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Hi, all, and happy Friday.

Whew. It’s wild out there. Hope you’re holding up OK.

I took a walk around my neighborhood yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by the number of households sporting homemade anti-ICE signs. This is a fairly recent development—I almost wondered if there’d been a neighborhood meeting of some kind over the weekend, but I think I’d have known about it!

The signs appear, rather, to be an organic outgrowth of the distress many are feeling about ICE’s continued and growing encroachment into our communities. There were a great variety of them—the above being my favorite—but they all communicated similar sentiments. It made me feel deeply proud of my neighborhood!

It was also an excellent reminder that this kind of “social proof,” about which Heather Cox Richardson has written many times, is deeply important. To quote Wikipedia, social proof is “a psychological and social phenomenon wherein people copy the actions of others in choosing how to behave in a given situation. The term was coined by Robert Cialdini in his 1984 book Influence: Science and Practice.” In this case it’s a way of saying to passersby that they are not alone. That you share their outrage. That their values are your values.

It’s also a way to say to any member of the immigrant community: “We see you. We love you. We stand with you.”

Finally, it’s a way to tell people that it’s not only safe to speak out—it’s obligatory. Protests serve the same purpose. So do community actions. But signs in our yards (or apartment windows) are by far the easiest way to achieve this end!

I have a sign in my front yard that reads “No hate. No fear. No ICE.” What does yours say? If you don’t have one, would you consider making one!

Speaking of ICE, we have more heartbreaking news: they’ve just killed a man in Chicago—an undocumented person who drove his car into them in an attempt to evade arrest. This horrifying event, in which an ICE officer was also badly injured, is awful but unsurprising; ICE’s increased, heavily armed presence is guaranteed to bring increased violence. Still, it’s painful to behold.

In other news, they’ve caught the Kirk shooter—or rather, he turned himself in. We know very little about him as of yet, and I’d caution us all to not post rumors—there’s already been way too much of that. We know he’s 22, and white, and a Utah resident. His parents appear to be Republicans, and he seems to have engraved memes of various sorts—NOT trans-related—on his bullet casings. Most seem to be references to a video game called Helldivers 2.

I’ve seen nothing else corroborated. Until we know more, let’s all try to stick with the facts and breath a sigh of relief—if not surprise—that the shooter wasn’t Black, undocumented, trans, or a “radical leftist” of any kind. We knew he wasn’t going to be, but certainty on all sides is better.

One thing I am seeing, of which I’m glad, are more denunciations from the right of political violence, most notably from Utah Governor Spencer Cox. This is perhaps the most important thing we can amplify right now. Democratic lawmakers have all spoken out in such a way, but many Republicans still have not—or have done the opposite. Please continue to call on them to loudly condemn political violence of all kinds, and explain why it matters. If you need inspiration read G. Elliot Morris’s latest post from Strength in Numbers. He shows clearly why political leadership is so needed in moments like this.

OK, folks. One more day of work and then we can put our feet up for a second. Maybe.

Either way I’m proud to be in this fight with you, and grateful for all you do.

Let’s get to it.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.

I’m calling to ask the Senator to please support S.1261 the CONNECT for Health Act to finally make telehealth permanently available. This availability is set to expire in three weeks, & if it does, many of our most vulnerable citizens, including seniors, disabled people, & folks in rural areas, will lose their health care access. [H/T Trina W.]

Second, I’m outraged by the drone strike that Trump seems to have ordered without Congressional approval against a boat in the Carribean. Using lethal force in this way, outside of any recognizable armed conflict and without due process, is an extrajudicial execution, not an act of war. What is Congress doing about it?

[If Dem add:]

Finally, I want the Senator to refuse to vote for – and do everything they can to block – funding for Trump’s unconstitutional power grabs—even if it means a government shutdown. No Republican poison pills, no funds for ICE kidnappings, international renditions, or domestic concentration-camps. No funds for military occupation of Blue cities. A restoration of all funds cut from Medicare, Medicaid, and the ACA. Those things should be the bare minimum. Otherwise vote no. Thanks. [H/T Indivisible SF]

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.

First, I’m calling to ask the Congressmember to please support HR 4206, the CONNECT for Health Act of 2025**,** to finally make tele-health permanently available. This availability is set to expire in three weeks, and if it does, many of our most vulnerable citizens, including seniors, disabled people, & folks in rural areas, will lose their health care access.

