[00:00:03]
YOU ARE WATCHING THE MEETING OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL WITH MAYOR ERIC L. JOHNSON, MAYOR PRO TEM CANNEL ATKINS, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM CAROLYN, KING ARNOLD, COUNCIL MEMBERS SHAD WEST, JESSE MORENO, ZAIN GRACIE, JAIME RESENDEZ, OMAR VALEZ, ADAM, BASIL DUA, PAULA BLACKMAN, KATHY STEWART, JANIE SCHULTZ, KARA MENDELSON, YAY, DONNELL WILLIS.
PAUL RIDLEY, AND CITY MANAGER TC BROADNAX, CITY SECRETARY BILLY RAY JOHNSON AND CITY ATTORNEY TAMMY PALOMINO.
[CALL TO ORDER]
MORNING.TODAY'S WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24TH, 2024, THE TIME'S 9:25 AM AND I NOW CALL THIS MEETING OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER TODAY'S INVOCATION.
SPEAKERS GOING TO BE CHAIRMAN RIDLEY.
I'M GONNA TURN OVER TO CHAIRMAN RIDLEY NOW FOR OUR INVITATION.
TO SEE IF YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION.
IT'S CHAIR, IT'S CHAIRMAN GRACIE.
YOU, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WERE CALLED TO BE FREE, BUT DO NOT USE YOUR FREEDOM TO INDULGE THE FLESH, RATHER SERVE ONE ANOTHER HUMBLY IN LOVE.
HEAVENLY FATHER, AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY TO CONDUCT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WE ARE MINDFUL OF THE RESPONSIBILITY AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE CALLED TO USE OUR POSITIONS NOT FOR PERSONAL GAIN, BUT TO HUMBLY SERVE ONE ANOTHER AND LOVE, HELP US TO APPROACH OUR ROLES WITH WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, AND COMPASSION SO THAT WE MAY MAKE DECISIONS THAT BENEFIT ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
GRANT US THE STRENGTH TO WORK TOGETHER IN UNITY, RESPECTING DIVERSE OPINIONS AND STRIVING FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
MAY WE BE GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP, SEEKING THE WELLBEING OF THOSE WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE AS WE DELIBERATE ON VARIOUS MATTERS TODAY, MAY WE BE MINDFUL OF THE NEEDS OF THE MARGINALIZED AND VULNERABLE AMONG US.
WE ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM TO, TO DISCERN WHAT IS RIGHT AND JUST, AND THE COURAGE TO ACT ACCORDINGLY.
BLESS OUR DISCUSSIONS AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS THAT WE MAY BE MARKED BY INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND A GENUINE DESIRE TO SERVE THE GREATER GOOD.
WE ENTRUST THESE MEETINGS TO YOUR GUIDANCE AND ASK FOR YOUR PRESENCE TO BE FELT AMONG US.
MAY OUR ACTIONS AND OUR DECISIONS REFLECT THE VALUE SERVICE, JUSTICE AND COMPASSION THAT WE ARE ROOTED IN, THAT ARE ROOTED IN YOUR TEACHINGS.
IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE RISE FOR OUR PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES FLAG, AND THEN THE TEXAS FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
[OPEN MICROPHONE]
MADAM SECRETARY, I BELIEVE WE'RE ONTO OUR OPEN MICROPHONE SPEAKERS, THERE BEING NO ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS MORNING.THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND GOOD MORNING.
THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL WILL, WILL NOW HEAR ALL OF ITS OPEN, MICRO REGISTERED OPEN MICROPHONE SPEAKERS.
I'LL RECITE THE SPEAKER GUIDELINES.
SPEAKERS MUST OBSERVE THE SAME RULES OF PROPRIETY DECORUM AND GOOD CONDUCT APPLICABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
ANY SPEAKER MAKING PERSONAL IMP PERTINENT PROFANE OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS OR WHO BECOMES BOISTEROUS WHILE ADDRESSING THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE ROOM FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN PERSON FOR THOSE VIRTUAL SPEAKERS.
YOU'LL BE REMOVED FROM THE SESSION.
INDIVIDUALS WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
PLEASE STOP FOR THOSE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FOR THOSE VIRTUAL SPEAKERS.
I WILL ANNOUNCE WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
ALSO SPEAKERS, PLEASE BE MINDFUL THAT DURING YOUR COMMENTS YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO REFER TO A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER BY NAME.
PLEASE ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS TO MAYOR JOHNSON, ONLY YOUR FIRST SPEAKER.
[00:05:11]
HI MAYOR.I WANT TO TELL YOU, OH, I'M SORRY.
I'M LINDA NEWLAND, DISTRICT SEVEN.
I WANT TO TELL YOU THE JANUARY 15TH, EIN PRESS BAR TITLED SWORN TESTIMONY AND OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS CONFIRMED FLUORIDE'S HEALTH ARREST.
MY DISTRICT SEVEN AND DISTRICT 13 ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE PRESS RELEASE.
EVERYONE ON THE COUNCIL HAS RECEIVED A COPY OF THE PRESS BAR RELEASE.
I ENCOURAGE ALL LISTENING TO SEARCH EIM PRESS BAR, DALLAS, FLORIDA AUDATION.
THE PRESS RELEASE HAS MANY HELPFUL LINKS LIKE ROBERT KENNEDY'S ONE HOUR DOCUMENTARY TITLE, FLUORIDE ON TRIAL.
THIS MOVIE EXPOSES DECADES OF SENSORY AND HIDING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HORRIBLE EFFECTS OF FLUORIDATION.
ON JANUARY 19TH, COUNCIL MEETING, PROPER PROCEDURE WAS NOT FOLLOWED AS HAPPENED ALWAYS.
WE CITIZENS OF DALLAS CITY COUNCIL OR EMPLOYERS COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD BE EAGER TO HEAR WHAT THEIR EMPLOYERS HAVE TO SAY.
THERE WAS NOT EVEN A QUORUM AT THE LAST 40 MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING ON FRIDAY THE 19TH, SECTION 2.4 OF THE CITY COUNCIL RULES FOR A PROCEDURAL STATE, A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL MUST BE PRESENT TO CONDUCT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AS PHOTOS SHOWS THERE'S JUST THREE MEMBERS.
THE DISRESPECT FOR PUBLIC IS SHAMEFUL AND MY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DAY SEVEN, THAT'S YOUR TIME THAT THEY'RE TALKING AND THAT'S YOUR TIME, NOT EVEN HERE AT THE SEAT.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED WITH THE WARNINGS EARLY TODAY.
UM, SO WE CAN'T HAVE THE OUTBURSTS AND THE APPLAUSE AND THE, THE, UM, ANY TYPE OF LOUD OUTBURSTS.
UM, I'M WARNING YOU ACCORDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL'S RULES, UM, THAT ANY SUBSEQUENT OUTBURSTS OR NOISE OR OUT THINGS LIKE THAT WILL WARRANT YOU BEING REMOVED FROM THE MEETING, WHICH AGAIN, IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING WE DON'T ACTUALLY WANT TO DO.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
SO, UM, PLEASE TRY TO ADHERE TO OUR RULES AND WE CAN HAVE OUR, UM, OPEN MICROPHONE SESSION AND NO ONE WILL BE REMOVED.
YOUR NEXT SPEAKER, JOE STOKES.
JOE STOKES, DISTRICT NINE MAYOR, YOU'RE LOOKING GOOD.
TO RESTORE ORDER TO THE COUNCIL, THIS IS A, UH, STATEMENT FROM BRENDA STADEN MEYER.
SHE'S A WITNESS IN THE TOXIC TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT TRIAL, RETHINKING THE TRADITION, 79 YEARS OF BRAIN HARMING FLUORIDE IN DRINKING WATER.
AS WE APPROACH THE 79TH ANNIVERSARY OF NATIONAL FLUORIDE DAY ON JANUARY 25TH, IT'S CRUCIAL TO REFLECT ON THIS TRADITION'S CONTROVERSIAL LEGACY.
OVER A DOZEN RECENT STUDIES UNDERSCORED THE ALARMING IMPACT OF FLUORIDE ON BRAIN HEALTH, CORRELATING WITH LOWERED IQ AND INCREASED RATES OF ATTENTION DEFICIT, UH, DISORDER IN CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY IN FLORIDA 80 COMMUNITIES DURING FETAL AND INFANT DEVELOPMENT.
WRITING IS A CONCERNED INDIVIDUAL AND IS A PLAINTIFF IN THE FEDERAL FLUORIDE TSCA LAWSUIT AGAINST THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
OUR ONGOING LEGAL BATTLE INITIATED IN 2017 ADDRESSES THE NEUROTOXICITY OF FLUORIDE ADDED TO PUBLIC DRINKING WATER.
