Local
Postcards for Progress – Don’t Give Up Now Edition
Saturday, August 5, 2-4pm, Gallery Z, 167 Market Street, Lowell
Feel like you aren’t making a difference in this time of political crisis? Come write postcards to your elected officials with us! Commiserate on the horro rs in our current administration and do something that can actually enact change! Now with food! (Gallery Z has its own cafe!)
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/195619970973533/
Demonstrate, Drink, and Discuss!
Friday, August 11 at 6:30 PM – whenever, Corner of Arcand Drive and Dutton Street, Lowell, MA
Our new weekly visibility events are back! Come demonstrate with us at the intersection of Arcand Drive and Dutton Street (in front of Cobblestones, across from City Hall). Bring signs! We’ll plan to demonstrate for a bout an hour. After the demonstration, we’ll head to Fuse Bistro to have some drinks and discuss the events of the week!
More Information: https://www.facebook.com/events/923539397787344/
The U.S. Premiere of THREADS OF RESISTANCE
Now through September 10, 2017, 18 Shattuck St., Lowell
The New England Quilt Museum is presenting the Premiere of a juried exhibition of fiber art created by the Artist Circle Alliance to protest the Trump administration’s actions and policies. Head over any time, or join Action Together Massachusetts Merrimack Valley (ATMV) for a group outing on Sunday, August 20, at 1 pm. More information: http://threadsofresistance.org/home.html
Directions and hours: nequiltmuseum.org/
SAVE THE DATE: Solidarity Lowell General Meeting
Sunday, August 27th, 5pm, Mill No. 5, 250 Jackson Street, Lowell, MA
Please attend as we will be making the final decision on whether or not to become a chapter of Progressive Massachusetts!
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/105304816825867/
State
URGENT ACTION: Gov. Baker files anti-immigrant legislation
Governor Charlie Baker: 617-725-4005
Senator Eileen Donohue: 617-722-1630
Senator Michael Barrett: 617-722-1572
Rep. Rady Mom: 617-722-2460
Rep. James Lyons: 617-722-2460
Rep. Thomas Golden: 617-722-2263
Rep. David Nangle: 617-722-2575
Rep. Colleen Garry: 617-722-2380
In response to historic SJC ruling, Governor Baker has filed anti-immigrant legislation authorizing collaboration between law enforcement and ICE. Contact your state legislators now and tell them to oppose this attack on Massachusetts immigrants. Also, contact the Governor and let him know he has overstepped his boundaries and his constituents are noticing!
More Information: http://www.mass.gov/governor/legislationexecorder/legislation/empowering-law-enforcement-to-cooperate-with-the-us.html
It’s Working! The Legislature is Moving in Favor of The Safe Communities Act (S1305/ H3269) and the Coalition Needs Your Support NOW!
James Lyons: 617-722-2460 ← Actively opposed, call him to express your disappointment.
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Not yet co-sponsors, ask them to co-sponsor the Safe Communities Act (S1305/ H3269):
Thomas Golden: 617-722-2263
David Nangle: 617-722-2575
Colleen Garry: 617-722-2380
Sen. Eileen Donohue: 617-722-1630
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Rady Mom: 617-722-2460 ← Is a sponsor; thank him, and ask him to sign the letter to his colleagues.
Sen. Michael Barrett: 617-722-1572 ← has signed the letter. Call to thank and encourage him
Sample Script 1: “Hello, my name is _____ from _____ . I know <rep/senator> is not yet a co-sponsor of the Safe Communities Act (S1305/ H3269). As a constituent, I am calling to lend my support to this act, and I am asking <rep/senator> to please co-sponsor the bill and sign the letter encouraging their colleagues to do the same. Thank you!”
More information: Click for Call Guide, Lobbying Tips and More!
Federal
Urge Members of Congress to support the Dream Act of 2017.
Elizabeth Warren: 617-565-3170
Edward Markey: 617-565-8519
Neither of them have co-sponsored this legislation to date.
The “DACA” program under President Obama allowed individuals who came to the US as children to safely apply for jobs and attend college as long as they passed regular background checks and didn’t break the law. Our current Administration is now using the information they provided under DACA to accelerate these deportations. DACA was created by executive order but the Dream Act, if passed, will have the force of law. The deportations are accelerating – let’s make our voice heard today.
Sample Script: “Hello. My name is ____, from Lowell, Massachusetts. I am calling to ask the Senator to support The Dream Act of 2017 and give the DACA the force of law. Please treat this as an urgent priority, in order to stop the acceleration of depor tations. Can I count on the Senator to join the bipartisan movement and give immigrants brought to the US as children, who meet the requirements set forth in the legislation, permanent residency and the path to citizenship?”
More information: http://fortune.com/2017/07/21/daca-dream-act-2017-new-immigration-news/
Protect America’s Rivers, Lakes and Wetlands
Elizabeth Warren: 617-565-3170
Edward Markey: 617-565-8519
Niki Tsongas: 978-459-0101
In June, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposal to roll back the Waters of the United States Rule; this rollback would remove Clean Water Act protections from water sources that supply drinking water to one in three Americans. As the Environmental Law and Policy Center noted, “Rollback of clean water standards rejects years of work building stakeholder input and scientific data support, and it imperils the progress for safe clean drinking water in the Midwest.”
Sample Script: “Hi, my name is ____, and I’m a constituent from Lowell.
I’m calling to oppose the EPA’s planned rollback of the Waters of the United States Rule. Ensuring clean water for all Americans is a national priority that requires federal support, and it is irresponsible to end a rule that protects 1 in 3 Americans’ drinking water sources. I urge <Sen/Rep> to fight against the elimination of the Waters of the United States Rule.”
More information: https://www.epa.gov/…/epa-us-army-move-rescind-2015-waters-us
Make a difference. Submit your comments and let your voice be heard:
Do you have a Specific concern about a new proposed rule? An agency cannot issue a Rule unless granted authority to do so by law. Before the rulemaking process, an agency evaluates possible alternative solutions to a rulemaking and determines whether the benefits of the regulation justify the costs. Agencies will typically submit an “Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” to the Federal Register for the public to view at http://www.federalregister.gov. This notice allows the public the opportunity to comment on whether or not a rulemaking should be initiated.
Boycott Sean Hannity’s advertisers
Are you on Twitter? If so, here’s a quick way to make an impact: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zJ_QE2Ze2iuI4QA-UDUJ1CUM5BLFVpZ3BwwMZl0k-zo/pubhtml
Sean Hannity opened his show by saying that [Special counsel] Robert Mueller is a criminal. This is a blatant attempt to undermine the credibility of a true patriot who is actively investigating the possibility of collusion between the Trump administration and the Russian government. Given that Trump recently had a private dinner with Hannity, this is further evidence that Trump is just trying to deflect attention away from the investigation and is using Hannity to do it. Hannity is not a journalist, and his advertisers need to know we won’t support them, if they support Hannity.
The RRT (Rapid Response Team) Action List compiles action items from the week into one place. If you would like to add anything to the weekly update, please send it to Marissa Dupont on Facebook or at marissa.dupont@gmail.com using subject line “RRT”, or use hashtag #RRT in the Solidarity Lowell Facebook group.