From CNY Solidarity Coalition
Upcoming Micron Discussions: We have been considering how to hold public discussions of issues related to the coming Micron project, with emphasis on environmental and energy concerns. Suggestions for possible speakers or other proposals? Send to: cnysolidarity@gmail.com
See the expanded and organized Micron Resources on our website: https://www.cnysolidarity.org/micron/
June In- Person Meeting: Primary Candidate Forum
Sunday, June 11 · 3 – 5pm · Bishop Harrison Center
Hear from candidates from Onondaga County District 15, City Auditor & Councilor-At-Large races. Send us questions for the candidates at https://actionnetwork.org/forms/primary-candidate-questions.
Share on Facebook: https://fb.me/e/14KRdWmeu
ARTICLES OF THE WEEK:
What I Learned At Congressman Brandon Williams’ May 19 Town Hall Kabuki
– from Mark Rupert
- Our rights, fundamental to our republic, come from God. Period. Not that he believes, or his faith suggests. But rights come from God. Full Stop. Separation of church and state apparently not an issue that engages him a great deal.
- America’s problems can be analogized to a submarine, and therefore Brandon’s naval service (of which we heard a very great deal) fully qualifies him to diagnose and manage our submarineish problems. (Somewhat less emphasis on his subsequent career as a mushroom farmer, although it does suggest some analogies of its own).
- The nation’s problems are complicated, so very complex. Like really, really complicated. Apparently, so complicated that they can in fact only be explained to constituents via analogies to a submarine.
- Notwithstanding point #3, the causes of inflation are perfectly straightforward and simple: the Democrats are big spenders. Period. No mention of the economic ramifications of a once-in-a-century global health emergency, supply chain bottlenecks, the Ukraine war, failure to tax the rich enough to pay all the bills, and other conceivably (ahem) complex causes.
- Therefore the GOP’s massive game of chicken in which federal default is a real possibility (with all its complex consequences adding up to catastrophe for almost everyone) is fully justified and even necessary. Otherwise inflation will surely sink our submarine.
- Republicans will absolutely positively not cut social security, medicare, veterans’ benefits, or anything else anybody cares about while they are slashing federal spending in totally unspecified but undoubtedly complex, complicated ways that somehow put him in mind of submarines.
- Did I mention submarines? And god?
- Reproductive health care is not a matter of fundamental human rights and ought to be regulated by state legislatures (and, ahem, god). On this issue submarines apparently have little relevance aside from the unspoken Freudian metaphor which might occur to some of you heathens and feminists, but would complicate the unexamined gender politics at work here.
- Our nation’s educational system is failing and the only conceivable solution is a program of publicly funded school choice that would include funding religious schools. See also point #1.
- Jim Jordan is a thoroughly admirable man. Did you know he was a wrestling coach?
- As a nuclear engineer on a submarine who knows a thing or two about power, Brandon can assure us that it’s hard to generate enough energy to power the nation’s televisions while people are cooking dinner (yes, he said that). Therefore all possible energy sources must be exploited to the fullest, especially natural gas, nuclear power, and science fiction, er, fusion. Climate change is not mentioned so apparently we are wrong to worry about that and need to trust the experts like Brandon to take good care of our submarine.
- And the evening’s most amazingly wonderful comment: Why do I take big money from donors outside the district (including the Koch network and Harlan Crow)? Because that’s where the money is. Shades of Willie Sutton. But honest to god in a submarine Brandon actually said that.
Large Construction, Renovation Projects Spark Renewed Concerns For Lead Advocates
New York is one of few states that doesn’t enforce lead-related EPA guidelines on these projects.
New construction and renovation projects in Syracuse remain a concern for advocates fighting to contain and mitigate the threat of lead poisoning, especially as huge building projects like the Micron plant and the restructuring of Interstate 81 loom. Childhood lead poisoning is already a major public health crisis in the city, with more than one in every 10 children tested showing elevated blood lead levels. Read it on www.centralcurrent.org
Syracuse Peace Council News
We are thrilled to announce the re-launch of our electronic newsletter, “SPC in Action”! This exciting publication aims to keep you informed and engaged with the latest updates in the Syracuse Peace Council. Read the first edition of the re-launched “SPC in Action” here. Stay tuned for a printable version that will be added to our website soon!
A New Report Finds That the “War on Terror” Led to More Than 4.5 Million Deaths
America’s post-9/11 wars have led to more than 4.5 million deaths, according to a major new report from the Costs of War Project at Brown University.
Roughly 1 million of these deaths came from direct combat in war zones across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen, while the remaining 3.5 million are “indirect deaths” that resulted from the conflicts’ “destruction of economies, public services, and the environment,” according to the report.
