Take a stand against corporatism

As I listen to the coverage of Occupy Wall Street, I would like to point out that citizens of Spokane have an opportunity to take a stand against corporate power by voting yes on Proposition 1 this fall.

Prop. 1 has four simple, yet powerful, ideas: protect our neighborhoods, protect our river, and protect workers, all from the long reach of corporate rights and powers. The fourth idea is that corporate rights shall not override the rights of natural people.

Prop. 1 reads: “Corporations and other business entities which violate the rights secured by this Charter shall not be deemed to be ‘persons,’ nor possess any other legal rights, privileges, powers, or protections which would enable those entities to avoid the enforcement of these rights, or which would enable them to nullify these rights.”

While the idea that corporations are people may seem absurd, anyone who has fought a battle against corporate rights has learned all too painfully that the “civil rights” of corporations win over the civil rights of actual people every time.

If you value your neighborhood, the river or your civil rights in the workplace more than corporate “personhood,” vote yes on Prop. 1.

Patty Norton

Spokane