Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Make your voice heard! October 12 SRO public hearing

We need EVERYONE to get in on this next public hearing the La Crosse School Board is hosting about the "School Resource Officers" (aka police in schools) program on MONDAY, OCTOBER 12 AT 6 P.M. (online).

I lurked on the September public hearing and to me, it was, in many ways, like deja vu all over again. Anyone who lived through the school mascot debates or the "Big Indian" discussions has heard this before. 

People say, "This public action paid for with public money is hurting me, my children, and my community. We have proof in the form of personal testimony and academic research. We want to change things because this use of our shared public resources is causing harm to many people. It is biased, unfair, and unjust."

And other people, often those who have had control of decisions for a long time, say, "This is how it's always been. We like it. It doesn't harm us. We don't want anything to change." 

The students who spoke in September were brave and bold. They told their own stories and it probably wasn't easy. I don't know if they felt heard. Those who want to keep the police made things sound like our schools are so violent and out of control that they're one step below Attica. In my, albeit limited, visits to local high schools in the past few years, I've found things to be pretty much like, well, high school (except for the "you are now entering prison" experience visitors have when they arrive).

More people need to attend the public hearings and SPEAK UP. People who aren't students or teachers but who are members of the society that students and teachers and school policies shape need to SPEAK UP. We all need to be included in this discussion. Sign up and tell your story even if you are not a student, current parent, or teacher. We all are affected by the norms that are established by policies and expectations in our schools, the societies-in-training that adults set up to transition students from childhood to adulthood, from adult guidance to autonomy.

Why I oppose police in schools:

* They intimidate people and create a hostile learning environment for many students (and I imagine being a staff member in a constantly-policed space can be pretty stressful, too). 

* Their presence doesn't seem to be fulfilling its promise.

* They are not needed as a full-time presence. If there's a problem requiring police, they can be called.

* They are not needed to do things that teachers and counselors already do and are trained to do. They are not needed to be in school buddies. If they want to be buddies and mentors, let them do that outside of school.

* They are not trained for the environment. If police want to be in schools, let them become licensed teachers or psychologists or counselors. High school students are going through a "pushing the envelope" stage of development with brains that are not fully connected. Understanding human development and how to guide students into adulthood is very important.

* They are expensive. We could hire more counselors and mediators, offer more personal mentoring, have smaller classes, and/or provide more learning opportunities with money saved.

* They are biased. We are all biased. Studies show that a community's bias affects how its police act. When rules are not equally enforced every time of every one, it makes the bias of the community and its enforcers the deciding factor in who is policed and who is not policed.

* They are the hammer that only sees nails. Several at the September hearing noted the "school to prison pipeline" which exists because minor infractions and normal teenage behavior suddenly become ticketable offenses requiring a court hearing and possible legal consequences. When my brother tried out his new wrist-rocket by seeing how far he could shoot a rock from our backyard and when that rock broke the window of our neighbor two houses away, my parents made my brother apologize and clean up the mess and pay for the broken window. He wasn't arrested and taken into custody and jailed and fined. We need to demonstrate how we solve disputes and problems without making our adversaries into criminals at every turn.

* Making students and school staff operate in a constantly-policed environment normalizes constant policing which should not be the norm. If we live in a free society, we should be laying the groundwork for young citizens to be free and autonomous, not subject to immediate enforcement (and unequal) enforcement of rules.

This is something that hasn't really been discussed in the forums I've heard. The adverse affects of over-policing in communities of color are well-documented.  Laws and rules are not equally enforced. People in the unpoliced group may assume those who are over-policed must be making "bad choices" rather than realizing their privilege. How many in our community go faster than the speed limit on Losey Boulevard? How many are stopped and ticketed for it? It's easy for people who are never stopped and never expect to be stopped to assume those who are stopped must have done something really wrong. But we've all heard (or experienced) the stories of driving while black, walking while black, eating out while black, shopping while black, studying while black, etc. We need to remove over-policing from all our communities, not train students to accept it.

If we normalize unequal and biased enforcement of, often, arbitrary rules, we will be going in just the opposite direction in the effort to create a just society. If we normalize constant oversight of our every waking moment we will be heading into a nightmare.

We need MORE voices talking about why police in public schools is a very bad idea. We need more unpoliced people who understand what's going on to explain this to those who want over-policing. And we need to be there to create a more welcoming and supportive environment for those who dare to tell their own truths and hope to be heard.

The School District says,

"Community members interested in speaking at the forum should register by calling the superintendent’s office at 608.789.7659, or via email at lsteiger@lacrossesd.org. Prospective speakers should register by 4:30 p.m. on October 12. Registered speakers will be given five minutes to speak during the forum.
--
"After the second public forum, the next steps in the SRO program review will include an analysis of local, state, and national data, a continued review of published literature on SRO programs, and gathering of local data through surveys and interviews."

Sunday, September 27, 2020

The latest on electric vehicles - September 29

Did you know that electric vehicle (EV) owners save about 50% on maintenance and repairs over the life of their vehicles compared to similar costs paid by owners of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles? That's the conclusion of a new report issued by Consumer Reports, a scientific, non-partisan consumer interest resarch group. "Consumer Reports analyzed its 2019 and 2020 reliability survey data for thousands of electric and gas-powered vehicles, and found that drivers of electric vehicles are saving an average of 50% on maintenance and repair over the life of a vehicle compared to owners of gas-powered vehicles."
 
The organization has also found that, "Nationwide EVs are over 60% cleaner than the average gasoline powered vehicle."
 
An August study from Northwestern University concluded that, "... if EVs replaced 25% of combustion-engine cars currently on the road, the United States would save approximately $17 billion annually by avoiding damages from climate change and air pollution. In more aggressive scenarios — replacing 75% of cars with EVs and increasing renewable energy generation — savings could reach as much as $70 billion annually."
 

On Tuesday, September 29 at 7 p.m., the Coulee Region Sierra Club will host an online program on The Latest on Electric Vehicles with guest Jeffrey Springer, Manager of Innovation and Efficient Electrification at Dairyland Power Cooperative. RSVP for access information at tiny.cc/CRSCEV929

Discussion will include information about current and coming EVs, the truth about charging, how we can encourage EV adoption in our communities and more. EV owners will join Mr. Springer, an EV owner, to answer your questions.

In 2019, the Sierra Club released a report of its nationwide study on the EV buying experience. The report found that many dealerships are not selling EVs, many sales staff are inadequately trained and educated about EVs, and some consumers found sales personnel to be antagonistic toward EVs.

"Shockingly, we found that 74% of auto dealerships nationwide do not have a single EV on their lot for sale and that consumers were still not being given important information about charging, battery range, and financial incentives.In some instances, volunteers indicated that they could not go for a test drive because the vehicle was insufficiently charged or that they were encouraged to purchase a non-electric vehicle instead."

Many buyers think the EVs are too expensive, but the cost of used EVs in many cases is
similar to the cost of equivalent used ICE vehicles. It is very possible to purchase a used EV or a plu
g-in hybrid EV for under $10,000. Factoring in the total cost of buying and owning a car, EVs are already cheaper than fossil-fueled vehicles. Many EV experts expect purchase prices of EVs to cost less than ICE vehicles within the coming decade.

To be sure, there are issues with current EVs including lithium required in batteries, pollution caused by tire wear, and congestions issues not addressed by switching an ICE vehicle with an EV. But, if we are going to travel, finding the cleanest, least carbon-emitting way should be a top priority. Battery research is continuing and efficiencies improving. 

Join the conversation! Everyone is welcome.

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Indivisible: Save the Court

 


Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a champion for civil rights and gender equality, passed away on September 18. We cannot let Donald Trump destroy her legacy by replacing her with a justice from his shortlist of conservative extremists. Anyone Trump picks to replace RBG would no doubt undo all of the progressive change she fought for her whole life. 

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who held open a Supreme Court seat for over a year in 2016 to prevent Barack Obama from filling it,  has already declared he will bring Trump’s nomination to the floor for the vote. We cannot let this happen. We have to block everything Republicans try to do to get this nomination confirmed and we have to fight like hell to take back the Senate and the White House in November.

Call, tweet, and email your senators – and then start phonebanking, writing letters, or plan a local event to take the Senate this November. We owe Justice Ginsburg nothing less.

