Walking and chewing gum at the same time

Dear friends,
Increasingly it feels like the president is the real emergency in this country, and it is not an option anymore to try to ignore the fact that he is increasingly deranged.  I urge you to read  this article by Andrew Sullivan, "The Appeasement of Donald Trump," from New York Magazine.  It is about how 45 has eliminated nearly all checks and balances in our system and by the time there is an attempt to rein him in, it will be too late.   This is not a partisan issue.  "Only a massive public insurrection aagainst strongman rule can begin to reverse this.  It's not happening, but it needs to."
"Trump's hegemony is strong, and getting stronger.  He can bypass the television networks in ways Nixon couldn't have dreamed of.  He has a very strong economy.  He has successfully marginalized much of the mainstream media for half the country.  He has a shamelessness that is rarely found, even among the most vulgar and venal.  He is prepared to push buttons in the national psyche that few sane or decent people would.  He can seem, in his demagogic genius, intimidating.
"No one should be intimidated.  And of course appeasement in the past has not always led to defeat.  With a long, bitter, damaging campaign of resistance and counterattack, it can end in victory as well.  Let's put aside all our differences on policy and politics, and together do our constitutional duty.  Every hour.  Every day."  

So, we will be attending to this topic this week and every week.  Also we can't stop following policy issues.  This Tuesday April 30 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm at 310 New Bern Avenue, Raleigh, our topic is "Support Teachers, Hold Politicians Accountable."  We are supporting the NC Teachers Day of Action by calling attention to the issues they are powerfully raising, demanding increased funding for public education because every child deserves an equitable public education and demanding medicaid expansion.
At the same time we will continue to call attention on Tuesday to the shameful actions not only in the NC Legislature but also the actions of our Senators and Attorney Centeral which are helping the president cover up and continue the attacks by a hostile foreign power on our elections.#NoOneIsAboveTheLaw

Wednesay May 1 is the Day of Action and you can register at this link. You can read the full list of demands  Here.   Check out Rob Schofield of NC Policy Watch, "Legislature preparing to short change teachers again."  

Joining this action on May 1 is the Poor People's Campaign Truth and Poverty Bus Tour, and Rev. William Barber will speak.  The NC Poor People's Campaign is touring the state from 4/27 to 5/1 to bear witness to the plight, fight, and insight of the poor across the state and the REAL national emergencies that require immediate attention. 
You can catch up with the bus tour also on Tuesday evening from 5 to 6 pm in Durham (please note the time; I was wrong in last week's letter).  In this stop of the tour, we will focus on criminal justice and bail bond reform.  We will also hear about the importance of living wages and the connection between poverty wages, racism, and incarceration. 

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So much these days is inexpressible that I have to close again with a tree, this one from Riverdave Owen.  May we be strengthened by our connections with one another.
love,
Karen