Peace & Justice History for 2/18

February 18, 1688
Francis Daniel Pastorius and three other Pennsylvania Quakers (members of the Society of Friends) made the first formal protest against slavery in the new world. At the Thones Kunders House in Germantown (now part of Philadelphia) they signed a proclamation denouncing the importation, sale, and ownership of slaves: “. . . we shall doe [sic] to all men like as we will be done ourselves; making no difference of what generation, descent or colour they are.”
More on Germantown Society of Friends 
February 18, 1961

above: Bertrand Russell and Edith Russell watching the actress Vanessa Redgrave address the Committee of 100 meeting in Trafalgar Square, which preceded the anti-Polaris “sit-in” outside the Ministry of Defence on February 18, 1961.
In London, Sir Bertrand Russell, 88, led a march of 20,000 and sit-down of 5,000 in an anti-nuke rally outside the U.K. Defense Ministry, and was jailed for seven days. It was the first public demonstration organized by the Committee of 100, the direct action wing of the Committee for Nuclear Disarmament.

Early CND demonstrator
The CND today
February 18, 1970
Five of the “Chicago Seven” (Rennie Davis, David Dellinger, Tom Hayden, Abbie Hoffman, and Jerry Rubin) were found guilty of crossing state lines to incite a riot during the 1968 Democratic convention.

The Chicago Seven
John Froines and Lee Weiner had both been charged with making incendiary devices (stink bombs) but were found not guilty of all charges. None of the seven were found guilty of conspiracy. Attorneys William Kunstler and Leonard Weinglass and defendants Weiner and Dellinger were sentenced for contempt of court, except for Weiner for more than a year. All appealed.
More on the group Summary of the legal issues 

https://www.peacebuttons.info/E-News/peacehistoryfebruary.htm#february18

Extra Credit from Chop Wood, Carry Water

I’ve been staying really busy with writing and calls to my own and other pertinent legislators, and then encouraging and thanking elected Dems (who I’m not fortunate to have for my own district) for doing what they’re able to do in a difficult environment with a minority of seats and little support from we the people. That, some more work on the house, and working with Ollie is really cutting into my time; taking care of those things is a priority for me, and may result in my cutting back on posts and interaction here. I’ll still be around, doing the daily, and checking in to at least like comments when there are some, as long as Scottie wants me to. Meanwhile, here’s a little light duty from Jessica Craven:

Chop Wood, Carry Water 2/17 by Jessica Craven
Read on Substack

(snip-you can see it all at the link)

Extra Credit ✅

[H/T 

Alan Unell Ph.D.]

There are 179 lawyers in the 119th Congress. Here is a list of all of them. Many of them are Republicans. Those Republicans support the lawless behavior of the Trump administration closing federal agencies authorized by Congress, illegally firing Inspectors generals and staff at the department of justice.

Lawyers are not supposed to take part in criminal behavior or to support the furtherance of a crime, which is what they are doing.

Here is an action you can take. If you have a Republican member of Congress or senator you can look them up at the above link and see if they are attorneys.

Then you can email/call your state Bar association and demand that they be investigated for complicity in the furtherance of a crime by actively supporting Trump in his illegal dismantling of federal agencies and firing of federal workers. Here is the contact info for all the state bar associations.

Here is a sample text for you to use.

My name is _________________- and I live in (state). I am shocked to see that Representative or Senator __________________, who is a licensed member of the bar in our state, actively supports the illegal dismantling of federal agencies, which only Congress can do. I am shocked to see that they support the illegal firing of federal workers including inspectors general and staff at the Department of Justice without cause. That is complicity in an ongoing crime and I want you to investigate their illegal behavior and suspend them from the bar.

Thank you.

Name, City

Get Smart! 📚

CAP Action has put together a great resource—a Google doc for each state with data on who and what will suffer from cuts if Republicans pass their tax plan. Click here to find your state! (There might be a couple of states missing but they intend to have them all up soon.)


OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.

Hope to see some of you in SF tomorrow. The rest of you will get a regular newsletter then. Thanks!

