Letter to National Leaders

December 14, 2007

Dear National Leaders,

As a resident of Phoenix, Arizona I am witnessing the birth of the civil rights movement of our time.

What is being couched as “Immigration Enforcement” is actually the egregious violation of human and civil rights. Many of the “anti-immigration” people are born of the same cloth of hate, ignorance and most of all – fear that has brought all civil and human rights movements to the forefront of our society throughout history. The Hispanic members of our community are being harassed, intimidated, and arrested solely based on the color of their skin/ethnicity/culture of origin. United States citizens of multiple generations are being confronted about their “citizenship,” are being treated differently based solely on the color of their skin. The time has come for collective action.

The fear promulgated by the zealots in our country is concentrated, in full force, towards our Hispanic community. Every human and civil rights struggle has faced the same play book of demagogues: during the time of WW1, women were called to serve their country but denied the right to vote. Women suffragists were ostracized and imprisoned. Alice Paul once said, “I never doubted that equal rights was the right direction. Most reforms, most problems are complicated. But to me there is nothing complicated about ordinary equality.”

During the Vietnam Conflict, the war was unpopular, Jim Crow laws were being addressed head on and the Black community and civil rights leaders were the targets of hatred, violence, and jailed for standing up for those without a voice. “Change does not roll on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for freedom. A man can’t ride you unless your back is bent,” stated Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In the same attempt to divert the attention of the country from the atrocities and unacceptable military occupation in Iraq - Hispanics have worked our fields, built our homes, contributed significantly to the economic sustainability and richness of our country and now are the focal point of hatred, oppression, and civil and human right injustices. We cannot stand idly by and allow these real injustices to be condoned by our inaction.

Every Saturday morning for many weeks the crowds are growing at the demonstrations at corner of 35th Street and Thomas Road in Phoenix, Arizona – the hate being demonstrated by the “anti” group is out of control. Several individuals from the "anti" side have guns prominently displayed on their hips. The visual picture of this is no different than any civil rights movement in our history. The hysteria, intimidation, venomous racial slurs and extremely hate-filled behavior born from fear is out of control. We call for everyone - to stand with us today - in solidarity and in unison calling for leadership to uphold the Constitution and the civil and human rights of all people.

We have the opportunity before us today to speak up and make a significant stride in addressing the intolerable injustices being practiced today in our communities. The same forces that led us to the military occupation in Iraq, that want women to return to being submissive to their husbands and patriarchal hierarchy, that believe we should teach abstinence only to our children, that want to do away with public education -are promoting this. This is about the forces of fear infecting our communities.

All of us have been working diligently, decade after decade to effect change and stem the tide of human injustice, in the treatment of women, children and the oppressed. We must once again stand and work together to address this new threat to our freedom.

As Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “in the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

In Solidarity,

Annie Loyd

candidate United States Congress District 3 in Arizona

co-publisher, co-founder One Planet magazine

community leader, Phoenix, Arizona

Scottsdale extends protection for gays

Lesley Wright The Arizona Republic Dec. 4, 2007 09:40 PM . . . But Annie Loyd, a gay Scottsdale business owner who is running for Congress in Congressional District 3, said that her sexual orientation is no choice at all."If there was any way for me to have a choice in life, and satisfy my family, by God, I would have done it," she said. Read entire article.

Global Abundance Alliance Conference Call

Annie Loyd was the guest on the Global Abundance Alliance Conference Call



The call was recorded and can be downloaded - click here

I Confess

But today I spent time with The Future of Politics— Annie Loyd (www.annieloyd.com)… Google for transpartisnship - as opposed to bipartisanship. Like me, you are for the possibility of America. We used to be the hope of the world, the symbol of what we all want - a fair chance, the ability to strive for equality, for a decent shot at creating our own future, for “The American Dream.” I know you want that; we all do. Read entire post.

Video stream of Annie Loyd announcing her run for the Congressional seat of CD3 in Arizona:

November 15, 2007

Annie Loyd Speech

Annie Loyd for Congress Press Conference

The Dawning of a New Day

Good Morning-

Thank you for being here

Welcome to the dawning of a new day

With the sun rising - - this is our opportunity for the dawning of our dreams

We chose this park because it represents a community gathering place - - it is located next to Paradise Valley High School and down the street is Paradise Valley Community College - our institutions of education, learning, growing and dreaming – this represents our future and the most important topic of our campaign EDUCATION.

During our campaign - - people have expressed their concerns to me - - I’ve listened to the emotional pleas of mothers – fathers - and business owners

I've listened to your emotional pleas

Asking: how can I afford healthcare for my family

Asking: how can I afford to go to college

Asking: how can I keep my family, my business, myself safe

These are just a few of the concerns people have expressed to me and it is evident - we face a convergence of crisis in every sector of our society –

from education to energy –

immigration to health care –

the environment and security.

These legitimate concerns require straight answers, answers not provided through leadership of fear.

We want change.

We don’t want to burden our children and grandchildren with an out of control debt totaling more than 9 trillion dollars.

We want our elected representatives to work toward solutions not continue to institute expensive band aids and promote fear.

We want to see the solutions we know are working in our communities – supported and implemented throughout our state and our country.

I believe our greatest moments lie ahead.

I’ve trained my whole life at connecting people and facilitating change.

We, the Annie Loyd for Congress Campaign, IS - - a real choice for real change.

We promise to find and focus on common goals.

We are a real choice for real change from the business of politics as usual.

We promise to build bridges and break through the chains of fear and frustration.

NOW is the time to remember what it means to be an American. Americans work together.

Now is the time to solve our problems with the creativity and the can do spirit that lifted the Wright brothers off a wind swept field at Kitty Hawk, that freed children from the paralysis of polio, that extended the right to vote to everyone despite race, gender or class.

This is the time to bring our creativity and can do spirit, so uniquely American, to bear on addressing the systemic issues of violence,

on becoming the leader in new energy solutions,

on providing the best education possible for our children,

on returning immigration to an opportunity for hope in which those coming to our nation do so through an effective route embracing them as it did our grandfathers and grandmothers.

Our immigrant history has brought us the Wright brothers plane -The Flyer - Jonas Salk’s vaccine for polio and the freedom to vote for the candidate of your choice.

We are joined today by leaders from our community, driving forces for solutions. Chris O’Loughlin has been working on healthcare solutions. Antonio Bustamante has been addressing the concerns of immigration. Becky Brietwieser, working on solutions for our environment.

We Americans – We Arizonans - EMBODY the can do spirit.

I honor you by acknowledging something I believe is lost in today’s political system.

The truth.

I acknowledge your hesitancy to trust anybody in politics.

That concern is legitimate.

We've elected leaders decade after decade entrusting them with our dreams.

Believing - - they would do what they promised to do.

Yet, sadly, our dreams have faded and we have become more disappointed and less engaged, so many have lost hope that anything will ever change.

For many of us the dream seems lost, unattainable – gone.

By waiting for others to do it, we're in the shape we’re in today – right now.

I remind you the American dream is only lost when we fail to pursue it NO ONE can take it away from us.

It is time for a fresh perspective.

This is the dawning of a new day.

I step forward – today - as a voice for all of us, and I ask you to stand with me as the leaders of your own lives, families, businesses, churches and communities.

Our truth is . . .

We have lived in a culture conditioned by fear.

We have been taught to focus on our differences.

We have been led to believe party politics trumps politics for the people and by the people.

Partisan politics has brought out the worst in us as a country and as individuals.

I state today enough is enough

Being an American means we have a great responsibility to ourselves and to each other.

Our campaign is routed in the belief of personal responsibility. There is no one person or party to blame we are all responsible for righting this mighty ship.

As unaffiliated voters, as independents, as Democrats and Republicans we stand here today seeking a newer world.

In words of the Hopi elders, "This is the eleventh hour. We are the leaders we've been waiting for."

We Arizonan’s are real mavericks - we are the innovators of change - we live the can do spirit

We can and will demonstrate how we can build bridges and work together.

It is time we remember - the connections we have amongst each other are deeper than our differences.

The American dream encompasses our greatness.

The American dream encompasses innovation, technology and creativity.

I ask for your support.

Go to annieloyd.com

Make a financial contribution,

Volunteer your time

Host an event with your friends and family, invite your co-workers and colleagues.

If you want change like I want change NOW is the time to take action

With 54% of the voters registering in Arizona as unaffiliated or Independents we WILL elect candidates unaffiliated from the existing two parties in this next election.

Stand with me today.

Pursue the American dream.

The American dream is not about fear it is about finding those connections that are deeper than our differences.

Let us seek common goals with our fellow human beings regardless of their political affiliation.

We are the leaders, innovative, courageous and connected.

We are the architects of our future.

Now is the time

Today is the dawning of the new day.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Interview with Annie Loyd, Independent for Congress in Arizona's CD3 8 Aug 2007 by mbryanaz

Annie Loyd is running for Congress in CD 3 as an Independent. She will be facing incumbent John Shadegg (R) and Democratic challenger Bob Lord in the general election. I sent Annie a questionnaire about her views and positions on the issues that she returned as a PDF that you can download, or read online by clicking the continuation link below.
Annie and I also had a roughly half-hour telephone conversation following up on her answers, and touching on some additional matters, which you can listen to as a podcast.
The full questionnaire is after the click...