Persist and Resist – August 3, 2020
Message from Mavis Brauer, Chair, Prescott Indivisible
- The PI General Meeting is going to be Thursday, August 6 from 6:00-7:30 via Zoom: Prescott Indivisible is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. (Meeting id – 833 6860 4240). The main program is on the YC Board of Supervisor’s proposed new jail. Toni Denis has an upcoming article in 5enses about this topic and is going to be the main speaker. John Lutes, our Democratic candidate for the YCBoS, is also going to give his views. There will also be time for a Q&A. Next, Marion Pack will present “Remembering the 75th Anniversary, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Never Again!” which will include a short video from her friend, Ema, which was filmed in Hiroshima, Japan.
- PI continues to increase the presence of our Progressive Voice on social media which includes Twitter and Facebook. If you have questions or would like to increase your abilities on social media, you can tap into my Twitter Office Hours every Monday after from 1:00 to 3:00 from now until November 3, 2020. I will be using the same link.
- Cheryl Harris resigned as the VVP Team Leader in the Steering Committee because of the increase in other responsibilities. Cheryl and Nancy Klick were Co-Chairs of the VVP and Nancy has graciously moved into the Chair position and as the VVP Team Leader on the SC. To support Nancy in that position, Louise Clara has agreed to Co-Chair. Thank you, Nancy and Louise! And thank you, Cheryl, for all of the work that you have done and for continuing to work with the VAN (i.e. Voter Access Network) in support of the VVP.
- Racial Equity Education: John Lewis’ funeral was last Tuesday and former President Barack Obama gave the eulogy that was a heart-felt tribute to Rep. Lewis and inspiring for what we need to do. If you haven’t seen it, here’s the link. The entire funeral can also be seenhere.
- Check out what volunteer opportunities are available. Click here and then put in our zip code 86301 (more zips coming) and find links to phone banks, texting parties and much more. The volunteer opportunities for our Endorsed Candidates are listed below.
- Until Sept. 21st, every dollar made through ActBlue as a General Contribution is matched by national Indivisible, up to $350. Take advantage of this doubling of your contribution by selecting General Donation. Please donate.
The Jail Opposition Rally is this morning from 8-11am. Assuming you read this before 11am, there is time for you to drive to the Yavapai County Office Bldg., 1015 Fair St., Prescott. A few signs will be available. You can “Cruise in Your Car” – Wear Your Masks. Who Decides? We Decide!
Book Review and Articles re Race and Caste by Maria Lynam
I just finished The Vanished Half by Britt Bennett. A novel, it is about Black twin girls born in the South who were so light they could pass for white. One chooses to pass as white, the other does not. Their stories continue with their daughters and a especially memorable character who is trans. Not only a ‘good read,’ it will make you think about race and identity, but also caste.
