Protect Democracy, Freedom & Human Rights

Joshua Bradley delivered these remarks at the May 2, 2023 City Council meeting.

Mayor and Councillors,

There are a lot of attacks on democracy, freedom, and human rights that are coming out of the General Assembly these days. Attacks on reproductive health care (including abortion), trans youth, fair elections, education, etc.

What are you as our elected City Council going to do to resist this acceleration into fascism that is happening in the state?

For the four who were given a democracy-free unelected year in office, can you call your friends and comrades in the General Assembly and ask them to back off? Y’all obviously had some pull with your fellow conservatives, please use it.

For all of you;

Can you issue an official statement or declaration against these attacks?

Can you refuse to be involved in the enforcement of these rules?

Can you promise to not use the RPD against any protests that arise from these evil and immoral attacks on the citizens of the state and this city?

A side note, please don’t make traffic cam footage available to governments outside of the city or county. If this info is available freely, governments and police forces in states that criminalize reproductive health care in other states could use this data to oppress folks that are forced to come to NC (while they still can) to receive these services. So please, if you must use traffic cams, please keep the data secure and in the city only.

Also, last month there were a lot of realtors and folks from developer-led organizations singing the praises of missing middle housing. Please know that a lot of us support missing middle housing if it is done transparently and is affordable to the workers in Raleigh. Market rate and luxury housing will not help resist the gentrification (which is effectively genocidal) or help mitigate the growing housing crisis.

Finally, please raise your hand (if you don’t mind) if you have visited one of the Baldwin Boroughs in Raleigh in the last month.

Thank you,

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