Friday, June 29, 2018
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
#FamiliesBelongTogether March update
[POSTER MAKING THURSDAY 3 p.m. Cameron Park]
The March details: Plan to BEGIN AT CITY HALL at 11:30 a.m. There is parking in the city Hall lot and in the nearby Western Technical College lots. Also the #4 MTU bus stops on 7th Street, one block from City Hall.
March to BURNS PARK at 8th & Main for a rally at noon.
Dress for the weather. Bring sun screen. Bring a reusable water bottle. Bring your signs and intentions to not make this rally your last effort, but rather make it the first step toward electing different people to office AND not falling into the 'both sides are equal' mind f**k trap.
That means registering to vote and making sure others are registered and then voting. But not just voting. It means volunteering to help good candidates (or at least better than the other guy candidates for now) so that things don't actually get worse. It means joining a party to transform it and the candidates it offers for office. It may also mean running for office locally or within party leadership or pushing for legislation that will not allow politicians to illegally detain, torture, imprison, and dismiss refugees and their legal claims of asylum. (See the latest issue of The Commoner Call for details).
The March details: Plan to BEGIN AT CITY HALL at 11:30 a.m. There is parking in the city Hall lot and in the nearby Western Technical College lots. Also the #4 MTU bus stops on 7th Street, one block from City Hall.
March to BURNS PARK at 8th & Main for a rally at noon.
Dress for the weather. Bring sun screen. Bring a reusable water bottle. Bring your signs and intentions to not make this rally your last effort, but rather make it the first step toward electing different people to office AND not falling into the 'both sides are equal' mind f**k trap.
That means registering to vote and making sure others are registered and then voting. But not just voting. It means volunteering to help good candidates (or at least better than the other guy candidates for now) so that things don't actually get worse. It means joining a party to transform it and the candidates it offers for office. It may also mean running for office locally or within party leadership or pushing for legislation that will not allow politicians to illegally detain, torture, imprison, and dismiss refugees and their legal claims of asylum. (See the latest issue of The Commoner Call for details).
Sunday, June 24, 2018
Sierra Club potluck Tuesday
On Tuesday, the Coulee Region Sierra Club will hold its
annual summer potluck picnic starting at 6 p.m. at Onalaska's Rowe Park
(Shelter #1). Hotdogs, utensils, and some beverages will be provided.
Please bring some food to share with others. Everyone is welcome (you don't need to be a member).
This isn't a meeting and there won't be a program. It''s a chance for those of us interested in the environment to come together, learn about what is happening locally to get people informed and involved, and what we can do together to ramp up local environmental action.
Nationally, the Sierra Club is encouraging municipalities and counties to commit to moving to 100 percent renewable energy - for city and community use - by 2050 or sooner. We will be working to encourage the City of La Crosse to make that Ready for 100 commitment soon and hope that example will help and encourage other communities in our area to make the move (as Madison and Eau Claire have already done in Wisconsin). There are many local and regional initiatives happening, too. This picnic will be a chance to share and connect (and eat great food and play horseshoes).
No RSVP needed. Tuesday, June 26 at 6 p.m. Shelther #1, Rowe Park (near the library) in Onalaska.
Today's La Crosse Tribune could have been called the environmental edition. From the front page to the features and letters, you could learn about how climate change is affecting us locally, how Winona is planning to replace its current fleet with electric vehiclesc to the continuing dangers and environmental disasters caused by our fossil fuel addiction.
Larry Sleznikow, of La Crosse Citizens' Climate Lobby, in his op ed, wrote about the importance of VOTING for those interested in the environment. Amazingly, a good chunk of people who say they are very concerned about the environment and climate change don't vote. "Voting amplifies our voice and along with other like-minded voters, becomes a shout that politicians will hear, pay attention to and act upon. We desperately need positive action by all levels of government to address climate change and environmental degradation. Resulting legislation should be bipartisan and well thought out using the best scientific information available. Denying or ignoring problems is not an option future generations can afford."
This isn't a meeting and there won't be a program. It''s a chance for those of us interested in the environment to come together, learn about what is happening locally to get people informed and involved, and what we can do together to ramp up local environmental action.
