Moral Monday Brings National Spotlight To Georgia

So it’s been an extremely eventful few weeks The Atlanta Economic Justice Program of the American Friends Service Committee was one of several organizations that made the initial call to organize Moral Monday Georgia and we’ve been a convener during the ongoing process. We are really proud to be a part of a really exciting coalition in Georgia!

In what has been called on of the worst Georgia legislative sessions in 50 years. Moral Monday Georgia's bold action ensured that a powerful spotlight shinned on policy's that basically declare war on the poor, women, working families, people of color, and basically everyone that's not already wealthy.

 There have literally been hundreds, below I'm including a few.

New York Times piece about the budding movement

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/19/us/protest-disrupts-georgia-senate-session-on-bill-to-block-medicaid-expansion.html?_r=0

MSNBC TV piece 

http://www.msnbc.com/melissa-harris-perry/watch/approaching-3rd-world-healthcare-conditions-204216899646

Rachel Maddow piece that focuses on Rev Warnock:

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/outcry-as-state-gop-moves-bad-samaritan-bill-199523395851

Check out some of the coverage here.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/outcry-as-state-gop-moves-bad-samaritan-bill-199523395851

http://www.msnbc.com/all

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/18/georgia-moral-monday-_n_4988411.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2014/03/18/moral-monday-activists-bring-protest-inside-georgia-senate

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/protesters-disrupt-state-senate/nfFwg/

http://www.therepublic.com/w/GA--Georgia-Legislature-Protests

http://www.11alive.com/story/news/politics/2014/03/18/ga-legislative-medicaid-protests/6582659/

http://onlineathens.com/breaking-news/2014-03-19/votes-arrests-over-medicaid-expansion-state-capitol

http://www.wsav.com/story/25017758/senate-approves-bill-to-control-medicaid-expansion-opponents-react

http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140318/NEWS/303189971/reform-update-n-h-may-be-first-of-medicaid-expansion-holdouts-to

http://www.times-herald.com/local/20140319-Legis-obamacare-protests-and-arrests

http://www.thewire.com/politics/2014/03/moral-monday-movement-spreads-across-south-41-arrested-georgia-protests/359333/

http://wabe.org/post/despite-protests-bill-moving-medicaid-expansion-decisions-heads-gov-deal

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/protesters-disrupt-state-senate/nfFwg/

http://www.peachpundit.com/2014/03/19/moral-monday-protesters-arrested-on-legislatures-penultimate-day/

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/police-arrest-and-jail-dozens-after-state-capitol-/nfGQ7/

http://www.wsav.com/story/25009802/georgia-senate-to-soon-vote-on-medicaid-expansion-bill

http://blog.al.com/wire/2014/03/dozens_protest_georgias_refusa.html

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/medicaid-protesters-arrested-state-capitol/nfFw7/

http://www.wsbradio.com/news/news/moral-monday-protestors-arrested-after-disrupting-/nfF2c/

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/19/us/protest-disrupts-georgia-senate-session-on-bill-to-block-medicaid-expansion.html?hpw&rref=us&_r=0

http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=272618

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/3/19/headlines/dozens_arrested_protesting_denial_of_medicaid_expansion_in_georgia

http://www.atlantaprogressivenews.com/interspire/news/2014/03/19/39-arrested-in-moral-monday-protest-for-medicaid-expansion-in-georgia.html

http://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/39-arrested-in-Georgia-Statehouse-protests-5329138.php

http://www.macon.com/2014/03/18/2998232/39-arrested-in-georgia-statehouse.html

http://ourfuture.org/20140318/moral-mondays-goes-down-to-georgai

http://www.times-herald.com/local/20140324-third-world2014-03-24T06-26-01

AFSC At Civic Engagement Student Research Conference

Clayton State University, The New York Times, and the Southeast Region of the National Archives hosts an annual Student Research Conference on Civic Engagement at the Southeastern National Archive Building in Morrow Georgia.

This year I had the very special honor of being their keynote speaker. Before I spoke I had the opportunity to look over several of the student created posters that were designed to begin conversations about various social issues that have faced or are facing Georgians. I was impressed with the political analysis that obviously went into each poster.

I started my talk with a quick civic engagement exercise in which each member of the audience called a member of the Georgia House or Senate to lobby on in support of the Student Parent Privacy Act and students were extremely receptive. Many said that it was the first time they had ever called their representatives. The rest of the talk I gave focused on how my personal narrative has pushed me into the work I do now.

I was excited to get to stick around afterwords and learn about some of the students personal narratives and how those narratives move them to work to create the community they want to see. With the loss of their public transit system, radical education budget cuts in K-12, and Governor Deals HOPE dismantling, Clayton county certainly need more grassroots civic engagement.

Special Thanks to Carrie Martin Henderson for inviting me out to speak and all the great work she does!


Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee