LISTSOur biweekly lists lay out notable issues in the news and tell you what you can do about them.
|
SUBSCRIBE TO EMAIL UPDATES:
|
4/24/2020 0 Comments Stay Sane(Itized): April 2020Hey Teen Resisters! Happy a few days late Earth Day, and we hope more than anything that you and your families are all staying healthy and safe. This is an absolutely unprecedented time, and right now we say: stay sane — watch a trashy show, take care of yourself (by exercising, sleeping, doing something, or doing nothing), and don't lose hope. Unity is vital right now, even when we're separate! So is forgiving yourself! We've included a statement on Biden below, linked our last list/some general action items, and then covered some COVID-19 news. It's often difficult to even open the news right now, so this is something good to read if you just want a couple of bite-sized pieces of important info. Peace & Power, TR
Not only are we voting for a president, we’re voting for a cabinet, Supreme Court nominees, a huge number of federal judges, and a whole new administration. This election is also wildly important in other races besides the presidential one. All of this is to say that we will be launching our previously planned 2020 youth-mobilizing programs in favor of Joe Biden and his campaign as well as for tons of other progressives around the country who we want to see be elected (just like we did with the midterms!). We also plan (and hope you do too) to hold Biden to high standards and push him on issues and policies we care about — whatever they may be — both during the campaign and hopefully once he is in the White House. **Before we dive in: What can you do re: COVID-19, in general? We outlined a ton of feasible and impactful actions in our last list — including how to find places or sites to volunteer, places to donate to, how to stay updated, and how to stay busy. Check it out here: Quaranteens Resist. And here’s the link for places to get aid from, if you need a quick reference.** what went down
The US’ annual contribution to the UN, totalling around $10 billion, makes up about 20% of the organization’s budget; this is more than twice that of the second largest contributor, Japan, which provides some 9.7% of the organization’s funds. At the same time, contributions by the US are small in comparison to the size of its economy, making only a 0.26% dent in the overall federal budget. (Consider this in comparison to US annual military spending, which this year will exceed $934 billion.) And these contributions have a hugely positive impact on the world, funding vaccines and food for impoverished children through UNICEF, peacekeeping operations through the DPO, the protection of tens of millions of refugees through the UNHCR, and of course health services around the world through the WHO. While there may be issues with the scale of funds provided by the US to the UN and WHO, the cessation of financial support in the midst of the largest public health crisis in a century is counterproductive at best. Certainly, the WHO is biased towards the Chinese government and significant changes need to be made (take the incident on March 30, when one of its Director-Generals, Bruce Aylward, refused to acknowledge the presence of Taiwan in an interview with Hong Kong journalist Yvonne Tong), but the time for these changes is when this pandemic ends. Recognizing this, many countries, among them the UK, China, New Zealand, France, Russia, and Germany, have spoken out in support of the WHO and pledged to maintain their own funding.
President Trump included 400 million dollars in the recent stimulus package for states to use for election purposes. However, the bill didn’t specify any requirements for how the funding had to be used, and some legislators and advocates don’t think this is sufficient. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) recently introduced the VoteSafe Act, a bill that would require every state to allow mail-in voting, without having to provide an excuse. This means that in states where mail-in voters have to provide a reason for why they aren’t voting on Election Day, this would no longer be required and anyone could vote by mail. Harris’ bill would also mandate that all states have at least 20 days prior to the election on November 3, when people can choose to vote early in-person. According to The Hill, Senator Harris introduced the VoteSafe Act to “ensure that voting is safe and accessible” for everyone, especially in the face of the current pandemic. A few things that you can do:
What’s going on:
As of April 16th, 2020, millions of Americans did not receive the COVID-19 stimulus checks promised to them by the federal government. U.S Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had instructed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to deliver the payments as timely as possible to address the devastating effects of the coronavirus on working opportunities. Instead, millions of Americans who had filed their taxes through services like TurboTax did not receive their check when guaranteed as the IRS reportedly did not “have their direct deposit information on file”. According to consumer law expert Vijay Raghavan, up to 21 million tax filers could be impacted by this mistake. To try to restore order, the IRS launched the “Get My Payment” service to aid people in tracking their stimulus payment. This seems to have had little to no effect, as many users are experiencing issues and confusion with the software. Similar problems are occurring with the IRS website itself, as the service locks people out who try to access their information many times throughout the day to avoid potential fraud. The Washington Post also reports that a number of people are receiving the incorrect payment amount for dependent children. The Post also reports that people who owe $0 in taxes are having issues checking their payment status. The IRS’s condition is only made worse by the fact that there have also been reports circulating about stimulus checks sent to the addresses of deceased people. The IRS says they are aware of the many issues made apparent by the stimulus payments and are currently working to resolve them. Go to the IRS website to get your payment or check the status of processing payments nationwide. And, finally....