WITH THE FINAL TWO WEEK TRIAL STARTING JANUARY 31ST, WE URGE A REEVALUATION OF PREVAILING NORMS IN WATER FLUORIDATION, CHILD DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS, INCLUDING THOSE IN THE FOREVER CHEMICALS LEAD AND MERCURY HAVE RESEARCHED FLUORIDE EXTENSIVELY, SUGGESTING ITS EFFECTS ARE ON PAR WITH THAT.
LINDER, LINDA BURNBAUM, A BOARD CERTIFIED TOXICOLOGIST WITH 10 YEARS DIRECTING THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SCIENCES AND THE NATIONAL TOXICOLOGY PROGRAM STATES WE DON'T NEED FLUORIDE
[00:10:01]
ADDED TO OUR DRINKING WATER ANYMORE.IN WISCONSIN, MOST SMALL UTILITIES HAVE ELIMINATED FOUR EIGHT DUE TO HAZARD.
UM, MY NAME IS WILLIAM HOPKINS.
UH, NOW THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE COME DOWN HERE.
NOW IT WENT DOWN TO TWO MINUTES.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WAS THE TWO MINUTES FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE OR WAS THE MERYL ROLLINS? DID MERL ROLLINS CALL YOU FROM A KU KLUX KLAN MEETING AND, AND TELL YOU THAT, UH, UH, THAT HE, HE VOTED FOR ME NOT TO SPEAK EVERY WEEK AND, UH, FOR ME TO SPEAK ONCE A MONTH.
DID MERRIL ROLLS CALL YOU FROM A KUKU KLUX KLAN MEETING AND TELL YOU TO GO DOWN TO TWO MINUTES? BECAUSE BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA SAY NOTHING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT'S DYING IN WEST DALLAS AND THE CITY SUED.
Y'ALL GOT THE, YOU GOT THE DOCUMENTS IN YOUR HAND.
ERIC OMA WENT TO SCHOOL IN WEST DALLAS.
IS IS, IS PEOPLE SLEEPING OUTSIDE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE COLD IN THE FREEZER, RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THIS BUILDING RIGHT NOW.
AND YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, ISRAEL, UH, UH, UH, YOU WENT, YOU WENT, SPOKE ABOUT ISRAEL, THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, YOU WANT TO ADDRESS 'EM, YOU WON'T ADDRESS THE PEOPLE.
YOUR MAMA WENT TO SCHOOL IN WEST DALLAS, PEOPLE DYING IN WEST DALLAS, BUT YOU GO AND SPEAK ABOUT ISRAEL AND GIVE THEM BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND, AND, AND, AND, AND DID MY CITY COUNCIL PERSON VOTE FOR THIS TWO MINUTES? UH, DISTRICT, THE DISTRICT SIX, WE OWE THAT DINE IN WEST DALLAS.
DID DISTRICT SIX VOTE, WHICH Y'ALL FOR, FOR Y'ALL TO GO DOWN TO TWO MINUTES AND WE OVER THERE DYING IN WEST DALLAS AREA.
YOUR MAMA WENT TO SCHOOL IN THIS WEST DALLAS AREA.
THOUSANDS OF BLACKS DONE, DIED FROM THE LEAD.
MY MAMA, MY DADDY, MY ALL MY WHOLE FAMILY DONE DIED FROM THE LEAD.
IS MY TOO MINUTES UP OR THIS 30 SOMETHING SECONDS? LOOK HERE, MAN.
MY WHOLE FAMILY, MY MAMA, MY DADDY, MY STEPFATHER, MY SISTER MARGARET, MY SISTER PAT.
UH, MAYOR JOHNSON AND TO ALL THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THIS MORNING AND ADDRESS MAYOR AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN, IN REGARDS TO THE RECENT CYBER ATTACKS ON OUR GOVERNMENT, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UH, ONE MENTIONED, UH, THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, 800,000 PEOPLE.
INFORMATION HAD BEEN HACKED AND IT'S OUT THERE IN SABBATH SPACE.
AND DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? UH, I SPOKE AT THE, UH, COMMISSIONER'S COURT IN REGARDS TO THIS SAME ISSUE.
UH, THESE CRIMINALS NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE, AND I BEG YOUR PARDON, THAT WE LET THIS TYPE OF, UH, RAVIS, UH, IT'S AN IN INSIDE TO THIS CITY TO LET THIS GO ON.
UH, WE, THE PEOPLE NEED, WE NEED, WE NEED SOME ANSWERS TO THIS.
UH, EVERY, EVERYBODY'S TURNING TO IT.
THAT'S YOUR, THAT'S YOUR TIME.
I MOTION FOR 30 MORE SECONDS, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
YOUR NEXT SPEAKER, STACY MONROE.
UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS STACY RE AND I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A CONCERNED CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT 12.
I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE MATTER OF UTMOST URGENCY,
[00:15:01]
ONE THAT REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION AND ACTION FOR THE LAST 109 DAYS, THE WORLD HAS WITNESSED THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF ISRAEL'S ZIONIST REGIME'S ACTIONS AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE AND GA.THE ONGOING, UM, GENOCIDE HAS CLAIMED THE LIVES OF OVER 24,000 PALESTINIANS SINCE OCTOBER 7TH, LEAVING THOUSANDS, UH, MORE WOUNDED, MISSING, OR TRAPPED IN THE RUBBLE OF THEIR HOMES.
I IMPLORE EACH OF YOU TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SEVERITY OF THIS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AND CONDEMN THE ATROCITIES, UH, BEING COMMITTED BY THE ZIONIST REGIME.
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS WATCHING AND WE DEMAND YOU AS THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR CITY DO NOT REMAIN INDIFFERENT IN THE FACE OF SUCH INJUSTICE.
I CALL ON THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO ENGAGE WITH ORGANIZERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO ARE TIRELESSLY WORKING TO SHED LIGHT ON THIS ISSUE.
MEET WITH THEM, LEARN ABOUT THE SITUATION FIRSTHAND WORKING, UH, LEARN ABOUT THE SITUATION FIRSTHAND AND COLLABORATE IN FINDING WAYS TO SUPPORT A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE ACTIONS OF THE ZIONIST REGIME.
THE POWER OF CHANGE LIES IN OUR COLLECTIVE WILL TO STAND AGAINST SUPPRESSION AND INJUSTICE.
WHILE SOME CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SHIFTING THEIR STANCE ON THIS ISSUE, IT IS NOT ENOUGH.
A RESOLUTION, UH, IS TO, UH, RESOLUTION, TO BRING ABOUT MEANINGFUL CHANGE.
I IMPLORE YOU TO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPACT OF YOUR DECISIONS ON THE LIVES OF THOSE AFFECTED BY THE ZIONIST GENOCIDE REGIME, YOUR VOICE AND THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS AND THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS ARE WATCHING TO SEE IF YOU WILL TAKE A STAND FOR JUSTICE IN HUMANITY.
THE TIME FOR A DIF INDIFFERENCE HAS LONG PASSED.
I ASK YOU TO DO WHAT YOU, THAT'S YOUR TIME.
BUT THANK, THANK YOU BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS I WILL CALL THE REMAINING SPEAKERS AND GROUPS.
WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND HAVE A SEAT ON THE FIRST TWO ROWS OF THIS INTERSECTION.
MR. ABTAHI, YOU MAY COME TO THE PODIUM.
NATHAN TOWNEY, SENIOR DOEY FLORES, IL ANI, TAMARA HUTCHERSON, SANDRA CRENSHAW.
SAM JUDY REHANA, TIANI TABATHA REEL.
DAVID ELLISON, NRA B OLA HAMZA AND SAMAYA SCHULT.
I FIGURED I WOULD SPEAK TO YOU THIS WEEK RATHER THAN NEXT WEEK BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A CRAZY, ANOTHER MEETING NEXT WEEK FILLED WITH SPEAKERS ABOUT THE BOND.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE DALLAS ZOOS BOND REQUEST.
I'VE PUT TOGETHER A ONE PAGER THAT EXPLAINS THE REQUEST.
UM, THE MASTER PLAN WAS, UH, APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL BACK IN 2019, AND THIS IS GOING TO IMPLEMENT THAT MASTER PLAN THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
SO THE BEST WAY TO EXPLAIN THIS IS THAT WE'RE TAKING THE OLD MONORAIL SYSTEM.
THE MARQUEE PROJECT IS GONNA BE TAKING THE OLD MONORAIL AND REPURPOSING IT FOR A WALKING TRAIL.
