you did it!

American Resistance Sevilla
  • ACTION PLAN
  • GREEN NEW DEAL
  • CLIMATE RECOVERY
  • UPCOMING EVENTS
  • 8M PHOTOS
  • CONTACT YOUR REPS
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT

mark twain on Fake news

10/24/2017

0 Comments

 
STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts

Fake News in the Age of Mark Twain

When I am drawn into political discussions these days, I am sometimes presented with facts that seem to have been recently extracted from the lower alimentary canal. “Over half the players in the NFL are convicted felons.” “Most Puerto Ricans live without electricity anyway.” “Crime in the UK is up because of Radical Islamic terror." Wait, what?

In Chapter 62 of Roughing It, Mark Twain describes a fellow passenger on a ship to Hawaii who loved pushing political arguments with the aid of dubious sources and invented facts: “The Admiral seldom read newspapers; and when he did he never believed anything they said. He read nothing, and believed in nothing, but "The Old Guard," a secession periodical published in New York…”

Read it here, (paragraph starts on page 169) 
Or listen here (start at 9:14, runs 11 min) 

I can’t recommend passenger Williams’ approach—fortunately, we have better resources available. Snopes, Media Bias Fact Check and Politifact may not win your argument, but can at least reassure you that you're not going crazy.

Kathy Sherretts

Podcast:
NPR, Fresh Air: Understanding Mike Pence And His Relationship To Trump: 'His Public Role Is Fawning' (48 min)

Terry Gross interviews Jane Mayer, whose article "The Danger of President Pence,” runs in the current issue of The New Yorker. She discusses how Mike Pence became an evangelical Christian, a favored candidate of billionaire backers, Trump's running mate, and an influence in White House policy making.

Article:
The Atlantic: Will DACA Parents Be Forced to Leave Their U.S.-Citizen Children Behind? by Priscilla Alvarez

DACA was always supposed to be temporary, but ultimate outcome was meant to be legal status for its recipients, not deportation. A majority of DACA beneficiaries are in their 20s—and some of them have children of their own.

Article:
New York Times: EPA scrubs climate website of ‘climate change’ by Lisa Friedman

The “Energy Resources” website (formerly “Climate and Energy Resources”) is the first site which the E.P.A. has restored since removing its climate science information on April 28. Among the now-missing pages are those detailing the risks of climate change, different approaches states are taking to curb emissions, and examples of states' plans to adapt to weather extremes.
​
Picture

  • For more ways to take action check out the action plans put together by PAGE (Progressive Action Global Exchange),and Indivisible; attend/watch one of the Fall 2017 Resistance School sessions or visit the site https://www.trumptaxscam.org/ to learn more about Trump's tax plan and how to hold your members of Congress accountable.

0 Comments

HEALTH, GUNS, ENVIRONMENT — AND VOTING!

10/10/2017

0 Comments

 
My Fellow Resisters,

Starting this week, we will change our format and begin each Action Plan post with (STOP, LOOK, LISTEN), which provides suggestions for inspiring reading/watching/listening compiled by our own Kathy Sherretts. This will be followed by some recommended actions given by groups such as PAGE (Progressive Action Global Exchange), Indivisible, and Action Checklist for Americans of Conscience
 
We welcome your comments!

In solidarity,
Sage
​


STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts

I got my Maine absentee ballot in the mail this week. If it hadn't come directly to my house I might not have been motivated to read up and vote in a local election—but as we now know, that's where politics starts. Does your home state have a special election or ballot referendum? Are you registered to vote in it? What about friends and family back home?

I debated whether to concentrate on environmental issues or travel scandals this week. As it turns out, I didn't have to choose.

Kathy Sherretts

Articles:
New York Times: EPA Chief's Calendar: Industry Meetings and Trips Home by Eric Lipton and Lisa Friedman

Since February E.P.A. chief Scott Pruitt has held meetings almost daily with top corporate executives and lobbyists from major economic sectors that he regulates — and almost no meetings with environmental groups or consumer or public health advocates. 

