Worried about national and state events? Concerned about the chaos of executive actions and a silent legislature? Want to do something but can’t figure out how?
The League of Women Voters of Alachua County is preparing a series of action plans. They are intended to encourage you to respond to the daily breach of the rule of law and the separation of powers. That separation has nourished and guarded this nation since its inception. We are calling this the What You Can Do (WYCD) campaign.
These WYCD Action Items will appear regularly. They will be designed to provide concrete actions to give you a mechanism for doing something. Daily assaults on personal freedoms and institutions meant to serve American citizens can be
overwhelming. Ignoring the worst and retreating inward can seem like the only response. Fear is
understandable. But fear contributes to the dismantling. Action, because it is the right thing to do, helps us sleep at night. Action, regardless of outcome, makes a pillow softer.
The League suggests that you post each message in your kitchen. Grab your morning beverage, grab your phone, and take action.
To receive the What You Can Do actions directly, please email info [at] lwv-alachua.org (subject: What%20You%20Can%20Do) with "What You Can Do" in the subject line. Request to be added to the email list. Messages come out about once a week.
CURRENT ACTION TOPICS: 1) The Cage, August 9, 10-11am, protesters requested, 2) Citizen’s Field input, 3) Forum “Big Beautiful Bill” effects, 4) Federal gov chaos 5) Epstein files, 6) Maxwell pardon
Action Items:
LOCAL
1) The Cage
a. Glenn Terry, creator of the Flying Pig Parade and builder of community, has come up with a visual, visceral way to object to the treatment of immigrants with focus on detention camps. He and a team of volunteers have built a portable metal cage that will house actors who represent caged immigrants in detention camps. The Cage with actors will be displayed at varying sites around Gainesville about once/month. The inaugural display is this Saturday, 8/9, from 10-11am at the Depot Ave circle. The Cage will be in the center of the intersection.
i. Protesters are requested to enhance the display. Protesters should begin to arrive around 9:30. The display is sad. Wear muted colors or protest shirts if you have them. Bring signs.
ii. This is a highly thoughtful, respectful, choreographed event. Protesters should be on the sidewalk between the traffic circle and the Cade. There will be moments of silence every ten minutes. Listen for instructions.
iii. When media covers events, they estimate the number of participants. Numbers matter. Please attend if at all possible. Bring friends.
2) Citizen’s Field plans under discussion; public input encouraged.
a. The Gainesville city commission is discussing how to improve Citizen’s Field. Given budget challenges, the discussion has quite a range of ideas. Bryan Eastman has a substack in which he lays out the history and current situation. The public is invited to share their ideas. https://gville.substack.com/. You can write to CityComm [at] cityofgainesville.org.
3) Community Forum – The “Big Beautiful Bill”; 8/8, 6-8:30pm, Lifesouth Cmmunity Blood Center, 1221 NW 13th Street
a. Non-partisan information event to educate the community about the effects of the bill that was passed. Speakers are Amy Trask and Tonya Camaratta. No registration.
b. Source: Badass Feminists of Gainesville
4) Municipality events
a. If any readers live in a municipality and have input on WYCD activities in their area, let us know.
NATIONAL
Action Items: Call your legislators and ask for answers. Some suggestions follow. We want our messages to be laser focused, please feel free to use some or all these questions or any others of your own choosing. Choose a couple questions for today, use others in the next couple days. Or, call them about a topic of your choosing and interest. Just call!
National Legislators:
Senator Rick Scott: (202) 224-5274
Senator Ashley Moody: (202) 224-3041
Representative Kat Cammack: (202) 225-5744
1) Federal government creating chaos. Call our legislators.
a. Suggested verbiage: When labor statistics were corrected to show a downward trend the last couple months, the commissioner of labor statistics was fired. The media, including TV and newspapers, have been attacked for reporting accurate information. Education funds were withheld across the country, creating havoc for schools trying to prepare for the new school year. Tariffs and mass arrests and detention of workers are causing prices to rise. Our federal government is causing more problems than it is solving. What are you (name of legislator) doing to salvage sane processes in our federal government?
2) Bipartisan support for releasing the Epstein files has led to the House Oversight Committee issuing subpoenas for testimony and documents. Call our legislators.
a. Suggested verbiage: I highly support the House Oversight Committee’s issuing subpoenas to find out the breadth of the Epstein sex trafficking debacle. Our federal government should not be protecting wealthy pedophiles. The morale people of this country demand answers. I hope that you will use every opportunity to support full disclosure and investigations, wherever they may lead.
b. For Senator Rick Scott: Ghislaine Maxwell was moved without proper process to a less secure facility in Texas. She is trying to get a pardon in exchange for testimony. Pardoning Ms. Maxwell, who was convicted of child sex trafficking would be a disgrace to our county and travesty of justice to the victims. Senator Scott, as a senator, you are responsible for ensuring that there is no pardon of Ms. Maxwell. Your constituents are counting on you.