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN TO NEW YORK AND MINNEAPOLIS ZOO, IT'S SIMILAR TO THE HIGHLINE, UM, WHERE IF YOU REMEMBER BEING ON THE MONORAIL, WHICH IS AN OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY, AND ZOOS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, COUNTRY ARE REMOVING THEM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A WALKING TRAIL THAT'S GONNA OPEN UP ABOUT, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE 10 TO 15 ACRES OF ADDITIONAL PARKLAND AND EXHIBIT SPACE.
UM, IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE FOR THE WILD EARTH DISCOVERY CENTER, WHICH IS A PERMANENT HOME FOR THE ZOO'S PRESCHOOL.
IT'S THE ONLY NATURE BASED PRESCHOOL, UH, IN DALLAS.
IT HOUSES, IT NOT HOUSES, SORRY, IT WELCOMES A HUNDRED THOUSAND SCHOOL KIDS EVERY YEAR, AND IT WILL PROVIDE THE, UM, EDUCATION COMPONENT TO THAT.
THE PROJECT IN TOTAL IS A HUNDRED, $125 MILLION PROJECT.
THE ZOO IS COMMITTED TO RAISING $70 MILLION PRIVATELY.
THAT'S A ROUGHLY A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS INVESTMENT IN SOUTHERN DALLAS.
IT MEETS ALL THE COUNCIL'S EQUITY GOALS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
IT DOES NOT ADD ANYTHING TO THE O AND M, THE YEARLY OM O AND M FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE HANDOUT YOU'RE GETTING, I'M PRETTY PROUD OF MYSELF.
I DID MY FIRST QR CODE, SO YOU CAN SCAN THIS QR CODE AT THE BOTTOM OR VISIT THE SHORTENED LINK.
IT WILL CREATE ALL, IT'LL SHOW YOU ALL THE DOCUMENTS SINCE 2019.
THE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN FORWARDED TO THIS BODY.
THE ZOO HAS A NEW CEO WILL BE COMING TO THE PARKS AND TRAILS COMMITTEE IN A COUPLE WEEKS, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS SOMETHING EASY JUST TO DIGEST THIS.
THANK YOU, UM, APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SERVICE, THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.
YES, HELLO, UH, MAYOR JOHNSON AND
[00:20:01]
CITY COUNCIL.UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JUST ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
UH, I JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE, UH, I'M A LIFELONG DALLAS RESIDENT AND A 20 YEAR EDUCATOR.
UH, I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE DALLAS HOUSING COALITION, AND, UH, I WAS RECENTLY APPROVED FOR THE DEEP A TARGETED ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO HELP EDUCATORS, UH, OBTAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AFTER APPROVAL, I SUBMITTED MY BIDS FOR THREE SEPARATE PROPERTIES IN, UH, SOUTHERN DALLAS, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT I COULD NOT PURCHASE THE HOMES BECAUSE THEY WERE PART OF THE LAND BANK PROGRAM.
AND IT WAS SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTING AND A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING BECAUSE IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE DHA PROGRAM AND THE LAND BANK PROGRAM WOULD BE A PERFECT MARRIAGE TOGETHER IN ORDER TO HELP TEACHERS TO AFFORD, UM, TO OBTAIN AFFORDABLE HOMES.
AND, UH, JUST AS A LIFELONG RESIDENT, UM, IT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, GET AFFORDABLE HOMES AT A TIME WHERE THE BUDGETS AND THE A MI ARE GETTING OUTTA CONTROL AND, AND IT'S BECOMING VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO BECOME A HOMEOWNER.
AND SO, UM, UH, I WAS, I HEARD THAT THE, THAT CITY COUNCIL WOULD BE MAKING A DECISION SOON ABOUT, UM, DHAP AND, UH, LAND BANK ACQUISITIONS.
UH, I'M FORMALLY ASKING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AMEND THE PROGRAM IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO ALLOW DHAP FUNDS TO BE USED TO PURCHASE LAND BANK PROPERTIES.
UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE PERFECT MARRIAGE TO ALLOW EDUCATORS, PRINCIPALS, POLICEMEN, AND OTHER VITAL CITIZENS TO REMAIN IN THE CITY THAT THEY LOVE WITHOUT BEING PRICED OUT BEFORE, UM, THINGS GO UP ON THE PROPERTY, UH, MARKET.
SO I'M ASKING THAT, UH, DHAP FUNDS BE ALLOWED TO PURCHASE LAND BANK PROPERTIES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK, EXCEPT FOR PALESTINE, THE LIMITS OF PROGRESSIVE POLITICS BY MARK LAMONT HILL AND MITCHELL P NIK IN THE UNITED STATES, WE'RE STRUGGLING TO RECKON WITH THE LEGACY OF STRUCTURAL INJUSTICE THAT HAS TO DEFINE OUR HISTORY.
AMERICAN POLICY IN PALESTINE AND ISRAEL HAS ALWAYS BEEN HOPELESSLY INTERTWINED WITH OUR OWN LONGSTANDING STRUGGLES WITH WHITE SUPREMACY, ISLAMOPHOBIA, ANTISEMITISM, ETHNOCENTRISM, AS WE'VE COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT RACISM, SEXIST AND RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY AND ANTI L-G-B-T-Q HATE AND OTHER PREJUDICES ARE INTERSECTIONAL.
WE MUST ALSO RECOGNIZE HOW THESE SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION INFORM OUR FOREIGN POLICY.
WE CANNOT, WE CANNOT TRULY GRAPPLE WITH OUR HISTORY IF WE IGNORE HOW IT HAS ALSO AFFECTED THE REST OF THE WORLD.
IF WE ARE TO ADOPT A PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL OUTLOOK, ONE ROOTED AND ANTI-RACIST, ANTI-IMPERIALIST, HUMANISTIC, AND INTERSECTIONAL VALUES, WE MUST BEGIN TO PRIORITIZE THE FREEDOM, DIGNITY, AND SELF-DETERMINATION OF PALESTINIANS, THE IMBALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS.
A CIRCUMSTANCE ENFORCED BY THE OVERWHELMING POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND MILITARY INFLUENCE OF THE UNITED STATES CAN NEVER BE IGNORED OR UNDERSTATED AS WE DEVELOP WORKABLE ANALYSIS AND PRINCIPLE SOLUTIONS.
THIS MEANS THAT ANY HOPE FOR A FUTURE IN WHICH ALL PEOPLE OF THE REGION CAN LIVE IMP PEACE, SECURITY, FREEDOM, AND HOPE REQUIRE THE INVOLVEMENT OF OTHER STATES.
IT IS UP TO US AMERICANS TO ENSURE THAT OUR INVOLVEMENT IS BASED ON UNIVERSAL HUMANISTIC VALUES THAT ARE APPLIED IN A CONSISTENT MANNER.
SUCH APPROACH HAS NOT HISTORICALLY BEEN PART OF THE US POLICY.
WE MUST NO LONGER RENDER PALESTINE EXCEPTIONAL.
IT IS SHORES, BEACHES, AND FLOWERS AND MARKETS AND STREETS.
IT'S CHILDREN AND WOMEN AND MEN WHO HAVE ASPIRATIONS, WHO ARE ARTISTS.
FOR THOSE THAT HAVE DISAPPEARED, WE WILL NEVER KNOW THEIR WORK OF ART.
I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT ANY MORALITY YOU HAVE LEFT WILL ALLOW YOU TO SEE THAT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, AND CALL FOR CEASEFIRE NOW, ADOPT THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
IT'S LIKE HOW MEMORIAL TIME OF MEXICO SAYS, YES, SIR.
IL ANI, YES, SHANEL, DISTRICT 12, RABBI, UM, MOSHE RUDNER AND NEW YORK JEW.
SOMEONE I HOLD WITH DEEP REVERENCE SAYS IT'LL TAKE AN HOUR WITH HIM TO GET TO KNOW HIM OR KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM.
THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR MYSELF, YOURSELF, OR ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM.
UM, THAT DEPTH OF HUMANITY CAN APPLY TO ANY INDIVIDUAL.
UM, COMMUNICATION IS SO DIFFICULT AND IS SO BUILT FOR MISUNDERSTANDING.
THE SAME WORDS CAN MEAN SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE LIKE WE SEE NOW.
AND YET WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE TO FORM AGREEMENTS AND WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER, KNOW ONE ANOTHER, AND WE WANT TO COMMUNICATE TO BE KNOWN.
AND I WANT TO ASK YOU AND URGE YOU, PLEASE TO OPEN UP SPACE AND USE YOUR LEVERAGE AND YOUR POWER
[00:25:01]
AS A COUNCIL TO PLEASE OPEN UP YOUR ARTS AND CULTURE SPACES AND PROACTIVELY RESPOND TO THE NEEDS AND WANTS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.PURSUE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AND LEARN ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WITNESSING SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ONLY READ ABOUT MANY OF US, AND IT'S HAPPENING.
