Four hundred and one.

It’s TOO BIG.

It’s too engrained.

It’s been tried before.

It’s beyond ONE PERSON.

You’re TOO YOUNG… you’re too inexperienced.

What makes YOU so special?

What… you think you’re BETTER than us?

People have DIED because of it.

People have died to DEFEND it.

People have died to END it.

People continue to die, to this day FROM IT.

It makes us angry. It makes us frightened. It makes us fear OTHERS.

It makes us see others as entities, instead of recognizing their HUMANITY… and it steals a piece of our own humanity every time we allow it to do so.

BUT…

That’s in THEIR community. That doesn’t happen HERE.

Where…? In CALIFORNIA… in NEW YORK?

In MINNESOTA. In KENTUCKY. In GEORGIA.

Civil Forfeitures. Stop-and-frisk.

Mandatory minimum, felons CAN’T VOTE.

Private Prison Industry. School to Prison Pipeline…

LEGALIZE MARIJUANA!*

(*… cash only, please.)

In the balance, on a razor’s edge, we walk this line. We know for what it IS we fight. It has been demonstrated to us time and again, witnessed by families in countless cities in every State. Documented now by a seventeen year old girl, BRAVE enough to stare down a GROWN MAN. No, we do not need to resort to violence…

The Cause is of such value that it commands its very ascent.

On a day where over 101,000 Americans now STAND SILENT… we should do the same.

Never underestimate the Strength of the American People. Never underestimate the power of SILENCE.✊

STAND UP and SPEAK OUT… for PEACE!

When we commit to the pursuit of PEACE with the same level of PASSION we commit to the pursuit of JUSTICE… we will see BOTH.

May peace and justice come for the family of George Floyd, and for every American, in every city across this Land.

-JC

Let Us Bear Witness (Updated June 9, 2020)

I show restraint in this moment, not to curry favor or present a certain persona. I’m not trying to pull a political dodge, or play both sides. I hesitate to cast speculation on guilt or innocence in these recent cases of police brutality, out of an assumed sense of DUTY.

I believe in our Rule of Law, and will NOT allow my personal opinion of a particular set of circumstances to effect the process…

**Because Justice MUST be served.**

No matter how disgusting the idea is, that an officer of the LAW could harbor such animosity toward the PEOPLE they’ve sworn an OATH to protect and serve…

Well THAT was uncalled for. pic.twitter.com/Qdu4LyrZ9U

— Jennifer Brooks (@stribrooks) May 29, 2020

No matter how disturbing the thought, that a man with a BADGE could go from servant of the PEOPLE, to counterinsurgent, at the flip of a switch…

Here’s video of an undercover cop in Minneapolis smashing windows while a member of the community tries to stop him https://t.co/OJKldIlcHD

— Dylan (@dyllyp) May 28, 2020

UPDATE (June 9, 2020):

“In a statement, the police department said it released a series of videos — including surveillance at every entrance and exit at the public safety training center — because social media posts are still identifying Pederson as ‘Umbrella Man.’

‘This type of disinformation can jeopardize the officer’s reputation and safety and chip away at the trust this police department has worked so hard to build with its community,’ St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell said in a statement.

Minneapolis police, the local agency responsible for investigating the incident, said information related to the incident and who ‘Umbrella Man’ might be is investigative and unavailable for release.”

http://www.twincities.com/2020/06/08/umbrella-man-st-paul-police-officer-george-floyd-minneapolis/

Video footage and eyewitnesses must not be ignored.

No matter how many times it’s seen, in countless cities in EVERY STATE…

“Georgia father, son charged in killing of Ahmaud Arbery.” Washington Post (05/08/2020)

No matter how many times this has happened over the course of the last 4 years in this city alone…

No matter how angry or frustrated I become, I will NOT allow my opinions to influence my decisions… because that is the person I one day hope to BE. That is what I want for myself. Because that’s how I would want to be treated… if that were me.

As it is with any case, everyone is afforded the right to a FAIR TRIAL. Everyone has their day in court. But that process cannot START without an arrest. JUSTICE comes, both for the victim and the accused, with an ARREST. Let the FACTS be known, and let the TRUTH speak for itself…

All we need to do is LISTEN.

Then we can start to HEAL.

-JC

‘Jack Charbonneau 2020: Political Revolution’ Fundraiser Announcement

Campaign Buttons and Bumper Stickers!

Are you ready to own a piece of this HISTORIC campaign?

Jack Charbonneau 2020: Political Revolution is pleased to announce the availability of LIMITED EDITION campaign buttons and bumper stickers!

Visit the JCPR2020 Official Fundraising Site and DONATE to the campaign, and you will receive ONE of the following:

ONE CAMPAIGN BUTTON: $25 donation
ONE CAMPAIGN BUTTION & ONE BUMPER STICKER: $50 donation
ONE CAMPAIGN BUTTON, ONE BUMPER STICKER & ONE 8.5 x 11 AUTOGRAPHED CAMPAIGN PHOTO: $100 donation

These items are first-come, first-served and I will honor every request received as quickly as possible. If demand increases for other items, I will look into production costs and add items to this list.

