STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! Caught in the Web As you know, this list is a completely subjective roundup of whatever caught my attention this week. This particular fall down the rabbit hole is about media, politics, and privacy. Also, vulture poop. Next weekend is the 4th Women's March on Washington. There are no official March events planned in Spain, but we want you to join us for beer and voter-registration strategy when we meet later this month. Details to come! And another thing:
History Lesson: Encyclopedia Britannica: Iran Air flight 655 An Iranian passenger plane was shot down by the missile cruiser USS Vincennes on July 3, 1988, killing all 290 people on board. Screen Time: Buzzfeed: Disinformation For Hire: How A New Breed Of PR Firms Is Selling Lies Online by Craig Silverman, Jane Lytvynenko, William Kung Clients buy an end-to-end online manipulation system, which can influence people on a massive scale — resulting in votes cast, products sold, and perceptions changed. Slate/What Next Podcast: How Targeted Ads Started Watching Us All (17 min) In 2019 more advertising money went toward targeted digital ads in the U.S. than to radio, television, cable, magazine, and newspaper ads combined. Washington Post: Trump campaign turns Iran attack into massive Facebook ad blitz by Tony Romm and Isaac Stanley-Becker Trump’s team defended the killing of Qasem Soleimani with online ads, which also solicited personal information from voters. ARSTechnica: It’s the network, stupid: Study offers fresh insight into why we’re so divided by Jennifer Ouellette Social perception bias might simply be an emergent property of our social networks. Department of Karma: Quartz: Feces from a giant kettle of vultures is disrupting CBP communications on the US-Mexico border by Justin Rohrlich Vultures also “regurgitate a reeking and corrosive vomit” which eats away at the metal in radio towers. Ready to do more? • Learn about the Green New Deal. • Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0. • Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressives living overseas. • Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. • Learn about climate solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a group organized by community activists and members of American Resistance Sevilla.
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Cinema’s standards and values have changed—for the better—in ways that have rendered certain films no longer appropriate. What about 1974’s “Blazing Saddles”? (movie still, Gene Wilder and Cleavon Little) STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! Intended Consequences? “Middle East tensions increase..." This was what we all vaguely dreaded when Trump got elected—a loutish action or reaction in the international arena that could pitch us into a war. The killing of Iran’s Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Iraqi territory looks (from here in the cheap seats, at least) like it was done largely to create a distraction in the middle of Trump's impeachment trial, and has been followed up by a series of aggressive tweets that are escalating tensions with both Iran and Iraq. • • • We want to make it easy for as many Americans as possible to vote from abroad. I hope they will vote for the Democratic candidate in November, but—and here is where I differ from Mitch McConnell—even if they are unlikely to vote my way, I do not want to stifle their votes or make the process more difficult. • • • Can we vote in the primaries? Yes, but rules vary by state. Democrats Abroad presents an alternative—the Global Presidential Primary—to allow registered voters to participate in the Democratic primary election. In-person voting is conducted in 8 locations in Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia. We are exploring the possibility of organizing a polling place in Sevilla as well, and we're looking for folks to help with the effort! Get in touch on the American Resistance Sevilla WhatsApp group, or email us at americanresistancesevilla@gmail.com. —Kathy Sherretts Authentic frontier gibberish: Daily Kos: 'Blazing Saddles' and how to beat Trump in 2020 by Ian Reifowitz The racist villains are not defeated because the non-wealthy racist whites realize that racism is wrong. Racism is defeated when the townspeople realize their bigotry is hurting their own economic interests. Twits: The Daily Beast: Team Trump’s Furious Hunt to Find Out Who ‘Liked’ a Chelsea Clinton Tweet by Erin Banco and Asawin Suebsaeng Administration staffers were interviewed about whether they had dared to hit the “like” button. Green light: The Guardian: More US voters than ever care about climate – but will they go to the polls? by Emily Holden The poll compared survey responses to public voter file records. Infrequent voters are more likely than frequent ones to assign a higher importance to climate and the environment. Also, while Donald Trump is unpopular with a majority of Americans, his supporters are the most reliable voters. Oasis in a food desert: Food and Wine: This Town Lost Its Only Grocery Store, So the Local Government Opened One by Mike Pomranz When Baldwin’s only grocery closed, city hall opened a municipal store. It is indistinguishable from any other small-town grocery store, but its eight employees are on the municipal payroll. "We're