Month: January 2017

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3,024 Vs. 480,000

#NotMyPresident Trump enacted an executive order on Friday banning or delaying entry to the USA for seven predominantly Muslim countries. Effective immediately. And it includes LEGAL green card carrying immigrants. I don’t even know where to start with this nonsense.

Ok, while it’s enormously important, let us set aside the fact that he has (without notice) separated children from parents, husbands from wives, employees from jobs. Let’s not mention that not one American citizen has been killed on American soil by a radical terrorist from any of those seven countries. ZERO. And forget about the fact that the four countries from that region that are predominantly Muslim, AND are the source countries for all of the radical Islamic terrorists since September 11th, are also countries with which DT has business dealings. Forget all of that “nonsense” and consider this:

According to research conducted at the Cato Institute, between 1975 and 2015, 3,024 Americans have been killed on American soil by 88 foreign-born terrorists. 2,996 of the 3,024 were casualties of the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center, which was carried out by 19 terrorists from 4 countries NOT currently banned.

Let’s do some quick math, shall we? Let’s say all 88 of the foreign-born terrorists mentioned above are radical Muslim extremists (they aren’t). There are 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, so 88 of them represents 0.0000005.5% of the Muslim population. Remember, that’s over a 40 year period.

According to the CDC, in 2015 alone, there were 12,979 intentional homicides with a firearm. The population of the United States is 323 million.

Viewed another way, those approximately 12,000 firearm deaths per year in the same 40 year period add up to 480,000 lives extinguished on American soil by guns.

3,024 deaths vs 480,000 deaths. What is the real threat?

#RESIST

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Peace, Love and Kindness

I’ve learned a hard lesson this week. I left Washington on Monday with the high of inspiration, energy, and love…ready to take on every challenge the new administration threw at us. Then the executive order banning entry to Muslims happened.

I went from flying high to completely disheartened with the stroke of a pen. And I started to doubt that we could make a difference when our adversary is so powerful. I let myself forget what I posted just days ago. My daughters are my inspiration. THEY are why I am fighting.

Just now, my little girl reminded me of that in the most beautiful way. She showed me that she is paying attention. So I can’t lose hope and I won’t give up.

 

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RESIST for 3 Minutes Per Day

Think you don’t have enough time to make a difference in today’s political climate? If you can find even 3 minutes, then you’ve got what you need. In that 3 minutes, make one phone call. Call one of the two senators for your state and let them know how you feel on your topic of the day. For instance, let them know that you’re concerned about the nomination of Betsy Devos and ask them to oppose the confirmation.

The experience varies from day to day, but the script is essentially the same:

Hi my name is _______________, I’m a constituent from {your state and county}  and I”m calling to express my concern about ____________. I can be reached at {your phone number or email} . Thank you for your time.

Sometimes you’ll only be talking to a voicemail, other times you’ll get a real person. Just say you have a message of concern for whomever you’re calling and they will say they are happy to pass along the message. Then start your script.

202-224-3121 is the number to call to find out who your representatives are, if you’re unsure. Give them your zip code +4 and they will be able to connect you to a senator from your state or your district representative.

If you live in Ohio, you can call our senators directly by using these numbers:

Sherrod Brown (D) – 202-224-2315

Rob Portman (R) – 202-224-3353

My district representative here in Ohio is Jim Renacci (R), if you live in his district, he can be reached at 202-225-3876.

I put all three of those numbers into my favorites list on my phone.  It takes just minutes out of my day, but if we all make those calls every day, they will (hopefully) be more likely to listen.

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#WhyIMarch – Because I’m raising daughters

It wasn’t my plan to post today, but I’ve been inspired to write. The #whyImarch hashtag has been very important to myself and all of the other women and men who attended the WMW last weekend. All 2.9 million of us may not have agreed on all of the issues called out in the platform, but we all showed up in solidarity to oppose what we believe is wrong.

One of the signs that has showed up in my social media repeatedly, that I am paraphrasing, said “Things must be really bad, even the introverts are out here”. This one hits home for me because I have severe social anxiety, especially when it involves large crowds of people. It was a rough day, and I had a few bad moments, but I never once considered leaving.

Another sign that became one of my favorites said “I am out here protesting so my daughters won’t have to.” That is why I stayed. I want my daughters to grow up in a country where they can love whomever they choose and that their love will be celebrated equally. I want them to know that no matter what other people try to tell them, their bodies are their own and only THEY get to make the decisions. I want them to know that their mother fought for the notion that sexual assault is UNACCEPTABLE and should be dealt with immediately and with harsh, life-altering consequences for the perpetrator. I want them to grow up to be strong, powerful, intelligent women because they were raised by strong, powerful, intelligent women who taught them that they should never allow themselves to be treated as second class citizens.

I really, really wish we could clean this mess up before my daughters have to get involved. But I also really, really wish that my daughters become passionate enough about a cause to jump in and do something about it. I’ve decided to lead by example. My wish for them is peace. But if that just isn’t in the cards, then my wish for them is strength and compassion in the face of adversity.

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The Women’s March on Washington – I’m STILL Processing

July 26th, November 17th, July 2nd, January 21, 2017. My children’s birthdays, my wedding date, the Women’s March on Washington. These are the dates I will never forget as long as I live. I haven’t finished processing the events of the day just yet, but I have SO much to talk about that I couldn’t wait another minute to write the first post.

