IC-SS News: June 5, 2024
Fired Up? Use Your Energy!
Trump is guilty on all 34 felony counts.
Going forward: We got heartening news last week, but we won’t let down our guard. Let’s use the energy from this victory to fire us up as we continue to fight for our democracy.
SCOTUS Emergency: Call Sen. Durbin
Dick Durbin is one of the most powerful leaders in the U.S. Senate. He’s Majority Whip, he’s Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and he’s our Illinois senator. In the face of the emergency situation in the Supreme Court, we, as constituents of Senator Durbin, have a duty to urge him to act now.
Justice Samuel Alito displayed insurrectionist flags at his home and his summer home, and he lied and covered up key aspects of one of the incidents. In spite of a blatant conflict of interest, Alito refuses to recuse himself from two Jan. 6-related cases. And Chief Justice John Roberts has refused to meet with Senator Durbin.
This is an emergency that threatens democracy in the United States. Senator Durbin had called on Justice Alito to recuse, but after Alito declined, Mr. Durbin has fallen back on re-stating the need for the Senate to pass the SCERT Act (pronounced “skirt”), the Supreme Court ethics bill he has co-sponsored (see tweets here and here).
We appreciate Dick Durbin’s advocacy for SCERT, but it will do nothing for the crisis before us now. We must call on Senator Durbin to issue subpoenas to Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts and to hold public hearings NOW.
ACT:Call or message Senator Durbin and ask him to do more. Suggested script – modify to fit your own voice:
Hello, my name is __________ and I’m a constituent in zip code ______. I thank Senator Durbin for sponsoring the SCERT [“skirt”] Act. But SCERT will not help us NOW as we face the immediate crisis in the Supreme Court.
We need Senator Durbin to use his power as Senate Judiciary Chair to subpoena Sam Alitoand John Roberts and to hold public hearings. Our democracy hangs in the balance. We need Senator Durbin to use all his power to act now!
Here is contact information for Senator Durbin. Call his district offices — try Springfield or Rock Island if you can’t get through to Chicago.
Join the Nationwide Letter Campaign
Step up your letter-writing efforts by writing from home with Vote Forward, the nonprofit that empowers grassroots volunteers to send handwritten letters encouraging fellow Americans to vote. Can you help Vote Forward get to their goal of 10 million letters?
Write at Home from Now to October
Reach voters in key states with paper and pen. We encourage you to sign up with Vote Forward, so you can print, write, and mail your own letters from home.
But does it really make a difference? On the one hand, nothing matches the results of face-to-face or voice-to-voice contact with voters (canvassing or phone-banking). But evidence shows that Vote Forward letters have a real impact.
Sign up for a free account with Vote Forward, choose a state or states, and then opt to print 20 letters, 200 letters, 2000 letters… whatever works for your schedule between now and the mail date in October. Invite your friends and host your own mini-parties!
Thanks to Last Week’s Writers
Thanks to the 15 writers who joined up last week to write letters to voters (and enjoy pizza too).
Special thanks to our welcoming host, Lisa Rademacher, and to our generous letter leader, Steve Kagan. Thanks to everyone who contributed treats, bites, and drinks or donated stamps. Together we wrote over 200 Vote Forward letters!
Write with Us: Thursday, June 13
This month, we’re writing letters back at the Nile, 1162 E. 55th St. If the weather is nice, we’ll enjoy working from the outdoor patio in back.
We order a few appetizers for the table, and you order and pay for your own meal to support the Nile. Join us there next week, Thursday, June 13th, 6:00-8:00 pm: RSVP here
Thanks to all our writers & stamp donors – RSVP
Our generous letter leader, Steve Kagan, will bring pens, envelopes, and pre-printed Vote Forward letters for you to personalize to help get out the vote in key states and districts. (Of course, if you’re writing letters from home, you can bring your own letters to work on.)
We encourage you to donate first-class stamps. You are welcome to bring wine or beer to share. But the most important thing is to be there!
RSVP here (or email us at Indiv.Chi.South@gmail.com, letting us know you can attend on Thursday, June 13 and providing your full name and cell number).
Action Calendar: Indivisible Chicago Alliance
It’s June, and November is less than half a year from now. What are your plans to help prevent a Trump/GOP power grab of the White House, Congress, and the states?
To find specific actions to sign up for, check ALL the June 2024 options on the Indivisible Chicago Alliance action calendar. (Want to see a LIST of actions instead? Here’s the list view.)
The calendar is a project of the citywide Indivisible Chicago Alliance and is curated by Wendy Posner.
Organizations & Opportunities
Tell Congress to Stop Supporting Gaza War
From Jewish Voice for Peace: On May 26, the Israeli military carried out a massacre in Rafah. They bombed displaced families huddled in tents, killing over 45 people.
We will never forget the images from Rafah following the attack. Human beings, including babies, were burned alive and torn apart. The Israeli government is able to carry out this genocide against Palestinians because of funding and weapons from the U.S. This must end, it must end now.
ACT. Write to Congress. Demand an arms embargo and an end to military funding to Israel NOW. Take action here.
Sat., June 22: CBA Summit for South Shore
From STOP Chicago: To protect neighborhood residents (whether renters or homeowners), South Shore needs a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) now, and Woodlawn needs more protection from gentrification.
On Saturday, June 22nd, from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm, attend the 2024 CBA Summit; South Shore location to be announced. Join STOP Chicago, the Coalition for an Obama CBA, Mayor Brandon Johnson, and Alderman Desmon Yancy (5th ward) to get the new CBA ordinance passed! Register here.
Indivisible Chicago-South Side
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Co-Leaders: Esther Peters,Betsy Rubin, Teri Watkins, Sarah Lincoln
About: Group & Co-Leader Statements
Newsletter Notes
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