Jess

Peace & Justice History for 2/16

February 16, 1936
A coalition known as the Popular Front (Frente Popular), comprised of socialists, communists, republicans, and labor groups, narrowly won a majority in the Cortes, Spain’s parliament, defeating the National Front.
February 16, 1959
Fidel Castro was sworn in as Cuba’s youngest prime minister after leading a years-long guerrilla campaign that forced right-wing dictator Fulgencio Batista into exile.

Fidel Castro
Castro, who had become commander-in-chief of Cuba’s armed forces after Batista was ousted on January 1, replaced the more moderate Jose Miro Cardona as head of the country’s new provisional government.

Fulgencio Batista
More background on Fidel
As reported at the time, including a filmed interview with Castro in English
February 16, 1982
Citizens’ Action for Safe Energy (CASE) succeeded in stopping construction of Black Fox Nuclear Power Plant near Inola, Oklahoma. Public Service of Oklahoma announced the cancellation, the first of its kind solely due to citizen protest.

CASE’s founder, Carrie Barefoot Dickerson, known as Aunt Carrie, and her husband, Robert, spent nearly a decade and all their financial assets organizing folks around Tulsa and the state. The Dickersons’ principal concern was the potential damage to health near the plant, and elsewhere through uranium mining and processing.
Aunt Carrie, her allies and their success 
watch video  (2011)
February 16, 1996 
Seven activists were arrested for blocking the road to the ceremony commissioning the nuclear submarine U.S.S. Greeneville at the Norfolk (Virginia) Naval Base.
February 16, 1996
The Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN), representing Mexico’s southern indigenous peoples, and the Mexican federal government signed the San Andrés Accords.
Begun in 1994 in Chiapas state, the EZLN had pushed the government for:
• Basic respect for the diversity of the indigenous population of Chiapas;
• The conservation of the the natural resources within the territories used and occupied by indigenous peoples;

Subcommandate Marcos, leader of the Zapatistas, and two of his officers
• A greater participation of indigenous communities in the decisions and control of public expenditures;
• The participation of indigenous communities in determining their own development plans, as well as having control over their own administrative and judicial affairs;
• The autonomy of indigenous communities and their right of free determination in the framework of the State.
February 16, 2005 
The Kyoto Protocol went into effect after countries responsible for 55% of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions had ratified the treaty, following Russia’s agreement to its terms. The agreement’s purpose was to reduce such gases to 12% below their levels in 1990 by 2012 and, thus, slow global warming.  
180 countries had agreed (except for the United States and Australia, two of the world’s top emitters of GHG per capita) to rules for implementing the Kyoto Protocol on July 29, 2001, in Bonn, Germany. President George W. Bush withdrew the U.S. from the process shortly after he took office that same year. His reasoning was that, since India and China had not signed on, they would gain a competitive advantage. The U.S. is now responsible for 15.6% of the earth’s GHG (with 5% of its population).
History, background on the Kyoto Protocol

https://www.peacebuttons.info/E-News/peacehistoryfebruary.htm#february16

More Black History

(However, it’s not well-known, it’s chilling, and it could be upsetting, so take only what you can take. It’s like Rosewood+Greenwood, plus yet more. -A)

You Heard of the Tulsa Massacre, But I Bet Nobody Told You About Red Summer of 1919.

From May of that year to December, over 25 race massacres took place on American soil.

By Lawrence Ware Published Monday 12:02AM

Image for article titled You Heard of the Tulsa Massacre, But I Bet Nobody Told You About Red Summer of 1919.
Photo: Unidentified Photographer, June 1921 (Getty Images)

Most Black Americans have never heard of the Red Summer of 1919…but it is an element of Black history that we need to pay attention to. This country specializes in committing monstrous atrocities and then ignoring the consequences of their actions. It happened with Native Americans and the Trail of Tears. And, of course, it happened with Black folks. This truth is best captured when we consider what happened in the year 1919.

