Tag: Action Item

3 actions to do during lunch today!

If you get our newsletter, you’ve already had notice of #2 and #3. We were just alerted to #1 this morning.

#1 – Speak out against VCCCD trustee Joe “I-only-won-because-2-Dem-opponents-split-the-vote” Piechowski’s transphobic resolution. Deadline: TODAY – MONDAY, DEC. 1, 3:00 pm.

(This one has the earliest deadline!)

Ventura County Community College District trustee Joe Piechowski is literally the residue at the bottom of the barrel, because 64% of voters split their votes between Democratic candidates Bernardo Perez and Ruth Luevanos. But this residue isn’t wasting his chance to push regressive policies, and now we need to stand up against his resolution to pressure the 3C2A and state leaders into excluding transgender and intersex athletes from women’s sports. He’s misusing Title IX to justify discrimination as “fairness” using selective science based on questionable evidence. This resolution isn’t about protecting women’s sports. It’s about creating a gateway for anti-trans policy in our local colleges.

Urge the board to reject his discriminatory resolution and instead support policies that uphold Title IX’s actual purpose: ensuring equal access and opportunity for all student-athletes.

They meet on December 2! (agenda) Please submit a written comment by today- December 1st, 3pm. to the board here (https://form.jotform.com/253288279842168) Also, could be emailed here (boardoftrusteesclerk@vcccd.edu)

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Tell your legislators to vote “NO!” on the SAVE Act, a trojan horse for Christofascist voter suppression

What these patriarchal Christian Nationalist legislators want is a return to government run like it was by the signers of the Constitution – with only the richest White men being allowed to vote.

UPDATE: THE GREAT VOTER SUPPRESSION BILL has just passed through the House! Even more horrible, four Democratic-name-only legislators helped! Reps. Ed Case of Hawaii; Henry Cuellar of Texas; Jared Golden of Maine; and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state.

How close can they get to their ideal before the midterms? A lot closer if they can pass the SAVE Act, a cynically named elitist bill that’s actually a form of voter suppression against women, poorer American citizens and minorities – all those whom the GOP suspects will vote for Democrats.

Continue reading “Tell your legislators to vote “NO!” on the SAVE Act, a trojan horse for Christofascist voter suppression” →

If legislators trust America’s service members to protect our country, they should bloody well trust them to protect their own kids!

Captain Heelspurs’ legislators are playing toxic messaging games with the health care of the children of military service members.

(https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CCfPkJs7rXe7-95oceE7RnMhxhME2hFz)
Continue reading “If legislators trust America’s service members to protect our country, they should bloody well trust them to protect their own kids!” →

Leave nothing on the table – “President Biden, commute all federal death penalty sentences now!”

Please add your voice to that of Rev. Sharon Risher!:

Rev. Sharon Risher‘s mother, two cousins and a childhood friend were among the nine people killed by White supremacist Dylann Roof, who was sentenced to death in 2017. However, after studying the racial disparities in the application of the death penalty, and the lack of evidence that it deters violent crime, she asked President Biden to commute his punishment to a life sentence without parole instead. And she wants this to happen for the 40 others on federal death row too, before sociopathic Felon/President-elect Donald Trump restarts the killing spree he began in his first administration. In his final six months in office, he executed 13 people, more than any president in the past 120 years. She hasn’t heard back from Biden yet and those 40 people are still at risk. Let’s pile on!

Action: Urge President Biden to eliminate the death penalty for those under his watch.

(Example script -You can make your own, up to 2000 characters.)

Continue reading “Leave nothing on the table – “President Biden, commute all federal death penalty sentences now!”” →

Are they sleeping? Tell our legislators to Vote “NO!” on H.R. 9495/S.4136 to protect non-profits from Trump.

H.R.9495 is a Pandora’s box of destruction for any organization that crosses Trump and his MAGA agenda!

UPDATE: This bill passed the House! WTH?! Call your senators! Script below!

Despite its defeat last Tuesday night, H.R. 9495 – which gives the incoming Trump administration unchecked power to shut down ANY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION that stands in the way of his MAGA agenda – will return for a second vote in the U.S. House of Representatives early next week, with a markup starting on Monday, November 18. This will be followed by an expected floor vote on Tuesday or Wednesday, where it will require only a SIMPLE MAJORITY to pass.

What can we do?

Continue reading “Are they sleeping? Tell our legislators to Vote “NO!” on H.R. 9495/S.4136 to protect non-profits from Trump.” →

Tell your senators to vote “NO!” on the GOP’s deceptively-named voter suppression legislation.

The GOP is genius at creating acronyms that imply the OPPOSITE of what their bills will actually do.

Continue reading “Tell your senators to vote “NO!” on the GOP’s deceptively-named voter suppression legislation.” →

GA Election is TUESDAY! Come out and fight for our future! Join a campaign for Warnock!

Whatever you imagine you would have done during slavery, the Holocaust, or the Civil Rights movement, DO IT NOW!

