Two Things You Can Do THIS WEEK

2 ways to protect free speech and voting rights in Maine

Knox County protest group Audacity made it into Robert Hubbel’s national newsletter Today’s Edition with this audacious and beautiful road-chalking message neara Chief Justice John Roberts’ summer home in Port Clyde. (Photo Bonnie P.)

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Dear Friends,

I wasn’t intending to post a Maine Matters this week, as I am far away on vacation, but the world caught up with me, and I feel it’s no time to take a break. So…

This is a short one with two big things you can do this week to help preserve our democracy—in Maine—and the right of free speech everywhere. Let’s do them!

Yours for democracy,

Amy

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THING ONE: Boycott to Protest Kimmel Cancellation

I won’t rehash the whole Kimmel/Colbert collapse by the mainstream media in the face of pressure from Trump. I’ll just remind you that we—each of us— have the power of the purse in our hands. ABC is owned by Disney, which also owns ESPN and Hulu. The most effective way to protest is to cancel your subscriptions to all those streaming services. It’s like casting a ballot at the polls. Corporations don’t care about rights or freedoms, but they definitely care about their bottom line.

Yes, it’s hard to give up “The Bear” and the NFL, but television is the modern day opiate of the masses. It numbs us into passivity. Let’s do to Disney what we did to Target and show them we care more about our civil rights than who shot JR.

Click these links to cancel: Disney+; ESPN+; or Hulu. Be sure to tell them why you’re cancelling. (NB: you need to cancel, not just “delete” your account or they’ll keep billing you.)

Once done, post a note on Facebook encouraging friends to follow suit.

THING TWO: Help Defeat Maine Voter SUPPRESSION Law

The Maine GOP, with help from the national party, has got a referendum item on this fall’s ballot known as the Voter ID law. They are waging such a widespread misinformataion campaign that every day you see another letter to the editor saying that a voter ID law seems like such a darn-good “common-sense” idea.

We really need to let people know the truth about it—that its real purpose is to effectively eliminate absentee voting and make it harder for young people and elderly, poor, or new Mainers to vote! There are two things you can do right now to educate the voting public about Question 1:

1. Write your own letter to the editor. Learn more on the issue at the League of Women Voters or the Maine Dems site. Then use my tips on writing an LTE and where to send it.

2. Knock doors—and more. Apparently the Maine Dems are having trouble finding enough people to canvas in southern Maine on this critical issue. Let’s pitch in! Sign up:

   • here to canvas with the Swing Blue Alliance in southern Maine any Saturday til November;

   • or here to work with with the Maine Dems statewide knocking doors, writing letters, and spreading the word.

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PROTEST UPDATES

Mark Your Calendar: Oct. 18—“No Kings Day”

Another huge country-wide rally is planned for this day. Mark your calendars now!

Ongoing Weekly Rallies

Check out my updated list of rallies or the calendar at ActivateMaine.

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RESOURCES

• Maine Congressional phone #s.

  • Sen. Collins: Portland: (207) 618-5560 -- Lewiston: (207) 784-6969--Biddeford: (207) 283-1101--Caribou: (207) 493-7873 Augusta: (207) 622-8414 -- Washington DC: (202) 224-2523

  • Sen. King: (202) 224-5344; Portland: (207) 245-1565
    Rep. Pingree: (202) 225-6116; Portland: (207) 774-5019

  • Rep. Golden: (202) 225-6306; Maine: (207) 241-6767

• Other Congressional Phone #s: Find your Rep here. Find your Senator here.

• Turn Anger to Action: A quick guide to WHY and HOW to make those 5 or 6 daily phone calls.

• 5calls.org Great app for helping make those 5 calls a day. Does all the heavy lifting.

• How To Write and Submit a Letter to the Editor

• Find a Group Near You: a listing of the grassroots groups in Maine.

• Maine Women’s Rights resources.

• ActivateMaine.com. Website with calendar of statewide protests.

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As always, share this newsletter widely. And thank you for doing your part for democracy.