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Peter Camejo on Crime
2004 former Reform Party nominee for Vice President; previously Candidate for CA Governor
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Dems oppose social movements like fighting death penalty
Every major gain in our history, even pre-Civil War struggles --such as the battles for the Bill of Rights, to end slavery, and to establish free public education-- as well as those after the Civil War have been the product of direct action by movements
independent of the two major parties and in opposition to them. Since the Civil War, without exception, the Democratic Party has opposed all mass struggles for democracy and social justice.
These include the struggle for ballot reform, for the right of African Americans to vote and against American apartheid ("Jim Crow"), for the right to form unions, for the right of women to vote, against the war in Vietnam, the struggle to make
lynching illegal, the fight against the death penalty, the struggle for universal health care, the fight for gay and lesbian rights, and endless others. Many of these struggles were initiated by or helped by the existence of small third parties.
Source: The Avocado Declaration, by Peter Miguel Camejo
Jan 1, 2004
Totally opposed to death penalty, along with rest of world
Q: Your comments on a moratorium on capital punishment. CAMEJO: In Illinois they found about 15 innocent people on death row.
I'm totally opposed to the death penalty as are most advanced industrial nations in the world, if not all of them, except the United States.
Source: Recall debate in Walnut Creek
Sep 3, 2003
Three Strikes is wrong-against life in prison for thieves
Q: Your comments on crime. CAMEJO: I'm against Three Strikes where we put a person in jail for life for stealing $150 worth of videos.
When our court ruled that that was unjust, Governor Davis appealed it to the Supreme Court to make them remain in prison for life for a minor crime. These policies we have on the death penalty, and on Three Strikes are wrong.
Source: Recall debate in Walnut Creek
Sep 3, 2003
Moratorium on death penalty
[On crime issues]:- Support placing a moratorium on the use of the death penalty in California.
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Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
- Increase state funding for additional security of critical infrastructure against terrorist attacks
Source: Vote-Smart.org 2002 National Political Awareness Test
Jul 1, 2002
Don't use Three Strikes for small crimes
[On crime issues]:- Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
- Support funding for alternative sentencing programs for juvenile offenders.
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Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth. .
- Amend the "three-strikes" law so that it is applied only when the third offense is a serious or violent felony.
Source: Vote-Smart.org 2002 National Political Awareness Test
Jul 1, 2002