Rights and Real Democracy. Helping Communities write new rules. Rights of Nature & Community Rights: Protecting & Defending the Places We Live Presented by Shannon Biggs Co-founder, Director of Movement Rights Rights and real democracy. Helping communities write new rules.
Movement Rights: About our Work Redefining the Problem: Who decides What Happens Where you Live? Asserting Community Rights: Organizing & Legal Assistance in California Rights-based Trainings, speaking and writing Recognizing Rights of Nature: Movement-building, Speaking & Writing Working Globally & Locally Promoting Indigenous Rights & Traditional Wisdom Who We Are Founders: Shannon Biggs, Pennie Opal Plant Origins of our Work: Global Exchange, CELDF, Idle No More, Anti-Nuclear, Climate Justice Deeply Rooted in Community Activism and Justice Movements Rights and Real Democracy. Helping Communities write new rules.
Rights of Nature: Shifting Law & Culture Rights, Where Do They Come From? Rights of Nature: Indigenous Origins Nature as Property, What Does it Mean? The story of separation Rape as a property crime No Legal Standing Historic Movements for Rights Abolitionists, Women’s suffrage, Civil Rights When law denies rights: Civil Disobedience Rights and Real Democracy. Helping Communities write new rules.
Rights of Nature: Shifting Law & Culture 2006 First RON Law (Tamaqua Borough, PA) Dredge to fill Old Mine Site Bordering Town Legal Recourse? No Jurisdiction. Enter Cathy Miorelli & CELDF Does Everyone Need to be a Treehugger? No. Change Comes from the Grassroots 2008 Ecuador References Ordinances Inspires more Communities, Countries Rights and Real Democracy. Helping Communities write new rules.
Enter Corporations: Is Rights of Nature Enough? Competing with Corporate “Rights” Corporate Whack-a-Mole Sleight of Hand: Citizens United Are Corporations Even the Problem? RON Alone = Competing “rights” or Denial? Rights and Real Democracy. Helping Communities write new rules. “I begin with charters and corporations. It is a perversion of terms to say that a charter gives rights. It operates by a contrary effect- that of taking rights away. Rights are inherently in all the inhabitants; but charters, by annulling those rights, in the majority, leave the right, by exclusion, in the hands of a few. They do not give rights to A, but they make a difference in favour of A by taking away the right of B, and consequently are instruments of injustice.” - - Thomas Paine on Corporations and Charters in "The Rights of Man”
Power to the People — or Corporations? Rights and Real Democracy. Helping Communities write new rules. THE STATE FOR PROFIT CORPORATION G. B MUNICIPAL CORPORATION G. B City Attorney
Asserting Community Rights: Shifting Law & Culture Redefining the Problem From: Fracking, GMOs, Mining, etc. SYMPTOMS of the Problem Corporations Not the Problem (Legal) Elect the “RIGHT” people Temporary, not Systemic Try Harder Next Time!Victims of Colonization? Limiting our “Victories”Best we Can Get? Redefine Problem As Denial of Rights/Democracy Act as if Community Rights Exist & Matter Link arms with Fracking, Mining, GMO etc. (No silos) Create Deep, Structural Change & Living Democracy Empowering to Write the Rules, Take the Reigns Rights and Real Democracy. Helping Communities write new rules.
Asserting Community Rights (2) Local Community Bill of Rights Ordinances: Asserting Self-Governance on Important Local Decisions WHAT DO WE WANT vs What we can Get Shifting Who Decides Calling out Corporate “Rights” State Federal Denial of Rights Recognizing Ecosystems Right to be free from Harm Other Rights: Living Wage, Quality of Life, etc.? Sure. Rights as Decision-Maker (not Majority Rule) Ordinances Include Bans of Activities in Violation of Rights Next Generation: Beyond Bans Rights and Real Democracy. Helping Communities write new rules.
The New Civil Rights Movement? 180+ Community Ordinances in 12 States: Linking Arms through multiple issues on RIGHTS! What About Challenges? Yes. Basis of Challenge: Local Rights! State Level Action Support Local BoRs Through Constitutional Change 9 States Have Active Community Rights Networks (CRNs) Heading Toward Federal Change Rights and Real Democracy. Helping Communities write new rules.
Resources for More Information Rights and Real Democracy. Helping Communities write new rules. Contact us, join our list serve! Free downloads, books, toolkits, blogs, and more Visit: CELDF.org Global Alliance for Rights of Nature