You are a light in this tunnel—and I am so grateful to you! Activism is hard, weary, nonstop work that’s expensive in more ways than dollars. To actually view the Good that had occurred is a catalyst to keep on keeping on. You do that! Standing ovation!!
This list is 🔥. I’m ALL in for the sea turtles 🐢 & I was literally bawling at the vid you ended with. Go Key West!! Lead the way. Thank you for being you, Jess 🫶🏻
This list of positives is uplifting to an old woman who feels overwhelmed, exhausted, and depressed a lot of the time. I look forward to it every week. Thank you!
Whatever the folks in Key West did was probably a good thing, but a transcript would be wonderful because the audio was garbled.
1300 people attended an Empty Seat Town Hall in honor of Absent Ann Wagner, MO-2, on Friday featuring Sen. Chris Murphy among others. Great crowd of positive people, got about 2 minutes on local TV.
We solidly swore or affirmed that we would support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that we would bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that we take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of a citizen of this great nation
Thanks Marilyn. That's excellent, and I agree with the idea of making it part of every meeting, protest, or other gathering. It could be a serious solidarity builder.
I volunteer with League of Women Voters to register newly registered US citizens. I'm pretty sure it was the one they use in naturalization ceremonies. I recognized several key phrases. It could also be used for swearing in elected officials - but I'm not familiar with that one.
"I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."
I am a relatively new subscriber. I appreciate the ideas for actions we can take throughout the week to fight for our democracy, but I love the “Extra, Extra” edition that comes out on Sunday. It’s easy to become discouraged by all the negative things happening, but’s it’s so important to reflect on the positive things too. Thank you for all that you do!!
Hi Jessica, I live in the Charleston SC area. There are three town that border each other making it the largest metro area in South Carolina. I have been to 4 protests in the area. Right now the 50501 group that handled the Charleston area has no protests scheduled. Every other sizable area here has events scheduled for May Day. I don't think they have their hearts in it.
I have offered help via Blue Sky 50501. Reddit 50501. Been to Indivisible and Hands Off, Mayday Movement, websites, and there is nothing planned here.
I have made myself available to help and signed up to carry a clipboard and sign people up and something else to someone last week and never heard back.
I have no idea who (people) organizes these and none seem to want to communicate with me.
Our crowds have been getting bigger and we need to keep it up! I have time (I'm Quasi retired) and was thinking about how to help fill the gap.
Problem is I have zero experience taking something like this on. I contacted an attorney who volunteers with the ACLU that I met at a protest, and she said she would think about anyone she knows who can guide me.
Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks in advance if you can help me find a course to arrange more protests.
If I were you, I would just create an event and organize it. All you really need to bring is a bullhorn and a few extra signs. People just want a place to go. Speakers and all that other stuff is fine but it’s really not the most important thing. It’s the gathering that matters. If you build it, they will come.
It includes links to a toolkit and a mechanism for hosting your own protest.
I suspect that SC (like NC where I am) is a right-to-work state so their may not be too many unions. But what about Teacher Unions? Here in NC there are several protests related to the Education cuts.
For any postcarders out there, There are currently lots of opportunities to write.
Activate America (www.activateamerica.vote) is writing to voters in vulnerable GOP House districts in AZ, CA, and PA and to voters in OH for the Senate Race. The scripts remind the voters how these Republicans are rubberstamping the budget cuts to critical social safety net programs in order to pay for tax cuts to the Billionaires.
Field Team 6 (https://fieldteam6.herokuapp.com/) is wrting to prospective voters to register left-leaning voters in order to either replace Republicans or help Democrats stay in power. Current campaigns include:
* NJ Governor (2025 race)
* PA Supreme Court (2025 race)
* VA Governor (2025 race)
* AZ-01 and AZ-02 to Age 45+ with a Social Security/ Elon Musk Script (2026 race)
* CA-41 to Age 45+(2026 race)
* GA Women (2026 race)
* NC Senate (2026 race)
Postcards4VA (https://postcards4va.com/) is running 2 different types of campaigns in several House districts
* Wake up Virginia focuses on women ages 40 -90 who sat out (at least) the last election cycle to encourage them to get engaged. This is phase 2 (a second postcard going to the save voters) and it ties in with a billboard campaign by Rural Ground Game. You must purchase the specified postcard. The timing is mail as you go through May and June.
* There are also campaigns in selected districts to get women to vote in the June Primary for female candidates. These campaigns let you use your own postcards. Thay are also mail as you go with a deadline to may by June 3rd. (Note early voting for the Primary starts next Friday).
Postcards for Swing States should also start gearing up soon. You can sign up to get updates here: https://turnoutpac.org/postcards/
FYI: I believe what they are reading is a "take" on the oath of office that all Senators say. This group has changed the words so that THEY/WE are taking the oath. (Instead of "the duties of the office on which I am about to enter," they are saying "the duties of a Citizen of this great nation."
So this is what they are reading/saying:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of a Citizen of this great nation."
Just what I needed......I don't know how you do it......however it is so necessary to keep us connected and mowing on. Loved the closing video and I'm not a softy on patriotism. Thank you and have a nice evening.
You are a light in this tunnel—and I am so grateful to you! Activism is hard, weary, nonstop work that’s expensive in more ways than dollars. To actually view the Good that had occurred is a catalyst to keep on keeping on. You do that! Standing ovation!!
Thanks Karen! I know it’s hard and I’m glad you find this helpful. That’s the point.
I had never protested before April 5th. You give me insight. I do find this very helpful
This list is 🔥. I’m ALL in for the sea turtles 🐢 & I was literally bawling at the vid you ended with. Go Key West!! Lead the way. Thank you for being you, Jess 🫶🏻
Thank you! We will be out again in Key West on May 1… Mayday and getting people to sign up to vote!
🙌🏻 we’re all in it together!!
This list of positives is uplifting to an old woman who feels overwhelmed, exhausted, and depressed a lot of the time. I look forward to it every week. Thank you!
I’m so glad you find it helpful!
Whatever the folks in Key West did was probably a good thing, but a transcript would be wonderful because the audio was garbled.
1300 people attended an Empty Seat Town Hall in honor of Absent Ann Wagner, MO-2, on Friday featuring Sen. Chris Murphy among others. Great crowd of positive people, got about 2 minutes on local TV.
Amazing! And they were reciting an oath to the constitution of some kind. There’s a brief shot of it at the end.
Thanks Jessica. I caught a glimpse, but too quick for my old eyes. Marilyn posted that it was the oath federal employees and office holders take.
We solidly swore or affirmed that we would support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that we would bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that we take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of a citizen of this great nation
Thanks Marilyn. That's excellent, and I agree with the idea of making it part of every meeting, protest, or other gathering. It could be a serious solidarity builder.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/007hfmRYObAIbhfoQ4xbqRndw
Thanks Marilyn.
I believe this is what new citizens need to pledge at their formal swearing in ceremony.
Thanks!!!
Thanks!!!
Dave, pretty sure they were reciting a federal oath of office (not sure exactly which one)--great news about Ann Wagner's Empty Seat.
I volunteer with League of Women Voters to register newly registered US citizens. I'm pretty sure it was the one they use in naturalization ceremonies. I recognized several key phrases. It could also be used for swearing in elected officials - but I'm not familiar with that one.
Modification of the federal oath of office:
"I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."
https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:5%20section:3331%20edition:prelim)
I am a relatively new subscriber. I appreciate the ideas for actions we can take throughout the week to fight for our democracy, but I love the “Extra, Extra” edition that comes out on Sunday. It’s easy to become discouraged by all the negative things happening, but’s it’s so important to reflect on the positive things too. Thank you for all that you do!!
Thanks for being here, Michele! Welcome!
You might also want to check out Scott Dworkin's Substack. There is a lot of synergy with what Jessica is doing.
https://www.dworkinsubstack.com/p/more-great-news-for-us-thats-horrible?r=1aiy5t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
He recently did a Substack Live with Jessica. The recording can be found here:
https://www.dworkinsubstack.com/p/live-with-jess-craven-and-scott-dworkin
Thank you for the suggestions!
Social Security is the American people's savings bank. Stop the billionaire bank robbers (BBRs)
They are already in the lobby and assaulting the tellers.
Hi Jessica, I live in the Charleston SC area. There are three town that border each other making it the largest metro area in South Carolina. I have been to 4 protests in the area. Right now the 50501 group that handled the Charleston area has no protests scheduled. Every other sizable area here has events scheduled for May Day. I don't think they have their hearts in it.
