SIT-IN PLANNED FOR Sat in Columbus, OH -- at Statehouse

From my email inbox:

Dear Concerned Americans,


There will be a peaceful sit-in at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus,
Ohio, on Saturday, November 13th at 1PM. We will gather around the
building and sit on the steps to protest the unfair election that has taken
place.

The Ohio Statehouse is located in the center of Columbus, at the corner
of Broad and High streets downtown. As soon as we get an exact street
address, we will post it. (though I think its going to be difficult to
miss the building) Here is a map of the area:

http://www.statehouse.state.oh.us/maps.cfm

There are too many stories of election fraud to even begin to list.
They have been coming in from all sides, yet the media is strangly
silent. It cannot be a massive tabulation error--such errors would have
undoubted favored Kerry a few times as well. But as it stands, President
Bush has been the only candidate to recieve extra votes because of these
problems. If the media will not report, then we must come together and
make them listen.

We are protesting the use of electronic voting machines without paper
trails. Using such machines, we have no way to know that our vote is
being counted as we cast it. Such systems are easily hackable. On top of
that, we certainly are not comfortable with for-profit companies
counting our votes. We are also protesting the media silence and we want
them to start investigating.

This will be a peaceful affair. We do not want to give the police any
reason to arrest any of us. When you come, find a place and sit down.
If you are coming, email songbound@yahoo.com and let us know.

We are also in desperate need of volunteers. Please contact
aquarianwind@yahoo.com if you are interesting in helping.

Our website is http://www.freewebs.com/libertyordeath/index.html . If
you try to get on the site and it is down or the bandwidth is exceeded,
try again later. We have purchased additional bandwidth and it is on
the way.

We will be posting more information throughout the week. Tell everyone
you can. Contact your local Democratic party headquarters and get them
involved. And again, we need some volunteers to help out.

Thanks,

Sarah

Hello all,

I have been debating all night whether or not to share this info with everyone (because I know how quickly it will spread and how paranoid everyone will become), but have ultimately decided to do so.

Earlier today, the FBI showed up at my door. Apparently someone (*cough*right-winger*cough*) had reported me to them for attempting to organize a 'terrorist' activity.

Gee, I didn't know the AMERICAN tradition of civil disobedience was considered terrorist. You know, there was the Boston Tea Party, and the Greensboro Sit-Ins, and they were champions of democracy. But gee, we certainly don't want to continue THAT tradition, do we?

But just because I want a fair count of the vote means I'm a terrorist? Just because I want to make sure we still live in a true democracy where every vote counts I'm to be considered a danger to national security?

Luckily, I'm NOT in jail tonight, but I fear that they are still watching me. After a few minutes of talking they seemed content that I was not a threat to national security, and left.

Honestly, I do not know what to do. I'm fairly sure the only reason they showed up is because a right-winger reported me, not necessarily because of what I was trying to organize. But apparently under the dreaded Patriot Act civil disobedience CAN be considered terrorist, and I can be thrown in jail without formal charges or rights.

So I'm postponing the sit-in for now... The point has been raised that holding it on the same day as CASE-Ohio's hearing would be splintering our resources, and I do believe I agree. We need to regroup and examine our options a bit.

Just because I'm postponing it does NOT mean that it will not happen. We WILL organize and we WILL protest this election before the electorial college meets...just not this Saturday. I'm currently trying to work with other groups to see what I can coordinate in terms of numbers and places. Even if we have to wait a week or two, the more people we have the harder it will be to ignore us.

I'm NOT caving...we're not caving. We're GOING to protest, even if I have to get thrown in jail because of it. I won't just roll over and take it. None of us will.

When did being a patriot become equal to being a terrorist?

~Sarah~


And also this:

I apologize, but I forgot to mention the site. It's back up now, with enough bandwidth to hold the 10,000 hits a day it's getting.

http://www.freewebs.com/libertyordeath/index.htm

Check it daily for updates. I will try to update it will all the information I can possibly find.

Thanks,
Sarah

To: Urgent Response Network
From: No Stolen Elections! www.Nov3.US

ACT NOW:

*Support efforts to make every vote count in Ohio
*Hold public hearings in your community
*Wake up the media

CALL TO ACTION:
TURN EVERY LIGHT ON OHIO

In Franklin County, Ohio, where 658 people voted, touchscreen machines gave Bush 4,258 votes. In one North Carolina county, the machines destroyed the votes of over 4500 people. These isolated revelations are joined daily by new reports casting light on suspect vote totals in New Hampshire, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Florida, and on the suppression of African American and youth votes in Wisconsin, Ohio, Iowa, and many other states across the nation. The truth is breaking through.

