Fighting Disinformation ? in Elections

by indivisibletacoma | Jun 25, 2019 | Actions, Events, News

Let’s talk about one of our nation’s greatest threats: Disinformation. Since childhood, teachers and other adults in our lives have sung the glories of our “Free Press.” But how free is it, really?

Disinformation in U.S. elections is rampant, and it’s not just the Russians. We know the White House and Fox News are always hard at work spinning a tangled, sticky web of lies. But we also absorb an endless barrage of untruths and half-truths from sources we trust.

Where Does Disinformation Come From?

Sometimes they come from the well-meaning friend or family member who shares stirring stories of dubious provenance on social media. But more often, they come from our major news outlets. They utter no outright falsehoods, of course. Yet they steer the conversation in subtle ways.

For instance, they give climate change deniers air time, which lends weight to their views. They show yearbook photos for white teenage crime suspects and mugshots for teenage crime suspects of color. Popular programs that exist successfully in every modern nation except ours — like Single Payer healthcare, green energy initiatives, tuition-free education, paid family leave, and a living minimum wage — are routinely dismissed as “too expensive,” “unrealistic,” or — heaven forbid! — “Socialist.”

So how do we educate and prepare ourselves, our loved ones, and our neighbors for disinformation in the upcoming elections? Desiree Williams Finch from FUSE Washington will give a talk on this at our upcoming General Meeting on Weds. July 10th.

In This Week’s Update…

• What’s New: What’s happening with Indivisible Tacoma.
• Save the Dates! Upcoming IT Meetings: Come by, we’d love to see you.
• This Week’s Actions: Fight the Trump agenda & push for progressive reforms.
• Featured Events: More happenings with our progressive allies.

What’s New

We’re all abuzz here with last week’s happenings. We held a well-attended rally to impeach Trump, joined the NWDC Resistance in a Father’s Day protest against family separation and immigrant detentions, and attended a jam-packed voter outreach gathering with Pierce County Democrats.

If Your Door’s a-Knockin’, ? Pierce County Democrats  ? Are a-Rockin’

House Democrats passed a slew of popular bills this year. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) sits on them while watching his ratings sink lower and lower by the day. The Washington State Legislature’s been even busier, passing landmark legislation for a Public Option, Tribal Voting Rights, Orca Recovery, and 100% Clean Electricity by 2045. And, of course, Gov. Jay Inslee signed them. ? Thank you, Jay Inslee.

And There’s More Where That Came From…

Several of us from Indivisible Tacoma joined a jam-packed crowd at the IBEW 76 Hall for the Pierce County Democrats’ big outreach kickoff event. We’re not asking folks for their votes yet, but it’s never too early to start touching base. For now, it’s all about knocking on doors and making phone calls to chat with neighbors about what’s most important for our communities.

Desiree Williams Finch from FUSE Washington (The Progressive Voters’ Guide – front row, right ) gave a rousing speech on getting out the vote and getting all of us — including people of color and LGBTQ folks — onboard in our efforts to turn Pierce County Blue. Jaimie Smith (front row, second from right), a teacher from Puyallup’s LD 25, then talked about how doorbelling, phone calls, and postcards can make all the difference in a race. She ought to know. In a closely-fought race against Kelly Chambers, a formidable GOP incumbent, Smith, a novice, lost by just 611 votes. Several other folks running in local races also gave inspiring speeches.

We then split up and knocked on doors for a couple of hours. But instead of talking about the election, we asked about people want for themselves and our communities. Healthcare, housing, and helping the homeless emerged as top concerns. Neighbors also talked about everything from potholes to schools to jobs, transit, schools, climate change, and long commutes.

When we returned, Pierce County Democrats fed us lunch. Then Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-6) came by and regaled us with all the bills he and his fellow House Democrats passed this year.

The People’s Court Rules: It’s ⏰ Time to Impeach ? (Rally)

On Saturday, June 15, around 100 Indivisibles gathered at the U.S. District Courthouse in downtown Tacoma to demand the House impeach the GOP’s president. We were all in high spirits, did lots of protest chants, got lots of approving (and disapproving) honks from cars passing by, and so many of us had amazing signs. Thank you to all who turned out!

Here are some photos.

La Resistencia (NWDC Resistance) – Father’s Day Action

On father’s day, we get together with our dads and granddads to share gifts, fun, love, and memories. But some families can’t be together on this special day.

La Resistencia held an event to tell ICE and the for-profit GEO Group that owns the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) that Father’s Day should be spent at home with family and community – and NOT in prison! They held a rally to fundraise for Saja Tunkara, who, as described on the GoFundMe page,

“… was ripped away from his wife and two children and then deported after calling out the medical neglect and mistreatment of ICE and GEO. Saja is still in need of medical care. All funds will support him and his family.”

If you missed the event, you can still donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/immigrationsave4lives

Here are the photos:

Back to Top

Save the Dates! Upcoming IT Meetings

Over the next couple of weeks, we’re having meetings for our Voter Registration team and Legislative Action team. Also, we’ve got our General Meeting with Desiree Williams Finch from Fuse and a fun and social picnic coming up.

