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May 2004: CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY PASSES STONGEST DEATH PENALTY MORATORIUM RESOLUTION YET RESOLUTION
FOR A MORATORIUM ON THE DEATH PENALTY
Drafted by Natasha Hull-Richter Sponsored by Ruth Hull-Richter, Mark Hull-Richter and Bea Foster WHEREAS over 110 men and women who had been sentenced to death row have been exonerated since 1973 and in view of the fact that a June, 2000 Columbia University study entitled "A Broken System" found that reversible error had occurred in 68% of reviewed cases of those on death row, the fact that the American Bar Association has concluded that capital punishment is a "maze of unfair practices with no internal consistency" and the fact that California has the largest death row population in the United States with over 622 women and men awaiting execution, some or all of whom may be innocent, and WHEREAS (the bigotry involved in capital punishment is evident*) from the fact that a disproportionate number of minorities are awaiting execution in California and 98% of those on death row are from such poor backgrounds that they could not even afford their own attorney, and WHEREAS, once an innocent person has been executed, there is no way to correct the mistake, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the California Democratic Party encourages the California State legislature to enact legislation calling for a moratorium on the death penalty until it can be conclusively determined that no individual on death row, or likely to be sent to death row, is innocent and until we can ensure that no one will receive a death sentence as a result of his/her race, socio-economic status or geographic location. From press release: The resolution drafted by Natasha, a 12-year-old Democratic child, and revised with the assistance of Mike Ferrell, was overwhelmingly approved by the California Democratic Party Resolutions Committee and California Democratic Executive Board, thereby immediately making it Democratic Policy in California. The passage was largely due to two inspiringly eloquent speeches by Democratic Representative Maxine Waters, one of the most popular leaders in the Democratic Party. Democratic Regional Director and labor leader Ray Cordova also gave a rousing speech in support of the resolution. The vote was close to unanimous. Only 3 individuals dissented in the resolutions committee and only 2 to 3 voices of dissent could be heard at the time of the vote on the floor of the E-Board. Maxine Waters, Ray Cordova, Rima Nashaahibi (who helped it get it passed in the resolutions committee), Natasha (the author), and Natasha’s brother Alex (who also helped in promoting the resolutions), Mike Ferrell (whose letter in support of the resolutions was presented to all resolution committee members) and Inola Henry (the fair-minded resolution chairman) are all great Americans who have shown their willingness to fight for fairness and justice. America needs more great leaders like these individuals. [* These 8 words were removed by a friendly amendment on the floor right before the resolution as amended passed.] September, 2004 Department of Peace Youth Chair’s speech for Department of Peace Resolution Hi. My name is Natasha. I am 13 years old. The Department of Peace legislation has given my generation hope- hope that we will survive, hope that we will be safe, hope that we can cross the street or an ocean and be responded to with respect and friendship. The 50 co-sponsors of the Department of Peace legislation have given us a new way to look at the world. We draw to us what we focus upon. The Department of Peace will allow us to focus on peace and life as opposed to war and death. The legislation is not just about international peace. It is also about safety: safety in our cities, safety in our schools, safety in our neighborhoods, safety in our houses. It is a gift of love and LIFE from our greatest Democratic leaders. But THEY need your help to push it through Congress. I was only 10 years old when Bush’s endless War – OF - Terror began. It has left too many kids my age or younger dead or maimed. Too many places are now radioactive. And now with the possibility of the draft, my generation has a new fear, a fear of being ordered to kill others just like us or to be killed as a result of the worldwide nuclear buildup Bush’s war agenda is inspiring. So I’m asking you to call for passage of this legislation– if not for yourselves, then for your children and their children. If you have the courage to give my generation and later generations a future, then you will be the heroes we remember. DOP Resolution adopted by Democratic Party of Orange County (CA) and which went to to the California Democratic Party Resolution calling for a Department of Peace Drafted by Natasha H. * Whereas on July 4, 1776, in the Declaration of Independence, the achievement of peace was recognized as one of the highest duties of the new organization of free and independent states and under the United States Constitution’s Preamble, one of the purposes of the Constitution is stated to be “to promote domestic tranquility,” another word for peace; and Whereas, a first step towards promoting peace instead of war is to create a cabinet-level Department of Peace within the executive branch to promote peace both domestically and internationally; and Whereas on April 3, 2003 Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich* introduced House Bill number 1673 calling for the creation of a cabinet-level Department of Peace, which Department shall “be dedicated to peacemaking and conditions that are conducive to both domestic and international peace;” Therefore, we the Democratic Central Committee of Orange County [Califonria Democratic Party] resolve to call for all members of both Houses of Congress to expedite passage of House Bill 1673 and take all action necessary to create a cabinet-level Department of Peace within the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government. *The Orange County Democratic Party removed the names of Dennis Kucinich and Natasha from the resolution before officially adopting it. Following Natasha's speech before the California Democratic Party's legistlative committee, the CDP's legislative committee and then the CDP voted to back Kucinich's Department of Peace Legislation (House Bill 1673). |