I also read Isabel Wilkerson’s America’s Enduring Caste System (NYT 7/5/20) and have ordered her book, Caste:The Origins of our Discontents. A caste system, she writes, is “an artificial construction, a fixed and embedded ranking of human value that sets the presumed supremacy of one group against the presumed inferiority of other groups on the basis of ancestry and often immutable traits…” and, “Race, in the United States, is the visible agent of the unseen force of caste. Caste is the bones, race the skin.” In a recent interview, Wilkerson introduced me to Black No More, by George S. Schuyler. She describes it as a clever and biting satire in which “Schuyler imagines the social disruption of an invention that can make Black people look like white people in a matter of days. Black people who swear they would never do it, line up to be converted, while paranoia spreads among white people who fear being infiltrated by Black people who only look white. Thousands of Black people disappear into the white world, but have trouble truly passing because they have neither the back story nor the dominant caste perspective to pull it off, and thus live in fear of being outed.” It is available at the Prescott Public Library in Harlem Renaissance : four novels of the 1930s
Thurs., 8/6 6:30 – 8:30 PM, Democrats of the Red Rocks presents Race, Activism and Criminal Justice Reform Now in Northern Arizona. Join them for a stimulating discussion with a noted criminal defense attorney handling racial bias cases in Northern Arizona, the incoming Republican Sheriff of Yavapai County and his work to decriminalize mental illness, and a local young community organizer on multi-racial activism. Zoom link. Meeting ID: 851 8564 8274 Passcode: 214626
Voter Values Project
The Voter Values Project has been working hard to notify Independents in Yavapai County of the importance of signing up for the Permanent Early Voter List. The group has also been gathering surveys from Independent voters and is now emailing and doing follow up texting to those survey respondents with information on electoral issues.This effort is being done to educate and sway independents. Help with texting needed. Contact Louise Clara to volunteer – lclara5250@msn.com
Primary Day is Tuesday, Aug. 4
If you or someone you know has not returned their ballot by mail, make sure they drop it off at a Yavapai Co. drop box location, including the Yavapai Co. Admin. Bldg., 1015 Fair St., Prescott or Yavapai Co Recorder, 10 S. 6th St., Cottonwood. DO NOT MAIL YOUR BALLOT–IT IS TOO LATE. For info call 771-3248. Here is an interactive map with all the polling centers in the county.
Want to know how things are going–number of ballots received by party per county, etc.? Check out this Interesting data tracker. Our Steering Comm. member Maria-Elena Dunn captured this info for you:
VOTING TRENDS ** A GLIMMER OF GOOD NEWS **
Data Orbital’s Early Voter Tracker latest data shows that we are moving in the right direction in AZ and in Yavapai. Little by little chiseling away to bring about, ideally, a Blue Wave in November.
Here are the numbers that are a cause for guarded optimism. What follows are the percentages, by party (Arizona and Yavapai) of those registered to vote who actually voted in last three primaries. Figures for 2020 are those reported through 31 July (still 3 days before election day) but recorded only as of 29 July:
AZ
Democrats
2016: 36.9
2018: 39.1
2020: 44.9
Republicans
2016: 52.6
2018: 49.3
2020: 44.9
Yavapai
Democrats
2016: 24.9
2018: 25.9
2020: 29.5
Republicans
2016: 59.1
2018: 58.5
2020: 56.6
At first your editor was very concerned about the lack of participation among Yavapai Democrats and then it dawned! The Dems have only one choice on the entire ballot–for the CD4 candidate. It is a very sparse ballot. Why is that? It is not because we don’t have good and qualified people, but because so many stand back because they think they cannot win in our county. My hope is that we will see very strong figures in November and I put my trust in those of you who are young enough and wise enough to run for office. The real test will come in November.
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report; New Yorker, 8/2/20)
Calling the situation a “total disaster,” Donald J. Trump warned on Sunday that the use of mail-in ballots could result in voting.
Appearing on Fox News, Trump said that there were “all kinds of studies” showing a “direct link” between mail-in ballots and votes cast.
“Wherever you’ve had mail-in ballots, there have been widespread cases of voting,” he said. “We’re not going to let that happen.”
Really? There is a pandemic?
News from our front line: YC Community Health Services no longer reports Covid-19 cases on weekends.
On 7/31, Yavapai Co. had 1768 confirmed cases, 60 deaths, 613 recoveries. 1,155 active cases in the county.(an increase of 230 active cases in one week)
On 7/24, Yavapai Co. had 1534 confirmed cases, 54 deaths, 609 recoveries. 925 active cases in the county.
On 7/17, Yavapai Co. had 1329 confirmed cases; 26 deaths and 516 recoveries. 813 active cases in the county.
On 7/13, 5 days prior, there were 1,167 positive cases, 15 deaths and 480 recoveries. 687 active cases in the county.
You do the math!
