RACIST REPUBLICANS ON PARADE AT SCOTUS HEARING
At a hearing of a Black woman scholar, Republicans can’t control their racism.
QUICK READ: The foundation of the Republican party was revealed this week at the confirmation hearing of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, and that foundation is deeply racist. Republicans alleged she was soft on crime and, maybe, not a loyal American. Worse, they said, she may have a plan to slip critical race theory into law.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
BACKGROUND
Two-thirds of Republicans believe President Biden is an illegitimate president, not because of voting fraud but because the “wrong” people were allowed to vote for him. So they’re passing voter suppression laws to ensure the “right” people – white, Christian men – rule.
This bedrock racism is driving the GOP’s war on democracy.
Republican racism couldn’t be contained during the confirmation hearing for the nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.
The nominee is an outstanding jurist, scrupulously fair, with a brilliant legal mind, who is deeply committed to the Constitution.
But she is a Black woman, and in the Republican worldview, she is taking power away from white men.
The attacks began with critical race theory. This, of course, is the latest weapon in an arsenal of lies conservatives use to beat up school board members and scare parents. CRT is perceived as a danger to racist Republicans because it feeds their perception of “reverse” racism, where whites supposedly suffer discrimination.
Others objected to the 1967 Supreme Court ruling that allowed interracial marriage.
We must demand Congress pass voting rights protections that override state voter suppression laws so everyone who has the right to vote is allowed to vote.
ACTION One: Call the Senate.
Script for Oregon Senators
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The foundation of our entire democracy is the vote. Yet states are passing laws to keep the “wrong” people from voting. Nothing you do is more important that overriding these laws and ensuring that every person who has the right to vote is not stopped from votiing.
SEN. WYDEN:
Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
(Messages and calls are most effective if they are personal. Scripts are here to help.)
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The foundation of our entire democracy is the vote. Yet states are passing laws to keep the “wrong” people from voting. Nothing you do is more important that overriding these laws and ensuring that every person who has the right to vote is not stopped from votiing.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
The foundation of our entire democracy is the vote. Yet states are passing laws to keep the “wrong” people from voting. Nothing you do is more important that overriding these laws and ensuring that every person who has the right to vote is not stopped.
ACTION TWO: Call the House.
Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The foundation of our entire democracy is the vote. Yet states are passing laws to keep the “wrong” people from voting. Nothing you do is more important that overriding these laws and ensuring that every person who has the right to vote is not stopped.
Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)
Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The foundation of our entire democracy is the vote. Yet states are passing laws to keep the “wrong” people from voting. Nothing you do is more important that overriding these laws and ensuring that every person who has the right to vote is not stopped.
Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)
Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The foundation of our entire democracy is the vote. Yet states are passing laws to keep the “wrong” people from voting. Nothing you do is more important that overriding these laws and ensuring that every person who has the right to vote is not stopped.
Script for Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The foundation of our entire democracy is the vote. Yet states are passing laws to keep the “wrong” people from voting. Nothing you do is more important that overriding these laws and ensuring that every person who has the right to vote is not stopped.
Script for Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
Salem office: 503-588-9100 | DC office: 202-225-5711
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
The foundation of our entire democracy is the vote. Yet states are passing laws to keep the “wrong” people from voting. Nothing you do is more important that overriding these laws and ensuring that every person who has the right to vote is not stopped.
ACTION 3: Join the fight
For Ukraine. Links from Ukraine historian and author “On Tyranny,” Timothy Snyder: Yet one thing is encouraging: whenever I speak to my colleagues in Ukraine, they are all doing something. The everyday courage is astonishing. We should help if we can. When I spoke to colleagues in Poland today, I was also astonished by the swift reaction of civil society to more than a million Ukrainians refugees. I think we should affirm that impulse when we can.
Here are a few ways to help. I have made donations today and I hope you will too.
1. Ukrainian reporters are, directly or indirectly, our main source of information about this war. Many of them are at work now at risk to themselves without salaries and proper protective gear. A fund that will direct support and equipment to journalists taking risks in Ukraine is 2402. Have a look.
