JURY RIGHTS DAY

from Erika Alvarez

Today, September 5th, is Jury Rights Day.

As a juror, you are the most powerful person in the courtroom!

Jury independence has a long and proud history in our legal system. We have rights such as Freedom of Religion, Freedom of the Press, and the truth as a defense to libel today; ONLY because ordinary jurors had the courage to acquit heroes like William Penn & John Peter Zenger. But be careful! If you act like you know this history, you're likely not to get picked to serve on any jury and then you lose out on the chance to do something good.

Getting called as a juror gives you the opportunity not just to judge the guilt or innocence of a person; you also have the right to judge the law!

There is a lot of information out there about the development of our system of trial by jury, but for today I'm going to take a different tack on the issue, and assume that most of you are aware that jurors -- even contrary to instructions from judges -- can nullify bad laws.

I'm not a lawyer, but over the years, I've heard of a few ways to help justice prevail via the jury system. Turns out, if I were a lawyer, I couldn’t advocate for Jury Nullification, but as a citizen we must know our rights!

Fully Informed Jury Associations (FIJA) attorney, Clay Conrad says "Sometimes a bit of subversion is needed to rescue our government from itself. The second part of the credo 'my country, right or wrong,' is 'when right, to stand by her. When wrong, to set her right again.' Setting government right again is what jury nullification is all about. Bureaucrats may whine about subversion, but jury nullification, in the end, is the democratic response of deliberating citizens to laws that are not popularly supported, in a nation where we, the people, not government, are the source of sovereign power."

As FIJA explains: "Nothing in the U.S. Constitution or in any Supreme Court decision requires jurors to take an oath to follow the law as the judge explains it or, for that matter, authorizes the judge to "instruct" the jury at all.  Judges provide their interpretation of the law, but you MUST also do your own thinking. Keep in mind that no juror's oath is enforceable, and that you may regard all 'instructions' as advice."

Juries exist BECAUSE you have a conscience, and there is NO requirement that jurors reach a verdict - if one person believes the prosecution failed to meet their burden or the law is unjust he or she can "hang" the jury and deliver no verdict. A word of caution - it's a good idea NOT to mention the word "nullification" at all, from start to finish of your jury experience, even to other jurors.

Procedures vary by court, but generally, once you arrive in the morning, you'll be subject to "voir dire," where you're sworn to tell the truth (the words mean "truly say" in Latin/French). So do that, but DON'T go volunteering any extra information when it's not asked of you! Just say repeatedly that you will be fair, while saying as little else as possible, and keeping a neutral/friendly facial expression toward the lawyers on both sides. They are NOT looking for leaders or people who might seem exceptionally intelligent about either the science, in this particular case, or about the law. These are lawyers, and they're used to feeling like the smartest person in the room whether or not it's true. Your job, as a prospective juror who secretly wants to be selected in order to nullify bad law, is to reinforce that feeling, regardless of the truth! ;)

You want to appear to both sides as a middle of the road taxpayer concerned with reaching a fair verdict, and not someone who has controversial opinions, to the extent truthfully possible. It's a good idea to appear well dressed (business casual) and bring NON-CONTROVERSIAL reading material -- nothing political, etc.

By taking part in a jury you can be the person who acquits a patient of growing his or her medicine or the person who provided the care.

If you would like to help Florida CAN change cannabis laws, take the time to educate yourself about the history of jury nullification, download our brochure and make copies for your friends or organize a day at the courthouse passing out our Fully Informed Jury information.

Hope you enjoyed this segment of Know Your Rights,

Yours in liberty,

Jim Ray

Team 27

Labor Day Festival at Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery

from Ted Parsons

Come on out this Friday night and continue to celebrate Labor Day with one of the biggest supporters of Labor in the Area. This is always a great event and promises to be even better this year. Hope to see you there.

15 South J Street in Downtown Lake Worth

6-9 PM    FREE Songbooks so you can sing-along

 Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery invites you to its 4th annual Labor Day Celebration at its gallery at 15 South J Street in Downtown Lake Worth.  From 6-9 PM on Friday you will be able to meet and greet Palm Beach County’s top Labor Leaders, Pat Emmert, Terry McKenzie and Tony Fransetta.  Joining them will be our esteemed local officials Shelley Vana and Jeff Clemens.

 What is Labor Day without the singing of Union Songs?  The gallery is providing a free songbook so you can join Rod MacDonald and sing along.  Rod was a staple in the folk song movement in Greenwich Village for several decades before coming to South Florida.  He has been named one of the top 10 Florida singers of all time and is regarded as the most influential person that has kept folk and acoustic music alive in Florida.

No Labor Day is complete without great food and exceptional art.  The labors of the artists at Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery have been touted throughout the county. The art on display is unique, unusual, affordable and special.  The food and drink at our receptions are always exceptional.  Look for holiday favorite foods this night.

SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM NIGHT

from Nancy Stiefel, SJ Film Committee Chair

What:   A Better Life -- a 2011 feature film 

When:  Sunday, Sept. 8th , 7:00 PM

Where:  Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, at the corner of 16th Street and 27th Avenue, Vero Beach

The Social Justice Film Series of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship begins a new season in its sanctuary with the feature film A Better Life.  This film reveals what it is like to live as an undocumented worker, confined to the shadows of American society.  It’s the story of a gardener in East L.A. who struggles to keep his son away from gangs and immigration agents while trying to give him the opportunities he never had.  This film is uncommon among Hollywood productions in that it is set in a Hispanic community and features an almost entirely Hispanic cast. “Not many films have focused on the struggles of undocumented immigrants, much less done a good job at it,” says Jonathan Perez of the Huff Post Latino Voices blog.

Roger Ebert, of the Chicago Sun-Times, wrote that "the performances are pitch perfect," and he gave the film 3.5 stars out of 4.  Its lead actor, Demián Bichir, a popular Mexican actor, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.  Joy Tipping of Dallas Morning News says, “Director Chris Weitz neatly avoids sanctimony by centering the engrossing story on a father-son relationship, letting the audience make up its own mind about the overarching matter of illegal immigration.” 

All of our social justice films are open to the public.  There is no charge, but donations are always gratefully accepted to cover the screening rights fees.   Mark your calendar to attend this first film of our season and bring a friend!  The Fair Trade Corner will be open 30 minutes prior to the film.

THREE SUNDAY RALLIES

from Terry LaPlante of Florida's Water and Land Legacy

Wow this is so exciting to have another day of rallies to effect change and to collect thousands of signatures to get an amendment on the 2014 Florida ballot to restore funding to protect the environment. We need all the help we can get to collect signatures! If you are willing to lend a hand, please use the contact information below to let me know. 

I am sending one email for three events as some volunteers will try to do them all.  Also, I am sending this to volunteers who have not signed up in case they find a way to help out. With only three months left in the campaign we need all the help we can get. So feel free to bring a friend to help. So far these rallies in Stuart have been goldmines for collecting and they have been a lot of fun.

Sugarland Rally 12-3pm   It is located in Sugarland Park 1200 SWC Owen Ave. Clewiston. It is scheduled for 12-3pm but I highly recommend you get there an hour or more early to avoid traffic delays. I plan to be there at 10:30.  I understand the park is without shade and food vendors.   I will set up near the stage for speakers; many speakers 12-3pm. If you get caught in the crowds just start collecting. I understand that people who want to car pool are meeting at Halpatiokee Park at 8am decorating cars and departing for Sugarland at 9am. For help call Terry @ 321-543-2156.

Riverstock: Jensen Public Beach 3-8pm.  This is the main beach with boardwalks, food concession etc. 4191 NE  Ocean Blvd. Limited Parking. I am clueless where the overflow parking is and whether there will be shuttles.

So again getting there early is the best option to avoid parking problems and traffic delays. From 4-4:30 they want everyone to line up on the beach to spell out "FIX IT NOW" for an aerial photograph. There will be 4 bands playing during this time located on the boardwalk near the food concession. We will have one table in this area far enough away that we can hear and one or two on the beach. I encourage everyone to use 8 clipboards if possible to maximize the number of signatures you get. Anyone who can walk the beach collecting please do so because many volunteers are unable to do this. We do need help at the tables. We want to collect as people arrive, while they  are there, and as they are leaving. Most of you who I spoke to on the phone are scheduled from 2-5pm as it was my understanding the rally was moving to Chillin the Most Restaurant at 5pm but that isn't happening to 8pm. It is ok to leave as three hours of collecting is a lot of great work. Hopefully, a new shift of volunteers will magically appear to take over the crowd if they stay.

The Riverstock Rally is a beach event so dress accordingly. Anna, Cora, and Kim plan to set up tables, distribute supplies, and collect signed petitions from you before you leave. 

For help call Kim Taylor 772-418-6193, Cora Douglas  772-408-3058, or Anna Bergalis  772-233-2566. 

Chillin the Most Restaurant Restaurant & Bar 8pm-1am located at 4304 NE Ocean Blvd is within blocks of the beach event. They will have a band and all profits from the concession stand and the restaurant will be donated to the River Coalition. Volunteers are on their own for this event. We currently have six volunteers who plan to be there. I hope to be there between 6-8pm if anyone on the late shift needs petitions etc. I will not be staying past dinner  so you will need to mail the petitions in if you on our the late shift.  For help call Terry @ 321-543-2156.