Los Angeles Times: Trump's Interior Chief 'hopping from campaign event to campaign event by Ben LeFebvre and Esther Whieldon

Ryan Zinke is under investigation over his use of taxpayer-funded private planes for trips that included GOP fundraisers.      

Podcast:
NPR, Fresh Air: NRA-Backed Gun Laws Have Found Success In State Legislatures Across The U.S (45 min)

What are the chances that meaningful gun laws will be enacted? Journalist Mike Spiers says it's all up to the NRA.

Graphic:
Washington Post: FEMA buried updates on Puerto Rico. Here they are. by Philip Bump  

The Federal Emergency Management Agency removed information from its website documenting how much of Puerto Rico still lacked power or access to drinking water, providing only positive information on numbers of federal workers and the extent of road clearance. WP provides a tool to track the status of repairs, updated hourly.
​
Bonus Quiz:
Slate Magazine, The Vault: Guess whether these headlines came from Breitbart or a 1920s KKK Newspaper

Picture

​Priority Actions
  • Unhack the vote: Fight against Hackable EVMs, Gerrymandering and Crosscheck. We have the right to vote. We have the right to have our vote counted correctly. Make sure you get your absentee balloting material on time, and/or help others to do so.
 
  • Advocate for gun regulation.
 
  • Speak out against the Trump administration’s infringement on women’s rights and healthcare, and for equality.Tell Bosses Women Deserve Birth Control No Matter Where They Work . Use and follow the hashtag on Twitter #handsoffmybc
 
  • Promote ACA open enrollment, because the Trump administration won’t do it. Share on Facebook: Use this link in English and this link in Spanish.. Share on Twitter: Retweet this image.(from Jennifer Hofmann)
 
  • Get corporate sponsors to #TakeAKnee.
 
  • Oppose DHS’ proposed social media monitoring of immigrants and citizens.
 
  • Tell Congress that needs to Reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program

Extra actions
  • Show your gratitude! Thank Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) for continuing to work collaboratively on a bipartisan solution to shore up ACA.

  • Support the Save the Arctic campaign to help fund Greenpeace Norway and Nature and Youth's climate lawsuit heading to the Oslo District Court this November!
0 Comments

Block Trump’s immoral, greed-driven tax reform

10/2/2017

1 Comment

 
My Fellow Resisters,

Here are new updates and recommended actions from PAGE (Progressive Action Global Exchange) followed by inspiring reading/watching/listening suggestions from our own Kathy Sherretts (STOP, LOOK, LISTEN). 
 
Read on and leave comments!
In solidarity,

Sage

PAGE Update

We hope you are ready to kick off October with fighting spirit because we have much work to do. This past week, Trump’s administration released a tax plan, which provides massive tax cuts for the wealthiest. This money will be diverted from the United States’ already lackluster safety net with hardly any benefits for the working class. Some low income brackets will actually see their taxes go up. This week, we also saw Trump come out with yet another version of the Muslim Ban, and cap refugee admissions at the lowest number in decades.
This week we will also be taking tax action, and continue to support Puerto Rico. And remember, resisting can be fun too! Here’s a Beyonce remix of J Balvin’s “Mi Gente” song. All proceeds from the album go to Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the Caribbean to help them recover from these heartbreaking disasters.

