Repeal Stand Your Ground Law in Georgia

Today around 150 Georgians rallied to the Capitol to in an effort to challenge the extreme gun lobby agenda that's upon the state legislators this legislative session and to urge law makers to repeal Georgia's Stand Your Ground law.

Some of the outlandish gun related legislation up for debate this year include a bill that would make it legal to carry a gun to Church, on a school campus, and even at a bar.

A few weeks ago Senator Vincent Fort introduced a bill that would repeal Georgia's Stand Your Ground law, SB 280. Even some that disagree with gun control legislation see the problem with Stand Your Ground laws, which were introduced in State Houses all over the country after the American Legislative Exchange Counsel created draft legislation.

Stand Your Ground essentially makes it legal to shoot anyone who you think is a threat, whether they are armed or not. It's basically a license to shoot first and ask questions later with impunity.

Today was a day to bring attention to the fundamental moral problem with Georgia's Stand Your Ground law, mourn the loss of young life that has been taken as a result, and commit our self  to a path that sees us put such barbaric legislation behind us.

We are asking folks to plan to attend the GA Senate Judicial (Non-Civil) Committee
hearing on Sen. Fort's bill SB 280 to repeal the law, 3 pm Wednesday Feb. 5,
in room 307, Coverdell Legislative Office Building, Washington St. across
from the Capitol. We need to pack the room! Early arrival strongly suggested
(2:30 pm).

If you can't make it please consider calling a member of the committee and encourage them to do the right thing, repeal Georgia's Stand Your Ground law, pass SB280!

Jesse Stone                  404-463-1314

Hunter Hill                  404-463-2518

William Ligon             404-656-0045

Curt Thompson           404-463-1318

Josh Mckoon               404-463-3931

Charlie Bethel             404-651-7738

John Crosby                404-463-5260

Ronald Ramsey           404-463-2598

Finally Join us at the Capitol next Monday 4/17 at 4pm Sharp for a different kind of Rally at the Capitol.

ALEC Mug Shots!

Since the door seems wide open to futher education about what the American Legislative Exchange Counsel(ALEC) is, how it works, and how it's reshaped our lives I thought I'd do a little photo project.

Before asking anyone to pose for a photo I am tasked with explaining exactly what ALEC is and why folks should be concerned with such a shady crew. Then I snap the mug shot style photo of the subject holding a rather excellent comic explanation for how ALEC works with my phone, post it to facebook, and make sure I tag the person(which means I have to friend them). After their mug is tagged their friends may ask them questions about what it means, and hopefully my brief conversation will arm them with the facts they need to school folks.

I just started this today, and I think it's gone well, lots of great conversations. I have about 15 more ALEC comic pieces mounted on posterboard, and I'm more than happy to run down the skinny on my ALEC pitch. I'm thinking about trying to recruit a few folks to work on this. If you're interested send me an email.

So far I've taken about 35 mugs of folks, wouldn't it be great to have thousands?

Tim Franzen

American Friends Service Committee

tfranzen@afsc.org

Law Makers and Corporations Beware

Today a diverse group of Atlantan's representing various communities and organizations gathered outside of the apartment that Senator Don Balfour uses during the legislative session, the same apartment he has come under fire for using tax payers money to rent.

The purpose of gathering was not only to celebrate our collective victory in defeating SB 458 and SB 469, but also to draw the clear connections between corporate money and Georgia law makers. Folks who turned out made it clear that the days the politicians can do the will of the 1% and expect no push back are over.

Senator Balfour was an Obvious target. He's a member of the American Legislative Exchange Counsel(ALEC) which has come under fire, largely due to national occupy movements collective actions, for the first time in 30 years. ALEC model legislation is responsible for anti immigration legislation(like HB87), pro-gun laws(like,"Stand Your Ground" law in Florida), and anti free speech laws(like SB 469).

At ALEC conferences the model legislation is created, then it's crafted to fit various legislative bodies(state and federal) and it's usually sponsored by lawmakers that are members of ALEC, like Don Balfour.

ALEC has surely reshaped our political landscape over the last 30 years, and it's exciting that people form different communities are connecting the dots and unifying to defeat ALEC bills and educate the public about has this shady crew rolls.

On a side note, Coca Cola dropped out of ALEC today as a result of political pressure. Coca Cola was one of 28 ALEC board member corporations.

Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

SB 469 VictoryMarks New Direction In The Fight Against Corporate Greed

Tomorrow(4/4)at 11am a press conference will be held In front of Senator Balfour's $29,000/year condo: Spire Condominiums 860 Peachtree St. NE. to celebrate victory over defeating SB469 and to launch the Spring Offensive of the 99%


Balfour was the author and sponsor of SB 469 which sought to criminalize actions like protests in front of private residences. Ethics complaints have been filed against Balfour for his unscrupulous spending of public monies.

Background of SB469 campaign and Launch of 99% Spring:

News of the 1st amendment crushing, anti-worker SB469 came out just over a month ago. Word spread like wildfire amongst Georgians of the need to mobilize. Despite the seeming unconstitutionality of the bill it quickly became apparent that Senator Balfour and his corporate backers ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) and the Chamber of Commerce would stop at nothing to ram the bill through. The bill was pushed through the senate with no debate allowed on the controversial bill, a rare and undemocratic move.

Thousands of everyday Georgians including trade unionists, civil rights leaders, community members, people of faith rallied at the capitol in clear opposition of the bill. Civil rights leaders loudly proclaimed that our community would put our bodies on the line to stop this bill. In response, Balfour pushed harder, leveraging his deep monied connections to hold a back door Industrial Relations Committee meeting on SB469 giving no public notice to slide the bill through to the house and again trying to bypass our democracy.

This blatant attack on free speech, working people and democracy galvanized Georgia to resist. The tea party came out in support of organized labor against the bill. Dozens were prepared to commit civil disobedience. The overwhelming pressure forced cracks in Balfour's ranks, the alliance forged between labor and the Georgia community stopped the bill in its tracks. The clock struck midnight on the last day of the legislature and the bill had been killed by a historic labor and community alliance.

This victory marks beginning of a 99% spring offensive. Everyday Georgians will gather in-front of Balfour's Atlanta condo to announce our historic victory and plans to go on the offensive to take our state back from corporate giants and the politicians they own like Senator Balfour. As part of the 99% Spring over 100,000 community members in our state and country will be trained in collective non-violent action and people's economics to take our economy and government back from the 1%.

Atlanta Says No To SB 469

Today a broad coalition of labor and community organizations joined forces to publicly renounce Senate Bill SB 469. Members of over 25 different organizations including Atlanta Jobs With Justice, Teamsters, ACLU Georgia, Georgia Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Communication Workers of America, Working Women 9 to 5, and members of the Occupy movement joined to committ to fight the bill that, if passed, would futher criminalize acts of civil disobedience including sit-ins, pickets, and protests.

The bill was drafted by the American Legislative Exchange Counsel(ALEC) and introduced by several ALEC members in the Georgia senate. It's widely known that AT&T sits on the board of ALEC and has a vested interest in silencing those who oppose their current slew of layoffs.

Martin Luther King the third was one of several speakers who lended their opposition to SB429 at todays press conference, sadly we didn't record his statement. Below is some footage from todays footage from today.

ALEC+AT&T=SB 469

Today marked the first day of public action against Senate Bill 469. A group of folks from Occupy Atlanta among other groups gathered at the capitol and again later in front AT&T to oppose the bill and shine light on it's shadowy or gins.

The bill was introduced by Don Balfour (R-9th),Bill Hamrick (R-30th),Bill Cowsert (R-46th),and Ross Tolleson (R-20th). All four Senators are members of an organization called the American Legislative Exchange Counsel(ALEC).

ALEC basically brings lawmakers and corporations together to draft model legislation. Law makers pay $50. every two years to be members of ALEC while corporations pay $50,000 a year and additional large sums of money to be a part of one of the nine ALEC task forces. ALEC claims to be nonpartisan but the fact is that it's also funded by several right wing think tanks.


Law makers are given scholarships to attend luxery conferences with their families. At these conferences corporations vote on model legislation and refine the language of potencial policies that elected officials associated with ALEC are charged with the task of introducing. ALEC writted legislation is passed one out of five times.

The lastest piece of ALEC wriiten legislation , SB 469, would make it a crime to organize sit ins, fine individuals for picketing($1,000 per day), and fine organizations who support a picket($10,000 per day).

While many in the general public have commented that the bill appears to souly focus on pickets outside a residential home, it should be noted that the bill simply includes residential homes in the language.