When Austrian Archduke Franz was assassinated on 28 June 1914, it set off a chain of events that led to what we now call World War 1. Working age white men were drafted and sent to fight, so that left many job vacancies in northern cities that Black men were happy to fill. See, Black folks were feeing the racist South hoping to find less racism in northern cites. The population of Black Chicagoans increased by more than 100% while the number of Black folks in Philadelphia grew by 500%.

While that was happening, 367,000 Black Americans either enlisted or were drafted into service to fight in the war that had just popped off. Black men were eager to prove to white America that Black people deserved dignity. They hoped they would see that by fighting in what white folks were calling ‘The Great War.’ But once the war ended, Black soldiers returned to an ungrateful nation. Thinking about these men, W.E.B. Du Bois wrote on May of 1919 in the NAACP’s Crisis newsletter, “We return. We return from fighting. We return fighting.”

Du Bois had no idea how prophetic his words would be. From May of that year to December, over 25 race massacres took place on American soil. More than 250 Black men, women and children’s lives were violently cut short. Black folks discovered that the racial violence they thought they escaped when they left places like Alabama and Mississippi was not a feature of Southern living. Instead, it was part of being Black in America.

Those white soldiers who came home and discovered that scores of Black people had moved to the north. They also found Black soldiers who felt that they had earned their place in American life by serving their country. An official put it like this: “one of the principle elements causing concern is the returned negro soldier who is not readily fitting back into his prior status of pre-war times.” Therefore, white soldiers became white terrorists to put these soldiers and anyone who looked like them back in their place. There were race massacres in Washington D.C., Omaha, Knoxville, and a massive race riot in Chicago where 38 people were killed and 537 injured. Few white people were arrested for these crimes, fewer were prosecuted. Two years later was the Tulsa race riot where the Greenwood district, what we now call Black Wallstreet, was burned to the ground.

As we celebrate Black History Month, we need to tell the entire truth of our history. Not just the accomplishments of men and women who embody Black excellence, but also the way that America has wronged us. The Red Summer of 1919 is one of those stories that we would like to forget. Yet don’t our accomplishments shine even more brightly considering the darkness we had to endure? No doubt we have endured days when hope unborn had died. But, somehow, against all odds, we came to the place for which our fathers sighed.

During everything trying to do still struggling.

So today I have been having a very full day.  I have been helping Ron with the bathroom stuff as well as I could.  Did our morning walk.  I talked to Ron a bought evening meals.  I have been watching videos.  I have been answering comments which always makes me happy even though I am getting tired.  I am working on a post right now on the blogging computer how Ron and I redesigned the hallway bathroom.   But even during all that old issues come up.  I am so tired of it, and I am sorry to again hit you with it.  But two videos showed up in my YouTube feed and I clicked on them.  I have to say I shouldn’t have clicked on them, my own damn fault.   Ok I admit that.  But like a moth to a flame sometimes.  What do I say?  I should run, and keep running.  But far too often I click.  And I watch.  And I hurt.   But each of them tried to send me into the void.  Luckily I have strong friends who keep that void from me.  Here are the two videos below.  I am not opening any more YouTube links for now except for those from those I know and respect.  Hugs.  

Unlike the story of the teen above I was shared willingly by my older hell spawn female siblings with their boyfriends  / future husband.  I was way to please the boyfriend without them having to do the work.   When the oldest one’s second husband moved into our home and started raping me and her really young kids she laughed to my adopting mother saying it was so cute her soon to be husband thought he was sleeping with a girl.   A year later her soon to be 8 years old son came to me saying he wished he had been born a girl so he could be a better girlfriend.  I was so entrapped in my own abuse I couldn’t help him.  Hell at that time I couldn’t even understand what he was saying, none of my abusers had told me I needed to be the girl, I just was.   I regret that to this day.  All I could do then was hold him and say please be glad of your man parts and don’t let anyone take them from you.  I don’t know if that helped him or if he is angry because he told someone like I did, and they did not help.  Sadly he told me who was being abused by the very people abusing him.  