Priority Actions
  • Block Trump’s immoral, greed-driven tax reform. Read up on how the tax “reform” benefits the wealthy. Trump himself could save millions
  • Use Indivisible's tool to write a letter to the editor about tax reform. Indivisible guide has talking points, and it will even help you find some papers to write to. Keep your letter to 250-300 words. If you are abroad, you might want to mention an example of policy that’s working well in your part of the world.
  • Support Puerto Rico in their time of need.
  • Our President is insisting that enough is being done to aid Puerto Rico, but the mayor of San Juan Carmen Yulín Cruz doesn’t agree. She said, “I am begging, begging anyone that can hear us to save us from dying. If anybody out there is listening to us, we are dying. And you are killing us with the inefficiency.” Use this 5Calls script to call your representative and ask them to send aid to Puerto Rico.
  • Donate to rebuild Casa-Taller, a cultural space in Santurce, Puerto Rico, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Maria. Getting this space up and running is key as many people in this neighborhood are looking to Casa-Taller for post-storm support and resources.
  • Listen to this podcast with Puerto Rican activist Marisol LeBrón to learn why Puerto Rico was so vulnerable to a hurricane and why rebuilding will be very difficult.
  • Read up on how Puerto Rico has recovered from natural disasters before.
  • Show some love to National ADAPT. ADAPT is a national grassroots community that organizes disability rights activists to engage in nonviolent direct action. They work to ensure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities. They have been consistently awesome in blocking ACA repeal efforts, putting their bodies on the line as they risk arrest.
  • If you are living in the US, see if there is an ADAPT group near you to get involved with.
  • Call your representative and ask them to support the Disability Integration Act, which was introduced by Senator Chuck Schumer and is one of ADAPT’s primary policy goals.
  • Show them some love on Twitter and other social media. Use the hashtag #ThankYouNationalADAPT to thank them for their valiant and valuable work!
  • You can also show some monetary love, so they can cover the costs of their transportation as they fight for equitable and compassionate healthcare.
  • Here’s a beautiful article about why their actions are so effective.​

Picture

​STOP, 
LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts


In general, since I think it is really important to communicate with our lawmakers about specific issues rather than political personalities, I tried to stay away from Trump himself as a topic. But especially lately, everything comes back to this one guy. Why is that? I think Seth Abramson articulates itvery well.
Kathy Sherretts

Twitter thread:
Seth Abramson on Twitter, Sept. 25, 1-50: This is a thread about Donald Trump. 
"Have you noticed a change in your mood since January? I mean a change you can't seem to escape? Anxiety, anger, fear, confusion, doubt?... Every institution we like or trust, he's undermined. The media. Government. Unions. Hell—even the NFL...We don't have hope future elections will be fair. We don't have hope our government is working in our interests. We don't have hope we can trust and love our neighbors and they'll trust and love us back. And we don't have hope things will start to make sense again."
You can read it as a single document in Seth Abramson's Facebook
Or view the original Twitter thread

Article:
Scotus Blog: Murphy Oil’s law: Solicitor General’s office reverses course in arbitration cases, supports employers by Amy Howe
US vs. US: The Solicitor General´s office urges the Supreme Court to affirm a decision that, on behalf of the National Labor Relations Board, it had previously asked them to review and overturn.

Article:
Slate Magazine: The Supreme Court is poised to deal a devastating blow to minimum wage workers by Daniel Hemel
To pre-empt the possibility of collective action, more firms are inserting individual arbitration clauses into employee contracts. These clauses require employees to pursue claims before private arbitrators rather than in federal or state court, individually rather than through collective actions. Employers have pushed back against the NLRB’s 2012 ruling against the practice. 

Article:
Politico Magazine: Dan Rather´s Second Coming by Michael KruseThey’ve known each other for decades, and have been publicly at odds before, dating back to 2000… The squabble was one-sided. Trump didn’t like Rather, and Rather didn’t care, because Trump didn’t matter. Now he matters. 

And a bonus link: This Modern World by Tom Tomorrow
1 Comment
    Picture
    Ready to do your bit to save our democracy — and the planet?
    ​
    Learn more about Climate Recovery!
    Picture

    resist the madness!

    American Resistance Sevilla ​is a non-partisan community mobilizing Americans living abroad to take peaceful action defending our lawful rights and freedoms. Learn more

    Archives

    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • ACTION PLAN
  • GREEN NEW DEAL
  • CLIMATE RECOVERY
  • UPCOMING EVENTS
  • 8M PHOTOS
  • CONTACT YOUR REPS
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT