Wednesday, March 12, 2025. Annette’s Roundup for Democracy.
Strategies for “Do Something.”
Write a Letter-to-the Editor to a newspaper in your state.
Most newspapers have a simple procedure for submitting a letter-to-editor. Letters-to-the-editor are typically 150 to 250 words, depending on the newspaper.
Many newspapers also have a separate procedure for submitting longer op-ed's and columns.
Here are some ideas to consider including in your letters.
https://www.nationalpopularvote.com/send-letter-editor-newspapers-your-state
From Blue Wave Postcards.
Earlier today, over a hundred Blue Wave activists joined us on Zoom and hear from our amazing speakers about the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, the state of the nation and how can each of us fight back:
✔️ Ben Wikler, Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party
✔️ Seth Hoffmeister, Deputy Director of Wisconsin Conservation Voters
✔️ Mandela Barnes, President of Power to the Polls Wisconsin
✔️ Jena Griswold, Secretary of State of Colorado
✔️ Phil Weiser, Attorney General of Colorado
The Wisconsin Supreme Court race on 4/1/2025 will be the first big and consequential election since 11/2024. It will decide whether the Wisconsin Supreme Court will maintain a 4:3 liberal majority or flip to a 4:3 conservative majority. The outcome will affect everything in Wisconsin and have national implications.
Because of the importance of this race, Musk and his PACs have already invested millions into the race (advertising and organizing). This election is a referendum on the Trump-Musk agenda. We need a decisive win to say No to Musk and Trump, and generate progressive momentum for the coming years. Check out the People vs Musk campaign run by the Wisconsin Democratic Party.
In addition to writing postcards and sharing information with others, you can help by contributing to the candidate, the party and Wisconsin organizations working hard to win this race:
Support Judge Susan Crawford here: Musk and his PACs are dumping $$$ against her.
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Here are some of the things you can do beyond the Wisconsin race:
Reach out to your friends and family and inform them of what’s going on.
Call your congressional representatives via 5 Calls.
Support important litigation efforts via Oath.
Sign up to join the Community Impact
Hearing hosted by Attorney Generals including Phil Weiser in Denver on 4/16 6pm MT.
Go to local protests and rallies, and spread the word about them.
Let’s fight back and protect democracy and rule of law! It’s such a privilege to do this with you all! (Blue Wave Postcard Movement).
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Jewish activism against Trump.
Vote in the World Zionist elections if you can.
You can make a difference.
Below 👇 is the email I received from Evan Wolfson, the father and leader of the Freedom to Marry.
Dear friends --
"I'm running on the #Hatikvah Slate in the #WorldZionistCongress For An Israel that Lives Up To Its Highest Values." 🇮🇱
For my those of you who are eligible to register and vote (see the attachments and below), I hope you will consider voting for this Hatikvah Slate so that we can vote to allocate resources and raise our voices for democracy, and justice in #Israel, and security, prosperity, and peace for both Israeli and #Palestinian people in that difficult region of the world. There is no outcome that will please everyone, but there is a pathway forward to a better future for all.
The eligibility requirements (quite easy to meet) are below and there is more info here. I am, of course, happy to hear from any of you if you have questions or suggestions. And please do feel free to share this with others who might consider voting for "my" slate.
Let's make things better in the Middle East and, of course, here in the US.
Register and vote if you qualify.
Voting is now open.
The cost to vote is $5 for administrative costs.
I voted #Hatikvah! #16 on the slate.
Vote now.
Meet the Jewish judge who ruled Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil should not be deported by ICE.
The Columbia graduate was targeted by the Trump administration as part of its fight against antisemitism on campus.
Jewish judge halts deportation of Columbia pro-Palestinian activist
A federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration’s deportation order for pro-Palestinian protestor Mahmoud Khalil, a legal U.S. resident and recent Columbia grad, currently held in a Louisiana detention facility.
The ruling came from Jesse Furman of the Southern District of New York, an observant Jew who adjourns court early on Friday before Shabbat. His wife, Ariela Dubler, is a former Columbia Law professor and now leads Manhattan’s Abraham Joshua Heschel School.
As a young attorney, Furman wrote a Supreme Court brief for the Anti-Defamation League, challenging a Christian student club that blurred the line between free speech and religious indoctrination in schools.
When Judge Jesse Furman of the Southern District of New York issued an order on Monday that blocked the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia graduate and leader of pro-Palestinian protests, it was not the Jewish judge’s first involvement in a case related to President Donald Trump.
Furman presided over the 2022 trial of Michael Avenatti for defrauding his ex-client Stormy Daniels, who was paid hush money to stay quiet about an alleged affair with Trump, and he also presided over a 2018 lawsuit about the Trump administration’s census citizenship question. In both of those cases, Furman’s Jewish observance of Shabbat and Rosh Hashanah influenced the trial schedule.
Khalil was a target for pro-Israel activists who have been calling on the Trump administration to deport students involved in protesting the war in Gaza. Khalil received a master’s degree in December from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, is married to a U.S. citizen and holds a green card. He has been involved in protests at Barnard College this year, and at protests on Columbia’s campus since Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested him on Saturday and took him to an immigration detention facility in Louisiana. (The Forward).
A demonstration in NYC on Monday.
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