(Jezebel) “Former President Barack Obama campaigned in Georgia with Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) on Thursday to remind people of several things: that Warnock helped Democrats pass impactful legislation, that winning a 51st Senate seat matters, and, most importantly, that Republican nominee Herschel Walker is a clown.”

Continue reading “GA Election is TUESDAY! Come out and fight for our future! Join a campaign for Warnock!” →

At the end of Pride Month – it’s time to rinse off some of that rainbow-wash.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay 

Hey, corporations! Do you want to be considered “people?”

(theskimm) “Nine years after the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City, gay rights activist Gilbert Baker created and paraded the first rainbow flag. Fast forward to June 2021: corporations (think: Walmart, CVS, AT&T) started adding rainbow colors to their logos on social media. The move is an attempt to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month. But LGBTQ+ activists say this show of solidarity by some companies is just a front since their corporate policies show a different side to their supposed activism. And are accusing them of rainbow-washing.“

Citizens United turned soulless corporations into “people” who can support things, like Pride Month and Juneteenth. Well, it’s time to remind a bunch of CEO’s that there are social rules to being “real people” – like defending and protecting their friends. Every kid knows that Pinocchio only became a “real” boy after he risked everything to save his father. Need a more grownup example? How about this – if you say you’re a supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, don’t give political donations to homophobes. So easy!

(Note: If you and your family/friend circle haven’t started calling your senators on passing the Equality Act, go here.)

CVS Health

Continue reading “At the end of Pride Month – it’s time to rinse off some of that rainbow-wash.” →

Using our influence for good – supporting LGBTQI+ people at home and abroad.

(Image by Tom Morris as part of the LGBT Free Media Collective coordinated by Wikimedia LGBT and WikiQueer)
  • Action #1: Yes” on S.393 – The Equality Act.
  • Action #2: Tell your legislators to support H.R. 1201/S.424 – International Human Rights Defense Act
  • Action #3: Call the chairs of the Congressional Foreign Affairs Committees directly.

Action #1: Call your senators, and make sure your friends and family members call theirs. 75% of Americans say ‘Yes” to S.393 – The Equality Act.

As we near the end of another great Pride month, it’s easy to forget how very recent some of our LBGTQ+ rights are – the U.S. Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states in Obergefell v. Hodges just six years ago, on June 26, 2015, making us one of 29 countries with marriage equality. Then the Trump administration showed us how fragile some of our progress was, banning transgender personnel from serving in the military and excusing those claiming religious beliefs from treating fellow Americans with dignity and fairness. (List here.) Even with Trump removed, our LBGTQI+ community still faces harrassment and discrimination that effect their mental, physical and economic wellbeing. Just this year, GOP-controlled legislatures, ignoring the will of 75% of Americans, passed the largest number of repressive anti-LGBTQ+ bills since 2015. As a result, CA’s attorney general just added five more states to the state-funded travel ban list.

But what about that recent Supreme Court decision that employers can’t discriminate against workers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity? It doesn’t apply to small businesses that employ as many as one in six Americans. Plus, it doesn’t protect access to housing, prevent denial of services or settle the question of who can use which restroom. (link to tweet here)

The H.R.5/S.393 – the Equality Act would amend existing federal civil rights laws – including the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 – to extend protections for LGBTQ Americans, extending protections on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity. It would also protect those with special needs. 48 out of 50 Democratic senators are already on board. If you have one, thank them. For those with friends and family in red states, you need to get your friends and family on the phone, every day, giving a piece of their mind to their GOP senators. Every day.

Minimal script for cosponsoring senators: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want to thank Sen. [___] for supporting S.393 – the Equality Act. It’s past time to recognize the essential humanity of all our citizens and remove this last bar to equal treatment of our LGBTQI+ community.

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Help Ventura house our Homeless Residents! Write City Council to acquire State funds to address our Shelter Crisis & attend the Council Meeting on 9/24

First things first. Familiarize yourself with the issues, myths, and solutions in the pipeline regarding our homeless brothers and sisters in Ventura.

On Monday, Sept 24, our City Council will be deciding whether or not to ask for State funds by declaring Ventura as having a Shelter Crisis. 

The City Council will be voting on the decision to declare a local emergency shelter crisis to be eligible to access California Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) funding.

In order to receive these State funds, Ventura must have an official Shelter Crisis declaration for this funding to be utilized within our city. Funds are anticipated to be released by year-end 2018 and in an amount significant to really make a difference to our most vulnerable residents.

Action #1: Email our City Council (addresses below)

Talking points for emails (be sure to make it your own!):

-As a voter and concerned citizen in Ventura, I’d like your commitment to declare a Shelter Crisis to be eligible to receive California Homeless Emergency Aid Program funding.

-State funds are being allotted by year-end to help our most vulnerable residents and, in addition to the funds earmarked by the Council in June, I feel strongly that, we, as a city can make great strides in addressing homelessness in our city

-Funding will go toward homelessness prevention, emergency housing vouchers, rapid rehousing, and navigation centers.

-In addition,
Continue reading “Help Ventura house our Homeless Residents! Write City Council to acquire State funds to address our Shelter Crisis & attend the Council Meeting on 9/24” →