Chop Wood, Carry Water 11/13
Choose love over fear.
Hi, all, and happy Monday!
Some days I wish I could reach through the ether and give each of you a hug. Today is one of those days.
We’re living in frightening times. Trump’s rhetoric has grown truly alarming. The climate crisis is escalating. The situation in Gaza is horrific. The atmosphere for our Jewish friends and family is growing increasingly hostile. Islamophobia is on the rise. Polls are discouraging. Americans are divided. Third-party candidates are seemingly raining from the sky.
And yet. We. Must. Persist.
How can we do that, with so much to agonize over?
By staying in the day, friends. By holding fast to our loved ones. By celebrating every beautiful thing we can—not because we’re shallow or frivolous but because we need restoration and balance. By hugging more people, sending more thank you cards, and asking after more struggling friends.
We can meditate and exercise. Eat well. Drink good tea.
Every day we must choose love over fear. Let’s remember that people act hatefully because they’re afraid. Treating our own fear is urgent, then, so that we don’t add to the hate. Remembering the fear at the root of evil acts, moreover, helps us to face them with more courage.
Just as we know that “the many can defeat the money”—and we need look no further than the Virginia elections for proof—we can be sure that love, good will, concern and empathy can overcome evil in all of its forms.
But only if those things are paired with action.
So let’s take a deep breath and get to work one more time.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
🚨 Israel/Gaza-related. Feel free to skip.🚨
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’m in general agreement with the letter recently sent to President Biden by Senators Van Hollen and Murphy. It pertains to the conflict in Gaza and contains questions that must be answered. I’m glad to see that many Senators have signed on to this letter and would like to know if the Senator will add their signature. While recognizing the extreme complexity of the situation I think the questions posed in the letter are fair and important. America is being asked to send a large sum of money to Israel—we should seek assurances that the Jewish state has a viable plan for defeating Hamas and that the United States will not be funding actions that run afoul of international and U.S. laws. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m calling to ask Congress to do everything in their power to avoid a government shutdown. Moody has already lowered its outlook on the U.S. credit rating from “stable” to "negative,” partially because of Congressional dysfunction. This dysfunction is embarrassing and bad for our economy. The House needs to stick with the funding agreement the President and former Speaker McCarthy made in May, stop adding poison pill amendments that can’t and shouldn’t pass in the Senate, and get this done! Also, it is imperative to appropriate the money for Ukraine and humanitarian aid for Gaza that the Biden Administration is requesting with no strings attached. These things are needed ungently and immediately. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
HELP GET REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ON THE 2024 BALLOT [H/T
]After last weeks sweeping victories for abortion rights, activists in at least four states are working to get pro-choice referenda on the ballot. Let’s sign up to volunteer, donate and signal boost them.
ARIZONA: Arizona for Abortion Access
FLORIDA: Floridians Protecting Freedom
MISSOURI: Abortion Access Missouri
SOUTH DAKOTA: Dakotans for Health
Get Smart! 📚
This should be fun! On Tuesday, November 14, from 7:00-8:15 PM ET, NOPE Neighbors will debrief 2023 and look ahead to 2024 with Simon Rosenberg, political strategist and founder of the Hopium Chronicles. Rosenberg was one of the only political strategists who predicted the trickle rather than a red wave in 2022. He’s become a champion for groups like NOPE, the legions of folks who show up and do the work to win close elections. He'll help make sense of the Virginia and national election results, and he’ll give us a good dose of “hope with a plan” for 2024.
(I know this conflicts with other events I posted on Friday. What can I say? Tuesday evening is a popular time! If you have to miss one Zoom meeting to attend another try emailing the hosts and asking if it will be recorded!)
Party For Ballot Curers! 🥳
VoPro Pros is holding a Zoom thank you party for anyone who volunteered to help cure ballots in VA.
It’s on Nov 19 from 6-7:30pm Eastern/ 3-4:30pm Pacific.
Attend at tinyurl.com/sonjazoom2 (unfortunately they don’t have an RSVP link, so you’ll just have to save this one and click on it when the time comes.)
The invite adds: “Wear your party clothes. Bring your own appetizers and your favorite beverage.”
P.S. If you would like to join VoPro Pros—and if curing ballots is your thing you DEFINITELY should—please fill out the form here. But you don’t have to be a member to party!
Give 💰!
The elections are not over in Louisiana! Reader Kathryn Hampton of Organize Louisiana sent me the below:
Will you please help spread the word about these three elections in Louisiana that will take place on November 18? State Treasurer, Attorney General and Secretary of State all have strong Democratic candidates who have made it to the runoffs!
The campaigns are working on reaching their target voters, and more than anything, they need donations to help with voter outreach and advertising!
Secretary of State: Dustin Granger — Donation link here.
Attorney General: Lindsey Cheek—Donation link here.
Secretary of State: Gwen Collins Greenup—Donation link here.
Thank you for your help in getting the word out!
Win Races! 🗳
This is from another subscriber, Dawn Teo. She’s a party officer for the district-level Democratic Party organization in the fastest growing swing state legislative district in America, and she needs our help:
In 2022, AZ Dems won the statewide Attorney General's race by 280 votes out of 2.5 million ballots cast, and Governor Katie Hobbs won by only 0.56%. Arizona's razor thin margins may determine the outcome of the 2024 presidential election and the U.S. Senate majority. Registering new blue-leaning residents could clinch it.
An estimated 58% of migrants to Arizona come from blue states and blue cities, and, with more than 23,000 unregistered households, one district—LD-15—has the most unregistered voters in Arizona. We who are organizers there want to build capacity fast so we can register thousands of new blue-leaning residents before 2024.
The AZ D-15 Dems’ Dem2Dem program specifically targets local Democrats who are likely to volunteer to help register their new blue neighbors to vote.
No matter where you live, you can sign up for our Dem2Dem program and help with postcarding, peer to peer texting, and phonebanking. Volunteer now by signing up here.
Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥
You are invited to Rewiring America's first-ever educational course! Why Electrify is an interactive, 90-minute online session designed with electrification beginners and newbies in mind. They'll explain what "electrifying everything" means and the benefits this energy switch could unlock for American households.
🗓️ Tuesday, November 14
⏰ 11:00am - 12:30pm PT / 2:00pm - 3:30pm ET
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[H/T] [Text SIGN PDYYTS to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]
I was deeply disappointed to see that the Fiscal Year [FY] 2024 House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education [Labor-HHS-Education] Appropriations Subcommittee bill eliminates federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting [CPB], Interconnection, and Ready To Learn.
I urge you to vote against the bill when it goes to the House floor.
I also request that you oppose two amendments that would do even more harm to public media:
• Clyde Amendment #211 – would rescind funding for CPB that was appropriated back in FY 2022 with bipartisan support, and
• Jackson Amendment #59 – would prohibit federal funds from going directly or indirectly to NPR or PBS, thereby limiting my local stations’ ability to acquire programming our community relies on.
I am a public media supporter because I see firsthand the difference our local public media stations make in our community. From providing the most reliable source of emergency information to preparing children for success in school to informing and enriching our lives with local news and cultural content, our local stations provide unique public services that aren’t available anywhere else.
Our community can’t live without public media. Please vote against the FY 2024 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill and amendments #211 and #59 if the legislation comes up for a vote.
Thanks for considering my request.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
I should have added that Islamophobia is also on the rise. Added it to the web version.
Thank you, Jessica, for your kind, calm, and helpful newsletter. You are our cheerleader. I am very grateful for your hard work to help us retain our democracy by kindness (Happy World Kindness Day!), love and ACTION!!!