To: Curt Walton, Charlotte, NC City Manager
Curt Walton Restore Democracy: Let Protesters Assemble in Charlotte this Week
Dear Curt Walton:
The United States Constitution provides every citizen the right to peaceably assemble. But your decision to declare the Bank of America shareholder meeting an “extraordinary event” will have a chilling effect on any individual who wishes to peacefully protest Bank of America.
For far too long, Bank of America has been illegally foreclosing on homes, polluting communities with dirty coal, and undermining our nation’s democracy. Thousands of people impacted by their policies will be coming to the Bank of America shareholder meeting in Charlotte. We have a Constitutional right to share our stories.
We urge you to protect the Constitution and not allow Bank of America to take away our right to peaceably assemble. Please rescind your decision and protect the Constitutional rights of protesters.
The United States Constitution provides every citizen the right to peaceably assemble. But your decision to declare the Bank of America shareholder meeting an “extraordinary event” will have a chilling effect on any individual who wishes to peacefully protest Bank of America.
For far too long, Bank of America has been illegally foreclosing on homes, polluting communities with dirty coal, and undermining our nation’s democracy. Thousands of people impacted by their policies will be coming to the Bank of America shareholder meeting in Charlotte. We have a Constitutional right to share our stories.
We urge you to protect the Constitution and not allow Bank of America to take away our right to peaceably assemble. Please rescind your decision and protect the Constitutional rights of protesters.
Why is this important?
My name is Antonio Ennis. I'm a father of 6 fighting Bank of America to stay in my home in Dorchester, MA.
I’ve been waging a long fight against Bank of America to keep my home. When Bank of America bought Countrywide, I applied for a loan modification. But instead of lowering my payments, Bank of America raised my monthly payment by $1,000. Now, my family and I may lose our home if Bank of America does not approve my principal reduction soon.
That’s why, on May 9th, I’m going to Charlotte, NC -- the Wall Street of the South -- to confront the top executives of Bank of America.
I’m coordinating a bus bound for Charlotte carrying 50 people affected by foreclosure -- people like me on the brink of losing their homes, along with families, children, and new activists.
We want to share our stories on May 9th.
But now, days before thousands of us are traveling to Charlotte to confront Bank of America top executives and board members about the big bank's destructive practices--the city of Charlotte has declared that there is no room for our stories and our voices.
They have declared the Bank of America shareholder meeting on May 9 an "extraordinary event," meaning that they are restricting free speech and expanding the ability of police and security forces to target and profile the homeowners, workers, community members, students, and immigrants who are coming to Bank of America shareholder's meeting to demand justice for our communities and our planet.
Will you join in me in telling City Manager Curt Walton to rescind his decision to declare Bank of America’s shareholder meeting an “Extraordinary Event” and protect the Constitutional rights of protesters?
This will be an extraordinary event. It’s extraordinary because of how many people are coming together to build an economy and a democracy that works for all of us--not just for the 1%.
We are the families who are homeless because of Bank of America’s illegal foreclosures; we are the mothers whose children can’t stop coughing because of pollution from dirty coal plants financed by bank of America, we are the people everywhere who are losing our communities and quality of life in the name of corporate greed and we thank you for standing with us.
I’ve been waging a long fight against Bank of America to keep my home. When Bank of America bought Countrywide, I applied for a loan modification. But instead of lowering my payments, Bank of America raised my monthly payment by $1,000. Now, my family and I may lose our home if Bank of America does not approve my principal reduction soon.
That’s why, on May 9th, I’m going to Charlotte, NC -- the Wall Street of the South -- to confront the top executives of Bank of America.
I’m coordinating a bus bound for Charlotte carrying 50 people affected by foreclosure -- people like me on the brink of losing their homes, along with families, children, and new activists.
We want to share our stories on May 9th.
But now, days before thousands of us are traveling to Charlotte to confront Bank of America top executives and board members about the big bank's destructive practices--the city of Charlotte has declared that there is no room for our stories and our voices.
They have declared the Bank of America shareholder meeting on May 9 an "extraordinary event," meaning that they are restricting free speech and expanding the ability of police and security forces to target and profile the homeowners, workers, community members, students, and immigrants who are coming to Bank of America shareholder's meeting to demand justice for our communities and our planet.
Will you join in me in telling City Manager Curt Walton to rescind his decision to declare Bank of America’s shareholder meeting an “Extraordinary Event” and protect the Constitutional rights of protesters?
This will be an extraordinary event. It’s extraordinary because of how many people are coming together to build an economy and a democracy that works for all of us--not just for the 1%.
We are the families who are homeless because of Bank of America’s illegal foreclosures; we are the mothers whose children can’t stop coughing because of pollution from dirty coal plants financed by bank of America, we are the people everywhere who are losing our communities and quality of life in the name of corporate greed and we thank you for standing with us.