Patterns of Resistance

Patterns of Resistance: The Resistance History of the United States (Part 1)

by C. A. Matthews

In last week’s article I promised to provide some patterns of resistance to defeat the patterns (or poetry) of chaos that our oligarch rulers practice. Did you start reading Tad Stoermer’s The Resistance History of the United States like I recommended? It’s okay if you didn’t. This article won’t ruin your read later by giving out too many “spoilers”. (You’ll still want to read the book.)

And don’t worry if you’re not American or have much knowledge of US history—many of the examples Stoermer uses to illustrate the different patterns of resistance aren’t commonly known by most Americans. It’s sort of the point of the book. The oligarchy, the billionaires who essentially rule us all, have been keeping these kinds of historical examples quiet since day one of the United States. They really don’t want Americans (or anyone else) to know how often and how well ordinary people have resisted their abusive, authoritarian power. So, even if you’re not a history buff, I know you’ll find the stories Stoermer tells very eye-opening and enlightening.

First a quick recap of last week’s post about the oligarchs’ pattern of control or“the poetry of chaos”. Things may appear chaotic in the world, but upon closer examination we can define predictable patterns of behavior by the oligarchs who cause the “chaos” that keeps us feeling overwhelmed and incapable of fighting back.

I summed up the oligarchs’ pattern in a three step process... (Read summary in the full article by clicking the link below.)

...Stoermer describes nine resistance patterns or principles in The Resistance History of the United States that We the People have used and can continue to use to take on the oligarchy. I’ll provide a short synopsis of each, but I encourage you to read the book to gain deeper understanding from the historical figures’ stories. It will make more sense to you to learn who it was that used a certain resistance principle, how they used it, and how effective it was in their resistance.

Stoermer tells us that these principles/patterns don’t have to be practiced in any particular order, and they don’t all have to be used all at once. Revolutionaries/resisters are free to pick and choose what works for them in their particular situation...

 

To learn all about the patterns of resistance (and how they were used in US history), please copy or click on the following link: 

https://therevolutioncontinues.substack.com

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Much Ado About Due Process

by C. A. Matthews

The term due process has been in the news lately, but what does the US Constitution say about due process? According to Wikipedia:

The Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause ensures that no person can be deprived of life, liberty, or property without fair legal procedures. It protects individuals from arbitrary government actions and guarantees certain legal rights in both criminal and civil cases.

A Due Process Clause is found in both the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the US Constitution, which prohibit the deprivation of "life, liberty, or property" by the federal and state governments, respectively, without due process of law.

So, what does due process mean in the legal sense? According to Wikipedia:

Procedural due process requires government officials to follow fair procedures before depriving a person of life, liberty, or property. When the government seeks to deprive a person of one of those interests, procedural due process requires the government to afford the person, at minimum, notice, an opportunity to be heard, and a decision made by a neutral decision maker.

This protection extends to all government proceedings that can result in an individual's deprivation, whether civil or criminal in nature, from parole violation hearings to administrative hearings regarding government benefits and entitlements to full-blown criminal trials.

So, who is entitled to the right of due process—the right to have the opportunity to defend oneself when one is accused of a crime or misdemeanor by the government? The Constitution says a person is entitled to the right of due process. It’s not for citizens alone, in other words.

Who exactly is a “person” has been argued and decided before the Supreme Court in the past. The US Constitution once stated that an enslaved person of African ancestry was only “3/5 of a person” for population census purposes, and therefore, he or she was not a person, but we’ve moved past that (hopefully). The current take is that every person currently within the borders of the US, whether they’re a citizen, a permanent resident (green card holder), living here under a temporary status (TPS, DACA, etc.), a tourist, or an undocumented person (without status) is entitled to due process.

No exceptions.

 

To learn more about the importance of the Due Process Clause for both US citizens and non-citizens alike, continue reading the rest of this article. Copy or click on this Substack link: 

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Subscribe to The Revolution Continues on Substack today. Power to the people!

This article is the 517th blog posting of The Revolution Continues. We began in June 2015, and we're still going strong. Please keep reading, sharing, and subscribing to help TRC continue for another ten years. 

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The Founders Would Be Proud

 

The Founders Would Be Proud

by C.A. Matthews

It’s not every day that I say something like this, so please take note.