Nationally, the Sierra Club is encouraging municipalities and counties to commit to moving to 100 percent renewable energy - for city and community use - by 2050 or sooner. We will be working to encourage the City of La Crosse to make that Ready for 100 commitment soon and hope that example will help and encourage other communities in our area to make the move (as Madison and Eau Claire have already done in Wisconsin). There are many local and regional initiatives happening, too. This picnic will be a chance to share and connect (and eat great food and play horseshoes).
No RSVP needed. Tuesday, June 26 at 6 p.m. Shelther #1, Rowe Park (near the library) in Onalaska.
Today's La Crosse Tribune could have been called the environmental edition. From the front page to the features and letters, you could learn about how climate change is affecting us locally, how Winona is planning to replace its current fleet with electric vehiclesc to the continuing dangers and environmental disasters caused by our fossil fuel addiction.
Larry Sleznikow, of La Crosse Citizens' Climate Lobby, in his op ed, wrote about the importance of VOTING for those interested in the environment. Amazingly, a good chunk of people who say they are very concerned about the environment and climate change don't vote. "Voting amplifies our voice and along with other like-minded voters, becomes a shout that politicians will hear, pay attention to and act upon. We desperately need positive action by all levels of government to address climate change and environmental degradation. Resulting legislation should be bipartisan and well thought out using the best scientific information available. Denying or ignoring problems is not an option future generations can afford."
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Families Belong Together
[UPDATE] If you would like to help plan this event, please attend the planning meeting fro 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday at St. Rose Convent. For more info, email Kade.]
From MoveOn:
From MoveOn:
The executive order that Donald Trump has signed is not a solution to the crisis created by his administration; it keeps kids imprisoned indefinitely, and doesn't reunite thousands of separated families. But it does show the administration is reacting to public pressure, so we will continue to increase our pressure for justice at hundreds of events on Saturday, June 30, to say that families belong together—and free.
Donald Trump and his administration are cruelly separating children from their families.
But we won't allow it to continue. On June 30, we're rallying in Washington, D.C., and around the country to tell Donald Trump and his administration to stop separating kids from their parents!
Trump and his administration have been systematically criminalizing immigration and immigrants, from revoking Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to ramping up intimidating ICE tactics.
Join us on June 30 to send a clear message to Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress: Families Belong Together!
UPDATED INFO: Meet at 11:30 at La Crosse City Hall. March to Burns Park for noon rally. RSVP at link. Please forward to all.
Rallies and marches are not enough. We must elect decent human beings to represent us. Decent human beings do not do OR support and make excuses for those who do evil like this.
and:
ACLU | Daily Kos |
National Alliance to End Sexual Violence
| SALDEF |
#VOTEPROCHOICE
|
DC Immigration Hub
|
National Iranian American Council
| SEIU |
270 Strategies
|
Democracy for America
|
National Justice for Our Neighbors
|
SIECUS
|
350.org |
Dulles Justice Coalition
| National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health | Sierra Club |
Action Together Massachusetts
|
End Rape on Campus
|
National Network to End Domestic Violence
|
Sojourners
|
Action Together Network
|
Equal Voice Action
|
National Nurses United
|
South Asian Americans Leading Together
|
Advancement Project
| Every Voice | National Partnership for Women & Families |
Southern Poverty Law Center
|
American Federation of Teachers |
Families Belong Together
|
National Women’s Law Center
|
Stand Up America
|
Al Otro Lado
|
Families USA
|
NCJW
| Sum of Us |
Alliance for Youth Action
|
Feminist Majority Foundation
| National Domestic Workers Alliance | SwingLeft |
American Constitution Society
|
Foreign Policy for America
| National Education Association | Tax March |
American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA)
| Gamliel |
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
|
The Leadership Conference
|
Amnesty International USA
|
GreenLatinos
|
Network of Spiritual Progressives
|
The Workmen’s Circle
|
Arab American Institute
|
Greenpeace
|
NextGen America
|
Truman National Security Project
|
ASISTA
|
Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network
|
One Billion Rising
| UltraViolet |
Avaaz
|
Health Care Voter
|
Organizing for Action
|
Unitarian Universalist Association
|
Bend the Arc
|
Human Rights Campaign
|
Pantsuit Nation
|
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
|
Blue Future + the Youth Progressive Action Catalyst | Indivisible |
ParentsTogether
|
United We Dream
|
Brand New Congress
|
Japanese American Citizens League
|
People For the American Way
| VDay.org |
Center for Community Change |
Jewish Voice for Peace
|
People's Action
|
Voto Latino
|
Center for Biological Diversity |
JStreet
|
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
|
Win Without War
|
Center for Gender and Refugee Studies
|
Latin America Working Group
|
Positive Women's Network-USA
|
Women's March
|
Center for Victims of Torture
|
Lawyers for Good Government
|
Presente.org
|
Women's Refugee Commission
|
Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc.
|
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
|
Priorities USA
|
YWCA USA
|
Chicago Women Take Action
|
Let America Vote
|
Progressive Change Campaign Committee
| |
Children's Defense Fund-Texas
|
LGBTQ Task Force
|
Progressive Turnout Project
| |
Coalition on Human Needs
|
Little Lobbyists
|
Public Citizen
| |
Congregational UCC Greensboro
| MarchOn |
Rainforest Action Network
| |
Constitutional Accountability Center
| Moms Rising |
Really American
| |
CREDO |
NARAL
|
Resistance Labs
|
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Whose Riverside?
[UPDATE: The mayor has vetoed for cost and design. The original council vote was 7 to 4. Please email them with your opinions.]
This is a guest post from Mark Kastel of the Cornucopia Institute. He has written to the city council about the proposal to spend nearly $50 million on expanding the La Crosse Center, including a large box like thing that will sit over part of the park. There's a good letter about this in today's La Crosse Tribune about this. I sent my letter this afternoon. In addition to putting a big ugly box on our most beautiful park, I feel this expensive project is too exclusive and there are other uses for $49 million that would benefit more of the people who will be paying it.
Consider that taxpayers will be paying for this for many years. Are there other things that taxpayers might pay for that would benefit more taxpayers? Consider that the La Crosse Center is one of the biggest energy users in the city. Will this proposed addition be super efficient or make the rest of the center more efficient or otherwise reduce it's energy use/carbon footprint? Consider that Riverside Park is one of our public treasures that the whole of the public gets to enjoy for free. Will this proposed addition enhance the park or detract from its benefit for the public's use and enjoyment?
The Council will vote on Thursday. You can email them your thoughts at council at cityoflacrosse dot org.
This is a guest post from Mark Kastel of the Cornucopia Institute. He has written to the city council about the proposal to spend nearly $50 million on expanding the La Crosse Center, including a large box like thing that will sit over part of the park. There's a good letter about this in today's La Crosse Tribune about this. I sent my letter this afternoon. In addition to putting a big ugly box on our most beautiful park, I feel this expensive project is too exclusive and there are other uses for $49 million that would benefit more of the people who will be paying it.
Consider that taxpayers will be paying for this for many years. Are there other things that taxpayers might pay for that would benefit more taxpayers? Consider that the La Crosse Center is one of the biggest energy users in the city. Will this proposed addition be super efficient or make the rest of the center more efficient or otherwise reduce it's energy use/carbon footprint? Consider that Riverside Park is one of our public treasures that the whole of the public gets to enjoy for free. Will this proposed addition enhance the park or detract from its benefit for the public's use and enjoyment?
The Council will vote on Thursday. You can email them your thoughts at council at cityoflacrosse dot org.
Dear Friends,
We
all have a connection to La Crosse. It's "our" city and important to
the vitality of our region. If you value Riverside Park for its beauty
and want to protect it in the future for your family's enjoyment I hope
you will take just a minute or two to write an email to the La Crosse
city Council and Mayor:
City Council: council@ cityoflacrosse.org
Mayor Kabat: kabatt@cityoflacrosse. org
The vote in the city Council is scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday. And then I assume the mayor has to sign-off on the project as well.
Their
plan, which is moving forward quickly, is to expand the La Crosse
convention center in a manner where they will build a large addition to
the second floor .... Which will tower above a portion of the park.
Please see photo and La Crosse Tribune story: https://lacrossetribune.com/ news/local/committee-approves- funding-for-million-la-crosse- center-expansion/article_ b91d81c6-c488-527f-8953- bdb8c93bc2c9.html
Mark's letter:
Dear councilmembers,
I
run a national nonprofit organization. We are officially headquartered
in Cornucopia, Wisconsin with staff, virtually-officed, throughout the
country. A good percentage of our employees and contractors, such as our
certified public accountant, are here in the Driftless Region. La
Crosse is our center for culture and commerce. We are the type of people
and organizations you want to attract to spend our hard earned money in
your city (I live in the Vernon County community of La Farge and most
of our other local staff are in Viroqua/Westby).
This
past March we held our annual meeting in La Crosse flying in our Board
of Directors and staff from around the country. We also held a reception
inviting hundreds of members in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa to join
us.
I
have always viewed the park along the river as your city's "front
yard." With friends, business to conduct, yoga classes and sailing I am
in La Crosse 1-3 times every week. Many times, throughout most of the
year, those visits include a walk in the park and I see lots of tourists
enjoying the same experience.
As Will Rogers once said, "Buy land. They're not making any more of it."
The
people of La Crosse already own this exquisitely beautiful piece of
land. There are many other options for buildings. Because I have
attended the Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference (MOSES conference)
every year since it has been hosted in La Crosse I can imagine the
advantages of the expansion and the beauty of the view overlooking the
river. But this would come at the great expense of degrading part of the
park directly and irreparably impacting the "viewscape" of much of the
remaining park.
Don't do it!
Sincerely yours,
Mark Kastel
The Cornucopia Institute
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Help BLACK inspire middle school students
from the La Crosse Public Education Foundation:
The La Crosse Public Education
Foundation is joining with other community organizations and individuals
in supporting a trip designed to provide a transformational and
inspiring educational experience for some La Crosse middle school
students.
LPEF has awarded a $4,100 grant to Black Leaders Acquiring Collective Knowledge (BLACK), a nonprofit formed last year with a goal of finding ways to bring the La Crosse Black community together. LPEF’s grant complements a major $50,000 grant approved in late May by the La Crosse Community Foundation. One of the leaders of BLACK is Shaundel Spivey, a cultural liaison for the School District of La Crosse.
The group is organizing an ambitious program in collaboration with another nonprofit, the Legacy Keepers Institute, and is scheduled to take nearly 50 students on a 7-day trip in mid-August. Students will travel to Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., including tours of the National Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro, N.C., and the National African American Museum in Washington, as well as several leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The trip is designed to inspire academic achievement among black, biracial and multiracial students. They hope to encourage leadership development, STEM careers and economic empowerment, in part by exposing students to the contributions, inventions, and achievements of African Americans in STEM fields and entrepreneurship.
Legacy Keepers’ mission is to empower youth, families, and communities of color to continue to push forward and build toward collective goals in education, economics, and wellness.
BLACK is organizing several fundraising events this summer and continues to accept donations to support trip expenses. For more information, follow BLACK on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BLACKLAX16/. Donations can be accepted through PayPal or by a check. To make a tax-deductible donation, call (608) 352-8082; or email: blacklax16@gmail.com
LPEF has awarded a $4,100 grant to Black Leaders Acquiring Collective Knowledge (BLACK), a nonprofit formed last year with a goal of finding ways to bring the La Crosse Black community together. LPEF’s grant complements a major $50,000 grant approved in late May by the La Crosse Community Foundation. One of the leaders of BLACK is Shaundel Spivey, a cultural liaison for the School District of La Crosse.
The group is organizing an ambitious program in collaboration with another nonprofit, the Legacy Keepers Institute, and is scheduled to take nearly 50 students on a 7-day trip in mid-August. Students will travel to Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., including tours of the National Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro, N.C., and the National African American Museum in Washington, as well as several leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The trip is designed to inspire academic achievement among black, biracial and multiracial students. They hope to encourage leadership development, STEM careers and economic empowerment, in part by exposing students to the contributions, inventions, and achievements of African Americans in STEM fields and entrepreneurship.
Legacy Keepers’ mission is to empower youth, families, and communities of color to continue to push forward and build toward collective goals in education, economics, and wellness.
BLACK is organizing several fundraising events this summer and continues to accept donations to support trip expenses. For more information, follow BLACK on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BLACKLAX16/. Donations can be accepted through PayPal or by a check. To make a tax-deductible donation, call (608) 352-8082; or email: blacklax16@gmail.com
Sunday, June 10, 2018
Ready for 100 - The sooner the better
Cross posted from Coulee Region Sierra Club:
The CRSC Ready for 100 team is ready to take the next step toward helping Coulee Region communities commit to going 100% renewable by 2050 or sooner as nearly 100 US communities and counties (including the Wisconsin cities of Eau Claire and Madison) have done over the past couple of years.
The most recent reports on carbon emissions are not good. We have now surpassed 410 parts per million (350 ppm is the target for sustainability). The Trump administration is considering using cold war era rules to require subsidies of the fossil fuel industry, is preparing the path toward letting oil exploration leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and "quietly killed" the $10 million annual budget for NASA's carbon monitoring program. And Trump tariffs have reportedly shut down billions in new solar projects.
The R4100 local team wants the City of La Crosse and other communities to pledge to renewable energy. We are working on a presentation to educate community members about the issues and the initiative and to motivate them to contact their elected officials and push for a formal commitment. We will also help Coulee Region Sierra Club members to start a Ready for 100 effort in their communities and possibly in Coulee Region counties as well.
If you would like to help create the presentation, please email us (crsierraclub at gmail)*. If you know of a community group where we could present (or if you would like to do or help with a presentation) please email. If you would like to contact your community leaders to get an initiative started or to help with the La Crosse initiative, please contact us.
*Next meeting week of June 11.
At a recent meeting Pope Francis held with fossil fuel industry executives, the choice was made clear. "Our desire to ensure energy for all must not lead to the undesired effect of a spiral of extreme climate changes due to a catastrophic rise in global temperatures, harsher environments and increased levels of poverty.”
Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org, recently wrote,
The most recent reports on carbon emissions are not good. We have now surpassed 410 parts per million (350 ppm is the target for sustainability). The Trump administration is considering using cold war era rules to require subsidies of the fossil fuel industry, is preparing the path toward letting oil exploration leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and "quietly killed" the $10 million annual budget for NASA's carbon monitoring program. And Trump tariffs have reportedly shut down billions in new solar projects.
The R4100 local team wants the City of La Crosse and other communities to pledge to renewable energy. We are working on a presentation to educate community members about the issues and the initiative and to motivate them to contact their elected officials and push for a formal commitment. We will also help Coulee Region Sierra Club members to start a Ready for 100 effort in their communities and possibly in Coulee Region counties as well.
If you would like to help create the presentation, please email us (crsierraclub at gmail)*. If you know of a community group where we could present (or if you would like to do or help with a presentation) please email. If you would like to contact your community leaders to get an initiative started or to help with the La Crosse initiative, please contact us.
*Next meeting week of June 11.
At a recent meeting Pope Francis held with fossil fuel industry executives, the choice was made clear. "Our desire to ensure energy for all must not lead to the undesired effect of a spiral of extreme climate changes due to a catastrophic rise in global temperatures, harsher environments and increased levels of poverty.”
Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org, recently wrote,
"The biggest climate summit since Paris will happen this fall in California, but it may get lost amid season three of 'Unpatriotic Football Players' or what ever new provocation Trump dreams up. And that would be terrible, because this is time we’ll never get back. Even if a new president someday takes up climate seriously, the carbon we’re spewing now will still be in the atmosphere to haunt us over geological time. Time is the trouble."
Wednesday, June 06, 2018
Sit at the table
One reason it is so hard to encourage new active and well informed people to join (and change) the Democratic Party to make it more representative, more diverse, more progressive is stuff (to be polite) like this.
If we want better representation, we have to fight for it. We have to show up. We have to stay informed and active. We have to find good primary challengers. We have to support good candidates (** see below for an easy way you can support two good candidates running on June 12 in two Wisconsin special elections! **)
Over and over and over.
Yes, it can be tiring and frustrating. We have busy lives with work and other commitments and families and 10 million little things pulling our energies and attentions.
As we sort through the many things vying for that attention and energy, let's prioritize. Let's put making political change near the top of the list. Let's stay informed about and attend important local actions. (And please, if you joined a party to change it and now think that because a few new people are on a board, mission accomplished and you no longer have to be interested or involved, rethink that conclusion. Nothing could be further from the truth).
Do you want another term of Scott Walker and Republican rule in Wisconsin? Do you want the DNR to totally shrivel up and blow away as frac mines and metallic mines and CAFOs and Foxconn and high capacity wells and CWD irreparably harm our environment and pollute our vital natural resources? Do you want our state's transportation money to continue to be spent on mega highways that serve crony contributors and school spending to favor well off children in private schools? Do you think we should make life even more difficult for our state's working poor?Think about it. What do you want for your and your kids' future? If you like the way things are going, then do nothing.
If you think things need to change, things will not change if you do nothing or even if you do just a little bit. We all need to do a lot - as much as we can. How much do you want things to change and what can you do to be most effective in making change happen? And it's going to be 100 times harder if we let it slide.
Without doubt, rallies, speeches, blog posts, and marches raise awareness and help inform and connect people. But what we really need are good candidates and good elected legislators who will do the right thing because it is the right thing to do. And that means getting a seat at the table where candidates and priorities are decided. That means, I strongly believe, joining and actively working within a political party.
Parties are the entities that offer the candidates we vote for and the legislation that gets us closer to or further from a just, equitable, positive, progressive future. If we have good candidates to vote for, we'll have good representatives who won't require phone campaigns, tweet storms, office sit ins, marches, rallies, and countless other tiring and frustrating organizing and group groveling sessions to convince someone to do the right thing (who then doesn't do the right thing anyway).
If you are not a party member, you are not really helping to change the policies and priorities. My opinion. You are letting others pick and dictate our choices and giving up power to those already in power.
A great quote attributed to many politicians including, recently, Senator Elizabeth Warren, goes If you don't have a seat at the table, you are probably on the menu.
How true.
** What you CAN do right now or over the next few days from the privacy of your own home or with some friends is PHONE BANK FOR TWO DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES who are running to win seats most recently held by Republicans in the Wisconsin legislature. The election is on Tuesday, June 12 and you can get more info here. Even spending one hour calling for one or both of these candidates can make a difference. Many people in these districts don't even know there is an election on Tuesday.
And then find and do the next thing. And bring two friends. Attend the La Crosse County Dem Party picnic/fundraiser on June 18 at 5 pm at Copeland Park or volunteer at the election HQ at 115 Fifth Avenue South or donate to a candidate. Please.
Monday, June 04, 2018
Call for CLIMATE ACTION!
From Citizens' Climate Lobby:
On June 12, more than 1,300 Citizens' Climate Lobby members from across the nation will meet with their members of Congress in Washington, DC asking them to pass Carbon Fee and Dividend legislation.
We need YOU to call your legislators on Wednesday, June 6th to amplify our voices and help move Congress closer to passing revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend legislation. If you can’t get through on Wednesday, try leaving a message in the evening or try again on Thursday, June 7th.
Click on the link below, enter your address, and click "Go" to find your Representative and Senators and make your calls.
https://citizensclimatelobby.org/call-congress-to-act-on-climate/#/38/
Thanks so much for taking action!
On June 12, more than 1,300 Citizens' Climate Lobby members from across the nation will meet with their members of Congress in Washington, DC asking them to pass Carbon Fee and Dividend legislation.
We need YOU to call your legislators on Wednesday, June 6th to amplify our voices and help move Congress closer to passing revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend legislation. If you can’t get through on Wednesday, try leaving a message in the evening or try again on Thursday, June 7th.
Click on the link below, enter your address, and click "Go" to find your Representative and Senators and make your calls.
https://citizensclimatelobby.org/call-congress-to-act-on-climate/#/38/
Thanks so much for taking action!
Sunday, June 03, 2018
Foxconn actions
Several Wisconsin organizations are continuing to resist the Foxconn. As the pricetag, in money and environmental and social costs, continues to climb, more people are waking to the true price of this terrible deal (except for select Scott Walker donors, apparently).
Recently, Midwest Environmental Advocates filed suit to challenge Wisconsin DNR's approval of Foxconn plans to suck 7 million gallons of Lake Michigan water per day.
The Wisconsin Democratic Party Progressive Caucus has put out the following alerts. If you are able to help and if you can help spread the word, please do. The immediate need is support for the citizens of Mt Pleasant, where the village is using eminent domain laws to remove people from their homes for Foxconn and related development. If you have questions, please contact Rev John Stanley.
Recently, Midwest Environmental Advocates filed suit to challenge Wisconsin DNR's approval of Foxconn plans to suck 7 million gallons of Lake Michigan water per day.
The Wisconsin Democratic Party Progressive Caucus has put out the following alerts. If you are able to help and if you can help spread the word, please do. The immediate need is support for the citizens of Mt Pleasant, where the village is using eminent domain laws to remove people from their homes for Foxconn and related development. If you have questions, please contact Rev John Stanley.
The Village of Mt. Pleasant is holding the final hearing to decide whether they should blight residential areas, abuse eminent domain, and evict Wisconsinites from their homes. The Village Board meets MONDAY June 4th at 6:30 in Mt. Pleasant at the Village Hall, 8811 Campus Drive. In talking with the homeowners we learned they are facing this Goliath alone, there have NOT been people showing up to speak against their suffering. This changes now. Please, spread the word!
We need as many people to show up as humanly possible on such short notice! We have an event page posted on Facebook. At 5 pm TODAY (June 3) there is an organizing conference call. Phone 1-213-603-9096 you will be prompted to enter the conference code, 14571302#.
In addition, we need people to write letters to the editor and continue to spread the word about Foxconn.
Friday, June 01, 2018
La Crosse's African American History Bus Tour
For the past few years, The African American Mutual Assistance Network of La Crosse (AAMAN) has hosted a June program to commemorate Juneteenth, the day (June 19, 1865) Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger of the Union Army issued General Order Number 3 in Galveston, notifying Texans and especially Texas slaves, that slavery had been abolished. While Abraham Lincoln's preliminary Proclamation was released on September 22, 1862 (more about that date later), and it took effect on January 1, 1863, many people did not hear about it until years later. News traveled slowly back then.
This year, AAMAN is trying something a little different. The Juneteenth summer date will be commemorated by a brand new bus tour of La Crosse highlighting the amazing and rich history of African Americans in our area. The tour will include stops at historic home sites and genealogical information about pioneering African American families down through the generations to the present day. In addition, reenactors will give more in depth background about selected individuals. PLEASE SHARE THE FLYER! (.jpg version here)
This is a great opportunity to learn more about our city and its rich history.There will be four buses giving the same 55 minute tour on Saturday, June 23 afternoon, so seating is very limited! If you and your family are interested in history, the multicultural roots of our area, or what life was like more than 150 years ago for African Americans in the La Crosse area, this tour is for you. Your donation (whether or not you attend the tour) will help cover the costs of the bus, costumes, fuel, printing and publicity. The tour guides and reenactors are all volunteers.
But wait! There's more!
So that more students may participate in learning about Juneteenth, the Emancipation Proclamation, slavery and freedom, the 13th amendment and other aspects of Freedom Day, AAMAN is sponsoring its usual Juneteenth program at the Southside Neighborhood Center on Saturday, September 22 (the 156th anniversary of the original Emancipation Proclamation). Watch for details about that event which will include bits of the summer tour and much more, later in the season.
This year, AAMAN is trying something a little different. The Juneteenth summer date will be commemorated by a brand new bus tour of La Crosse highlighting the amazing and rich history of African Americans in our area. The tour will include stops at historic home sites and genealogical information about pioneering African American families down through the generations to the present day. In addition, reenactors will give more in depth background about selected individuals. PLEASE SHARE THE FLYER! (.jpg version here)
This is a great opportunity to learn more about our city and its rich history.There will be four buses giving the same 55 minute tour on Saturday, June 23 afternoon, so seating is very limited! If you and your family are interested in history, the multicultural roots of our area, or what life was like more than 150 years ago for African Americans in the La Crosse area, this tour is for you. Your donation (whether or not you attend the tour) will help cover the costs of the bus, costumes, fuel, printing and publicity. The tour guides and reenactors are all volunteers.
But wait! There's more!
So that more students may participate in learning about Juneteenth, the Emancipation Proclamation, slavery and freedom, the 13th amendment and other aspects of Freedom Day, AAMAN is sponsoring its usual Juneteenth program at the Southside Neighborhood Center on Saturday, September 22 (the 156th anniversary of the original Emancipation Proclamation). Watch for details about that event which will include bits of the summer tour and much more, later in the season.
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