AND THE ONLY PLATFORM TO HAVE DIALOGUE IS SOCIAL MEDIA AND PROTESTS.
IT IS BUILT TO MAKE US ADDICTS, AND WE CAN, WE ONLY BECOME FURTHER TRIBALIZED.
WE DO NOT GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER, AND PROTESTS ARE EXPENSIVE TO THE CITY.
THERE WERE SEVEN TO 12 COP CARS OF THE PROTEST ON SUNDAY.
IT'S A, IT'S AN EXPENSIVE, EXPENSIVE PROGRAM.
PROTESTORS GET CALLED FRINGE AND PUSH THIS SIDE.
AND INVALIDATED THE CITY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO PURSUE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO MAKE US HEARD AND KNOWN.
I DO NOT CARE TO LABEL OR SHAME ANYBODY HERE.
I HAVE BEEN LABELED AND SHAMED.
I'VE BEEN CALLED A MUSLIM ZIONIST AND I'VE BEEN CALLED AN ANTISEMITE.
I'M NEITHER OF THOSE THINGS AND I DON'T CARE TO CALL ANYBODY ANYTHING.
I JUST ASK THAT WE STOP WASTING MONEY ON COPS.
MAYOR JOHNSON, YOU ARE NOT PERFECT, AND I DON'T EXPECT PERFECTION FROM YOU.
I JUST ASK THAT YOU TRY AND USE COMMUNICATION.
MY NAME IS TAMARA, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.
IT HAS BEEN 109 DAYS OF ONGOING TERROR AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE DATING BACK TO THE 1960S.
BLACK SOLIDARITY HAS BEEN FOR PALESTINIAN LIBERATION FROM BLACK ACTIVISTS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANGELA DAVIS, MALCOLM X AND STOKELY CARMICHAEL, WHO DREW THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OUR COLLECTIVE STRUGGLE OF LIBERATION FROM OPPRESSION, RACISM, AND COLONIALISM.
THE FIGHT FOR BLACK AND PALESTINIAN LIBERATION IS MAGNIFIED BY THE POLICE STATE IN WHICH MILITARIZED POLICE FORCES OVER POLICE SURVEILLANCE PROFILE AND MURDER.
BLACK PEOPLE, SIMILAR TO ISRAELI OCCUPATION FORCES TOWARDS PALESTINIANS IN 2023.
IT WAS THE DEADLIEST YEAR OF POLICE KILLINGS OF CIVILIANS IN THE US.
AND BLACK PEOPLE ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY VICTIMS OF POLICE VIOLENCE.
WHILE ONLY COMPRISING APPROXIMATELY 13% OF THE US POPULATION, US POLICE DEPARTMENTS SENT OFFICERS FOR TRAINING IN ISRAEL AND LEARNED TO UTILIZE TACTICS INCLUDING THE NEED AND NECK RESTRAINT DEREK CHAUVIN USED THAT LED TO THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD IN 2020.
THE TREATMENT OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS SHOWS THE HARROWING COMPARISONS OF THE US PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX IN WHICH TWO THIRDS OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE DETAINED IN JAILS ARE NOT CONVICTED OF A CRIME.
AND BLACK PEOPLE ARE FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE JAILED COMPARED TO THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS.
ACCORDING TO STUDIES, AS A FORMER ORGANIZER OF TEXAS JAIL PROJECT, I DOCUMENTED THE MEDICAL NEGLECT IN CUSTODY, JAIL DEATHS, EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS, VIOLATIONS OF DETAINEES AND TEXAS COUNTY JAILS, INCLUDING IN DALLAS COUNTY JAIL.
THE SAME JAIL, 13 PROTESTORS, INCLUDING MYSELF, WERE DETAINED AFTER BEING ARRESTED ON JANUARY 8TH FOR PROTESTING BIDEN'S ARRIVAL IN DALLAS.
THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS, INCLUDING MINORS, ARE SIMILARLY INFLICTED WITH VIOLENCE BY ISRAELI FORCES THROUGH NIGHT RAIDS, KIDNAPPINGS, ADMINISTRATIVE DETENTION, MEDICAL NEGLECT, AND PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ASSAULT.
MAMMIE TILL THE MOTHER OF EMMETT'S HILL, WHO WAS A BLACK BOY, ABDUCTED, TORTURED, AND BRUTAL BRUTALLY KILLED BY TWO WHITE MEN, HAD AN OPEN CASKET FUNERAL TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE RACIAL VIOLENCE, INJUSTICE AND WHITE NATIONALISM IN THE JIM CROW SOUTH.
THAT'S TIME THE, THE PALESTINIAN MOTHERS AND GAZA, THAT'S TIME KILLED CHILDREN FOR THE WORLD TO SEE THE ATROCITIES CARRIED OUT BY ISRAEL IN THE NAME OF ZIONISM AND ANTI-ARAB ANTI PALESTINIAN HATE, SANDRA CRENSHAW IS NOT PRESENT.
SAMUEL POSTON, GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DALLAS CITIZENS.
I'M A 17-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR AT ST.
MARK'S AND SOON TO BE VOTER LATER THIS YEAR IN DISTRICT 13.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I HAVE COME BEFORE THIS BODY.
THE FIRST WAS FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN I MADE COMMENTS AS A YOUNG PERSON URGING THE COUNCIL TO BE AGGRESSIVE IN SETTING THE GOALS IN WHAT HAS BECOME THE CA PLAN.
I STAND HERE TODAY EXCITED BY THE PLAN AND ITS ASPIRATIONAL GOALS, BUT ALSO HOPING TO SEE EVEN MORE ASSERTIVE AND ACTIONABLE IMPLEMENTATION.
AS A PROUD RESIDENT OF DALLAS, I BELIEVE THAT OUR CITY INDEED CAN AND SHOULD HAVE AN INFLUENTIAL VOICE AT THE STATE, NATIONAL, AND EVEN GLOBAL LEVELS.
[00:30:01]
AND POLICY LEADER.THE POLICY FOR WHICH I BELIEVE DALLAS SHOULD BE ADVOCATING AS PART OF THE STATED CAP MISSION IS BORDER ADJUSTED CARBON DIVIDENDS.
OFTEN IT IS ASSUMED THAT INVESTING IN ECOSYSTEM RESILIENCE TRADES OFF WITH OTHER BUDGETARY SPENDING.
THIS IS THE CORE OF THE DISAGREEMENT OVER THE 2024 BOND PACKAGE.
HOWEVER, BY USING INCENTIVES, LEVYING A FEE ON CERTAIN HIGH PROFILE CARBON GOODS, AND THEN REATING THE FUNDS TO DALLAS CITIZENS IN THE FORM OF A UNIVERSAL LUMP SUM TAX BREAK OR PAYMENTS OR SPENDING ON OTHER BUDGETARY PRIORITIES, DALLAS CAN BOTH GENERATE FUNDS TO PRESERVE VOTER SUPPORT AND INVEST IN A MORE SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY.
BY INCLUDING BORDER ADJUSTMENTS, DALLAS CAN PRESERVE ITS COMPETITIVENESS BY PRIMARILY AFFECTING IMPORTS WITHOUT DRIVING OUT LOCAL BUSINESSES.
IT IS THE SPARK TO IGNITE A LOCAL, A NATIONAL, A GLOBAL RENEWABLE TRANSITION.
I APPRECIATE THIS IS A COMPLEX TOPIC THAT ISN'T EASY TO EXPLAIN IN A THREE MINUTE, UM, TALK IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I, THUS I'VE WRITTEN A CONCISE POLICY BRIEFING WITH MORE DETAILED EXPLANATIONS.
MORNING MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL ONCE AGAIN, I'M SAM JUDY.
I AM A INVESTIGATIVE INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST LIVING HERE IN THE CITY.
LAST TIME I WAS HERE I SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY FAMILY'S OWN EXPERIENCES WITH GENOCIDE AND ETHNIC CLEANSING DURING THE HOLOCAUST.
AND I'M HERE TO REAFFIRM MY SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE AND CALL FOR THIS COUNCIL TO UNANIMOUSLY PUT THEIR SUPPORT BEHIND A RESOLUTION PUT FORTH BY THE DISTRICT SEVEN COUNCILMEN.