The Founders (a.k.a. "The Founding Fathers of the United States of America") had a good idea when it came to making a permanent separation between church and state. It may have been one of only a handful of good ideas they ever had, being handicapped with their white, wealthy, Eurocentric, males-only, slavery-is-good-for-business worldview. But it is impressive that they foresaw a day when the need to be a strictly secular state (government) would be to their—and consequently our—benefit. So, for this insight I heartily thank them.

I do believe there were “Founding Mothers and Others-of-the-Non-White-Male Variety” as well, but in this case, we're sticking with the "Fathers" who wrote our founding documents. I was reminded of their wisdom concerning church/state separation when Dr. Jill Stein gave one of the most brilliant rebuttals of all time at the recent Free and Equal Debate.

The Constitution Party candidate, Randall Terry, had just given the most sick and twisted rant imaginable. I don’t know much about the Constitution Party, but if this is their pick for president, I really don’t want to know anything more about them. Terry’s diatribe went along the lines that Americans should believe as he does (seemingly he’s an ultra-conservative, Zionist “Christian”) and that those of the Muslim faith are dangerous terrorists and deserve to be killed in Gaza (and elsewhere). He actually sounded like he would start another Crusade if he ever got into the White House. His verbal vomit of sheer naked bigotry sent shivers down my spine.

Dr. Stein’s reply to Terry’s steaming pile of Islamophobia was eloquent and to the point. Watch a clip on X/Twitter or on You Tube:

https://twitter.com/peopleforstein/status/1849264793011818948 or

https://twitter.com/TeamJillStein/status/1849906420340408804

https://www.youtube.com/live/HLCplaowzy8?si=AKHM8u9vnCWE1v5U

Randall Terry’s rant and Jill Stein’s rebuttal starts at approx. 1:20 and goes to about 1:24.

To find out what else would make the Founders proud...

Please read the rest of this article by clicking on this link to go to our Substack page: https://therevolutioncontinues.substack.com  There you'll also see related article and video links, all the images, and be able to leave comments. You can subscribe to receive the weekly blog post in your email box as well. 

Subscribe today! Power to the people!

Welcome To The Fascist State Of America

Liberals are fascistic tyrants and conservatives are whiny little bitches who run around looking for excuses to get offended. -- Caitlin Johnstone, Study US Foreign Policy By Looking At Oil Reserves

Happy Seventh Anniversary, TRC! It's been seven years since this blog began with a handful of enthusiastic Bernie Sanders supporters. Who knew it would last this long? Not us! Of course, there's been some changes over the past seven years, starting first with a name change in mid-2016 after Bernie dropped out of the race and backed *cough* Hillary. 

We never looked back after that. In fact, we continued to grow, discover, explore, and learn more about neoliberalism, capitalism, and then socialism. It's called just socialism or eco-socialism by us, as the term "democratic socialism" makes it sound as if we're acolytes of the poorly-named party of the duopoly who wouldn't know what democracy was even if it hit them over the head repeatedly. After Bernie's screw over by the DNC, we've never considered returning to either of the corrupt establishment's factions. 

We're loud, we're proud, and we're proudly independent and pro-third party. And this week, we're taking a look at how (once again) our government tramples human rights and expects us to shut up and take it lying down. As if!

Welcome to the Fascist State of America
by C.A. Matthews

You live within 100 miles of Canada, Mexico, a coastline, or an international airport. There is no knock on the door. CBP or Border Patrol agents come bursting into your home without warning, without a warrant, and without fear that they'll ever be held accountable for damages or violating your rights in a court of law. They ransack your domicile and take what they will and you can't stop them--they're within their rights. 

Welcome to America 2022.

Why does Homeland Security believe the US "border" is 100 miles wide? Why does it believe that an international airport in the middle of the country is also "on the border" and so 100 miles around it is also the Border Patrol's domain? Why indeed.

Dr. Reece Jones, author of White Borders (2021) and Nobody Is Protected (2022) tells us more about how this concept of the US border zone came about:

"Preserve Racial Types As It Exists Here Today."   (Yes, our immigration laws are inherently racist. This bill was passed less than 100 years ago and remains on the books. Do you feel better or worse about the US as a "democracy" now?)

