 If you or anyone you know believe that their voting rights are being denied, you can call the following numbers for legal assistance: Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Election Protection Hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE American Civil Liberties Union Voter Protection Hotline: 877-523-2792 Overseas Voters Are Having Trouble Getting Ballots Officials Say It's Due to Efforts to Thwart Hackers Do you have your ballot? If not, check with your election official here. If you have your ballot, have you sent it in? If so, contact your election official to confirm it has arrived. Already voted? Encourage others to vote. We're down to the wire on the most critical midterm election of our lives.  Candlelight vigil for victims of the shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. (AP photo) STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts Won’t you be my neighbor? I don't know what I originally intended to write about—I suppose I must have had something in mind, but for the last couple of days I have been consumed by the news of another awful shooting. I used to live in Pittsburgh, near Squirrel Hill. As a small-town Protestant, I found the Jewish neighborhood fascinating and slightly exotic. I discovered bagels and blintzes and falafel. My part-time job was there—so was my grocery store, my movie theater, my laundromat. This piece in the New York Times by Bari Weiss, who grew up in Squirrel Hill, is a tribute to the Jewish community there and its response to violence and tragedy: A Massacre in the Heart of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. --Kathy Sherretts Video: I Love You, America: Sarah Silverman Visits "Woke Vote" (8 min) Woke Vote is organizing voters in Alabama and beyond. Black voters turned out in record numbers for last year’s Senate race, overcoming the state's significant voter suppression efforts and other barriers, and won Democrat Doug Jones the Senate seat over Roy Moore. Article: Slate: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint Still Matters by Leor Hackel and Gregg Sparkman We have heard that “going green” in daily life won’t make much of a difference—but getting politicians and industry to address climate change really does start at home. Individual acts of conservation are what signal an emergency to those around us, which will set larger changes in motion. Ideas: New York Times: I’m a Child of Immigrants. And I Have a Plan to Fix Immigration by Sonia Nazario First, we must address the violence and despair that are pushing migrants out of these countries. US-run pilot violence prevention programs cost about $100 million a year—pocket change compared to the billions we spend dealing with migrants once they reach our border.  We have just 12 years before climate change becomes irreversible, and 22 years before the consequences of climate change could become severe, warns the new UN report. So how do we start fixing things? As individuals, report social scientists in Slate, we can change society's norms by altering our own behavior in ways that inspire others, leading to "the policy-level change that is truly needed." Infographic by Irene Lee via Neon Tommy For more ways to take action check out the action plan put together by PAGE (Progressive Action Global Exchange), and Americans of Conscience; read the featured action suggested by Indivisible; or check out the online training platform of Resistance School and sign up to any of the more than 15 free courses they offer on organizing 101, team building, contacting voters, and building movements. 
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 Only 15 days until the Midterms! Has Your Ballot Arrived? If not, check with your election officials here. If yes, complete the ballot and send it in today! Your vote is vital! If you're not registered, find out if you can still register (it goes by state). Questions? Contact Vote from Abroad for answers.  If you or anyone you know believe that their voting rights are being denied, you can call the following numbers for legal assistance: Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Election Protection Hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE American Civil Liberties Union Voter Protection Hotline: 877-523-2792 STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts How big is my ballot? After reading so much about different states' measures to disenfranchise their Democratic-leaning voters, I've gotten a bit paranoid. Are voting commissions just looking for excuses to throw out absentee ballots? A friend asked me to print out her Florida ballot this week so that she could return it by mail. When she forwarded the pdf I saw that it was 17 inches long and intended to be a two-sided document. So...Do we print the pages full size and tape the pieces together? Print and mark the top and bottom half of each ballot page? Shrink the page to fit the A4 paper in my printer? (Would the state of Florida really accept a ballot that is only five inches wide? Can my friend read the resulting 6-point type?) Is this a trick question? Our solution was to have a copy shop print the ballot pages on A3 paper and then cut them to size; that ought to satisfy the Florida State Division of Elections. If you have any doubts about ensuring the validity of your ballot, you can look