Monday 2/5 – Standing Indivisible.

ACTION #1 – Stand up for our Servers! – DEADLINE TODAY, FEB. 5th!

The Department of Labor has proposed a rule making it legal for employers to take tips if they pay minimum wage. In a new report, 80% of the stolen tips, 4.6 billion annually would be taken from women and their families. Although proponents of this rule say that its for the benefit of back-of-house workers, owners do NOT have to share them with anyone else and can simply pocket them. Some already do.

Sample Written Script: I object to this tip rule (RIN: 1235-AA21). It’d go against decades of federal and state law and precedent, which has safeguarded tips as the property of the workers who receive them. If adopted, this regulation would force a vulnerable workforce further into poverty, economic instability, and vulnerability to harassment and assault. I urge the Department of Labor to withdraw this proposed rule (RIN: 1235-AA21).

Submit your comment here

More information:

Action #2 – Are we a “Give a hand up” or a “Pull up the Drawbridge!” society? Continue reading “Monday 2/5 – Standing Indivisible.” →

We ALL Marched for Justice in Ventura!

A beautiful day to march, to celebrate unity after the Thomas Fire, and to come together in peace and love, Ventura County Rising and the March for Justice was everything we hoped it would be!

Continue reading “We ALL Marched for Justice in Ventura!” →

Thursday 1/18 – We’re going to need a new guidebook if we don’t fight back.

(Note: I’ve received some great feedback that I should remove the analogy of the Green Book to a potential need for a future guidebook/spreadsheet to help LGBTQIA community and women avoid homophobic or misogynistic establishments or service providers. My critic is absolutely correct that despite the common religious tie-in, our current issues cannot be compared to the completely pervasive discrimination the black community suffered during Jim Crow, that it is not my story to tell and that people will not be familiar with this part of American history. All true. However, I personally find learning history to be a transformative experience, equally uplifting and horrifying, so I’m running it and letting you work your way through it with me.)

Does everyone recognize this? This is the 1940 cover of the “Green-Book“, a guidebook that was published between 1936 and 1966 by New York City mailman Victor Hugo Green, to help black Americans find food, gas and lodging as they traveled through a hostile countryside that could legally refuse them such services.

Why? Because the Supreme Court in 1883 struck down the Civil Rights Act of 1875, stating that, while the Equal Protection Clause prevented the government from discriminating against black citizens, it couldn’t prohibit such actions from private individuals and organizations.

OK, why are we talking about this now? Because one of the fundamental causes of this shameful period of American history, religious zealotry, has hitched itself to our current administration and is now targeting women’s rights and our LGBTQIA community, with the goal of making discrimination against these Americans completely legal, based on the personal religious or moral objections of others. Continue reading “Thursday 1/18 – We’re going to need a new guidebook if we don’t fight back.” →

The Miller Saturday Review – 1/6/17 Edition

(Collection of news from the week for fellow wonks and concerned citizens by Barb Miller of Indivisible Ventura)

Legislation on our minds this week…

- S. 2016 – No Unconstitutional Strike Against North Korea Act of 2017 Deeming that there is insufficient protection against global catastrophe, Senator Ed Markey advocated for his bill, which points out that the Constitution forbids presidents from launching wars that have not been declared by Congress, and which includes a ban on using any funds to violate the law by nuking North Korea. The hearing’s witnesses, and Senators from both major parties, made clear that they did not trust the president to obey laws. In fact, in launching a war, nuclear or otherwise, Trump would violate not only the Constitution but also the Kellogg-Briand Pact and the United Nations Charter. The latter also bans threatening war, which Trump does on a regular basis. Introduced 10/26/2017
- S. 2047 – Preventing Preemptive War in North Korea Act of 2017. No funds may be used for kinetic military operations in North Korea absent an imminent threat to the United States without express congressional authorization.
- S 2148 – Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2017 A bill to authorize dedicated domestic terrorism offices within the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to analyze and monitor domestic terrorist activity and require the Federal Government to take steps to prevent domestic terrorism. 11/16/2017 referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
- H.R. 3771 — Special Counsel Integrity Act. Bipartisan legislation which protects the Russia collusion investigation by taking away Donald Trumps ability to fire special counsel Robert Mueller.

Civil Liberties Continue reading “The Miller Saturday Review – 1/6/17 Edition” →

Sanity-Saving Good News – The #MeToo Edition

Good News for Women!

Time Magazine chose the women brave enough to stand up to their harrassers as “Person of the Year” over the man accused of being a harrasser himself. Which is great!

However, as we learn more about the #MeToo movement, it is disappointing to learn that the actual original author, Tarana Burke, who started it as part of her work with young harrassment and assault survivors more than ten years ago, wasn’t included on the cover. Our thanks and congratulations to her.

Continue reading “Sanity-Saving Good News – The #MeToo Edition” →

Sanity-Saving Good News – “History of Resistance” – Edition

The kids are alright!

(Editor’s note: I don’t remember doing anything like this as a kid. I’m in awe of these young people…)

College students take classes to learn how to be philanthropists. We can also learn on-line, thanks to Warren Buffett’s sister.

“No Spencer, no KKK, no fascist USA.” University of Michigan students practiced the art of peaceful protest when Richard Spencer requested to speak on campus. (Hey, Ivanka, this is how you use the word “complicit“!) Meanwhile, 26 European countries have simply banned him.

These DACA/Dreamers went far beyond a simple march with signs in support of Dreamers.

Continue reading “Sanity-Saving Good News – “History of Resistance” – Edition” →

Sanity-Saving Good News -“Thanksgiving” Edition

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello everyone! We’ve made it the first Thanksgiving in the age of Trump. Thanks to all of you who’ve been working hard to protect our citizens, our immigrants, our students, our environment, and our civil rights from those who stand to gain by harming us.

Welcome to those who’ve just started on this seemingly endless battlefield. You will meet some of the most amazing people and friends amongst your new comrades-in-arms.

For today, we’re gathering as much good news and useful things together to make your day better, even if that uncle that makes everyone crazy comes…

If fact…ESPECIALLY if that uncle comes. If he want to talk about taxes, send him here. If he wants to denigrate fellow Americans for their religion, their race, or their relationship preferences, the Women’s March has put together a conversational toolkit called “Daring Discussions“. “The stakes are too high to remain silent in the face of bigotry and injustice.” It’s up to us to be willing to confront current injustices, as well as acknowledging historical ones, like the violence inflicted on indigenous peoples and recognize that Thanksgiving is a day of mourning for many of our indigenous citizens.

So, let’s start by putting aside childish things…Like the fairy tale of Thanksgiving itself.