Envision Spokane: A Community Bill of Rights - Democracy Now Video

One of the most exciting things happening in Washington right now that I haven't seen covered by any local news organization is the Community Bill of Rights in Spokane currently gathering signatures for the November ballot.

A grass roots community effort in Spokane, called Envision Spokane, has worked over the past two years building consensus among the many neighborhoods there to draft a bill of rights for their city. The outcome is fascinating:

 

FIRST. RESIDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO A LOCALLY-BASED ECONOMY.

SECOND.  RESIDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO AFFORDABLE PREVENTIVE HEALTHCARE.

THIRD. RESIDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO AFFORDABLE AND SAFE HOUSING.

 

FOURTH. RESIDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO AFFORDABLE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY.

 

FIFTH.  THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO EXIST AND FLOURISH.

SIXTH.  RESIDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

 

SEVENTH. WORKERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE PAID THE PREVAILING WAGE, AND THE RIGHT TO WORK AS APPRENTICES, ON CERTAIN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

EIGHTH. WORKERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO EMPLOYER NEUTRALITY WHEN UNIONIZING, AND THE RIGHT TO CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS WITHIN THE WORKPLACE. 

NINTH. RESIDENTS, WORKERS, NEIGHBORHOODS, NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS, AND THE CITY OF SPOKANE SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENFORCE THE COMMUNITY BILL OF RIGHTS. 

 

Read the full text of the Bill of Rights Initiative

Thomas Linzey, founder of the Community Legal Environmental Defense Fund, and co-founder of the national Democracy Schools movement (which I've hosted here in the past in Seattle) has helped guide the process in Spokane. Recently, Linzey appeared on Democracy Now with Amy Goodman.

Last year, CELDF helped Ecuador draft and ratify a new Constitution codifying the Rights of Nature as inherent in the country's basic legal framework, thus providing new legal protections to the Galapagos Islands and Ecuadorian natural resources. 

Currently, Envision Spokane is seeking volunteers to help gather signatures to place the initiative on the November ballot.

  

Comments

[The Spovangelist]

Those interested in participating in this ground-breaking work can email volunteers@envisionspokane.org for more information.

You can also show your support by becoming a fan of the Envision Spokane Facebook page, and befriending Envision Spokane on MySpace.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Spokane-WA/Envision-Spokane/8544129642

http://www.myspace.com/envisionspokane

[Zuri]

The Galapagos Islands are the most incredible living museum of evolutionary changes, with a huge variety of exotic species (birds, land animals, plants) and landscapes not seen anywhere else. Every effort to protect the environment of these Islands is worth it.