For the Heart
For Your Heart this fifth week of Winter: When anger arises, become intimate with it. Anger is a gift, it gives us valuable information. Hold it, cherish it. Use it wisely, skillfully. Don’t waste it. Using mindfulness, what is Wise Action?
~~Nancy Hathaway Center for Studying Mindfulness
From Marian Wright Edelman – Prayers for Our Nation’s Young People
O God, forgive and transform our rich nation where small babies die of cold quite legally.
O God, forgive and transform our rich nation where small children suffer from hunger quite legally.
O God, forgive and transform our rich nation where toddlers and schoolchildren die from guns sold quite legally.
O God, forgive and transform our rich nation that lets children be the poorest group of citizens quite legally.
O God, forgive and transform our rich nation that lets the rich continue to get more at the expense of the poor quite legally.
O God, forgive and transform our rich and powerful nation which thinks security rests in missiles and bombs rather than in mothers and in babies.
O God, forgive and transform our rich nation for not giving You sufficient thanks by giving to others their daily bread.
O God, help us never to confuse what is quite legal with what is just and right in Your sight.
Help us to stand together to make America just and right for all Your children.
More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth
Call Collins, King, Pingree and/or Golden and ask them to speak out against Trump’s intention to invade Greenland. Go here for a simple script for this call and to learn more about the issue. To learn more about this issue check out Gil Duran’s substack in which he outlines the Tech Billionaires who support Trump on this issue, and what the obsession with Greenland is.
ICE related ActionsFrom the Maine People’s Alliance: Next week (on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 1 pm) the Maine legislature’s Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on an emergency bill, LD 2106 “An Act to Prohibit the Disclosure of Nonpublic Records Without Proper Judicial Review” to make sure ICE can’t enter private spaces in hospitals, schools, and childcare centers (learn more here . We need people to testify in support of this bill – in writing, on Zoom or in person – so sign up here if you’re interested and an MPA organizer will be in touch!
ICE is here primarily in Lewiston and Portland. They won’t talk about their “mission” and the Bangor Daily News reports increased arrests in both towns. To familiarize yourself with all the ways they can be resisted, check out this comprehensive toolkit from South Carolina (thank you Lisa), which shows how they managed an ICE incursion there. Think about what your risk tolerance is and then activate – you could get ICE verifier and de-escalation training, you could support NO Mask in Maine legislation, you could help your local organizers bring food to families who are not leaving home right now, and, offer to take their kids to school. Lots of resources below. If you see what you identify as an ICE vehicle in your town call the ICE Watch hotline in Maine:207 544 998.
ICE Masks Off. Let’s support legislation to this effect in Maine. Talk with your local rep or senator about this. It will require some finagling to get this into this emergency session, but it surely qualifies as an emergency! Ask Gov. Mills to put this bill in, which she can do regardless.
Call or email Senator King to filibuster more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill. Appropriations bills need 60 votes to overrule a filibuster. No extra funding for ICE. Call Collins to ask her to deny requests for more funding for ICE in the upcoming appropriations bill.
Call or write King, Collins, Golden or Pingree and ask them to speak out about the deployment of violent ICE agents to American cities and states and now in Maine. They are terrorizing our people, and not in any way making our country safer. Demand a full investigation of ICE killings, refuse to pass extra appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security which funds ICE, and call for the Impeachment of Kristi (Cowboy Hat) Noem. For more information and a script for your call go to 5calls.org.
Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings.If you want to get more involved check out
this training manual for becoming an ICE verifier.
The Maine ACLU has a page on preparation for ICE invasion: go here.
Finally, Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below:
Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.
ACA Related Actions
If you have a story about how the ACA tax extension health care cuts will affect you directly or someone you know please contact Esther at the MPA. Personal stories matter!
Call Collins and King and ask them to support the ACA tax extension bill coming from the House with no amendments. This bill has stalled in the Senate because Republicans want to add an abortion amendment. For more information on the ACA go here. For a full toolkit on how to support action on this go here.
Force the release of all the Epstein Files. Call or email Pingree or Golden and ask them to support the inherent contempt charges against Attorney General Pam Bondi which House Members Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are threatening to draft. If passed, inherent contempt charges would allow the House to bypass the courts and force Bondi to either release the files or face personal consequences such as imprisonment. (Go to 5calls.org for more on this action)Boycott: Being a consumer is one of the greatest powers we have as members of a capitalist economy. There are numerous boycotts going on, some of which we have listed below – pressure on companies can work – as noted above Spotify is not running ICE recruitment ads, and Avelo is not running deportation flights. For a complete list of ICE related boycotts go to Icelist. This link is dead because people think the Russians took down this site after a whistleblower released the names of 4500 immigration law enforcement personnel. For the full story go here.
Help Protect Trans Youth:Transequality reports that 58 transgender persons have been either murdered or died by suicide since the regime rolled out its cruel rhetoric and anti-trans policies. “Trump is now beginning the process of banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth through a rulemaking process, thus sidestepping Congress and the legislative process entirely. The proposed rule, RIN 0938-AV87, would bar any hospital system that participates in Medicaid or Medicare from offering gender-affirming care to transgender youth, regardless of whether that care is paid for with federal funds or privately. You can leave a public comment here. Note that public comments really are public, so if you have a reason to protect your anonymity, do it.” (Thank you to Shelley for this action)
Mutual Aid
ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.” Even though the Government is “open” now, hunger issues continue for people around the country. Activate Maine also has a Mutual Aid page with lots of resources.
Heating Assistance: If you have friends, neighbors, or need support for Heating Assistance, Li Heap funds have been authorized for Maine, Click here to learn more about applying for LIHEAP assistance. Collins and King were involved in pushing that this money get released after the Government shutdown.
Insurance Crisis: If the ACA tax cuts do not go through, tens of thousands of us will have to choose between health care premiums and food or rent. If you have a personal story along these lines please contact Esther at the Maine People’s Alliance who is collecting personal testimony to support the passage of the ACA tax cuts. Call King and Collins to support the House bill just passed on the ACA tax extensions.
Arts and Politics!
If you live near Skowhegan check out Kevin James Studios at 127 Water Street for a whole gallery of resistance art! (Let me know if you know of other art galleries showing political art and I will list them here.)
Research!
Learn more about Chenoweth’s 3.5% rule – go to one or more of these links: Wikipedia: BBCHarvard:
The Resource Alliance . (Thank you Beth for these links!)
GOT MORE TIME? HERE ARE SOME MORE ACTIONS (just pick one!)
- Indivisible leader Leah Greenberg asks us to support organizations leading the fight against Racism today, such as our friends at the Transformative Justice Coalition and Black Voters Matter Fund, who are each organizing to protect and advance Black political power and voting rights in this crucial moment.
- Join the Maine People’s Alliance in bringing your story to our Congresspeople: Are your insurance rates going up? Did you lose SNAP benefits – the MPA wants to hear your story and use it to fight for Mainers in the ongoing shutdown budget battle. Fill out this form and tell your story here.
- Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below: Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.
State Wide Actions
- From the Maine People’s Alliance: Next week (on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 1 pm) the Maine legislature’s Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on an emergency bill, LD 2106 “An Act to Prohibit the Disclosure of Nonpublic Records Without Proper Judicial Review” to make sure ICE can’t enter private spaces in hospitals, schools, and childcare centers (learn more here . We need people to testify in support of this bill – in writing, on Zoom or in person – so sign up here if you’re interested and an MPA organizer will be in touch!
- More ICE resistance: Check in with organizations in Lewiston and Portland to see how you can help. Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings. Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities. Here is the number for the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 998
- Support the Plug-In Solar Bill LD 1730 (An Act to Make Small, Portable, Plug-in Solar Generation Devices) Energy, Utilities & Technology Public Hearing: Here is a list of talking points and more info.
- Home Depot Actions: Sign the petition that is demanding that Home Depot stop complying with ICE, personalize this letter to Home Depot corporate headquarters making the same demand, for more actions such as going to your local Home Depot and delivering a letter to the manager go to Ice Out of Home Depot.
- Mid Maine Indivisible has a great weekly newsletter – To sign up: go here. Indivisible Bangor has a great daily newsletter and actions go here to sign up. If you are in the Mid Coast area consider joining Audacity – learn more here. The Bold Coast Civic Alliance has a newsletter as well as the Hancock County Democrat. Cumberland County Indivisible newsletter go here. Greater Portland Indivisible, go here. We are developing a great ecosystem for resistance communications in Maine.
For Maine State Legislative Calendar day by day go here
For links to US Legislative Calendars go here
Check complete bill listing here.
Find the text of any bill here
Instructions for testifying are here
LOCAL ACTIONS:
Join Mid Maine Indivisible(Kennebec and Somerset Counties) Please join us if you are in the Mid Maine area. To sign up: go here.
There is a community member who is looking to provide home cleaning services in the Waterville area for $25 an hour. Send an email with subject “Cleaning” to get in contact for scheduling! You would be providing income for a local mother with an infant son to care for.
Are you interested in helping New Mainers learn/improve their English? To sign up for English tutoring or any of our other volunteer opportunities, please visit: Capital Area New Mainers Project (CANMP) to fill out a volunteer interest survey. An English Learning option at the Waterville library at 1:00 on Mondays is also an option for volunteers. Contact CANMP for the details. You can also Donate to the Capitol Area New Mainers Project’s rapid response fund. CANMP is actively helping those affected by ICE abductions, both with legal funding and other financial support for family members.
The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and partners have organized an ICE watch Hotline in Maine. They need volunteer hotline operators to answer phones from Mainers concerned about ICE sitings. They are looking for folks fluent in one or more of the following: Spanish, French and Portugese. 207-544-9989
First Saturday of Each Month: Somerset Stands Up Rallies 2:30–Margaret Chase Smith Bridge, downtown Skowhegan. Bring your signs, American flags, your voice, your friends, families and neighbors for this peaceful gathering of concerned residents of Somerset County.
Sunday, January 25th : 1:00 (and every Sunday): Stop the Killing, (ICE, Venezuela, USAID closing, ACA extensions dropped, etc.)
Tuesday, January 27th: 12:00-1:00 (and every Tuesday) Old Location at Tesla Charging Stations at Elm Plaza, Waterville Stand with us to remind the traffic that we need to WAKE UP and start resisting the authoritarian take over of our Government. We have been at this location since Tuesday, Feb. 4th? 2025!
Wednesday, January 28th: (and every Wednesday) 12:00-1:00 Waterville, Corner of Main and Chaplin St. Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights, GRR! demonstrates every Wednesday across from Resolve, the local anti-abortion center. Please join us in assuring all Mainers have access to safe, legal, shame-free reproductive health care including abortions and contraceptive care. For more info please contact Elayne Richard at recordconnection@gmail.com
SOLIDARITY
*Consider supporting Graham Platner. He is an electrifying speaker, with good positions on the important issues. Volunteer here. Go to Mobilize to find the events you can take part in this week.
However, Mills is a good alternative to support if she wins the primary in June. We must oust Collins!*If you would like to join Maine People’s Alliance Federal Lobby Group, please contact Jim Parakilas at jamesparakilas@gmail.com. We meet Mondays at 2 pm on Zoom.
With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere! As always, throw a little sand in their gears! ~~Emanuel
It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!
The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!
Senator Angus King
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292
Senator Susan Collins
DC: (202) 224-2523
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019
Waterville: (207) 873-5713
Congressman Jared Golden
DC: (202) 225-6306
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767
Find your State Representative:
By name: Here
By district: Here
Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here
Our government in Augusta:
Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400
Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800
Questions or comments? Contact George!
