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***Content Warning: Violence against Black people. If you need to avoid
this topic, jump to the line break below. ***

 

Indivisibles,

Two weeks ago, two Black lawmakers in Tennessee, Reps. Justin Jones and
Justin Pearson, were expelled from their elected offices for advocating
for gun safety. They have both since been reappointed to their roles on an
interim basis. 

Last week, in an unprecedented use of his power, Gov. Greg Abbott said
[ [link removed] ]he supports pardoning Daniel Perry, only a day after Perry was
convicted of murdering a Black Lives Matter protester in 2020. 

Last Thursday, [ [link removed] ]a 16-year-old Black child, Ralph Yarl, was shot twice as
he mistakenly rang the wrong doorbell while attempting to pick up his
siblings from a playdate. 

Gun violence is an epidemic in this country. 
Racism is an epidemic in this country. 

These epidemics are intertwined. America’s unique problem of mass gun
violence is [ [link removed] ]directly connected to our internalized ideas of white
privilege and racial identity. Black Americans [ [link removed] ]continue to be
disproportionate victims of gun violence, including being the victims of
police murder at least once every other day, while white Americans are the
least likely to [ [link removed] ]even consider gun violence a major problem.

We know who stands in the way of passing lifesaving gun violence
prevention legislation: the Republican Party, driven by the extreme gun
politics of the National Rifle Association. Ten years ago today, they
[ [link removed] ]used the filibuster to stop universal background check legislation in
the Senate shortly after the tragedy at Sandy Hook. And this weekend, GOP
leaders pledged their support for the NRA’s horrific agenda at their
annual convention, with Gov. Ron DeSantis stating, “I’ve resisted calls to
take up gun control even when such a stand is superficially unpopular…I
understand that it is precisely at those moments when a right is unpopular
that it needs true champions.” 

Gov. DeSantis is right about one thing: We do have a fundamental right
that needs championing. That right is the safety of our children, friends,
neighbors, and ourselves from the terror of gun violence. Republican fears
of culture wars are overriding the real danger Americans experience from
the proliferation of guns under the guise of self-defense and safety.

It is incumbent upon us, as people who care about ourselves, eachother,
and all of the children across the United States, to continue to support
the work of organizations like [ [link removed] ]March for Our Lives, [ [link removed] ]Moms Demand
Action, and [ [link removed] ]Community Justice Action Fund. It means continuing to push
our electeds in Congress and at the state and local levels to act through
any pathway they can. And it means fighting back against any attempts to
stoke fear and hatred in our communities that allow racism to metastasize.

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[ [link removed] ]MAGA Default Crisis Week of Action May 19-26

We’ve spent a lot of time in this Newsletter over the last few months
talking about the [ [link removed] ]MAGA Default Crisis. Now’s the time to put all of
that knowledge and planning into action. [ [link removed] ]Join us for our MAGA Default
Crisis Weekend of Action, May 19-26! 

The biggest legislative fight this year is quietly playing out in back
rooms in the halls of Congress, but hardly anyone nationally is talking
about it. MAGA extremists are refusing to pay their debts unless they are
allowed to force their cruel policy agenda through Congress. That agenda
consists of stripping away crucial programs for American families like
Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and if they don’t achieve it,
they are threatening to throw the country into another recession by
defaulting on our debts for the first time in American history. 

This is where we come in. 

Indivisibles are going to hold events all across the country calling on
their MoCs to protect American families. For Democratic MoCs, we’ll be
reminding them to hold strong in the face of MAGA hostage-taking -- the
only people who win from Dem concessions are lobbyists for the wealthy and
well-connected and the politicians they donate to. For Republican MoCs,
we’re holding them accountable for the outcomes of a default and making
sure they answer for the extremism in their party. 

That can look like pep rallies, “thank you” visits to congressional
offices, light brigades, birddogging, and all of the other creative ways
Indivisibles have thought of in the past (and will think of in the future)
to draw more attention to this pending crisis. But to get you started:

* [ [link removed] ]Read our comprehensive MAGA Default Crisis Weekend of Action
Toolkit. Want to know more about the MAGA Default Crisis? Not sure
where to start for an event? Check out this resource for everything
you need to know about the upcoming weekend of action, our strategy,
and potential tactics you can use. 
* [ [link removed] ]Register your event on the Indivisible map. Get your event on the
map ASAP so that other Indivisibles in your area can find it and join
in! Indivisible means we do this together -- the more the merrier.
Make sure other activists in your area know there’s a plan! ** Make
sure to include “MAGA Default Crisis” as the event issue focus**
* [ [link removed] ]RSVP for our Event Planning Training on Thursday, May 4 at 8pm
ET/5pm PT. Learn the tips and tricks to ensure your event is a
success. From recruitment to media protocols, Indivisible will be
providing guidance on best practices to increase your event’s impact. 

Start planning your Week of Action events today and let’s end this MAGA
Default Crisis before it becomes a national catastrophe. 

