INCO Weekly Newsletter 8/12

"I don't have time to research things, so I'm extremely thankful to find others who do. Indvisible makes it so easy to participate as much or little as I have time for. I apppreciate ALL you do!” -- Lori Morisette, new INCO member and active Indivisible in Seattle FIXING THINGS Don't let horrible daily news paralyze you. You'll feel better if you Do Something to make a difference: •  Tell your Members of Congress and your state legislators what you care about and what you want them to do. Contact info here. •  Write a Letter to the Editor about an issue. Don't repeat fear-based messaging. For example, write about how you value science and factual information.Editor@dailyastorian.com. -  Be a postcarder! See info below about Postcards to Voters. •  Get active with organizations that strengthen our communities. •  Donate to causes that defend our democracy. POSTCARD PARTIES START SOON! INCO members both individually and at postcarding parties wrote more than 10,000 cards last year from February through the November election!  Bebe Michel and Laura Allen, our postcarding organizers, challenge us to do even better this campaign season!  Mark your calendars for Friday, September 6. That's when we start our weekly postcarding parties from 2 pm - 4 pm at the Mary Blake Playhouse in Seaside across from the Bob Chisholm Community Center at 1215 Avenue A.  Please park in the BCCC parking lot. Everyone is welcome, no matter where you live. We're starting Postcards to Voters now by supporting the Vote By Mail campaign in Florida and candidates running in Special Elections around the US.   START OTHER POSTCARDING PARTIES Astoria? East County? Cannon Beach? Warrenton? Gather a few friends or neighbors or relatives; find a good spot - a home, a business, a meeting room, etc. Contact incoregon@gmail.com if you'd like Bebe and Laura to help you get started. POSTCARD ON YOUR OWN A  postcard party doesn't work for you? You can postcard on your own.  Text (484) 275-2229, e-mail join@TonyTheDemocrat.org, or go to PostcardsToVoters.org and fill out the web form under the Volunteer tab to become a verified postcarder.   You’re making a difference with every postcard you write.  Thanks for all you do! GUN SENSE ADVOCACY EVENT Thursday, August 29 at 6:30 pm Seaside Library Community Room In the wake of recent mass shootings, Indivisible North Coast Oregon hosts an informational Gun Sense Advocacy event featuring Hilary Uhlig, Oregon Chapter Leader for Moms Demand Action (MDA). She will discuss common-sense solutions to address a dangerous culture of gun violence.    Moms Demand Action is a non-partisan grassroots movement with more than six million supporters. It was founded in 2012 after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, which killed 20 children and 6 educators. The group has organized volunteers from across the country to advocate for closing deadly loopholes in the background check system to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Moms Demand Action mobilizes popular support for policies that respect Second Amendment rights and protect people. It also runs programs to promote gun safety.    In recent years, gun sense advocacy has prompted Oregon’s lawmakers to pass gun safety laws to ensure background checks for all gun sales in the state as well as laws that prevent domestic abusers and stalkers from possessing firearms. Oregon now also has a red flag law, the Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO), which allows guns to be removed temporarily from those who are at substantial risk of harming themselves or others. "Democracy - Together Are We - Vote! Vote! Vote!"   With our delightful Uncle Sam (11-year-old Toby) leading our chant, Indivisibles walked in the Astoria Regatta Grand Land Parade on August 10. We were honored to have State Representative Tiffiny Mitchell (shown wearing white hat) walking with us! Also joining us were Lady Liberty, Abigail Adams, Abigail Von Buren, Ben Franklin, and Abe Lincoln. Many thanks to Nancy Montgomery for inviting our special guests. Others who helped INCO parade today were Cheryl Conway, Laurie Caplan, McLaren Innes, and Wendela Howie.  INDIVISIBLE OREGON'S TUESDAY CALL OF THE WEEK Tell your Members of Congress: We are awash in gun violence that is entwined in white supremacy which this president condones, and gives cover to with his racists actions while failing our democracy by committing impeachable offenses and doing nothing to secure our elections. We ask the House to please start immediate impeachment hearings, the Senate to pass gun violence prevention and election security measures that were passed in the House earlier this year by the Democratically led House, and all our Members of Congress to vote no on any budget that has more money for CBP, ICE, DHS.   