Rev. Billy Talen update 7/7: petitioning, protesting, and partying
Petitioning starts today in New York City to get Reverend Billy Talen on the ballot as the Green Party’s candidate for mayor. The campaign has 43 days to gather 7,500 valid signatures from NYC-registered voters in order to get a place on the ballot. They plan to gather 20,000 signatures to guard against a legal challenge. Anyone who’s willing to help can pledge to gather signatures on VoteRevBilly.org.
On Wednesday 7/8, VoteRevBilly is joining the Retail Action Project to protest high-end clothing store Scoop NYC’s treatment of its immigrant workers.
In late 2008, super-high-end Manhattan clothier, Scoop NYC, illegally discriminated against many of its West African stock and security workers by firing them for no just cause. Claiming that they were “undocumented,” the terminations were effective immediately, despite the fact that these workers presented their legal, up-to-date working papers as soon as requested. (more details…)
Rev. Billy was mentioned in Chelsea Now as one of two candidates to attend the Rent Guidelines Board meeting. Along with supporters, he was advocating for a rent freeze to help low-income tenants stay in their homes during tough economic times.
Reverend Billy, aka Bill Talen, the Green Party candidate for mayor, sat near the front, both yelling and wearing tape across his mouth. As board chairman Marvin Markus read a lengthy description of procedural details, Billy chimed in, “What language is this? Is this the language of corporation?”
On the 4th of July, the VoteRevBilly campaign held a First-Amendathon in Union Square, where Rev. Billy was arrested in 2007 for reciting the 1st Amendment through a bullhorn. Attendees sang and celebrated the right to free speech, while voicing their opposition to plans to privatize Union Square, one of New York’s most storied public gathering spaces.
On Sunday, July 5th, Rev. Billy supporters held their first weekly campaign BBQ in Central Park.
Each week, Billy and the choir will host a BBQ/picnic in a new park. These gatherings aim to bring together local organizations and groups from all of the fabulous 500 neighborhoods across NYC. There will be performances by Billy and the choir, presentations from associated community groups and time to mingle with a host of new friends. This is your chance to come get involved!
If you’re in NYC and interested in getting involved with Rev. Billy Talen’s campaign for mayor, you can head to the weekly volunteers’ meeting at VoteRevBillyHQ this Wednesday at 7pm.
UPDATE: The first installment of the Vote Rev. Billy Campaign Zine is now out and available for download. The zine is a fictional day in the life of Rev Billy, over four initial episodes between now and October 1st. During this long day he comes face to face with a city run by and as a corporation…he combats evictions, gentrification, box stores, chains, pollution, and a city losing its soul…until, with the help of a volunteer army, he gets to the heart of the financial corruption and…stay tuned!
Feel free to drop by the office at 250 Lafayette, near Spring St in Manhattan, any time. Office hours are 10am-8pm, but often someone will be here both before and after. Someone should always be available during office hours for petitioning training and collection. Thanks!
I wish I can help, but I live in Florida.
Well, you can always send money. ;)
I could.