For now, a victory at Grady

For now, a victory at Grady.

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/news/stories/2009/01/06/grady.html

But since the board decided to not take up the issue of cuts at the Monday meeting, it remains to be seen what will happen when they do talk about it.

If health care is an issue that you care about (and the vast majority of Americans do), visit

http://www.HealthCareforAmericaNOW.org

GRADY HEARING MONDAY

From Bert Skellie:

The Grady Coalition will meet at 3:30 PM Monday (1/5) at McDonald's at Grady to discuss our plans for the board meeting. Everyone is welcome.  Please do plan to come to the Board meeting on Monday (Jan. 5) at 4:30 PM at Grady on second floor at conference room B206 & speak against the proposal to cut free care.

You can also write or call CEO Young at
404.616.4252          
and
myoung@gmh.edu
to voice your opposition to cutting free care to those with income above 125% of the federal poverty level. 

We may have a press event just before the 4:30 Board meeting - I will let you know if so.Peace, Bert 404.378.5883

Atlanta Activists in Usher Video!

A certain GRUS blogger did City Year many, many years ago, and saw on City Year's Facebook page that Usher was wearing a City Year jacket in his new video.

So I watched the video and saw that one of the very first shots is of Stand For Peace, the weekly anti-Iraq War vigil* that's been going on at Colony Square in Atlanta since the lead-up to the war, and the people in that shot are Veteran for Peace Bob Goodman(on the right) and Brian S. Sherman of WRFG 89.3 FM (on the left). And then Bob Goodman gets a close-up. Peace activists as rock stars!



*Major players in Stand for Peace are WAND Atlanta, Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition, Grandmothers for Peace, Veterans for Peace, International Action Center, and Georgia Rural Urban Summit. (If we've missed someone, let us know.)

TROY DAVIS - WHAT YOU CAN DO

Troy Davis was denied clemency by the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles on Friday, September 12, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his petition on October 14. This means that he may be scheduled for execution in the very near future.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 6:00 PM: Rally at the Georgia State Capitol. Please attend or organize solidarity rallies or other public events to demand justice for Troy Davis on this date. This is a GLOBAL call to action. If you organize another event, please email jcohn@aiusa.org with a time and place of your event.

CONTACT THE FOLLOWING STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS:

1. Ask the U.S. Attorney to Investigate prosecutorial misconduct of Spencer Lawton in Chatham County in the Troy Davis death penalty case. Spencer Lawton's record is riddled with prosecutorial misconduct and 4 exonerations, 2 death penalty exonerations. To open the case of Troy Davis.
The United States Attorney's Office:
DAVID E. NAHMIAS, U.S. Attorney
Richard B. Russell Federal Building
75 Spring Street, S.W.
Suite 600
Atlanta, GA 30303-3309
Tel: 404.581.6000
Fax: 404.581.6181

2. Ask the White House to issue a Presidential Pardon and ask tat they look into the case and demand the Parole Board Reconsider Clemency. We understand this is a state case but a federal law is what has hindered the new evidence from being heard. Anti-terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act signed into law by Bill Clinton in 1996.

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Phone Numbers

Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461

TTY/TDD

Comments: 202-456-6213
Visitors Office: 202-456-2121
E-Mail: comments@whitehouse.gov. (Please submit messages in text format only. This inbox is unable to receive e-mails that contain graphics or attachments. After it arrives, you will receive an e-mail confirmation indicating successful delivery.)
Vice President Richard Cheney: vice_president@whitehouse.gov

3. Fax Directly to the Georgia Parole Board and demand reconsideration based on 6 eyewitnesses and 2 additional witnesses.

4. Send op-eds: Mrs. Cynthia Tucker at the Atlanta Journal Constitution is currently soliciting letters from the public about Troy. She can be reached at: cynthia@ajc.com

5. Ask the Ga. Attorney General to ask the Parole Board to reconsider:
Thurbert E. Baker
Attorney General of Georgia
Phone: 404-656-3300
FAX: 404-657-8733
Thurber Baker Office of the Attorney General 40 Capitol Square, SW Atlanta, Ga 30334 Phone: (404) 656-3300 Fax: (404) 657-8733 tbaker@law.ga.gov

DETAILS FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ABOUT WHAT TO DO FOR OCTOBER 23 EVENTS:

Emphasize that this execution is taking place despite that fact that Troy Davis’ strong claims of innocence have never been resolved.

Express your sympathies for the family of Troy Davis and the family of Officer Mark Allen MacPhail.

Emphasize that this execution, like all executions, will solve nothing and only add to the pain caused by the original crime.
Call for abolition of the death penalty.


IDEAS FOR SOLIDARITY EVENTS:
Candlelight vigils (religious or secular) – Provide at least one speaker to put the event in context and to open and close the event. If possible, you might want to close the event with music or singing (the tone should be somber and serious). Be sure to provide candles and signs and/or banners with brief versions of the above messages. Have Troy Davis fact sheets on hand to give to interested passersby.

Public rallies – Provide a few speakers, and a bullhorn or microphone. If possible, you might also want to include music or singing in the event (the tone should be somber and serious). Be sure to provide signs and/or banners with brief versions of the above messages. Have Troy Davis fact sheets on hand to give to interested passersby.

Prayer service - Go here - http://salsa.net/peace/vigilsvc.html - for an example of an execution watch prayer service.


RESOURCES: Photos and fact sheets are available at http://www.amnestyusa.org/troydavis.