The Border Patrol was established two days after the eugenics-derived national origins quotas in the 1924 Johnson-Reed Immigration Act was signed, in order to enforce the new restrictions. The original authorization for the Border Patrol was meant to keep the agents at the border line itself. Senator David Reed explained: "They have no right to go into the interior city and pick up aliens on the street and arrest them."

Nevertheless, the agents did go into the interior. In 1930 Treasury Undersecretary Ogden Mills proposed a new law to stop it. "You will not have a Border Patrol operating 20 miles inside the United States. You will have a border patrol where it belongs, and that is on the border."

Mills' and other efforts to rein in the Border Patrol failed in the 1930s. In 1946, Congress revised the Border Patrol's authorization and clarified (kind of) how far inside the US they could go: “within a reasonable distance from any external boundary of the United States.” At the time, the Border Patrol was part of the Department of Justice. In July 1947, the DOJ released a routine update to its policies in the Federal Register. In tiny print on page 5071, they defined the term reasonable distance.

Without public comment or consultation, the Department of Justice defined the reasonable distance for the Border Patrol as “a distance not exceeding 100 air miles from any external boundary of the United States.” Since 1947, the reasonable distance has remained unchanged at 100 miles from borders and coastlines. If DHS Secretary Mayorkas wanted to change it, he could do so immediately himself.

This 100 mile "border" includes about two-thirds of the population. That's about 200 million Americans. Our largest cities, largest ports, and airports are included in this zone CBP can "police" within its confines. They don't have show a warrant to search or arrest you like your local cops. Why can't Americans protect themselves from a government agency with seemingly infinite powers?

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU):

The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects Americans from random and arbitrary stops and searches. According to the government, however, these basic constitutional principles do not apply fully at our borders. For example, at border crossings (also called "ports of entry"), federal authorities do not need a warrant or even suspicion of wrongdoing to justify conducting what courts have called a "routine search," such as searching luggage or a vehicle. 

Even in places far removed from the border, deep into the interior of the country, immigration officials enjoy broad—though not limitless—powers. Specifically, federal regulations give U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) authority to operate within 100 miles of any U.S. "external boundary." The regulations establishing the 100-mile border zone were adopted by the U.S. Department of Justice—without any public comments or debate. At the time, there were fewer than 1,100 Border Patrol agents nationwide; today, there are over 21,000. 

That's 21,000 federal cops free to use their "broad powers" to search, harass, and arrest citizens and non-citizens alike. Who keeps these modern-day "American Brown Shirts" in check? Anyone?

"The Constitution-Free Zone of the United States"

ACLU ominously states:

The Border Patrol often ignores this (100 mile zone) regulation and, aside from limiting interior checkpoint locations to within the 100-mile zone, rejects any geographic limitation on agents' authority. At least two federal circuit courts condone Border Patrol operations outside the 100-mile zone, federal regulations and Supreme Court precedent notwithstanding.

Federal border agents are stopping, interrogating, and searching Americans on an everyday basis with absolutely no suspicion of wrongdoing, and often in ways that our Constitution does not permit.  For example, Border Patrol, according to news reports, operates approximately 170 interior checkpoints throughout the country (the actual number in operation at any given time is not publicly known). The ACLU believes that these checkpoints amount to dragnet, suspicionless stops that cannot be reconciled with Fourth Amendment protections. 

The spread of border-related powers inland is inseparable from the broader expansion of government intrusion in the lives of ordinary Americans. For example, CBP claims the authority to conduct suspicionless searches of travelers' electronic devices—such as laptops and cell phones—at ports of entry, including international arrivals at airports. These searches are particularly invasive as a result of the wealth of personal information stored on such devices.

Americans do not have the right to privacy. Border Patrol agents are free to search your personal information. They can confiscate your computer, cell phone, or other electronic devices to look even deeper for juicy tidbits on you or others. You'd better delete those embarrassing personal photos and text messages now--and I mean now.

Seeing the maps and digesting these facts are sobering. Americans might have thought we lived in a democracy--a flawed one, but at least it had its heart in the right place. But think again: the Border Patrol can enter your home, your vehicle, your business and take whatever items it deems "necessary" for their investigation and arrest you without a warrant. The federal courts will back them up as did the Supreme Court in its recent ruling.  

Is the US a democracy? (Was it ever? Ask a person of color.)

Do you feel safe? (I know I sure as hell don't.) 