Read the Article on www.Truthout.org
ACTION ALERTS:
Cancel the Aquarium!
The 100% taxpayer funded Aquarium will be back on the Onondaga County legislature agenda! The legislators will vote on whether to purchase 4.7 acres of vacant land (most of which is in the 100-year floodplain boundary) for 1.7 million dollars. As all our housing, healthcare, food & additional expenses continue to rise, Ryan McMahon is still pushing forward with his aquarium which taxpayers will be on the hook for maintaining for years to come.
With more information about design and operating coming out this summer. We need this information before the county legislature decides to purchase any land for its development.
Read the articles below, send your comments to county legislators at onondagacountylegislature@ongov.net and be ready to show up on June 6th at 1pm.
- Onondaga County close to deal with Cor to buy land for new aquarium
- Put off vote on aquarium land purchase until after November election
- Here’s an idea: Ditch aquarium to pay for rising Medicaid costs
Support the NY HEAT Act!
The NYS climate and environmental justice movement secured big wins in the 2023 budget, but we’re not finished. We still can pass legislation from the Climate, Jobs, and Justice Package, like the NY HEAT Act.
Can you help us advance Climate, Jobs, and Justice, by emailing key legislators about the NY HEAT Act? The NY HEAT Act (Senate Bill S2016) would steer utilities towards affordable, zero-emissions heating and cooling, cap energy bills at 6% of a household’s income, and create high-paying jobs.
Outdated laws continue to prop up the toxic oil and gas industry, keeping us from the just, pollution-free future we deserve. The NY HEAT Act would change that, countering the fossil fuel status quo by providing New Yorkers with safe, affordable, and pollution-free temperature control.
Email your representatives to stop living in the fossil fuel past. The future of heat starts now, with the NY HEAT Act!
Urge Your Legislators To Support Clean Slate
We are on the verge of passing Clean Slate and ending perpetual punishment. But there are only three weeks left in this year’s legislative session.Will you help get Clean Slate over the finish line?
⇒ Call right now: We need our lawmakers to hear from as many of us as possible. Will you use this tool to call, email, and tweet at your representatives? It only takes a few minutes and makes a huge difference.
⇒ Come to Albany on May 31 for a Day of Action: We’ll be headed to Albany on May 31st for a final day of action – and we need to show up in force! Transportation provided from across the state for a powerful day of rallies, actions, and meetings with lawmakers. RSVP here.
MAGA Extremists Like Rep Brandon Williams Are Holding Our Economy Hostage
to try to enact deep cuts to essential programs & undermine climate action to prevent debt default.
Call him: (202)225-3701
Free Leonard Peltier! Leonard Peltier was convicted of murder on “cooked” evidence after the Oglala uprising and has been in prison for over 40 years. He is suffering from cancer and should be pardoned, at the very least on humanitarian grounds. If there was really equal justice in this country, those responsible for poisoning the people of Flint, MI, for example, would be convicted and imprisoned. Peltier is not guilty, and testimony proves it. He is being held because the FBI insists on punishing him for an act he did not commit. For information on this case, see “Incident at Oglala” — a film by Robert Redford.
Help CNY Solidarity Coalition By Amplifying Our On-Line Messaging!
We need a few people to do the following:
· Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@cnysolidaritycoalition2242
· Watch and follow CNY Solidarity Coalition on Facebook. Like, comment, and share our posts.
EVENTS/ACTIONS CALENDAR
NY Renews: Once Again, It’s Time To Rally For Climate, Jobs, And Justice.
Join us on May 25th at one of seven mobilizations taking place across NYS! We’ll be mobilizing in Albany, Ithaca, Rochester, Long Island, New York City, Westchester, and the Hudson Valley.
Our movement secured historic wins in the budget, but there’s still work to do. We need the full Climate, Jobs, and Justice Package to ensure that communities are at the center of our just transition, NY’s 2019 Climate Law is fully implemented, and NYers are relieved of utility debt.
Can you come to one of our seven rallies across the state on Thursday, May 25th, to bring additional climate justice legislation across the finish line? Find a rally near you on our interactive map.
Let’s show New York’s legislators the strength of the climate justice movement!
Working Families Party and partners are coordinating an event focused on protecting Veterans benefits from the Republican cuts.
5/25 @ 11 am, Syracuse VA Medical Center, 800 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210
More info coming soon but please mark your calendar
Online Action Party To Pass The NYS Packaging Reduction Act
Thursday, May 25, 12 PM – 1 PM Online event
Event by Beyond Plastics, The Surfrider Foundation: Mid-Atlantic and 7 others
https://bit.ly/climateactionnow5-25
Help NYS Pass Landmark Legislation To Cut Packaging By 50%, Stem Plastic Pollution, Slow Climate Change & Support Recycling.
