Protest Today

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Bring your people, bring your signs, bring your messages for Dow to release protestors immediately and halt construction on the youth jail! See you at the adult jail, 5th and James! #PeoplesMoratorium #NoNewYouthJail
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**Update*** Rev. Beth was arrested and is being held at King County Jail, along with 8 other protesters. Head down to 5th and James to demand their release! Meet Rev. Beth Chronister, one of the clergy members locked down today to demand #NoNewYouthJail “As a Unitarian Universalist, I believe that every person has inherent worth and dignity. Essentially, all are sacred and worthy. Building a youth jail to lock up children who are often the most affected by systemic injustice denies the inherent worth and dignity of these children at a critical juncture in their life and development. In the words of Bryan Stevenson, “each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” Alongside this, it is important to remember the vast majority of the kids locked up at 12th and Alder are being detained for very minor acts. My faith calls me to be in solidarity with those who would be cast out by society and to act against structures that deny people the possibility of returning to love, belonging, and the healing that is possible only within community. peace, Rev. Beth Chronister Minister of Social Justice and Care University Unitarian Church”

 

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Meet Rev. Darrell Goodwin, Liberation United Church of Christ, another faith leader who is calling for #NoNewYouthJail “When scripture describes Jesus’ role on earth, it states that, he specifically ‘will set those who are captive free’. As a follower of Jesus and a Pastor, supporting a new institution built with intent to hold captive our youths’ future, their dreams, and their possibilities it is antithetical to my faith and so I’m compelled to block it by any means necessary.”
Meet Anne Jenny, Commissioned Minister for Transformative Justice, Northshore United Church of Christ and one the clergy members arrested today.
Meet Anne Jenny, Commissioned Minister for Transformative Justice, Northshore United Church of Christ and one the clergy members arrested today. “I am here because as a teen I would have been classified as an ‘at risk youth’. I managed to avoid becoming entangled in the juvenile justice system only because of the role that white privilege has played in my life. Thanks to the GI Bill I was able to attend college earning a degree in economics and math. Systemic racism is clearly evident in almost every economic study I’ve done. Retributive justice results in very little gain to the victim for remarkably high costs to the community and at a glacially slow pace. Restorative practices allow full participation by the victim who is able to address fears and concerns directly. Cost benefit analysis shows far more positive outcomes for significantly less cost. The bottom line is that caging kids is expensive now and will only escalate future costs for all of us. Sadly, the greatest burden of those costs will be borne by communities of color.”

 

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Meet Rabbi David Basior, Kadima Reconstructionist Community, another faith leader protesting today at the youth jail.
“As a member of a multiracial Jewish community that considers itself in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, I am outright against the investment of our city, county, state, or federal dollars in prisons which clearly disproportionately cage People of Color – particularly Black and Native people. The Talmud calls captivity worse than starvation or death. Today I stand in solidarity both with my ancestors and with my contemporaries from the People’s Moratorium, praying that County Executive Constantine’s heart no longer be hardened. May he stop construction and funding of the jail and instead fund housing and healthcare in our community.” #PeoplesMoratorium #NoNewYouthJail
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Meet Jed Walsh, University Friends Meeting, and one of the people of faith locked down and arrested this morning while demanding @executivehonor Dow Constantine honor the #PeoplesMoratorium and stop construction now! #NoNewYouthJail “As a Quaker, I come from a faith tradition with a history of witnessing against injustice, violence, and white supremacy, all of which are roots of the prison system and Seattle’s new youth jail. I am here to demand that King County stop construction of the new youth jail immediately and re-purpose the site to meet people’s basic needs. We must end the systems that punish and harm our young people: instead, let us collectively build communities of healing, justice, and care.” Come join us at the adult jail at 5th and James to support Jed and others arrested.
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CALL OSHA NOW: (206) 515-2821 to report unsafe working conditions. script: “I am calling to report a safety violation putting workers and protestors at IMMEDIATE risk. Protestors are locked down at a work site at 14th and e Alder in Seattle, where a new youth jail is being constructed, and work is continuing, endangering workers and protestors. This is against safety regulations.” Once you’ve called OSHA, call Dow’s office! (206) 271-1832 Please tweet, tag, post: @kcexec values quick construction of the youth jail over the safety of workers and community members. Has begun work on site despite presence of protesters, against safety regulations. #NoNewYouthJail #PeoplesMoratorium #WheresDow