SF Labor Council Resolution on Jan. 20 Inauguration Protest
10 jan 2001
RESOLUTION TO PROTEST BUSH’S INAUGURATION
WHEREAS, George W. Bush was selected President after an extremely close election marred by the disenfranchisement of many voters in Florida, including thousands of African American voters, which has led many to believe Bush essentially stole the election, with the complicity of the U.S. Supreme Court and the Republican-controlled Statehouse and Legislature in Florida, and to view his presidency as therefore illegitimate; and
WHEREAS, Governor Bush has earned the nickname “Governor Death” and worldwide condemnation for his role in finalizing the death-row executions of more people in Texas under his watch (disproportionately African Americans and Latinos) than in the other 49 states combined; and
WHEREAS, Bush has pledged to pursue “globalization” policies, such as the expansion of NAFTA, cutbacks in social services, privatization of publicly owned resources at home and abroad, and other policies that will destroy good jobs, impoverish the working class, and result in more and more unemployed workers coming under the control of a repressive criminal justice and prison system; and
WHEREAS, Mass demonstrations to protest Bush’s inauguration will be held on January 20, 2001 in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, with hundreds of community, labor, civil rights, and religious organizations participating. In addition to protesting fraudulent and racially discriminatory practices during the election, the demonstration will denounce other Bush policies and counter them with demands to abolish the death penalty (and grant a new trial for death-row prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal), and call a halt to anti-worker “globalization” policies, these last reflecting official policies of the San Francisco Labor Council;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Labor Council, AFL-CIO, endorses the January 20, 2001 demonstrations in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco to protest the inauguration of Governor Bush as President of the United States;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Council communicate this to the California Labor Federation and AFL-CIO national office, as well as other Bay Area labor councils, urging them and all their affiliated unions to endorse, support, and encourage attendance at these important demonstrations, and join for this purpose with other like-minded community, civil rights, and religious organizations.
Adopted by the San Francisco Labor Council on December 18, 2000.
Respectfully Submitted,
Walter L. Johnson Secretary-Treasurer
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