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Above photo: My friend Diane White is in the organge t-shirt. The photo is from her block party.
I hope that after you read this story, you will click on “keep reading” to see where you can write a letter of support for my friend Diane.
I know Diane White from volunteering on Green Party projects and committees at national. Diane is a Green from Pennsylvania. She is on the Green Party of the United States Diversity Committee list-serve, where she is of great help. I met Diane in person at the Milwaukee Green Party presidential convention in 2004. We passed in the street, as she was having a lively and sincere conversation with a homeless man who she was listening to, empathizing with, and sharing her thoughts on the Green Party with. This year, at the 2007 GP-US Annual National Meeting in Reading Pennsylvania, I got to spend quality time with Diane. Diane and another Pennsylvania Green, Isabelle, had brought a “Dismantling Racism” workshop to the meeting, where dozens of us had eye-opening discussions about what it means to deal with racism on a daily basis. Diane is fun. She is smart. She is a leader. And, she is my friend.
It was very sad for me to hear that while Diane was in her own community, at her block party, where the neighbors had secured a permit, that a policeman misjudged and misunderstood Diane, and attacked her. After Diane experienced being yelled out for doing nothing wrong, being accused of being drunk when she had not taken a drink, being hand-cuffed, abused, and pepper-sprayed, the police wound up charging Diane. I hope that people will consider contacting the authorities and stating that you think the charges should be dropped.
I will post more details here as they arise. Below is the most recent information of where to contact:
Phone calls to the Mayor, the Council, the Chief of Police, to do the right thing would be appreciated:
Office of the Mayor
City of Harrisburg
City Government Center
10 North Second Street, Suite 202
Harrisburg, PA 17101
eMail: mayor@cityofhbg.com
Phone: (717) 255-3040
Fax: (717) 255-3036
Contacting City Council
The Honorable Council Member Name
Office of City Clerk
City of Harrisburg
City Government Center
10 North Second Street, Suite 1 Lower Level
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone: (717) 255-3060
Filed under: Action Alert!, cynthia mckinney, events, Green Party Websites, international politics, Recommended Poetry, social & economic justice Tagged: | Harry Potter
Update from Diane, given on the Green Party of the United States Diversity Committee list-serve:
Re: [gpusdiversity] Diane White needs our support…
Kimberly,
Thank you for your support. I filed a complaint against the Police Dept today. When I was in the office speaking with the Cpt of the Uniformed Police Officers, I was told that Officer Chance had been off since the night of the incident. There is no police report on file and there is no criminal complaint in the system. I was told that they were going to sit him down and make him do his paper work today when he comes in. I would have thought that would have been done before they charged me with a felony.
We have had a press release, however the story was pulled because there is nothing in the system to substantiate that the incident even occurred. Everyone is still waiting for Officer Chance’s version of what happened.
In the meantime folks have been coming forward with their stories of abuse by the Harrisburg Police Dept. We are planning to all meet up at the City Council Meeting on Tuesday, 911 to demand that the police stop terrorizing our neighborhoods.
I am being considered for legal assistance by the NAACP and the ACLU.
I was told today that the hearing date (Sept 12 @ 9:00 am) would be changing (Sept 13 ), however that has not been confirmed. They may be trying to make sure a lot of people don’t show up
Letters of support have been coming to me and are being sent to the Mayor and City Council thanks in part to you and your efforts. Hopefully something good will come of all this. It has already brought the community closer.
Peace, Blessings & One Love,
Diane
[…] Related story: http://www.onthewilderside.com/2007/09/05/please-support-my-friend-diane/ […]
Diane, I hope we can win justice and retribution for you.
When I tell people that American fascism is here, now, I get reactions as if I were speaking a foreign language. When I tell them that one can simply be labeled a “troublemaker”, based upon the most tenuous of associations, and thereafter endure surveillance without warrant and captivity without charge, I am received with smirks and dark humor. When I tell them that we stand a hair’s breadth from the overt criminalization of dissent, I am patronized, or dismissed, or ridiculed.
As evil as is what has happened to you, there is an inconceivable bright side. You are the proof, embodied. Your story will be told. I will damned well see to that.
I regret (I really do) that I am not a person of faith. But if I cannot pray for you, please know that you are in my thoughts and best wishes.
–Alan Augustson
Green Candidate for Congress
Fifth District of Illinois 2008
[…] First article, includes names of public officials to write to: http://www.onthewilderside.com/2007/09/05/please-support-my-friend-diane/ […]