up the requirements by state at Overseas Vote Foundation. --Kathy Sherretts Article: Lifehacker: The Most Common Myths About Voter Registration, Debunked by Leila Sales Here’s the real truth: most of the reasons that people cite for why they can’t or won’t vote are just myths. Memorial: Washington Post: What the Arab world needs most is free expression by Jamal Khashoggi “I received this column from Jamal Khashoggi’s translator and assistant the day after Jamal was reported missing in Istanbul. The Post held off publishing it because we hoped Jamal would come back … This is the last piece of his I will edit for The Post. This column perfectly captures his commitment and passion for freedom in the Arab world.” —Karen Attiah, Global Opinions editor. Podcast: Cape Up with Jonathan Capehart: What Trump needs to learn about Frederick Douglass (54 min) David Blight, author of 'Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom', tells how Douglass became a demanding voice for America to live up to its ideals. Department of Natural Selection: TechCrunch: Donald Daters, a dating app for Trump supporters, leaked its users’ data by Zack Whittaker Matching up mean and lonely people who don’t mind losing their contraceptive coverage—or their personal data.  "Word to the wise, Donald Daters: It’s not enough for an app to ensure you a certain level of political homogeneity. It needs to ensure some data protection, too." Emily Dreyfuss in Wired For more ways to take action check out the action plan put together by PAGE (Progressive Action Global Exchange), and Americans of Conscience; read the featured action suggested by Indivisible; or check out the online training platform of Resistance School and sign up to any of the more than 15 free courses they offer on organizing 101, team building, contacting voters, and building movements.   Have you mailed your ballot? Only 3 Weeks Until the Midterms! Has Your Ballot Arrived? If not, check with your election officials here. If yes, complete the ballot and send it in today! Your vote is vital! If you're not registered, find out if you can still register (it goes by state). Questions? Contact Vote from Abroad for answers.  Trying to figure out who's who in your district? Check the non-partisan Ballotpedia for info on candidates and issues. STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts Yes, Down-Ballot Midterms Matter I have a friend who is a collector of political memorabilia. He goes around the morning after Election Day to scarf up discarded candidate yard signs, on the theory that a guy running for sheriff today could end up in the White House thirty years from now. (I know this because I once helped wrench signs out of a snowbank in the small hours, while my friend drove the getaway car.) Yesterday's city council member may be today's state legislator, and tomorrow's U.S. senator. As the Civics 101 podcast points out, the people occupying these local and state level offices have a direct effect on our lives, because they make the decisions about how federal laws are implemented and how budgets are deployed. The midterms are important. --Kathy Sherretts Podcast: Civics 101: Midterm Edition: State and Local Elections (22 min) In the midterm elections we choose our aldermen and comptrollers, state senators and governors. These may seem less important than national elections, but state and local officials have more immediate impact on our lives and affect our future elections. Article: Slate: Writing the History of Sexual Assault in the Age of #MeToo by Amy Stanley Accounts by white men are automatically considered trustworthy, while others' memoirs are examined relentlessly for any hint of an ulterior motive. Article: The Guardian: Trump administration plans crackdown on protests outside White House by Luke O'Neil Civil liberties groups consider the proposals—to charge fees to protest and shut down 80% of sidewalks—an affront to first amendment rights. Article: The New Yorker: The Five-Year-Old Who Was Detained at the Border and Persuaded to Sign Away Her Rights by Sarah Stillman Helen, a five-year-old from Honduras, was detained after the separation of immigrant families was ostensibly halted. A new version of the family separation policy, advocated by White House adviser Stephen Miller, is again under consideration by the White House.  Signs left in front of the White House following the Women’s March on Washington on January 21, 2017. Photograph: Matilde McCann For more ways to take action check out the action plan put together by PAGE (Progressive Action Global Exchange), and Americans of Conscience; read the featured action suggested by Indivisible; or check out the online training platform of Resistance School and sign up to any of the more than 15 free courses they offer on organizing 101, team building, contacting voters, and building movements.   Stuck with a ballot showing uncontested Republican candidates? Go for a write-in candidate you believe in. Don't wait until the last minute to register or to vote! Thousands of U.S. voters living overseas report difficulties requesting absentee ballots because of state restrictions on internet traffic. Register now and vote as soon as you get your ballot! Request your absentee ballot here. Check election dates and deadlines here.  