Congressman Keith Ellison To Join OccupyDC Hunger Fast

[Paslode]

Posted at 03:18 PM ET, 12/16/2011
Occupy D.C.’s newest hunger striker: Congressman Keith Ellison
By Elizabeth Flock

A week after three Occupy DC protesters began a hunger strike for District of Columbia voting rights in Congress, a new striker has joined their ranks, at least for a while: Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.).


Occupy protesters Adrian Parsons, left, Kelly Mears, right, and Sam Jewler, not pictured, have their last meal before beginning their hunger strike. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post) Ellison tweeted Friday morning: “@Occupy_DC, started my 24-hour solidarity fast last night. May the D.C. vote and budgetary independence prevail!”

The hunger strikers tried to meet with various lawmakers on Capitol Hill this week to share their “declaration” of support. Ellison has pledged to read the declaration on the floor of the House of Representatives to enter it into the congressional record.

Ellison is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. He is the first Muslim to serve in the House, and first African American elected to the House from Minnesota.

The strikers have not been as successful with other lawmakers, however. House Speaker John Boehner (R.-Ohio) would not emerge from his office to read the declaration, even after protesters staged a sit-in out front for hours.

The three original hunger strikers were Adrian Parsons, a performance artist with a history of participation in protests; Kelly Mears, a Web developer who is part of Occupy D.C.’s “tech ops” team; and Sam Jewler, a writer/editor for The Occupied Washington Times, the Post’s Katie Rogers reports.

The hunger strikers’ declaration calls for full voting rights for District residents and legislative and budget autonomy.

The District currently has only a nonvoting delegate to the House.

By Elizabeth Flock | 03:18 PM ET, 12/16/2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...6oyO_blog.html

[TrapperFrank]

Maybe Represenative Ellison can break the fast with a nutritious meal of pork rinds, bacon and spareribs?

[TrapLine]

I hope he is REALLY dedicated...

[tom kelly]

Bobby Sands lasted @62 days before he died....Good Luck Protestors.... Without the support of The MSM no-one will notice. JUST MY .02 cents TK.

[Ret10Echo]

I suspect there will be live coverage of the Occupy DC gang in McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza tomorrow (Monday Jan 30th).

Tomorrow is the deadline for those "camping" in the parks and for "temporary structures" to be gone. Things are already getting a bit heated as MPD do their best to inform...

WASHINGTON - An Occupy D.C. protester was tased Sunday afternoon at McPherson Square, as Park Police were handing out fliers about the upcoming Monday deadline on overnight camping.

WTOP