Polluters keep the profits and leave the mess for taxpayers to clean up. We have a chance to change this in New York State but time is very short as the legislative session ends on June 8. We need YOUR help to seize the moment by helping us pass the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (S.4246/A.5322).
The Act will put responsibility for this growing problem where it belongs — with the producers. it will save tax dollars, reduce packaging, and ban certain toxic chemicals, leading to improved public health.
But we have a very short window of time left to pass this critical bill as the legislature will adjourn on June 8th. We need all hands on deck to urge their elected representatives to pass this bill before it’s too late.
George Floyd Memorial March: A Call to Action
May 25. 4:30 Gather in Church parking lot. March promptly at 5.
417 E. Willow St., Syracuse NY 13203
Join Bishop H. Bernard Alex and Syracuse National Action Network
More info: 315-474-4213
Central Current Spring Fundraiser Kick-off at Harvey’s Garden.
Thursday, May 25, 6 pm at Harvey’s Garden
Join Central Current in-person for local food, drink and music. Hear about what we’ve accomplished since our launch in June 2022, see what’s in store for 2023, and mingle with the community and our staff. There may just be a surprise or two in store! To attend: sign up for newsletter, membership, or donation: https://centralcurrent.org
Poster Making Party for Brandon Williams’ 6/1 Town Hall
Thursday May 25th at 6PM at NSEA, 210 S. Main Street in North Syracuse.
Event by Town of Clay Democratic Committee
We will come together to make posters to hold at a rally in protest of Congressman Brandon Williams on June 1st at the Clay Town Hall. Poster making supplies and light refreshments will be provided. Interested in joining the Clay Democrats? Meet with officers of the committee at this event and learn how you can get involved! Please RSVP to this event my emailing Matt Jones, Chair of the Clay
Democratic Committee at MJones4Clay@gmail.com
Support the NY HEAT Act Press Event
Friday, May 26th. 10:30am outside the State Office Building,333 East Washington Street, Syracuse, NY
We will join Senator Rachel May and CNY advocates for clean and affordable energy. The NY HEAT Act (S.2016 Krueger & May/A.4592 Fahy) is critical legislation that will reduce energy costs for New York households who need it most and support an affordable transition to a clean energy infrastructure system.
Contact: Renee Vogelsang at reneevogelsang@gmail.com about this event.
Brandon Williams’s Upcoming Town Halls
Below you will find dates and times for upcoming town halls. RSVP by clicking here.
Fayetteville Town Hall May 30, 2023, 6:30 PM.: Wellwood Middle School Auditorium, 700 S. Manlius Street, Fayetteville, NY 13066
Clay Town Hall June 1, 2023, 6:30 PM.: Town of Clay Town Hall 401 State Route 31, Clay, NY 13041
Rally Outside Brandon Williams Fayetteville Town Hall – Tuesday, May 30
Indivisible Salt City is organizing a rally before the Williams Town Hall on May 30. Gather in the Wellwood Middle School (Fayetteville) parking lot at 5:45pm for the rally and then go inside at 6:30pm for the town hall.
Framing for Political Communication with Dana Balter
Part 1 {a repeat of training previously provided in April}
Tuesday, May 30th @ 6:30 PM
Part 2 {a NEW session that builds on the concepts in Part 1}
Wednesday, May 31st @ 6:30 PM
Description
Have you ever said something like, Republicans are so good at messaging and Democrats aren’t”? It’s frustrating, right? Fortunately, we know the secret thanks, in great measure, to the research of cognitive linguist George Lakoff (Don’t Think of an Elephant). Now we can use his insights to win the messaging game and flip NY22.
Join us for one or both of these informative and interactive sessions that will cover the basics of political framing which is essential for developing effective and consistent messages that allow us to make the most of every single opportunity we have to communicate.
Whether we are writing LTE’s, using social media, speaking directly to voters, or crafting Anti-MAGA messages, our choice of words and consistent use of language will affect our work.
The registration process is two-fold. First, complete the Google Registration Form, and then a Zoom link will be sent.
Part 1 Registration Form – Tuesday, May 30th Part 1 – Google Forms
Part 2 Registration Form – Wednesday, May 31st Part 2 – Google Forms
#CleanSlateNY: May 31, 2023 Advocacy Day
Wednesday, May 31, 2023 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM ET
Save the Dates
Clean Slate Advocacy Day
Wed., May 31. New York State Capitol: Million Dollar Staircase, Albany, NY 12224
Join advocates from across New York State in Albany to win passage of Clean Slate. We’ll gather in the NY State Capitol for rallies, legislative meetings, and a press conference. This is the year to end perpetual punishment. Free lunch and transportation will be provided from across the state. RSVP here!
