A Spring In Our Step!

Happy Tuesday, Activists!

We hope you're enjoying this gorgeous weather.   We sure do have a spring in our step!  By now you're well aware of the defeat of Viktor Orbán in Hungary on Sunday.  The voters were clear; loud and clear.  Voters said hell no; we won't lose our democracy.  Viktor Orbán has been in power for the last 16 years and is the favorite of MAGA leaders here - from J.D. Vance to Kevin Roberts, a lead architect of Project 2025, to Trump. 

You can read about Orbán's anti-democratic moves in Hungary in this report from 2024 and see the parallels and how the Trump regime has implemented many of his policies. Orbán's authoritarian takeover included capturing courts, rigging elections, controlling media, crushing civil society.  And you know that the Trump regime was so all-in for Orbán that Vance went to Hungary to stump for him before the election.  

And the result?  Organizers worked for years planning for this election with organized, massive, nonviolent people power.  And turnout was well over 70%!  Plus, the new leader now has the supermajority needed to amend their constitution and dismantle Orbán's 16 years of authoritarian consolidation.  

So there are lessons to learn in this and we can take heart that after 16 years of crushing the Hungarian democracy, the authoritarian was taken down by the voters., after they worked hard for years.  And we know what to do - we keep doing what we're doing -- showing up at No Kings and other actions (and we have some coming up!), working hard on the mid-term elections, talking to voters through our door hangers, postcards, at the doors, and on the phones.  We'll keep giving you lots of options to help. Thank you for being in this with us!

CALLS TO ACTION

1. Where are we in Iran?  We have a shaky ceasefire, a failed attempt at negotiations to end the war and now we're blocking the Strait of Hormuz.  Sounds like a solid war plan to us!  The the most important thing is that this war of choice has gone on for way too long and is costing way too much in lives and dollars - with no plan to end it.

Email your Members of Congress and then call our senators and your representative to say: Not one cent more for Trump's war.

2. Tell our Members of Congress: Say NO to reauthorizing a highly controversial law that lets the government spy on US citizens by sidestepping the Constitution.

Section 702 of the War on Terror-era legislation, the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), is set to expire on April 19 -- but in the past, it's been routinely reauthorized with bipartisan votes.  FISA has authorized decades of civil liberties-eroding mass surveillance, such as warrantless backdoor surveillance of people in and out of the country, little to no protections against the administration targeting critics, activists, religious minorities, or communities of color, and actively chilling our freedoms of speech and association.

Let our Members of Congress know you expect them to reject reauthorization unless it includes significant reforms to protect our civil liberties against this authoritarian regime.

Here are the contacts to call and write:

Sen. McCormick – Phila office 215-405-9660; D.C. office 202-224-6324; email link

Sen. Fetterman – Phila office 215-241-1090; D.C. 202-224-4254; email link

For outside PA:  Find your senators’ phone numbers and emails at this link.

Rep. Evans – D.C. 202-225-4001; Phila. office (215) 276-0340; email link

Rep. Boyle – D.C. office 202-225-6111; Phila office 215-335-3355; email link

Rep. Scanlon -- D.C. office 202-225-2011; Chester office (610) 626-2020; email link

Outside Philadelphia?  Find your Representative here.

REGISTER VOTERS!

You can register voters this Saturday and get them ready for this year's elections.  Join us and we'll give you a short training first and all the materials you need.  

Free Library of Philadelphia, Central Branch

When:  Saturday, April 18th, 11:00 - 2:00 (two shifts)

Where:  1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia (we'll meet in the lobby)

Sign up here.

Northern Liberties Farmers Market

When:  Saturday, April 18th, 10:00 - 1:00 (two shifts)

Where: We'll meet at Urban Village Brewing Company, 10001 N. 2nd Street.

Sign up here.

THIS LOOKS LIKE FUN!

Our friends at Social Justice Indivisible are hosting a Quizzo Fundraiser! When:  APRIL 16th 7-9PMWhere: Location will be shared once you register. 

Join in for fun, food and prizes!Register to purchase $30 tickets here.

All the details will be shared with registration.

APRIL 24TH - JOIN THE WE ARE AMERICA MARCH IN D.C.