0 Comments
4/1/2020 0 Comments Quaranteens Resist: ResourcesHello Teen Resisters, Thanks for sticking with us in this strange time-- we know it took us a little while. Our team is made up of teens and just like all of you, we've had a lot of adjusting to do with online school, etc. But now we're back. We figured that you're probably getting enough news all the time, and because things are so fast-paced, so we are leaning into the "list" structure and providing you with some resources. You'll see that this list is sectioned into a few different mini-lists: resources for information, donations, financial support, political resources, etc. We will continue with our regular list coverage throughout the pandemic on a biweekly schedule. We will also probably be doing some workshops on Instagram Live (@teensresist) since we can't do in-person workshops. Also- take the census, please! Tell your loved ones as well. We are sending you all our love and support in this weird, confusing, disturbing period of time. Stay inside, stay distanced, and stay safe. Peace, power, and health, TR RESOURCE MASTER LISTHOW TO STAY UPDATED (IN A MANAGEABLE WAY) If there’s an abundance of anything right now in relation to COVID-19, it’s advice and information from all corners of the Internet. It’s really easy to get overwhelmed and end up feeling helpless — like just allowing yourself to stay in the dark about what’s going on is easier than trying to balance everything that’s happening. We’ve compiled a list of a few targeted sources that provide reliable, comprehensive, and often bite-sized information; hopefully, they will help you stay updated (if that’s what you want to do!). News Updates
Health Guidance
Infographics
Elections
Where not to get information
PLACES TO DONATE TO We’ve listed, linked, and identified the focus of some aid programs below. Keep in mind that we’re also only scraping the surface — there are too many organizations doing phenomenal work to count. We also recognize that donating is not realistic for everyone! Do what you can and only that. National:
Local, more generally:
NYC in particular (just a few — there are so many!):
For more detailed info, go here (NYT) and here (Charity Navigator). PLACES TO GO FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE This document, compiled by Sonia Chajet Wides & Anya Shvarts for community members in Brooklyn, NY, is an excellent database to check out if you or someone you know (from a veteran to an older relative to a small business owner to a restaurant worker) needs financial assistance. For 22 organizations/programs, it provides the name, who is eligible, a link to information, and any additional caveats. Adding one more to that list, Financial Assistance For Single Mothers helps financially struggling single mothers with finding grants and government assistance programs, free of cost. Legislative Explainer & ActionIn addition to the massive impacts coronavirus is having on public health across the country, the epidemic is also inflicting severe blows on the American economy. Across the country, jobs have been deemed non-essential and people have been encouraged to stay home in the interest of containing spread; 3.3 million workers filed for unemployment benefits last week, with economists deeming the economy’s current recession one of the most severe in American history. Low-income families and individuals are especially susceptible to both the virus and this economic nose-dive, and are especially in need of economic aid. On Friday, March 27th, in the interest of providing some of this economic relief, Congress passed (and Trump signed into law) the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES ACT), a 2 trillion dollar federal measure aimed at providing relief to American individuals, families, and businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The bill came after acute partisan in-fighting over whether the bill should be written in support of businesses or workers, with Democrats blocking a pro-business bill with little federal oversight from passing on Thursday. The CARES ACT is 880 pages long. Teens Resist is here with a brief breakdown of everything important about the bill, and everything you can do to make it better. The CARES ACT, explained:
How can I improve the CARES ACT?
