According to documents ColorOfChange obtained from the highly-secretive American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), user-review site Yelp! joined ALEC — and gave the group at least $10,000 — during the opening week of George Zimmermans murder trial. More than 50 corporations have pulled their funding from ALEC over its responsibility for deadly so-called Stand Your Ground — or Shoot First — laws. Its due to Shoot First that Zimmerman was not only acquitted of all criminal charges for his confessed killing of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin,1 but will likely be immune to any civil penalty for wrongful death.2 Pressed to explain the companys bizarre decision to join ALEC now, Yelp!s Director of Public Policy admitted he cant ignore the damage ALEC has done.3 But the company is suppressing thousands of negative reviews posted to ALECs Yelp! page opposing the move, and Yelp!s CEO has made every effort to sidestep the growing controversy. So to cut through Yelp!s filter and reach company decisionmakers directly, ColorOfChange members are creating our own reviews that drive home the harm Yelp! inflicts on our communities by funding ALEC. Can you take a moment to review Yelp!s decision to start funding ALEC and urge Yelp! CEO Jeremy Stoppelman to cut ties with the group now? In the wake of Zimmermans acquittal, Shoot First — with its legal presumption that subjective, racist fears are justifiable grounds for vigilante homicide — has served to paint a target on the backs of Black youth.4 Shoot First endangers millions of people living in more than two dozen states, and there is now eight years of available data on the laws racially-biased outcomes.5 But ALEC has taken no steps to repeal Shoot First laws in the states where theyre on the books — nor to stop ALEC legislators from continuing to introduce new ones. Ten Shoot First bills have been introduced so far in 2013, and two have passed.6 ALEC is a bill mill that thrives on millions in fungible corporate membership, scholarship and sponsorship monies;7 this explicit pay-to-play legislation pipeline ensures that ALEC will continue to produce extreme profit-driven laws8 that exploit and endanger our communities. By funding it, Yelp! is directly furthering all aspects of the ALEC legislative agenda, and is responsible for the harms caused by the laws that result. Join us in urging Yelp!s CEO to reverse his decision to fund ALEC today. And when you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same. Thanks and Peace, --Rashad, Matt, Arisha, Kim, Johnny and the rest of the ColorOfChange team October 24th, 2013 Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU—your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that dont share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. References 1. Fox News Still Denying Role Of Stand Your Ground In Zimmerman Acquittal, Media Matters for America, 08-20-13 act.colorofchange.org/go/2975?t=9&akid=3171.1633085.TE-i_- 2. Stand your ground law may snarl any civil suit vs. George Zimmerman, Orlando Sentinel, 07-16-13 act.colorofchange.org/go/2966?t=11&akid=3171.1633085.TE-i_- 3. Agree: cant ignore it, @lutherlowe (Twitter), 08-15-13 act.colorofchange.org/go/2967?t=13&akid=3171.1633085.TE-i_- 4. Open season on black boys after a verdict like this, The Guardian, 07-14-13 act.colorofchange.org/go/2969?t=15&akid=3171.1633085.TE-i_- 5. Uneven application, shocking outcomes, Tampa Bay Times, 07-03-12 act.colorofchange.org/go/2970?t=17&akid=3171.1633085.TE-i_- 6. ALEC at 40: Turning Back the Clock on Prosperity and Progress, Center for Media and Democracy, 08-08-13 act.colorofchange.org/go/2971?t=19&akid=3171.1633085.TE-i_- 7. How the ALEC corporate bill mill works, Capital Times, 08-16-11 act.colorofchange.org/go/2972?t=21&akid=3171.1633085.TE-i_- 8. Big Money, ALEC and the Gun Agenda, Truthout, 12-16-12 act.colorofchange.org/go/2098?t=23&akid=3171.1633085.TE-i_-
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 15:20:33 +0000
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