With that, here are your weekly to-dos:

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 Your 5 weekly to-dos 

 1. [ [link removed] ]RSVP for our Press and Media Training Tomorrow, Tuesday April 18
at 8pm ET/5pm PT. One of the core principles of Indivisible activism
is holding our representatives accountable. Whether that’s through
birddogging them for bad votes at their events or celebrating their
accomplishments, accountability is key to advancing our agenda. One of
the best tools of accountability is earned media coverage. Join us on
tomorrow, April 18 to learn more about how to establish relationships
with local press, build events that get media coverage, and take
advantage of high-visibility news moments with your groups. 
 2. [ [link removed] ]Read and share our MAGA Default Crisis page. This page is the new
home for everything concerning the MAGA effort to throw our nation
into chaos by forcing our government to default on our debts in order
to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Our current focus is
on getting Democratic members of the House of Representatives to sign
on to the Boyle, Jayapal, Kuster letter opposing the MAGA Default
Crisis and refusing to cut vital services. [ [link removed] ]Check here to see if
your representative has signed on.
 3. If your Democratic representative has not yet signed on, [ [link removed] ]call and
tell them to sign on to the letter being led by Reps. Boyle, Jayapal,
and Kuster opposing any cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
Republicans are threatening to hold the world economy hostage.
Democrats need to stand strong and join President Biden in saying
we’re not negotiating with hostage-takers. Every Democratic member who
signs onto this letter makes it clearer to Republicans that Dems won’t
cave, and clearer to all Americans that the Democratic Party can be
counted on to protect Medicare and Social Security. Once you’ve
called, [ [link removed] ]write a letter to the editor (LTE) encouraging your MoC
not to negotiate with MAGA hostage-takers and then [ [link removed] ]tweet at your
MoC demanding they sign on.
 4. If your Democratic representative has already signed on, [ [link removed] ]call your
representative and thank them for signing on to the letter. Our
representatives need to know when we’re in support of their actions,
there’s no better way to let them know than to call them directly. The
stronger we show our support, the more likely they will work for the
people in the future. When you’re finished calling, [ [link removed] ]write an LTE
thanking your representative for signing on. Don’t just support your
MoC in private, submit an LTE thanking your representative so that
your community, and other MoCs paying attention, know that your
representative is doing the right thing and supported by their
constituents. Public praise helps put the pressure on the remaining
MoCs to sign on too. 
 5. If you have a Republican representative, [ [link removed] ]call and tell them you
oppose the MAGA default scheme. Republicans on the House Ways and
Means Committee have advanced a scheme to “prevent a default” that
would essentially give congressional MAGA extremists the power to
decide which bills get paid (and potentially put critical payments to
hospitals, schools, and social safety net programs at the back of the
line). Call your Republican representative and tell them you oppose
the “debt prioritization” scheme. 

P.S. We rely on your support to keep call pages up and running, fund ads
to get the word out, and continue all the work we’re doing this year.
[ [link removed] ]If you’re able, click here to donate to help fund our work.

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[26]WE LOVE TO SEE IT!

***In the 2023 Indivisible Guide, one of the most important things we
wanted to see was our Members of Congress (MoCs) show up as fighters! We
need a Congress that works for the people, not just their bank accounts
and special interests! So, why not highlight those fighters? We Love To
See It! will highlight the work being done by MoCs fighting for everyday
people’s well being, advancing democracy, and/or protecting personal
freedoms. Let’s stand up for our representatives when they stand up for
us! We Love To See It!***

 

Rep Jamaal Bowman, NY-16

[ [link removed] ]Picture of Rep Bowman speaking animatedly in a tan suit. Text reads:
Republicans won’t do SHIT when it comes to gun violence, but try to tell
me to calm down. NO. We can’t calm down. People are dying everyday while
we wait.

Gun violence continues to be an daily problem in this country with over
12,350 deaths due to gun violence already this year. Rep Bowman is calling
out the hypocrisy of the "thoughts and prayers" contingent to their faces,
attempting to convince them to finally act.

As his tweet so clearly lays out, “Republicans won’t do SHIT when it comes
to gun violence, but try to tell me to calm down. NO. We can’t calm down.
People are dying everyday while we wait.” [ [link removed] ]Watch Rep Bowman call out
Republicans more concerned with the gun lobby and his tone than the deaths
of children.

 

**Bonus Points: If you see your MoC showing up as a fighter and want to
highlight them, reply to this email with a link to the story and we
might feature it in our next Newsletter.**



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 National Events 

[ [link removed] ]Register for the Indivisible POC Monthly Call on Tuesday, April 25 at
7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT. Join Indivisible National POC staff as we talk and
connect around issues that directly affect POC, the work that we do, and
the world in which we try to create lasting change. Please note that this
is a space specifically for people of color/indigenous group leaders and
members.

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 IndivisiWin of the Week 

[ [link removed] ]Barbara of Indivisible Hawaii in a teal Indivisible Hawaii shirt
holding stickers that say 'clean elections now'

Barbara of Indivisible Hawaii advocating for election reform at the House
Finance Committee hearings at the state capitol.

Follow us on [ [link removed] ]Facebook, [ [link removed] ]Twitter, and [ [link removed] ]Instagram to keep up on
the latest information, and text “INDIVISIBLE” to 59798 to opt-in to our
text messaging program where we send rapid response actions a few times a
month.

Our work on the MAGA Default Crisis is growing increasingly more
important. As a potential summer deadline nears, we must do everything in
our power to prevent a default and protect vital programs like Social
Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Start planning your [ [link removed] ]Weekend of
Action event today.

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team

[ [link removed] ]Indivisible Facebook

[ [link removed] ]Indivisible Twitter

[ [link removed] ]Indivisible Instagram



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