This is a speech that Waldo Jaquith, one of the creators of this site, wrote and delivered at a Charlottesville march & protest in June of 1999. Some of the references are specific to Charlottesville, so some of this might not make sense. But it's not a bad starting point to writing your own speech. Also, be sure to check out some of the points regarding speeches made on the Protests page. The words in bold were just to remind Waldo to emphasize them when speaking.

People think that nobody cares about the curfew. Many people have forgotten that it exists. The popular opinion in some circles is that we -- the youths of Charlottesville -- are apathetic know-nothings that shouldn't be allowed to have a voice in the political process.

Today we say otherwise. We say that we do care. We say that we can affect, in big ways, the political system in Charlottesville. To let City Council know that we will not put up with their attempts to make us into second-class citizens.

The intent of this curfew is to make you feel powerless. To stop you from feeling as if you are a part of the political process. But it's not working. Here we are, right?

So we want to get rid of the curfew. Why?

This is Charlottesville. It's not like we're the crime-ridden murder captial of the country. We don't have gang problems, drive-bys or serial killers. We can count our annual murders on one hand, sometimes without using any fingers at all. A Federal Appeals Court struck down Washington DC's curfew because they don't have enough crime. DC! I think it's safe to say that we've got less crime than DC.

Charlottesville's police aren't behind this. Some police officers don't even enforce it. We have some of the best police officers that this country has to offer. Why won't the City listen to them?

City Council claims that this law is intended to protect youths from being victimized. In February of 1998, LA Police Chief Bernard Parks concluded that their curfew "has not greatly impacted the number of minors who became crime victims." I've got an idea. Among those most easily victimized are the elderly. How about a curfew for them?

The curfew is racist. It is disproportionately enforced along racial boundaries. You think a white kid is going to get in trouble at some coffee bar up Route 29? No way. But try a black teenaged male downtown. He'll get nailed.

Curfews take away parents' rights to raise their children as they see fit. They usurp their rights as guardians. Parents should decide how their children should be raised, not the City.

And, finally, this law is so complex that most kids don't understand when they can and can't be out. Kids don't know the age limit, the hours, if it's OK if they're working, if they're in their car, if they're just out front of their house... Nobody's sure! If you're a child prodigy lawyer, great. But for the rest of us, it's confusing.

So, thanks to this curfew, you can't go to midnight mass. You can't see a late movie. You can't go to a concert at Miller's or just sit in Mudhouse and play chess until closing. You can't drive to 7-11 at 2:00am to get those Twinkies that you're craving, or even take a walk around your block. All of these things are illegal.

This law is stupid. And we are smart. The curfew has an important exception in it: You're exempt if you're exercising your First Amendment Rights.

The First Amendment gives us some fairly basic rights: Freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and the right to peaceably assemble.

That last one is key.

The right to peaceably assemble. In modern terms, the right to hang out.

That's right. If you're hanging out, you're exempt from the curfew.

I know what you're thinking: What kind of a law is this?

A very poorly-created one, that's what.

So, what can we do now?

Simple. You can pick up one of our handouts that provides addresses and phone numbers for key officials. You need to call & write our City Councilors. We have to convince them to repeal the curfew. Councilor Maurice Cox voted against the curfew; so he's on our side. Now we need to convince Councilors Daugherty, Toscano, Caravati and Richards.

In addition, ignore the curfew. Go about your life. If a police officer stops you, simply explain that you're exercising your First Amendment Rights.

For more information, visit our website, Curfew.Org. I'd like to thank everybody for coming out this evening. If we work together, have no doubt, we will get rid of the curfew and help change Charlottesville for the better.