I just wrote this to Michael Moore:
Howdy Michael,
I’m writing you on behalf of my good friend Arn Menconi, whom I’ve known for 20 years.
Arn is an activist. He just got out of jail, he was part of the group that got arrested in Denver on Friday. Here’s the link:
https://denver.cbslocal.com/2020/01/10/bernie-sanders-capitol-protesters-response/
Arn is a former US Senate & Congressional Candidate. He founded and was the Executive Director of SOS Outreach a national youth charity. He’s a two-term former Eagle County CO Commissioner. Arn was in NYC in 2014, protesting with Code Pink on Wall Street. He was at Standing Rock. He’s been arrested a few times now, as part of civil disobedience.
Here’s his twitter:
https://mobile.twitter.com/ArnMenconi
After the 2014 protest, a picture of Arn with Code Pink was forwarded to Vail Resorts, SOS’s biggest donor. They didn’t like the optics. So they began pressuring the SOS Board of Directors to fire Arn. They told the board if they didn’t fire him, they’d withhold SOS’s funding.
Arn eventually resigned. The truth, as Arn will tell you, is that Arn’s career was taken from him. All because he fought for the children, and what you and I believe in.
This isn’t about Arn.
It’s about what happened in Denver this past weekend. It’s about what Joaquin Phoenix said at last week’s Golden Globes – the hypocrisy of Hollywood. It’s about the hypocrisy and double speak of Democrats like CO Governor Jared Polis, who claims to be progressive.
I think when people read about arrests at protests they think protesters got a slap on the wrist, or the equivalent of a parking ticket. I know it’s what I’ve always thought, and I’m informed.
Arn and the others were held in jail for 30 hours. They were charged with misdemeanors. Will states now follow CO and start detaining protestors? Will they now start charging them with crimes, much like what happened to Amy Goodman when she filmed what was happening at Standing Rock? How many protestors will now be worried that what happened in Denver will happen to them, thus dissuading them from protesting?
If you were to talk to Arn your listeners would get a perspective I don’t believe they’ve heard. They’ll hear that so many are talking the talk, but few are walking the walk. For example only 38 people were there in Denver. Our planet is burning, Trump is President, and just 38 people showed up?! What if 1000 people had got arrested? The jails would have overflowed, it’d be a huge story.
We’re running out of time. I think if your listeners heard from Arn, they’d get that they need to do a lot more.
I hope you agree and will contact Arn.
His cell is
Peace and love,
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