Change.org Petition: US Mayors - End US-Russia Sister City Relationships!

US Mayors: End US-Russia Sister City Relationships!

Tracy Goodman started this petition to US Mayors, and it now has 3,513 signatures

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Maintaining Russian sister city ties is morally indefensible and civically reckless. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is an illegal, premeditated, unprovoked, brutal act of terrorism, genocide, and aggression against a sovereign country - committing mass civilian killings, maiming, raping of boys and girls, torturing, human trafficking forcibly deporting Ukrainians to “filtration” camps. Bombing, burning, and leveling of cities. Deliberately shelling schools, maternity wards, hospitals, homes, apartment buildings, and other civilian infrastructure. “This is not a war—this is a slaughter.” ~ City Commissioner Hagen Brody, Sarasota, Florida Yet even though one of the Russian troops that raped, tortured, and murdered citizens in Bucha, Ukraine was from Khabarovsk, Russia – the sister city of Portland – the City of Portland has not yet severed its ties Khabarovsk. And even though some of the deadliest Russian missiles are designed and manufactured in Yekaterinburg, Russia – the sister city of San Jose – the City of San Jose has not severed its ties Yekaterinburg. Most US-Russia sister cities have not yet severed their ties with their sister city of Russia.  “It is the duty of every government to remain vigilant of unlawful acts against public order, democratic principles, and innocent civilians.”  ~Governor Larry Hogan, Baltimore, Maryland U.S. Cities —through their sister city relationships— supply Russia with a powerful weapon used to kill innocent Ukrainians. The Russian Federation calls the invasion of Ukraine a “special operation” for the denazification of Ukraine. Russian propaganda cites U.S. officials using the term “special operation”.  This term is used very precisely to illustrate that the U.S. supports Russia, that “all is normal”, and that this is merely a “special operation”. And why “special operation” matters: The term “special operation” is a weapon; it is a term used to lie to and rally Russians to carry out mass civilian killings, to maim, rape, and torture, to carry out human trafficking - forcibly deporting Ukrainians to “filtration” camps. To eviscerate not just the people and the buildings of Ukraine, but also to destroy the Ukrainian language, Ukrainian history, and Ukrainian culture.  This is a genocide. This is not a “special operation” "If we’re going to be a part of a global community, we’ve got to stand up at times like this and make our intentions and our feelings known.” ~Mayor Eric Johnson, Dallas, Texas Other reasons to sever these ties include: There is a clear pattern of Russian government involvement with the US sister city.   Hundreds of businesses have and continue to sever their ties to Russia to communicate their condemnation of Russian aggression and war crimes. Many international sports associations and events prohibit Russian contestants. Any Western government support for voluntary associations with official Russian organizations weakens Western unity on condemnations and sanctions to discourage Russian aggression. WE MUST DEMAND CHANGE -  City government officials have an obligation to act in the best interest of their constituents, both morally and civically. Unlike most Russians, we can publicly tell elected representatives to change course without fearing repression. Let’s do it! TELL MAYORS - "Don’t make any excuses; don’t maintain relations with Russia. And please don’t let those who became murderers call your cities their sister cities. And rather than maintaining cultural ties to Russia, take patronage over a city, region, or industry that Russian strikes have destroyed.” ~President Zelenskyy at the United States Conference of Mayors meeting, June 3, 2022. SIGN THE PETITION - Every voice needs to be heard, regardless of your zip code, regardless of your country. Join your name alongside others from the US and those around the world: to demand US Mayors do their civic duty—to cut ties with Russian sister cities. to signal that the world condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine! THEN - Recruit 5 friends to ask 10 of their friends to sign, then share.  We elect our leaders, fund our cities’ operations, and abide by its laws and regulations. We have a say in how our cities operate.

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