not trying to make a profit. We're trying to cover our expenses, and keep the store running." Down on the farm: Forbes: Why Agriculture’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Are Almost Always Underestimated by Jeff McMahon Climate damage from agriculture may be easier to mitigate than pollution from other sectors, because it can be managed with existing technologies. Ready to do more? • Learn about the Green New Deal. • Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0. • Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressives living overseas. • Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. • Learn about climate solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a group organized by community activists and members of American Resistance Sevilla. Get a jump on 2020—Do you have all the information you need to vote in the US elections this year? When is your state’s primary held? What special elections are coming up? File a new FPCA form and look up voting info at FVAP.gov. STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! Resist, Resolve, Repeat We have a lot to look forward to in the new year! American Resistance Sevilla will focus on getting out the vote among Americans living abroad, especially making sure they have the information and tools available to vote in the primaries and general elections. (See Ballotpedia.org and FVAP.gov for resources.) As Paul Rosenberg wrote in Salon this week, Trumpism has led to more political engagement and increased interest in how political communication works. I suppose this is the bright spot in a dire political moment: before Trump, it was easy to not pay attention. Now we can't look away. We will be planning a get-together in Sevilla ahead of the Senate's impeachment trial, so watch for more information on that front. We hope to see you for drinks and tapas. Call your senators! Happy New Year! —Kathy Sherretts Bad hair days: Pressfrom: ‘No blondes allowed’: 50 years after a junior high experiment, students say it had ‘a big impact’ by Diane Bernard By the second day, blond students started to fight back. Some wore signs that said, “Blond Power.” One girl even dyed her hair bright blond in solidarity. Good citizenship: Christian Science Monitor: Students sue for the right to learn civics by Stacy Teicher Khadaroo Parents and students argue that Rhode Island violates students’ rights by leaving them without key skills and knowledge to exercise responsibilities such as voting or jury duty. Bottleneck: New York Times: Where Rent Is $13,500, She Lives Off What’s Left at the Curb by Andy Newman An entire economic ecosystem has grown out of the 5-cent deposit, originally enacted to keep recyclable containers out of the waste stream. Expanding the deposit law would help "canners"—but is opposed by environmental activists, beverage companies, and government officials. Just for fun: McSweeneys: We Can’t Impeach One of the Most Unpopular and Corrupt Presidents Ever and Risk Alienating the Racist Voters Who’d Never Vote for Us Anyway by Bob Vulfov Ready to do more? • Learn about the Green New Deal. • Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0. • Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressives living overseas. • Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. • Learn about climate solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a group organized by community activists and members of American Resistance Sevilla. There's a lot to celebrate this time of year—in addition to impeachment! Take time to enjoy a lovely Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa... STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! Take the Win This past week made it official—Donald Trump has been impeached. Whatever happens when the process moves to the Senate, the facts are out and the vote is in. As Lili Loofbourow wrote in Slate, impeachment IS a big deal: justice is being done to a president who refuses to be held accountable. Even a major evangelical magazine has called for his removal. Happy Hanukkah, everyone! It’s a holiday miracle! —Kathy Sherretts News from home: NPR: Bangor's New Council Member Joins Wave Of Women Of Color Winning Office by Robbie Feinberg This year, after seeing other immigrants bring their concerns to local leaders who were all white, Okafor realized that they needed representation. 'Someone needs to do that.' And at some point, I'm like, 'Why not me?' Article: Grist: How can I invest my money without contributing to the climate crisis? by Eve Andrews If the companies that make up your mutual fund or index fund do well, you get some money. And if any of those companies are involved in fossil fuel extraction, then you made that money on climate change. Article: The Guardian: 'Lobsters and octopuses are back': the Kenyan women leading a reef revival by Geoffrey Kamadi Women on Wasini Island have demonstrated how coral restoration techniques can revive marine ecosystems and create sustainable livelihoods for fishing communities. Article: Nature: United States to fund gun-violence research after 20-year freeze by Nidhi Subbaraman The federal government stopped funding gun-violence research after passage of the “Dickey Amendment” in 1996. Jay Dickey, the Republican congressman who wrote the amendment, reversed his position before his death. • Learn about the Green New Deal.
• Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0. • Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressives living overseas. • Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. • Learn about climate solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a group organized by community activists and members of American Resistance Sevilla. It's difficult to capture the true unvarnished dastardliness of Kentucky's senior senator, but cartoonist Joel Pett, of the Lexington Herald-Leader, takes a stab at it with his Sharpie. See the video, 2 min. STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! Singing Along With Mitch Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced, ahead of the Senate impeachment trial, that he was working in “total coordination” with the White House. McConnell has long kept Republican senators in line, defending the most outrageous actions of the Trump administration. Although he has been chosen by Kentucky voters (six times, most recently with 52% of the vote) he has an outsize impact on the whole country. Is he a political genius, or just somebody willing to play outside the rules? Who Is Mitch McConnell? (podcast, 39 min). Well, for starters, McConnell:
Newsweek: Rep. Charles Booker, Kentucky's Youngest Black Lawmaker, Explores Run Against Mitch McConnell by Jeffery Martin "Since we sent Mitch McConnell to Washington," says Booker, "he's become one of the richest politicians in America—but Kentucky has been left behind. The more power Mitch McConnell has gained in D.C., the more we've lost here at home." It’s Criminal: The Guardian: The hidden scandal of US criminal justice? Rural incarceration has boomed by Jasmine Heiss and Jack Norton Jail incarceration in rural counties has risen a staggering 27% since 2013, while urban incarceration has declined 18%. Pull Back the Vote: AP: Judge: 234K Wisconsin voter registrations should be tossed by Scott Bauer Liberals fear the voters who could be purged are more likely to be Democrats. Republicans argue allowing them to remain on the rolls increases the risk of voter fraud. We'll Always Have Paris: The Atlantic: Dozens of States Want to Keep America’s Broken Climate Promise by Robinson Meyer 24 states and Puerto Rico now pledge to uphold the Paris goals, although the Trump administration has blocked or repealed most of US climate policy at the national level. Ready to do more? • Learn about the Green New Deal. • Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0. • Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressives living overseas. • Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. • Learn about climate solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a group organized by community activists and members of American Resistance Sevilla. Less local news has resulted in general disengagement from local democratic life, says a study by the Brookings Institution. As Americans have shifted away from local news, turnout in state and local elections has fallen, and communities that have lost reporters have seen fewer candidates run for local office. STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! News to me... I heard a friend say today that she tries to tune out US news because she doesn’t trust ANY news source. Not Fox, not CBS, not NPR. Not The New York Times or The Boston Globe. And that is the dangerous fallout of our political moment. If she is overwhelmed by the national news, what about something closer to home? Well, many communities in the United States are losing their local newspapers altogether, or having them gobbled up by media conglomerates that deliberately shrink the papers to increase profits. Maybe then she gets her information from links that friends send her on Facebook or Twitter… and welcome to our national moment of misinformation, inaccuracy, and distortion. —Kathy Sherretts Essay: Aeon: Bad Thinkers by Quassim Cassam The gullible rarely believe they are gullible, and the closed-minded don’t believe they are closed-minded. Podcast: New Yorker/Politics and More: What Can Progressive Voters Do to Help Fix Our Broken Political System? (20 min) For decades, conservative organizations have poured time, attention, and money into state politics. But in recent years, grassroots movements have helped progressive voters make their voices heard on the issues they care most about. Article: New Yorker: What W. E. B. Du Bois Conveyed in His Captivating Infographics by Hua Hsu For the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris, Du Bois’ team used arresting charts and graphics to illustrate the evolution of black life since emancipation, featuring facts and figures about population growth and political participation, educational attainment and financial clout. Video: PBS: How these Massachusetts farmers are turning manure and food waste into power (7 min) Getting methane from crap instead of from fracking. Ready to do more? • Learn about the Green New Deal. • Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0. • Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressives living overseas. • Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. • Learn about climate solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a group organized by community activists and members of American Resistance Sevilla. At the end of the House Intelligence Committee hearings, Republican representatives say that they “see no evidence of impeachable offenses”. As Susan B. Glasser writes in the New Yorker, it seems apparent that they will not be swayed by any actual evidence. (Three Stooges, Columbia Pictures publicity still) STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! Nothing to See Here... My head hurts. The worst of Republican intransigence on impeachment is that, by insisting on the false argument that Ukraine and not Russia meddled in the 2016 election, they are setting us up for more Russian attacks in 2020. (See Impeachapalooza, a roundup of impeachment reporting from Mother Jones) —Kathy Sherretts Podcast: Slate: Are We There Yet? (29 min) After two weeks of public impeachment hearings, damning testimony continued to point toward the president and his close associates. Did it change the politics around impeachment? Article: ProPublica: Separated by Design: Why Affordable Housing Is Built in Areas With High Crime, Few Jobs and Struggling Schools by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas Part of “Invisible Walls” series by The Connecticut Mirror. Article: Grist: What does it mean to take responsibility for our waste? by Eve Andrews It takes a trash crisis to snap people into reassessing their own role in it. Article: Israel 21c: Israeli waste-to-plastics startup begins Virginia pilot by Brian Blum UBQ Materials says its process can profitably help tackle the world’s huge waste problem. (See the Washington Post's report on UBQ HERE) Just for fun: This Modern World: That’s Infotainment! Ready to Do More? • Learn about the Green New Deal. • Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0. • Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressives living overseas. • Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. • Learn about climate solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a group organized by community activists and members of American Resistance Sevilla. President Trump calls on RuPublicans to Unite! (Clip from RuPaul's Drag Race) STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! All the News... In Florida, Citrus County officials refused to pay for a library's subscription to The New York Times, calling it 'fake news’. They are only following the lead of Trump’s White House, after all—where the Washington Post and the New York Times have been cancelled in favor of the New York Post and the Washington Times. (more on that HERE) What’s the diff? In case you are wondering about the accuracy or bias of your news sources, you can look them up on Media Bias Fact Check. --Kathy Sherretts P.S. Get your impeachment facts straight with the Impeachment Guide timeline, at GovTrack.us (which gets high ratings from Media Bias Fact Check!) Article: Slate: The Cyclist Who Gave Trump the Finger Lost Her Job Because of It. So She Ran for Office—and Won by Elliot Hannon On Tuesday, Juli Briskman was elected to Virginia’s Loudoun County Board of Supervisors—and got some semblance of poetic justice. Article: International Monetary Fund: Nature’s Solution to Climate Change by Ralph Chami, Thomas Cosimano, Connel Fullenkamp, and Sena Oztosun Protecting whales—a low-tech approach to limiting greenhouse gasses that not only is effective and economical, but also has a successful funding model. Article: The Conversation: The EPA disbanded our clean air science panel. We met anyway. by H. Christopher Frey The Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee’s job is to review the “latest scientific knowledge” underpinning regulations for major air pollutants. Podcast: MSNBC/Rachel Maddow: Excerpt from "A Warning" by Anonymous (45 min) Nothing new here, but it's still a shock to hear. (Book excerpt starts at 14:00.) Ready to do more? Learn about the Green New Deal. Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0, a new strategy for a new congress. Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressives living overseas. Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. Learn more about solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a new group organized by members of American Resistance Sevilla and other community activists. Something to celebrate in Washington! (When's the last time THAT happened?) Fans welcome the home team back to D.C. for a victory parade on Saturday, to celebrate the Nationals’ World Series win. (Photo WTOP/Alejandro Alvarez) STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! It's Still Happening As the impeachment process moves ahead, and we are all getting ready to sit in front of C-SPAN with a bowl of popcorn (you can keep up with it all HERE, even watch it live), it is worth remembering that many of the issues that have concerned us over the last months or years never went away—they just got buried in the avalanche of more recent news. Here are just a few that are worth checking in on:
