Liberty Union Meeting May 13, 2018
Brattleboro Food Co-op, Brattleboro VT
Attending:
Doris
Sadie
Murray
Norm
Alice
Marina
Tom
1. Report on various recent nazi/white supremacist/white nationalist activities in
Vermont, Quebec Province, and elsewhere; actions to confront and oppose these:
A Chittenden county man, Aryan Brotherhood, has invited “people with nazi
tattoos” (indicating nazi sympathies and allegiances with white supremacist
organizations while incarcerated) to join his community, housed in trailers in the
Williston area. Two women associated with this group were recently arrested for
shoplifting. See Anti-Defamation League, ADL.org, for posted images of the tattoos
referenced.
B’nah Brith Canada has exposed and responded to nazi activity in Montreal (and
worldwide). See bnaibrith.ca for report of Montrealer and B’nai Brith collaborator, Corey
Fleischer, whose mission is to remove nazi graffiti in the city by (clandestine) power
washing.
On May 19th there will be a demonstration at the Roxham Road crossing on the
Canada-U.S. border. This action, initiated by far right activists from Quebec on the
Canadian side will be met with opposition from antifascists on both sides of the border.
From Montreal Antifasciste:
“Far-right racists are again mobilizing to try to intimidate refugees who are crossing the
border from the US to Canada at Roxham Road. Their racist organizing is being
supported, directly and indirectly, by sensationalist media and demagogic politicians.
Migrant justice anti-racists in the Montreal-area are calling for a large-scale mobilization
at Roxham Road to show our support for open borders and to welcome migrants. Our
presence — festive, diverse, and in large numbers — will also effectively block the far-
right racists from getting anywhere near the border (similar to mobilizations undertaken
last year at both Roxham Road and Lacolle) and prevent their harassment of asylum
seekers.
We are encouraging you to mobilize in your communities, networks and organizations,
and to attend the gathering on May 19th.”
A high school freshman at Killingly High School in Danielson CT who posted threats on
social media prompted a letter to the high school’s principal to express concern.
A nazi/white supremacist/white nationalist group has threatened a Black family in
Glover.
Literature from a nazi-white supremacist group was posted and placed on car
windshields in the K-Mart Plaza in West Lebanon NH. Local police confiscated this
literature.
Freedom of Information requests have been filed with the FBI, Vermont State Police
and West Lebanon NH Police Dept. in regard to these and related incidents.
An application for a permit from ”Unite the Right” responsible for August 12 (2017) in
Charlottesville to stage an anniversary rally has been denied.
Update from The Intercept (Natasha Lennard) July 02, 2018:
“Jason Kessler (Organizer for Unite the Right) is planning an event to mark the
(anniversary of the) deadly demonstration. The approval for the “anniversary” rally
outside the White House was granted by the National Park Service. The application
offered plans for an estimated 400 demonstrators in Washington’s Lafayette Park who
would be “protesting civil rights abuse in Charlottesville, Va / white civil rights.” Kessler
initially applied to hold “Unite the Right 2” in Charlottesville, and is now suing the city
because it denied him a permit due to safety concerns. The lawsuit seeks to allow the
demonstration to go ahead in Charlottesville, as well as in Washington, D.C., on August
12 — exactly a year after Heyer’s brutal death.” (Kessler is complaining to the press that
his right to free speech—First Amendment—is being denied).
2. Ralph has requested a special meeting to consider Bill Lee as a possible candidate
for federal office with Liberty Union. Lee is unable to come to regularly scheduled
Liberty Union meetings due to his baseball schedule. The consensus of those present
at the meeting was that there should be no special meeting for Lee. (Update: Lee plans
to attend part of the scheduled Liberty Union meeting in August. Ralph has said that he
plans to come with Bill Lee to speak with Liberty Union members at 3:00 p.m. on August
5th.)
3. The meeting of the Liberty Union State Committee will be held on August 5—1st
Sunday, instead of 2nd Sunday—in White River Junction. August 5th is the final Liberty
Union meeting before the Secretary of State’s filing deadline for Minor Party candidates,
August 9th. Nominations will be finalized at this meeting. Consent forms and financial
disclosure forms must be in order by this date.
4. Discussion of other places where we could hold Liberty Union meetings in the future.
Suggestions included Bennington, Montpelier, Burlington and Derby Line. The June
10th meeting may be held in one of these places depending upon where a venue can
be found.5. Discussion of the role and viability of Liberty Union in Vermont’s political landscape.
Doris recalled that one of the first questions that she was asked as a candidate for U.S.
House in 1972 concerned what her favorite recipe might be. Liberty Union has
accomplished much since then! A list of some of the proposals originated by Liberty
Union since 1970 follows:
—Legalization of Freedom of Personal Choice (in respect to ‘a woman’s right to choose,
end of life decisions, use of substances/drugs etc.).
—Decriminalization of drug use.
—Full legalization of marijuana and hemp.
—Basic Minimum Income.
—Creation of the office of Ombudsman for the state of Vermont.
—Development of an app to insure transparency in the office of the State Auditor.
—Creation of a Public Bank.
—Divestment from South Africa.
—Divestment from Israel.
—Education funding to be based on income rather than property tax.
—Progressive Income Tax without provisions for concealing true income.
—Unilateral Disarmament
—Unilateral Denuclearization
—Open national borders.
—Honoring all treaties that respect human rights, within the U.S. and internationally.
The essential role of Liberty Union has been and continues to be to move government
“in the direction of assuring that the wealth and resources of the world be used to
provide a materially secure life for all people on the planet…simultaneously
preserving the planet and its resource for future generations.” In so doing Liberty
Union necessarily introduces ideas, well outside the “Overton Window,” into the political
conversation.
“The Overton window, also known as the window of discourse, is the range of ideas
tolerated in public discourse. The term is derived from its originator, Joseph P. Overton,
a former vice president of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, who in his description
of his window claimed that an idea’s political viability depends mainly on whether it falls
within the window, rather than on politicians’ individual preferences.According to
Overton’s description, his window includes a range of policies considered politically
acceptable in the current climate of public opinion, which a politician can recommend
without being considered too extreme to gain or keep public office.” —definition
courtesy of Wikipedia