Duluth Central Labor Body's resolution to repeal the MN Patriot Act and support of RNC 8

I found this very powerful email below. I don't know much of MN history but I do know a little of the early 1900's when the Government spyed on Labor activists and the civil liberties of strikers were violated, mine guards and police used force to intimidate strikers, union leaders were jailed and at times beaten.
It made me realize even more how we must not ignore the hearings and trials of those arrested before and during the RNC and to keep the pressure on our elected officials to ask all charges be dismissed and for independent investigation into actions of law enforcement and rogue agent Bob Fletcher, and to especially to repeal the MN Patriot act.





Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2009, 2:43 PM


The DCLB represents 17,000 members in the Twin Ports of Northern MN.


Resolution in Support of the RNC 8 and Stating that the Anti-Terrorism Act
Should be Repealed

Whereas, a free society is one in which people can organize collectively to
improve their lives without fear of persecution by their government; and

Whereas, the labor movement has historically suffered state intimidation and
repression in our efforts to organize working people, including the
unconstitutional arrest of labor organizers and publishers of union papers
under “criminal syndicalism” laws of the first half of the 20th century;
and

Whereas, changes to the Minnesota criminal code under the so-called
Anti-Terrorism Act of 2002 threaten political speech by defining acts that
“further terrorism” so broadly as to encompass civil disobedience designed
to “disrupt or interfere with the lawful exercise, operation, or conduct of
government, lawful commerce, or the right of lawful assembly,” including
strikes, blockades and other union actions to defend workers’ rights; and

Whereas, the first criminal charges under this law were filed by Ramsey County
prosecutors in September of 2008 against organizers of Republican National
Convention protests in St Paul (known as the "RNC 8"), with no evidence that
the defendants committed any act of violence;

Therefore, be it resolved that the Duluth Central Labor Body stands in
solidarity with the RNC 8 and goes on record as opposing the
politically-motivated terrorism charges filed against them; and

Be it further resolved that the Duluth Central Labor Body goes on record as
opposing 609.714 of the Minnesota criminal code (“CRIMES COMMITTED IN
FURTHERANCE OF TERRORISM”) and calls on Minnesota state legislators to work
for the repeal of this law;

Be it further resolved that the Duluth Central Labor Body urges that labor
unions across Minnesota consider the implications of the RNC 8 case and the
Minnesota Anti-Terrorism Act on their own organizing and to support the cause
of repeal.

Proposed and passed with unanimous support from the delegates of the Duluth
Central Labor Body on March 12, 2009

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