Voter Registration and Engagement Meeting

The last day to vote for our local primary election is on August 6, 2019. And the 2020 contests will be here before you know it. We apologize for not getting this e-newsletter reminder out in time meeting. But you can still involved. Our state’s new voting laws make this an exciting time to get our friends, family, and neighbors registered to vote.

If you couldn’t come to the meeting but would like to be included in future activities, contact Nina Rook via our contact form and we’ll keep you in the loop.

Monday, June 24, 6:15 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
University Place Library Meeting Room
3609 Market Place West
University Place

• Update on progress since last month’s successful kick-off
• Plan registration activities over the summer
• Plan how to support pre-registration in schools and colleges
• Learn how to use IT’s dedicated MyVote voter registration link, and help people to register themselves online
• Explore instances where paper registrations are better than online
• Find ways to drive actual turnout. How do we get the ballot off the kitchen table and into the (free!) mail?

Do you — or someone you know — want to check and see if your registered to vote or if your information is current? If so, click our Register to Vote link. And once again, this is a super exciting time to get involved in getting voters registered for the 2019 local elections and the 2020 state and national elections.

Once again, because we can’t recommend this highly enough: If you’d like to get involved, contact Nina Rook via our contact form

Legislative Action Team Meeting

Get involved in creating positive change by meeting with and contacting our members of Congress (MoCs), senators, and state lawmakers.

Monday, July 1, 6:00 p.m.
Lakewood Library
 6300 Wildaire Rd SW, Lakewood
Map

27th LD Meeting with State Reps. Laurie Jinkins and Jake Fey

Washington State Reps. Jake Fey and Laurie Jinkins (D-27).

Tuesday, July 9th 2:00 p.m.
The Red Elm Cafe
1114 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma
Map

Are you in the 27th legislative district (LD)? If so, join us for coffee and a meet and greet with our Washington State Reps. Laurie Jinkins and Jake Fey. They’ll tell us what’s going on in the state legislature and we’ll share our hopes and concerns.

July General Meeting ? Disinformation and Elections

Desiree Wilkins Finch from FUSE Washington.

With featured speaker Desiree Williams Finch from FUSE Washington
Pierce County and the Progressive Voters’ Guide

Weds. July 10, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Tahoma Unitarian Universalist Congregation
1115 S 56th St Tacoma, WA 98408
Map with Directions.

Indivisible Tacoma Picnic

Monday, July 15th, 5:00 p.m.
Kobayashi Park
University Place (across the intersection for Fred Meyers on Bridgeport
Map

Back to Top

This Week’s Actions

The bad news is Donald Trump’s still in the White House. The good news is we can all resist and push for positive change no matter how much or little time we have this week. We’ll do it together, one action at a time. Need your rep.’s phone number? We’ve got ’em.

1. Tell your member of Congress to vote NO on additional funding for Trump’s deportation machine. ⏏️
   Next week, the Democratic-controlled House will vote on a bill to provide additional funding to the Department of Homeland Security. The Senate will vote on its own bill, which will contain nearly $5 billion for DHS. We need our members of Congress to stand up and refuse to give Trump more money to terrorize communities and lock up families.
2. Keep the pressure up on your MoC to open an impeachment inquiry. ?
   We need to make it clear that the momentum from the events on June 15 isn’t going to let up; call your MoC and tell them the time is now to open an impeachment inquiry (and when you’re done calling, submit a letter to the editor, write a note to your MoC, and record a video).
3. Submit a video asking your question for the 2020 candidates!  ?
   We’ve set up a Soapboxx landing page so you and your members can create short videos about the presidential debates next week. We’ve created quick prompts for questions to ask before, during and right after the debates to ask the candidates. Share the Soapboxx page and invite your members to make their own video telling candidates what issues they want to hear about.
4. Sign up to attend a debate watch party on June 26-27. ?
   Indivisibles across the country will be gathering on June 26 and 27 in living rooms, restaurants, and bars to cheer on our candidates and push for a nominee who truly represents our values. Find an event with your local Indivisible chapter today or host your own and invite your friends!

Back to Top

Featured Events

Below are some upcoming events and happenings with our progressive allies. For more listings, check out our Calendar of Events.

Lights for Liberty Vigil

Friday July 12, 2019
7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Northwest Detention Center
1623 East J Street, Tacoma
Map

On Friday, July 12th, 2019, Lights for Liberty: A Vigil to End Human Detention Camps, will bring thousands of Americans to detention camps across the country, into the streets and into their own front yards, to protest the inhumane conditions faced by refugees.

Other key events are planned in Homestead, Fla.; San Diego, Calif., New York City at Foley Square, and Washington D.C. in front of the Capitol Building

350 Tacoma Open House

Sunday, July 14, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
311 Puyallup Avenue, Tacoma
Map

Come down and join us as we celebrate our beautiful new headquarters and community space with an open house. We are thrilled about the endless possibilities this space offers and to have a home base to continue to grow a meaningful community centered on the climate movement in the South Puget Sound.

We will provide food, beverages, and music. This is a drop-in event, but at 3:50 p.m. Puyallup Tribal Council Member Tim Reynon will offer a blessing over the space and we will take a group photo to commemorate the event and celebrate our community.

Back to Top