Press Release
FLORIDIANS
F O R A L T E R N A T I V E S
TO THE DEATH PENALTY (FADP)
PRESS RELEASE
Friday, 8 September 2000
CONTACT:
Abe Bonowitz
800-973-6548
<abe@fadp.org>
Pager: 888-319-1369
(Use pager 9/8/2000)
POLITICIANS DECEIVED FLORIDIANS, NOW CLAIM 'FOUL PLAY' IN SAYING
SUPREME COURT DOES NOT RESPECT THE VOTERS OF FLORIDA
(Remember the VOTE NO ON #2 Campaign! See below! For full
background and analysis of Amendment #2, see <http://www.cuadp.org/florida/index.html>)
"On the heels of the Florida Supreme Court's decision to strike
down Amendment #2 on the grounds that it misled the Floridians who
voted for it, the legislators are wrongly claiming foul play,"
said Abe Bonowitz, Director of Floridians for Alternatives to the
Death Penalty, a statewide group based in Tequesta. "In
fact, it is the Florida legislators who have displayed arrogance and
lack of respect for Florida voters by purposely attempting to pass
this deceptive amendment to our state constitution. Politicians like
Victor Crist, Randy Ball, Locke Burt and Jeb! Bush have learned how
to push emotional buttons when it comes to the death penalty, and
they wrongly assumed that they could more easily pass the
unnecessary changes to constitution by giving Amendment #2 a
deceptive ballot title. We should applaud the Florida Supreme
Court for making the right decision."
Bonowitz led the "Vote NO on Amendment #2" campaign during
the 1998 election season in an effort to inform voters about the
true and unnecessary nature of Amendment #2. They established
a web page which may be viewed at <http://www.cuadp.org/florida/index.html>,
and they provided yard signs, bumper stickers, and information to
anyone willing to use it anywhere in the state. But the real
focus of the campaign was to make a point by experimenting with
grassroots voter education in the home district of Amendment #2's
principle author, Representative Victor Crist, R-Temple Terrace.
The following is text from a press release issued November 5, 1998,
which may be seen in its entirety on the web at <http://www.cuadp.org/florida/press.html>.
NOT ALL FLORIDIANS WERE DECEIVED
Activists focused in Temple Terrace area to show where voters knew
the truth they defeated Amendment #2
Amendment #2 to be challenged in court.
TEMPLE TERRACE - Voters in Hillsborough County's Temple Terrace
Precinct #655 were practically the only voters in the county, and
possibly in all of Florida to defeat Amendment #2.
The "Vote No On Amendment #2" Campaign engaged in an
intense, highly focused effort to educate voters about the deceptive
Amendment #2 by erecting hundreds of yard signs and canvassing the
homes of registered voters in the highly conservative Temple Terrace
precinct #655.
"In contrast the rest of the County, and quite possibly the
rest of the state, 54% of the voters rejected Amendment #2 despite
its deceptive ballot title," said Abe Bonowitz, Political
Director for the campaign. "Legislators very shrewdly and
deceptively turned this constitutional amendment into a referendum
on the death penalty itself. We wanted to show that where the voters
had the chance to really understand Amendment #2, they would reject
it. By doing this in the home town and district of the Amendment's
author, we are putting legislators on notice: 'When your voters know
the truth, they will demand better public policy.'"
The State of Florida approved Amendment #2 by a margin of 66% voting
yes and 34% voting no. Hillsborough County voted similarly. Within
Hillsborough County, almost every precinct voted yes to Amendment
#2, with the notable exception of precinct #655, which defeated the
Amendment with 803 "no" votes to 685 "yes"
votes.
"There was so much confusion about this Amendment, even the
League of Women Voters put out an assessment which was factually
inaccurate," said Bonowitz. "We have shown that Amendment
#2 would have been defeated if only the voters knew the truth. Now
Amendment #2 will have to be reversed in the courts."
The lawsuit filed by religious leaders seeking removal of the
amendment from the ballot will be continued. Contact Attorney Randy
Berg of the Florida Justice Institute regarding the lawsuit at
305-358-2081.
******** END TEXT QUOTED FROM 11/5/98 PRESS RELEASE ********
Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty challenges the
Florida legislature to become leaders instead of politicians. Stop
the rhetoric, declare a moratorium on executions, and hold a
"Special Session on the PREVENTION of Violent
Crime."
"The people of Florida deserve sound public policy," said
Bonowitz, "Morally, economically and socially, the death
penalty is BAD PUBLIC POLICY. The Florida legislature should
be ashamed of itself for attempting to pull the wool over the eyes
of Florida voters."
POSTED BY:
Abraham J. Bonowitz
Director
Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP)
800-973-6548 http://www.fadp.org
<fadp@fadp.org>
PMB 335, 2603 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hwy, Tequesta, FL 33469
Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty works for
restorative justice in the form of effective alternatives to the
death penalty. It does so by
# supporting and coordinating the work of organizations and
individuals
# educating and energizing the general public and state
legislators
# supporting the many persons affected by capital crime and
punishment
# advocating specific legislative improvements
PS: For fiscal & legal purposes, FADP is a project of CUADP <http://www.cuadp.org> until FADP
is incorporated as it's own entity. We need your help to make
this happen soon. Please call 800-973-6548 or e-mail <fadp@fadp.org> to get
involved. Checkbook activism helps too! Make checks to
CUADP and send to:
FADP
c/o CUADP
PMB 335
2603 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hwy
Tequesta, FL 33469
CONTRIBUTIONS TO CUADP ARE NOT TAX DEDUCTIBLE
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