Both of these boys were me.  Sadly in the first I had no one to go to, the teachers I told only abused me freely and the only time I pulled a gun on one of my abusers … something, maybe a higher power, maybe just a future me, or a better part of me, convinced me not to and to lower the gun, remove my hand from the trigger and to replace everything to the places they belonged.  Of all the events in my life that once scares me the most.  The idea if I had pulled that trigger that night.  What might I have become.  Horrible to think of.  I was only 9 or so that night.  How I might have destroyed the Scotty that was to be.  But I had just been violently raped by one of my main hell spawn sibling abusers who had made me do unspeakable things before while growing up.  Yet with the gun pressed to his passed out temple, my finger on the trigger, something held me back.  I have never understood why.  Surly I would have been let off by any court.  Blood still tricked down my leg from his sexual assault.  But really that was not the point.  Something more was.  At this point in my life at 62, I doubt I will ever know or understand.  Love to all.  Best wishes to those that don’t want hugs.  Hugs.

OK, This Is From Me. It Contains Many Words, and Also Important Tools.

You can scroll down 3 grafs to get to the tools if you don’t care to read the words. I don’t want to lose the purpose within my words, like trees in a forest.

I consider myself a superlative networker. I can find people/things/articles/whatever and bring to them others who can use them. Scottie needed some help a few months back and gave me some space on his platform, and mostly, instead of writing my opinions about things which so many of us share already and read in lots of places, I’ve tried to go in the direction of supporting mental health, and things we can do to keep (or, these days, try to keep) our democracy (healthy) and fix things for people’s greater good. So, it’s true, other than a few comments and some original post titles, I don’t write much here; I network information. This post is from me, though.

We all know that I’m big on civic duties, having been practically brought up to do them, and believing in the rule of law and being loyal opposition when opposition supports the most people. So, when I do write things, typically it is with hopes of motivating or reminding others that we still have these duties and the rights to perform them; that letting these duties slide has helped bring us where we are; and, especially now, if we don’t use our rights and perform our duties, we lose the rights and can no longer perform the duties.

Which brings me to some tools. I’ve read EPI for years and years, and use their tools to help me lobby my legislators about issues that matter to most people. EPI has created a new set of tools, so I’m sharing them here in this post. I hope you managed to read through the previous grafs to get here, because this is important, and will be helpful to all of us as we do our work preserving democracy.

EPI Action is the home page. From here, you can scroll and click around to see what you want to see, and gain the tools to make your work easier. Yes, “EPI” stands for Economic Policy Institute (I think; they’ve been EPI now for so long, I may have messed that up.) And, yes, maybe someone thinks, “Hey, I only want to work on this, that, or the other, but not on economics.” Well, you can do that from here. EPI has information and tools to work with:

Watching the Republican Administration Mess Everything Up , and

Learning About Wages, Jobs, and Inequality listing numerous items of data to peruse, including “Union membership rates and the union wage premium, Annual wages for select groups, including the top 1% and bottom 90% of wage earners, Racial and gender wage gaps, Unemployment rates, including by state, Poverty rates, Inflation rates”.

 EPI has fact sheets you can use when you go to legislator town halls/forums, if that’s your thing, or to give away at a booth or a table if that’s your thing, or just to consult while you’re writing up a letter or email, or a script for calling, your legislators. Whatever your thing. If your thing is filing to run for office, EPI is a great information resource for use while campaigning and forming policy.

After all, somebody’s got to do it! For too long, not enough of us did, and now we all need to. More tools is a good thing, and Tuesday’s coming! (Monday is President’s Day; a holiday in most offices.) This is government of, for, and by the people. And never forget: https://www.house.gov/representatives , https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm , and even https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/get-involved/write-or-call/?utm_source=link

Let’s talk about how Trump, Bragg, names, and what’s next….

More About Erasing People, + Action for Fighting

‘We Will Not Surrender’: How to Stand Up to Trump Administration Attacks on LGBTQ+ Health Research

PUBLISHED 2/14/2025 by Wendy Bostwick

The Trump’s administration’s unprecedented war on LGBTQ+ health research—erasing data, censoring science and threatening lives—demands urgent resistance from the medical and research communities.