Senator Merkley's DC office: 202-224-3753. Senator Wyden's DC office: 202-224-5244.  Congresswoman Bonamici's DC office: 202-225-0855 Join other Oregon Indivisibles and call your MoCs on Tuesday. Contact info is here. INCO and the CLIMATE CRISIS The TimberUnity organization, which helped defeat the Clean Energy Jobs bill (HB 2020), was very visible at the Astoria Regatta. It will take a lot of us to effectively oppose their well-funded presence, misinformation, and lobbying against Oregon's climate change legislation.   SUSTAIN OR SACRIFICE: CORPORATIZING OREGON’S STATE FORESTS Featuring Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of the nonprofit Beyond Toxics Tuesday, August 13 Doors open at 5:30 pm with light refreshments and music Program starts at 6pm North County Recreation District building (NCRD), 36155 9th St. in Nehalem. Hosted by North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection Most Oregonians think of our state forests as places to camp, fish, hike, and picnic with family and friends. We go to state forests in search of old growth trees and hiking trails along pristine streams. The reality is much different: State forests are primarily used for industrial timber production. Lisa will present information from the organization’s recent research on Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) state forest management, exposing a pervasive use of aerial pesticide sprays.  FLIPPING CONGRESS Washington activists are determined to flip their 3rd Congressional District, especially since Representative Jaime Herrera Buetler was narrowly re-elected last year. WA-3 includes the Washington Peninsula. They have rallies scheduled through August in 3 cities, plus a "Where's JHB?" town hall in September. Cheers to everyone already working to make the 2020 elections a success for progressives and progressive policies!  HAPPENINGS Details on our events page. Everyone is welcome to all these events. THIS WEEK Tuesday, August 13 - Seaside-Gearhart Community Group monthly meeting, 6:30 - 8 pm, contact Kathleenannmacdonald@yahoo.com for location. UPCOMING Wednesday, August 21 - Vote the Future (VTF) monthly meeting,  6:30 pm, Seaside Library Board Room Thursday, August 29 - Gun Sense Advocacy with Moms Demand Action, 6:30 - 8 pm, Seaside Library Community Room. INCO's Advocacy Team hosts Hilary Uhlig from Hillsboro, who's a statewide leader with Moms Demand Action.  Wednesday, September 4 - Climate Crisis Town Hall: Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate; on CNN. TBD - Advocacy Team monthly meeting, 6:30 - 8 pm, Seaside Library Board Room.  Thursday, September 5 - Forestry/Climate Advocacy Group, 7 - 8:30 pm, Astoria. Contact incoregon for directions. . Saturday, September 7 - Astoria Community Group monthly meeting, 10:30 a.m. - noon, WineKraft, on the Riverwalk at the foot of 10th. It’s OK to bring your own food and drink. State Representative Tiffiny Mitchell talks about her first term in the state legislature. Monday, September 9 - Indivisible National Day of Action: Defund Hate. Details soon.  Saturday, September 14 - Warrenton Community Group monthly meeting, 11:30 - 1 pm, El Compadre Restaurant, 119 South Main Avenue, no purchase necessary. Contact Meridee about road pick-up details. We have only 6 INCO t-shirts left, so get yours now. Short-sleeves, navy, S, M, XL, and XXL. $15.00. To get yours, contact incoregon@gmail.com. INSIGHTS "Do what you can, where you are, with what you've got.”  --Theodore Roosevelt ACTION PRIORITIES   How will your Members of Congress know what you want if you don't tell them? •  Contact ONLY elected officials who represent you so you don't dilute the power of actual constituents. •  It's more effective to contact your MoC about one issue at a time.  •  Be sure to tell your MoC when you agree with their positions and votes.   Contact YOUR elected officials here.  For current action items, visit www.incoregon.org and www.indivisible.org. COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Get active with INCO's Advocacy Team, Vote the Future Team, and Community Groups.  INCO has 3 websites: our main one; Vote the Future; and Really Do Care INCO Under 40s.   Join INCO's closed Facebook group. Really Do Care also has a Facebook group.  Sign up for emails from national Indivisible at www.indivisible.org. Questions, suggestions, & photos to INCO at incoregon@gmail.com.  Deb Vanasse and Laurie Caplan, INCO Co-chairs INCO Weekly Newsletter   August 12, 2019