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How We Can Help Win the Election

Democracy is on the ballot. Get involved!

It is vital that us regular Americans become involved in the election. Never has so much been at stake: Democracy is on the ballot, and we need to make sure Democracy wins.

[ Spare me the lecture… skip to the meat! ]

Democrats lost the House by just 6,675 votes in 2022. That’s field margins—fractions of a percentage point—in just a handful of competitive races. And Democrats only need to net five seats to regain the majority next year.

We absolutely must NOT sit out on the sidelines AGAIN thinking that there is no way Trump can win. I for one am working hard to register new voters and get people to the polls. I hope other will join me.

It means recruiting new voters and getting irregular voters to the polls. Make sure everyone you know is registered to vote and committed to actually voting for pro-democracy candidates. Don’t forget that in many states 16 & 17 year olds can preregister to vote:
https://www.rockthevote.org/how-to-vote/nationwide-voting-info/voter-pre-registration/

Irregular voters need to make sure they haven’t been purged from the rolls and are registered at the correct address. I recommend vote411.org for all things voting related. Educate yourself about any new voter laws passed after the 2020 election (https://www.vote411.org/voting-rules).

If you have time to expand your sphere of influence beyond your friends and family, get involved in your local races or one or more grassroots organizations like these:

Let’s make a 🌊🌊🌊 happen – starting now!!

The problem isn’t just the Russians and Iranians… It’s Americans, too.

by Tedd Herr

December 20, 2020

This is a longer version of a comment I posted on Facebook in response to a meme posted by Jack Duran, who is probably best known as a former Supervisor for Placer County (California). Jack frequently advocates on behalf of Native

(Link to the Jack’s post: https://www.facebook.com/jack.duran.75/posts/10219437650116836)

It mildly implies that Colin Kaepernick addressed people who are/were critical of himself, Rosa Parks, MLK and Muhammad Ali for their methods of protesting, and that he is calling out hypocrisy on the part of those who are silent about slavery and genocide against Native Americans.

In response, there were claims by various readers:

… and …

Notes that Mr. Otsuka’s comment goes so far as to imply that Kaepernick is comparing himself to MLK, and when challenged on this, he doubles down on accepting the meme as being accurate (while simultaneously acknowledging that it might not be).

This was followed by Robert Dugan writing as though Mr. Otsuka’s claim that Kaepernick was comparing himself to the other civil rights activists was accurate: “..He compares himself to Rosa Parks?..”

Dugan followed up with denigrating Kaepernick and Kaepernick’s football skills: “A millionaire – who had every privilege growing up. only took a knee after he was benched for failure to perform the job he was overpaid to do. Really simple contrast. – The epitome of arrogance using those who suffered and still do for his personal gain.”

Dugan didn’t respond when I challenged him on the accuracy of his comparison allegation. However, Jim Joiner responded as if the meme is an accurate and reliable representation of Kaepernick’s stance on the other activists: “are you unable to see the meme that Jack posted? If you can … you’ll find the origin of the MLK responses there.”

In summary, Mr. Otsuka, Mr. Dugan and Mr. Joiner all accepted the meme as being an accurate representation of something Mr. Kaepernick said – – without any other evidence.Otsuka and Joiner later defended the meme as being accurate when challenged.

The meme has a history: It is one that Facebook released as having been part of a political influence campaign emanating from Iran:

“Facebook said it had detected a coordinated influence campaign run out of Iran that created pages and groups followed by more than 1 million accounts on the social network.”
“The social network said in a blog post on Friday that it had taken down 30 pages, 33 accounts, and three groups on Facebook, as well as 16 accounts on Instagram, that were tied to the campaign, which it described as “inauthentic behavior.”
“The pages posted politically divisive content targeted at users in the US and the UK in apparent attempts to sow division, Facebook said.”

https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-detects-bans-iranian-influence-campaign-2018-10

According to an article published in the Washington Post, ..

“Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe called a news conference to warn Americans that foreign adversaries were actively interfering in the U.S. elections. Ratcliffe noted that two countries, Russia and Iran, have launched efforts to influence the course of the elections…”

“While Ratcliffe’s revelations raise many questions, the fact that Iran would seek to interfere with the U.S. elections shouldn’t come as a surprise. This falls in line with Iran’s long-standing goal to undermine democracy at home and abroad.”

and

“It’s clear that the regime doesn’t have an answer to the growing discontent within the country. Its system of government isn’t attractive and, as a result, it has resorted — as most authoritarian regimes do — to repression and discrediting democracy.”

