INDIVISIBLE North Coast Oregon: 9-6-2021 Newsletter

Russ Mead and Kathleen Macdonald - and Jilly - at the first delivery of snacks and gifts for Providence Seaside.

INCO APPLAUDS HEALTH CARE HEROES

Join COINOregon's #WeCare campaign!

Go here to donate or learn where you can drop off snacks or gifts to show North Coast #healthcareheroes that #WeCare. Find more information at this link about COIN's #WeCare campaign and ideas for snacks and gifts, along with downloadable cards to show #WeCare!

WATCH & TESTIFY AT REDISTRICTING HEARINGS THIS WEEK
RED, BLUE, OR ???

Redistricting will determine who will be included in Oregon's new 6th seat in the US House of Representatives. It could also change our state house and senate legislative districts.

All the redistricting public hearings, shown below, of the House and Senate Redistricting Committees will be virtual. You can participate by signing up for video or phone testimony, uploading written testimony, or by submitting a map for consideration by September 7.

VIRTUAL HEARINGS SCHEDULE
Wednesday, September 8: 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (residents of Congressional District 1)

Thursday, September 9: 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (residents of Congressional District 1)

Monday, September 13: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (statewide: open to residents of any district)

Monday, September 13: 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (statewide: open to residents of any district)

For more information about redistricting or how to participate, read this article in the Astorian, or visit www.oregonlegislature.gov/redistricting.

"WE WILL PREVAIL. IT IS ONLY A QUESTION OF WHEN."

"Though I am optimistic about the future of our democracy, I also believe that we must be realistic about the challenges ahead. So, here’s my take: We will prevail in the end, but things will get worse before they get better ....

"We will prevail. It is only a question of when. Republicans have badly overplayed their hand and will pay dearly. Republicans succeeded in overturning Roe in the ugliest possible way—by creating an “informer state” in which family members, friends, and strangers “report” one another for contravening the dictates of the governing political party. When the repeal of Roe v. Wade is added to the burden of Republicans who are running under the weight of anti-vaccination, anti-mask, and anti-democracy platforms, the shrinking margins of loyal Republicans will shrink further."
-- Robert Hubbell, Today's Edition, September 2, 2021

COULD TEXAS HAPPEN IN OREGON?
Texas threatens voting, safety from gun violence, and reproductive rights

"Last night at midnight, a new law went into effect in Texas. House Bill 1927 permits people to carry handguns without a permit, unless they have been convicted of a felony or domestic violence. This measure was not popular in the state. Fifty-nine percent of Texans—including law enforcement officers—opposed it. But 56% of Republicans supported it.

".... So, nuisance lawsuits will ruin abortion providers, along with anyone accused of aiding and abetting—or intending to abet—an abortion. And the enforcers will be ordinary citizens.

"Texas has also just passed new voting restrictions that allow partisan poll watchers to have “free movement” in polling places, enabling them to intimidate voters .... The Republican Party is empowering vigilantes to enforce their beliefs against their neighbors."
-- Heather Cox Richardson, Letters from an American, September 1, 2021

ZOOM INTO INCO

We'd love to see you as INCO resumes Zoom gatherings after our summer break.

SOLIDARITY WITH TEXAS INDIVISIBLES

• Flex our solidarity with our red and rural friends in Texas. Even from afar, there are a few ways you can help:

• Send support to our Texas groups via social media. See the Bans Off Our Bodies for social media toolkit and more information.

• Give to organizations that are fighting back: Texas Abortion Funds and NM Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (there will likely be a major influx of people from TX coming to NM to receive abortion care)

WHAT'S AT STAKE: OUR RIGHTS TO VOTE AND PROTEST
House Passes Landmark Voting Rights Legislation

Update from Indivisible: "We expect that sometime in September, Sen. Schumer will bring Sen. Manchin’s compromise version of S.1 (the For the People Act) to the floor, and Republicans will once again filibuster it. This is designed to demonstrate to Manchin that there’s no room for compromise here -- the only way forward is filibuster reform. At that point, Senate negotiators will return to their talks about how to actually get to filibuster reform and pass S.1 in October."

Please contact Senators Merkley and Wyden, even if you've called before. Thank them for their support of S.1, the For the People Act, and urge them to continue to push for its passage. They need to know what their constituents, including you, want.

We need the Senate pass this robust voting rights legislation to protect our rights, regardless of which state we live in.

OUR TURN

"It is our turn to defend the ramparts of freedom. We are not being saddled with an undue burden. Every generation must step into the breach. We need only hold the line until the next generation is ready to fight. But we must show them the way. If we expect our children and grandchildren to understand that democracy is worth defending, they must grow up watching us do so."
-- Robert Hubbell, Today's Edition, September 3, 2021

HAPPENINGS

Friday, September 10 - INCO Write to Voters Virtual Group, 3 - 4 pm. Via Zoom. If you are new to this group, contact incoregon@gmail.com to get the Zoom link. More details about writing to voters are below.

Tuesday, September 14 - INCO South County Community Group Zoom meeting, 6:30 pm - 8 pm. Please RSVP to Kathleenannmacdonald@yahoo.com thru Monday, June 7 for your Zoom link.

Write To Voters - Special elections and issue campaigns need you year-round. INCO encourages you to sign up to write to voters at www.postcardstovoters.org or for general Get Out the Vote campaigns, sign up at Vote Forward. For supplies or information, contact incoregon@gmail.com.

INSIGHTS

“All forms of light come with some form of shadows, and that doesn’t mean you don’t want to walk into the sun.”
-- Amanda Gorman, Inaugural Poet for President Joe Biden, 2020

Comments, news, and photos to INCO at incoregon@gmail.com.
Resources and other information at www.incoregon.org and www.indivisible.org.
Encourage others to sign up for the INCO newsletter at our website or here.
INCO Weekly Newsletter September 6, 2021

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

9-6-2021 Newsletter