8/6/19
NATIONAL
ISSUES
(Including Emails & Twitter)
Fax
legislators for free:
Or use Resistbot: https://resist.bot/
Or use StampsLicked to
have messages hand-delivered to our own legislators: https://stampslicked.org/
White
House contact: https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/white-house
|
CONTINUED IMMIGRATION ATROCITIES: As the awareness grows of the Trump
administration-made humanitarian crisis, there are many ways we can help. Many suggestions in previous editions of Rogan’s
List are still appropriate to work on.
DETAINED MIGRANT CHILDREN ARE
MISSING: Last Friday, the migrant children’s detention center in
Homestead was completely shut down. However, no one has said where the children
were taken. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article233488172.html.
HHS is insisting that most of these children were (suddenly) reunited with
their families but witnesses who have been monitoring the site are unconvinced.
Many of the children who were at the Tornillo Center when that was shut down
due to public pressure, were then moved to Homestead, and there are fears that
the administration has tried to move them to facilities that are currently
outside the public eye. As taxpayers, we must demand transparency, and as
human beings, we must continue to insist that all of these children, who have
done nothing wrong other than ask for asylum, be united with family members of
sponsors until their cases are heard. Let’s call our MoCs right now and ask
them to fully investigate what has happened to the 3,000 children who were in
Homestead.
EXPANDING JAIL TIME FOR MIGRANT
CHILDREN: Now that the Homestead detention center is closed, workers https://miami.cbslocal.com/2019/08/01/worker-speaks-out-about-conditions-inside-homestead-facility-for-unaccompanied-minors/
and former residents https://miami.cbslocal.com/2019/07/31/sofias-story-inside-homestead-facility-unaccompanied-minors/are
beginning to speak out. Meanwhile, Judiciary Chair Lindsay Graham, succeeded in
a political maneuver to move the “Secure and Protect Act” out of the Judiciary Committee that
would increase the amount of time children seeking asylum could be jailed. https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/01/senate-democrats-lindsey-graham-1444383.
Let’s tell Senator Graham (202-224-5972) that we object to his underhanded
tactics and his willingness to jail children in these conditions. And let’s
tell our MoCs to vote against S. 1494, if it reaches the floor.
IMMIGRATION: Our current
Administration likes to play politics with immigration, and is currently
considering showing a sliver of mercy towards Venezuelans in the U.S. (https://www.npr.org/2019/08/02/747734905/amid-border-crackdown-white-house-may-shield-venezuelans-from-deportation).
The threat of deportation, though, comes from that same Administration and its
cynical use of the immigration issue to pander to its base and distract us from
its litany of political and moral failings. So, let's make sure our
MoCs know that we aren't fooled, that we see their failure to hold the
Administration accountable for its capricious cruelty, and that we will vote
accordingly.
DONATE TO HELP FAMILIES AFFECTED BY LATEST MASS SHOOTINGS: If we are looking for ways to help
out and are able to donate, we can check out these groups: 1) The El Paso Community Foundation (@ElPasoCF)
accepts donations to help impacted families:payments.epcf.org/victims,
and 2) The Dayton Foundation’s Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund
allows individuals to make charitable contributions to help the families
directly affected by this terrible tragedy. The Foundation will waive the
credit card processing fee so that 100 percent of the money will be used to
assist others. https://www.daytonfoundation.org/080419pr.html
TELL SENATE TO PASS GUN CONTROL LEGISLATION: Massacre Mitch
(aka Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell continues to refuse to bring H.R. 8 or H.R. 1112 to the floor for a vote, despite the fact that
over 90% of Americans approve of background checks. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/08/04/mass-shootings-what-congress-doing-gun-control/1916451001/.
These sensible gun control bills, already
passed by the House in February, would close the gun show loophole and expand
background check requirements. Now that
Trump has okayed strong background checks (https://www.npr.org/2019/08/05/748190808/trump-calls-for-strong-background-checks-following-el-paso-and-dayton-shootings
, let’s
tell Senator McConnell (202-224-2541) and our own Senators that we want to see
these bills passed now, even if it means reconvening Congress during their
recess.
CALL OUT NRA-SUPPORTED CONGRESSPEOPLE: After this
weekend’s shootings, if our MoCs are insisting that guns in this country are
not a problem, and that the rights of gun-owners are more important than public
safety, let’s check this list to find out how much money they are
receiving from the NRA. And let’s publicize this widely in our community.
