Over the past two weeks, the administration has ramped things up. Respond by networking on the ground, doing small things that connect together.
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Week 8 of One Small Thing, and things are fast and furious right now. It feels like we’re fending off arrows from every angle. So many issues are vying for the front space in our minds, and it’s confusing and overwhelming. This is the point. When people encounter too much information at once, they tend to shut down. How can we fight one battle, when the other side is launching 17 other attacks at the same time? We cannot do everything. But we can do one small thing. If you’re looking for a list of ways to make real change in the world, here it is.
1. Join organizer and mutual aid Signal chats.
After downloading the materials provided by Siembra last week, I spent a lot of time on their Signal chat, learning the ropes. As I researched better ways to help people in my area, I came across a useful document about how to alert local groups about ICE raids. It said, “Spread information, not panic. Remember SALUTE.”
When you see ICE agents in action and you are reporting them to sympathetic locals or “boosting the signal” to groups who are ready and able to help, use the following descriptors: size and strength of the ICE force, actions and activities, location and direction, uniform and clothing, time and date of observation, equipment and weapons.
An example of an effective signal boost to potential victims or helping groups would be: “Five to six law enforcement officers are harassing random people on the street, in Chicago, west of Millennium Park on Michigan Ave., wearing dark blue uniforms with the words ‘Police ICE’ on the back, with helmets, vests and batons. Spotted at 12:45 p.m. on January 20.”
Remember, the more specific the information the better!
2. Use Planned Parenthood’s form to write Congress a letter about the abortion gag order.
I used the Planned Parenthood form to send a letter to my congresspeople asking them to halt the global gag order that would ban organizations from receiving certain US funding if they provide, counsel, refer, or advocate for abortion in their country, even if these activities are supported solely with non-US funds. The form asks our representatives to co-sponsor the Global HER Act. You can find more information and fill out a letter here.
3. Write a postcard to Reverend Mariann Budde.
While many of us do the small things we can, sometimes one person has an opportunity to do something really big… and brave. Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde put herself in the line of fire with her words on Inauguration Day, when she spoke directly to Donald Trump during a service televised to millions of people. There was an outpouring of support, but often the initial acclaim for these courageous gestures wanes, and the danger incurred is all that’s left behind. So if you haven’t sent a postcard of support and you want to, now is a great time. There’s brave and there’s brave. That was brave. You can reach her at Episcopal Church House, Mount St. Alban, Washington, DC 20016-5094.
4. Call your representatives about the USAID bill.
I called Rep. Lois Frankel (D) from Florida, the state where I live, to thank her for work on the USAID bill. Her office gladly acknowledged my support. They also told me that calling the DC office of my own congresswoman, Kat Cammack (R), would be most effective. So I called to ask her to support the USAID bill. Check this link for information on how to contact your own congressional reps to ask them to support the bill, even if they are Republican.
5. Make sure the protests and rallies you attend are organized by people who know what they’re doing.
There was a lot of buzz last week about “50501 rallies” (short for “50 protests, 50 states, one day”). Some of them were well organized and ready to roll. Some were traps devised by provocateurs and internet trolls. I would never tell anyone not to protest. But I did warn my activist friends about what to look for so that they don’t get hurt or entrapped.
Legitimate marches have on-the-ground organizers for a reason, and savvy organization is especially important right now.
We need people on hand who are adept in first aid, people watching the police, people who know how to get to safety and lead others away when the police back you against a wall and hurl tear gas at you and start to beat and arrest you. And if you think the media will pick this up and run with it, and the rest of the country will pay attention, and other like-minded people will be inspired to join a rapidly growing national protest movement, I hope you’re right.
But we have an administration that won’t hesitate to tell the police and National Guard troops to gun down peaceful protestors in the streets. We have a president who thrives on creating and exploiting chaos. Poorly organized protests without mutual aid groups on the ground and experienced national coordinators only play into the hands of the forces of oppression. Protests need to happen. And they need to be huge. So, if you want to organize an effective protest, take care to learn from and coordinate with groups that have been doing this work for years.
6. Fill out the Working Families Party’s survey.
I filled out a survey from the Working Families Party PAC, giving insight on how to reach more people, where the priorities are, and what information should be sent to people for organizing purposes. The point is to get grass-roots groups working efficiently and with mass support. Then I donated $10 to their efforts. Link is here, if you’d like to become a member or do the survey.
7. Email the Treasury Department about your financial data privacy to pressure them about Elon Musk.
I sent an email to the US Treasury to pressure them about Elon Musk. You can do this by sending an email to privacy@treasury.gov with the subject line: Civil Liberties Complaint
You can copy and paste the text here (or write your own):
I am making a civil liberties complaint under the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a. It has been brought to my attention that Elon Musk and his associates, under the guise of a directive of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) (an IT office in the White House), have acquired access to Treasury Department Records in Systems of Records as defined in the Act. As an individual covered by the Act, I believe that there may be records about me in these Treasury Department systems, and I am concerned for the following reasons:
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- Elon Musk is not an elected official.
- Even if Musk were an elected official, the System of Records Notices (SORNs) governing the Treasury Department Privacy Act systems do not allow for disclosure to Musk and his associates per the Routine Uses.
- Disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) and sensitive personally identifiable information (SPII) to Musk and his associates would be an unauthorized disclosure and therefore breach of information.
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The Treasury Department must (1) quickly investigate what Privacy Act records that Musk and his associates have unlawfully accessed, (2) reveal to the public what unauthorized disclosures were made, (3) stop further access, (4) force any files acquired by Musk and his associates to be returned and/or permanently destroyed, and (5) seek criminal penalties against Musk and his associates for violations of the Act.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
This week I am focusing a lot more on organizing and protesting because we’re in “phase two” now. No longer are we treading water, but we’re not quite ready to sprint. To speed progress toward our goal, get yourself ready and able to fight the good fight — one small thing at a time. See you next week.
Past weeks of “One Small Thing” can be found here.