For the first time in a long time, I was scared. Two weeks after the election, I gave a lecture I’ve delivered countless times, on the critical need to measure sexual orientation and gender identity in health research. Such measures are necessary to identify the unique health needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. In my 25 years of doing research in and with LGBT communities, this is a topic that has shaped my career.  

Yet this time, I began my lecture with a caveat: I was uncertain—and afraid—of what the new administration might mean for the hard-won progress we’ve made in LGBT health research, to say nothing of the civil rights gained for my community in the past 30 years.  

Not only was my fear justified. It was understated.

Within the first three weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency, an avalanche of executive orders and questionably legal actions have validated my fears, leaving me unsteady and reeling. The Trump administration has aimed to disrupt—if not destroy—research and the scientific process … most especially research focused on LGBT populations, with transgender and non-binary people expressly targeted.

The administration’s actions have been swift and ruthless. (snip)

The American Public Health Association filed a lawsuit to challenge federal funding freezes. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has publicly condemned censorship and used their website to post some of the purged data. Organizations that rely on federal data should publicly take a stand, much like the American Association for Public Opinion Research just did. These aren’t just commendable actions; they’re blueprints for what every medical and scientific organization should do immediately.

Academic publishers and journal editors can no longer remain neutral. They have an ethical imperative to actively resist censorship and protect academic freedom. Their platforms, influence and resources need to be deployed in this fight—now, not after more damage is done. 

commentary by editors of the British Medical Journal is an excellent example. In it, they forcefully decry the Trump administration’s ludicrous order for CDC scientists to withdraw or retract scientific articles containing the aforementioned forbidden words, plainly explaining, “This is not how it works.” Article retractions, they note, do not happen on demand. They happen when there is evidence of data fabrication or manipulation, not because of political pressure. 

Some may imagine that silence in the face of injustice will shield them from harm, particularly if their work is seemingly unrelated to issues of sexual orientation, gender or gender identity. But when healthcare data and related research about LGBT groups are suppressed, it is not just scientific integrity that is undermined. We’re actively worsening health outcomes and costing lives. And this is a cost we all will bear.

Strengthening our cross-issue collaborations and advocacy efforts is imperative. This crisis demands unprecedented coalition-building across scientific disciplines, civil rights organizations and public health institutions. The administration’s assault on LGBT people and health research, as well as science writ large, may seem overwhelming. They are counting on our paralysis and division. We should not—must not—fall prey to this tactic.

It the midst of this deliberately wrought chaos, we must also take care of each other and ourselves. We cannot let these actions crush our spirit and obliterate our hope. I have found comfort in the work of Rebecca Solnit, author of Hope in the Dark, who reminds us that hope is itself an act of resistance. “They want you to feel powerless and surrender and let them trample everything, and you are not going to let them,” she posted on her site, “Meditations in an Emergency,” recently. “The fact that we cannot save everything does not mean we cannot save anything, and everything we can save is worth saving.”

Science is worth saving. Speak up. Push back. Build coalitions. File lawsuits. Protect data. Continue research. The future of science and countless lives hang in the balance. We cannot wait another day. We will not surrender.

Some Fun, Some Info To Keep On Hand For Daily Civics

Chop Wood, Carry Water 2/14 by Jessica Craven

Read on Substack

Art by @Sarah.Epperson on Instagram

Hi, all, and happy Friday!

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for the weekend. Living through an attempted coup is exhausting. And yet here so many of you are—more every day! Our movement, or whatever we’re calling it now, is growing by leaps and bounds. This newsletter has gained well over 50,000 new subscribers in the last thirty days. That’s NUTS, and also shows that Americans continue to be fired up and determined to fight back. I am so glad.

I know it feels like Trump and Musk are “getting away with everything” right now, but I want to remind you that, as they say in twelve step programs, sometimes we have to just “let time take time.” We’re not even a month into this thing yet. Already the country has seen large demonstrations, swamped Congressional phone lines, mass Senate office visits, the first Stop-Shopping day scheduled (for February 28), and the rise of the 50501 movement. Indivisible groups are exploding, new coalitions are being built, and new connections being formed.

