OLOC denounces SB 1070, violence against women

The following excerpted resolutions were passed by Old Lesbians Organizing for Change at its national gathering, held July 14-18 in Cleveland.

Arizona’s SB 1070

OLOC is appalled at the brutal attack towards Latino communities in Arizona with the passage of SB 1070, recently signed into law by Arizona’s Gov. Jan Brewer. This law makes it a crime for a person to be in the state without documentation proving their immigration status. The law also gives the police the right to use race as one factor in determining whether there’s a reason to ask for those papers, empowering police to request such proof when they’re enforcing local and state laws and even civil code. It also grants citizens the right to sue cops if they’re not doing the job.

Therefore OLOC stands in solidarity with the Latino immigrant communities in Arizona as they deal with the devastating effects of SB 1070. We join them in their organizing efforts for a better life. We believe that their enormous contributions to this nation have a strong precedent and should be acknowledged and honored. No more walls! No more racial profiling! No more detentions or deportations! Keep immigrant families united! Immigration reform now!

OLOC will not hold gatherings in Arizona or any state with these laws.

Murders of African-American women in Cleveland

Whereas the 11 African-American women whose bodies were found in and around a home in October 2009 in a heavily populated neighborhood in Cleveland is a tragic example of violence toward women and African-American women in particular;

Whereas African-American women are murdered at three times the rate of white women, according to the most recent statistics;

Whereas women continue to be subjected to physical, sexual, psychological and economic abuse, up to and including murder, throughout the United States and around the world;

Whereas the ability of all women and girls to live free from fear and abuse is a fundamental human right;

Whereas significant increases in efforts and awareness are still needed to reduce the epidemic of violence toward women and girls in the U.S. and to enable all relevant public agencies to handle such issues appropriately;

Therefore, OLOC recognizes the tragedy of the Imperial Avenue murders, extends condolences to the families of the women, and recognizes the loss to the community represented by the deaths of these 11 women;

OLOC supports efforts in the local jurisdictions, at national levels and in international bodies to put pressure on law enforcement agencies and judiciaries to use all the powers at their disposal to take actions to prevent the victimization of women and

OLOC defends the network of women’s support and healing organizations that the women’s liberation movement built over several decades and will be quick to defend these vital institutions against onslaughts waged in the name of economic crisis.