The WAAM organizers are setting up buses to go to Washington, D.C. for a lobby day at the end of their march.  Want to tell Sen. Fetterman what you think of his votes and his "thoughts"?  You can do it with this group at his office!  Take the bus and join this short rally, followed by office visits.  Friday, April 24th.

Sign up here and get more info as it comes out.  The organizers are asking for $20 per person to defray the cost of the bus.  

MAY DAY RALLY!

Join our local unions at City Hall on May Day at 4:00 pm to say Workers Over Billionaires!  Besides hearing from speakers, their plan is for folks at the rally to ratify their Working People's Vision for Philadelphia.  See you there!

JOIN OUR DETENTION CAMP LABOR PROJECT

Write Some Letters!

Join the 800 others who are writing two letters a week in our new Detention Camp Labor program!  You can join the team too and write a couple of letters a week to the companies we are focusing on. Sign up here and we'll give you all the information you need!  Check out the project's background at this link.

JOIN OUR LEAFLET PHILLY PROJECT

Join over 450 of your fellow Indivisible Philadelphia activists making a real difference! Just one time every month you’ll hang one hundred eye-catching leaflets on doors in your neighborhood.  Sign up here!

JOIN OUR LETTERS TO THE EDITOR TEAM

Got something on your mind you want to tell others about?  Or need a topic to write about?  We've got you!  Even if you're just not sure if you want to join, you can sign up and find out more to make your decision.  Sign up here.  

Or just get answers to your questions by emailing us here. 

COURAGE COLLECTIVE

You may know that Indivisible encourages meetings called  Courage Collectives, these are "community-based groups organized around shared identities to build power within key societal pillars and push institutions to resist authoritarian actions and defend democracy." 

Several Indivisible Philadelphia members have formed a collective, Quaker Courage, which encourages the University of Pennsylvania to stand up to Trump. They just launched an open letter asking Penn's leadership to reject the federal government’s political control. 

Higher Ed is a key pillar and a key target of the Trump regime, and the University of Pennsylvania is one of a handful of universities and colleges that regime is targeting specifically. We invite Penn alumni, faculty, staff, students, and allies to sign on to the letter. If you have questions, or wish to join the Quaker Courage team, email info@quakercourage.org. 

MORE PROTESTS YOU CAN JOIN

1.  Springfield protest - Every Saturday, 1:00 - 2:00 at the intersection of Baltimore Pike and PA Route 320.  Bring your signs on your favorite topic!  

2. Tesla Takedown Protest - Every Saturday - 11:00 - Noon

Tesla Takedown Devon - At the Tesla showroom, 470 Lancaster Ave, Devon, PA 

3. Every Friday -- 11:15 am - Join Fridays@Fetterman's for the weekly Friday vigil for peace in Gaza/Palestine outside of Senator John Fetterman's office at 200 Chestnut Street from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm. Register here  

4.  Fitz Friday - 4:00 - 5:00 pm -- Protest at Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick's office at One Summit Square, Langhorne, PA. Bring signs about whatever you want. There's a lot to complain about!

5. Every Wednesday 5:30 - 6:30 pm -- Join this resistance group at #WeThePeopleWednesdays for Singing for Sanity at Unitarian Universalist Church, 6900 Stenton Avenue.  More information is here.

6.  Every Wednesday at noon - Outside the Philadelphia ICE Office, 114 N. 8th Street.   Sponsored by New Sanctuary Movement.  This is a 40-week series of Interfaith Prayer Vigils.  

7. Every Monday at Noon - Monday at McCormick's -- Join our friends at Peace, Justice, Sustainability NOW for Monday's at McCormick's,, in front of Senator McCormick's office at 20th and Market Streets.

8.  Every Monday at 11:00 AM - Vigil outside the ICE office, 114 North 8th Street, Phila. sponsored by State Senator Art Haywood and led by local clergy.

9.  Every Friday at 3:00 - Join a vigil outside the ICE office at 114 North 8th Street.  

10. Are you outside the Philadelphia area?  You can see all the protests planned by Indivisibles in your area at this link. 

And A Few More Things:

We can send you our No Kings t-shirt!  For the short sleeve shirt, make a donation of $35 and then sign up for your choice.  Or, for the long sleeve shirt, make a donation of $45 and then sign up for your choice.  Your shirt will be mailed directly to you. 

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