www.cesj.org/fedrally

2009 Rally at the Federal Reserve Launches New Coalition

On Wednesday, April 22, 2009, after a week’s postponement due to heavy rainstorms, the 2009 “Putting People First” Rally at the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C. was held by the newly formed “Coalition for Capital Homesteading.”

Despite rain and hail that threatened to wash out the rally once again, the downpour finally abated, allowing a lively series of presentations to commence. The rally received the friendly attention of the Federal Reserve security officers who have become familiar with CESJ’s annual event. Two video crews covered the event that will be broadcast on CESJ’s Youtube channel (JustThirdWay). Ed Lang, host and producer of Revolutionary Radio in Williamsburg, VA (WRRW) conducted interviews, asking the question, “What is money?”

Former Congressman and Rev. Walter Fauntroy led the rally as Master of Ceremonies, explaining why the Coalition is calling for reforming Federal Reserve policies to stop bailing out Wall Street failures and start “putting people first” by creating capital ownership opportunities for every citizen through access to asset-backed money and productive credit. The tone of the rally was set with a poem (“Justice Q &A’s”) read by CESJ’s Director of Communications Dawn Brohawn, who had co-authored it with CESJ director Harriet Epstein to commemorate the Fed rally.

Speakers included Mayor Alvin Parks of East St. Louis, Illinois and Mayor Nathaniel O’Bannon of Brooklyn, Illinois, who are part of 11 communities in the Metro East area of Southern Illinois who are introducing a bold community initiative for “energy independence and citizen ownership.” This project will launch and develop advanced waste-to-energy technologies developed by the space and defense agencies, using a legal vehicle based on the community investment corporation invented by CESJ, called the “Metro East Citizens Land Cooperative.” The MECLC will enable every man, woman and child in the area to acquire lifetime, non-transferable voting shares in this for-profit, professionally managed land development corporation, giving them equal distributions of the corporation’s profits from land leasing and the new energy systems.

Also speaking at the Fed rally were Michele Mauder, President and Robert Mason, Chairman of the American Auto Worker Ownership Council, discussing their 100% worker buyout alternative for saving the Big Three Auto Companies. Dr. Norman Kurland, President of the Center for Economic and Social Justice, explained Capital Homesteading for every citizen, democratizing the Federal Reserve, and the monetary policy changes called for in the “Declaration of Monetary Justice” that was signed by every participant at the rally.

Antonio Betancourt, head of the Summit Council for World Peace spoke on the global implications of Capital Homesteading for fostering peace and a more equitable global free market. Dr. Sheikh Ahmed Subhy Mansour, an Islamic scholar in political exile from Egypt for his human rights advocacy, who heads the International Quranic Center, closed the rally with a benediction calling for Justice as the guiding principle for the world.

At the end of the presentations, buoyed by the clearing weather and the rally’s positive vision, the participants marched around the Federal Reserve and presented the signed Declaration of Monetary Justice to an official of the Federal Reserve for delivery to Chairman Ben Bernanke. (For information on the Fed Rally, to sign the Declaration or to join the Coalition for Capital Homesteading, go to www.CESJ.org/fedrally.)

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