EMERGENCY RESOLUTION BY THE NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD ENDORSING THE OCCUPY WALL STREET MOVEMENT IN NEW YORK CITY AND OVER 1500 CITIES AND CALLING UPON LAWYERS TO JOIN THE PEOPLE.
WHEREAS, on September 17th, 2011, two thousand people rallied in response to a call, using the General Assembly process, to occupy Wall Street and march to protest corporate influence in the political process. As of today, over 1500 cities have formed their own Occupations, gathering in General Assemblies in public spaces across the United States. Applying principles of direct democracy and consensus, and using the internet, these General Assemblies are determining the grievances, solutions and systemic changes needed to protect the 99% from the environmental, social and economic abuses of the 1%. This includes, which this Resolution incorporates by reference, the Declaration of the Occupation approved by consensus on September 29, 2011 at the New York City General Assembly in the occupied Liberty Square.
WHEREAS, the United States government and the U.S. Courts have repeatedly violated the United States Constitution in repressing 1st Amendment rights of freedom of association, assembly and speech, and in denying habeas corpus and due process first to foreign enemy combatants and now to U.S. citizens accused of terrorism abroad,
WHEREAS, when the rule of law was no longer respected in Argentina, Pakistan, India, Tunisia, other nations during the Arab Spring, and worldwide, exasperated lawyers marched in protest hundreds of times,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the National Lawyers Guild endorse the Occupy Wall Street movement, encourage legal observation and mass defense and call upon lawyers, legal workers and law students to march alongside the people in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement. The National Lawyers Guild will also support the Occupy Wall Street movement by providing specific information on the U.S. treaty laws protecting the rights demanded by the people.
Submitted by Valeria A. Gheorghiu, Esq.
Approved by the membership at the NLG National Convention, Philadelphia, PA, October 2011
