[WestMALocals] Fwd: [AriseAction] SHaRC demo THIS THURSDAY

[Owen Broadhurst]

I thank David Rolde for forwarding this to the Locals and Statecom-discuss
lists - OB

On 7/24/06, kmilberg at xxx.net wrote:
>
>  Hi all,
>
> Attached (and below) is the press release for our next montly demonstation
> at the site of the Chicopee women's jail.  This month we will focus on
> voting rights.  Hope to see folks there!
>
> peace,
> kim
>
>
> *Statewide Harm Reduction Coalition and Jail/Prison Moratorium Endorsers*
>
> *American Civil Liberties Union – Massachusetts (Moratorium Endorser)  .  American
> Friends Service Committee - National    .  American Friends Service
> Committee - NE Region  .   American Friends Service Committee - Western MA
> .  Felix Arroyo, Boston City Council   .  ARISE for Social Justice  .  <
> /SPAN>BAGLY   .  Center for Popular Economics  .  Chuck Turner, Boston
> City Council    .  Citizens for Participation in Political Action   .  Community
> Change, Inc. – Boston   .  Community Church of Boston  .   Connecticut
> River Valley Green-Rainbow Party  .  Criminal Justice Institute, Harvard
> School of Law (Moratorium Endorser)  .  Critical Resistance  .   Drug
> Policy Forum of Massachusetts  .  Efficacy  .  Freedom Center  .  Grammas
> for Ganja  .  Holyoke Girls, Inc.   .  Jericho – Boston  .  Peter Kocot, 1
> st Hampshire District Rep. (Moratorium Endorser)  .&nbs p; Mass. Welfare
> Rights Union   .  Out Now  .  Paloma House  .  Prison Book Program –
> Quincy  .  Prison Book Project – Western MA  .  Root 9 Collective  .  Springfield
> Catholic Workers   .  Survivors Inc.  .  Through Barbed Wire  .  Tom
> Mooney Local Socialist Party USA   . Traprock Peace Center  .   UAW Local
> 2322   .  Western Massachusetts International Action Center/Troops Out Now
> . Women's International League for Peace and Freedom - Boston *
>
>
>
> *Press Release*
>
>
>
>
>
> *For Immediate Release*
> *Contact:* Holly Richardson
> Statewide Harm Reduction Coalition (SHaRC)
> www.stopchicopeejail.org
> (413) 348-8234
>
> * *
> Statewide Harm Reduction Coalition Demands Voting Rights for Felons
>
> CHICOPEE, MA – On Thursday, July 27, 2006 at 9:00 am, organizers and
> allies of the Statewide Harm Reduction Coalition (SHaRC) will gather for the
> tenth demonstration to resist the construction of the new Chicopee women's
> jail (701 Center Street).   While previous gatherings have focused on
> human rights abuses within prisons, healthcare, and low-income housing, this
> press conference will call attention to the voting rights for those who are
> incarcerated and consequently the racial disparity that has resulted from
> the voter disenfranchisement of felons.
>
>
>
> In 2000, Massachusetts became the only state in recent history to further
> restrict voting rights for felons.  Prior to a ballot question that year,
> there were no voting restrictions for felons in Massachusetts. This changed
> when the Massachusetts constitution was amended to include, "'Persons who
> are incarcerated in a correctional facility due to a felony conviction' may
> not vote" (Mass Const. Art. III as amended in 2000).
>
>
>
> This restriction of voting rights for felons leads to prisoner
> disenfranchisement, which disproportionately affects poor people and people
> of color.   As a result of systematic injustices and the State's inability
> to provide the services needed to sustain healthy communities, marginalized
> people make up a majority of the people held in our prisons and jails. The
> impact of felon disenfranchisement is huge. "Almost 1.5% of Black adults
> in Massachusetts are disenfranchised. This is 6 times the rate for White
> adults. Over 3% of Black men are disenfranchised in Massachusetts. Blacks
> are only 5.5% of Massachusetts citizens, but are 29% of the state's
> disenfranchised. Latinos are 6.8% of the state, but are almost 24% of
> those barred from the polls"  (http://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/mass_disenfranchisement.shtml
> <http://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/mass_disenf%0Aranchisement.shtml>).
> Elena Lavarreda, Arise/SHaRC member, comments, "The whole thing is a
> ridiculously vicious cycle. Many of the people who are negatively affected
> by the system of government that is in place, a system that often gives
> people no choice but to commit crime in order to survive, don't actually
> have a way to change the negative laws and policies that affect them because
> they don't have a vote to do so."
>
>
>
> Members of SHaRC are opposed to the restrictions placed on the voting
> rights of those incarcerated for felony convictions. Currently, a lawsuit is
> pending before a federal court judge to establish a ward representation
> system of city government for Springfield. Kimberly Milberg, Arise/SHaRC
> member states, "One of the claims by opponents is that the reason blacks and
> latinos can't win city council seats under our current system is because
> they do not vote in large enough numbers.   However, under our current
> system, a large number of people of color are being prevented from voting
> because of their incarceration." Chino Rios, Out Now/SHaRC community
> organizer expresses, "I'm only 16 years old, but being openly gay and living
> in one of the poorest districts of Springfield; and, an area of high
> incarceration , I sure would like to see city council representation for my
> community at some point in my future."
>
>
>
> Last year, members of ShaRC met with the sheriff of Ludlow jail to ask
> whether or not they were able to assist people incarcerated in the jail with
> voter registration.   They were denied the ability to do so and told that
> inmates would receive information about voting upon release. Regardless of
> this—if it is even done—there seems to be a clear attempt to prevent certain
> populations from exercising their right to vote.   The majority of the
> population at Ludlow jail is there pre-trial or post-trial for a misdemeanor
> and they are completely eligible to vote.
>
>
>
> The injustices surrounding voting rights for people who are incarcerated
> question the very existence of democracy in our society. "Under the current
> law in Massachusetts, the criminal justice system essentially decides who
> gets to vote and who doesn't. If they decide that you have committed a
> felony then you loose your right.  How can we allow a system that is
> extremely flawed itself— riddled with institutionalized racism, classism,
> sexism, and homophobia, be the judge of who gets heard and who is
> silenced?," said Elena Lavarreda, Arise/ SHaRC member. Jessica Netto,
> another member of Arise/SHaRC, continues, "It appears as if the state is
> intentionally not allowing for rehabilitation and solely relying on punitive
> measures.   We must demand that our justice system treat the members of
> our community differently.  We are calling for an end to all jails and
> that more resources and money be put into community services such as
> healthcare, jobs, etc."
>
>
>
> -END-
>
>
>
>
>
>
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> __,_._,___
>
>


-- 
Owen R. Broadhurst
Candidate for State Representative
Third Hampden District
http://www.owenbroadhurst.org