4-10-23 Newsletter

 

FREE SPEECH, ELECTION DENIERS, AND POWER Kudos to the Oregon Legislature for voting to condemn violence and threats against election officials. The state House voted 53-3 in favor, including a 'yes' vote from our state representative, Cyrus Javadi. The state Senate passed the resolution 22-8, including a 'no' vote from our state senator, Suzanne Weber. Weber told the Astorian her vote was a mistake because she was distracted at the time.   "The temptation is to ignore - or worse, try to silence - fringe voices determined to put our democracy at risk. With polls showing Trump as the front-runner for the Republican nomination for president in 2024, it is difficult to distinguish the fringe from the mainstream of the Republican Party.   ".... Election deniers have the same free speech rights as anyone and we should listen very closely to what they say. But if they do not believe in our elections process, they have no place holding positions of power in elected office, whether it's the White House, the Statehouse, the school board or the water district." -- The Astorian, "An Important Declaration," April 8, 2023 INCO applauds The Astorian's April 8 editorial, "An Important Declaration," for its clear, unambiguous support for free speech, secure elections, and responsible elected leaders.  INCO COMMUNITY MEETING Thursday, April 13, via Zoom Social time at 6 pm; meeting is 6:30-7:30 pm.  All INCO members are invited to attend. We'd love to see you! Link to join Zoom meeting:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87835618044 "THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND"  Music, hope, and smiles with Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Judy Collins, and more. A TIPPING POINT "In three respects, America reached a tipping point on Thursday. It may take months or years for us to appreciate that fact, but historians will mark April 6, 2023, as the high water mark of the retrograde, anti-democracy movement of MAGA extremism." Read the rest of attorney Robert Hubbell's take on MAGA and the struggle for democracy here.    INCO was founded in January, 2017 to defend democracy against authoritarianism, bigotry, and corruption. Along with millions of others, we recognize the urgency of the challenges facing American democracy.  With your help, we continue that mission. RSVP HERE: Bonamici.House.Gov/RSVP LEGISLATORS NEED YOUR FEEDBACK Visit COIN's Legislation 2023 web page for updates on bills COIN has endorsed or opposed, or bills we are still watching. Legislators won't know what you want unless you tell them. Please take a moment to comment on at least one of the bills on COIN's Legislation web page. CHECK OUT THE CANDIDATES  The AAUW Candidates Forum Tuesday, April 18 at 6:30 pm Astoria High School Auditorium Hosted by the American Association of University Women, Astoria branch  Check out the list of candidates here for the May 16 Special Districts election. Candidates in contested races are shown in this report from the Clatsop Democrats. HAPPENINGS Thursday, April 13 - INCO Community Meeting, via Zoom. Social time at 6 pm; meeting is 6:30-7:30 pm. All INCO members are invited to attend. We meet the 2nd Thursday of each month. Link to join Zoom meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87835618044  Meeting ID: 878 3561 8044 One tap mobile +12532050468,,87835618044# US +12532158782,,87835618044# US (Tacoma) INSIGHTS "I always felt I was holding back, waiting for the right moment.  Then I realized the right moment was every day."    -- Bill Bradley, former professional basketball player and US senator  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. We're on Facebook, too. INCO Weekly Newsletter      April 10, 2023 Copyright © 2023 INDIVISIBLE North Coast Oregon, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website or signed up at a community group meeting. Indivisible North Coast Oregon (INCO) defends democracy by opposing authoritarianism, bigotry, and corruption. Our mailing address is: 766 Lexington Avenue, Astoria, OR 97103 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list