UH, I'D LIKE TO COMMEND THE DISTRICT SEVEN COUNCILMEN FOR, UH, LISTENING TO THIS COMMUNITY, LISTENING TO THESE PEOPLE DRAFTING A GREAT START TO A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR REPARATIVE JUSTICE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
IF THE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL WHO HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE RESISTANT OR DISENGAGED FROM THE TOPIC ARE WONDERING WHY WE KEEP ON COMING OUT AND WHY WE KEEP ON SPEAKING TO Y'ALL AND WHY WE KEEP ON COMING IN DROVES AND SUPPORTING, UH, THIS CAUSE BECAUSE, UH, I I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT ONE IN 12 PALESTINIAN AMERICANS, UH, LIVES IN TEXAS, UH, A LOT OF THESE FOLKS ARE NEIGHBORS.
UM, THEY'RE GETTING TEXT MESSAGES FROM THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS SAYING THAT THEY'RE SCARED, SAYING THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO DIE WHEN THEY DO ACTUALLY HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET, FOR WHICH FOR THE MOST PART THEY DO NOT.
UM, SO WE HAD A HATE CRIME THIS LAST WEEK IN IRVING.
THESE PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR SURVIVAL AND THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR THEIR FAMILY SURVIVAL.
WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT THEM AND TO PROVIDE THEM ANYTHING THAT THEY NEED IN TERMS OF FIGHTING THIS FIGHT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO REPEL ZIONIST POLICIES BEING AT LEAST TO THE VERY LEAST, NORMALIZE.
SO I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN AND UH, FREE PALESTINE.
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL.
MY NAME IS RIHANNA MAH AHMED MAHMUD ATANI.
I AM THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF AMINA NEFA AND AHMED TIANI, BOTH SURVIVORS OF THE NPA.
IN 1948, THE PALESTINIANS XING GAZA ARE FACING A SECOND NPA AND I AM HERE TO BE A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS.
SOMETHING I WANT TO VOICE IS THAT IT'S STRIKING.
WHILE MANY CLAIM TO BE PRO-LIFE, THE PLIGHT OF CHILDREN IN PALESTINE OFTEN GETS OVERLOOKED.
AREN'T THEY HUMAN TOO? THE NUMBERS SHOW THAT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF VICTIMS IN GAZA ARE CHILDREN.
IF YOUR CHILD OR A LOVED ONE WAS IN GAZA RIGHT NOW, YOU'D BE DOING EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO PUT AN END TO THIS GENOCIDE.
ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE SITTING? UH, ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE TO SIT COMFORTABLY IN YOUR HOMES WHILE PEOPLE THAT BLEED THE SAME LOSE THEIR LIVES LEFT AND RIGHT OR WILL YOU BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HUMANITY AND CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE BY REFUSING TO CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE? YOU ARE COMPLICIT IN THIS GENOCIDE AND YOU HAVE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS.
WE WILL KEEP SHOWING UP UNTIL WE SEE AN END TO THIS GENOCIDE.
SO PLEASE HAVE A HEART AND TAKE THE TIME TO CALL FOR A PERMANENT CEASE FIRE.
I'LL END THIS BY SAYING FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA, PALESTINE WILL BE FREE.
MY NAME IS TAM ARIEL AND I'M FROM DISTRICT FIVE, THE PLEASANT GROVE AREA.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU.
[00:35:01]
FAR AS THE BOND GOES FOR FUNDING REPAIRS FOR EXISTING ARTS AND CULTURAL BUILDINGS, WE DON'T HAVE OFFICIAL CULTURAL BUILDINGS IN D FIVE.SO PROVIDING FUNDING FOR PARKS AND REC, BOTH GREEN SPACES, RECREATION CENTERS LIKE
'CAUSE OUR BLACK BOX ISN'T WORKING, THE LIGHTS AREN'T WORKING.
THERE WE'RE, WE WERE TOLD TO USE THAT AS A CULTURAL HUB SEVEN YEARS AGO AND WE HAVE HARD TO DO THAT WHEN THE LIGHTS WON'T COME ON.
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SAY I AT LEAST AM GRATEFUL FOR THE 10 MILLION ECO DEV MONEY FUNDING FOR THAT'S IMPERATIVE FOR PLEASANT GROVE.
UM, BUT I, UH, ESPECIALLY AS WE HOPE TO BROADEN, UH, TRAIN THE MARGINALIZED VOICES, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY TO TELL OUR STORIES AND THE BROADER FILM AND MEDIA INDUSTRY.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THOUGH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE WAY MONEY IS BEING USED FOR HOUSING.
UM, I'M A MOM OF A SPECIAL NEEDS ADULT AND UM, AT LEAST ONE STATISTIC SAYS THAT 30 TO 40% OF HOMELESS FOLKS HAVE COGNITIVE DISABILITIES.
AND WHILE I'M DOING EVERYTHING I CAN TO PUT IN A PLAN FOR THE NEXT 20 TO 30 YEARS TO MAKE SURE HE'S CARED FOR, I CAN'T PLAN FOR EVERYTHING.
AND I KNOW THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY COULD CREATE, WE COULD HAVE A VISION, A COLLECTIVE VISION TO THINK ABOUT AND BE INNOVATIVE IN THE WAYS THAT WE'RE CREATING THOSE INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SPACES LIKE THE GENERAL HOSPITAL THAT I UH, THAT JUST I HEARD ABOUT IN THE NEWS RECENTLY THAT COULD BE USED FOR MORE AT LEAST FOUR POPULATIONS OF PEOPLE TO KEEP THEM FROM BECOMING HOMELESS.
THE ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO NEED TO DEMENTIA CARE, PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO COULD BE AT THE END OF MY LIFE, BUT ALSO WANTING A SPACE TO PROVIDE FOR MY SON.
DAVID ELLISON HAS CANCELED URA BWA.
MR. MAYOR NURA PAYING ATTENTION.
BWA IS NOT PRESENT THE SPEAKER.
MY NAME IS NURA AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE PALESTINIAN YOUTH MOVEMENT.
FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO SUPPORT COLLEGE STUDENTS ALL ACROSS THE US EXPERIENCING BACKLASH FROM THEIR UNIVERSITIES FOR ORGANIZING IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINE.
IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS, THE BACKLASH CASES THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED HAS SKYROCKETED FROM STUDENTS IN TEXAS GETTING REPRIMANDED FOR WEARING SURGICAL MASKS DURING PROTESTS TO STUDENTS IN NEW YORK BEING SPRAYED WITH SKUNK SPRAY BY IDF SOLDIERS ON THEIR CAMPUS.
I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE THIS DISCRIMINATION AND HATE CRIMES ARE AREN'T ONLY HAPPENING ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES, BUT THEY'RE RUNNING RAMPANT IN YOUR CITY AS WELL.
IN NOVEMBER, A TRUCK WITH MY FACE ON IT WAS SENT TO MY PARENTS' JOBS IN AN INTIMIDATION CAMPAIGN TO SCARE ME INTO SILENCE.
BUT I'M NOT SCARED TO STAND HERE AND TELL YOU THAT INSTANCES LIKE THESE ARE NOT DETACHED FROM STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL, THAT CITY OFFICIALS LIKE YOU HAVE BACKED YOUR RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL, CONDONE THEIR GENOCIDAL RHETORIC AND EMBOLDEN THEM TO ATTACK PALESTINIANS ABROAD.
AND IN DALLAS, THESE INSTANCES OF ISLAMOPHOBIA AND ANTI PALESTINIAN RACISM HAVE NOT DIED DOWN.
THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS IN THE CROWD AS WE SPEAK THAT HAVE DONE HARM TO THE MUSLIM AND ARAB COMMUNITY.
THIS PAST WEEK A ZIONIST APPROACHED A LOCAL MOSQUE, PULLED OUT A GUN IN FRONT OF CHILDREN, AND LATER ON IN THE NIGHT PEPPER SPRAYED A KID.
BUT RATHER THAN REMOVING THIS RACIST ISLAM FROM THE PREMISES OF CITY HALL, YOU ALL WILL CONTINUE TO REMOVE PEOPLE WHO ARE DISRUPTING THE SILENCE.
I SAY THIS BE NOT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL ACTUALLY KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE, BUT I SAY THIS TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT YOU HAVE A JOB TO DO.
AND IF YOU EVER DECIDE TO ABIDE BY THE MORALS AND VALUES THAT CITY COUNCIL TOUTS ON THEIR WEBSITE, THEN YOU WOULD RIGHT YOUR WRONGS AND REPRESENT THE MUSLIM AND ARAB POPULATIONS OF THE CITY ACROSS THE WORLD.
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE SHOWING OUT IN SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINIANS.
AND IF YOU ALL TRULY CARED ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU WOULD TOO.
DFW IS UNIFIED AND DEMANDING THAT YOU RETRACT YOUR RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL AND THAT YOU ISSUE A NEW RESOLUTION THAT RECOGNIZES THE ONGOING GENOCIDE THAT OUR PALESTINIAN FAMILIES ARE FACING.
