Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Rigged screening May 9

Local Screening
Thursday, May 9, Rivoli Theater 6:30
What would happen if political operatives tried to subvert the sacred American principle of “one person, one vote?” What if they hatched and pursued that plan for years before anyone noticed what they were doing? That is the frightening tale told in a new feature documentary, Rigged: The Voter Suppression Playbook. Narrated by Jeffrey Wright, and shot during the chaotic 2016 election, the film identifies and unpacks a shrewd ten-part strategy developed by Republicans to suppress votes that would be cast against them.

Sunday, April 28, 2019

Equal means equal

Janette writes,

TWO GREAT PIECES OF NEWS, friends & colleagues in the Coulee Region!
1) The La Crosse Tribune article on the front page on Friday shares why I and most Americans believe finishing ratification of the U.S. Equal Rights Amendment is so important. It also announces the free La Crosse Main Library auditorium screening of the film "Equal Means Equal" on Wednesday, May 1 at 5:30 p.m. (watch the trailer at the "FILM" link at: equalmeansequal.com). I will facilitate the Q&A on Weds., and please attend if you can.

2) We continue to raise awareness and work for completion of the Equal Rights Amendment into the Constitution which Congress passed on March 22, 1972. A full 37 of 38 states needed (3/4 of 50 states) have now ratified it, and Congress will have its first hearing April 30th at 10:00 a.m. EST after 36 years in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee at: https://judiciary.house.gov/ (has live YouTube links; also on CSPAN-1.
The U.S. House bill introduced by wonderful U.S. Representative Jackie Speier from California would also entirely lift the second and unnecessary 1982 deadline and has over 185 cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, thanks to fair-minded House Democrats (incl. Reps. Ron Kind, Gwen Moore & Mark Pocan from WI and five from MN): https://www.congress.gov/…/house-joint-resolu…/38/. Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins are also equality-supporting cosponsors on the related Senate bill. WI and MN ratified the ERA in 1972 and 1973 and 38 states are required. NV & IL ratified it as the 36th and 37th states in 2017 & 2018.

Monday, April 22, 2019

This week in citizen action!

This Earth Week, please pledge to attend, participate, or host in at least one activity that will move our planet one eenth closer to a positive future. Check the calendar for a variety of options from learning about our childcare crisis and gun violence to voicing your opinions about climate change and institutional racism. Here are more details about a few of the activities coming this week:

It's VERY IMPORTANT that many Green New Deal supporters attend the Thursday, April 25 session with US Representative Ron Kind at 4:30 pm in room 3214 Centennial Hall, UWL. Rep. Kind has questions about whether or not an all out effort to avoid climate tipping points and limit the worst effects of catastrophic global warming is worth it. 


Afterward, get educated, Thursday, April 25 from 6 to 8 pm at Hackberry's Bistro, 315 Fifth Ave S. - The Death of Our Family Farm, a community conversation. Join us for dinner with members of the Voelker family, Wisconsin's Farmer's Union, and other farmers as we discuss the death of Wisconsin's family dairy farms. This discussion was prompted by a blog written by Abe Voelker. Please read it before you come if possible. Soup, salad, and bread provided. Donations accepted to help with event costs.

On Friday and Saturday, Take a Stand Against Racism and show your solidarity for immigrants. Stop by the SURJ table at Pearl Street Books from noon to 2:00 pm to take the Stand Against Racism pledge, test your knowledge with a sample citizenship test, learn facts related to common immigration myths and more.

Saturday is Neighbors Day. Sign up to help neighbors and clean up our community at the Habitat for Humanity website. Morning, afternoon, or all day shifts are available and lunch wiill be served at Myrick Park Center for those who help out.

Sunday is EARTH FAIR at Myrick Park from 11 am to 5 pm. This year, the hope is that it will be a ZERO WASTE event and there will b a ZERO WASTE INITIATIVE booth at the fair.


Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Earth needs you!

The catastrophe in Paris might well serve as the poster event for what is happening to our climate. As Notre Dame burned, French president Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild it.

Unfortunately, as many have noted, there is no Planet B, there is no chance to "rebuild" our planet if we are unsuccessful in drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions in short order to avoid an unrecoverable tipping point.

If you think this is too over the top, please read The End of Ice by Dahr Jamail or The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells. Time is ticking. We are way past changing a couple of light bulbs.

George Monbiot's recent article in the Guardian lays it on the line. He says, "Only rebellion will prevent an ecological catastrophe."

When the problem is so huge and overwhelming, it's hard not to just throw up your hands and give in to the inevitable. Tell that to Greta Thunberg.

So what CAN we do?

On Thursday, April 18, the Sustainable La Crosse Commission will host a public program on clean energy planning in La Crosse including future plans to go all in on clean renewable energy. Your participation is needed to show support for this initiative and help carry it forward. Please come to the meeting - this Thursday at 5:30 pm in the County Administrative Building, 6th & State to learn about the plans and how you can help.

Already more than 100 cities, including Chicago, and four whole states have committed to moving totally off of fossil fuels by 2050 or sooner. If you live in La Crosse, sign the petition. If you don't, start the process to get your community to commit to 100% clean energy as quickly as possible.

The Coulee Region Sierra Club will have more info at its Earth Fair booth at Myrick Park on April 28 and host a Green New Deal event in May.

On Thursday, April 25 at 4:30 pm, Rep Ron Kind will speak with Green New Deal supporters on the UWL campus. [UPDATE: Location - Room 3214 Centennial Hall, UWL]The US must become a leader in cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

These are the types and scopes of changes we need to push for right now. We can make our own personal changes, but we must also work very hard to make those changes at the city, county, state, and national levels. This is more important than basketball championships, cancer fundraisers, or anything else you can think of. This is MOST important. In the words of a dear PA diner patron interviewed on a FOX television program, "Ultimately, the other issues are all solvable. But if the planet starts catching on fire and we’re all dead, it doesn’t do us any good to see how much money we can make.”





Monday, April 08, 2019

Conservation Congress and more

This week's opportunities for citizen action and education include:

* MONDAY, April 8 Conservation Congress Spring meetings around the state at 7 pm (La Crosse County meeting is at Onalaska High School). You may also participate online for the first time ever! Vote on issues important to our environment. See Sierra Club's voting guide at cr-sierra.blogspot.com.
And Frac Sand Sentinel asks folks to print and take two copies of this resolution: OPPOSE THE BACK FORTY PROPOSED METALLIC SULFIDE MINE

* THURSDAY, April 11 - Watch the film, DARK MONEY at the Rivoli Theater at 6:30 pm and talk about the influence of anonymous big donors to our political system. Co-sponsored by La Crosse for People Powered Democracy, Medicare for All WI 3rd CD, and Blue Jean Nation.

* SATURDAY, April 13 , join a Sierra Club Climate Conversation, 10:30 am to noon, at the South Community Library: Imagining our Carbon Free Future. What will a community powered by 100% clean renewable energy look like? How will our transportation and food systems change? What will our neighborhoods look like? How should we be preparing now to make the transition smoother? Bring your ideas and actions, things you are doing or plan to do, and great ideas you've experienced or read about. We'll build on the January Climate Conversation event and compile and prioritize an action list for the coming year.

There's more coming up. Check the calendar (and add your event if it's not already there).