GOP LIES ARE POISONING DEMOCRACY
People are being led to believe in fake dangers arising from books, history, gay children, and illegal voters.
QUICK READ: A substantial percentage of Americans are convinced that, on critical subjects, lies are the truth. These are not differences of opinion. These people have been intentionally misled. The manufactured divisions have created a political stalemate, leaving big issues, like protecting the vote, unaddressed and festering. We must recognize that these purpose-driven lies are a potent assault on democracy and join the fight for truth.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
BACKGROUND
Lies poison democracy. But they are the GOP's most potent political weapon.
Camouflaged as "cultural" disagreements, GOP campaigns of lies are designed to trigger strong emotions, especially fear and f racial hostility, and fill polling booths.
The impact of lies is quantifiable.
Deaths from Covid were three times greater in pro-Trump areas. Highly protective masks were derided as "face diapers." And vaccines were portrayed as either dangerously experimental or containing tracking devices and magnets.
Only 21% of Republicans believe Biden's election was legitimate. Trump's big lie has fueled a national campaign to suppress the votes of people of color and block the Senate's efforts to protect voting. Only a third of Republicans say they'll trust the outcome of the 2022 election if their candidate doesn't win. That's dangerous.
In the pipeline are lies blaming Biden for the price of gas and his "weak" response to Ukraine, and blaming Democrats for stoking hyperinflation by budgeting money for climate change and social programs.
Then there are the "dangers" stemming from books, history, wrong voters, and gay children.
Truths, even inconvenient ones, strengthen democracy. We must seek the truth, challenge the lies, and expose the GOP’s cynical fear campaigns.
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].
Go to the floor and challenge the lies with facts. Unfortunately, most American propaganda goes unchallenged, leaving the vulnerable uncertain about what is true.
SEN. WYDEN:
Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Go to the floor and challenge the lies with facts. Unfortunately, most American propaganda goes unchallenged, leaving the vulnerable uncertain about what is true.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
Go to the floor and challenge the lies with facts. Unfortunately, most American propaganda goes unchallenged, leaving the vulnerable uncertain about what is true.
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].
Go to the floor and challenge the lies with facts. Unfortunately, most American propaganda goes unchallenged, leaving the vulnerable uncertain about what is true.
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].
Go to the floor and challenge the lies with facts. Unfortunately, most American propaganda goes unchallenged, leaving the vulnerable uncertain about what is true.
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].
Go to the floor and challenge the lies with facts. Unfortunately, most American propaganda goes unchallenged, leaving the vulnerable uncertain about what is true.
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].
Go to the floor and challenge the lies with facts. Unfortunately, most American propaganda goes unchallenged, leaving the vulnerable uncertain about what is true.
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].
Go to the floor and challenge the lies with facts. Unfortunately, most American propaganda goes unchallenged, leaving the vulnerable uncertain about what is true.
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SHARING PROPAGANDA:
A guide to avoiding misinformation - The Washington Post
ACTION 3: GOOD TROUBLE
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:
The War on History Is a War on Democracy - The New York Times
Pro-Trump counties now have far higher COVID death rates : Shots - Health News : NPR
Fox News' Anti-Vaccination Hysteria Has Reached a New Level - Rolling Stone
Do Republicans really believe the Big Lie about the 2020 election? - The Washington Post
The truth about Hunter Biden and the Ukrainian' bio labs' - The Washington Post
How Russia's false biolab story was echoed by the U.S. far right : NPR
QAnon Cheers Republican Attacks on Jackson. Democrats See a Signal. - The New York Times
Why state-level Republicans are going all in on extreme "anti-woke" bills - Vox
Misinformation is stopping renewable energy projects : NPR
The Rise of the Tucker Carlson Politician - The New York Times