STOP SUPPORTING THIS GENOCIDE AND INTRODUCE US.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE FOR ANY OF YOU TO UNDERSTAND.
TO GENUINELY UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF EVERY TAX DOLLAR IS GOING TOWARDS FUNDING THIS GENOCIDE, DROPPING WEAPONS, REIGNING IT ON THEM.
AND IF YOU HAVE EVEN A SHRED OF HUMANITY LEFT IN YOU, YOU SHOULD BE CALLING FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE AND ENDING ALL US FUNDING TO ISRAEL, PALESTINIAN CEMETERIES ARE BEING DESECRATED.
EVERY UNIVERSITY IN ZA HAS BEEN DESTROYED.
[00:40:01]
ZAS, LIBRARIES, PRESSING PRINTING PRESSES ALL GONE.ALL OF THAT IS HAPPENING IS UNJUSTIFIABLE AND ERASURE OF A HISTORICAL MEMORY OF EIGHT PEOPLE.
WOMEN AND REZA ARE RESORTING TO USING SCRAPS OF THEIR TENTS AS PERIOD PRODUCTS.
97% OF THE WATER IS NOT SAFE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION CONSUMPTION.
AS A DAUGHTER OF A SURVIVOR OF ANIC OF THE NEBA, I URGE YOU TO REPRESENT NOT ONLY ME, BUT YOUR THE REST OF THE CONSTITUENTS AND TO CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.
AND THIS PLEA MAY BE SIGNIFICANT BUT DEEPLY PERSONAL.
THE CIRCUMSTANCES DID NOT ALLOW ME TO FULFILL MY DREAM OF VISITING PALESTINE WITH MY GRANDFATHER.
AND WE CARRY THE WEIGHT OF GENERATIONS FORCIBLY DISPLACED SINCE 1948.
AS PALESTINIANS IN THE DIASPORA, WE CARRIED THE LEGACY OF OUR FAMILIES WORLDWIDE AND OUR COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE GOES BEYOND MERE SUPPORT.
AND I URGE YOU TO ADVOCATE NOT ONLY FOR ME, BUT FOR THE REST OF YOUR MAJORITY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND TO CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASE FIRE, FACILITATE UNHINDERED AID TO THE REGION AND END THE SIEGE.
AND FOR THE REST OF THE TIME, I WANTED TO HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE MARTYRS IN PALESTINE.
OKAY, SHE'S FIRING NOW IN FREE PALESTINE.
COULD YOU PUSH THE BUTTON AT THE BASE? I CAN'T.
I THINK YOUR MICROPHONE IS ON.
THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE ARE STILL BEING VIOLENTLY ASSAULTED BY A RACIST, SETTLER COLONIAL PROJECT.
INTENSE ON ETHNICALLY CLEANSING IT AND EXPANDING FURTHER INTO OTHER NATIONS.
THE GOVERNMENT IS STILL SENDING OUR TAX DOLLARS TO ISRAEL INSTEAD OF USING IT FOR THE GOOD OF PEOPLE.
PALESTINIANS HERE ARE STILL BEING ATTACKED AND REPRESSED FOR SPEAKING UP FOR JUSTICE AND STILL LOSING FAMILY MEMBERS TO ISRAEL'S BOMBINGS.
WEAPONS MANUFACTURERS IN DALLAS ARE STILL PROFITING OFF BOMBING CHILDREN.
TO STATE THAT DALLAS CITY COUNCIL MUST ADOPT A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A CEASEFIRE.
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT MET WITH US YET WOULD BENEFIT FROM REPRESENTING THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE EVERY WEEK VOICING OUR DEMANDS.
WE WANT NO MORE CHILDREN DYING, NO MORE PALESTINIANS DISPLACED, NO MORE WAR AND DESTRUCTION.
AND PEACE WON'T COME WITHOUT JUSTICE.
WE STRIKE AND WE PERFORM ACTS OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE.
WHAT YOU CAN DO IS USE YOUR POSITION IN CITY COUNCIL TO PASS CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
YOU WILL CONTINUE TO LOSE OUT ON PROFITS FROM US, VOTES FROM US, AND PEACE AND QUIET FROM US.
WHILE THIS GENOCIDE CONTINUES, WE SEE HOW THE US RESPONDS TO ACTS OF DISRUPTION.
YEMEN IN ITS SHINING EXAMPLE OF INTERNATIONALISM, BLOCKED SOME SHIPS TO DIVERT AGGRESSION ON ZA AND AMERICA BOMBED ITS STREETS TO KILL DPD, ARRESTED PEACEFUL PROTESTORS IN OUR STREETS RATHER THAN LISTEN TO OUR CALLS FOR AN END TO THE GENOCIDE AND OCCUPATION.
YOU WANT THE STREETS AND PORTS OF COMMERCE TO RUN SMOOTHLY FOR YOUR PROFITS AND PRIVILEGE.
ZIONISM IS INDEFENSIBLE, INDEFENSIBLE, VIOLENT AND RACIST.
IT HAS BEEN LAID BARE FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD TO SEE OUR NOBLE PEOPLE IN PALESTINE HAVE NOT BEEN BROKEN.
DESPITE EVERY EFFORT THEY HAVE SACRIFICED SO MUCH.
WE HERE EMULATE THEIR STEADFASTNESS AND WILL NOT BE DEMORALIZED BY THE SYSTEM THAT IS MEANT TO MAKE US THINK WE HAVE NO POWER.
THE NEXT GROUP, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND HAVE A SEAT ON THE FIRST TWO ROWS OF THE INTERSECTION.
YASMINE AKIL, NITA LAFE, NORAN ABAD, JEAN CHONG ZANG ZANG, AYA ABAD, ORANA ABU NATHAN REED XAVIER OR XAVIER HEIM, HAM ICHI LUCERO ORTIZ.
MOHAMED SALABI SHABI, MEGAN LONG, MICHELLE FOWLER, CIA CUMMINGS, JAKE SNYDER, TINA RIO, ALEX TEKI, AND JOHN JACKS.
[00:45:01]
OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL, I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A CONCERNED MEMBER OF THE DALLAS COMMUNITY.AS A RESIDENT OF THIS COMMUNITY, WE ENTRUST YOU WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ADVOCATING FOR JUSTICE, EQUALITY AND PEACE.
NOT ONLY WITHIN OUR LOCAL BOUNDARIES, BUT ON THE GLOBAL STAGE AS WELL.
IT HAS BEEN OVER A HUNDRED DAYS NOW SINCE ISRAEL BEGAN ITS GENOCIDE AND ETHNIC CLEANSING ON THE PEOPLE OF REZA.
ISRAEL SAYS IT IS AN ACT OF SELF-DEFENSE.
HOWEVER, THEY'RE COMMITTING THE SAME CRIMES TO THE PALESTINIANS IN THE WEST BANK WHO DID NOT TAKE PART IN ANY ACTS OF OCTOBER 7TH.
AS OF YESTERDAY, 25,490 PEOPLE, 90 PALESTINIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED, 63,000 WOUNDED.
AND AS RESIDENTS OF DALLAS, WE IMPLORE YOU TO USE YOUR, YOUR VOICES TO CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE END TO THE VIOLENCE.
WE ASK YOU TO ACTUALLY LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN TELLING YOU FOR THE PAST MONTH, NOT DISMISS US AND VIOLATE THE CITY COUNCIL CODE OF ETHICS THE WAY ONE OF YOUR COUNCIL WOMEN DISGRACEFULLY DID BY SHOWING UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON JANUARY 10TH WEARING A IDF MILITARY SHIRT.
THE SAME SHIRT THAT WAS WORN BY THE ISRAELI FORCES WHO SHOT THREE ISRAELI HOSTAGES IN RAZA, WHO WERE EMERGED SHIRTLESS FROM A BUILDING AND WERE CARRYING A WHITE FLAG.
THEY WERE WALKING OUT OF A BUILDING, MR. MAYOR, CARRYING A WHITE FLAG.
BUT BECAUSE THEY LOOKED PALESTINIAN, THEY WERE TREATED THE WAY THE PALESTINIANS AND REZA ARE SHAMEFULLY TREATED EVERY DAY.
THE WHITE FLAG OF TRUTH DIDN'T MATTER TO ISRAEL, YET ISRAEL ISN'T COMMITTING GENOCIDE.
MR. MAYOR, THE LIVES OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS, INCLUDING CHILDREN, ARE AT STAKE.