Info for all three events: 

I highly recommend wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, and bug repellent. Wear your volunteer button. Bring your petitions, pens, and a folder for signed petitions. Leave purses in the trunk of your car before you leave home.

We will have volunteer packages at the tables for new volunteers.  We will have extra petitions for you to collect with 8-10 clipboards.we will have folders for you to use and hopefully have enough for everyone. Bring a folder if you have one.  We will have extra signs if you want to wear one. Please remember to turn in signed petitions from home. There will be paperclips and sticky notes at the table. Just put a sticky note on your folder of signed petitions with your name and number and we will credit your total if you have pledged 1000 or are collecting for a club or organization.  Please turn in extra clipboards and signs before you leave.  We like to get a total count for the day. Otherwise, you may mail the petitions in on your own and send me an email letting me know how many you got. Make sure you take home enough clipboards and petitions for the next few events. Trade in almost empty ones to be recycled and get new ones.

 Please consider wearing a sign to distinguish our petitions from the others who are also collecting petitions.We will be making public announcements in regards to our petitions and urging the crowd to look for our blue and white signs.  Remember our petition is the only one that is going on the ballot (besides the medical marijuana one) and thus requires signers to be registered Florida voters and they must provide a date of birth or voters registration number. Show people the petition if they say they have already signed and make sure it was the same one. If they are unsure have them sign one. No harm in signing two petitions and it increases the chances that one will be valid.

Be advised that the rubber bands are to be left on the clipboards at all times. Once the petition has been signed you check it for missing information, correct if needed,  pull it off and put it in a folder. Well meaning bystanders who want to help take the clipboards, pull off the rubber bands and start handing out petitions. Since people don't have a pen or anything to write on they fold them up and put them in a pocket or purse and that is the last we see of it. That is why you need to be able to hand lots of people clipboards at one time or hand bystanders clipboards to pass out. The goal is to get signed petitions not to pass them out.

Remember this is a great opportunity to recruit new volunteers. You have volunteer sign up sheets in every clipboard under the information flyer or under the petitions.  Once someone signs up you are free to give them a volunteer package. We have the friends and family packages with 20 petitions. And, we have the large packages with 200 petitions for people who want to collect at public events. If someone wants to help but doesn't want to sign that is ok you can give them what they request.

If you have a tent you can bring let me know. If you can bring a cooler of water and/or snacks for the tables let me know. I need someone to volunteer to make public announcements from the band stage about our petitions and signing with volunteers wearing blue and white signs at Jensen Beach.  I will be at Sugarland and hope to be at Jensen Beach by 5pm depending if I can get through the traffic etc.   I will plan to meet the three lead volunteers to collect petitions and restock boxes as needed. Anyone who would like to join me at Chillin's at 6 pm to celebrate the day is welcomed. Whoever gets there first should reserve a table for 12 people.

I may send a short email tomorrow evening with additional information. Please use Facebook to post these three events and let them know Florida's Water and Land Legacy will be there collecting petitions to secure funding for water conservation. www.floridawaterlandlegacy.org  Use search bar in Facebook and search for Sugarland, Riverstock, and Save St. Lucie River for further details.

 I hope that many of you who are not signed up  will help with one event for a couple of hours if possible. You can just show up. We have virtually no one signed up from 5-7pm. Thousands of people have been showing up for these events.

I hope you all have fun and are rewarded for your efforts. Please email me and let me know the good and bad of your day if I don't see you there. Our hotline number is 850-421-3955. Feel free to call me for further details or questions my number is below.

Thank you, thank you, thank you,

Terry LaPlante

Field Organizer

tel: (321)543-2156

Terry@floridawaterlandlegacy.org

BOYCOTT U.S. SUGAR AND FLORIDA CRYSTALS

from Diane Marks 

Let’s stand up for our dying sea animals and boycott the big corrupt Florida sugar producers, U.S. Sugar and Florida Crystals.

We can’t appeal to their finer instincts; do they have any? They seem to only care about profits, so let’s hit them in the profit margin by a boycott.

Don’t buy their products and ask your market not to carry Florida Crystals and U.S. Sugar.

Secondly, let’s make sure that none of the officials who took “contributions” from Big Florida Sugar get re-elected. They do not represent our interest. It should be a crime that our waters continue to be contaminated and a crime that our sea animals are being killed.

There are alternatives.

August 2013 Meeting Preview

from John Debus

 Hi Everyone,

 A reminder of our event this Tuesday evening, 6:30pm to 8:30pm, August 27, 2013 at the American Legion Post #40, 801 S. US1, Fort Pierce, FL. 34950. Please use the front entrance (on US1) and it is the large room on the right side as you come in the front door. Plenty of parking is on the side of the building. We will be hosting local Labor Leaders in honor of our up coming holiday in celebration for all they have fought for and given to the American society.