(https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/10/22/iran-interference-election-dni-ratcliffe/)

With the historical perspective on this meme, let’s review…

1. The meme was created, then disseminated in a way that did not initially reveal its origins.

2. It was amplified by Americans,

3. Other Americans took a stance on the meme, including…

4. Taking it as being a reliable representation of Kaepernick’s attitude, then

5. Created a false narrative (disinformation) about Colin Kaepernick regarding his civil rights activism.

My presumption is that Jack posted this meme for the contrast is portrayed between the response of some Americans to civil rights protesting and the ongoing poverty, injustices and destruction of Native American communities as perpetuated by government policy as well as civilian attitudes and actions.

If the Iranian intent is to undermine democracy by creating and amplifying existing divisions in American society, the responses to this particular instance of the meme being posted demonstrate the accuracy of that analysis.

It’s not just the Russians and Iranians who are a problem to our democracy….It’s Americans, too.

Ballot in Hand – Securing your OWN vote

The 2020 election is the most consequential election in your lifetime, and arguably the most consequential in the history of this nation.

What could cause you to fail to vote on election day?

All hell breaks loose at work, and you don’t leave until too late to go to the polls.
A medical emergency… yourself, a neighbor, or in the family.
It’s terrible weather out, and the line outside looks to be a couple hours long.

Anything else?

Here’s some realities…

You find out too late that you have been taken off the voter rolls.
Your polling place has been closed, so your options include not voting, or traveling further than you expected to another polling place
Armed “patriots” show up at your voting place

We (Five Friends) are advocating a couple of actions:

“Ballot in Hand” (#ballotinhand). Sign up NOW for voting absentee/by mail so that your ballot is delivered.
Return your ballot by hand to an officially designated location (county clerk’s office, ballot collection box, etc.)
If you cannot return it by hand, mail it via USPS on or before October 20.
Document each step along the way. Your vote may be one of many ballots not counted.

Document your efforts to vote by writing notes, including the date/time and by taking screen shots for when you requested your ballot. There is multiple evidence that this year will be the worst yet for both intentional voter suppression and unintentional (i.e. coronavirus fears shutting down polling places).

Get your ballot in your hand and get it back safely so it’s counted.

Here’s a link for requesting an absentee ballot. (Note that some states, such as Texas, have strict limitations on who may request voting by mail.)

https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot/

What could possibly go wrong?

The Election is on November 3. What could possibly go wrong?

One thing that could go wrong is that Trump is “re-elected” in a free and fair election.

Something else that could go drastically wrong is that Trump “wins” in a election fraught with irregularities and legal challenges.

Many of us see Trump remaining in office as an absolute disaster for this country.

As the polls keep showing, Trump is behind.

As his ego keeps displaying, he can’t stand not winning or proclaiming himself “the best.” How do you think he’s doing with the prospect of losing the election?

Trump’s best chance at being re-elected is for anything less than a free and fair election. The further the election gets from free and fair, the better it is from Trump.

There are several disturbing elements at play here, all of which could lead to Trump “winning.”

Voter Suppression

Voter suppression is nothing new, but it has increasingly become part of the Republican playbook. It takes place in a few formats..

Kicking people off the voter rolls
Voter ID rules
Closing polling places in areas that lean strongly Democratic.

Electoral disruption

What will the weather be like on November 3? Will there be severe weather conditions that keep people away from the polls?

How bad will the coronavirus pandemic be? Will voters be worried about becoming infected from voting…from standing in line, possibly for hours? Will poll workers refuse to show up, fearing being exposed to COVID-19?

What would a desperate narcissist do to “win” an election?

Would Trump use the border guard to create Portland-style chaos in the streets?

Will Trump encourage armed followers to “protect” polling places in the same way they took over the Michigan state capitol building?

Be ready – Be prepared – Vote early. Make sure your vote counts by voting as early as possible. Don’t leave the fate of your vote up to the whims of the weather, coronavirus or Trump.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Get involved!

Make sure you are proactively defending your vote.
Make sure your friends vote, too. Email them and express your concerns.
Recruit others to join us.