From a national perspective – 8/2, Washington Post headline: “I’m sorry, it’s a fantasy.” A school superintendent in AZ worries about opening: “I’m worried about everything. Each possibility I come up with is a bad one,” says Jeff Gregorich, whose district (in Southern Gila County) faces a 5 percent reduction in state funding if it does not hold in-person classes. “I already lost one teacher to this virus. Do I risk opening back up even if it’s going to cost us more lives? Or do we run school remotely and end up depriving these kids?”
Testing Blitz in Yavapai County
Spectrum Healthcare will conduct a Testing Blitz in Yavapai County from 8 a.m. to noon for the next five Saturdays, August 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29. The drive-through COVID-19 testing locations are: 990 Willow Creek Road in Prescott and 651 Mingus Avenue in Cottonwood.
Patients can pre-register online, which will save time processing in-line, at spectrumhealthcare-group.org, but it is a first come first serve basis and while supplies last, Spectrum said in a press release. The testing service is free from Spectrum, however the actual lab test will be charged to insurance. The results take three to five days to return. Participants are asked to bring a photo identification and wear masks to help protect healthcare workers who will be doing the testing. There is no need to get a physician order.How do you protect yourself, your loved ones? Wear a mask every time you go out of the house; stay home as much as possible, wash those hands, and socially distance.
Many of the big box stores are now requiring masks. There is no ADA (American Disabilities Act) exemption for masks. However, the CDC says children under 2 and people who have trouble breathing, are unconscious, incapacitated or can’t take off a mask without help shouldn’t wear one. That’s it!
Unfortunately the mayors of most of our cities and the Board of Supervisors will not make masks mandatory–that means that even if a store requires a masks, and the municipality does not, a customer may be allowed to enter a place of business maskless. However, many businesses are giving training classes on how to refuse customers entry when they will not wear a mask.
Mask Donations Continue! Prescott Indivisible and the Democratic Women of the Prescott Area and other community members have now donated over 7,000 masks to the Navajo Nations.
There is now another need–masks for children that will be returning to school. Please contact Maria Lynam, maria488@icloud.com and she will send you pattern info and criteria for elastic. There is a great need in the Phoenix area and we are waiting for numbers to be submitted by Yavapai County public schools.
Federal Update
- A shout out to Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman for his fiery op-ed in the Washington Post this week. During my testimony in the House impeachment inquiry, I reassured my father, who experienced Soviet authoritarianism firsthand, saying, “Do not worry, I will be fine for telling the truth.” Despite Trump’s retaliation, I stand by that conviction. Even as I experience the low of ending my military career, I have also experienced the loving support of tens of thousands of Americans. Theirs is a chorus of hope that drowns out the spurious attacks of a disreputable man and his sycophants.Since the struggle for our nation’s independence, America has been a union of purpose: a union born from the belief that although each individual is the pilot of their own destiny, when we come together, we change the world. We are stronger as a woven rope than as unbound threads.
- The Republican-controlled U.S. Senate has adjourned for a three-day weekend as enhanced unemployment payments are officially set to lapse on Friday, guaranteeing that tens of millions of Americans will see their incomes drop by 50-75% with another rent payment due in 24 hours. “Just so we’re all clear,” tweeted economist Robert Reich on 7/30, more than 25,000,000 unemployed Americans are about to lose their extra unemployment benefits, and the Senate just left for a three-day weekend. Republicans have lost the right to govern.”
Arizona#INVESTinEd and Petition status:
- Even though almost half a million people signed the petitions to boost taxes on the state’s most wealthy to fund public education, a Superior Court Judge concluded that mis-leading statements and full-blown omissions disqualified the initiative. I don’t think that “such a disappointment” quite covers it. The backbone of our Democracy seems to have a severe case of fracture. If the AZ Supreme Court does not dissent from the lower court, direct initiatives–those brought by the public–will be destroyed. What happened to “We the People?” What can we do?
- Donate to Invest in Ed – they will be bringing an appeal to the AZ Supreme Court. It is expensive. On their homepage you can start your own legal defense fund for this effort.
- Write a testimonial – Join in taking action by writing a letter that we can share publicly about why Invest in Education is important to you – whether you are a parent, teacher, educator, student, or an ally.
- Small business owners, please read the truth and sign this letter.
- Three other citizen backed petitions have been challenged and are before the courts.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (Dem – CD3) has tested positive for COVID-19 after days in D.C. that included a hearing with Rep. Louie Gohmert, who also tested positive. Gohmert is that idiot who said that his mask probably gave him the virus.
Prescott & the Quad Cities
- Prescott – The Mayor’s Commission on Well Being seeks citizen participation in a survey. Check it out here. Why was this released in the middle of a pandemic? Are we living in Camelot? The questions are puerile and basic—how many glasses of water one drinks a day? How many times a week do you exercise? (Some find this one difficult to answer, since many facilities are shuttered).
These inane questions cannot possibly help the city “create programs, events and services” to reach their goal of measuring well-being.
A socially conscious city government should be asking what their citizens need. For instance, “If you do not see a doctor regularly, do you know what public health facilities are available?”
Resources offered by various social and welfare organizations are lacking on the city’s website. You can report a pothole, but not quickly find where to reach out if someone needs help.
How can anyone have a high score in “well-being” if they are unemployed and have no health insurance? 9,649 unemployed (8.8%) in May vs April’s 15,825. The Mayor could encourage the State of Arizona to raise the current $240 unemployment stipend per week. Well-being would be enhanced because stress for shelter and food would be lessened.
Prescott fails in their search to be a “premier city of well-being” simply by releasing this questionnaire. Please keep these insights in mind as you answer it. - Prescott National Forest fails to renew the 20 year old mining ban on the Hassayampa River, Lynx Lake, and Granite Basin Recreation Area. Contact the PNF Public Affairs staff at debbie.maneely@usda.gov and ask why they prioritized approving four new mines over the renewal of the mining ban. When you contact them, say you heard about it on KJZZ. Listen!
- On July 29, Joe Trudeau wrote an editorial in the Courier –Talk of Town: Dells Regional Park and Preserve: it’s time for answers. Read this then ask yourself how Prescott’s City Council will fund open space acquisitions. They have spent $60 million of voter-approved open space tax funds on roads. Trudeau suggests a formal working group to develop a plan in a transparent and equitable way. The City of Prescott and Yavapai County is urged “to convene a Regional Park and Preserve Planning Commission, with members of public advocacy groups, governments, Native American tribes, academic institutions, Dells landowners, and the general public.” Be aware and look for future updates from the Prescott Indivisible Environmental Team.
Volunteer OpportunitiesOur Endorsed Candidates continue to need your assistance. Why endorse a candidate unless you will help them and promote their campaign?
What can you do to help them?
Open your pocketbook – contribute on ActBlue or send a check!
J
John Lutes Needs:
Postcard Writers! Click on the logo below to volunteer help out.
Phone bank volunteers! John has a new phonebank captain, Amy Hurst. She has scheduled Lutes4ycbos Phone training Every Monday from now until Sept. 14 at 3:30pm. The first one is Monday, Aug. 3 – they all have the same zoom meeting no. Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 885 0014 3392 Passcode: 896776
Judy Stahl Needs:
Postcard Writers! Click on the logo below to volunteer help out.
Join Judy’s Phone Banks! Saturdays at 1:30 pm, Mondays at 6:00 pm, Wednesdays at 4:00 pm, Sundays at 1:30 pm
The session will begin on ZOOM for training and phone script/process review.
Mark Kelly Campaign – To phone bank for the campaign, contact Linda Meigs: 256-509-9414 or linda@meigsmade.com
Signs for the Democratic Candidates are available on Saturday mornings, 9:30a-noon at the
Yavapai Co. Democratic Headquarters, 1555 Iron Springs Rd., Prescott.
It is a no-contact pickup.
AZResist has the latest information on progressive meetings and actions around the state.
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