--Kathy Sherretts Interactive: Politico: Impeachment inquiry: A guide to the most (and least) powerful players by Ryan Heath and Beatrice Jin Who’s who, and who matters, among the Democrats, Republicans, and nonpartisan players. (Note: this graphic works best on bigger screens) Article: The Independent: ‘It’s like nothing we have come across before’: UK intelligence officials shaken by Trump administration’s requests for help with counter-impeachment inquiry by Kim Sengupta The US president has called on the Australian prime minister Scott Morrison for help in investigating the FBI, CIA and Mueller investigators, while Attorney General Barr has been on similar missions to the UK and Italy. Podcast: Mother Jones: Naomi Klein’s Blistering Warning: Fight for Your Lives (41 min) Klein explains how those in power, on every level, have refused to act against impending peril. She discusses the ecological challenges the United States faces, and the way the climate crisis is intertwined with income inequality and other social issues. Taking the World Serious: Reuters: World Series star pitcher Doolittle declines Trump invite to White House “I don’t want to hang out with somebody who talks like that.” Just for fun: Jimmy Kimmel: Compare and contrast. (2 min) Ready to do more? Learn about the Green New Deal. If you missed our roundtable discussion, you can read the presenters' notes here. Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0, a new strategy for a new congress. Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressives living overseas. Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. Learn more about solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a new group organized by members of American Resistance Sevilla and other community activists. As absentee voters, we don't get stickers for voting (unless we make our own) but it's still vital that we vote in every election, including the one coming up TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2019! If you haven't voted, you may still be able to fax in your ballot. See details below. STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! States of the Union It’s easy to dismiss the 2019 balloting as a low-stakes state-level election. But there are some good reasons to exercise your right to vote every year, even if you don’t feel particularly invested: — Some states are choosing a governor; others are deciding on ballot initiatives. — A few states (we’re looking at you, Ohio) use a citizen’s inactivity at the ballot box as criteria to purge that registered voter from the rolls. Stay on their radar! — A lot of important issues are decided at the state level. Get to know who your state representatives are, and where they stand on issues such as air and water quality standards, endangered species protection, women’s health, labor issues, and other topics that are not being addressed at a national level. In many states there is still time to cast your vote. Check your options for voting by email or fax (as well as the issues and candidates on your ballot) at Ballotpedia.org. If you need to fax your ballot in Seville, be aware that fewer copy centers offer this service, but faxes can be sent from some post offices, including downtown Seville, or via one of the online fax services. —Kathy Sherretts Article: The Greenville News: President Trump addresses political allies as Benedict students are asked to stay in dorms by Eric Connor and Carol Motsinger President Donald Trump spoke to a room filled with mostly political allies at historically black Benedict College. Seven students were allowed inside for the speech; the rest of the students were asked to stay in their dorms. Take me out to the ball game: Common Defense: On Twitter Veterans for impeachment trolled Trump at the World Series. Article: Grist: Here's What Your City Will Look Like Underwater by Greg Hanscom Jeffrey Linn's maps show what coastal cities would (will) look like if (when) all the ice caps melt and the seas rise 80 meters, in keeping with U.S. Geological Survey estimates. If we aggressively cut greenhouse gas emissions, say experts, we can expect 2.3 to 4 feet of rise by 2100, and 6.5 to 9.8 feet by 2300. Some believe we could see as much as 16 feet of rise by the end of this century. Zamboni This: Business Insider: Trump's name is being scrubbed from 2 Central Park ice rinks by Bill Bostock "It's a complete rebranding," Geoffrey Croft, of NYC Park Advocates, told the Post. "They've taken the name off everything. Off the uniforms, everything." A covering obscuring much of the Trump name over the Wollman Rink’s skate rental station. Photo: Geoffrey Croft / NY Times Ready to do more? Learn about the Green New Deal. If you missed our roundtable discussion, you can read the presenters' notes here.
Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0, a new strategy for a new congress. Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressives living overseas. Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. Learn more about solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a new group organized by members of American Resistance Sevilla and other community activists. |
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
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