the street, on the campus, picket line, and in our communities.

To learn more about SCAP visit:
www.scapatl.org

GLAHR:
www.glahr.org

Georgia Dreamers:
http://www.gadreamers.org/

Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee