Citizens Walk for Human Dignity, Tucson to Phoenix, in May

The Citizens Walk for Human Dignity starts May 2, from Tucson-Phoenix

A national coalition of over 50 local, state and national organizations are participating in walk from Tucson to Phoenix beginning May 2 to call for an end to racially fomented hate crimes. The ten-day peaceful walk will end with a rally in downtown Phoenix on Mother’s Day, May 11, honoring mothers for teaching children to treat all human beings with equal dignity.

Kucinich letter of support:
“Dear Friends,
Thank you for your courageous "Citizen's Walk for Human Dignity". Events like this are very important if we are to achieve respect for the civil rights and human rights of all people. Your effort in Arizona is important for America. Each step you take is an affirmation of the power of the human spirit to respond powerfully to oppression. Every step you take challenges the system to be respectful of human dignity. Every step you take helps America to take a new direction so that we may one day soon reach that place where the rights of all people are respected. Si Se Puede.”
Dennis and Elizabeth Kucinich

Message from Jay Johnson Castro
As citizens of the United States,
We call on each and every US Congressperson and US Senator to join the people of this country, who want our government and our country to be the model of human dignity. You don’t have to walk with us. Just STAND WITH US…in solidarity. Will you join us in our demand for the cessation of hate crimes and racially prejudiced profiling by law enforcement officials that are being committed with impunity in the name of the “rule of law” and on the pretext of national security?
Of all the countries of the world, human dignity should be guaranteed to any member of our human family that lives within the boundaries of our United States of America, the land of the free. If we are going to enforce the “rule of law”, our county cannot go wrong, and can only be blessed, by applying the highest “rule of law”, the Golden Rule. That of doing unto others as we would want them to do unto us…if the shoe were on the other foot.
Congressman Dennis Kucinich, along with his gracious wife, Elizabeth, has taken the lead on the part of nationally elected officials, in supporting the Citizens Walk for Human Dignity. The Citizens Walk organizers will be reaching out to and inviting all Congresspersons and Senators to show their solidarity with we the people for human dignity.
To Governor Janet Napolitano. You have HB 2807 and HB 2359 on your desk that would turn your state into a prototype police state, one of tyranny and terror. If those bills are signed, without consideration of the impact on human rights and civil rights, there will be an escalation of the violations of human dignity that already exist in the State of Arizona. As it stands, Arizona, and in particular, Maricopa County are already considered Ground Zero of hate crimes, much as Selma, Alabama was some four decades ago.
The already rampant violations by law enforcement officers of human rights, civil rights and constitutional rights will become epidemic in your state, and like a malignant cancer will spread all over the surface of our country. The terrorizing and victimizing of all people of color will escalate, including Arizona and US citizens. If you do not veto those bills, we appeal to you to consider delaying their signing until after the Citizens Walk for Human Dignity.
Meanwhile, we are asking for the highest officials of the State of Arizona and of the US Congress to initiate an investigation, indictment, prosecution and conviction of any and all persons, especially those with a law enforcement badge, who would violate the sacredness of our freedoms.
Who to contact:
Rick Romero, Citizens Walk Coordinator (602) 515-9844; romero85008@yahoo.com
Annette Sexton-Ruiz, Citizens Walk Assistant Coordinator (602) 505-4147; annettesr44@yahoo.com
Paul Fuschini, Tucson Citizens Walk Coordinator, (520) 490-2000; fuschini@sonoracohousing.com
Sarah Boone, Freedom Ambassadors, Secretary (830)768-1100, sboone@stx.rr.com.
In solidarity…
Jay
.
About the walk ...
Among the more than 50 organizations endorsing the event are: LULAC National; Cesar Chavez March for Justice; National Indian Treaty Council; Border Angels; Freedom Ambassadors; National Network for Immigration and Refugee Rights; Veterans for Peace; Derechos Humanos; Humane Borders; Gente Unida;American Indian Movement; International Indian Treaty Council; Texas Indigenous Council; Border Ambassadors; Border Network for Human Rights; Southwest Workers Union; No Mas Muertes; LUPE; Somos America, the 42 member Phoenix coalition;IUE-CWA/AFL-CIO; Labor Council for Latin American Advancement AFL-CIO;Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law; Dallas Peace Center and MADRES.
Groups as well as individuals are invited to participate in the walk for an hour, a mile, a day or whatever circumstances allow. The walk will begin immediately after a 10 a.m. rally on Friday, May 2 in downtown Tucson at the Plaza on South 6th Avenue, between 12th and 13th Streets.


(PHOTO: Protest of vigilante patrols and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, during a trip to Tucson by Arpaio in 2008. Photo Brenda Norrell)