Americans of Conscience Checklist

Week of August 5, 2018

By Jen Hofmann

 

I value secure, convenient voting and fair elections.

 

Democracy thrives when all citizens can freely elect those who represent their values.

▢ Action: Bolster your state’s election security before midterms.

 

Call: Or write your local election official (use this tool to look up).

Script: Hi. I’m a resident of [state] and am calling/writing to make sure our district is preventing security breaches in our voting systems. I’d like to know whether [region/county] has these 5 things?

• Systems that count a paper ballot.
• Post-election audits.
• Systems upgrades that prevent intrusion and vote manipulation.
• Voting machines without wireless connectivity.
• Training for elections officials on security.

I urge [name] to resolve these vulnerabilities before November midterms. Thank you for your time.

 

I value showing respect for all people, no matter where they were born.

We oppose inhumane treatment of all people and the government agencies that perpetuate it. People who immigrate to the US make our country stronger and are entitled to basic respect.

▢ Action: Advocate for decriminalizing border crossing. (h/t, h/t, h/t)

 

Call: Your one House rep and two senators, red or blue (look up).

Script: Hi. I’m from [ZIP], calling to ask [name] to work on repealing two laws dating back to the Immigration Act of 1929: Title 8 U.S. codes 1325 and 1326. These laws criminalize crossing the US border without authorization. Repealing them would decrease family separation and stop wasting taxpayer dollars on mass detention. I would like [name] to repeal these laws and restore humanity to our immigration policies.

 

Acts of Gratitude

Get out your stamps, postcards, and sparkle markers for some gratitude mail.

 

Thank you Maru Mora Villalpando, Community Organizer with NWDC Resistance, for bravery in the face of personal jeopardy. Just as you assure others during your continual efforts to draw attention to unjust immigration enforcement, please know that we stand with you. Thank you for your leadership and courage. [name, state]

Address: maru@latinoadvocacy.org (no mailing address available)

Donate to NWDC: https://www.nwdcresistance.org/donate

 

Thank the League of Women Voters of Metro Columbus (OH) for publishing a youth-oriented video guide on making phone calls to political representatives. Teaching concrete skills for active citizenry calms fears and helps constituents effectively communicate their concerns.

Address: 6500 Busch Boulevard, Suite 129,Columbus, OH 43229

 

Good news

Decent people everywhere are speaking up and working together. Just look.

 

National

• Ruling: DACA must be fully reinstated.
• Ruling: A lawsuit that demonstrates the discriminatory agenda of a census citizenship question may proceed.

• Homeland Security Advisory Council Members resign in protest of the president’s family separation policy, calling it kidnapping and morally repugnant. Federal judge allowed a lawsuit against the current administration’s decision to add a citizenship question on the 2020 census to continue.
• Polls show overwhelming nationwide bipartisan support for automatic voter registration and restoration of voting rights to formerly incarcerated people.

 

State

• CT voter registrations among 18-25-year-olds have tripled compared to four years ago.
• KY Medicaid recipients will have their dental and vision care benefits restored.
• TX judge orders minors transferred out of immigration detention facility due to abuse and over-medication.

 

News with heart

• Grandmothers (Grannies Respond/Abuelas Responden) traveled to McAllen, TX for an immigration protest on August 6.
• Volunteers all over the country are forming welcoming committees to help the traumatized families now reunited after ICE detention.
• Homeless shelter in WI holds drives to help the homeless population register to vote.
• See more good news at Small Victories, Marla’s Good News, and What Went Right.

 

-Submitted by Judy Sullivan, USH Social Justice Chair