Separately, Congress also recently passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee Paid Leave Rights (FFCRA), which extends Title II of the Family and Medical Leave Act to provide that certain employers provide workers who are unable to work due to a quarantine order, a health care provider order, having coronavirus, or caring for a relative with coronavirus or a child whose school/place of care has been shut down. How can I improve the FFCRA?
More things to stay active: - This excellent email from Coalition Z - Advocate for rent suspension-- it's the humane thing to do - Advocate to not cut education budgets right now - Sign up for The Broad Room's email list-- they send out great comprehensive updates QUARANTINE TO-DO LIST With COVID-19 rampaging our country, and the circumstances only growing more and more dangerous, now is more important than ever that we take part in self-isolation. But we all know that spending extended periods of time inside can get dull pretty fast, so we’ve put together 10 ideas of things you can do to pass the time!
Hey Teen Resisters! First of all, happy Super Tuesday (live updates HERE)! Second of all, it's been a long and somewhat scary few weeks--with the primaries in full heat, coronavirus spreading, and craziness in Washington continuing, we wanted to clarify a few key topics. Before you dive in, we wanted to bring your attention to an incredibly consequential case that the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments for Wednesday (tomorrow), June Medical Services LLC v. Russo. The case deals with a state law in Louisiana requiring doctors to have admitting privileges to a nearby hospital to be allowed to perform abortions; if it were found constitutional, all of Louisiana's three abortion clinics would shut down. The ruling has the potential to gut abortion access nationwide while, by name, upholding Roe v. Wade -- empowering conservative states to take away women's right to choose everywhere but preserving liberal complacency on the abortion issue at the same time. Read more about it here, and try to follow the case as it progresses. Happy activisting! Peace & power, TR what went down
Prior to today, Bernie Sanders was the leader of the race in terms of delegates. A brief sketch of the trajectory of the race up to this point: Sanders and Buttigeg came out on top in Iowa and New Hampshire, which also marked the end of the campaign for candidates Andrew Yang and Michael Bennet. The candidates continued on the campaign trail to Nevada for the February 22 caucuses, in which they participated in another debate. For the first time, billionaire and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined the stage. Sanders left Vermont with another victory under his belt, while Biden held on to hope with his second place finish. On the other hand, Trump has maintained a strong lead over his few opponents. Nevada and South Carolina have cancelled their Republican caucus and primary, respectively. However, with results still incoming, Biden has taken the lead (check the chart here for an updated delegate count per candidate as the night continues). Candidates need 1,991 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination; the majority of the remaining delegates will be awarded today. What can you do to involve yourself?
MORE LIVE Super Tuesday UPDATES HERE.
Facilitated by misinformation, fear of the coronavirus is being used as an excuse to attack Asian-Americans across the United States. Recently, an Asian woman was viciously attacked at a New York City subway station for wearing a surgical mask. In Indiana, two Asian men were denied a room at a motel because the employee believed falsely believed they were from China and had the virus. Asian community leaders fear that hate-crime and discrimination will increase if the pandemic continues. Small businesses in Asian-American commercial areas, such as New York City Chinatown, are suffering because of the virus. Misunderstanding of the coronavirus has led many people to irrationally fear shopping in Asian stores and restaurants. In the wake of the recent pandemic, it is important to realize that as long as human ecological disturbances continue to worsen every year, viruses like the latest coronavirus that originate from zoonotic spillovers, or harmful pathogens spreading from animals to humans, will continue to devastate our world. Zoonotic spillovers are not exclusive to China, and can take place anywhere on the globe, including the United States. Therefore, it is imperative that we take the necessary steps of preventing the next pandemic by protecting Earth’s natural environments and keeping human ecological disturbances at check. Just like now, once there is a pandemic, there is very little we can do but hope that scientists will be able to come up with a solution. What you can do to help:
And, finally...
2/27/2020 1 Comment Black History Month 2020Hi all! Happy Black History Month! We're closing off this month with our annual Black History Month list which, as in past years, has some action items. Then, we're incorporating a bit of history/critical thought from Tirzah Thomas, who has written a portion of the Black History Month list for three years. This year, she wrote about Black media. So let's kick it off! {Past Black History Month lists: 2018 2019} Part I: Bills to Support!For background, we recommend reading our Black History Month list from last year. In it, we explained a lot of the key issues that these action items relate to, like mass incarceration, policing, etc. Those explanations still apply this year, so check it out! Also included in that list: Info & action about nonviolent de-escalation tactics with police & more on the End Racial Profiling Act Federal: The End Racial Profiling Act: H.R.4339, the Racial Profiling Act, was introduced in the House on September 16, 2019. The goal of the bill is “to eliminate racial profiling by law enforcement, and for other purposes.” If passed, the bill would both outlaw racial profiling but also establish paths by which to remedy to the issue, such as allowing those who had been racially profiled to file a civil action suit against the law enforcement agents who did so. In addition, the bill would require that government agencies’ policies combat racial profiling, and that federal law enforcement agent training be organized to prevent racial profiling by those law enforcement agents. Earlier last year, the bill was also introduced in the Senate as S.2355. What You Can Do: Here’s a script you can use to call your Representatives and Senators to help convince them to support the Racial Profiling Act: Number: 202-224-3121. You can call either your Senator or Representative about this and you can reference the bill using the numbers above (H.R.4339 for the House and S.2355 for the Senate). One helpful thing can be to see if your senator is co-sponsoring the bill or not. If not, then you should explicitly encourage them to co-sponsor (especially if you think they'll vote for it already). Senate Cosponsors Hi, my name is ___________, a [student/your job/etc.] from ___________ and I am calling to urge Senator/Representative _________ to support H.R.4339/S.2355, the Racial Profiling Act, by co-sponsoring it and voting for it. American institutions have been rooted in racism since before our country’s founding, and it is essential that we take steps to combat institutionalized racism, such as racial profiling. As a constituent I hope Representative _________ will be on the right side of history in supporting this act. Thank you for your time. (Need help knowing how to call? Check out our Basics page) New York State: Safe and Supportive Schools Act: A description from NYCLU: "School districts across New York State rely heavily on exclusionary punishment and police involvement to control student behavior. New York’s current laws favor harsh punishments, including mandatory suspensions and suspensions that can last for an entire school year. The result is that vulnerable student populations, including students of color, students with disabilities and LGBTQI students are pushed out of the classroom and into the web of court involvement. The Judge Judith S. Kaye Safe and Supportive Schools Act would address this issue by encouraging schools to use education-based, age appropriate, proven alternatives to suspensions. In addition, it ensures that police officers who work in schools are trained to be part of a healthy and supportive school climate. Finally, the bill limits the length of suspensions and formalizes processes to ensure that students who are suspended are able to stay on track academically." This bill would be a big step in ending the school to prison pipeline that relies on over-disciplining and punishing students of color. More info on the bill from the NYCLU can be found here. Currently, the bill has been introduced as A1981 in the NYS Assembly and S767 in the NYS Senate. In both, it's currently in committee. What You Can Do: If you live in New York State, call your state senator or assembly member and ask them to support the bill and vote for it when the time comes. Click here for finding your state senator; here for your assembly member. Then, find their number by googling "[their name] office number" Script: Hi, my name is ___________, a [student/your job/etc.] from ___________ and I am calling to urge Senator/Assembly Member _________ to support S767/A1981, the Safe and Supportive Schools Act, by co-sponsoring it and voting for it. The school to prison pipeline is one of the foremost forms of institutional racism in the US and in New York, and this bill would do a lot to combat it. As a constituent I hope Representative _________ will be on the right side of history in supporting this act. Thank you for your time. (Need help knowing how to call? Check out our Basics page)
Part II: notes on Black MediaThis portion of the list is written by Tirzah Thomas. The unique history and culture of Black people across the globe is something that is in some way likely incorporated in your everyday life and is undoubtedly something worth acknowledging. The importance and prominence of Black media is wonderful and necessary to celebrate; Without celebration, a lot of the hard work and dedication of Black folks would go unnoticed and overlooked. There is so much danger that comes with that-- it makes the movement for Black equity stagnant. So let's celebrate, and also think about how much further we have to go. Black media originated from negative experiences. Historically, talented Black artists were not being recognized in mainstream media, so Black folks took it amongst themselves to create Black media. Media where they would recognize each other, praise each other, and trailblaze with each other. Black-specific platforms such as BET (Black Entertainment Television) were created, with BET launching in 1979. Over the years, BET has had a variety of roles. In 1940, Hattie McDaniel was the first African American to win an Academy Award, for Gone With the Wind, but she was asked to not attend the show and receive her award. Because the experiences of Hattie McDaniel and other Black actors who have not been represented at awards shows, it was a triumph when BET created the BET awards in 2001, in which the nominees, award winners, and audience are all Black. Another similar event is the NAACP Image Awards, which first started in 1967. The strides of the Black community in media is something that needs to be acknowledged because it allows for the younger generations to understand that they too can make strides that are bigger than what is mostly presented to them in mainstream media. Instead of only seeing frequent and historical tropes in mainstream media that criminalize and sexualize Black people, media created by and for Black people will allow for a broader range of perspective. The accomplishments of Black folks with Black media is something that is appreciated all throughout the Black community. But just like any great mode of expression, it is still something that needs work. The use of the Black media is something that needs to be analyzed and criticized by the Black community themselves. It is of course wonderful to watch the Black awards show and the Black news but we have to think, how are we allowing other people to see our accomplishments? How can finally diminish the stereotypes in mainstream media while also embracing the reality of Blackness in Black media? How are Black media and mainstream media overlapping? These are questions that we have to think critically about. Happy Black History Month! Part III: Organizations to Support & Look to For ActionThe Kalief Browder Foundation: www.kaliefbrowderfoundation.com/
The Trayvon Martin Foundation: www.trayvonmartinfoundation.org/ The Garifuna Heritage Foundation: www.garifunaheritagefoundation.org/ Equal Justice Initiative: www.eji.org Black Women's Blueprint: www.blackwomensblueprint.org/ Close Rikers: www.closerikers.org/ Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity: boldorganizing.org Southern Poverty Law Center: www.splcenter.org Western States Center: www.westernstatescenter.org/ Youth Over Guns: www.youthovergunsny.org/ Hi Teen Resisters! These past few weeks have been news heavy, with a lot of it unfortunately out of our control. This week's list, therefore, is a little more info-based as opposed to action-based, which we don't love to do, but don't have much of a choice with. However, we've included a bunch of cool things to do that aren't necessarily related to the biggest stories of this week at the end of the list and we hope you'll check those out too! We also wanted to welcome everyone to 2020 Black History Month. We're getting excited for our third annual Black History Month list later this month. And also, it's primary season! This is a reminder that primaries are oh-so important, and if you're passionate about this election, you should stay in the loop, vote/encourage family and friends to vote, and even phonebank for a candidate you love. (We're gonna have a lot to say to you about phonebanking pretty soon, too.) So let's jump in! What Went Down:
Things You Can Participate In: Because these were three out-of-control news topics... we wanted to include a few cool things you can be doing this week:
Hey Teen Resisters! We hope all of you enjoyed your well-deserved holiday breaks!! Now, we are more excited than ever to dive into the new decade--and into the year that will bring the next presidential election cycle. Before you start, here are a couple things to be aware of: Earthquakes in Puerto Rico: In recent weeks, a series of devastating earthquakes have shaken Puerto Rico, causing widespread power outages, water shortages, and dislocations and exacerbating the still-lingering damage of Hurricane Maria. Our hearts go out to those affected. Click here for a list of organizations to donate to. Impeachment: Nancy Pelosi today sent the articles of impeachment to the Senate, and the trial will commence in earnest on Tuesday; a host of new evidence has also just emerged regarding Trump's involvement in Ukraine, further pressuring Republicans to include witnesses in the Senate trial. Happy activisting!! Peace & power, TR what went down
Actions!
My name is __________. I am a constituent, and my zip code is _______. I'm calling because I'm concerned that the administration is trying to start a war in Iran without Congressional authorization, and that it's doing so not for national security reasons but merely to bolster Trump's re-election campaign. I urge [Representative/Senator name] to:
Thank you.
Given the dynamic range of democratic candidates, it’s hopeful to see that all of them are concerned about the criminal justice system and are looking for reform and action in the immediate future. However, if there’s any candidate that you specifically support, you can read more on their website regarding the law system specifically and help spread their plans through campaigns! How you can help/advocate
Hi Teen Resisters! It's been a minute. We hope you guys are hanging in amidst the last stretches of this semester and starting to gear up for a wonderful holiday season! The news has been overwhelming, with the biggest piece of news being that President Trump was impeached on two counts by the House of Representatives. We're gonna jump into that and more. What Went Down:
We hope you have an absolutely wonderful holiday break! And a happy new year! Lots of love,
Us Hey Teen Resisters! We hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got the chance to rest, eat, and spend ample time with friends and family--there is so much around us to be grateful for. As always, it's been quite a two weeks. This list covers the latest in the impeachment inquiry, a DACA update, recent school shootings, and 2020 Democratic presidential candidates' positions on climate change (the last being part of a new initiative we're starting to inform TR readers on where the candidates stand on important issues!!). Happy reading and activisting :)) peace & power, TR what went down
*What is a quid pro quo? It’s when a favor or advantage is granted or expected in return for something. Here’s something interesting to think about—a lot of Americans don’t know the definition of quid pro quo (which makes sense, given that it’s a fairly antiquated Latin phrase), and it doesn’t have an inherently negative connotation without context. Experts have urged major liberal media outlets to use clearer language when discussing Trump’s crimes, like “bribery” or “extortion,” to communicate more directly the fact that Trump has committed a serious crime and to help people understand what that crime is. What can you do?
A ruling on the case is expected anytime from January to June, 2020. The Supreme Court could rule in a number of ways, each of which would hold different consequences for DREAMers (DACA recipients). If you want to learn more about the legal arguments and possible outcomes, the National Immigrant Law Society has a good explainer. What can you do?
Police have recently foiled some potentially devastating shootings as well. On November 22, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested a 13-year-old who had seized a high capacity magazine rifle and threatened to shoot his middle school with it. The police later found a map and list of teacher and student names. Out of all of the issues that our country is facing, gun violence is one of the problems that affects our generation the most directly and the most dangerously. In the past 46 weeks, there have been 45 school shootings. As the number of shootings gets higher and higher, it’s becomes alarmingly easy to forget that behind every single one of those shootings are faces with stories to tell. It’s all of our jobs to make sure the stories of school shooting victims are heard and remembered. We will never be able to tell their stories or understand their agony, but we will do our very best to pay respect to unspeakable tragedies ad continue to pressure action. On December 2nd, the Supreme Court is going to hear its first major Second Amendment case in nearly a decade. A decision on the hearing is expected to come in July of 2020. In the meantime, we can do our share as well: What can you do?
NEW: 2020 Featured Issue—Climate Change It's vital to us that TR readers have as much information as they need to make a decision about which 2020 presidential candidate they want to support. To that end, we've decided to do a featured issue every list from now until the primaries -- we've explained the basics of where each candidate stands on climate change and what they are planning to do to fix it below. We hope that it will be non-overwhelming and helpful in your process of figuring out who you're backing!!
What can you do?
Hi Teen Resisters! Welcome back. We're back with a list breaking down some of the major stories making the rounds in the media and social media this week. We want to help clarify things for you and let you know how you can have an impact. FIRST, A NOTE: As we're publishing this, it's just been reported that the Supreme Court is considering supporting Trump in his decision to end DACA benefits for Dreamers. For now, you can read this article, this article, and our DACA briefing to understand the issue, and we'll be back soon with action. Without further ado, let's jump in! What Went Down:
We hope these were helpful!
Sending lots of love and light, Us Hey Teen Resisters! With all the impeachment stuff that's going on, it's really easy to feel overwhelmed (we know that we do). And that makes sense—we're at a moment in history right now that it unprecedented and exceptional; it will likely be instrumental in shaping the political landscape of America for decades to come. Regardless of how important it is to stay up to date on all the impeachment stuff, though, it's also important to not let all the other key happenings get lost. Here are some items that might have flown under your radar over the past couple of weeks--read, digest, and act at your own pace! Sending large amounts of love & good vibes, and happy activisting :)) xx, TR Note: In addition to content from our staff writers (listed here), this list includes writing from Ruby Goodman. Before you dive in, we want to update you on a few quick things we want to update you on: 1) The October 11th CNN LGBTQ Town Hall for 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, which came in the wake of the October 8th arguments for one of the most important LGBTQ+ rights Supreme Court cases in modern history (concerning workplace discrimination). Read about the town hall here and the case here. 2) The governor's race in Kentucky--if you're looking for a quick, simple, and impactful action to take, this topic is for you. The November 8th Kentucky gubernatorial election features a matchup which is--likely surprisingly to many of you, since Kentucky tends to be a red state--currently even, according to polls. Current AG Andy Beshear is running to unseat incumbent Gov. Bevin--read more about the race here, and phonebank here: www.mobilize.us/kydems/event/108304/ what went down
As they’ve struggled for citizenship in the Middle East, they have faced violence and oppression from all directions. In the past, the Kurds have created resistance parties to challenge Turkey in an effort to establish their own state while also trying to avoid conflict with the powerful Syrian regime. Because of this threat, the Turks have viewed the Kurds as a terror group and treated them as such, creating a major rift between the two groups. So, where does the U.S. come in? In the early 2010s, the radical Islamic terror group ISIS threatened the safety of the Kurds as it sought to take over territory in which the Kurds had been living. While Turkey looked the other way, U.S. and Kurdish forces teamed up to try to take down ISIS. The Kurdish troops led much of the decade’s fighting against ISIS, and were responsible for a lot of its success. They also established a cooperative relationship with the United States, regardless of the fact that the U.S. was (and is) an official ally of Turkey through NATO, causing the U.S. to be essentially caught between two hostile groups. Because of the middle ground position they were in, the U.S. decided to insert troops in the hot zones of Syria as a buffer between the Turks and the Kurds, consequently playing a major part in cooling the simmering conflict between these two groups. In addition to preventing conflict between Turkey and the Kurds, U.S. troops also stopped Bashar Al-Assad, the president of Syria, from seizing control over Northern Syria and the Kurds. Beyond that, U.S. forces in Syria helped subdue ISIS in the area, and secured Isis prisoners in Kurdish possession.
All in all, the last couple weeks have been filled with explosive violence in Northern Syria; the Kurds are in more danger of being destroyed than ever, and Russia, Assad, and ISIS all have gained global power. Vice President Mike Pence and President Erdoğan of Turkey agreed to a five-day ceasefire in Syria, followed by Trump lifting sanctions on Turkey, claiming that the ceasefire would be permanent. However, given the global chaos of the past couple of weeks, it would be very surprising if it held. Whatever happens, this abrupt U.S. foreign policy move will have repercussions in Syria for years to come.
What can you do?
Delaware has previously passed laws mandating that both the Department of Corrections and the Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families offer free pads and tampons. Several other states, including California, Illinois, New York, and New Hampshire, have also passed laws requiring schools to provide period products. Rep. Longhurst and Sen. Lockman hope to have the bill drafted and proposed by the end of 2019.
What You Can Do:
|
UPdatesThese lists include featured organizations, scripts, numbers, news updates and inspirational activists. Archives
January 2022
Categories |
About |
Content |
|