The Witching Hour is HausWitch's attempt to help our community stay accountable for their activism. We call representatives, senators and other government officials for the Salem, MA areA about things we care about and donate to local causes. This time we also heard from the Uhuru Solidarity Movement to try and broaden our understanding of systemic racism and the world.
Can't make it to The Witching Hour? Too far away? Thinking about starting your own accountability group? Two words: Do it! Email hello@hauswitch.com if you need a little guidance.
1. Take a moment to BREATHE
2. Learn about the Uhuru Solidarity Movement.
This time around we had a visiting speaker from Boston! Learn more about this cause and message at their site here.
3. Call Seth Moulton: (Check out https://5calls.org/ for more scripts and your local area's numbers for these causes.)
+1 202-225-8020 (Office of Seth Moulton, our Rep in the House)
+1 978-531-1669 (Secondary Local Number if mailbox is full)
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [CITY, ZIP].
I’m calling for a few alarming reasons. Firstly, to express my opposition to the American Health Care Act, the proposal to replace Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act with a tax credit system. This tax credit system will disproportionately benefit the wealthy while leaving lower income people unable to afford healthcare.
I'm also calling to express opposition to any plan that repeals the ACA without maintaining the ban on gender rating for insurance plans. Women and men contribute equally to conceiving children, so women should not be disproportionately responsible for the costs of prenatal and maternity care.
The last reason I’m calling today to oppose HR 637 and any other bill that moves us backward in the fight against climate change. We cannot continue to ignore the clear science that climate change is real and dangerous.
Thank you for your hard work answering the phones.
[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]
4. Call Ed Markey and/or Elizabeth Warren
+1 202-224-2742 (Office of Edward J. Markey, one of our Senators)
+1 202-224-4543 (Office of Elizabeth Warren, one of our Senators)
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [CITY, @ # STREET, ZIP].
I’m calling today for a couple reasons. One is the defunding of the NEA and NEH. Arts funding is directly related to arts education for kids in the community, with freedom of expression, larger expression of cultural rights. Trump’s proposed budget currently defunds these programs and I would like to strongly urge [SENATOR NAME] to work to stop these cuts from occurring in the final budget.
I'm calling to express my support for Obama's Title ten rule protecting federal funding for family planning health centers, like Planned Parenthood, in every state. I strongly urge [SENATOR NAME] to vote against HJ Res 43 and keep these protections intact.
I'm also calling to support Chris Murphy's bill, S 248, to prohibit the implementation of the revised travel ban Executive Order. It is clear that its purpose is not to improve national security but to discriminate against Muslim immigrants.
Lastly, I'm opposed to the nomination of Justice Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. I expect [Senator/Rep's Name] to take every action possible to oppose confirmation of Gorsuch including supporting a filibuster.
Thank you for your hard work answering the phones.
[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]
5. Call Governor Charlie Baker
+1 617-725-4005 (MA Governor)
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I'm a constituent from [CITY, @ # STREET, ZIP].
I'm calling to express my support for transgender student rights in our schools and community.
The real threat to school safety is not transgender students in bathrooms, but discriminatory policies that stigmatize vulnerable children and teens. I expect the governor take action to protect these students since the Federal government is failing to do so.
Thank you for your time and hard work.
6. Call your state-level senators about causes you care about. Salem’s are Joan Lovely and Paul Tucker.
+1 617-722-1410 (Office of Joan Lovely, MA Senator)
+1 617-722-2400 (Office of Paul Tucker, MA Senator)
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I'm a constituent from [CITY, @ # STREET, ZIP]..
I’m calling in opposition of the recent bill SD1209 and HD445 supported by Charlie Baker. Senator Eric Lesser's bill (SD1209) will permit the creation of “Innovation Partnership Zones” in certain districts. Representative Alice Peisch’s broader bill (HD445) includes a section on ‘IPZs’ that is identical to the Lesser bill.
The legislation is a clear attempt to subvert the will of the voters who defeated Question 2 last year by allowing the commissioner of education to create charter-like “zones” of two or more schools, stripping democratically elected school committees of all authority over these schools, and gutting local collective bargaining agreements. The MTA is calling them State Takeover Zones, and I agree with their assessment and oppose the passing of such a bill.
Thank you for your time and hard work.
7. Choose two events and go to them before the next Witching Hour. Find a buddy, or a few, and carpool.
Find all links to Facebook Events in our Google Doc: http://bit.ly/WitchingHourDoc
Before the Full Moon on 03/27/17:
03/14/17 - IINE Meet and Greet (Boston)
03/16/17 - AG Maura Healey Post-Election Town Hall
03/16/17 - Sanctuary for Peace Social Media Storm, #salemsanctuarynow
03/18/17 - Boston Stands With The ACLU
03/18/17 - Sanctuary for Peace Rally: Sign-making Party! With No Place for Hate
03/22/17 - What Happens When Police Help with Immigration Enforcement?
03/25/17 - Sanctuary for Peace Rally | Salem MA
03/29/17 - 6pm - Sanctuary for Peace Committee Hearing @ Bentley School, 25 Memorial Dr., in the Cafetorium
For your calendar:
Uhuru Solidarity Movement, FL: 4/1/17-4/2/17
March for Science: 4/22/17
8. Fill out postcards for The Ides of Trump
9. Donate to the new community space 'Espacio' in The Point in Salem, MA.
The Espacio Community Space is meant to help invest in our local neighborhoods and create a thriving and active community.
Funded and designed by: North Shore Community Development Coalition
Their Mission: to invest in neighborhoods to create thriving communities. We are a regional community development organization working in six cities on the North Shore: Salem, Beverly, Peabody, Gloucester, Lynn and Merrimac.
Their Goal: to raise $30,000 in the next 51 days to obtain a matching donation. Donate here.
Benefits Who: Community members of The Point which is a “vibrant, ethnically-diverse community that has long been a settlement destination for newcomers and a historically low-income and predominately immigrant neighborhood.
What will this space provide: a dynamic and flexible community space, designed to accommodate the needs of the residents of The Point neighborhood. This new program space is an opportunity to leverage a dynamic new physical space and to create strategic programming around basic needs and services, and business, educational, and recreational activities free of charge such as:
public work and meeting space
dance, art, fitness and sewing classes
healthy and budget cooking classes
reading clubs and a Dominos club
job search assistance
ESL classes
health insurance application assistance
naturalization classes and legal services
first time homeownership workshops
tax preparation assistance
Friendly Reminder:
Our Moon Meditation starts at 8pm. If you come to The Witching Hour to get political and then want to stay for the meditation and feelings time please remember to buy your ticket ahead of time next time at stag.hauswitch.com/events. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay in the shop…without a ticket ;).
Questions? Email hello@hauswitch.com.