Local police confiscated this yard sign made by Marion Stanford of Hamilton, Texas, after neighborhood complaints. (Washington Post) STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts This week was rough. After the Kavanaugh confirmation and the Republicans’ celebratory jitterbug on the floor of the Senate, what can I say? There has been so much written, so eloquently, about this political moment by women (and men) who are re-examining details from their own pasts. Here's something concrete we can do: pressure our lawmakers to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. This landmark legislation from 1994 supports protections for women from sexual and physical abuse. It will expire in December, and a new reauthorization bill has no support from Republicans. So, vote. Help someone else vote. --Kathy Sherretts Department of Irony: Buzzfeed: Merrick Garland Has Recused Himself From The Ethics Complaints Against Brett Kavanaugh by Zoe Tillman Judicial ethics experts expect the complaints filed against Kavanaugh to be dismissed now that he has been confirmed to the Supreme Court. We are fighting back! The Guardian: 'Survivors will not be quiet': Kavanaugh backlash boils over by Sam Levin. "A crowdfunding campaign to support a future opponent of the Republican senator Susan Collins went viral on Friday, earning more than $2m, with donations pouring in as the Republican gave a lengthy speech announcing support for Kavanaugh." Podcast: 99 Percent Invisible: Pockets: Articles of Interest #3 (21 minutes) Feminism meets fashion: when we talk about pockets, we are talking about who has access to the tools they need—who can walk through the world comfortably and securely. Article: The Guardian: America has become a gerontocracy. We must change that. by Daniel Bessner and David Austin Walsh Elderly leaders are making decisions for future generations that will have to deal with the consequences of these choices. They can prevent new ideas from entering into national policy. The simplest solution would be to make it easier for younger people to vote.
For more ways to take action check out the action plan put together by PAGE (Progressive Action Global Exchange), and Americans of Conscience; read the featured action suggested by Indivisible; or check out the online training platform of Resistance School and sign up to any of the more than 15 free courses they offer on organizing 101, team building, contacting voters, and building movements.   Time is getting short! Elections are less than 36 days away! VOTE! HELP REGISTER OTHERS TO VOTE!!! Whether you are in the USA or abroad join the massive voter registration effort. Contact a grassroots organization near you. Swing Left Indivisible Rock the Vote League of Women Voters Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) They'll show you what to do and put you to work in places where your efforts are most needed to boost turnout next month!  STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts Justice I have been volunteering in an albergue on the Camino De Santiago for the past week. I’ve met several Americans who have been on the road, and disconnected from current events to an enviable degree. One guy pointedly said he didn’t want to know what was going on back in the States. He’ll find out soon enough, I guess. As long as he’s home before Election Day. --Kathy Sherretts View from outside: New York Times: ‘I Don’t Think People in the U.S. Know How Closely We’re Watching This’ by Geneva Abdul and Lela Moore “We have been watching the downfall of the American democracy for a while now...” Article: Slate: The White House Is Making Sure the Limited FBI Investigation Into Brett Kavanaugh’s Past Is Very, Very Limited by Matthew Dessem The White House has given the FBI a list of witnesses it is permitted to interview and topics it is permitted to ask about. App: The Arena: Crush the Midterms 2018 Get a customized plan to help you get involved and get out the vote (if you are in the US). News: Yahoo News: Exclusive: With more immigrant children in detention, HHS cuts funds for other programs — like cancer research by Caitlin Dickson Looking back: Washington Post Retropolis: The scathing ad 1,600 black women bought to oppose Clarence Thomas by DeNeen L. Brown Notes: The Atlantic: Laughter at the UN by James Fallows They say it’s the best medicine. Graphic: Vox: Every time Ford and Kavanaugh dodged a question, in one chart by Alvin Chang. You can see the graphic below.  Alvin Chang from Vox went "through the transcript of the hearing and noted every single time a question was asked of Ford and Kavanaugh. (...) Then [he] noted every instance in which they answered the question or said they didn’t know the answer — and [he] also noted every time they either refused to answer or gave an answer that didn’t address the question." The results are shown above; blue means answered the question, red means did not answer the question.  For more ways to take action check out the action plan put together by PAGE (Progressive Action Global Exchange), and Americans of Conscience; read the featured action suggested by Indivisible; or check out the online training platform of Resistance School and sign up to any of the more than 15 free courses they offer on organizing 101, team building, contacting voters, and building movements. |
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