Corporate America is at it again—claiming the Constitution as its own and demeaning our Bill of Rights all in the name of corporate personhood. Do corporations have the same rights as Americans do? Should corporations have the right to plead the Fifth Amendment or exercise the right of free speech by funding political candidates? The implications are staggering and are mobilizing a nation of concerned citizens, prominent leaders and vocal opponents of the corporate personhood agenda.
The Move to Amend organization, led by David Cobb, is on the forefront of this battle as it rejects the notion that corporations are persons. The goal of Move to Amend is a campaign for a constitutional amendment that would firmly establish that only human beings, not corporations, are entitled to inalienable constitutional rights.
With the help of key players such as Senator Ginny Lyons, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, Vermont is poised to become the first state in the union to call for a constitutional amendment. Concerned Valley residents are involved in circulating petitions to bring this important issue to a vote on Town Meeting Day. Communities will be asked to vote on whether or not to urge the Vermont Congressional delegation and the U.S. Congress to propose a U.S. constitutional amendment that clearly defines that corporations cannot be considered persons under the U.S. Constitution. Please join the concerned citizenry of the great state of Vermont in supporting the Move to Amend effort on Town Meeting Day.
A series of educational events are taking place over the next eight weeks to bring attention to the important issue of corporate personhood. All are open to the public.
February 27: Are Corporations People? A panel discussion as citizens respond to Citizens United takes place at 7 p.m. at Saint Michael's College, McCarthy Arts Center.
Panelists include John Bonifaz, co-founder and director, Free Speech For People, Jerry Greenfield, co-founder, Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc., Anthony Iarrapino, Esq., citizen activist, Vermont state Senator Virginia “Ginny” Lyons, moderator: Dr. Paul Olsen, Saint Michael's College.
March 1: Film screening of The Corporation at 7 p.m., at the Big Picture Theater, Waitsfield. Introduction by Gaelan Brown.
March 14: Move to Amend with Jerry Greenfield, Senator Ginny Lyons and keynote speaker David Cobb at 7 p.m., Ira at Allen Chapel, University of Vermont, Burlington. Free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
David Cobb, attorney, activist and former presidential candidate, will speak on the key issues of the Move to Amend campaign: an organized nationwide effort to create a 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution that addresses two serious legal issues threatening democracy in America: corporate personhood and money being considered free speech.
March 15: Green Mountain Global Forum presents “We the People, Not We the Corporations” with keynote speakers: David Cobb, activist, former Green Party presidential candidate; Vermont Senator Virginia “Ginny” Lyons; Jerry Greenfield, co-founder, Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc. 7 p.m., Big Picture Theater, with free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
Please join Green Mountain Global Forum and our panel of distinguished guests for a compelling evening focused on the topic of corporate personhood, its threat to democracy and the national and statewide effort to support a constitutional amendment that clearly defines that corporations are not people and cannot enjoy rights as such.
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