EL PASO & DAYTON SHOOTINGS: In response to
the white and, apparently white-supremacist, gunman who killed or maimed nearly
50 people in El Paso with his semi-automatic rifle and the white gunman who
killed 9 with his in Dayton in 30 seconds, Trump, whose own racism is
well-documented, nonetheless said in his Monday speech that “In one voice our
nation must condemn racism, bigotry and white supremacy”: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/08/05/el-paso-dayton-shootings-donald-trump-white-nationalism-sinister/1920345001/
Blaming mental illness and video games for the shootings—not guns or the
nativism of his administration—Trump offered no specifics about policy or
legislation he would pursue; apparently he could not even remember where
these shootings took place, offering his condolences to Toledo, not Dayton, at
the end of his speech—oh well, it’s all Ohio. We must insist that our
MoCs get military-style weapons off the streets—and yes, it would be nice if
they also condemned white supremacy.
IMPEACHMENT: Chairman of the
House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff took to Twitter on Monday to say
that Trump’s words are “inciting horror”: https://twitter.com/RepAdamSchiff/status/1158456901467815937 Let’s
let Chairman Schiff know that it is past time for an impeachment inquiry: https://schiff.house.gov and
we can also reach out to Chairman Jerry Nadler: https://nadler.house.gov and
Speaker Pelosi: https://pelosi.house.gov
JOIN FORCES: In response
to the out-of-control gun violence in this country, if we have not already done
so, we should join Everytown for Gun Safety (https://everytown.org/), Moms Demand Action (https://momsdemandaction.org/), Newton
Action Alliance (https://www.newtownactionalliance.org/),
Community Justice Action Fund (https://www.cjactionfund.org/),
Sandy Hook Promise (https://www.sandyhookpromise.
WHITE NATIONALISM:
“Extremist-related murders spiked 35 percent from 2017 to 2018,
"making them responsible for more deaths than in any year since
1995," according to the Anti-Defamation
League (ADL). Last year, every one of those extremist-related murders was carried out by
a right-wing extremist.” https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/white-nationalism-fueled-violence-rise-fbi-slow-call-it-domestic-n1039206 It is becoming increasingly clear that there
is a contingent of our white, male citizens are being radicalized under our
noses. Let’s ask our MoCs what they
are doing about it and how can these instances be classified as domestic
terrorism so that the appropriate resources will be available.
MITCH McCONNELL’S OBSTRUCTION: In addition to
his refusal to move key gun policy votes forward, Senate Majority Leader Mitch
McConnell remains in the driver’s seat of blocking votes on critical
legislation re: election security:
https://www.apnews.com/693436f36ca04995bf66f07bd4d7b4e4 Let’s
let #MoscowMitch know that we expect these votes to move forward or we expect
him to resign now: https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/
REALITY WINNER:
She tried to warn us and now Mueller has confirmed it. Russia interfered
with our election. Instead of being
treated as the whistleblower that she was tried as a criminal and is doing time
in a very different facility than Michael Cohen. It is time to free her: https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/reality-winner-whistleblower-exposed-russian-election-hacking-20190730.html Let’s write to her and show her some
support: Reality Winner, #22056-021, Carswell
Federal Medical Center, PO Box 27137, Fort Worth, TX 76127
POSTCARDING: From one of our own – Here are
this week’s issues/addresses write-ups for postcarding: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1owixzg9Spi4EekGCmPryU3BDz3q0rIC2R6NziyGJI-U/edit
Look them over and choose the ones that speak to you. Thank you for speaking
out!
BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT SHOOTINGS: Talking to kids about shootings can be hard. Here are some that might help: https://booksforlittles.com/gun-violence/ Let’s use these titles and share this list
with friends who may find it helpful.
MANAGING STRESS AFTER MASS SHOOTING: We may be
struggling to understand how a shooting could occur and why such a
terrible thing would happen. There may never be satisfactory answers to
these questions. Tips from the American Psychological Association:
https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/mass-shooting
GERRYMANDERING: One of the most powerful methods of
voter suppression in that it prevents our votes from counting. Someone has come
up with a fun idea to raise awareness of this partisan practice. “Someone made
a font out of gerrymandered districts.” It’s called Gerry, and we can download
and share it with our elected officials and fellow constituents:
SELF-CARE: After days, weeks, and months of very hard times
in this administration, we are coming through a particularly painful weekend.
This has all turned the corner from being a marathon to being an
ultra-marathon. Let’s check in with ourselves. Do we need a break? Do
we need more support than we are getting? Do we need new self-care routines?
ELECTION/VOTING
MS: PRIMARY ELECTIONS TODAY! —Tuesday, August 6,
2019, is Primary Election Day for Statewide, State District, Legislative,
County, and County District Offices in Mississippi. Polls are open
7AM-7PM. http://www.sos.ms.gov/Elections-Voting/Documents/2019%20Website%20Calendar%20Final.pdf Let’s
find our polling place here: http://www.sos.ms.gov/pollingplace/pages/default.aspx,
and let’s be sure to vote!
VA & EVERYWHERE: POSTCARD PALOOZA CHALLENGE—August
19th is the 99th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment,
which gave women the right to vote. For Women’s Equality Week of Action (August
19-26), Postcards4VA wants 99 postcard-writing parties organized for Virginia’s
2019 elections. Every seat in the VA legislature is up for reelection. If the
legislature flips BLUE, it will end extreme, undemocratic Republican gerrymandering
for a decade, bring great progressive changes to this influential state, and
lay some important groundwork for 2020. To attend or organize a party,
let’s join the Postcard Palooza Challenge: https://postcards4va.com/events/
STATE
SPECIFIC ISSUES
MI:
PROTEST PRIVATE PRISON/DETENTION CENTER: Geo Group has won a ten-year
contract with the federal government to open a detention center in Baldwin,
Michigan (https://bit.ly/2YnaCA9).
In order to fight back against this, No Detention
Centers in Michigan, a coalition of activists, will be holding a protest on
Tuesday, August 13th against the Great Lakes Financial Group of Prudential,
pressuring the company to divest from Geo Group. Let's check out the
event and show up to demand that Prudential stop profiting off of immigrant
detention and abuse:
ND:
DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE: In order to increase oil output, Energy
Transfer plans on adding pumping stations along the Dakota Access Pipeline in
North Dakota, South Dakota, and Illinois. However, the company has requested
that the plans move forward in North Dakota without holding a public hearing,
claiming that the increased pressure from the pumping stations will not expand
the project's footprint (https://bit.ly/2OIPBeK).
The North Dakota Public Service Commission (PSC) will allow the public to make
requests for a hearing until August 9th, at which point it will decide
whether to grant the requests. A coalition of Lakota leaders will be asking for
a hearing, due to environmental concerns (https://www.apnews.com/a81d982d00ad4901a968c6875780c14b). If
we are residents of North Dakota, let's be sure to contact the Public Service
Commission and tell them that we want to have a public hearing on the proposed
expansion of the Dakota Access Pipeline: Mailing address: 600 E. Boulevard,
Dept. 408 Bismarck, ND 58505-0480, Email: ndpsc@nd.gov
RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS
NATIONAL NETWORK ASSEMBLY: The first National
Network Assembly, made up of hundreds of local grassroots leaders and organizers
from around the country is happening in Des Moines, IA, August 22 to 25. https://mailchi.mp/thedemlabs/nationalnetworkassembly
There will be workshops, sessions, and meetings in
which participants will strategize, plan, and learn skills to take home to
their groups. The 2019 National Network
Assembly will strengthen the
connective tissue between grassroots groups by bridging multiple networks and
organizations that
represent over 1,000 leaders across all 50 states. We can find more information, register to
attend, and donate to the scholarship fund here: https://www.nationalnetworkassembly.org/
We can use this document to invite others to attend: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oKWdGLESqQYFVIa3JXQrtsXO9zrZv7ihCdGfnmSZ0-M/edit
READING/WATCHING
Op-Ed: We have studied
every mass shooting since 1966. Here’s what we’ve learned about the shooters
- https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2019-08-04/el-paso-dayton-gilroy-mass-shooters-data
15 Mental Health Resources For
When You Are Feeling Helpless -
#MOSCOWMITCH: Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell is refusing to vote on legislation passed by the
Democrat-led House, including gun legislation. This has earned him the nickname
Moscow Mitch, and now there’s even a song! Listen here and let’s get
this trending! - https://www.motherjones.com/media/2019/08/moscow-mitch-is-now-the-song-of-the-summer-thanks-to-ben-folds/
Because we need to see that there ARE
victories: https://mailchi.mp/peaceisloud/no-more-silence?e=86890239c4
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We can stay up to date on Congress by checking out their
schedules. a) The House publishes a weekly schedule at The Weekly Leader (published and dated Friday)
as well as daily schedules at The Daily Leader. b) The Senate updates
their schedule daily at the Senate Floor Schedule
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