Hi, all, and happy Wednesday!
Someone named Frederick Halsey, Jr. once said: “There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet.”
Ponder that today as you make your calls.
Sending love and strength, one ordinary person to another.
Call Your Senators (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I am very worried about the women activists and politicians, not to mention journalists and LGBTQ folks, being left behind in Afghanistan. The US government needs to increase the quotas for Afghan refugees, charter evacuation flights and offer humanitarian parole for those who are facing imminent threats.
Also, I want the Senator to vote “NO” on HR 1374 – “Enhancing State Energy, Security and Emergency Preparedness Act.” Despite its good intentions, it is a dangerously broad and vaguely-worded bill that will cause violence and civil rights violations. [H/T]
Call Your House Rep (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I am very worried about the women activists and politicians, not to mention LGBTQ folks, being left behind in Afghanistan. The US government needs to increase the quotas for Afghan refugees, charter evacuation flights and offer humanitarian parole for those who are facing imminent threats.
Also, I want the Representative to cosponsor HR 4099 – the “Large-Scale Water Recycling Project Investment Act,” and to actively support it through the House. This bill’s water recycling projects need to start immediately, to save crops and jobs and to recharge our groundwater supplies. Thanks! [H/T]
Extra Credit
Send this to President Biden here or via Resistbot. Or text SIGN PDYPBH to 50409 to send!
I’m writing to ask you to put an open door refugee policy in place for Afghanis, and to increase the capacity of NGOs operating in the country to make referrals for the P2 program, especially for women and girls, activists, and religious and ethnic minorities.
Many vulnerable Afghans--women, children, the disabled, the LGBTQI+ community, ethnic and religious minorities--were not direct recipients of aid but should be eligible and assisted under the P2 program.
Also, the U.S. needs to expedite processing for SIV and P2 applicants. Since the security situation is so grave, the U.S. must charter flights for all the vulnerable groups who seek asylum and safe haven in the United States or beyond. The alternative is them being lashed, repressed or killed.
I urge your administration to ensure the safety of the most vulnerable by using diplomacy to pressure the Taliban into an immediate, unconditional ceasefire with a commitment to protect civilians under the direction of the United Nations.
Finally, as part of its continued withdrawal plan and commitment to the Afghan people, I call upon the Biden administration to commit to: hold a cordon around the airport and keep it open, order every military and charter aircraft he can get to start running people out, demand third countries drop their visa requirements on Afghans, and demand Pakistan and the northern countries open their borders.
Thank you.
Talk to your Friends! 🧍🏼♀️🧍🏾♂️
Want to help with the CA recall but don’t want to make phone calls? Did you know that contacting your friends about it (aka relational organizing) is one of the most effective ways to help us win?
Research demonstrates that contacting a friend is more effective than contacting a stranger. And guess what? An amazing app called Outreach Circle figures out which of your friends are registered voters in California and allows you to send them an email or text them one at a time asking them to let us know if they are against the recall. All of your contact information will remain private and secure, and you choose which friends you want to contact. Every person we reach this way can be removed from our phone banking lists! This is HUGE!
Click here to download the app.
Prefer to do this with other people after a short training? Join the Grassroots Dems HQ for a virtual get-together on Friday, August 20 from 6 – 7:30pm PDT and do it with fellow volunteers! You’ll learn how to mobilize your network of friends & family to vote NO on the Republican Recall, drink in hand! 🍹 Sign up here.
Get on the Phones! ☎️
I’m attending an Activate America GOTV phone bank today to help defeat the CA recall. It's at 4PM PDT.
Ballots are IN MAILBOXES! The election is now. 🗳
Join me? It's easy, and if you're new to calling voters they will train you! 🙏🏽
Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here!)
[to all 3 reps] [H/T] [**NEW! Send this automatically by texting SIGN PWRCNR to Resistbot on whatever platform you usually use!]
I’m writing to urge you to support the immediate evacuation of women, civil society activists, LGBTQ+, religious and ethnic minorities, and other vulnerable groups from Afghanistan.
We need to supply government-run evacuation flights for the most vulnerable Afghans and use our influence to keep the Kabul airport operational. We also need to broaden visa eligibility and expedite processing for SIV, P1, and P2 visas. Afghans who do not qualify for those programs need to be granted humanitarian parole. We must demand that third-party processing countries drop visa requirements for those fleeing Afghanistan. These requirements are difficult to meet in the best of times, let alone during a humanitarian disaster and political collapse. Further, the DHS must designate Afghans for Temporary Protected Status to prevent deportations or other returns to Afghanistan.
The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the forceful resurgence of the Taliban is horrifying. After pursuing 20 years of failed policies that have created a humanitarian crisis, the absolute least the US can do is QUICKLY provide refuge to those seeking it. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk tomorrow.
Jess