This is a moment when old heroes to many—Adam Schiff, the New York Times, Snoop Dogg?—are proving disappointments, but also when new ones—Chris Murphy, the AP, Kendrick Lamar— are rising with brilliant fierceness. Entire media empires are crumbling, yes, but out of those ashes are emerging a whole new crop of great publications and tough, fearless journalists. Political content creators are taking their rising visibility seriously and forming new groups to coordinate their messaging. State Attorneys General and Governors are stepping up in a big way. Career Prosecutors at the DOJ are, as we speak, exhibiting stunning courage in standing up to Trump.

Progress, in short, is being made, and the work being done. Not always by whom we want, and not always as fast as we want. But that stands to reason: There is a massive and necessary reorganization taking place in response to Trump’s attacks. It can’t be instant—that simply defies the laws of physics. We’ve never been here before, so it stands to reason that none of the old rules apply.

So we’re all going to have to keep building the plane while flying it, remembering that new mechanics and pilots are joining us all the time.

Now a word about the many protests and strikes being planned. I have received a LOT of emails asking me for more information on the ones I’ve mentioned here. I have very little. These events are happening organically in a decentralized way. They are being organized on discords and in signal messages. I am not organizing them. What I put in the newsletter is the extent of what I know.

I did glean some helpful resources from a fellow activist today, though: This site is encouraging groups (not just of these events, but all groups doing on the ground actions) to list their events to create a centralized hub for movement work. You can search by state and see if there’s an action listed. You may also find some events on this website (although it is not organized in a way that is as user friendly). The 50501 Bluesky account is also sharing flyers for events as they learn about them. 50501 also has a Reddit page and a website. They seem to be emerging as a major force in this effort; I intend to follow them. And before you ask—no, I don’t know who “they” are. But last week’s 50501 protests went off without a hitch. I’m not going to keep avoiding them just because they have diffuse leadership. This just may be how resistance to an autocracy has to look. I’m grateful for the work they’re doing.

OK, all. I’m running way behind today, so I’m going to leave you with my favorite Vaclav Havel quote; I resort to it often in moments of duress:

Either we have hope within us or we do not.

It is a dimension of the soul and is not essentially dependent on some particular observation of the world.

HOPE is an orientation of the spirit, an orientation of the heart. It transcends the world that is immediately experienced and is anchored somewhere beyond its horizons.

HOPE in this deep and powerful sense is not the same as joy that things are going well or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously headed for early success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good, not because it stands a chance to succeed.

HOPE is definitely not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out.

It is HOPE, above all which gives the strength to live and continually try new things.

—Vaclav Havel

Perfect for this moment, right?

Now let’s get to work.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.

(snip)

I know Congress is going on recess soon and I’d like to know when the Senator is holding his/her Town Hall. We constituents have a lot to say about the coup attempt that’s happening and we expect an opportunity to have our voices heard. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.

I am upset about House Republicans’ proposed cuts to SNAP and Medicaid. Grocery prices and hunger are increasing in the country. Cutting the program that helps over 42 million people put food on the table is unacceptable. Same with Medicaid. 72 million Americans rely on it for healthcare—mostly children, seniors, and veterans. Republicans’ desire to cut these programs in order to pay for tax cuts for rich people is disgusting. What is the Congressmember doing to protect SNAP and Medicaid? Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

VERY IMPORTANT! A group of 17 states (all Republican) have sued the United States government in a case called Texas v Becerra. These states are asking the court to get rid of Section 504—a critically important law that says you can’t discriminate against disabled people if you get money from the US government. Section 504 does everything from requiring schools to include students with disabilities and help them learn to requiring doctors and schools to have sign language interpreters for people who are deaf and hard of hearing. There’s so much more. The fact that they’re suing to kill this rule is really shocking. I guess Texas started the lawsuit when they found out that gender dysphoria can get you 504 protections. But they’re not trying to get rid of just that provision. They’re trying to kill the whole thing.