Indivisible is calling for Senate District Office visits this Friday, September 25 to demand that our senators not vote to confirm a new justice until after Inauguration Day. Find more than 600 phonebanking, textbanking, and letter writing events to take back the Senate on Indivisible's map


Women's votes save the world!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 - 7 p.m.

REPRESENTATION MATTERS:

Increasing diversity in politics

Join this energetic panel discussion, hosted by Our Wisconsin Revolution, to hear from women in politics in and around the La Crosse, WI area as they discuss their experiences running for and serving in elected offices.

Topics will include navigating barriers related to gender, basic knowledge and experience needed to make an informed decision on whether to run for office, how activists and organizers on the local level can encourage gender diversity in politics, and advice for those marginalized by gender who are considering running for office.

MORE DETAILS

AND


Supercharge is a streaming celebration packed with the inspiring voices of powerful women politicians, grassroots fighters, and artists. This event will include opportunities to dance, laugh, learn, unite and make a plan to vote. We’ll keep the momentum up through the election with weekly events to dive into the most pressing issues facing us. This is our time to move and be moved—to share in the energy created when women come together to make change. RSVP



Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Antiracism - La Crosse Area Viewpoint Oct. 1



Dear Community Member,

Join us for this urgent roundtable discussion, shaped by the perspective of local leaders: Shaundel Spivey, Rebecca Schwarz, Ricardo Acevedo, Dr. Bee Lo, Nicky Buck, and Amanda Goodenough, as they collectively react to and process the current state of racism in the here and now and ultimately explore what it would take to realize a healthier multicultural community. Don't miss out on being part of this high-priority conversation to shift the La Crosse area toward racial justice. 

For more information, please visit the event page

Register at this link.

Monday, September 21, 2020

AAMAN Police Reform Survey

The African Mutual Assistance Network, Inc. (AAMAN), in its capacity as an impartial, neutral and independent nonprofit, humanitarian organization, engages in dialogue with police and governments in numerous cities nationwide. 

This dialogue seeks to limit and prevent suffering among people affected by the use of deadly force on non-threatening and unarmed African-American, Latino, and Indigenous individuals. 

Police mandated to enforce the law in their cities play an important role in that regard since it is their responsibility to serve and protect people and communities and, in particular, to prevent and detect crime, to maintain public order and to protect and assist people in need. 

By taking this important survey, YOUR VOICE WILL BE HEARD! It's time to ACT! 

AAMAN will send you the results of the survey at its end on January 15, 2021. The results of this Survey will be delivered by Special Carrier to Congress on Monday, February 1, 2021; the first day of Black History Month. 

Go to https://aaman.online/reform to complete the survey. 

Thank you and Stay Safe! 

Cecil Adams, Jr.,B.Sc. 

CEO and Founder African American Mutual Assistance Network, Inc.

317 4th Street South Suite 289 La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601

Friday, September 18, 2020

9/21 - International Day of Peace Online Celebration

Celebrate the International Day of Peace with filmmakers and storytellers from around the world. Hear their amazing stories about filming for SANATIONE documentary series during the Covid-19 pandemic.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 
10 AM

ZOOM: 833 8981 1922
 

9/23 - Enduring Families Screening

 
You are invited to learn local La Crosse area Black history by joining the Enduring Families Project Screening.  The program will begin with a viewing of the first three completed videos of the project followed by a panel discussion with the actors and project leads.  

WHAT: Enduring Families Project Screening
WHERE: Online via Zoom
WHEN: September 23, 2020 at 7:00 PM
PROGRAM SPONSORS: La Crosse Public Library, La Crosse County Historical Society, La Crosse County Libraries

9/22: Community Dialogues - Racism and Collective Trauma

You are invited to Racism and the Coulee Region: A Community Dialogue Series (via Zoom) on Tuesday, September 22. This session will take place from 6-8 p.m. 


Please click here to register or visit www.FSCenter.org. If you've already signed up, please forward this email to a friend. 
If cost ($7) is a barrier, we can waive the fee; just call our office at 608-791-5295.

Our guest presenter is Walfsty Pierre, speaking on Mental Health and Collective Trauma in the Black Community

Walfsty is a local outpatient therapist and a recent graduate of the Winona State Trauma-Informed Clinical Masters of Social Work program. He also is a member of Black Leaders Acquiring Collective Knowledge (B.L.A.C.K) and the re-enactor of Nathan Smith as part of the Enduring Families Project.

Thursday, September 17, 2020

9/18: Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes & Josefine Jaynes & Brad Pfaff online

You're invited! 

Join us for a virtual chat and campaign fundraiser with Wisconsin's Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, and State Senate Candidate Brad Pfaff. RSVP below!

Come with me to Madison.

Hi, I’m Josefine Jaynes and I’m running for the State Assembly in the 96th district—a seat that hasn’t been held by a Democrat since the 1960s. We have a real chance to flip the 96th blue, but we need your help.

I’m committed to representing you and the needs of the 96th district, not outside interests. That's why I'm not accepting any money from political action committees, or other donations that come with strings attached. My campaign is relying on neighbors, friends and small donors throughout the district.

It’s hard to ask for money when the pandemic has affected us all so dramatically, but we know that my opponent will be taking in lots of money, and he will have dark money support as well. That puts me and my campaign at a disadvantage, but I know I can count on you to help level the playing field. 

Your donation will help us pay staff a living wage, purchase media time, and get out the vote this election. Click here to RSVP (fixed) and you'll receive a link to attend the Zoom meeting. 

Thanks, and stay safe!

Josefine

Questions? I always want to hear from you. Give me a call at 608-606-5306, or email me at josefinejaynes@gmail.com, any time.

 

9/21-25: Winona LaDuke lectures

 WINONA LADUKE LECTURE SERIES


Winona LaDuke will give a series of lectures in her role as Robert L. Hess Scholar-In-Residence at Brooklyn College. It appears these online talks will be available to anyone who registers.  There will be a Q&A at the end of each event. Register at the link.

Monday, September 21, 2020
Native/Indigenous Studies, Here & Now: Conversation with Jaskiron Dhillon and Winona LaDuke, 10:00 a.m. CDT

Tuesday, September 22, 2020
The I in BIPOC: Racial Justice and Indigenous People, 8:30 a.m. CDT

Civil Rights and Resistance: Uprising for Planetary Justice, 3:15 p.m. CDT

Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Food Sovereignty and Public Health, 10:00 a.m. CDT

The Citizen Artist: Performing Resistance, 1:15 p.m. CDT

Countering Colonialism in the Classroom, 5:00 p.m. CDT

Thursday, September 24, 2020
Sustainability in the 21st Century, 10:00 a.m. CDT

Lighting the 8th Fire, Economics for the 7th Generation, Robert L. Hess Memorial Lecture, 4:00 p.m. CDT

Friday, September 25, 2020
Where Does Culture Belong? Indigenous Artifacts in Museums and Universities, 10 a.m. CDT

9/18-20: Progressive International

 


Note: CEST (Central European Summer Time) time is 7 hours ahead of CDT (Central Daylight Time)

Register now for the inaugural summit of the Progressive International

On 18-20 September, the Progressive International (PI) will host its inaugural summit, convening members from across the planet to confront the central dilemma of our time: Internationalism or Extinction. 

1. What Comes After Capitalism? Keynote by Yanis Varoufakis, followed by a panel discussion with Vijay Prashad, Ece Temelkuran, and Nick Estes, and Lyn Ossome The horizon of post-capitalism is coming into clearer focus — but it remains to be seen if the post-capitalist economy will be authoritarian and oligarchic or democratic and social. Yanis Varoufakis kicks off a panel discussion of how we can win the fight for a post-capitalist future. 

2. The Years of Repair. Keynote by Naomi Klein, followed by a panel discussion with Tasneem Essop, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Vanessa Nakate and Aruna Roy The Covid-19 pandemic has imposed lock downs around the world. How can we harness the new pace of our lives to heal the deep rifts in our societies? Join Naomi Klein and other members of the PI Council to discuss how we can use this time for reparation on multiple fronts: climate, race, economy, infrastructure.

 3. Internationalism or Extinction. Keynote by Noam Chomsky, followed by a panel discussion with Nanjala Nyabola, Cornel West, and John McDonnell Capital is coordinated. Our struggles against injustice and oppression must be the same. Noam Chomsky and other members of the Council set out the existential threat facing humanity — and how the Progressive International can fight back. 

4. Reclaiming Democracy in Latin America, co-hosted by Wiphalas Across the World, with Luis Arce, Andrés Arauz, Gustavo Petro, Alicia Castro & more We are witnessing the destruction of democratic institutions across Latin America and around the world. Join Luis Arce — Bolivian presidential candidate from the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS-IPSP) — Alicia Castro, Andrés Arauz, and Wiphalas Across the World to discuss how progressive forces are fighting to reclaim democracy and popular sovereignty in Bolivia and across Latin America against increasing powerful tactics of legal warfare, or ‘lawfare.’ 

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

REGISTER, REQUEST, WITNESS

Driftless Voters Coalition is hosting voter assistance events this fall. 

Volunteers will be available to assist people to register and request an absentee ballot online and witness absentee ballots. You can also complete a paper registration form if you need it. 

There will be a tent and table with information. People will be encouraged to use their own smartphones as much as possible. 

Sessions will be:

Saturday, September 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the City Hall Farmers Market. 



If you need a witness and can't come to one of these events, please call: 608-620-3991.

It's possible other similar events will be planned if these two dates prove popular. 

Monday, September 14, 2020

LWV - Our Elections

[First, and unrelated to this program, if you think the GP is the entity messing with our absentee ballots, please read this: What the Democrats Aren't Telling You About Wisconsin.]

=====

From the League of Women Voters - La Crosse

This month, we will resume our monthly Lunch & Learn programs using Zoom, the online meeting platform. Members of the public and the press are invited to join the free live Zoom meeting by registering through the link at our website at https://www.lwvlacrosse.org. A recording of the program will be available for viewing on our website following the live Zoom presentation.

 

September Lunch & Learn

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

A Voting Conversation with Ginny Dankmeyer

La Crosse County Clerk

 

Ellen Frantz, a member of the League's Executive Board, will open with a brief update on the legal status of recently contested Wisconsin electoral policies. Ginny Dankmeyer will then address the upcoming election--its voting issues, challenges and solutions.

 

The League of Women Voters is a non-profit, non-partisan, national organization whose

purpose is to promote informed and active participation in government at all levels. Like

government, the League functions on several levels—local, state, regional and national.

LWVLA is also a part of the state and national Leagues.

 



Thursday, September 10, 2020

Friday Night - FIGHTING BOB FEST


Neither rain, nor sleet..... Fighting Bob Fest will go on this year - but, just like last month's conventions, it will take place as a virtual gathering for 2020.

Please join U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan, Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, Ruth Conniff, John Nichols, Jim Hightower, Greg Palast, and many more - plus, special musical segments from Joan Baez, Si Kahn, Jake Blount, The Cactus Blossoms, and Daniel Kenneth Libby.

The 19th annual Fighting Bob Fest will be streamed on the Internet via FaceBook Live at 

www.facebook.com/theprogressivemagazine

from 7:00-9:00pm on Friday September 11th, 2020. 

Please join us!

Sept. 14 - Police in Schools


Monday, Sept. 14, 2020 at 6 – 8 pm

Public Forum  Hosted by School District of La Crosse


Community members interested in speaking at the forum should register by calling the superintendent’s office at 608.789.7659, or via email at lsteiger@lacrossesd.org.

Prospective speakers should register by 4:30 p.m. on September 14. Registered speakers will be given five minutes to speak during the forum.

For more information:

On Sept. 14th the School District of La Crosse will host a virtual open forum for members of the community to discuss the district’s ongoing review of the School Resource Officer (SRO) program. The program review is being used to determine if the existing partnership will continue, be modified, or eliminated. The current SRO contract between the district and the City of La Crosse expires in June of 2021.

School District of La Crosse Superintendent Dr. Aaron Engel : 
“Data shows that in schools where there are SRO programs, there is often an increased rate of suspensions of students of color, in particular Black students,”

“We’ve had some students share that SROs negatively impact their feelings of belonging and increase their fear while attending school. As a school district committed to the well-being of all of our students, we want to disrupt anything that negatively impacts belonging, increases fear, or contributes to the school to prison pipeline.”

“We know there are many in our district who support the SRO program and many who feel SROs should be removed from schools,” said Dr. Engel. “This open forum will give our community an opportunity to speak for themselves and allow others to hear the diverse viewpoints that are present.”