Let’s talk about how I feel right now.  I’m at about 48 hours post march as I’m writing.  I feel inspired.  I feel optimistic.  My heart is full of light and love.  I have a renewed energy. I feel a new and powerful connection with 3 million people I’ve never met.  I’m physically exhausted and mentally prepared to ACT.  The shirts my sister and I wore on Saturday say “we have been awakened”.  That about sums it up.

We may have been living in a bubble, but we aren’t anymore.  We are ready, willing, and able to fight.  And that’s what we are going to have to do…fight.  Fight for gender equity, LGBTQ rights, religious liberties, immigrants’ rights, women’s reproductive rights, for freedom of speech and freedom of the press and freedom to peaceably assemble, for clean water and clean air, for renewable energy, for prison reform and gun reform, for single payer health care and for the black Americans all across the country who are afraid of the people who are meant to protect them.

The list is long.  It feels overwhelming, yes.  But when you stop to realize that you are not alone, that 3 million of your closest allies have your back, it doesn’t seem overwhelming at all.  Whether you were on the ground in Washington, marching in one of the hundreds of Sister Marches around the world, or cheering us on from wherever you live, we all felt that energy.  It followed us home and we can’t let the energy fizzle…not even for one second.  We have been awakened and there’s no time for complacency anymore.

I’ll continue to talk more about the March in upcoming posts.  I’ll also start talking with you about how you can get involved in this fight yourself.  Whether you can commit 5 hours a week or 5 minutes a day, there is something you can do to help.  Check back soon for the next update and be sure to let me know your ideas for advancing the cause.

Show me what democracy looks like!

This is what democracy looks like!

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#WhyWeMarch

I mentioned in my post yesterday that my sister and I will be traveling to Washington, DC on Saturday to participate in the Women’s March on Washington.  We got together recently to put into our own words why it is important for us to be there.  This is #WhyWeMarch:

Too long have we stood by and kept silent, too long have we whispered behind doors but lived life as if we weren’t affected. We have been awakened. We will rise up. We will find a way to conquer hate. And she and I will do it together, among millions of others who refuse to watch hate toward other humans become the norm. 

We will share stories of kindness and love and support.  We will finally begin to take action, in a way we have kept closely guarded in the backs of our minds. I can’t answer why we have sat on the sidelines until now, but that is no longer an option. Every generation has found a way to fight and make a difference.  This country had to fight to convince others to end slavery, to allow women to vote, to let all Americans choose to love any gender.  And now it is our turn to stand tall and proud and fight for all of those rights and more. 

We will not be ignored.

We will not be marginalized.

We will not stand idly by.

WE WILL NOT FADE AWAY.

We march for love and kindness. We march for her daughters and my nieces. We march for equal pay for women. We march for Planned Parenthood and the incredible work they do saving lives everyday. We march for peace. We march for our LBGTQ friends. We march for freedom for ALL. We march for immigrants and their rights. We march for religious freedom. We march for the ownership of our OWN bodies. We march for you. We march for each other. And we march for the future. 

We will be a powerful voice against hate and those who threaten the progress we have made and the great strides yet to come. 

Millions of women, one voice. 

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Well, THAT Just Happened! Now What?

How can you be an activist when you’re busy working and raising your kids and maintaining a freakin’ house?

That’s what I’ve been asking myself since November 8, 2016.  I had been floating along in my tiny bubble of liberal privilege, when BAM, I ran straight into a giant angry red cactus.  My first reaction was “Holy crap!  This is the end.  This will be the extinction level event that starts out as a slowly burning ember and ends with multiple nuclear missiles being fired at once.”  I’ll admit, I am prone to hyperbole…especially when my anxiety is being triggered…continuously…for tweets at a time.

Now, I’ve had 2 months to calm down.  I’ve spent 2 months paying closer attention to the news than I have in my entire life.  I’ve tried to educate myself on the backgrounds and ideals of the new players in this administration.  I’ve done my research on the social issues that I’ve always supported, but never gotten to know at a deep enough level.  And now, with my 2 additional months to digest and to learn, I’m thinking that I need to forget that whole “slowly burning ember” thing and jump straight into nuclear missiles are going to fall from the sky.

In all seriousness, this isn’t a matter to take lightly (although I will try and add some comic relief, because we will all go crazy without a little bit of levity).  There are deep, far reaching, long lasting consequences that will be felt by every American if we continue to sit back and let the incoming administration run roughshod over every human right we’ve fought for in the last century.

That is why I’ve found myself asking how I can release my inner activist when I spend my days in a cubicle and my evenings raising a family and running a household.  It is becoming increasingly clearer, with every new headline, that I would be doing my daughters a disservice if I didn’t figure that out.  And so, I will not use the I-simply-do-not-have-time defense and I will get out there and do something…anything…that I think might help in any small way.

This blog will be a small step in my plan.  I need an outlet for all of the disbelief, fear, anger, and sometimes hopelessness that I feel when I think about what could be.  And I know there are other women and men out there who feel just as helpless as I do.  They want to get involved, but think to themselves “What can I do?  This problem is too big.  I don’t have the resources to help bring about positive change”.  As individuals, it would seem overwhelming.  But as a COMMUNITY working together, we have all of the resources we need.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has.  –Margaret Mead

To begin my journey as an activist, I’ll be marching with my sister at the Women’s March on Washington this weekend.  Our plan is to talk to as many people and get as many stories and perspectives as we can.  Next week, I will share with you what we learn and begin to make a real plan for juggling everyday life and SMASHING THE PATRIARCHY.  Um….I mean, coming together as a community to effect positive change in such a dire political climate.  Join me, won’t you?