One of my subscribers sent me a document that explains the situation in super clear language. It also gives us ways to reach out to the Attorneys General involved and ask them to drop the lawsuit. I’m asking all of us who live in one of the 17 states involved to take the time to do this, please.

The document is here. Please read it, share it, and, if you live in one of the 17 red states that are part of the lawsuit, use the sample letter as a template and write to (or call) your Attorney General. This MUST be stopped!

Extra Extra Credit for NY State Residents

You can do this if you’re not a NY resident but obviously it will pack more punch if you live there. There’s also an email form here.

Call Governor Kathy Hochul at 1-518-474-8390 and say:

My name is ____ and I live in [NY zip]. The Trump administration and NYC Mayor Eric Adams seem to have engaged in an overt quid pro quo – dropping the criminal case against Adams in exchange for the Mayor facilitating the Trump administration’s indiscriminate immigration crackdown. The Governor has the power to remove Mayor Adams. She needs to do so. He’s a criminal and a disgrace. Thanks.

Get Smart! 📚

As many of us engage on urgent threats to democracy, it is also vital to prepare and plan for the 2025 elections that will need a robust voter protection effort. Early planning and coordination will be key to protecting voters.

To help kick start that work, I’m pleased to announce a short Zoom presentation on February 25, convened by Voter Protection Corps and featuring voter protection experts analyzing the 2024 elections and providing insight into what to expect in 2025.

Please join them for this interactive virtual event.

Speakers: Caroline Hutton (Voter Protection Director, WisDems), Cecelia Ugarte Baldwin (Voter Protection Director, Democratic Party of Georgia), Jenny Guzman (Common Cause Arizona), Jesse Littlewood (Voter Protection Corps), moderated by Quentin Palfrey (Voter Protection Corps)

Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Time: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM ET

RSVP here.

Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣

With RFK Jr. now the HHS Secretary access to abortions is more threatened than ever. I truly believe we’re going to see the FDA ban (or severely restrict) abortion pills soon. Fortunately the amazing org Plan C is not backing down.

From them:

At this time of uncertainty we know several things: evidence-based information is critical in healthcare and beyond. People will continue to have abortions. And the evidence shows that abortion pills are safe, effective, life-saving medications, whether obtained through a clinic visit, via telehealth, or as a self-managed option. Abortion pills are accessible in all states and territories, including states with heavy restrictions, and can be kept on hand for two years.

Here are a few specific actions people can take to protect this access. PLEASE share this information:

  • Learn about pills in advance. People can access highly affordable (as low as $70) abortion pills now before they need them, so they have access to this vital form of health care. Visit plancpills.org/pills-in-advance to learn more and find pill options.
  • Order Plan C stickers. To date, we’ve distributed more than 4M stickers that direct people to our website with accurate, up-to-date information about how people are accessing abortion pills. We plan to continue to share this information under a Trump administration. plancpills.org/stickers
  • Spread the word about resources. We encourage people to know about and bookmark the following resources which will have information on how to access abortion:

Give 💰!

Movement Voter Project has just launched The Comeback Campaign: a plan for the first 100 days which is an all-hands-on-deck push to fund the most effective frontline groups around the country working to protect communities, block MAGA, and plant the seeds to win back power in 2026 and beyond.

Read the details here then consider making a donation here. MVP is my #1 pick for political donations. SUCH an effective use of your money.

Win Races! 🗳

Y’all, I’m doing a bit of work with Gay Valimont’s team to help publicize her upcoming special Congressional election in Florida. This race is a super long shot but in this climate I actually think a victory is possible. Watch the video for more info, then sign up to volunteer here or make a donation here.

Hey Missouri!

I’ve launched yet another state newsletter! This time it’s Missouri (here’s the link). My co-author is Anna Eggemeyer, a St. Louis-based activist, and we’ll be sending out legislative updates, actions, events etc. once every two weeks or so starting today. If you’re from MO, go check it out! Or if you know someone who is, send them the link. Thanks!

No Resistbot letter today, sorry!


OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.

Talk soon.

Jess

Sad, angering news: