Black Lives Matter

Black Parents Explain How to Talk to Police (5 min)

https://youtu.be/coryt8IZ-DE

Why We Shouldn't Forget That U.S. Presidents Owned Slaves (3 min)

https://youtu.be/ohB8UfLd93M

Islamophobia

Is History Repeating Itself? Don't Normalize Hate (3 min)

https://youtu.be/OBsImjKVof4

What if the refugees were British? Looked like you and prayed like you? (2 min)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/save-the-children-uk-syria-video_us_573258eae4b016f378977a9c?ncid=engmodushpmg00000003

Islamophobia killed my brother. Let's end the hate | Suzanne Barakat (15 min)

https://youtu.be/XiEQmcZi8cM

Below is the link to the Densho/CAIR event last Sunday in recognition of EO 9066 (Japanese Internment Bill).

https://youtu.be/73MsuVZqilA

British Muslim Teacher Denied Entry to US on School Trip

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/20/british-muslim-teacher-denied-entry-to-us-on-school-trip?CMP=share_btn_fb

White Kansas Man Spewing Racial Slurs Shoots Indians He Thought Were "Middle Eastern"

http://www.alternet.org/grayzone-project/olathe-kansas-shooting-indian-middle-eastern

Religious Minorities Under Muslim Rule

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/58a482ede4b0e172783aa315

10 Ways to Help Refugees In Seattle

https://www.rescue.org/announcement/10-ways-help-refugees-seattle

Inspirational Videos/Articles

Journalist Schools Trump Advisor Who Uses the Term "Illegals" (1 min)

https://youtu.be/Ro2GuaBG7KY

Justin Trudeau Denounces Politics of Fear in UN General Assembly speech

https://youtu.be/B2ubeSbkkEk

"We've Come Too Far to Go Back," Elderly Activists in a 10 Actions in 100 Days group in Encinitas, California

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2017/feb/14/weve-come-too-far-go-back-say-elderly-activists-pr/

Muslims Unite to Repair Jewish Cemetery 

https://www.launchgood.com/project/muslims_unite_to_repair_jewish_cemetery#/

Islamaphobia/Racism/Black Lives Matter subgroup Feb. 21st Notes

Islamophobia/ Racism/ Black Lives Matter Feb. 21st Meeting Action Ideas

• Invite a Republican to speak to our Action group, specifically Mayor Lucy Krakowiak.
• Invite a Muslim speaker- specifically Uplift Dawah youth group from Tukwila.
• Invite a police officer to speak to our Actions group.
• Invite a Black Lives Matter speaker to talk to the Actions group.
• Contact Burien City Council to ask them to host an educational multicultural talk/ cultural day potluck
• Create common misconceptions about Islam fact sheet to share with the group
• Share video from Sunday Feb. 19th Day of Remembrance talk with CAIR, Densho and Pramila Jayapal. 
• Share the video of black parents teaching their kids how to interact with police.
• Find a symbol or way to network to offer shelter to those seeking a safe house.
• Contact Highline School District to ask them what they are doing to teach tolerance. Books about refugees, speakers, "The Book Thief" about teenagers in Nazi Germany. 
• Find app that tells us how our representatives have voted on issues.
• Set up visit to Redmond mosque (called MAPS), Federal Way mosque, Abu Bakr Tukwila mosque, Sikh Temple, synagogue. 
• Resources: 
• cairseattle.org Muslim activist group 
• notinourtown.org Anti-bullying, anti-hate group
• National Memo, News and Grit Facebook page, NY Times, New Yorker, The Nation, Daily kos, 5calls.org
• Subgroup leader: Theresa Crecelius tcrecel@gmail.com 

Islamophobia: Bill in Congress to classify Muslim activist groups as terrorists.

Bill in Congress to classify Muslim activist groups as terrorists. http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/donald-trump-muslim-travel-ban-muslim-brotherhood-terror-bill-civil-society-devastating-effects-a7571426.html

"Blacklisting an Egyptian group with alleged links to terrorism has a direct impact on American citizens because these “affiliates” encompass several US Muslim advocacy organizations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair), the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the Muslim Students Association (MSA).

Cair is the largest and most influential civil society group in America and, according to policy experts, faces the highest likelihood of being shut down as a result of this ruling."

ACTION ALERT: Requiring the President to Disclose Tax Returns

Hello, Friends.

President Donald Trump’s conflicts of interest are unprecedented. Every day, it becomes more and more clear that there is simply no separation between the Trump administration and the Trump family businesses.
 
With just under three weeks in office, Donald Trump has already used his presidential power for personal gain. And just yesterday, his counselor Kellyanne Conway used a TV interview to promote his daughter Ivanka Trump's brand. Earlier this week, Trump urged his supporters on Twitter not to shop at Nordstrom because they stopped selling Ivanka's clothing.
 

This is just one of many instances where President Trump and his administration have put his family's businesses above the needs of this nation and its people.

Fortunately, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced a bill that would require President Trump to divest from his business interests and disclose his tax returns. But she needs YOUR help to build support.
 
Our Senator Patty Murray is one of 23 senators who are currently sponsors of Senator Warren’s bill (S.65).
 
Please call Senator Cantwell today at 206-220-6400 or 202-224-3441 and demand that she co-sponsor this critical legislation to end Trump’s unprecedented conflicts.

Thank you.

Quick way to get your "electeds" numbers in your phone!

If your senators and representatives aren't saved in your phone yet, text your zip code to 520-200-2223. You'll get a text back with everyone's contact info. This includes your state reps/general assembly!

This works fast!

Appeals Court Refuses to Reinstate Trump Travel Ban

Originally published February 9, 2017 at 3:15 pm Updated February 9, 2017 at 4:19 pm

Story link for reading online: http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/trump-loses-travel-ban-appeal

“The law is not an abstraction. There are real people’s lives impacted,” said Attorney General Bob Ferguson, during a news conference welcoming a Somali immigrant who was blocked from entry last week due to the President’s immigration ban Washington Governor Jay Inslee and Port of Seattle Commission President Tom Albro stand behind him. (Bettina Hansen/The Seattle Times)

A federal appeals court in San Francisco Thursday refused to reinstate President Donald Trump’s ban on travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations.

By 

The Associated Press and 

The New York Times

A three-judge federal appeals panel Thursday unanimously refused to reinstate President Trump’s targeted travel ban, delivering the latest and most stinging judicial rebuke to his effort to make good on a campaign promise and tighten the standards for entry into the United States.

U.S. District Judge James Robart in Seattle issued a temporary restraining order last week halting the ban on immigration and travel from seven predominantly Muslim nations after Washington state and Minnesota sued. The ban temporarily suspended the nation’s refugee program and immigration from countries that have raised terrorism concerns.

Justice Department lawyers appealed to the 9th Circuit, arguing that the president has the constitutional power to restrict entry to the United States and that the courts cannot second-guess his determination that such a step was needed to prevent terrorism.

The ruling by 9th Circuit panel rejected that argument: “There is no precedent to support this claimed unreviewability, which runs contrary to the fundamental structure of our constitutional democracy.”

Many have predicted the case will be quickly appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Trump, for his part, answered in all caps on Twitter minutes after the ruling: “SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!”

The Supreme Court remains short-handed and could deadlock. A 4-to-4 tie in the Supreme Court would leave the appeals court’s ruling in place.

Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson isssued his own statement, urging that the Trump administration stop pursuing the case and pull back the executive order, which was signed Jan. 27. (Ferguson is holding a news conference, which can be seen on livestream).

“No one is above the law, not even the President,” Ferguson said. “The President should withdraw this flawed, rushed and dangerous Executive Order, which caused chaos across the country. If he refuses, I will continue our work to hold him accountable to the Constitution.”

The case before the 9th Circuit, on whether to uphold Robart’s decision to suspend the travel ban did not take on all constitutional questions involved in the ban. Rather, the judges weighed whether the state or the nation would incur more harm.

The states argued Trump’s travel ban harmed individuals, businesses and universities. Citing Trump’s campaign promise to stop Muslims from entering the U.S., they said the ban unconstitutionally blocked entry to people based on religion.

The Trump administration hit hard on national security, saying a temporary ban was needed to reassess vetting.

The weekend after the ban brought chaos and protests to airports across the United States, including at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, as refugee families waited for loved ones and green card holders didn’t know where they stood. Some with visas were turned back.

On Thursday, the court said, “… we hold that the Government has not shown a likelihood of success on the merits of its appeal, nor has it shown that failure to enter a stay would cause irreparable injury, and we therefore deny its emergency motion for a stay.”

The judges added, “On the one hand, the public has a powerful interest in national security and in the ability of an elected president to enact policies. And on the other, the public also has an interest in free flow of travel, in avoiding separation of families, and in freedom from discrimination.

“We need not characterize the public interest more definitely than this; when considered alongside the hardships discussed above, these competing public interests do not justify a stay.”

Both sides faced tough questioning during an hour of arguments Tuesday conducted by phone — an unusual step — and broadcast live on cable networks, newspaper websites and social media. It attracted a huge audience.

The judges hammered away at the administration’s claim that the ban was motivated by terrorism fears, but they also challenged the states’ argument that it targeted Muslims.

“I have trouble understanding why we’re supposed to infer religious animus when, in fact, the vast majority of Muslims would not be affected,” Judge Richard Clifton, a George W. Bush nominee, asked an attorney representing Washington state and Minnesota.

Only 15 percent of the world’s Muslims are affected by the executive order, the judge said, citing his own calculations.

“Has the government pointed to any evidence connecting these countries to terrorism?” Judge Michelle T. Friedland, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, asked the Justice Department attorney.

The lower-court judge temporarily halted the ban after determining that the states were likely to win the case and had shown that the ban would restrict travel by their residents, damage their public universities and reduce their tax base. Robart put the executive order on hold while the lawsuit works its way through the courts.

After that ruling, the State Department quickly said people from the seven countries — Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — with valid visas could travel to the U.S. The decision led to tearful reunions at airports round the country.

The Supreme Court has a vacancy, and there’s no chance Trump’s nominee, Neil Gorsuch, will be confirmed in time to take part in any consideration of the ban.

The ban was set to expire in 90 days, meaning it could run its course before the court would take up the issue. The administration also could change the order, including changing its scope or duration.

Updates and Actions

Hi everyone,

It has been a doozy of a week. And more is coming down the pike.

Some of you like to make calls, some of you want to take to the streets. I'm trying to include a sample of a variety of actions one can take in this email.

I also want to acknowledge that not every issue strikes each of us in the same way. Some of us may have different beliefs/feelings on certain things. That's okay. You can choose to participate in what you want to. The goal of our group, at this point, is to inform and draw together to work with neighbors on the things that are important to us, and not everything will carry the same weight.

For those that like to make calls, 5calls.org is the best resource I have seen. I'm not including every call in this email, but you can look there for others to make. Here are two below to make to Pramila Jayapal, 202-225-3106. Mention the bill number below (it begins with H.R.) and express your concerns about eliminating the Election Assistance Commission and your desire to Ensure the Protection of Federal Lands.

Election Assistance Commission

While the Senate was voting to confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, the House Committee on House Administration voted 6-3 (along party lines) in favor of H.R. 634, the Election Assistance Commission Termination Act, which would shut down the federal agency that helps states regulate voting systems and administer election standards. Created after the chaotic presidential election of 2000, the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) secures our voting process and infrastructure, providing support that local election officials rely on. Now, the House Committee has decided that we no longer need it.

In 2014, President Obama’s Presidential Commission on Election Administration tasked the EAC with modernizing our severely outdated voting machines with more efficient, secure technology. Terminating the EAC would abruptly end its important work, putting our democratic process at a higher risk for voting irregularities, machine failures, and hacks. This is a stunning move by Congress, especially after Russia’s proven attempts to hack into state voter registration databases and destabilize our entire presidential election.

Ensure the Protection of Federal Lands

On January 24th, Republican representative Jason Chaffetz introduced two bills, H.R. 621 and H.R. 622, designed to shift control of federal lands (national forests and other lands preserved for recreation, hunting, fishing, conservation, etc) from federal government authorities (the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service) to individual states. If this legislation passes, state governments may privatize these lands for a variety of uses, including mining, logging, construction, and other destructive activities.

* H.R. 621 would have resulted in the sale of 3.3 million acres of federal lands to the states and was withdrawn on February 2nd after a large public backlash.

* H.R. 622 is still in play. It removes legal authority from the BLM and the Forest Service, transferring it to individual states and local law enforcement. The major loss of federal resources and oversight will burden local governments, which will likely decriminalize destructive private use or simply fail to enforce existing laws, thereby deprioritizing the protection of public lands.

For those that want to take to the streets:

Stand with Planned Parenthood in Kent this Saturday from 8:30-11. More information here: https://www.facebook.com/events/377253709302982/ 

Black Lives Matter/Tax Day March: Saturday, April 15th, 2pm-6pm at Westlake: https://www.facebook.com/events/1821071081482170/

Save Our Planet March in Seattle, April 21st (anti-nuclear weapons): https://popularresistance.org/calendar1/save-our-planet/

March For Science April 22nd (Earth Day): https://www.marchforscience.com/

I will be sending out some information on civil disobedience training soon.

ACTION ALERT: Updates and more

Hi everyone--happy Snow Day! If you have some time today, there are quite a few calls you can make:

Word is that Patty Murray is leading a Democrat filibuster on the Senate floor!

Also, some of you were asking for a script when you call. 

"Hi, my name is ________. I am not from your state, but I am calling you as a concerned US Citizen because I am very concerned about Betsy Devos and that she is highly unqualified to be the Secretary of Education. She has demonstrated she does not understand that the IDEA act is federal law. She does not believe in including students with disabilities in public education and does not understand the role of the Secretary of Education in ensuring all students have the right to a free and appropriate public education. I urge you to vote no. Please do not confirm Betsy DeVos, our children depend on it. Thank you."

Some staffers may hang up on you if you are not from their state, but you can try. Also, urge folks from Utah and North Carolina to call as they seem to be the ones most people feel will change their minds.

And call back if their mailbox is full. Some staffers clear it out once a day, some do more often. Vote is scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday).

Other Action Items:

Attorney General Confirmation

Call Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell to thank them for their no vote on DeVos, but urge them to vote no on Jeff Sessions as the Attorney General.
Patty Murray --202-224-2621 for DC, 206-553-5545 for Seattle office
Maria Cantwell --202-224-3441 for DC, 206-220-6400 for Seattle office

Script from 5calls.org:

Hi, my name is [Name] and I'm a constituent from [City, State, Zip].

I'm calling to express my deep opposition to the confirmation of Jeff Sessions for Attorney General.

Senator Sessions has a long history of allegations of racism, is anti-LGBTQ rights, and has not enforced the Voting Rights Act. He will not protect all of the people of the United States. I urge the Senator to reconsider their position and reject the confirmation.

Thank you for your time.

[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your entire home address to ensure your call is tallied]

HR 861--Abolishing the EPA

Call Pramilia Jayapal 202-225-3106 (DC office) and urge her to vote no against HR 861. We need the EPA to protect our water and air and ensure clean water and air for future generations, let alone people today (the Flint Water Crisis has been going on for three years and is still not resolved).

Reject the Appointment of Steve Bannon to the Security Council

From 5calls.org:

Trump has removed the existing Director of National Intelligence and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff from the “principals committee” of the National Security Council and replaced them with his Chief Strategist, Steve Bannon. Bannon is the former leader of Breitbart News, an anti-Semitic and white supremacist right-wing opinion and "news" outlet whose notable output includes articles comparing Planned Parenthood to the Holocaust.

