My blog revolves around raising my boys in the Tampa Bay Area. Mostly it provides an accounting of our weekly activities and milestones, which are similar to other stay-at-home-mom’s experiences. I like looking back to see Henry’s stats versus Elliot’s, and reminiscing over our field trips and vacations.
But growing a kid involves more than just play (which we definitely excel at doing). It requires teaching my boys to be kind to others as well as to stand up for (with) the oppressed. Henry’s middle name comes from the minor Old Testament prophet – Micah – who told the people of Israel what the Lord required of them to do good in the world:
Seek Justice.
Love Kindness.
Walk Humbly with God.
Micah 6:8
With this verse in mind, I’ve been formulating an Action Plan for myself to hold President Trump’s administration and the legislative branches of the federal government accountable for their actions. One part of my plan is to compile a list of three issues that matter to me each week. I’m doing my best to do my research, but I don’t have tons of time with two littles. Any help here would be greatly appreciated!
Using my issues list, I plan to call my senators and representative’s offices weekly to let them know my concerns (and praises). This is kind of a big deal for me because I HATE to talk on the phone. BUT making your voice heard is a key part of democracy in action, and speaking directly with someone in your legislator’s office is one of the best ways to let them know how you feel about an issue. Your legislators care about what you care about – it’s why they have jobs!
Finally, I’m holding myself accountable to doing this by posting here. I don’t care if anyone reads it (although I plan to share each new post like I usually do) because it helps me to write out my thoughts before verbally discussing them with others.
Talking Points This Week:
Vote No for Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education (my friend, Rudy, an educator working on his PhD, has an excellent blog post on this topic)
- No training or experience in education.
- She supports school choice privatization schemes, despite a lack of evidence they provide better education.
- She’s invested millions lobbying for laws that take money away from public schools.
- She’s fought against regulating charter schools.
Vote No for Jeff Sessions as Attorney General
- Threat to civil rights
- Republicans thought he was too racist to be a federal judge.
- Supports voter identification laws, which are a form of voter suppression akin to poll taxes and literacy tests.
Vote No Against H.R. 193 – Restore American Sovereignty Act of 2017
- This Bill would have the U.S. terminate its United Nations membership and prohibit the authorization of funds for UN peacekeeping or otherwise.
- It’s a global world, and removing ourselves from the UN would be disastrous for everyone.
Contact Information for My Senators and Representative:
Sen. Bill Nelson – DC: (202) 224-5274 or Tampa: (813) 225-7040
Sen. Marco Rubio – DC: (202) 224-3041 or Tampa: (813) 287-5035
Rep. Charlie Crist, FL-13 – DC: (202) 225-5961
This is only Phase 1 of my plan…stay tuned for more.
Miscellaneous Websites I’m Following Right Now:
- Swing Left – https://swingleft.org/
- Women’s March 10 Actions in 100 Days – https://www.womensmarch.com/100/
- Showing Up for Racial Justice: Tampa Bay – https://m.facebook.com/SURJTampaBay/
- Southern Poverty Law Center – https://www.splcenter.org