DALLAS HAS A HISTORY OF STANDING FOR JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
DO THE PALESTINIANS NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO WATER, TO EN, TO ELECTRICITY TO HUMANITARIAN AID? DO THE PALESTINIANS NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO WAKE UP AND ENJOY BREAKFAST INSTEAD OF BOMBS AND BUILDINGS COLLAPSING? TODAY I ASK THAT YOU END, YOU.
YOU, YOU EXTEND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS BY ENDORSING AND PROMOTING FOR A CALL OF CEASEFIRE AND PALESTINE.
MY NAME IS NITA AND I'M A DALLAS AREA NATIVE.
I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING AMONGST COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE SHOWN UP MEETING AFTER MEETING THESE PAST FEW MONTHS STEADFAST IN THEIR DEMANDS FOR A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
I'M PROUD OF MY PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY AND THOSE IN SOLIDARITY WITH US.
BUT WHEN I LOOK UP AT OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, THIS FEELING OF PRIDE QUICKLY WASHES INTO AN OVERWHELMING FEELING OF EMBARRASSMENT.
AFTER OVER 108 DAYS OF ISRAEL GENOCIDE IN GAZA, I'M STILL STANDING IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL BODY, MOST OF WHICH HAVE EITHER DONE NOTHING TO SPEAK OUT OR HAVE OUTRIGHT CHEERED ON GENOCIDE.
BUT INSTEAD OF FOCUSING MY ENERGY ON YOU ALL, I WANT TO INSTEAD GIVE ATTENTION TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND ONLINE THAT ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE AND DIGNITY.
THE TRUTH IS IT MATTERS MORE THAT OUR PEOPLE STAND IN POPULAR SUPPORT FOR PALESTINE THAN IT DOES FOR THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO PASS THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
AND I SAY THIS WITH FULL CONVICTION BECAUSE IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND WILL ALWAYS BE.
PEOPLE OVER INSTITUTIONS POWER HAS AND WILL ALWAYS LIE WITH THE PEOPLE.
TO MY FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THIS ROOM, I CALL ON YOU TO VIEW THE ACTIONS AND INACTIONS OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS OVER THE COURSE OF THESE LAST FEW MONTHS AS A CONFESSION FROM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM ABOUT WHERE THEIR PRIORITY AND HUMANITIES LIE.
YOU SEE COUNCIL MEMBERS, I FEAR THAT YOU UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER STEADFASTNESS AND DETERMINATION OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I BELIEVE THAT YOU ALL UNDERESTIMATE THE CONSCIOUSNESS THEY POSSESS.
JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, OUR COMMUNITY TOOK THE STREETS WHEN GENOCIDE, JOE WAS VISITING THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THIS ACTION WAS A POWERFUL INDICATION OF WHERE OUR COMMUNITY STANDS AND THE LENGTHS THEY ARE WILLING TO TAKE TO DEMAND JUSTICE.
OUR CHANCE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE THAT HAVE FREQUENTLY ECHOED IN THE STREETS OF DALLAS FOR MONTHS IS MORE THAN A CHANCE.
IT IS A PRINCIPLE THAT WE EMBODY IN PRACTICE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THE TRUTH IS THE MASSES IN THIS COUNTRY ARE SHIFTING THE NARRATIVE AND SETTING THE TONE.
AND YOU EITHER JOIN THEM OR GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS INSIGNIFICANT GENOCIDE COMPLICIT IN SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS.
I CALL ON THE FEW OF YOU WITH A SENSE OF CONSCIOUSNESS TO SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION WRITTEN BY COUNCILMAN BASIL DUA AND GET IN LINE WITH PEOPLE WITH THE PE WHAT PEOPLE ARE DEMANDING.
I HAD LIKE TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE SPOKEN UP IN FAVOR OF A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
BUT I'M NOT HERE TO GIVE YOU THAT MUCH CREDIT.
TO CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE AND AN END TO THE GENOCIDE IN REZA IS TO SUPPORT THE RETURN TO THE STATUS QUO, WHICH IS NOT THE SAME AS SUPPORTING THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE AND ITS PEOPLE FROM OCCUPATION, COLONIZATION, AND APARTHEID.
CONSTITUENTS HAVE COME TO YOU WEEK AFTER WEEK ASKING FOR THE BARE MINIMUM AND THE REST OF YOU WON'T EVEN GIVE IT SHAME.
AS A UTD STUDENT, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY STUDENT BODY.
UTD OFTEN CELEBRATES ITS DIVERSE POPULATION, BUT THE SAME DOESN'T SEEM TO APPLY TO ITS PALESTINIAN STUDENTS.
OUR UNIVERSITY, LIKE MANY OTHERS IN THE US, INVEST ITS MONEY IN CORPORATIONS LIKE BOEING AND LOCKHEED MARTIN,
[00:50:01]
WHICH SUPPLY THE WEAPONS THAT VICIOUSLY MURDER OUR PEOPLE.STUDENTS HAVE LOST FAMILY MEMBERS TO A GENOCIDE FUNDED NOT ONLY BY THE CITY BUT BY OUR UNIVERSITY AS WELL.
AND WE HAVE JOINED OUR COMMUNITY IN COMMUNICATING OUR GRIEVANCES, BUT THEY SEEM TO BE FALLING ON DEAF EARS.
OUR UNIVERSITIES REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT PALESTINIANS AND NEITHER IT SEEMS, DOES THE CITY OF DALLAS PAY ATTENTION? THE PALESTINIAN VOICE HAS BEEN DE-LEGITIMIZED AND DEHUMANIZED FOR DECADES.
THE CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE IS A CALL FOR THE END OF LOSS OF LIFE.
A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT THAT ISN'T EVEN GIVEN TO PALESTINIANS WHO ALWAYS, ALWAYS SEEM TO BE THE EXCEPTION.
I STAND HERE TODAY TO ENCOURAGE COLLEGE STUDENTS TO CALL ON THEIR UNIVERSITIES TO DIVEST FROM MILITARISM.
I CALL ON THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS TO REJECT THIS COUNCIL'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ZIONIST ENTITY ISRAEL.
AND LASTLY, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I CALL ON YOU TO SUPPORT THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION AND I HAVE ONE MORE SIMPLE REQUEST.
RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU CONDEMN THE MURDER OF CIVILIAN PALESTINIAN MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN.
RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU CONDEMN THE MURDER OF CIVILIAN PALESTINIAN.
THE NEXT CLOS WHO'S WHOSE OUTBURSTS RAISED TO THAT LEVEL ARE GONNA BE ASKED TO LEAVE.
WE ARE ALL TIRED, BUT WE WILL NOT STOP SHOWING UP FOR THE MISSION OF PALESTINIAN LIBERATION BECAUSE WE ARE LEARNING FROM THE PALESTINIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ARE STEADFAST.
WHAT? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? I WILL GIVE ONE EXAMPLE THAT'S MOVED ME DEEPLY RECENTLY DURING THE SECOND INDA IN 2000, ON THE SECOND DAY OF IT, FRENCH TV CRUISE CAPTURED THE DEATH OF MUHAMMAD AL DORA, A YOUNG BOY IN THE ARMS OF HIS FATHER JAMAL ALDO.
AS THIS IS GOING ON, BOTH OF JAMAL ALDO'S BROTHERS WERE MARTYRED THROUGH ISRAELI AGGRESSION, FOLLOWED A COUPLE DAYS LATER BY THE DEATH OF ANOTHER ONE OF HIS SONS.
THIS IS THE PAIN AND THE STEADFASTNESS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE THAT WE, EVERYONE HERE ARE LEARNING FROM.
THIS IS A STEADFASTNESS THROUGH 23 YEARS AND LONGER.
SO I ASK EVERYONE HERE, THE LEAST THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CAN DO IS TO CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE.
DEAR CITY COUNCIL, WE'RE BACK ONCE AGAIN.
I REALLY HOPE YOU'RE NOT GETTING TIRED 'CAUSE WE DEFINITELY AREN'T.
WE'VE BEEN SHOWING UP EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE DFW METROPLEX FOR THE PAST FOUR MONTHS AND WE WILL NEVER STOP UNTIL YOU MEET OUR DEMANDS FOR FROM THE BARE MINIMUM OF A CEASEFIRE TO THE ULTIMATE PALESTINIAN LIBERATION.
ARE YOU LISTENING? YOUR JOB? ON FEBRUARY 7TH IN 2020, PRESIDENT BIDEN TWEETED AS PRESIDENT, I WILL USE MILITARY POWER RESPONSIBLY.
AND AS A LAST RESORT, WE WILL NOT GO BACK TO FOREVER WARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
THIS WAS ONE OF BIDEN'S PROMISES BEFORE GETTING ELECTED.
THE US IS CURRENTLY BOMBING YEMEN FUNDING ISRAEL'S BOMBING OF ZA LEBANON AND SYRIA GENOCIDE.