ALEC was also responsible for the anti-immigration bills that swept the nation last year, HB 87 in Georgia. Why would ALEC be interested in anti-immigration bills? The Corrections Corporation of America(CCA) is a ALEC member. CCA stands to profit billions of dollars to inprison undocumanted Americans if bills like HB 87 continue to sweep the nation. To CCA undocumented Americans make more profit locked up in a cell then they do working, and US tax payers pick up the tab. At every turn it seems ALEC represents the worst kind of wealth consolidation in this country.


We encourage folks to call the sponsors of ALEC legislation on let them know that we will no longer allow them to put the needs of wealthiest corporations over the needs of the 99% of us that create their wealth.



Don Balfour (R-9th)- (404) 656-0095
Bill Hamrick (R-30th)- (404) 656-0036
Bill Cowsert (R-46th)- (404) 463-1383
Ross Tolleson (R-20th)- (404) 656-0081


Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

Deep Concerns With SB 469

In the AFSC tradition we regard no person as our enemy. While we often oppose specific actions and abuses of power, we seek to address the goodness and truth in each individual.

We are called to confront, nonviolently, powerful institutions of violence, oppression, and injustice. Such actions may engage us in creative tumult and tension in the process of basic change. We seek opportunities to help reconcile enemies and to facilitate a peaceful and just resolution of conflict.

Last week in Georgia, Senate Bill 469 was introduced, and it has captured the attention of the nation. If it passes, it’s likely to open the door for similar legislation. Why is the AFSC community moved to express deep concern with this bill?

We live in a time of unprecedented wealth disparity. All over the country, unemployment, foreclosures, homelessness, and a bevy of other social concerns have driven thousands into political engagement. What we are seeing is a totally new section of our population rising up against injustice in their communities, and in many cases reclaiming power. Senate Bill 469 seeks to dismantle not just people power, but constitutional rights, and human rights as well.

The Bill would make it illegal to picket or protest outside of any non-governmental building. Those that choose to participate in a nonviolent picket could be fined $1,000 per day, and organizations, like AFSC, that supported such actions could be fined $10,000 per day. To make matters worse anyone who is involved with planning civil disobedience actions that result in a criminal trespass charge (this is usually what the charge is for nonviolent sit-ins) would be charged with felony Conspiracy. Under the law AFSC staff, volunteers, and interns who facilitate nonviolence training for groups in the Civil Disobedience(CD) planning process could be charged with felonies whether they participated in the CD action or not.

More troubling is the origins of the Bill. The Bill was introduced by four Georgia Senators, all of whom are members of an organization call the American Legislative Exchange Council(ALEC).To be a member of ALEC lawmakers pay $50 every two years; corporations pay $50,000 per year, and they pay thousands more for every task force they want to be on(there’s nine different task forces).

ALEC holds three big conferences a year and dozens of smaller regional/statewide meetings. The conferences and meetings are always super exclusive and law makers are usually given scholarships along with their families.

One of the things that happens at these conferences is that law makers and corporations draft model legislation, corporations then pick their favorite drafts and lawmakers go home and introduce the corporate approved legislation. One in five pieces of ALEC drafted legislation gets passed.

Senate Bill 469 is the worst kind of ALEC legislation, and a sad example of Georgia lawmakers putting the needs of corporations above the needs of the people.
It’s widely known that AT&T is one of the heavy hitters on the board of ALEC. SB 469 appears to be a direct response to coordinated actions by Occupy Atlanta, Atlanta Jobs With Justice, and Communication Workers of America to stop AT&T from layoff 740 southeastern employees.

AFSC Atlanta challenges members of the Georgia Senate to ensure SB 469 does not pass. We regard no person as our enemy. While we often oppose specific actions and abuses of power, we seek to address the goodness and truth in each individual. Many who live in the Atlanta area plan to converge on the Georgia Capitol at 9:30am sharp and then again at 12pm in front of AT&T at 675 West Peachtree street.You can also call the sponsors of the bill and ask them to reconsider their support for a bill that would have made a felon out of Martin Luther King Jr.

Don Balfour (R-9th)- (404) 656-0095
Bill Hamrick (R-30th)- (404) 656-0036
Bill Cowsert (R-46th)- (404) 463-1383
Ross Tolleson (R-20th)- (404) 656-0081

Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee