Welcome 🌻 to Friday’s Roundup of Good News!
We are not alone in fighting fascism. Kos has a diary highlighting recent and unexpected victories in UK, France, and India. Let me add that there are many other indications around the world, some in less expected places. In Iran, the moderate guy, and not the religious extremist, won the presidency.
The pro democracy movement is numerous. No, we don’t always agree with each other, and lots of people want to do other things besides worry about the government. We have to unite. We have to prod those who are busy — like they did this last weekend in France — into voting for our side.
But the good news is that fascism is REALLY unpopular. It is not a hard argument to make. OK, we need to fight the lies, because some people are in silos, but once you reach them, the argument is easy.
Please, at least skim the WH Briefing Room section, and see how President Biden and his administration are making alliances to keep the fascists at bay.
Anyway, come on in, and see what the antifascists and our allies are up to!
Regular Scheduled Programming
No one here is naïve; we are aware of the many who are fighting to destroy our country. Some of us expected it: the cheating, the lying, the chaos, and yes, even the attempts to cling to power despite the clear will of the people. But we are here to read the efforts and the positive results of those (including us and our fellow gnus) who are working so hard to save our country from those very bad people. We are furious with them for what they are doing and we are letting them know. Remember:
💙 There are more of us than there are of them.
💛 They are terrified when we organize. THERE IS LOTS OF EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE TERRIFIED!
💔 They want us to be demoralized. The best way to keep up your spirits is to fight. So, take the time to recharge your batteries, but find ways to contribute to the well-being of our country and our world.
🗽 Biden as President! 🗽
Biden, Harris and their administration have been hard at work. Here are the last week’s posts at the White House briefing room.
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: Memorandum on Delegation of Authority Under Section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: Remarks by APNSA Jake Sullivan at the NATO Public Forum
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: Remarks by President Biden on the Ukraine Compact
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: FACT SHEET: U.S. Contributions to NATO Deterrence and Defense
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: President Joe Biden Launches the Ukraine Compact
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Campaign Event
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: Readout of President Biden’s Meeting with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: Nominations and Withdrawals Sent to the Senate
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: On-the-Record Press Gaggle by APNSA Jake Sullivan
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: President Biden Announces Nominees
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: Joint Statement by President Joseph R. Biden of the United States of America and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea on U.S.-ROK Guidelines for Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations on the Korean Peninsula
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: Readout of President Biden’s Meeting with NATO’s Indo-Pacific Partners
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves New Hampshire Disaster Declaration
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Polar Partnership “ICE Pact” Alongside Finland and Canada
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: Joint Statement on ICE Pact
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Record Federal Investments in Registered Apprenticeships, Holds Workforce Hub Convening in Philadelphia with New Commitments to Train and Hire Residents to Work on Major Infrastructure Projects
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: Statement from President Joe Biden on the June Consumer Price Index
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: Statement from President Joe Biden on Reaching an Agreement in Principle on Modernization of the Columbia River Treaty Regime
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials on New Action to Ensure the Future of the American Auto Industry
- Thursday, July 11, 2024: FACT SHEET: United States Welcomes Growing Contributions to Global Security from NATO’s Indo-Pacific Partners
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: Readout of President Joe Biden’s Meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: Message to the Congress on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Hong Kong
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Hong Kong
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: Remarks by Vice President Harris at Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated’s 71st Boulé
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: Remarks by President Biden Before Working Session I of the NATO Summit
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: Remarks by President Biden Before a Meeting with National Union Leaders
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at a 2024 NATO Summit Spousal Program Event
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Texas Disaster Declaration
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: The White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis: Two Years of Progress
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: Joint Statement from United States and Germany on Long-Range Fires Deployment in Germany
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: FACT SHEET: Advancing Women, Peace and Security at the NATO 75th Anniversary Summit
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: Joint Statement on F-16s for Ukraine from U.S. President Joseph R. Biden, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: A Proclamation on Adjusting Imports of Steel Into the United States
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: A Proclamation on Adjusting Imports of Aluminum Into the United States