What can we do about it? Learning more about the powers Customs and Border Protection wields and what legal recourse(s) we may or may not have to prevent them from continuing their fascistic behavior is a good start. Also, not cooperating with the Border Patrol is an action we all can take. We need to emphasize the point to our oligarch leadership that we are not prisoners in a "border zone" without human rights. We need to stand up and demand the protections listed in the Bill of Rights, rights that apply to citizens and non-citizens alike.

Welcome to the fascist state of America in the year 2022. It's not exactly what the founders envisioned in 1776. Perhaps it's time for us to do like they did and start a Revolution.

Related Articles:

Supreme Court Refuses to Allow Bivens Claims Under First Amendment and Against Border Patrol Agents  https://www.abajournal.com/web/article/supreme-court-refuses-to-allow-bivens-claims-under-first-amendment-and-against-border-patrol-agents

A Border Patrol Agent Assaulted a Citizen in His Own Home. The Supreme Court's Ruling Lets the Agent Off  https://immigrationimpact.com/2022/06/10/border-patrol-assaulted-citizen-supreme-court-ruling/

ACLU: The Constitution in the 100-Mile Border Zone https://www.aclu.org/other/constitution-100-mile-border-zone 

ICE Now Holds 25,000 People In Detention, Monitors 266,000 Using Electronic Monitoring Technology   https://austinkocher.substack.com/p/ice-now-holds-25000-people-in-detention?s=r 

We Don't Need More Evidence That Police Can't Be Trusted. We Need Real Safety  https://truthout.org/articles/we-dont-need-more-evidence-that-police-cant-be-trusted-we-need-real-safety/

The Uvalde Massacre Has Exposed the Lies That Once Justified Police Militarization https://www.rsn.org/001/the-uvalde-massacre-has-exposed-the-lies-that-once-justified-police-militarization.html 

Mother of Buffalo Shooting Victims Says This Is Exactly Who We Are https://scheerpost.com/2022/06/09/mother-of-buffalo-shooting-victim-says-this-is-exactly-who-we-are/

Study US Foreign Policy By Looking At Oil Reserves https://caitlinjohnstone.substack.com/p/study-us-foreign-policy-by-looking?s=r

Democratic Leaders Call For a Stronger Republican Party. Why? https://www.directleft.com/p/democratic-leaders-call-for-a-stronger?s=r 

Nobody Is Protected: How the Border Patrol Became the Most Dangerous Police Force in the United States (Book)  https://www.counterpointpress.com/dd-product/nobody-is-protected/

Seen on Twitter: 

You may have seen this map of the 100-mile border zone making the rounds recently. Did you ever wonder why they chose 100 miles? There must be a good reason for it, right? Well, actually no. Here's a short thread 🧵on it ... pic.twitter.com/FMjVMCOdJI

— Dr. Reece Jones (@ReeceJonesUH) June 10, 2022

Both parties have completely sold out the public and formed a corrupt merger between corporations and the state, yet liberals are under the illusion that voting for the blue corporate party will save us from the red corporate party when they both serve the same moneyed interests.

— Ryan Knight ☭ (@ProudSocialist) June 13, 2022

The price of food is up 11.9%, the price of gas is up 48.7%, and the median rent just passed $2000 for the first time ever. Two thirds of Americans already live paycheck to paycheck and inflation will cost the average family $5200 this year. How are people supposed to survive?

— alex gutentag (@galexybrane) June 14, 2022

Democrats’ biggest con is convincing voters that they’re fighting against fascism when they’re actively using the power of the state to fund wars, cage children, protect Big Business & the ruling class, oppress the working class, and crush dissent, which is fascism. #BlueFascists

— Ryan Knight ☭ (@ProudSocialist) June 14, 2022

***

In a near-future dystopian world, hope blossoms where mutual aid and democracy begins...

Zonta’s world is turned upside down when Jake arrives at the commune to investigate the disappearance of agents of the Authority. Can she persuade him to switch sides before the Protectors (antifascist fighters) take action?

Available now from Extasy Books: https://www.extasybooks.com/Where-the-Bodies-Lie 

Please buy direct from the small publisher and not via Amazon. Why? Amazon takes a huge percentage of the book's price and leaves very little for the publisher and author to share. Thanks.

