Teabaggers Called on to Adhere to Non-Violence Agreement for Obama’s New Hampshire Town Hall

For Immediate Release:
August 11, 2009

Contact: Zandra Rice Hawkins
603.892.2150

Portsmouth, NH – Concerned about the growing stories of violence and organized disruption at town halls across the country, the NH Health Care for America Now and its allies signed a non-violence statement in preparation for President Obama’s Health Care Town Hall in New Hampshire this week.

Yesterday, NH HCAN and Granite State Progress asked the NH director of Americans for Prosperity – one of the conservative groups organizing protests at today’s event – to also sign the agreement and have its allies do the same.

Titled “August 11 Rally Nonviolence Guidelines”, the document briefly reads:

Pertaining to the activities on August 11 at Portsmouth High School, we do not condone violence of any kind and agree to the following guidelines:

• We will not use or instigate violence against any person;
• We will act with respect for the people and property of the local community;
• We will promote the safety of ourselves and others through our actions and interactions;
• We will not promote signs or slogans that discriminate against individuals based on race, ethnicity, gender, or other demographics.

Americans for Prosperity has not responded to the email request or phone call. Instead, opposition today has continued to propagate the recent conflicts by shouting inflammatory statements and carrying signs depicting the President as a ‘witch doctor’.

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“While NH HCAN and its member organizations have been active for over a year – and supported by grassroots organizations in New Hampshire with significantly deeper histories – opponents of health care reform continue to protest reform efforts without providing any real organizing or reform plans themselves,” said Zandra Rice Hawkins, director of Granite State Progress. “These protestors, known as teabaggers, opposed President Obama’s election and are determined to oppose any of his initiatives.”

“As President, Barack Obama has made health care reform a priority and no amount of right-wing rhetoric or staged teabagger activities will overcome the real life stories that continue to urge him to reform the health insurance industry. America’s health care system is broken and President Obama is going to fix it.”

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