Friday
The news this week has really knocked the wind out of me. I am so tired and sad and frightened for the future. But I am not ready to give up. No way. This week is proof that we need to step up our game. I can’t help but think about our home town hero, Jessie Diggins from Afton, who took home the gold medal in cross country this past winter. In those final few laps of her race, I imagine that Jessie’s muscles were screaming at her to stop; her lungs felt like they were about to burst. What makes Diggins special is that she was able to see the goal ahead of her and push through the discomfort. We are all Jessie Diggins in the last lap of the race right now. It would feel so good to give up and stop fighting but the end goal is too important. Let’s all find that strength inside of us to keep going. http://www.nbcolympics.com/…/usas-randall-diggins-win-histo…
The news this week has really knocked the wind out of me. I am so tired and sad and frightened for the future. But I am not ready to give up. No way. This week is proof that we need to step up our game. I can’t help but think about our home town hero, Jessie Diggins from Afton, who took home the gold medal in cross country this past winter. In those final few laps of her race, I imagine that Jessie’s muscles were screaming at her to stop; her lungs felt like they were about to burst. What makes Diggins special is that she was able to see the goal ahead of her and push through the discomfort. We are all Jessie Diggins in the last lap of the race right now. It would feel so good to give up and stop fighting but the end goal is too important. Let’s all find that strength inside of us to keep going. http://www.nbcolympics.com/…/usas-randall-diggins-win-histo…
1. Nonviolent Actions
Phone calls to our members of Congress are great, but they do not cut the mustard right now. It is time for us to start organizing more nonviolent actions. If you think about it, most of the rights that we have in this country (women voting, equal rights, gay marriage) were won by people who fought for them and sacrificed for them. Marches like the Women’s March last January 2017 are a great way to tell our leaders that we want change, but they do not elicit change. To be effective, non violent protest needs to identify the institutions an opponent needs to survive and then deny them those sources of power. Things like, disrupting the economy with strikes and protests; challenging government propaganda by creating alternative media outlets. This type of non violent action can create change very quickly, but it takes expert planning and dedicated participation. Starting right now, we need to stop asking, and start leaving our leaders no choice. We need to create unified movements that will get our leaders’ attention.
Phone calls to our members of Congress are great, but they do not cut the mustard right now. It is time for us to start organizing more nonviolent actions. If you think about it, most of the rights that we have in this country (women voting, equal rights, gay marriage) were won by people who fought for them and sacrificed for them. Marches like the Women’s March last January 2017 are a great way to tell our leaders that we want change, but they do not elicit change. To be effective, non violent protest needs to identify the institutions an opponent needs to survive and then deny them those sources of power. Things like, disrupting the economy with strikes and protests; challenging government propaganda by creating alternative media outlets. This type of non violent action can create change very quickly, but it takes expert planning and dedicated participation. Starting right now, we need to stop asking, and start leaving our leaders no choice. We need to create unified movements that will get our leaders’ attention.
Watch this TED talk from Jamila Raqib for a better understanding of nonviolent action. https://ted.com/…/jamila_raqib_the_secret_to_effective_nonv… via @TEDTalks
Gean Sharp created a list of 198 nonviolent methods of nonviolent actions. Check it out here and see if you can incorporate some of these actions within your groups. https://www.aeinstein.org/…/198-methods-of-nonviolent-acti…/
2. Early voting starts today!
Minnesota is lucky. We have a great voting program that makes it easy for us to get out the vote. Today is the first day we can vote early for the Primaries that take place on August 14th. Check out this page from CD2Action that answers some FAQ’s about primary voting. https://cd2action.com/voting-in-the-primaries-101/
Don’t forget, you can vote from home in your jammies. Just sign up here (https://mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/AB…/ABRegistrationStep1.aspx) for an absentee ballot and one will be mailed to you for free.