3000 Years and Life: Prison Organizing Then and Now
Wednesday, May 31st @ 7 PM at ArtRage Gallery, 505 Hawley Ave
Join Us for a Documentary Screening & Discussion at ArtRage Gallery
Free to the public. Unchained will be accepting donations throughout the night.
In collaboration with ArtRage Gallery and Syracuse Cultural Workers, Unchained is hosting a screening of the 1973 documentary Three Thousand Years and Life. After the screening, join a discussion with representatives from Unchained about current conditions in New York State prisons and the work, led by currently and formerly incarcerated people and their loved ones, to improve them.
About the Documentary: In the fall of 1972, the men incarcerated at the state prison in Walpole, Massachusetts organized themselves into a labor union—the National Prisoners Reform Association (NPRA). In March of 1973, when Walpole’s guards went on strike, the NPRA took over the prison and ran it peacefully for two months. Seizing on the opportunities provided by the guards’ strike and by a radical new Commissioner of Correction, John Boone, Walpole’s prisoners launched an extraordinary struggle for self-determination and an important chapter in the movement for prison abolition.
Workshop Series: How To Write Better Grants
Thursday, June 1st from 4:30 – 7 pm and Saturday, June 10th from 9:30 am – 1 pm.
The Gifford Foundation (basement level conference room), 126 N. Salina St, Syracuse, NY 13202
The Gifford Foundation is partnering with The Central New York Community Foundation to launch a free two part workshop series on grant writing featuring consultant Babette Baker.
Targeted primarily at grassroots and startup nonprofit organizations, this workshop will also include specific advice on how best to structure applications for the CNYCF’s Black Excellence Fund.
Participants will receive expert guidance on:
- Understanding the nine essential elements of grants.
- How grants should tell a compelling story.
- Learning the most common mistakes made by proposal writers.
Consultant Babette Baker will lead both sessions of the grant writing workshop.
Registration does not guarantee a spot at the workshop. You will receive a confirmation email once we have had time to review your submission.
Capacity: A maximum of two members per organization may attend.
Christian Nationalism: Why It’s Dangerous for Democracy and the Gospel
Wednesday, June 7, 6 Pm-8 Pm. Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church, 5299 Jamesville Rd., Dewitt
Questions To: Jcooneyl@Gmail.Com
Christian nationalism has been all over the news lately, but many people don’t know what it means or why it matters. This presentation will introduce what Christian nationalism is, how it works and why it poses a danger to
democracy and to Christianity itself. Sponsored by the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse.
Please join us and invite others.
Presenter: Dr. Greg Carey, Professor of New Testament at Lancaster Theological Seminary, since 1999, Recent books: “Death, the End of History, and Beyond: Eschatology in the Bible” and “Using Our Outside Voice: Public Biblical Interpretation.” Greg has published in venues like the Christian Century, Religion Dispatches and The Huffington Post. He has appeared in documentaries with the BBC, PBS and the Discovery Channel.
Climate Receiver Places GreeningUSA’s Next Green Bag Lunch!
Friday, June 9, 12:00pm – 1:30pm, EST In-Person & Virtual
OneGroup Education Center, 706 North Clinton Street, Syracuse, NY 13204
Speaker: Baxter Hankin, Aspiring Architect, Climate Change Policy Advocate, PLACE Initiative
Learn more about communities with lower climate-related risk that are well-situated to receive climate migrants.
As the world changes & becomes less hospitable, where will people go?
How will receiving places manage the growth? How will places provide the necessary jobs and services?
How will well-situated places remain viable & resilient?”
Time for questions and an open discussion with attendees.
FREE and Open to All! But you must be registered to attend.
To Attend In Person – Register Here: https://tinyurl.com/4f9cne8z
Limited parking available in the OneGroup parking lot, with additional on street parking. Enter at the Education Center entrance.
To Attend Virtually – Register Here: https://tinyurl.com/vx7twmmc
A Zoom link will be sent to those registered after registration closes at 11am on June 9.
CNY Pride Day: June 10, Inner Harbor
| What’s Really Happening In Our Schools?Wednesday, June 14, 4 – 5:30 p.m.National Veterans Resource Center, K.G. Tan Auditorium, 101 Waverly Ave. Syracuse, 13244Join the Center on Disability and Inclusion for a Town Hall on the realities, challenges and priorities for students with disabilities in PreK through college.Central New York legislators and area educational leadership will hear stakeholder testimonials and discuss ways to support students with disabilities across the education system. Reception to Follow. Free and open to the public. RSVP Required. RSVP Today! |
An Evening with Angela Davis
Thursday, June 15 · 7 – 8pm EDT
Auburn Junior High School, 191 Franklin Street Auburn, NY 13021
By Seward House Museum Reserve Mobile eTicket