NEXT STEPS:
After the public forum, the next steps in the SRO program review will include an analysis of local, state, and national data, a continued review of published literature on SRO programs, and gathering of local data through surveys and interviews.
The Board of Education has charged district administration with providing a recommendation on the future of the SRO program no later than November 16, 2020.

The Need to GROW - free screening

Thanks, Anne ...

An environmental film about SOLUTIONS.

Join in this exclusive free screening of Rosario Dawson’s award-winning documentary that many are calling the environmental film the world has been waiting for. With the planet on the brink of ecological disaster, and chronic disease rates skyrocketing, this is a story of real-world SOLUTIONS.

It will warm your heart, fill you with hope, and inspire you to take action.

Soil scientists estimate that at the rate we are depleting our farmland, we could have fewer than 60 years of soil left on Earth.

Can we feed the world without destroying the planet? The answer depends on what we do now!

The good news is, there ARE solutions. The Need To GROW takes you inside the hearts and innovations of three very different leaders — an 8-year-old girl challenges the ethics of a beloved organization — a renegade farmer struggles to keep his land as he revolutionizes resource-efficient agriculture — and an accomplished visionary inventor faces catastrophe in the midst of developing a game-changing technology.

Narrated by Rosario Dawson (Marvel’s The Defenders, The Lego Batman Movie), The Need To GROW delivers an epic story of solutions and the struggle to implement them.

And now, to spread this vital message, for a VERY LIMITED TIME you can watch The Need to GROW for no charge!

Tuesday, September 08, 2020

SOLAR FOR GOOD Grant Application Period NOW OPEN!

The Fall 2020 Solar for Good grant cycle is now open. Applications are due by Thursday, October 1st, 2020. Winners will be announced on or before Thursday, October 15th.

Solar for Good will once again be offering Philadelphia solar modules to winning nonprofits. Nonprofits will be granted up to 75 modules (~$12,500 value) for small (< 75kW) installations and up to 150 modules (~$25,000 value) for large (>75kW) installations.

The Fall 2020 Solar for Good cycle will also be offering CASH GRANTS. These grants will cover 20% of the cost of a solar project, with a max award of $10,000 for small installations (75kW) installations. RENEW Wisconsin has a pool of approximately $100,000 to offer for all grants. We expect these cash grants to be highly competitive.

Nonprofits can only apply for panels OR funding; there is no double-dipping. Proceeds from the panels will go back to the Couillard Solar Foundation to help fund programs like Solar for Good and Solar on Schools.

Monday, September 07, 2020

Lifting Up Love TODAY!

Greet Mike Pence as he visits Dairyland Power Co-op. As the head of the Coronavirus Task Force campaigns, Pence has done nothing - more than 190,000 Americans have died from the virus, including more than 1,000 essential health care providers, there's no plan for universal testing, PPE is still being hijacked by the trump administration to favor political cronies, and there's no end in sight to the COVID-19 devastation. 

10:30 a.m. 3200 East Ave. S. DO NOT PARK IN DAIRYLAND LOT. Park near Marcus Cinema or The Village shopping center and take the #4 bus to tha site. PEACEFUL protest with masks and distancing.

Our Wisconsin Revolution-La Crosse Chapter and Citizen Action of Wisconsin Driftless Coop are honored to partner with "The Free" and other local activists and organizers to send Vice President Pence a peaceful message that La Crosse is a community of Love, not Hate.

Speakers include:
Kat Sletten - Community Organizer
Ben Wilson - Co-op Organizer Citizen Action of WI
Gabby - LGBTQ+ Activist
Briana - Black Student Leaders
Libby Pierce - Black Student Liaison

Speakers include LGBTQ and HIV+ individuals who have been directly impacted by this administration's hateful and oppressive policies and rhetoric, as well as speakers educating on direct action and mutual aid opportunities and building youth power. We will have volunteers on site to assist eligible voters in registering and requesting absentee ballots online.
Please wear a mask and respect social distancing guidelines in an effort to be as safe as possible during this pandemic, made worse by Vice President Pence's lack of effective leadership.

Parking is limited, please do not park in the Dairyland Power parking lot. Please allow ample time to park on the street nearby and navigate to the location. If our planned location is unavailable for any reason, we will gather on public sidewalks as close to the location as possible.