Start here: https://fivefriends.org/start-here/

President Barack Obama’s Statement on Mass Shootings – August 5, 2019

By Barack Obama

Michelle and I grieve with all the families in EI Paso and Dayton who endured these latest mass shootings. Even if details are still emerging, there are a few things we already know to be true.
First, no other nation on Earth comes close to experiencing the frequency of mass shootings that we see in the United States. No other developed nation tolerates the levels of gun violence that we do. Every time this happens, we’re told that tougher gun laws won’t stop all murders; that they won’t stop every deranged individual from getting a weapon and shooting innocent people in public places. But the evidence shows that they can stop some killings. They can save some families from heartbreak. We are not helpless here. And until all of us stand up and insist on holding public officials accountable for changing our gun laws, these tragedies will keep happening.
Second, while the motivations behind these shootings may not yet be fully known, there are indications that the EI Paso shooting follows a dangerous trend: troubled individuals who embrace racist ideologies and see themselves obligated to act violently to preserve white supremacy. Like the followers of ISIS and other foreign terrorist organizations, these individuals may act alone, but they’ve been radicalized by white nationalist websites that proliferate on the internet. That means that both law enforcement agencies and internet platforms need to come up with better strategies to reduce the influence of these hate groups.
But just as important, all of us have to send a clarion call and behave with the values of tolerance and diversity that should be the hallmark of our democracy. We should soundly reject language coming out of the mouths of any of our leaders that feeds a climate of fear and hatred or normalizes racist sentiments; leaders who demonize those who don’t look like us, or suggest that other people, including immigrants, threaten our way of life, or refer to other people as sub-human, or imply that America belongs to just one certain type of people. Such language isn’t new – it’s been at the root of most human tragedy throughout history, here in America and around the world. It is at the root of slavery and Jim Crow, the Holocaust, the genocide in Rwanda and ethnic cleansing in the Balkans. It has no place in our politics and our public life. And it’s time for the overwhelming majority of Americans of goodwill, of every race and faith and political party, to say as much – clearly and unequivocally.

Another Shooting – Who’s Responsible?

As we mourn the senseless loss of more innocent lives, we need to put the blame squarely where it belongs.

Certainly Donald Trump, the Republican “leaders” and the NRA bear some responsibility.

But most of the blame belongs squarely on our shoulders. Many people reading this will say “I didn’t vote for any of those fools…” but indeed we, as in We the People, are to blame.

We have held our own fate in our own hands for more than 240. Yet we have failed to build a society where children and other innocents are safe.

We could vote out the deranged fools, the racists and the big-money tools. But we haven’t. It’s our fault we still have a society riddled with racism, hatred and bullet holes.

It’s time for us to vote them out.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Fivefriends.org is working to defeat Trump and his apologists in 2020. Become a volunteer for change at https://fivefriends.org

Action at FiveFriends.org

Fivefriends.org is working to defeat Trump and his apologists in 2020. Become a volunteer for change at FiveFriends.org

It isn’t the Racism

By @djrothkopf
(With many thanks to Lori Ann Josephfor sharing)

“It’s the racism. But it’s not just the racism. It’s sex crimes. But it’s not just the sex crimes. It’s the concentration camps. But it’s not just the concentration camps. It’s the corruption. But it’s not just the corruption.

It’s being a traitor. But it’s not just being a traitor. It’s the obstruction of justice but its not just the obstruction of justice. It’s the attacks on rule of law. But it’s not just the attacks on the rule of law. It’s the assault on freedom of the press.
But it’s not just the assault on freedom of the press. It’s the pathological lying. But it’s not just the pathological lying. It’s the unfitness for office. But it’s not just the unfitness for office. It’s the incompetence. But it’s not just the incompetence.

It’s the attacks on our most important allies and alliances. But it’s not just the attacks on most important allies and alliances. It’s the systematic destruction of our environment. But it’s not just the systematic destruction of our environment.

It’s the violation of international treaties and agreements. But it is not just the violation of international treaties and agreements. It’s the embrace of our enemies. But it is not just the embrace of our enemies.

It’s the defense of murdering dictators but it is not just the defense of murdering dictators. It is the serial undermining of our national security. But it is not just the serial undermining of our national security. It is the nepotism. But it’s not just the nepotism.

It’s the attacks on our federal law enforcement and intelligence communities. But it is not just the attacks on our federal law enforcement and intelligence communities. It’s the fiscal recklessness. But it’s not just the fiscal recklessness.

