11-29-2021 Newsletter

 

"May the growing light dispel the darkness that surrounds us. May the light from all the Chanukiot shine in every place in the world and in the heart of every being where light and healing is needed. That probably covers all of us and then some." -- Carol Newman, INCO activist Chanukah celebrates the first battle for religious freedom, when Jews defeated their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the second century BCE. Lighting an additional candle each night symbolizes the holy oil burning for a week when the Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated at that time. INCO continues to defend religious freedom from those who would impose their personal beliefs on the nation.

PICK A THING "I recently read a surprisingly upbeat essay titled “The Disaster We Must Think About Every Day.” Have you come across that one? The author, overwhelmed and feeling paralyzed in the face of climate change, sought out marine biologist and ocean policy expert Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. Dr. Johnson’s advice to her:“Pick a thing.”  "You don’t have to do the thing that’s going to solve everything, she said: “Part of picking your thing is trusting that your fellow human beings are also going to pick a thing, and together, we’ll pick enough things to start moving the needle.”  - - Katie Voelke, Executive Director, North Coast Land Conservancy, November 2021

WILL WE BUILD BACK BETTER? Imagine investing in our economy with funding for children, climate, housing, families, healthcare, and much more! This is Biden's Build Back Better, and it's one step closer to being law.  "The next stop for BBB is a vote in the Senate, where the top priority is making sure that the bill passes as quickly as possible," says Indivisible. "Senator Schumer is with us, and has expressed that he expects the Senate to vote on BBB right after Thanksgiving. So we need to make sure that we are doing all we can to push for a vote the week of November 29th, and as always we can’t do it without you." Indivisible suggests, "Take a break from calls this week! Instead, share this call to action with your friends, and ask them to call their senator and demand they pass BBB through the Senate as quickly as possible. You can share this script on Twitter or Facebook, or by forwarding this email to them. If they need more of an explainer on the basics of BBB, share this one-pager on the bill too!"

SIGNING UP FOR HEALTH CARE INCO activists Melissa Eskue Ousley, Cheryl Conway, and Sue Zerangue shared details about enrolling in the Affordable Care Act at the college on November 29, 2017.

"SUMMITS FOR DEMOCRACY" "The Biden administration has announced it will convene the first of two virtual “Summits for Democracy” on December 9 and 10, 2021. The gatherings will bring together leaders from 110 countries who work in government, civil society, and the private sector, to come up with an agenda to renew democratic government and work together to keep the ideals of democracy strong. "Authoritarianism is growing around the world, including in America, and the administration is hoping to create practical ideas and strong alliances to defend against authoritarianism, fight corruption, and promote human rights, all values central to democracy. "That this announcement comes at Thanksgiving is fitting, since Thanksgiving is rooted in a defense of democracy during the Civil War." Find more about this fascinating history in Letters from an American, November 25, 2021, by historian Heather Cox Richardson.

GETTING CREDIT FOR ACTIVISM Already doing advocacy through calls, emails, postcards, rallies & more?  COIN wants to know what members of INCO and other Oregon Indivisibles are doing. Please complete a brief report each week here. These statistics will add weight to INCO and to COIN influence. On the drop-down menu for the COIN Squad group name, please select INCO. Link up with COIN here for the form and to add inspiration, community & prizes to your activism, whether you are working as a member of a group or are doing it individually.

#TimeToAct: THANK YOU POSTCARDS This is a great time to thank Senator Ron Wyden, Senator Jeff Merkley, and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici for their tireless efforts to pass voting rights legislation and other progressive measures as they work to protect our democracy from the anti-democratic forces in Congress and the country. Join Indivisibles throughout Oregon and the Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network (COIN) in a postcard campaign to show our elected representatives the overwhelming grassroots support for voting rights.  Senator Ron Wyden 221 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Senator Jeff Merkley 531 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici 2231 Sam Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515

HAPPENINGS  Saturday, December 11 - INCO Astoria - North County Community Group Zoom meeting, 11am - noon. If you are new to this group, contact incoregon@gmail.com by December 10 to get the Zoom link.  Tuesday, December 14 - INCO South County Community Group Zoom meeting, 6:30 pm - 8 pm. Please RSVP to Kathleenannmacdonald@yahoo.com thru Monday, December 13 for your Zoom link. Saturday, January 15 - INCO Warrenton Community Group, in person meeting, 11 a.m. Location TBA. Contact incoregon@gmail.com by January 13 for more information. EVERY FRIDAY - 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. Join us for informal conversation, venting, and solving the world's problems. Pets welcome. Write To Voters - Research shows that your letters to voters increased voter turnout significantly. Elections and issue campaigns need you year-round. INCO encourages you to sign up to write to voters at www.postcardstovoters.org. For general Get Out the Vote campaigns, sign up at Vote Forward. For supplies or information, contact incoregon@gmail.com.

INSIGHTS So here’s something I know to be true, although it’s a little corny, and I don’t quite know what to do with it: What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness.” — George Saunders, “Congratulations, by the Way”

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. Look for the INCO column in Hipfish Monthly. INCO Weekly Newsletter   November 29, 2021