We wish we had put out this call to action sooner. We apologize for the delay. In preparing for November 3rd, we knew that it was possible, even likely, that this election's legitimacy would remain an unknown for weeks after election day. What we did not expect was that Kerry would concede without waiting for the votes to be counted. Yet here we are. At this point, we can only move forward, and that means organizing from below, flushing out the truth, building momentum, day by day and week by week.

This campaign is only one stage in the long struggle for democratic elections and the right to vote, yet this campaign is in one respect unique: The legitimacy of our electoral system itself is at question. Either a groundswell of public protest will force a full investigation of the 2004 elections, the counting of every vote, and the establishment of an independent election authority and verified voting, or the American people will correctly conclude that they have no basis for faith in the fairness or integrity of our elections. We must act now.

1. KEEP THE SPOTLIGHT ON OHIO

a. Support and Attend the Hearings in Columbus

Organized by the Ohio Citizens Alliance for Secure Elections with support from the League of Pissed of Voters and many other national organizations. Ohio voters, voting experts, and investigative journalists will be invited to present testimony for the public record documenting instances of voting irregularities and systematic voter suppression. The purpose of the hearings is to document the systemic undermining of our democratic process that occurred leading up to and on Nov 2, and assess how to respond to racial disenfranchisement and suppression of democratic rights. See: www.indyvoter.org

Saturday November 13, 1-4 PM
New Faith Baptist Church
955 Oak Street, Columbus

Monday November 15, 6-9 PM,
Auditorium (Meeting Room A)
Courthouse, 373 S. High St., Columbus

b. Badger Blackwell ­ Call Ohio Secretary of State Blackwell’s office -- 614-466-2585 -- to demand that he do the following:

1. Count every single provisional ballot.
2. Release information about the number of “spoiled” ballots in Ohio.
3. Hand count the “spoiled” punch card ballots to make as many of these ballots count as possible.

c. Pressure Your Elected Officials - Call your U.S. senators and representatives today. Insist that they join Rep. Conyers, Holt, Nadler, Scott, Watt, and Wexler in demanding a General Accounting Office (GAO) investigation of the tens of thousands of reported complaints regarding the 2004 election. Call 202-224-3121

2. ORGANIZE PUBLIC HEARINGS IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY

We must document what happened in this election so that we can use this information to push for needed reforms in our electoral system. We encourage local groups to sponsor public hearings during which citizens, voting experts, community leaders, investigative journalists and others can present testimony for the public record documenting instances of voting irregularities and systematic voter suppression. Involve as many groups and constituencies as possible ­ from civil rights and voting rights groups to public officials, journalists, youth groups, lawyers, and others. In addition to documenting what happened before, during and after November 2, use these hearings as an opportunity to plan how to respond to these problems.

3. WAKE THE MEDIA

Despite growing evidence of disenfranchisement, suppression and fraud ­ from lost votes to missing ballots to black-box machines with no paper trail, to a clear pattern of intimidation of voters ­ the establishment media has whitewashed the election. We must use media activist tactics to pressure the mainstream media to cover these issues. We urge you to organize a pressure campaign to push your local media outlets to cover the voting problems that occurred in your communities. Call and email the editors at your local newspaper and TV stations, provide them with copies of published media stories on voting irregularities, and demand that they investigate. You can also ask to meet with editorial board of the media outlet to make your case in person. If none of that works, take to the streets: Protest outside the media outlet and refuse to allow them to censor this hugely important story.

MSNBC is the first major news media source to cover the story. See: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/ and http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6442857/

- - - - - -

Watch for further news regarding No Stolen Elections! in the coming week. Stay tuned.
www.Nov3.US

"This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, and it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress." ~ Frederick Douglass, 1857

I'm in Columbus so I was excited to see the sit-in organized, then ALARMED that you were reported to the FBI, relieved you are fine, disappointed there won't be a sit-in, and now I'm thoroughly depleted after the emotional rollercoaster you've put me through! But I wanted to testify at the hearing anyway bc. I was a poll official in a dem precinct and I wanted to report the shortage of voting machines (3 for 1300 voters!) and the # of people told to go to the wrong places. So it all works out... if you're in Columbus & need help organizing anything, send me a message!

while everyone sits around waiting for John Kerry to do something, while the chair of the DNC says, duh, I don't see nuthin' wrong here.

Sheesh.