AND THE ZIONIST OCCUPATION, ISRAEL IS EVEN A BIGGER LIAR.
I SWEAR IT'S LIKE A COMPETITION.
THEY LIED ABOUT ELPA HOSPITAL TO MANUFACTURE CONSENT TO ATTACK IT, AND NOW THEY BOMB EVERY SINGLE HOSPITAL.
THEY LIED ABOUT THE SOUTH BEING SAFE, BUT NOW BOTH THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH ARE BEING HEAVILY BOMBED.
THEY LIED ABOUT THE MURDER OF SHAINA BARLEY, A CHRISTIAN PALESTINIAN JOURNALISTS, AND NOW THEY SPECIFICALLY TARGET JOURNALISTS KILLING MORE THAN A HUNDRED BRAVE REPORTERS
[00:55:01]
FOR EXPOSING THE LIES OF THE OCCUPATION.IT'S ALSO CLEAR THAT THE ONLY THING THIS CITY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT IS MONEY.
SO I'LL SPEAK IN TERMS YOU UNDERSTAND.
THE CITY OF DALLAS SENT $19 MILLION TO THE ZIONIST OCCUPATION.
ISRAEL, YOUR FINANCIAL COMPLICITY AS WELL AS THE FINANCIAL COMPLICITY OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT BOMBED THE HOUSE OF A YOUNG MAN KILLING 24 MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY.
A YOUNG MAN WHO WENT BACK TO HIS HOME TO TRY TO DIG HIS FAMILY OUT OF THE RUBBLE AND HE FOUND THE FRAGMENT OF A BOMB IN HIS HOME AND HE USED THE SERIAL NUMBERS ON IT TO FIND THAT IT WAS US MADE MK 84 AIR 2000 POUND BOMB.
THOSE ARE FITTED FOR BOTH NOSE AND TAIL FUSES.
THEY COST 3000 A HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH.
EACH HUMAN BEING KILLED COST $129.
I REQUEST THE IMMEDIATE SPONSORSHIP OF A PERMANENT.
THAT'S YOUR TIME CEASE RESOLUTION.
I'M FROM ARLINGTON, TEXAS AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.
WHAT KIND OF WORLD DO WE WANT TO CREATE? IT'S NOT A TRICK QUESTION.
WHAT KIND OF WORLD? SEE OLD PEOPLE WANT THE SAME THINGS? ESSENTIALLY WE WANT FREEDOM.
WE WANT SECURITY IN OUR BODIES AND OUR PROPERTY.
WE WANT THE MEANS BY WHICH TO LIVE DECENT LIVES.
WE WANT TO BE RESPECTED AND TREATED WITH DIGNITY.
BUT THAT IS NOT THE WORLD WE INHABIT.
OURS IS A HOSTILE AND INSENSITIVE WORLD, ONE IN WHICH THE INNOCENT MAY SUFFER WHILE OTHERS LOOK ON WITH INDIFFERENCE.
ONE IN WHICH PARENTS MUST FEAR FOR THE LIVES OF THEIR CHILDREN.
BUT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO REMOLD THE WORLD INTO A BETTER PLACE.
WHAT MOST PEOPLE FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE IS THAT THE CREATION OF A BETTER WORLD BEGINS WITH THE INDIVIDUAL.
EVERYTHING WE DO, EVERYTHING WE SAY, EVERY GESTURE DOWN TO THE MOST MINUTE, DETAILS OF OUR EXPRESSIONS.
EVERY ACTION OR INACTION SHAPES THE WORLD OF TOMORROW.
WE CANNOT FORM A BETTER WORLD THROUGH CALLOUSNESS AND APATHY, THROUGH INTIMIDATION, WAR OR OCCUPATION, BUT THROUGH UNDERSTANDING, THROUGH DIALOGUE AND CHARITY TOWARDS THOSE WITH WHOM WE MAY DISAGREE, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, I CAN ASK FOR NOTHING MORE.
I CAN ONLY ENCOURAGE THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THAT ALL PEOPLE LIVE UNDER THE YOKE OF THIS SAME HUMAN CONDITION.
AND IT IS FOR THAT REASON THAT WE MUST STAND WITH THE GOOD PEOPLE OF PALESTINE.
WE ARE HUMANS WHO KEEP IN MIND THAT'S YOUR TIME ALWAYS.
AND CRUCIALLY, THANK YOU, THE KIND OF WORLD WE WANT TO CREATE.
IF Y'ALL DON'T ALREADY KNOW WHAT I'M HERE FOR, THEN THAT'S A YOU PROBLEM.
I AM NOT GOING TO INFORMATION OVERLOAD Y'ALL WITH THE GENOCIDE THAT'S HAPPENING TO MY PEOPLE BECAUSE LET'S BE HONEST, IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A HUNDRED DAYS AND Y'ALL STILL HAVEN'T CALLED FOR A CEASEFIRE.
SO WHAT AM I HERE FOR THEN? I'M HERE TO WASTE YOUR TIME LIKE YOU WASTED HOURS.
I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS HATE YOU.
I'M HERE TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT WHILE THE DEVIL WORKS HARD, WE WORK HARDER.
AND QUITE HONESTLY, I DON'T EVEN THINK MY SPEECH IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE STUFF THAT HAPPENED TODAY.
EVERY SINGLE CITY MEETING THAT I'VE ATTENDED HERE IN DALLAS, I'VE NEVER SEEN A BOMB DOG OUT THERE EXCEPT WHENEVER WE CAME TO SPEAK.
Y'ALL FEED INTO THE ISLAMOPHOBIA AND THE RACISM THAT MY COMMUNITY FACES AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS OPEN MEETING.
Y'ALL WANTED US TO PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG THAT STANDS FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
BUT WHY SHOULD I DO THAT WHEN WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT? A FELLOW BLACK COMMUNITY MEMBER TODAY SPOKE ABOUT THE SUFFERING THAT THEIR COMMUNITY IS FACING, ABOUT THE MURDERS THAT IS HAPPENING TO THEM.
AND SOME OF Y'ALL HAD THE AUDACITY
[01:00:01]
TO SMIRK AND LAUGH AT HIM.WHILE I KNOW THAT THE MEDIA WANTS ME TO BE ANGRY AND WANTS TO PORTRAY ME AS A TERRORIST, LIKE HOW Y'ALL WANT ME TO BE, I WILL NOT GIVE Y'ALL THAT POWER.
I HAVE THE DIGNITY TO STAND UP FOR THE RIGHT THINGS.
EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON STOOD FOR US.
MARTIN LUTHER KING STOOD FOR US.
WHAT WOULD THEY SAY WITH THE INACTION THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE TODAY AND Y'ALL CONTINUE TO DO.
IT'S NOT THAT Y'ALL DON'T WANT TO PASS A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
WELL, IT'S NOT THAT Y'ALL CAN'T DO THAT, IT'S THAT Y'ALL DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
Y'ALL WERE REALLY QUICK TO PASS A, A RESOLUTION FOR ISRAEL, BUT WHENEVER IT'S, IT'S FOR STANDING UP FOR HUMANITY.
Y'ALL WANNA TURN YOUR BACKS ON US? THAT'S YOUR TIME.
MAY YOU FREE YOURSELF FROM YOUR STUPIDITY BEFORE YOU FREE PALESTINE.
HOWEVER, MS. LONG, YOUR VIDEO NEEDS TO BE DISPLAYED.
I CANNOT GET THE VIDEO TO WORK.
UH, AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO GET YOUR VIDEO TO TO WORK, THEN YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE DALLAS CARRIAGE HORSES AND PROPOSED BAND, MY NAME IS MICHELLE FOWLER.
I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN ALL ASPECTS OF EQUINE INDUSTRY FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS BROUGHT UP AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING WAS HOW MUCH WEIGHT HORSES COULD PULL AN AVERAGE SIZED HORSE WHEN PULLING SOMETHING WITH WHEELS CAN PULL 1.5 TIMES THEIR BODY WEIGHT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, A SMALL THOUSAND POUND HORSE CAN PULL 1500 POUNDS WHEN USING A TEAM OF HORSES.
THEY CAN PULL THREE TIMES WHAT A SINGLE HORSE CAN PULL.
THE SMALL CARRIAGES WE USE CALLED VIS-A-VIS WEIGH 955 POUNDS ON AVERAGE, A SMALL TEAM OF HORSES THAT WEIGH A THOUSAND POUNDS EACH CAN PULL 4,500 POUNDS.
A VIS-A-VIS CARRIES SIX PASSENGERS.
IF YOU FIGURE EACH PERSON AT 200 POUNDS, AT 1400 POUNDS, IT GIVES YOU