Materials to make signs will be available, or bring your own! Pride flags, peace signs, and Black Lives Matter signs and flags are welcome!

This is a peaceful event, we ask that atiendees DO NOT respond to or engage with any hecklers or Trump/Pence supporters.

President Donald Trump has likened himself to a war time president during this time of pandemic. He has appointed Vice President Mike Pence to chair the National Coronavirus Task Force. During this time of crises

Vice President Pence has ignored the recommendations of scientists and public health experts. He has not acted swiftly in the provision of personal protective devises for health care workers nor development of national policy for masking, social distancing, and contact tracing. And he has opened the economy prematurely, more concerned for business profit than life itself. That hubris has caused tens of thousands of needless deaths and suffering--all for political gain and profit.

If, as described by President Trump, this is "war time," then Vice President Pence and this administration should be charged with war time crimes against humanity in the court of public opinion and voted out of office for the good of the United States and humanity. - Irving Balto (unable to attend the rally due to health issues)

 




Thursday, September 03, 2020

Local Action

 


1. The back half of the Trumppence is coming to La Crosse on Monday (Labor Day). Consider greeting it at Dairyland Power Co-op's East Avenue HQ. Like maybe this supposed head of the "Coronavirus Task Force" should actually be trying to accomplish the task of keeping American workers safe from the novel coronavirus. (For example, more than 1,000 health workers have died in the U.S. from COVID-19.)

2. Support UWL Residence Hall staff as they work for better pay and conditions amid COVID-19 risks.

3. Take back the co-op if you think it's salvageable.

4. La Crosse SOUP invites you to pitch!

5. Complete the Imagine 2040 Downtown La Crosse survey (remember, CAR-FREE STREETS are a thing.)

6. Check out the La Crosse Area Planning Committee's Beyond Coulee Vision 2040 plan and provide feedback before it's adopted at the LAPC September 16 meeting.

7. What are you doing EVERY DAY to ensure NO SECOND TERM for Trump?


Tuesday, September 01, 2020

Your input requested on IMPORTANT THINGS


The La Crosse County Health Department (LCHD) is currently seeking input from our community to inform our Strategic Plan for 2021-2025. Please consider sharing your input through this confidential survey.
The link to the survey is: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V6R5WRF
The deadline for completion of the survey is 9/4 at 4:30pm.
Please consider sharing the link with your contacts as well.
Thank you!
JEN ROMBALSKI, MPH, RN
Health Director
P: 608-785-6425   C: 608-386-1184

Unfit


Psychologist-backed documentary labels Trump 'malignant narcissist' “It's not that he's as bad as Hitler, or that he's the equivalent of Hitler," Gartner says. "But he has the same diagnosis as Hitler." #unfit #25thAmendment

Last call for the 25th Amendment? Trump's Cabinet won't depose him — but they should, by Kirk Swearingen, August 26, 2020, Salon.com

Today, per CNN, There have been at least 6,002,615 cases of coronavirus in the United States and at least 183,203 people have died in the United States from coronavirus, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.


Republicans say the quiet part out loud: Americans must die of the coronavirus in order to save capitalism by Chauncey DeVega, March 27, 2020,Salon.com 



Yale Historian Warns About the Rise of Tyranny in the US Yale University’s Timothy Snyder is a historian and author who has devoted much of his career to understanding the rise of tyranny in different parts of the world. He sits down with our contributor Ana Cabrera to discuss the health of American democracy and a worrying trend taking root in the U.S.


Trump Outpaces Biden in Zeroing In on Voters With Facebook Tools by Bill Allison and Misyrlena Egkolfopoulou, July 13, 2020, Bloomberg

An early Facebook investor has compared the social network to Nazi propaganda. Roger McNamee said the tech giant is using the same methods to those employed by propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels. ... He told The Telegraph: ‘They have taken all the techniques of Edward Bernays and Joseph Goebbels, other people from the world of persuasion, all the big ad agencies and they’ve mapped it onto an all day product with highly personalised information to addict you.’

What if Facebook Is the Real ‘Silent Majority’? Right-wing influencers are dominating the political discussion on Facebook, raising questions about whether it will translate into electoral success in November. by Kevin Roose, August 27, 2020. New York Times