Campaign to Rally Against 'Corporate Personhood' Comes to Town Sunday

Concerned about campaign spending, particularly when it comes to corporate contributions? Then you may find this upcoming Redwood City event interesting.

The California "Move to Amend" group will host a community forum on “Challenging Corporate Rule and Creating Democracy” with guest speaker David Cobb of the Move to Amend campaign this Sunday, April 7, 1-3 p.m., at the Redwood Shores Library.

Organizers describe the event as "part history lesson and part heart-felt call to action." 

"The recent U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. FEC opened the floodgates to unlimited corporate spending on elections," the organization said in a press release about the event. "Cobb, an attorney and organizer for the Move to Amend coalition, will help local residents understand the history behind the recent decision and how they can work to abolish 'corporate personhood' and re-establish a government of, by, and for the people."

According the Move to Amend, "corporate personhood” commonly refers to the court-created precedent that gives corporations constitutional rights intended solely for human beings.

"Corporate personhood is not an inconsequential legal technicality. The Supreme Court ruled that a corporation was a ‘legal person’ with 14th Amendment protections before they granted full personhood to African-Americans, immigrants, natives, or women," Cobb said.

“We are inspired by historic social movements that recognized the necessity of altering fundamental power relationships," Cobb added.  "America has progressed through ordinary people joining together — from the revolutionaries to abolitionists, suffragists, trade unionists, and civil rights activists, through to today. Move to Amend is a long-term effort to make the U.S. Constitution more democratic."

The forum this Sunday will focus on how Redwood City can join the national movement against corporate personhood, the group's statement indicated. Cobb will provide information about the issue and facilitate a discussion about local action in Redwood City and in communities across the United States "to win the amendment campaign through grassroots mobilization."

"We are a diverse coalition with deep roots in communities nationwide. We recognize that amending the Constitution to restore the power of the people over corporations will not be easy, but we know correcting the Supreme Court is imperative to the progress of our nation," stated Cobb.

According to Move to Amend, more than 270,000 people have signed an online petition supporting a constitutional amendment at www.MoveToAmend.org. 

The local forum will take place on April 7th from 1-3 p.m. at the Redwood Shores Library, 399 Marine Parkway in Redwood City. All are welcome to the free event.

For more information call 707-269-0984 or visit www.MoveToAmend.org.

How do you feel about 'corporate personhood?' Do corporate campaign/election contributions bother you? Tell us in the comments.

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