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: Joint Statement from the President of the United States Joe Biden and the President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Actions to Protect North American Steel and Aluminum Markets
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024: FACT SHEET: The 2024 NATO Summit in Washington
- Tuesday, July 9, 2024: Remarks by President Biden on the 75th Anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Alliance
- Tuesday, July 9, 2024: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, July 9, 2024
- Tuesday, July 9, 2024: Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Campaign Event
- Tuesday, July 9, 2024: Remarks by APNSA Jake Sullivan at the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum
- Tuesday, July 9, 2024: Press Release: Bill Signed: S. 870
- Tuesday, July 9, 2024: Statement from President Joe Biden on Approving a Major Disaster Declaration for Texas
- Tuesday, July 9, 2024: Joint Statement on Strengthening Ukraine’s Air Defenses by U.S. President Joseph R. Biden, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
- Tuesday, July 9, 2024: Memorandum on Delegation of Functions and Authorities Under Sections 1333, 1342, 1352, and 1353 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
- Monday, July 8, 2024: Letter from Dr. Kevin O’Connor
- Monday, July 8, 2024: Statement from President Joe Biden on Russian Missile Strikes in Ukraine
- Monday, July 8, 2024: Nominations Sent to the Senate
- Monday, July 8, 2024: Statement from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the Visit of Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom
- Monday, July 8, 2024: Remarks by President Biden at a Church Service | Philadelphia, PA
- Sunday, July 7, 2024: President Joe Biden to Travel to Texas and Nevada
- Friday, July 5, 2024: Remarks by Vice President Harris at 30th Essence Festival of Culture
- Friday, July 5, 2024: Background Press Call Previewing the NATO Summit
- Friday, July 5, 2024: Remarks by President Biden to Overflow Crowd at Campaign Event | Madison, WI
- Friday, July 5, 2024: Remarks by President Biden at a Campaign Event | Madison, WI
- Friday, July 5, 2024: Readout of President Joe Biden’s Call with Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom
- Friday, July 5, 2024: Statement from President Joe Biden on the June Jobs Report
👎 Out with the Bad, In with the Good 👍
👍 🌵 Abortion rights signatures submitted in Arizona Mary Kekatos ABC News
An Arizona abortion rights group turned in a petition on Wednesday morning for a ballot measure that would enshrine the right to an abortion in the state's constitution.
Arizona for Abortion Access, the organization behind the petition, said it collected 823,685 voter signatures -- more than double the 383,923 signatures required from registered voters to qualify for the November 2024 election.
The proposed amendment, which is being called the "Arizona Abortion Access Act," would allow abortions up until fetal viability, usually around 24 to 26 weeks gestation, with exceptions after that period "if a treating healthcare provider determines an abortion is needed to protect the life or physical or mental health of the patient."
Note the Wednesday mentioned in the story was July 3, last week, not this week. They gathered more than double the number of required signatures, and according to a podcast to which I listened, it’s the most signatures ever gathered for an amendment in Arizona.
👍 👍 👍 Wins for Democracy (democracy docket email, sorry no link)
Wins for democracy today in Wisconsin, Alabama and Utah
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A Wisconsin appeals court affirmed a major victory that is expected to prevent thousands of mail-in ballots from being unfairly rejected in the 2024 election due to witness certificates with an incomplete address.
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A federal court rejected Alabama Republicans' attempt to drastically weaken the Voting Rights Act. A lawsuit seeking a fair congressional map in the state, beyond the 2024 election, will continue.
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The Utah Supreme Court ruled the GOP-controlled legislature violated the state constitution when it repealed a voter-approved amendment banning partisan gerrymandering. A lawsuit challenging the state's congressional districts will move forward.
👍 🍅 Arkansas (!!!) also submits abortion petition signatures Adam Edelman,NBC News (note the Arkansas SoS rejected this — sigh — but it shows there’s potential in Arkansas)
A proposed amendment to enshrine access to abortion care in the Arkansas state constitution got one step closer to appearing on the November 2024 ballot, after the group behind it submitted the required number of valid signatures on Friday.
Arkansans for Limited Government, the group leading the ballot effort, said it had collected the signatures of more than 100,000 registered voters — more than the approximately 90,700 it needed to submit before a July 5 deadline to move forward with the process of getting their proposal on the ballot.
The group — which, unlike the coalitions fighting for similar measures in other states, does not include any support or backing from major national abortion rights groups, such as Planned Parenthood — said it had also fulfilled a requirement under state law that the total include the signatures of registered voters from at least 50 of the state’s 75 counties.
The women with clipboards did this on their own! Also, I learned that the tomato serves as both the state fruit and vegetable for the state of Arkansas, which is kind of cute.
👎 US companies losing upper hand on pricing (down with shrinkflation) Gregory Meyer Financial Times, paywalled, sorry
The power to raise prices is slipping from some of the biggest US food and packaged goods groups, threatening their sales growth even as it spells relief for inflation-bruised consumers.
Companies that imposed years of relentless price increases are now rolling out more discounts, adding coupons and spending to put their products front and centre in store aisles. Many have warned of a new frugality in households, especially poorer ones.
😄 Inflation is down!
👍 Masoud Pezeshtan wins the presidency in Iran. Tom Bennett, BBC
Wildcard candidate Masoud Pezeshkian will become Iran's first reformist president in almost two decades, after he defeated hardliner Saeed Jalili in a run-off election on Friday.
The 69-year-old former heart surgeon and health minister campaigned on promises to moderate Iran’s conservative outlook and improve relations with the West. He criticised the country’s notorious morality police and called for negotiations over a renewal of the faltering 2015 nuclear deal.
But analysts remain sceptical about his ability to enact meaningful change within an establishment dominated by ultraconservatives.
Although he wants to get rid of the head coverings for women, he may not be able to do that just yet. On the other hand, this shows how the people feel.
From the Economist — Russia less rich (an email, so no link)
Russia’s revenues from oil fell to their lowest level since February, according to the International Energy Agency. Although oil prices rose in June, this was offset by a drop in demand. Oil revenues are a big source of income for the government. Sagging exports deprive the Kremlin of the funds it needs to keep its war-time economy afloat.
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💣 Republicans: Party of Crimes and Chaos 💣
Kevin McCarthy is on a revenge tour Matthew Laslo Raw Story
Next stop: Arizona, where McCarthy, the former House speaker, hopes to exact 10 pounds of flesh from one of the eight Republicans who orchestrated his inglorious ouster last year.
That fellow GOPer is first-term Rep. Eli Crane, a retired Navy SEAL who currently holds Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District.
They are calling McCarthy pathetic. Why aren’t they calling tRump pathetic? Well, because his revenge might work. But if they had the courage to call him pathetic, then he would be pathetic.
This candidate (R candidate for the governor of North Carolina) is just horrible:
tRump still hasn’t named a VP. Maybe he’s saving this for the RNC, which takes place next week. But he hinted in an interview that he might wait until the Ds sort out their is-Biden-too-old issue. I think that’s just an excuse. He doesn’t want to share the limelight. Also, he wants them all to be kissing his arse even longer.
🚚 💙 Democrats Deliver 💙 🚚
👍 Well done, President Biden! And the administration!
This is such a big 4ucking deal, and should do a lot to unite the country.
💜 Unity? 💜
Some of President Biden’s remarks to NATO White House Briefing Room
Today, NATO is more powerful than ever: 32 nations strong. For years, Finland and Sweden were among our closest partners. Now they have chosen to officially join NATO. And because of the power and meaning of Article 5 guarantee — that’s the reason. It was the most important aspect of the Alliance in 1949, and it is still the most important aspect.
I’d also note Finland and Sweden joined the Alliance not just because their leaders sought it, because their citizens called for it in overwhelming numbers.
And remember: NATO’s character is fundamentally democratic. Always has been and always must continue to be.
And today, NATO is better resourced than it ever has been.
I want to pause on this because it’s significant.
In the year 2020, the year I was — the year I was elected president, only nine NATO Allies were spending 2 percent of their defense — GDP on defense.
This year, 23 will spend at least 2 percent. (Applause.) And some will spend more than that.
And the remaining countries that have not yet reached that milestone will get there soon.
It’s remarkable progress — proof that our commitment is broad and deep, that we’re ready, that we’re willing, and we’re able to deter aggression and defend every inch of NATO territory across every domain: land, air, sea, cyber, and space.
My friends, it’s good that we’re stronger than ever, because this moment in history calls for our collective strength.
Almost put the above in the D section, because tRump and the putin-owned GOP are certainly against it.
As Jolly reminds us:
Xweet: Marine Le Pen and her fascist party finished third in the French Legislative election, despite being projected 2 finish first in all the polls. The French people did not want 2 be governed by fearmongering bigoted racists. I am so proud of my country of birth, ma France.
Dems are uniting in their support for President Biden:
📥 Actions You Can Take 📤
Tax-exempt organization complaint referrals. 13909. You can fill this out for the NRA and lots of other organizations. How about if some of us white folk go into some of the MAGA churches and video record what they’re saying?
Voting rights. This may be the biggest issue threatening our democracy right now. Besides contacting your representatives at the state and federal level to do the right thing (depending on who they are), you can support and contact these organizations:
ACLU — American Civil Liberties Union
Democracy Docket — founded by Marc Elias, so important in fighting the challenges after the last election.
Fair Fight — founded by Stacey Abrams
🌱Grass roots. Biden and Harris can do the top-down stuff, but we have to support from the bottom. I don’t know how to deprogram 75 million people, but some things have been written about, such as deep canvassing, and lots of people are talking about this. If you know someone (who did not storm the Capitol), then see if you can be pleasant. Instead of trying to reason with them (logic is obviously not their strong point) distract them with something else. We need to remove the sources of lies and to take down the temperature. If we get more of the Rs to wear masks and to get vaccinated and to vote for Ds, the country will be a better place. We need to coax some of them out of the rabbit holes and diffuse the anger and the crazy.
🏃 Run for something. If you want to run for something, but have no idea what to do, these people will help you. They also like money and volunteers to help those people who are running, so even if you’re not in a position to stand for office, you can help. Note: they are especially planning to target the 57 Rs in local governments who participated in the insurrection.
👎 Defund the seditionists. Defund the seditionists. This is a list with companies that sometimes have donated to the seditionists. The list is long. You will recognize many of the corporations, and you probably have a relationship with some — either you are a customer, a shareholder, or maybe even an employee. Contact them and compliment or complain, but let them know you are watching. Forward it to others.
🔎 Want to check out what’s going on with campaign contributions? Check out this diary. 👀
🐍 Schadenfreude 😈
Senator Whitehouse is asking the DOJ to investigate the corruption in SCOTUS: HUGE BREAKING: Democratic Senators have FINALLY called for the Department of Justice to designate a special counsel to investigate Clarence Thomas for allegations of violating ethics and tax laws. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Ron Wyden issued a joint statement referencing the millions in expensive gifts and travel that Thomas is alleged to have received from billionaire benefactors in reporting from ProPublica. The news outlet also uncovered the fact that Thomas flouted federal ethics and tax obligations by failing to disclose the pricey gifts. “The evidence assembled thus far plainly suggests that Justice Thomas has committed numerous willful violations of federal ethics and false-statement laws," the statement reads.It continues: "No government official should be above the law. Supreme Court justices are properly expected to obey laws designed to prevent conflicts of interest and the appearance of impropriety and to comply with the federal tax code." The conservative Supreme Court justices have just awarded Donald Trump limited immunity for "official acts." Hopefully, Merrick Garland can appoint special counsel before they give themselves immunity as well.
What I want is for the DOJ to “speak” through public indictments.
Go, AG James, go! We won our trial against the NRA and former CFO Woody Phillips for years of financial corruption, and he must pay $2 million for that greed.Today, my office also banned him from serving at any New York non-profit for 10 years for this corruption.
⛳️ Two of convict tRump’s liquor licenses not renewed Maria Francis, Pocono Record via Golfweek
Two of former President Donald Trump’s golf courses in New Jersey were denied liquor license renewals following his conviction on 34 felonies in New York two months ago.
New Jersey’s Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) said Friday they were issuing temporary 90-day permits that will allow the clubs to continue serving alcohol pending the outcome of a scheduled hearing on July 19 in Trenton.
The Trump Organization called the hearing “unwarranted and unjustified” according to news reports.
The two golf clubs in New Jersey whose liquor licenses expired July 1, 2024, are Trump National Colts Neck and Trump National Bedminster. The license for Trump National Philadelphia, in Pine Hill, New Jersey was renewed by the municipality there.
French open an inquiry into LePen’s 2022 campaign financing Clea Caulcutt Politico
PARIS — The Paris prosecutors’ office opened an investigation into the campaign financing of far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s presidential bid in 2022.
The probe, which follows a preliminary inquiry, was opened last week over suspicions of embezzlement, forgery, fraud and a candidate on an election campaign accepting a loan, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed to POLITICO.
In 2022, Le Pen — then making her third attempt to win the French presidency as National Rally leader — got 41 percent of the vote in the second round, losing to incumbent President Emmanuel Macron.
📣 Let’s Honor Truth ☀️️
This week, we’re honoring Lawrence O’Donnell of The Last Word, who has kept me sane by giving more hopeful and usually much more accurate interpretations of what is happening in the world. Here he calls out the white house press corps for deciding that a doctor’s visit to the White House means that President Biden has Parkinson’s, even though that doctor sees many, many other patients at the White House, and President Biden was not even in the White House on many of that doctor’s visits.
O’Donnell manages to stay calm when others do not.
O’Donnell gives a perspective that others do not; he has experience that others do not.
Sometimes it’s not just about reporting the facts, which is important, but framing the facts, and seeing the patterns, that are important.
Thanks, Lawrence O’Donnell!
🌹 Let’s Celebrate Love ❤️
The gnome restoration society! Andy Corbley, Good News Network (MCUBernieFan liked this story too, but I already had it scheduled here)
Kelly Blair, a resident of Kelowna, B.C., woke up on a late June morning to discovery his garden gnomes had been stolen from his yard. Blair was distressed as he had also lost a canoe several weeks back, and now figured his neighborhood was no longer safe. ✂️
Then, on July 3rd, a knock was heard on the back door. Opening it, Blair beheld a mysterious old woman, standing stock still holding out an envelope addressed to “The Homeowner.”
Admitting she could answer none of Blair’s questions, he opened the envelope to discover a paper silhouette of a gnome with the words “Gnome Restoration Society” written down the middle.
The woman, remaining tight lip, led Blair to the back of her truck where, arranged neatly in boxes, he saw all his gnomes smiling back at him from behind fresh coats of paint.
Reminds me of the fairytale, The Shoemaker and the Elves, but in this case it’s the humans who are doing good.
📎Odds & Ends 📎
Drones are whizzing supplies to hard-to-reach places Elizabeth Hewitt Reasons to Be Cheerful
Five minutes before midnight on the last day of 2023, a doctor in northern Rwanda sent a WhatsApp message requesting supplies. His patient, a woman who had just given birth, was hemorrhaging.
By land, it would take about four hours to reach this region of the mountainous country. Instead, the journey took just 18 minutes. A drone dropped a red box, containing a blood product that supports coagulation, with a white paper parachute outside the medical center.
But after the treatment, the woman was still struggling.
“Within another 10 minutes we were able to send blood to save the young mother,” says Pierre Kayitana, the Rwanda general manager for Zipline, the company that operates the drone system that serves medical centers across the central African country.
Deliveries like these helped to reduce the postpartum hemorrhage mortality rate in some Rwandan hospitals that adopted Zipline by more than 50 percent between December 2016 and June 2020.
🐳 🐸 🐦 This is from April but it is still neat: Sound Right recognizes nature’s contributions, so environmental causes get share of royalties Cristen Hemingway Jaynes EcoWatch
If you’ve ever listened to “Riders on the Storm” by The Doors, you know that before any music from instruments begins, there is the sound of heavy rain and thunder, giving the song an ambience created by the “music” of nature. Likewise, about halfway through “Blackbird” by The Beatles, the sound of a male blackbird singing adds the inimitable chorus of the natural world to the melody.
As much as nature’s music has been sampled and added to songs over the history of modern music, its symphony of sounds have never been credited or given royalties.
Sounds Right is a new Museum for the United Nations – UN Live initiative that will allow artists who use sounds from the natural environment in their recordings to credit “NATURE” as a featured artist on streaming platforms like Spotify and give a portion of the royalties to conservation, a press release from the UN said.
“Sounds Right is a groundbreaking music movement. It unites people around the world in a shared commitment, recognizing the intrinsic value of nature. Together, we must act now to protect our planet for our common future,” said Melissa Fleming, UN under-secretary-general for global communications, in the press release.
🐜 🐜 🐜 Florida carpenter ants clean wounds and perform amputations on their injured Cristen Hemingway Jaynes EcoWatch
From their name, you might think Florida carpenter ants (Camponotus floridanus) are good at building things — and they are — but they have another potentially lifesaving talent: They are experts at wound care and surgery.
A common species native to the state, these amazing insects selectively treat their nestmates’ wounded limbs by cleaning or amputating them, a press release from Cell Press said.
Alex Trebek to be honored.
🐦 I do a lot of other writing. A recent offering: the Crow Nickels (chronicles), a trilogy about crows who want to save birdkind from extinction: Hunters of the Feather, Scavengers of Mind and Familiars of the Flock (They’re really good! They’re really cheap! Buy and review or rate positively! And Hunters is also available on Audible!) Other stories, based on Jane Austen novels — such as The Meryton Murders — and others based on history and Greek mythology, such as Jocasta: The Mother-Wife of Oedipus, can be found here. All titles are available through Kindle Unlimited, but I only get paid if you turn the pages.
💙 What You Can Do to Rescue Democracy 💙
It turns out that participation in democracy is not just an every-four-years event but requires active participation, like, whenever you can find time.
Current projects:
Look in the comments for Progressive Muse’s report on Postcards to Voters
And some other ideas:
You can relax and recharge.
You can join protests and freeway blog.
You can help register new voters.
You can smile.
You can say something nice to friend or a stranger.
You can get out the vote for special elections.
You can reach out to upset Republicans. We need to win some back.
You can share your ideas below.
🌻
💙 “Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we all are created equal and the harsh ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, demonization have long torn us apart. The battle is perennial, and victory is never assured.” 💙
President Joseph R. Biden
🌹 🌹 🌹
TRUTH MATTERS. LOVE MATTERS.