Save Metropolitan Park from Amazon HQ2 Construction
Save Metropolitan Park from Amazon HQ2 Construction
Why this petition matters
Let the people of Arlington County keep Metropolitan Park free from construction equipment and debris. They're using your park as a staging area when the Amazon HQ2 site is already the size of a football stadium - now they're encroaching on what little space we have left.
Just because we're renters, the county doesn't care about us. All they care about is their property value, and driving up rents for all of us. Many renters are already facing hardships (financial, medical and employment). Now this?
WE SHALL FIGHT FOR OUR PARKS.
WE SHALL OVERCOME.
If Winston Churchill and Joan Baez were here, along with Jane Jacobs, they would be outraged that Jeff Bezos has invited himself as an unwelcome guest who has clearly abused Virginians' southern hospitality and overstayed his time in Virginia.
What's important about this petition is one billionaire's annexation of our parks has not yet occurred.
The people who support this petition and publicize it will make an impact.
The people have so little (and billionares like Jeff Bezos continue to have so much) during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
Let the people keep our parks.
BELOW IS THE PROBLEM IN THREE ACTS:
ACT 1: THE POLITICAL PROBLEM
The residents of Arlington County find it unacceptable that Amazon is taking over our parks in Arlington County for the next three years to build HQ2.
https://www.arlnow.com/2020/04/28/amazon-wants-to-use-portion-of-park-for-hq2-construction/
On April 28, 2020, Arlington County Board approved Amazon to take over the use of a number of public parks so that the excavation site of HQ2 will have the ability to haul dirt, sewage and construction debris from a football stadium-size crater in Pentagon City.
By the way, please coming back to this petition to maintain community oversight over the Arlington County Board at: http://arlington.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2
Why do the members of Arlington County Board, specifically Libby Garvey, Matt de Ferranti and Christian Dorsey, have so little regards for the residents of Arlington County? We are the people whom they represent, and only Arlington County Board Member Katie Cristol, is willing to question Amazon's power? She should be chair of Arlington County Board. Hear her willingness to take on Amazon: https://youtu.be/vWoqsQSzzCk?t=18698
Yes, Ms. Cristol, we agree with you - if Jeff Bezos takes our parks, then why is the Arlington County Board only demanding $10,000 from the world's richest man?
Jeff Bezos' net worth is $139.7 billion.
$10,000 represents 0.000007158% of $139.7 billion.
Why do Libby Garvey, Matt de Ferranti and Christian Dorsey accommodate Jeff Bezos at the expense of the families, taxpayers and citizens of Arlington County?
To witness their disregard to the people yourself and how they know so little about real Arlington, hear Libby Garvey yourself: https://youtu.be/vWoqsQSzzCk?t=18422
ACT 2: THE COVID-19 PROBLEM
Unlike Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, who did not establish sensible restrictions on non-essential construction activities such as New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (who banned all non-essential construction activities, see https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562020/20200408e.shtml) Governor Larry Hogan cares for his people in Maryland.
[O]ur founding fathers formed a government dedicated to protecting “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Life comes first. As governor [of Maryland], that is always my first and most important responsibility.
Libby Garvey, Matt de Ferranti and Christian Dorsey as our representatives for Arlington County, please understand the privilege and responsibilities that come from representing us - not just politically, but also for our lives.
Again, why do Libby Garvey, Matt de Ferranti and Christian Dorsey think Jeff Bezos will take every precaution to prevent any outbreak of COVID-19 associated with Amazon and Amazon HQ2?
On a April 30, 2020 call with journalists, Amazon refused to answer the question about how many of its warehouse staff have COVID-19. Why would Amazon inform the residents of Arlington County? Why would Clark Construction, JBG Smith, and Amazon have ongoing moral, ethical, legal, or reputational obligations to provide at least a quarterly report to the public about the measures they're supposedly taking to protect us from COVID-19?
"On call with reporters, Amazon won't disclose number of total facilities in which workers have tested positive for Covid-19, nor total cases. Company spokesperson said cases are only relayed to employees directly." - Jason Del Rey (@DelRey)
Again, questions for Libby Garvey, Matt de Ferranti and Christian Dorsey, why would such transparency and accountability be expected from Jeff Bezos when it has been sorely lacking in the past, and now even currently as noted by Congress.
See https://cicilline.house.gov/
Congress doesn't - https://www.npr.org/2020/05/01/849140570/house-judiciary-committee-calls-on-amazons-bezos-to-testify
As CEO and founder of the company, JeffBezos must be accountable for Amazon's record of dishonesty before Congress. Together with six of my colleagues, I am calling on him to testify. - David Cicilline (@davidcicilline)
ACT 3: GREED
Our PARKS are OURS - don't back down, support us.
https://1drv.ms/f/s!AjMSgYeDmkO-gY4iYi7f_jcPiLFWlg
Help us against monopolies like Amazon who destroy our communities, our mom and pop shops, our brick and mortar stores, our retail sector and soon our service sector (especially as a future employer of our children and grandchildren).
Help us against billionaires who buy out our political rights at the expense of our health, freedom and now our parks!
Help our fragile democracy against oligopolies such as Jeff Bezos and Amazon.
Support David Cicilline's congressional subpoena to Jeff Bezos (@davidcicilline).
Be the beacon that 2020 Oscar, Parasite, warned us about - that the largest parasites in our country are the richest, the most powerful and the most privileged.
https://oscar.go.com/news/winners/parasite-wins-4-oscars-and-makes-oscar-history
Tell them yourself. Sign this petition. Publicize this petition.
Congratulate the journalists following in the footsteps of Robert Caro.
https://wjla.com/news/local/construction-on-amazon-hq2-moves-forward-during-coronavirus-pandemic
For fans of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (ironically Amazon), fans of Jane Jacobs, fans of Robert Caro, this petition is for them.
Make your voice heard - this is not about anyone else but you.
Let the people keep their parks!
Why is that unreasonable?
Ask yourself - is that an unreasonable request? To keep our public parks to be just that, public parks?
