Springville Action - 4/11/25 #8

Get local. Stay informed.

Author

Springville Action
April 10, 2025

There were some issues with this new platform this week which appear to have been resolved. However, this email may move to a new service. Stay tuned, keep connecting with others off-line.

Inspiration 🦄

Nightmare Fuel

This veers into conspiracy theory territory, but let’s walk in that space for a bit.

If you accept that these are unprecedented times, and that established legislative and judicial checks are completely out of balance, and none of this is normal, than the scenario laid out by Daniel Hunter’s article What to do if the Insurrection Act is invoked? is at the very least plausible. April 20, y’all.

To do ✅

📖 Something to read: U.S. Occupation, by Heather Marsh, author of Binding Chaos (do a google search for “free PDF” of this book, or email springville action). It’s a long read, but thoughtful, timely, important. Gives some context to current events. You may need to create a login for patreon to read (free).

TL;DR set up networks and cohorts, build alternate media, have a concerted campaign to subvert and resist a military response and use your new networks to create a huge flurry of diverse forms of disruption for them to respond to.

📻 Something to listen to: The Chicks, March March. David Bowie, I’m Afraid of Americans. Beyonce, Freedom. Paris Paloma, Labour. Billy Joel, We Didn’t Start the Fire. Dar Williams, I am the one who will remember everything. Add to your playlists.

📺 Something to watch: 20 Lessons on Tyranny, Dr. Timothy Snyder.

Something to print: ‘zines. You can google “zines” and find hundreds on any topic imaginable. These are meant to be printed and redistributed - share in public places. 40 Ways to Fight Fascism is one to get you started.

Something to be really concerned about: The SAVE Act. It’s nonsense. And with just a few Democratic senators, it could become law. We cannot count on Schumer and Gillibrand to do the right thing here - call their offices.

News 📺

Just pull up the CNN home page to find something ridiculous, infuriating, criminal.

Events

4/19 - Buffalo’s Hands Off March on April 5 surpassed attendance expectations at 5.2 million nationwide, despite underreporting by media and local law enforcement. There is conflicting information online. Some messages say make it a day of action in your community. Some are saying go to Niagara Square. Stay tuned on this, but whatever you do, recruit a few friends and family to participate with you.

4/24, 7pm - Town Hall Meeting for NY-23 at the Lancaster Elks Lodge.

5/17, 2pm - WNY Women's March, LaFayette Square, Buffalo (near the Central Library)

5/17, 10am-5pm - Candidate Boot Camp with the Erie County Federation of Democratic Women, ECDC, WNY Federation of Democratic Women and Eleanor’s Legacy. 701 Seneca Street, Buffalo.

5/31, 10 am - NYS Citizens Preparedness Corps, Concord Senior Center. Free. Register.

[remainder of content repeats (mostly) from last email]

To Do ✅

😷 Medical checkups. Get a printout of your vaccination record and check with your doctor about recommended vaccines, including MMR, based on your age and other risk factors.

🐝 Citizen Scientists, Unite! Download the Inaturalist app on your phone; upload pictures of nature (animals, plants, trees) for identification and help out the environmental community.

📰 Letter to the Editor. Pick a topic, drill down to 1 key message and write your heart out. There are local people who will help zazz up your letter and get it ready for publication. Email [email protected].

📱 5 Calls - Download the app to your phone; enter your ZIP code; follow the prompts to call U.S. Senators and your local Congressional rep. EXTRA CREDIT - ask your local elected officials what the impact of general federal nonsense will have on local projects, and what they are doing to protect your community.

📮 Postcards - Explore the Postcards for Democrats web site and support Democratic candidates in swing states. Organize for Action is local and working on Virginia races. Email [email protected] to get connected with that group.

😊 Meet a Neighbor: How well do you know your neighbors? Start small but make a point to find one new acquaintance in your area this week!

🗳️ Go to a government meeting. These are open to the public and people rarely attend. See your government at work and pay attention to the decisions they’re making.

At a loss for what to do?

Are you sick of hearing “there’s nothing I can do about everything that’s happening”? There’s plenty you can do - big or small, just try to do SOMETHING each day.

  • Guerilla Gardening and Yarn Bombs! There is a slightly subversive and very fun tactic of guerilla gardening and placing handmade knit pieces in public places. Be creative.

  • Donate blood

  • Plant a garden or support a local CSA

  • Plant a homemade lawn sign - it doesn’t have to be political - paint a one word message like “Hope", ”Love,” “Peace.”

  • Learn first aid and basic medical skills

  • Participate in local Buy Nothing groups

  • Donate to Little Free Pantries or your local food pantry

  • Maintain little free libraries or start your own

  • Support or join a volunteer fire department

  • Participate in a seed exchange, like the one at Hulbert Library in the Town of Concord

  • Help people with phone calls and forms - like Social Security, health appointments and insurance paperwork

  • Give neighbors rides, assist with basic needs

  • Provide a meal to a struggling family or neighbor - see lasagnalove

  • Offer babysitting or respite care - especially during meetings

  • Teach a skill or coordinate a training - sewing, gardening, cooking, car repair, how to fix a toilet or bike.

  • Green Springville, Grow with Springville, Springville Center for the Arts, the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail, the Finger Lakes Trail - just a small set of local organizations that would be glad for your support and time.

Misc.

Content welcome: Initially this newsletter was going to be sent weekly. Now it's sending as soon as it feels like there is enough content to let it fly - probably 2x/week. Your contributions are welcome. Email [email protected].

This newsletter will always be free, but if you like what you're reading and can find it in your budget, kick a few bucks to support your local food pantry, an abortion fund, or an elected official who has demonstrated common sense and decency.

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