September 20, 2023
Say no to border wall construction, save Virginia from the GOP, insist on better journalism on trans issues, and more!
Contact all members of Congress:
By phone: (202) 224-3121
By email: democracy.io
By US mail: Representatives / Senators
By fax: Representatives / Senators
By Resistbot: Resist.bot
Contact White House or other federal agencies:
STRIKE BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION PROVISION IN SENATE DEFENSE BILL
The Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) currently includes language that would compel more border wall construction. However, before this becomes law the House must pass their own version of the NDAA and the final bill must be negotiated. Let’s tell our MoCs that we do not want to see our tax dollars spent on more border walls, and instead they should negotiate fair and humane immigration legislation.
STOP THE REPUBLICAN TAKEOVER OF VIRGINIA
Every seat in both houses of the Virginia state legislature is up for grabs in the November 7, 2023, election. “If Republicans maintain control of the House and win control of the Senate, Virginia would become a Republican trifecta” — and the governor and legislature would be free to pass the Republican anti-reproductive rights, anti-LGBTQ+, pro-voter suppression, pro-gun violence, etc., etc. agenda with impunity. “If Democrats win control of either chamber, the state would remain a divided government” — and Democrats will be able to protect the progressive gains made in Virginia that started in 2017. Early voting starts September 22, 2023. The organization Vote Forward has five active letter-writing campaigns all targeted at getting progressive-leaning voters to the polls in Virginia. If every Rogan’s List subscriber writes just 5 letters each, we’d reach tens of thousands of Virginians. Let’s sign up and start writing today!
INSIST THAT DHS PROVIDE HUMAN TRANSLATORS FOR ASYLUM-SEEKERS:
The Department of Homeland Security is increasingly relying on Artificial Intelligence apps like Google Translate instead of human beings to translate for non-English speakers seeking asylum. As anyone who’s ever used these sites knows, they can often miss or wildly misinterpret key information. They also do not pick up on cultural context and sometimes cannot understand regional accents. With something as important as an asylum application on the line, people are required by law to have competent translation. Let’s tell DHS to stop this practice and assure that human translators are on hand to assist asylum seekers with their applications.
SAVE LIVES—CARRY NARCAN
The overdose-reversing drug Narcan (also called Naloxone) is now available for over-the-counter purchase. Nearly 280,000 Americans have died of opioid overdoses from 1999 to 2021. Narcan is easy to carry and administer, and won’t harm someone if it is given in error. We can now have it in our homes and carry it with us just in case we ever encounter someone who has stopped breathing. The only downside is that the cost—around $44—may be too expensive for some. Let’s (1) learn how to use Narcan to reverse opioid overdose; (2) if we can afford it, purchase Narcan to carry with us; and (3) tell our state and local officials that we want them to make Narcan available to the public for free.
PUSH JOURNALISTS TO COVER TRANS ISSUES RIGHT
With trans people under assault and legislature after legislature passing bans on their care, the media’s coverage of issues concerning the trans community has frequently not lived up to the standard it should. The Trans Journalists Association has released its updated and expanded style guide to help cisgender editors and reporters cover these stories right. As we see harmful coverage on the trans community, let’s make sure we send this guide to the journalists involved so they have the resources to do their job well.
STATE-SPECIFIC ACTIONS
ID—DEMAND FUNDING FOR CRUMBLING SCHOOL BUILDINGS
ProPublica and the Idaho Statesman report that Idaho school districts—particularly poor, rural districts—have been unable to repair their crumbling, unsafe, not-conducive-to-learning school buildings because the bond-funding process requires the approval of a 2/3 supermajority of voters (Idaho is one of two states requiring such a high bond-issuance threshold), and because a state loan program imposes impenetrably high requirements. If we’re in Idaho, let’s share the link to the article (https://www.propublica.org/article/idaho-created-25-million-dollar-fund-to-fix-schools-no-one-is-using-it) with our state legislators and Governor Brad Little and let’s tell them our children deserve much, much better. Let’s tell them to lower the bond-funding threshold from supermajority to simple majority, and to reform the Public School Facilities Cooperative Funding Program so that it provides a real solution to the problem of Idaho’s unsafe school buildings.