Springville Action - 4/6/25 #6

Democracy requires due process.

Author

Springville Action
April 06, 2025

Inspiration 🩄

Your social media feeds are likely filled with pictures from yesterday’s Hands Off March in Buffalo. No names named, but know that Springville was well represented at the event.

There will be more marches like this. And more opportunities to act. Saturday showed that all that anxiety and rage we’re feeling - we’re not alone.

“Protests aren’t the only tool in the anti-authoritarian toolkit, but they’re incredibly important. Protests help us see each other; they make it feel safer to refuse to obey the dictator, and make it more possible for us to organize mass non-cooperation.”

People’s homemade signs showed creativity, strength and a willingness to speak truth to power.

  • Feedmore WNY defunded. Trump dumps seniors.

  • ENOUGH

  • Record-breaking conflicts of interest

  • Empathy matters

  • This is is not normal

  • Make Nazis afraid again

  • I can’t believe I still have to protest this shit

  • No kings in America

  • Are we great yet?

  • I was just a voter, these nazis made me an activist

  • Have courage

  • And thousands more.

Nightmare Fuel

Your retirement accounts, if you are lucky enough to have them. At least $6 trillion in capital - poof! - in just two days. You don’t have to be an economist to know that tariffs will have a terrible impact on short-term consumer behavior and long-term industrial productivity, investment and hiring. No specific predictions here, other than to say prepare for weirdness at the grocery store, nausea-inducing swings in economic indicators, and a stream of gaslit lies from the White House about how this is all really, really good for ‘Merica.

To do ✅

📖 Something to read: The Gift of Fear, by Gavin de Becker. Free PDF. Times are scary. Hard times make for scarier times, and we’re in for hard times. This book is nearly 30 years in print and it is an important read.

đŸ“» Something to listen to: Indivisible podcast, 4/3/2025. Recorded before the Hands Off rallies, it’s a good way to level-set.

đŸ“ș Something to watch: Congressman Tim Kennedy at the Hands Off Rally - Facebook video.

Subscribe: Stronger Together East Aurora has a new format for sharing their info by email. Subscribe with this link.

Institutions need support. Corporate and individual philanthropy are about to shit the bed at the same time that federal funding for things like food is being callously cut. Feedmore WNY just lost $3.5 million in funding for food, as one local example. Pick an organization that is important to you and commit to giving them what you can - time, talent or $. Volunteer time can be as important as a financial donation. Our neighbors are about to be hurt - we need to cushion the blow however we can.

News đŸ“ș

Buffalo News coverage of the Hands-off Rally in Buffalo. Notice how they described this - “anti-Trump protests.” WKBW did something similar, and made a point to highlight the handful of MAGA and their feeble attempt to disrupt the event. WIVB’s story had - an eclectic - selection of sources. Doesn’t look like they even tried to talk to people coordinating the event. WGRZ’s piece included, in this writer’s informed opinion, a laughably low participant estimate provided by Buffalo Police. WBFO made some links to national events. WBEN made sure to highlight “no immediate arrests” in its online story. I won’t listen to the audio for my own mental health.

Erie County statement on a public health program termination - a result of the $11.4 billion in health and human service cuts nationwide, $300 million of which affect the NYS Department of Health.

Events

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

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

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

To Do ✅

đŸ˜· 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].

đŸ“± 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!

đŸ—łïž 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.

  • *New 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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