2. For Americans who want a tax deduction, Razom remains a good bet. This is a volunteer organization that will make good judgements about partners for humanitarian assistance. Donate to Razom here.
3. Hundreds of small Polish NGOs are assisting Ukrainian refugees now. One of them that deserves support is Homo Faber in Lublin, near where many Ukrainian refugees cross. You can help them with a bank transfer:
Name of recipient: Stowarzyszenie Homo Faber; Purpose: Ukraina; IBAN: PL 93 1940 1076 3069 8598 0000 0000; SWIFT: AGRIPLPRXXX; Name of bank: Credit Agricole Bank Polska SA, ul. Legnicka 48, 54-202 Wrocław, Polska. If you are on PayPal you might also be able to reach them that way: PayPal Stowarzyszenie Homo Faber, ul. Chopina, 41, lok. 2, 20-023 Lublin, e-mail: info@hf.org.pl.
4. People have been using Airbnb as a way to transfer money to individual Ukrainians by booking rooms they do not intend to use. If you do this, make sure the phone number of your host has a 380 prefix (country code for Ukraine) and contact the host ahead of time. Airbnb as a a company also enables people to help in another way, by offering lodging to Ukrainian refugees.
5. Canada has a large and well-organized Ukrainian diaspora, and its organizations are raising money for assistance to Ukraine. Here is the the appeal of the Canadian Red Cross.
6. To provide assistance to civilians in need, you can now donate directly by credit card to the Ukrainian Red Cross.
7. The Russian press blackout is shocking. I urge you, if you want to support Russian reporters, to fund Meduza, working from Riga.
PS: The interest in supporting the Ukrainian armed forces is consistent, so I repeat that information here.
The organization Come Back Alive concentrates on protective gear and other equipment for soldiers. You can donate using the information here.
Army SOS supplies medical equipment but also everything a soldier might need. You can donate in cryptocurrency following this link or make a bank transfer in dollars via: IBAN: UA203052990000026003016809842; SWIFT: PBANUA2XXXX; Bank: JSC CB "PRIVATBANK
You can contribute directly to the Ukrainian armed forces via credit card. If you prefer a bank transfer that information is here.
GOOD TROUBLE: Below are opportunities to fight for our democracy. As John Lewis said, go make some “good trouble.”
Find out more about Indivisible Oregon here.
TUESDAY 11:30am-12:30pm LETTER WRITING PARTY - INDIVISIBLE OREGON:
https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/442887/SATURDAY LETTER WRITING PARTY - INDIVISIBLE OREGON: 12:00pm-2:00pm
https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/442966/Fridays at 4 - Letter and Postcard Writing — Indivisible Oregon.
Learn about persuasive language and communication research at the Zoom ASO Movement Briefings every second Wednesday.
Join the campaign to hold the House and Senate at GiveNoGround.org
Work to protect democracy in the House by replacing retiring US Representative Peter DeFazio with another Democrat, replacing Democrat Kurt Schrader, the “Manchin of the House,” with a progressive, and electing a Democrat in Oregon’s new Congressional District 6.
Demand that your primary news source stop creating false equivalencies and just report the truth.
Check out the Poor People's Campaign Readies 'Massive, Nonviolent' Effort to Save Democracy
Outside of Portland? Check out COIN Oregon.
Rally inconsisent Democratic voters to vote in 2022 with Progressive Turnout Project | Feb, 2022 | Medium
FURTHER READING:
Supreme Court Nominee Jackson's Support Tied for Highest
Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson’s hearing takes a grotesque turn - Vox
GOP drops any subtlety in centering the Jackson nomination fight on race - The Washington Post
Cruz presses Jackson on critical race theory in tense Supreme Court confirmation hearing | FOX 2
Graham gets combative with Jackson: 'What faith are you, by the way?' | TheHill
GOP Senator Beats Quick Retreat After Saying Interracial Marriage Should Be Left To States
Marsha Blackburn Lectures Ketanji Brown Jackson on White Privilege - Rolling Stone