[If Dem add:]

Finally, I want the Congressmember to refuse to vote for – and do everything they can to block – funding for Trump’s unconstitutional power grabs—even if it means a government shutdown. No Republican poison pills, no funds for ICE kidnappings, international renditions, or domestic concentration-camps. No funds for military occupation of Blue cities. A restoration of all funds cut from Medicare, Medicaid, and the ACA. Those things should be the bare minimum. Otherwise vote no. Thanks. [H/T Indivisible SF]

Extra Credit ✅

I had a different extra credit action planned for today, but I’ve bumped it to Monday because I’m so angry at the Wall St. Journal for their wildly irresponsible reporting about so-called “trans ideology” carved onto Charlie Kirk’s assassin’s bullet casings. Needless to say, this report has since been discredited, and the WSJ has updated the headline on the original story (barely) but their updated language still repeats the lie and they haven’t retracted the article.

Let’s contact them at this link and demand a full retraction and apology. (Choose “feedback” and “product/content” in the appropriate dropdown menu). You can also call them at 1-800-568-7625.

This is what I said, but obviously write what you want.

I’m appalled that the Wall St. Journal published an article with the headline "Ammunition in Kirk Shooting Engraved With Transgender, Antifascist Ideology: Sources” and has not yet issued a retraction and apology, despite the fact that a) this reporting turned out to be totally false b) it spread like wildfire nonetheless and c) transgender Americans were put in grave danger by it. I acknowledge that you’ve now updated the headline, but even the new one still repeats the original lie. It’s shameful. If the Journal wants to maintain a shred of journalistic or moral credibility they must issue a full retraction and apology to the transgender community. Please do so at once. Thanks.

Get Smart! 📚

On Tuesday, September 16 at 6:00 pm ET, join COURIER for an in-depth conversation with PA Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, Kadida Kenner, CEO of New Pennsylvania Project, and Sean Kitchen of COURIER’s Pennsylvania Newsroom, The Keystone, as they break down what’s at stake in Pennsylvania’s upcoming three Supreme Court retention races—and why they matter for every American in the broader fight for democracy.

In recent years, this court’s rulings have sent ripple effects across the nation—safeguarding the 2020 election and influencing the trajectory of democracy itself. The Keystone is laser-focused on ensuring Pennsylvanians know what’s on the ballot—and why these races matter to us all.

Please use this link to register.

Give 💰!

Join NOPE on Tuesday September 16 at 7PM EDT to help Democrats win two key elections in PA in November. First, a fight to retain Democratic control of three seats in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and, second, the battle being waged by candidate Janelle Stelson against Freedom Caucus chair, Scott Perry, for a US House seat.

Sign up here to attend. You will have an opportunity during the meeting to make donations to retain the three democratic justices, to elect Janelle Stetson and to support Make The Road Action. If you can’t attend the meeting, please give generously through the links below:

NOPE for Fair and Independent PA Courts: Donate here.

NOPE for Janelle Stelson: Donate here.

NOPE For Make The Road Action Pennsylvania: Donate here.

Get in the Streets! 🪧

Red, Wine, and Blue has two events coming up about how people power and mass organizing can save democracy. Both feature speakers we all LOVE.

Save the date!

9/18 7:30PM ET: Hell No! Not on our Watch w/ Rep. Jasmine Crockett

9/24 7:30PM ET: Our Best Chance to Save Democracy w/ Heather Cox Richardson

Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥

Nathaniel Stinnett of the Environmental Voter Project is our featured guest on this week’s Practivist Pod. Nathaniel is one of the smartest guys I know in politics, and EVP is one of my favorite orgs! Please listen or watch the interview below and check out the Environmental Voter Project! They’re awesome!

Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻

[To: all three reps] [H/T ] [Text SIGN PMATPD to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]

(Note that for the most effective RESISTBOT it’s best to personalize this text. More about how to do this here. But if you’re short on time just send it as is using the above code.)

I write today in grave concern regarding the destabilizing developments within the Social Security Administration (SSA) under Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek and the broader influence of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Recent investigative reporting by ProPublica and corroborating coverage from Reuters, the Washington Post, AP, and others reveals an alarming erosion of transparency, governance, and protection of beneficiaries’ rights.

[Read the rest of the letter here—it’s too long to post here but VERY good and important.]

OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.

Talk soon.

Jess

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