Springville Action - 5/23/25 #21

To paraphrase Churchill, America will always do the right thing after they've tried everything else.

Author

Springville Action
May 23, 2025

🦄 Inspiration

I regret to inform the United States of America that it is stuck with me for the foreseeable future

On when "stay or leave" isn't actually the most important question

thewhitepages.net/p/i-regret-to-inform-the-united-states?r=bcbqw&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true

🧟‍♂️ Nightmare Fuel

The MAGA Murder Budget. Don’t you dare refer to it as big or beautiful. It’s 1000 pages of chaos and pain. It’s a Project 2025 reset on a society that seemed to be getting its act together on social, economic, environmental, political progress - not perfect but trending better. [endless screaming here]

Get your vaccines while you can. Because their availability and legitimacy will be attacked at every turn by people who are supposed to value life and health.

Kristi Noem anything. Here she is flubbing a description of the concept of habeus corpus. [Ed. note - I’m mortified when I notice a typo in this newsletter; here’s a CABINET SECRETARY acting a fool and it’s just another day. No shame for these folks. No empathy, either.]

To do ✅ 

📚 Something to read: Patriot by Alexei Navalny (RIP). We might get a local review of this soon from a friendly reader; the Concord Library does have a copy.

📚 Something else to read: Science says you can officially blame this group of people for global warming.

🌱 Plant something. Give it water. Talk to it. Watch it grow. Crummy weather this weekend but seeds don’t care.

News & Media

📱 SGI: parents are being asked to share input on a district cell phone policy. If you are a parent of an 8th-11th grader, look for an email with instructions to be considered for the group that will develop this policy, based on new NY law.

A big 👏 to: school districts. All local budgets passed. No real scares that book-burning, misogynist, LGTBQ-hating freaks would get on boards of education. The threat for these institutions though is still very real. Groups like Moms for Liberty 🙄 are highly organized, well-funded and mean. Looking back to the 1980s, these were the types of groups that built up the farm teams on school boards and town boards that turned into today’s big-leaguers in state and national offices. You can run for office. Yes, you. Maybe start thinking about that now, or who you might recruit in your neighborhood for a local seat.

A big 🖕 to: You think you know a guy, and then he tramples on your heart. That’s what Cory Booker did this week. Cory - of the famed record-setting filibuster - voted to send felon, grifter, and FOTUS FIL Charles Kushner to France as our country’s ambassador. The only Democratic Senator to do that. Why? Speculation abounds, but let’s quote the New Republic here:

“convicted of tax evasion, illegal campaign donations to the Democratic Party, and witness tampering. He even went so far as to retaliate against his sister—who was a cooperating witness against him— by paying a sex worker to seduce her husband and film it, likely for blackmail material. He was sentenced to two years in jail and was pardoned by President Trump at the end of 2020.” Chris Christie - not my favorite human - described the case as disgusting and loathsome.

To think that this guy is now part of a tradition that includes Benjamin Franklin is just the most miserable thought. Sorry France, America is malfunctioning at the moment and we are clearly not sending our best. And Cory - you join a motley crew of Dems with a national profile (looking at you, Gretchen Whitmer) who have made very public missteps that run counter to common sense and Democratic principles.

Of course every Democratic Senator voted for Marco Rubio who is turning out to be [insert your own description here - one might use the word “psychopathic.”].

A big ❓ to: county and state Democratic Committees. Democracy is crumbling and they’re just like: 🦗🦗🦗. Yes, there are important primaries in June and if you’re eligible to vote in one make it a point to do so. Candidates like Sean Ryan in Buffalo and literally anyone in NYC who doesn’t rhyme with “Quo-Mo” needs help. The federal government has turned rotten at the core and no local or state governments can function properly in these circumstances. These committees are gonna do what they’re gonna do. Remember their silence when they ask for your time, talent and treasure.

Events

🧶 Crafters/Fiber Artists - lots of opportunities to come together! Concord Library, first Sat. of the month, 1-3; Concord Mercantile, second Sat. of the month, 10-1; Art’s Cafe, Wednesdays, 5:30pm. You’ll see your people.

5/24 - Pop Warner Trail Clean Up, meet at the Springville Depot

5/27, 5:30pm - Rally for Democracy in East Aurora at the Library. Bring signs (respectful, but creative) and noisemakers if you wish.

5/28, 6-9pm: Nonpartisan Community Conversation. What federal policies do we want to talk about? Meet up at the Ellicottville Town Center (near arboretum) to discuss federal policy impacts and potential action plans to present to congressional representatives.

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

6/1, 11am start - Buffalo Gay Pride Parade, starts at Elmwood and Forest Avenue and ends at Elmwood and Allen Street

6/7, 11am - 2 pm - Gay/Straight Alliance Event at East Aurora Town Hall. Email [email protected] to be connected to this event's volunteers.

6/7, afternoon and evening - Springville Art Crawl. The place to be for an unofficial start to Springville’s summer.

6/10, 6-7:30 pm: Legislator Lorigo office hours, Springville Village Hall

6/14 - No Kings action. Details about a Buffalo event will be included here when known.

[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, find them on Facebook.

😊 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.

  • Public Displays of Connection

    • 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.

    • 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.”

    • Maintain little free libraries or start your own

  • Basic Needs

    • Donate blood

    • Learn first aid and basic medical skills

    • Participate in local Buy Nothing groups

    • Donate to Little Free Pantries or your local food pantry

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

  • Organized Volunteering

  • Neighbor Support

    • 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.

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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