It’s the degradation of the office and of public discourse in America. But it’s not just the degradation of the office and of public discourse in America. It’s the support of Nazis and white supremacists. But it’s not just the support of Nazis and white supremacists.

It’s the dead in Puerto Rico and the at the border. But it’s not just the dead in Puerto Rico and at the border. It’s turning the US government into a criminal conspiracy to empower and enrich the president and his supporters.

But it’s not just the turning the US government into a criminal conspiracy to empower and enrich the president and his supporters. It’s weaponization of politics in America to attack the weak. But it’s not just the weaponization of American politics to attack the weak.

It’s all these things together and the threat of worse to come. It is the damage that can not be undone. It is pathology that has overtaken our politics and our society, the revelation that 40 percent of the population and an entire political party are profoundly immoral.

It is a disease that has infected our system and is killing it. At the moment, we still have the wherewithal to fight back. But even those who recognize the dangers of this litany of crimes are proving too complacent, too inert in the face of this threat.

It is one of those moments in the history of a country when there is a choice to be made, a choice between having a future and not, between growth and decay, between democracy and oligarchy, between what we dreamt of being and what even our founders feared we might become.

The litany of crises and crimes is so long that we are becoming numb. You have heard of the fog of war. This is the fog of Trump. The volume of wrongs becomes its own defense. Is the president accused of being a rapist? Well, then remind them he is a racist and they’ll forget.

This is a moment for leaders to step up. To challenge each of these abuses via every legal means available. To organize and draw attention to them. To blow the whistle if you are in government and you are being asked to violate your oath. To resist and refuse to be complicit.

If you can’t do those things that make your voice heard and join a movement, support a political candidate, donate money, register voters, fight voter suppression. But whatever you do, resist becoming numb. Resist the temptation to let the recitation of old crimes and new become a deadening drone.

Every one matters in times like these. Every one must stand up for what is right. In their homes. In their schools. In the workplace. In their churches and synagogues and mosques.

We are approaching a great national decision about whether the American experiment will succeed or fail, whether this moment does what two world wars, a civil war and countless past misjudgments and missteps could not.

We will make it together, resist, offer a better alternative, embrace that alternative and the best leaders we can find…or succumb, let the inertia of some among us mark the end of what for two and half centuries was an idea so compelling it inspired the world.”

Yes, I am a Liberal

I’m a liberal, but that doesn’t mean what a lot of you apparently think it does.

Let’s break it down, shall we? Because quite frankly, I’m getting a little tired of being told what I believe and what I stand for. Spoiler alert: Not every liberal is the same, though the majority of liberals I know think roughly along these same lines:

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. Period.

2. I believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Somehow that’s interpreted as “I believe Obamacare is the end-all, be-all.” This is not the case. I’m fully aware that the ACA has problems, that a national healthcare system would require everyone to chip in, and that it’s impossible to create one that is devoid of flaws, but I have yet to hear an argument against it that makes “let people die because they can’t afford healthcare” a better alternative. I believe healthcare should be far cheaper than it is, and that everyone should have access to it. And no, I’m not opposed to paying higher taxes in the name of making that happen.

3. I believe education should be affordable and accessible to everyone. It doesn’t necessarily have to be free (though it works in other countries so I’m mystified as to why it can’t work in the US), but at the end of the day, there is no excuse for students graduating college saddled with five- or six-figure debt.

4. I don’t believe your money should be taken from you and given to people who don’t want to work. I have literally never encountered anyone who believes this. Ever. I just have a massive moral problem with a society where a handful of people can possess the majority of the wealth while there are people literally starving to death, freezing to death, or dying because they can’t afford to go to the doctor. Fair wages, lower housing costs, universal healthcare, affordable education, and the wealthy actually paying their share would go a long way toward alleviating this. Somehow believing that makes me a communist.

5. I don’t throw around “I’m willing to pay higher taxes” lightly. If I’m suggesting something that involves paying more, well, it’s because I’m fine with paying my share as long as it’s actually going to something besides lining corporate pockets or bombing other countries while Americans die without healthcare.

6. I believe companies should be required to pay their employees a decent, livable wage. Somehow this is always interpreted as me wanting burger flippers to be able to afford a penthouse apartment and a Mercedes. What it actually means is that no one should have to work three full-time jobs just to keep their head above water. Restaurant servers should not have to rely on tips, multibillion-dollar companies should not have employees on food stamps, workers shouldn’t have to work themselves into the ground just to barely make ends meet, and minimum wage should be enough for someone to work 40 hours and live.