I have offered help via Blue Sky 50501. Reddit 50501. Been to Indivisible and Hands Off, Mayday Movement, websites, and there is nothing planned here.
I have made myself available to help and signed up to carry a clipboard and sign people up and something else to someone last week and never heard back.
I have no idea who (people) organizes these and none seem to want to communicate with me.
Our crowds have been getting bigger and we need to keep it up! I have time (I'm Quasi retired) and was thinking about how to help fill the gap.
Problem is I have zero experience taking something like this on. I contacted an attorney who volunteers with the ACLU that I met at a protest, and she said she would think about anyone she knows who can guide me.
Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks in advance if you can help me find a course to arrange more protests.
Sorry for the ramble...
Thank you, Tim Shaw
If I were you, I would just create an event and organize it. All you really need to bring is a bullhorn and a few extra signs. People just want a place to go. Speakers and all that other stuff is fine but it’s really not the most important thing. It’s the gathering that matters. If you build it, they will come.
The closest one I found to Charleston is in Beaufort, SC.:
https://www.mobilize.us/mayday/event/780866/
But if you want to start one on your own, I recommend checking out this susstack:
https://open.substack.com/pub/thepeopledissent/p/update-may-day-protestseverything?r=1aiy5t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
It includes links to a toolkit and a mechanism for hosting your own protest.
I suspect that SC (like NC where I am) is a right-to-work state so their may not be too many unions. But what about Teacher Unions? Here in NC there are several protests related to the Education cuts.
Thank you for all you are doing! 👏🏼
Just in the learning phase now. I hope to do lots more.
There are now 514 signatures to the college and university statement, as of April 27th!
Whoa! I’ll have to amend that!
For any postcarders out there, There are currently lots of opportunities to write.
Activate America (www.activateamerica.vote) is writing to voters in vulnerable GOP House districts in AZ, CA, and PA and to voters in OH for the Senate Race. The scripts remind the voters how these Republicans are rubberstamping the budget cuts to critical social safety net programs in order to pay for tax cuts to the Billionaires.
Field Team 6 (https://fieldteam6.herokuapp.com/) is wrting to prospective voters to register left-leaning voters in order to either replace Republicans or help Democrats stay in power. Current campaigns include:
* NJ Governor (2025 race)
* PA Supreme Court (2025 race)
* VA Governor (2025 race)
* AZ-01 and AZ-02 to Age 45+ with a Social Security/ Elon Musk Script (2026 race)
* CA-41 to Age 45+(2026 race)
* GA Women (2026 race)
* NC Senate (2026 race)
Postcards4VA (https://postcards4va.com/) is running 2 different types of campaigns in several House districts
* Wake up Virginia focuses on women ages 40 -90 who sat out (at least) the last election cycle to encourage them to get engaged. This is phase 2 (a second postcard going to the save voters) and it ties in with a billboard campaign by Rural Ground Game. You must purchase the specified postcard. The timing is mail as you go through May and June.
* There are also campaigns in selected districts to get women to vote in the June Primary for female candidates. These campaigns let you use your own postcards. Thay are also mail as you go with a deadline to may by June 3rd. (Note early voting for the Primary starts next Friday).
Postcards for Swing States should also start gearing up soon. You can sign up to get updates here: https://turnoutpac.org/postcards/
Cheryl, if you put this all in a Google document for me, I can link to it in my link tree
I would be happy to do that.
FYI: I believe what they are reading is a "take" on the oath of office that all Senators say. This group has changed the words so that THEY/WE are taking the oath. (Instead of "the duties of the office on which I am about to enter," they are saying "the duties of a Citizen of this great nation."
So this is what they are reading/saying:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of a Citizen of this great nation."
Thank you!
I love that protest sign: "Grab him by Teslacles"
Bravo!
That was a woman at my Tesla takedown yesterday
Thank you! this made my day. Onward and Upward😊
🥰
Best thing I’ve read all day. Thank you so much for putting this list together. It’s so good to feel hope!
Barbara Lee was elected Oakland Mayor.
I had that in last Sunday’s edition
Just what I needed......I don't know how you do it......however it is so necessary to keep us connected and mowing on. Loved the closing video and I'm not a softy on patriotism. Thank you and have a nice evening.
Thanks, Jean!
I like this kind of winning!