The purpose of the National Security Council is to ensure that the president has the best possible advice from his Cabinet, the military, and the intelligence community before making major decisions. Steve Bannon not only lacks the considerable experience needed to be the principal foreign policy adviser to the president, he has been quoted as saying "We think of ourselves as virulently anti-establishment, particularly ‘anti-’ the permanent political class." Allowing Trump to continue to be guided by Bannon in matters of national security will bring about the deaths of many innocent people.

Patty Murray --202-224-2621 for DC, 206-553-5545 for Seattle office
Maria Cantwell --202-224-3441 for DC, 206-220-6400 for Seattle office

Opposing Justice Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court

In Neil Gorsuch, Trump has nominated an avowed originalist and enemy of women’s healthcare to the Supreme Court. While on the 10th Circuit Gorsuch decided in favor of Hobby Lobby, ruling the company could refuse contraception coverage to women on religious grounds. He used the explanation that IUDs and birth control drugs destroyed fertilized eggs (which is scientifically false) and stated corporations are persons that can engage their religious right to choose which laws they want to follow.

In other assaults on women’s healthcare, Gorsuch sided with Little Sisters to the Poor in their challenge to the Affordable Care Act and its contraception mandate, and he led a judicial crusade to help Utah defund Planned Parenthood affiliates. In another particularly disturbing case, he upheld the “qualified immunity” of a police officer who tasered a man in the head and threw out the wrongful death case brought by the man’s parents.

Gorsuch has shown a distaste for the prosecution of white collar crime, he has consistently ruled in favor of corporations in labor disputes and his strict textualist reading of the constitution leaves no room LGBTQ rights. At 49 years old Gorsuch would be the youngest justice on the Supreme Court and if confirmed, his influence will be felt for over a generation.

Even though only the Senate confirms Supreme Court Justices, we will be calling both the Senate and House to let all of our legislators know we strongly disapprove of Gorsuch.

Patty Murray --202-224-2621 for DC, 206-553-5545 for Seattle office
Maria Cantwell --202-224-3441 for DC, 206-220-6400 for Seattle office

Pramilia Jayapal 202-225-3106 for DC office

There are more calls you can make if you want to--again, 5calls.org is a fabulous website for knowing who to call and having a script to use as well as background information.

ACTION ALERT: Secretary of Education--need one more NO vote to NOT confirm Betsy DeVos

2nd UPDATE: vote was only to end filibusters. Vote will take place on Tuesday. Please call the numbers below!

UPDATE: Vote scheduled for 6:30am EST Friday February 3rd: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/317675-senate-schedules-630-am-vote-on-devos

From Senator Patty Murray's email:

Right now, the vote to confirm her as our next Education Secretary is 50-50, with Vice President Pence as the tie-break vote to support her confirmation. We just need one more Republican senator to listen to their constituents and take their concerns seriously, and commit to vote against her to keep her out of the Department of Education for good. Patty Murray is leading the charge against Betsy DeVos in the Senate. But here's how you can help: Call Republican Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Mike Lee right now and tell them you're counting on them to support kids and teachers by voting NO on Betsy DeVos. Senator Orrin Hatch: (202) 224-5251 Senator Mike Lee: (202) 224-5444 After you've called, let us know how the call went right here. These calls make a huge difference. You can keep emailing or trying to reach lawmakers on social media -- but it's also important to make a call and make sure these senators hear directly from you. It's a lot harder to ignore a ringing phone. Senator Murkowski said that, despite her own feelings about Betsy DeVos, she'd heard from "thousands of Alaskans" who are very concerned about her views and her lack of knowledge when it comes to education policy. She cited those calls as the main reason she felt compelled to oppose Betsy DeVos. This could be a huge win for students and parents across the country, and a huge blow to President Trump and his anti-education agenda. And if we work together, we can do this. Call Senator Orrin Hatch at (202) 224-5251, and Senator Mike Lee at (202) 224-5444, and then let us know how the calls went with a quick report back.

ACTION ALERT: Ban Bannon!

From Seattle Indivisibles:

ACTION for Thursday, February 2, 2017: Ban Bannon!

