Hi there TuneInTurnOnHelpOut fans,
This is just something that has to be shared. TuneInTurnOnHelpOut.org is NOT just an activist oriented site, but a database for all makes and models of human beings who just want to be part of “the good” that is happening all around our beautiful world today. Some are volunteers. Some are missionaries. Some are feeding the hungry. Some are housing the homeless. And some are out there in the streets fighting for our Constitutional Rights while we go about our day to day business. The ANSWER Coalition is one such organization. I have marched more than once with them in some city across this great country of ours. And I recently met Brian Becker (the gentleman who wrote the below article) at the United Nations last year while attending the General Assembly Meeting where we met with Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinjad among other things. Please take a moment to read the news piece below regarding the blatant disregard for our freedom of speech and assembly laws that unfortunately seems to happen to those bold enough to speak up more and more these days — regardless of “who” is president. Feel free to reach out to these bold and beautiful people at ANSWER. They are some of the most courageous Americans I know. If you can help in any way, lend a hand. Sign up for their mailing list, and maybe i will see you at a march or demonstration one of these days. Where there is a need, WE WILL BE THERE. Let’s do this thing.
Sincerely,
Ed Hale

Dear Ed,

Free Speech rights in Washington D.C. are under attack and we need you to take action.

The outcome of this struggle will have an impact on all progressive groups.

In the last weeks, the ANSWER Coalition has been hit with nearly $7,000 in fines for posters announcing the March 21 National March on the Pentagon that have been put up in Washington D.C. Just today, we received another $1,850 in fines for 12 posters.

The government is trying to effectively eliminate ANSWER’s and any group’s ability to engage in postering for Free Speech protected activities or dissemination of posters and flyers. The message is this: If you are an anti-war group or a progressive grassroots organization and you hand out or put up a poster, as you may have always done in the past, you can now expect heavy fines and long court battles that are designed to divert money and resources — or shut you down completely.

The posters for which we were fined are lawfully posted. The District is also issuing fines against ANSWER regardless of who put up the poster — they are just sanctioning us for being organizers and supporters of the political anti-war demonstration being publicized. Unlike many of the politicians, concert promoters and other corporate entities that put up posters in DC, the ANSWER Coalition even sends out teams of volunteers to remove posters following the conclusion of a demonstration or event.

Many individuals come in and take posters and leaflets from the office or download them from the website. As we have done for the past eight years we provide copies of the DC regulations to people that indicate how to poster in conformity with lawful regulations.

A big shift happened prior to the September 15, 2007 Bring the Troops Home Now mass demonstration that was led by veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. We were targeted in an unprecedented campaign and hit with $55,000 in fines. (more…)