 

Super Screwed Day

Super Screwed Day

by Coast Watcher

Apparently there’s some kind of mass primary event going on today called "Super Tuesday," but let’s look at something that provokes even more intense anxiety—the current American government’s utter lack of concern for its citizens.

The preamble to the American Constitution reads:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Note that bit about promote the general Welfare? How much promoting of the general welfare does the government do exactly? To paraphrase the early Federalist Robert Goodloe Harper, it seems to be a case of “Billions for defense, but not one cent for welfare.”

The case for a single payer, a free at point-of-use health care system, in the United States is gaining ground. At no time has the need for such a system been clearer than the need to deal responsibly with the current global coronavirus outbreak.

Are you looking forward to facing a pandemic in a country where a key source of affording health care is starting a GoFundMe account and begging strangers for money?

According to the Business Insider, the cost per patient for coronavirus treatment will be around $3,000. A public official has stated that an inoculation for the virus will not be made available for free. Big Pharma stands to make a gigantic profit from human fear and misery, so it's American business as usual there. In any case, it’s predicted that such an inoculation will only become available sometime in the fall.

Of course, the Trump administration has characteristically stumbled to the fore in its desire (after much pressure) to be seen to be acting on the problem. The president appointed Vice President Mike Pence as the coordinator for the coronavirus outbreak. Evangelist Pence is the man who, as governor of Indiana, mishandled an AIDS outbreak in his state by ordering people to "pray for it to go away." His tardiness in responding to the outbreak by ordering the setting up of AIDS clinics and needle sharing programs led to the disease spreading, causing many unnecessary deaths. I shudder to think how his general evangelical-Protestant attitude will deal with a serious nationwide outbreak of disease. Perhaps his desire to bring about the End Times will yet again outweigh his responsibility toward the citizens of America.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the man who helped turn the tide in the fight against HIV/AIDS during the 1990s has been virtually gagged by the administration over the response to the crisis. That’s right. The director of NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has been prevented from giving out all he knows on the matter. Why this should be is unknown, but it simply could be down to Trump’s general level of incompetence and erratic behavior.

To add to the general level of insanity coming out of the White House these days, we have Trump’s oldest son, Donald Jr., proclaiming that the coronavirus is a ploy generated by the Democratic Party to discredit his father in November’s election. Yes, you read that right. Junior reckons that a major political party is willing to kill thousands (and possibly millions) in order to dump on his daddy.

On the Democratic side of the fence, we have the unedifying spectacle of newcomer to the electoral race Mike Bloomberg saying that elderly Americans should be denied health care in certain cases. Wow... Mr. Bloomberg demonstrates just how much a billionaire willing to buy his way into power cares about promoting the general welfare.

Of course, other countries are already dealing with the potential for a pandemic in a responsible way. Britain’s NHS is rolling out extensive testing for the virus, and plans are in place to close schools, colleges and businesses to contain an outbreak. Similar plans are being enacted across Europe. Note that these countries all have universal health care. There’s no question of anyone going bankrupt in order to preserve their health or the health of the community.

By contrast, rumors coming out of North Korea claim that dictator Kim Jong-Un has ordered the execution of his country’s first coronavirus patient. You think that's bad? Read on and you'll see why many Americans can’t even drink their tap water.

Below this blog post is a press release issued by Toledoans for Safe Water regarding a recent judicial ruling on the Lake Erie Bill of Rights (LEBOR). In essence, the judge ruled that corporations polluting our waterways is a First Amendment right. Way back when the Bill of Rights was written, the Founding Fathers knew bad water could cause disease and kill thousands, even if they didn’t understand exactly why. Now that we in the modern world do understand the causes of water-borne illnesses, it must be the government's responsibility to ensure that its citizens have access to clean, potable water or else another epidemic may occur when the toxic blue-green algae begins to bloom on the lake this summer.

Except nowadays our government is quick to shirk its responsibilities. According to federal judge Jack Zouhary, a citizen’s right to clean water and a healthy environment must give way to Big Agribusiness and Big Oil and their desire to make as much money as possible (by causing the biggest mess as possible) before the Earth ceases to be habitable for humanity.