Wake up, people. Democracy is YOURS to save, no one else is going to do it for you.

There's also a protest at the DNC HQ in DC on Saturday:

Important PROTEST the 2004 Election - DNC Headquarters, Washington DC
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=201&topic_id=2606#2618

I hope they're not expecting DUers to get involved.

is NO one interested in this? Unbelievable.

That sucks, that totally sucks, from now on they will have to teach a short class to all americans titled things you can do that are not considered terrorist activities:

burps are okay, farts, well only if you don't make any noise and they can't be detected more than 2 feet away.

I am so sorry, is their anything I can do?

I would be so devastated if this happened to me.

I mean call the FBI because they think you are a terrorist? Stay safe and thanks for the Ohio info.

THERE IS GOING TO BE AN INVESTIGATE VOTERGATE RALLY HERE IN MN ON SATURDAY AT THE STATE CAPITOL and there WILL be turnout.

Eloriel is right--what is WRONG with you people? What is it going to TAKE? GET OFF YOUR BUTTS and PROTEST!!!!!!!

I missed this thread yesterday, but will read it very carefully tonight. I am happy to read at first glance that you are doing ok after your brush with the long arm of the post-9/11 law!

You are such a valuable part of the DU community (and obviously of your local community as well). I hope you know how many of us appreciate you here!! =)

really. and his whole family was there, and everyone else that works there, except for two people. I got out to open the dock door, and left the van in gear, and when I saw it rolling I ran around and jumped back in it and put my foot on the brake but really it turned out to be the gas pedal.

So everyone comes running to the back, there is almost never anyone there but me and the off. manager, but today I hit it just at the right hour, and him and his wife and two kids are just standing there along with all the other employees and everyone's mouth is hanging open and I just want to DIE on the spot...

I'm just trying to share another bad day with you, I am so sorry that happened. I am not fired, but my boss is furious and will have to replace the door, and I am not that popular there anyway, so I felt some were taking secret delight in this.

I don't live in OH, so I wouldn't be there anyway, but I am grateful to you for all your efforts trying to coordinate a show of faith. I have e-maile the people at the Warren county place that was shut down, I'll do other stuff if I knew what...

:hi:

there is no sit-in, but there is still a hearing? See you at the hearing!

That is really creepy that the FBI showed up about this. Why the hell aren't they down in Florida and elsewhere investigating the alleged election fraud? I'm in Columbus. I think I'll be at the meeting Saturday for support.

I woulda come but....


Seriously though, good luck

When and if you do have one, I will be there! I wouldn't have been able to be there this Sat. because my son has a hockey game, but now that it will be a different date, I may be able to make it! I need more than 3 days notice though so I don't make plans. ;) I can drive to Columbus in 5-6 hours (my repuke sister-in-law lives in Pickerington) and WILL be there when you decide to have it.

I'm SO sorry you had a visit from the FBI. DAMN! What the hell is wrong with this country? Since when is a sit-in a terrorist activity? Sheesh!

Thanks for posting this and be sure to let us know when you reschedule!

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

Not everyone can come out at the drop of a hat.

The hockey game was planned BEFORE the protest and he WILL go. It's called RESPONSIBILITY. His team depends on him, he signed up to play and he WILL play. SOME things in life must go on and THIS is one of them. Besides THAT, THE FUCKING SIT-IN HAS BEEN CANCELED!!!!!Or did you just happen to miss that little tidbit of info?? At least I'm willing to drive 5-6 hours to go when there is a sit-in, ARE YOU? KRIST! Chill out!

I'm so sorry these people are in control of our country.

I was investigated back in the sixties without my knowledge. They read my mail and I didn't know it. The reason I found out was that they talked to my mother behind my back, told her not to tell me, but she was so upset she did.

I think many of us will be followed around and investigated. They really can't do anything if you don't break the law. We still have some rights left. The thing is that there is more of us than them so it's going to be really hard for them to keep up with all of us. Also, the agency is underfunded and understaffed.

your first amendment rights. So long as you do nothing illegal--or that can be made to appear illegal--you should be OK. Do not let them scare you.

I assume you are an upright citizen with nothing to hide. If you spot them watching you, walk right up and offer them a soft drink. Or wink and say "howdy partner". Don't succumb to the fear tactics.

Like this... :hi:

Alternatively, if you are aware of any activity that might be considered a federal crime (like your computer being hacked) discuss it with them. You might as well get your questions answered.

I don't have a story, but I'd like to hear the testimony others will give.

I really wish we had someone inside Blackwell's office.