Minnesota is lucky. We have a great voting program that makes it easy for us to get out the vote. Today is the first day we can vote early for the Primaries that take place on August 14th. Check out this page from CD2Action that answers some FAQ’s about primary voting. https://cd2action.com/voting-in-the-primaries-101/
Don’t forget, you can vote from home in your jammies. Just sign up here (https://mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/AB…/ABRegistrationStep1.aspx) for an absentee ballot and one will be mailed to you for free.
3. Volunteer for a local campaign.
Gubernatorial and U.S. Congressional races are important and it’s fun to help with a big campaign, but please don’t forget the local candidates that are out there every day fighting to make Minnesota better. Pledge today to help a local candidate at least twice a month. There are so many different ways to contribute so everyone can help regardless of time and physical ability.
Tonight, MN Indivisible Alliance is hosting a special activity, #2forBlue. Come pledge to do two volunteer doorknocking shifts every month until the elections. MIA will help you find a candidate in a purple district to adopt if your district is true blue. You can connect to this event by phone. Another way to resist in your Pajamas! RSVP here: https://www.evite.com/…/0284BFHJICQLZEQZ4EPIOZXBK4ENGA/rsvp…
Gubernatorial and U.S. Congressional races are important and it’s fun to help with a big campaign, but please don’t forget the local candidates that are out there every day fighting to make Minnesota better. Pledge today to help a local candidate at least twice a month. There are so many different ways to contribute so everyone can help regardless of time and physical ability.
Tonight, MN Indivisible Alliance is hosting a special activity, #2forBlue. Come pledge to do two volunteer doorknocking shifts every month until the elections. MIA will help you find a candidate in a purple district to adopt if your district is true blue. You can connect to this event by phone. Another way to resist in your Pajamas! RSVP here: https://www.evite.com/…/0284BFHJICQLZEQZ4EPIOZXBK4ENGA/rsvp…
Here are some comprehensive lists of local candidates that need your help. There are opportunities every single day. Pledge to do something.
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed…
https://cd2action.com/calendar/
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed…
https://cd2action.com/calendar/
The Families Belong Together march is on Saturday. Check out this link for more information. . https://act.moveon.org/ev…/families-belong-together/search/…
Want to do more than protest and make phone calls? Donate $$ to the organizations at the front line trying to help these families. https://www.texastribune.org/…/heres-list-organizations-ar…/
Or here: https://www.facebook.com/donate/490507544717085/
Or here: https://www.facebook.com/donate/490507544717085/
You have 4 MONTHS to make a difference. The actions we take now will have consequences for generations to come. Commit to being part of the solution.
Here’s some extra reading if you have the time:
This article discusses the importance of a balanced Supreme Court https://talkingpointsmemo.com/…/please-read-this-through-he…
This article discusses the importance of a balanced Supreme Court https://talkingpointsmemo.com/…/please-read-this-through-he…
We are NOT afraid of you Donald Trump! https://johnpavlovitz.com/…/15/dear-donald-trump-not-afraid/
Go CD3! Protesters object to Carver County Jail housing ICE detainees https://www.swnewsmedia.com/…/article_b416df5c-b551-50f9-89…
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez credits talking issues, not Trump, for upset win in Democratic primary https://www.nbcnews.com/…/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-credits-…
A pep talk from Dan Rather. He’s seen some things. https://www.facebook.com/theDanRather/posts/10160569764755716
Why voting matters https://www.axios.com/…/axios-am-df273a33-3bb7-493d-bc2a-78…
Sites to Check:
If Trump fires Mueller or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, please be ready to take to the streets in protest.
https://act.moveon.org/…/mueller-firing-rapid-respon…/search
If Trump fires Mueller or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, please be ready to take to the streets in protest.
https://act.moveon.org/…/mueller-firing-rapid-respon…/search
Klobuchar-202-224-3244
Smith (202) 224-5641
House of Representative switchboard: (202) 224-3121
MN Legislators: https://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/legislators
Resistbot: https://resistbot.io/
Governor Dayton- https://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/
Smith (202) 224-5641
House of Representative switchboard: (202) 224-3121
MN Legislators: https://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/legislators
Resistbot: https://resistbot.io/
Governor Dayton- https://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/
No comments:
Post a Comment