January, 06 2021, 11:00pm EDT
Varshini Prakash of the Sunrise Movement's Statement on Coup Attempt
Following yesterday's devastating events in Washington D.C, co-founder and Executive Director of the Sunrise Movement, Varshini Prakash, released this statement:
"Everything Donald Trump said he was going to do, that he has been bragging about and shouting for years - that many in the media and his friends in Congress and so many others ignored or played down - is coming to fruition.
WASHINGTON
Following yesterday's devastating events in Washington D.C, co-founder and Executive Director of the Sunrise Movement, Varshini Prakash, released this statement:
"Everything Donald Trump said he was going to do, that he has been bragging about and shouting for years - that many in the media and his friends in Congress and so many others ignored or played down - is coming to fruition.
"It's ugly, and it's painful and it's not at all surprising. Nor is it surprising that it's coming off an epic, hard-fought victory by Black folks in the South who have been actively disenfranchised by white supremacy and voter suppression for centuries.
"I'm furious that on a day when people should be resting and celebrating one another for their work on this election, we are instead watching a violent coup attempt and fearing for the lives of those we care about and the future of this nation.
"We're at a crossroads - that part feels clear. Both paths forward were on full display, the ugly reality of white supremacy, hate, and nationalism versus a multiracial coalition of everyday people working to restore the soul of America.
"There is no middle ground, and Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, and Nancy Pelosi, cannot "compromise," " negotiate," or "come to the table" with the GOP tyrants who enabled violent terrorism in our capitol. If Democrats deliver bold solutions that create jobs, ensure justice, and heal a divided nation, this year could launch a new era of politics like FDR and the New Deal and Democrats will be rewarded for decades to come."
The Sunrise Movement is a youth movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process by building an army of young people to make climate change an urgent priority across America, end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on our politics, and elect leaders who stand up for the health and wellbeing of all people. Most recently, the Sunrise Movement contributed to the election of Senator-elects Ossoff and Warnock by mobilizing thousands of young people in Georgia.
Sunrise Movement is a movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process.
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Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday signed legislation protecting librarians and prohibiting public schools and libraries from banning books—a move that came as Republican state lawmakers are proscribing a record number of titles, many of them works addressing sexual orientation, gender identity, and racial injustice.
Flanked by educators, librarians, and other advocates, Murphy signed
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"The Freedom to Read Act cements New Jersey's role on the forefront of preventing book bans and protecting the intellectual freedom of our educators and students," said Murphy. "Across the nation, we have seen attempts to suppress and censor the stories and experiences of others. I'm proud to amplify the voices of our past and present, as there is no better way for our children to prepare for the future than to read freely."
According to a statement from Murphy's office:
Under the law, boards of education and governing boards of public libraries are barred from excluding books because of the origin, background, or views of the material or of its authors. Further, boards of education and governing boards of public libraries are prevented from censoring library material based on a disagreement with a viewpoint, idea, or concept, or solely because an individual finds certain content offensive, unless they are restricting access to developmentally inappropriate material for certain age groups.
The legislation "also provides protections for library staff members against civil and criminal lawsuits related to complying with this law."
New Jersey Association of School Librarians President Karen Grant said that "the Freedom to Read Act recognizes the professionalism, honor, work ethics, and performance of school and public library staff" and "promotes libraries as trusted sources of information and recognizes the many roles that libraries play in students' lives."
"The bill will protect the intellectual freedom of students as well as acknowledge that school libraries are centers for voluntary inquiry, fostering students' growth and development," Grant added. "Additionally, we are grateful for the broad coalition of support from so many organizations for this legislation."
The leader of one of those groups—Garden State Equality executive director Christian Fuscarino—said, "Gov. Murphy just made it clear: In New Jersey, censorship loses, and freedom wins."
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Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) similarly stressed that "birthright citizenship is enshrined in the Constitution as a cornerstone of American ideals. It reflects our belief that America is the land of opportunity. Sadly, this is just another in the long line of Trump's assault on the U.S. Constitution."
Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), the daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, said in a statement: "'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.' It is important to remember who we are, where many of us came from, and why many of our families traveled here to be greeted by the Mother of Exiles, the Statue of Liberty."
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Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) highlighted the difficulties of passing constitutional amendments while discussing Trump in a Monday appearance on CNN. The incoming chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus was born in the Dominican Republic and is the first formerly undocumented immigrant elected to Congress.
As Mother Jones reporter Isabela Dias detailed Monday:
Critics of ending birthright citizenship for the U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants argue it would not only constitute bad policy, but also a betrayal of American values and, as one scholar put it to me, a "prelude" to mass deportation.
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