7. I am not anti-Christian. I have no desire to stop Christians from being Christians, to close churches, to ban the Bible, to forbid prayer in school, etc. (BTW, prayer in school is NOT illegal; *compulsory* prayer in school is – and should be – illegal). All I ask is that Christians recognize *my* right to live according to *my* beliefs. When I get pissed off that a politician is trying to legislate Scripture into law, I’m not “offended by Christianity” — I’m offended that you’re trying to force me to live by your religion’s rules. You know how you get really upset at the thought of Muslims imposing Sharia law on you? That’s how I feel about Christians trying to impose biblical law on me. Be a Christian. Do your thing. Just don’t force it on me or mine.

8. I don’t believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the *same* rights as you.

9. I don’t believe illegal immigrants should come to America and have the world at their feet, especially since THIS ISN’T WHAT THEY DO (spoiler: undocumented immigrants are ineligible for all those programs they’re supposed to be abusing, and if they’re “stealing” your job it’s because your employer is hiring illegally). I’m not completely opposed to deporting people who are here illegally, but I believe there are far more humane ways to handle undocumented immigration than our current practices (i.e., detaining children, splitting up families, ending DACA, etc).

10. I don’t believe the government should regulate everything, but since greed is such a driving force in our country, we NEED regulations to prevent cut corners, environmental destruction, tainted food/water, unsafe materials in consumable goods or medical equipment, etc. It’s not that I want the government’s hands in everything — I just don’t trust people trying to make money to ensure that their products/practices/etc. are actually SAFE. Is the government devoid of shadiness? Of course not. But with those regulations in place, consumers have recourse if they’re harmed and companies are liable for medical bills, environmental cleanup, etc. Just kind of seems like common sense when the alternative to government regulation is letting companies bring their bottom line into the equation.

11. I believe our current administration is fascist. Not because I dislike them or because I can’t get over an election, but because I’ve spent too many years reading and learning about the Third Reich to miss the similarities. Not because any administration I dislike must be Nazis, but because things are actually mirroring authoritarian and fascist regimes of the past.

12. I believe the systemic racism and misogyny in our society is much worse than many people think, and desperately needs to be addressed. Which means those with privilege — white, straight, male, economic, etc. — need to start listening, even if you don’t like what you’re hearing, so we can start dismantling everything that’s causing people to be marginalized.

13. I am not interested in coming after your blessed guns, nor is anyone serving in government. What I am interested in is sensible policies, including background checks, that just MIGHT save one person’s, perhaps a toddler’s, life by the hand of someone who should not have a gun.

14. I believe in so-called political correctness. I prefer to think it’s social politeness. If I call you Chuck and you say you prefer to be called Charles I’ll call you Charles. It’s the polite thing to do. Not because everyone is a delicate snowflake, but because as Maya Angelou put it, when we know better, we do better. When someone tells you that a term or phrase is more accurate/less hurtful than the one you’re using, you now know better. So why not do better? How does it hurt you to NOT hurt another person?

15. I believe in funding sustainable energy, including offering education to people currently working in coal or oil so they can change jobs. There are too many sustainable options available for us to continue with coal and oil. Sorry, billionaires. Maybe try investing in something else.

16. I believe that women should not be treated as a separate class of human. They should be paid the same as men who do the same work, should have the same rights as men and should be free from abuse. Why on earth shouldn’t they be?

I think that about covers it. Bottom line is that I’m a liberal because I think we should take care of each other. That doesn’t mean you should work 80 hours a week so your lazy neighbor can get all your money. It just means I don’t believe there is any scenario in which preventable suffering is an acceptable outcome as long as money is saved.

Author unknown.

Our Volunteers

Level 1 Commitment:

You commit to voting,
You talk to at least five friends, and secure their commitment to voting
You sporadically check with your friends (Are you registered? Are you voting by mail? Etcetera.)
We sporadically send you an email (and you can opt out at any time).

That’s it. Notice we’re not asking you for money.

Level 2 Commitment:

All of the above, plus…

You get at least one of your friends to join at a Level 1 Commitment

Level 3 Commitment

You volunteer to help us at least 1 hour per month

Level 4 Commitment

You volunteer lots of hours for us!!!

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