With the proper amount of support, I still believe I can make it on to the ballot and change the course of this election. The arguments continue to grow around what has been done and what has NOT been done. INACTION in the SENATE. INACTION in the WHITE HOUSE. Meanwhile… the PEOPLE are living it.

Is THIS the way we want it to continue to BE? Beyond 2021… is THIS the government we choose to empower? Does THIS represent the Will of the American People?

The PEOPLE deserve a THIRD OPTION on the debate stage this fall. A candidate who represents their agendas and their responsibilities.

With your help… I would be HONORED to be that candidate.

-JC

… to Overcome.

A successful investor like Warren Buffet is successful because he invests in the things he uses, the things he enjoys. There is no big secret… there is no magic wand or crystal ball. At its core, it’s basic common sense. The KEY is having the confidence to ACT when the timing is right.

But even Mr. Buffet knows… there is no “I” in team. An organization is only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and their input shapes the decision making process as well. A good team not only reinforces good ideas, they also expand the field of view and provide insight into areas previously unknown. A good team also tells their leader when they are WRONG, and they demand only the BEST LEADERSHIP for their endeavors…

Meaning a good team must have core ideals that NEVER BEND.

“What… like Hitler?”

No. We know where that leads… we’ve seen that message before. Whether it be a religious institution or a corporation, a king or a president; those organizations that STAND the test of time are STRONG at their foundation. Because they stand in the RIGHT. Not just factually or authoritatively…

Because they stand FOR what’s right.

And this is what makes OURS the greatest! That SIMPLICITY… the well-thought, endlessly debated, constantly remade and amended, beauty and simplicity…

That we are ALL created equal, and entitled to be judged equally in the eyes of the law. Without favor due to family ties; and without the prejudices of race, religion, or creed. In this moment, we are judged by our ACTIONS. What we defend is what will define us. Our actions will declare to the world what THE PEOPLE of the United States want this nation to BE.

Today we write our HISTORY. Today marks our beginning… let us celebrate in remembrance OF what was, instead of mourning what might have been.

Let no crime go unpunished, but not to make punishment the ends that we seek. What punishment exists that could surpass what we already face…

For this crime of INACTION we’ve been sentenced to CONFINEMENT with nothing but TIME on our hands, in a penitentiary of the mind. Once we’ve paid this debt to society and we begin our rehabilitation, we must decide… what will we create? What will we deem ‘worthy’ of being pulled up from the ashes, in this hour… as so many of us fight to survive?

DIVISION is our enemy.

Not some NATION, not some VIRUS. As we fight amongst ourselves, the other nations of this world CARRY ON… with or without the United States.

The answers we seek will be found once we UNITE in-support of OURSELVES. The Moral Compass that guides the heart of every American points TRUE. In every instance over the course of the last 200 years, inevitably… we’ve found our way.

The MAJORITY of this nation STILL STANDS united in SPIRIT and in PRINCIPLE; and when the majority of this nation stands united in common cause… Continents remain FREE. Viruses are eradicated.

Democracies are SECURED.

There is no problem THE PEOPLE of the United States cannot SOLVE.

-JC

Gut Check

I was always told, if you don’t have anything nice to say… don’t say anything at all.

“Trump Jr’s baseless attack on Biden…” Slate.com (05/17/2020)

Everyone is eventually held accountable for their actions… even an atheist like myself believes that. My actions in life will be judged, weighed on the scales, and found to be either merits or mischievous; all dependent upon my choices and my values.

To tell you the TRUTH… I never really cared what most people think of me.😉

I’ve always attempted to treat others with respect, whether or not they show it in return. Even after realizing respect or common courtesy will not be reciprocated… I know, at the end of the day we are ALL still human. We all still have the ability to change, and someday that seed of hope might take root… you never know!

“Ousted State Dept. IG was investigating if Pompeo made staffer walk his dog and run other personal errands” CNN.com (05/17/2020)

“Pruitt used security detail to run errands…” TheHill.com (06/07/2018)

None of us can truly judge what is in another man’s heart. Individually, our sight will always be limited. Our Rule of Law accepts that fact and works to ensure Equal Justice by embracing the strength found in a Jury of our Peers. The Constitution affords us Due Process, making sure everyone has their day to be heard.

What we do and what we say MATTERS. We can effect those around us, as well as people we may never meet. Our actions can touch the lives of an entire CITY, changing the perspectives of people of like-mind in cities across the STATE, eventually bringing about changes in the make up of our Legislatures… thereby impacting lives in EVERY state.

… and there-in lies the problem.

Our SILENCE allows it to continue. To be SILENT and ignore injustice or criminal acts makes you COMPLICIT. Part of the problem is the SILENCE surrounding these subjects.

**… and the silence effects us all.**

www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence

I would not stand SILENT if someone were to shoot another person in the middle of 5th Avenue, and allow them to get away with it; nor could I lend my support to or elevate someone, who would dismiss the value inherent in another human being… simply because they could not see eye to eye.

“A sexual assault allegation against Joe Biden has ignited a firestorm of controversy.” vox.com (04/29/2020)

Shame on her if she is LYING… but SHAME on us if we continue to ignore the root of this problem. Because these behaviors will continue, especially if they are affirmed and given our consent at the ballot box this fall. TWENTY-FIVE is too many, but ONCE is not enough…?!