Coalition of Nearly Two Dozen Organizations Hold Rally at Statehouse to Oppose Anti-Protest and Anti-Democracy Bills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT
Austin Schuler, aschuler@faithinpubliclife.org, (540) 280-3393
Julie Boetger, julieb44004@yahoo.com, (440) 812-9259
Dan Clark, dclark@faithinpubliclife.org, (614) 648-3663
COALITION OF NEARLY TWO DOZEN ORGANIZATIONS HOLD RALLY AT STATEHOUSE TO OPPOSE ANTI-PROTEST AND ANTI-DEMOCRACY BILLS
Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr.: “These bills are part of a not-so-hidden national playbook, and they ask patriotic Ohioans to vacate and alienate the first amendment. They require Ohioans of faith to turn their backs on God given human dignity to retreat morality.”
Columbus, OH — On Wednesday, September 22nd a coalition of nearly two dozen organizations (listed below) gathered for a rally near the West steps of the Statehouse. Faith leaders, community advocates and musicians highlighted the fact that a healthy democracy makes room for protest and offers robust access to voters.
During the day, voters from around the state met with their representatives and staff. They discussed the following bills: HB 22, HB 109, HB 294, SB 16, and SB 41.
For video of the event, click here.
For the petition and list of signers, click here.
Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr., Ohio Council of Churches
“These bills are part of a not-so-hidden national playbook, and they ask patriotic Ohioans to vacate and alienate the first amendment. They require Ohioans of faith to turn their backs on God given human dignity to retreat morality.”
Jheri Neri, Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition
“The constitution is just another treaty full of lies, the declaration is just another paper to us. For 500 years we’ve been dealing with racism & colonialism – we don’t have the freedom to protest or assemble peacefully.”
Pastor Brandi Slaughter, Ohio Council of Churches
“These bills would take away our voices. My encouragement is that we continue to fight. We have to show up, we have to stand and we have to speak.”
Rev. Joan Van Becelaere, Unitarian Universalist Justice Ohio
“These are bills that would block the power of communities of color and youth, the disabled and elderly’s first amendment right. These are anti-democratic bills and an assault of dignity of all people in society.”
CO-SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS:
Buckeye Environmental Network
Death Penalty Action
Faith in Public Life
The InterReligious Task Force on Central America (IRTF)
Miami Valley Unitarian Universalists Fellowship
Ohio Council of Churches
Ohio Poor People’s Campaign
Ohio Religious Coalition For Reproductive Choice
Organize Ohio
Our Revolution Central Ohio
Our Revolution Ohio
Serve The People – Cleveland
Showing Up for Racial Justice – Northeast Ohio (SURJ – NEO)
Sierra Club – Central Ohio Group
Simply Living
Stop Ohio Anti-Protest Bills
Unitarian Universalist Justice Ohio
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