We have confirmation from leaders of three unions, with the possibility of a couple others, whom will give us information on where they are at and the future of their unions. We will have plenty of time for questions, answers, and discussion. Please come out in support for all the work and sacrifices that have been made in the name of hard working Americans that have built our great country and in honor of Labor Day.

We are now (August) celebrating our (TCPA) one year anniversary, YESSSS we made it. A reminder that some of our beginning (hero's) organizers, membership renewal is now due. We will be sending e-mail out to those people. You can renew at the event or mail in the form with a check to our business address on our web-site. If you are not a member, please consider joining, supporting and helping us continue our programs through our second year. It is very important for us to grow to make a difference and improve our community and world. The action table at our event is set up for groups information, sign-up sheets, up coming events, and petition. All groups will also have 1-3 minutes at the beginning to tell us about yourself. You can also contact Kathy or myself to have your events posted on our web-site. Anyone needing to car pool to the event can contact me and I will do my best to get you a ride

We are planning on having a fall picnic, tentatively 29 September 2013 at Pepper Park on the North Island of Fort Pierce. Please give us feed-back and suggestions on this. Our NEW banner has arrived and will be on display, come and check it out. "My Opinion" program is on going, choose a subject, limit it to 300 words or less and submit it to be read at the end of our event. We want to know how you feel on issues and what you are passionate about. Our events are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, so bring and/or invite friends and family. Donations are welcome, but not necessary.

Thanks to one of our loyal and dedicated members, we will be giving sets of Occucards to all donations of $3.00 or more to our brochure fund (they sell for $5.00 a set on line) . They are a set of 18 cards on all the top progressive issues with a very colorful picture on the front and all the information on that issue on the back. Their purpose is to educate people on the issues. Great for yourself or a gift to those less informed, "May" turn Tea Party people into Progressive people.

If you care to join and support our organization our membership fees are $15 per person and $20 per family annually. This is what helps maintain our programs, reach out to our community and helps make them aware of our issues and get their support. To join, see Erika at the Event or go to our website.

 We have invited the Rivers Coalition to come and speak at our September Event. Check them out at RiversCoalition.org.  There is also a plan for a Keystone Pipeline action to take place in the fall. Jerry and Richard are organizing this action and there will be a sign up sheet at the event. We are also looking for someone to co-chair our Move To Amend committee (get the money out of politics). We may have someone willing to chair but will need assistance or will assist if someone will chair.

Please come out, we need your support to make a difference. We also would like your feed-back on our Events and Organization. So feel free to respond to this e-mail. CHECK OUT OUR WEB-SITE; tcprogressivealliance.com

 Take Care, Thanks for your support,

 See you Tuesday, John

CLIMATE DENIER RALLY

from John Debus

There is POWER in numbers. If you have signed up to attend the Climate Denier Press Conference and Rally on Tuesday August 13, 2013 at 4 pm. PLEASE BRING A FRIEND.  If you have not signed up, we desperately need your support. Volunteers all over the State will be gathering on this day to let Senator Rubio know that it is time for him to respect the science of climate change. If the St. Lucie River situation has taught us anything it is that we must not wait for environmental events to happen before we speak up - we must PREVENT them. Attached please find sample signs for you to make for the rally and fact sheets on climate change and the President's plan to combat it. Let's all be on the same page and make sure we generate the press coverage that this issue deserves!!!

 97% of scientists agree that climate change is real, is caused largely by human activities and poses significant risks for public health and welfare. There has also been shown to be a disconnect between those members of Congress in districts where the risk is greatest like South Florida and acceptance of the science of climate change.

 Please join us as we hold a press conference and publicly call out Senator Marco Rubio for being a DENIER of the science of climate change! OFA volunteers across the State of Florida and the nation will be joining together on this Day of Action to raise our voices in unison that CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL and the focus in Washington needs to change from climate science denial to climate science acceptance.

  

TUESDAY AUGUST 13th

Northwest Corner of Military Trail and PGA Blvd. 4-6 PM

 RSVP https://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gsc7yb

We will also be presenting Senator Rubio with a CLIMATE DENIER UNICORN AWARD at his palm Beach Gardens Office at 1:00 PM THURSDAY AUGUST 15th.

RSVP: https://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/climatechangeactionevent/gsc7yj

We will meet with his District Director and present the award at 1:00 PM.  Teams all over the State of Florida will be presenting these awards at all of his offices and hopefully generating much needed press on the topic of climate change.  We need a substantial turnout at both events to make our point that Floridians care about climate change!