So much for promoting the general welfare.  Feeling screwed yet? Let the oligarchy know from this day forward that you're mad as hell and you're not going to take it anymore. We the people have the power. Now is the time to wield it. Remember:

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any.  -- Alice Walker

BIO: Coast Watcher is always on the look out for what's happening to our human rights to health and happiness. Apparently they've been sold to the billionaires for cheap so the fat cats can sell our rights back to us at a huge profit. So much for all men are created equal, eh?

Related articles:
 

CDC's Fauci: Coronavirus Vaccine On Its Way https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/hai-types/cdcs-fauci-coronavirus-vaccine-way

Coronavirus: Trump Administration Stops Discussion https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-anthony-fauci-trump-admin-stops-discussion-2020-2

Getting Treatment Might Cost Americans Upwards of $3,000+ https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-treatment-costs-americans-health-care-broke-2020-2

Timetable for a Coronavirus Vaccine--Maybe this Fall? https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/02/12/804628081/timetable-for-a-vaccine-against-the-new-coronavirus-maybe-this-fall

Mike Pence's "Pray On It" Plan to Combat Indiana HIV Outbreak Resurfaces After Trump Taps VP to Lead Coronavirus Response https://www.newsweek.com/mike-pences-pray-it-plan-combat-indiana-hiv-outbreak-resurfaces-after-trump-taps-vp-lead-1489344

How Mike Pence Allowed the Indiana HIV Outbreak to Spread https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/how-mike-pence-allowed-the-indiana-hiv-outbreak-to-spread/

 

Video Raises Questions About Bloomberg's View on Health Care for Older Americans https://www.forbes.com/sites/patriciagbarnes/2020/02/17/video-raises-questions-about-bloombergs-views-on-healthcare-for-older-americans/#77a45cc13005

North Korea's First Confirmed Covid19 Patient Shot Dead https://news-af.feednews.com/news/detail/cba0e3d130dbd0d8759b7f5bb9519404

Mass Coronavirus Testing to Reveal How Far Disease Has Spread in Britain https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/02/25/mass-testing-uncover-spread-coronavirus-britain/

Trump Jr.: Democrats Hope Coronavirus "Kills Millions of People" https://mavenroundtable.io/theintellectualist/news/trump-jr-democrats-hope-coronavirus-kills-millions-of-people-NP-Ny1dXJE6wCnBAyLNd-g

White House: "Media Stoking Virus Fears to Take Down Trump" https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51667670

***

Court Overturns Lake Erie Bill of Rights
Judge Silences People and Nature on Behalf of Corporate Voices

Federal judge Jack Zouhary joined a long list of enablers complicit in the destruction of the natural world. In an unfortunate but predictable decision, he invalidated the democratically enacted Lake Erie Bill of Rights (“LEBOR”). This local charter amendment was the first of its kind in the United States. His decision comes at a time when the pollution of Lake Erie is intensifying, resulting in dangerous toxic algal blooms that threaten the drinking water for 11 million people and the health of Lake Erie.

LEBOR would allow residents to bring lawsuits on behalf of Lake Erie instead of depending on state government or regulatory agencies. Both the government and its agencies have not only consistently failed to enact adequate protections for Lake Erie, but have legalized harm to her and the people.

“Today we find that Zouhary’s ruling lacks the courage needed to create a just system and thriving community,” says Crystal Jankowski of Toledoans for Safe Water (TSW). “In the words of Howard Zinn, ‘Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience.’ Our childrens’ future is on the line and you have the choice to remain willfully ignorant or take action. ”

Zouhary admits that “LEBOR has already injured the State: at least on paper, State laws, regulations, licenses, and permits are invalid in Toledo to the extent they conflict with LEBOR.” This admission that LEBOR successfully challenges state pollution permits supports the claims made by Toledoans that legalized and permitted pollution has a negative impact on Lake Erie.

LEBOR has sparked a global conversation and inspired similar initiatives in Hawaii, Florida, and the state of Washington.

"As our options within the system are shut down, Toledoans must decide whether or not Lake Erie is worth fighting for,” says Markie Miller of TSW. “As long as there is a Lake to protect we won’t be going anywhere.”

We have been shown, time and time again, that the common peoples’ voices are the easiest to ignore. As the world faces unprecedented change, now is a crucial moment. We must stand together and unite in the fight for a healthy and thriving environment. We must call on the City of Toledo to appeal this decision, but also on the people of Toledo to stand with TSW and work together to fight for the change that has to happen. Our silence will not protect us.