Steve Bannon is a threat to national security! Call your Senators and Representative to tell them to cosponsor legislation to fix this crisis!

Please log your call here: https://goo.gl/forms/lbHUvI9h58f0dLqx1

Todo

Today we're asking you to make three phone calls: two to our Senators and one to our Congressperson. Sample scripts are provided below.

1. Call Patty Murray: 202-224-2621 (backup: 425-259-6515)

2. Call Maria Cantwell: 202-224-3441 (backup: 206-220-6400)

3. Call your Congressperson:

• District 7: Call Pramila Jaypal: 202-225-3106
• District 9: Call Adam Smith: 202-225-8901

Calls 1 and 2 to your Senators

Sample Script: My name is [NAME]. I am a voter in [City, Zip Code]. I am afraid of Steve Bannon, and I don't believe that politics and national security should mix. That's why I am asking the Senator to cosponsor Senator Mark Warner’s bill titled Strengthening Oversight of National Security Act. Will she cosponsor this bill to ban Bannon from the Security Council?

Call 3 to your Congressperson

Sample Script: My name is [NAME]. I am a voter in [City, Zip Code]. I am afraid of Steve Bannon, and I don't believe that politics and national security should mix. That's why I am asking the [CONGRESSWOMAN/CONGRESSMAN] to cosponsor Representative Stephanie Murphy’s bill to protect National Security Council from Partisan Politics. Will [SHE/HE] cosponsor this bill to ban Bannon from the Security Council?

LGBTQ rights threatened under leaked Executive Order draft

Note that this is a leak, it was not a signed order yet. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-executive-order-draft-curtail-lgbt-rights/story?id=45209220

Science March April 22nd

Here is an article with information about the Science March (on Earth Day, April 22nd) in Washington, D.C. http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/01/politics/science-march-earth-day-trnd/

ACTION ALERT: Supreme Court Nominee Neil Gorsuch

There are several issues with Supreme Court Nominee Neil Gorsuch:

From the Huffington Post What You Need To Know About Neil Gorsuch : http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/58921cb8e4b04c35d5835576?timestamp=1485971201493

Neil Gorsuch Fact Sheet (including information about cases in which he ruled against students with disabilities) http://files.pfaw.org/uploads/2017/02/Neil-Gorsuch-Fact-Sheet-2.pdf

From Seattle Indivisible:

Our Senators have already expressed "serious concerns," and Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has already said that he will lead a filibuster of any Trump nominee to the Supreme Court. We just need to make sure that our Senators stand with Merkley.

Action

1. Call Senator Murray - 202-224-2621 (Backup: 206-553-5545)
2. Call Senator Cantwell - 202-224-3441 (Backup: 206-220-6400)

Use the sample script provided below, or come up with your own message.

Sample Reasons

1. Come up with your own. Personal experiences and reasons are crucial.
2. I am afraid of Roe v. Wade being overturned.
3. I am afraid of LGBTQ rights being eroded.
4. This seat was stolen from President Obama.
5. We cannot have another series of decisions like Citizens United.

Sample Script

Hi, my name is {NAME}, calling from {CITY, ZIP CODE}. I am calling to ask the Senator to fillibuster President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, because {YOUR REASON HERE}. Senator Merkley has vowed to fillibuster Judge Gorsuch, and I am asking that the Senator stands with Senator Merkley and fillibuster Judge Gorsuch. Can you tell me if she will fillibuster Trump's Supreme Court nominee?

ACTION ALERT: Attorney General

From 5calls.org:

Senator Jeff Sessions was denied a Federal Judgeship by the Senate 30 years ago due to allegations of racism. His career has been defined by his lack support for immigration reform, rejection of marriage equality and civil liberties for the LGBTQ community, and believing the Constitution does not require a separation of Church and State. Sessions will not serve in the interests of all Americans and should not be confirmed.

The Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled to vote on the conformation of Sessions on January 24th, but it was pushed back to Tuesday January 31st. Now is the time to call your members of congress and demand they reject Sessions for Attorney General.

Call US Senators: https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/