Get involved with Toledoans for Safe Water at www.LakeErieAction.org.

Related articles:

Lake Erie Bill of Rights Ruled Invalid By Judge Zouhary
https://www.toledoblade.com/local/environment/2020/02/27/lake-erie-bill-of-rights-ruled-invalid-judge-jack-zouhary-toledo-lucas-county/stories/20200227155

AG Yost: Let's Save Lake "Legally" After LEBOR Invalidated
https://www.toledoblade.com/local/environment/2020/02/28/attorney-general-dave-yost-save-lake-legally-after-lake-erie-bill-of-fights-invalidated/stories/20200228122

***

Donald Trump Jr. Has Once Again Paid for the Chance to Kill, and This Time It’s a Treasured Grizzly Bear!

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In a characteristic move, Donald Trump Jr. just bought the right to hunt an innocent, beloved animal recreationally. Trophy hunting is a cruel and unnecessary sport, the endgame of which is the grotesque collecting and displaying of a murdered animal's body parts, and Don Jr. is looking to add a grizzly bear head to his vast hoard. Please sign the petition and demand that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game put an end to all grizzly bear hunting! The grizzly bear, also known as the brown bear in Alaska, is all but extinct in the continental United States at a population of approximately 1,500. By comparison, these iconic animals are thriving in Alaska - their population there numbers just about 30,000. But this does not mean that the grizzly bear is unthreatened. Strict conservation standards are necessary to protect the Alaskan grizzly bears so they do not meet the same fate as their counterparts in the lower 48 states, which were decimated by habitat loss and overhunting. And yet, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game sees fit to host a horrifying "lottery" in which non-Alaskan residents to enter for the chance to win the right to hunt down and kill these American treasures. The latest American to win such a disgusting honor is Donald Trump Jr. Don Jr. has a history of using his status and wealth to get what he wants. Unfortunately, what he wants is to take innocent lives. Last year, for example, the world was shocked to learn that Trump's firstborn killed a Mongolian argali, a highly treasured and endangered breed of sheep, and then used his power, influence, and money to retroactively gain a permit to do so. This time, he won't have to work that hard — this Alaskan lottery system and the murder that ensues is totally legal. This has got to change. Don Jr. thinks he can use his status and image to get away with anything, but we can use those things to draw notice to our cause. Please, add your voice to the fight for the Alaskan grizzly bear and tell the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to terminate all grizzly bear hunting permits, now and in the future. Thank you, Kelsey B. The Care2 Petitions Team P.S. No one should be allowed to hunt grizzly bears, not even the wealthy elite! Sign now to urge Alaska to end permits granted for hunting grizzly bears! *** We’ve been anticipating this, but we got some news on the GOP’s lawsuit to repeal the ACA.    Instead of deciding to hear the case as soon as possible, the Supreme Court decided to take up the lawsuit in the upcoming term, which starts in October -- and WAIT until after the election to let more than 130 million Americans know if their health care is safe. The Health Care Repeal Lawsuit creates a level of uncertainty that’s dangerous to patients, people with pre-existing conditions, and the health care market overall.   We need stability NOW. Call your Rep. to demand they protect people with pre-existing conditions before October, and ask 5 friends to do the same: (202) 224-3121   It’s puzzling that the Court has granted many of the Trump administration’s unprecedented demands to expedite case after case, but refuses to do so in a lawsuit that represents a fifth of the entire U.S. economy and the lives of tens of millions of Americans.    The good news is that the Court will finally resolve this grave threat to the care that tens of millions of people rely on. But since Trump packed the Court with conservative justices, we can’t rely on them to make the right call. We need Congress to take action to fix this right now.   Congress needs to protect our care no matter what. Call your representative today, and forward this email to 5 friends asking them to do the same: (202) 224-3121   Time and time again, the GOP has shown us that their goal is to destroy the entire ACA, abolish protections for pre-existing conditions, and take away health care from tens of millions of people. But we have the people power to fight back and grow our ranks, so they can’t hide from the consequences of their actions anymore.   Together, we can save the ACA.   Thank you for fighting alongside us, Rosemary, The Health Care Voter Team   P.S. One powerful way we can fight back is to share our stories -- post yours on social media today to explain why you’re a #HealthCareVoter.