Make More Possible | Sept. 10, 2018
Dear Friend,
Welcome to Win the Day, a new weekly political series from TakeAction Minnesota. We’re unapologetic progressives. We dream big. Like so many of you, we’re hungry to change what’s possible. That’s why we’re launching Win the Day.
To us, winning elections isn’t the same as winning the day. Winning the day is the power to change the story. The foundational stories: the ones that shape the the way we think. Who are we as Minnesotans? What are the struggles that connect us? These underlying stories show us what is and isn’t possible. It’s an arena of power that, frankly, we don’t always fight for. But that’s changing. People are ready to fight and win the day. To make more possible. And win elections.
Win the Day will cover what’s going on in Minnesota politics through Election Day and beyond. We’ll be lifting up stories, ideas, and people each week who are trying to expand what’s possible.
We’re looking for people who are fighting back on dog whistle politics and cheap attempts to divide us from each other. And we want to hear from you. We’ll also be asking you a Question of the Week. Share your answer in the link below.
Here’s the blog:
Change the Story: Anybody, but Nazis.
Here’s what this letter reads:
Dear Unionist, The mighty Victorian union movement is comprised of workers from all walks of life, united across race and religion. We’re a movement built on respect, care and unbreakable solidarity. We welcome everyone. Except Nazis. Nazis on the news, Nazis organising speaking tours, Nazis hiding in suburban gyms, Nazi hate speech in the Senate. You can fuck right off. And I have a message for every politician who pulls out the dog-whistle to stir up racism, islamaphobia, and hatred in our community. We’re coming for you too. If you stoke division in our community to distract us while you destroy our jobs, defund our schools and hospitals and hand the wealth we create over to big business, be prepared for a big fight. We’re not stupid and we see what you’re doing. We are union – indivisible and unbreakable.
Oh, how we love this letter. We love the voice. We love the message. We love how clearly and succinctly these Aussies call out racism and how corporate donors benefit from dog whistle politics.
We know the playbook and what happens when the interests of working people are divided. See: Millionaires in skyscrapers smoking cigars (or, session wrap up, June 2017)
We’re fighting to win the day when we lead with our values and contest for the power to change the story. This letter is one example of one union – overseas – fighting to win the day.
Seeing dog-whistle politics in your local races? Call it out. Let us know what you’re seeing.
Organizing for the Win: Everyone has a climate story.
On Saturday 8th, climate justice organizers made a new thing happen in Minneapolis. Feeling a little bit of ‘march fatigue’, the organizers of the Peoples Climate Movement – Minnesota decided to create a one-day summit that would lift up all the ways we can connect ourselves to the climate struggle and connect with each other on climate solutions.
Over 600 people came, arriving early, and staying late, talking, listening, learning, connecting with new people. It was a day of workshops, tabling, and keynote speeches from Maria Isa and Sam Grant. It was grassroots organizing as a tool to keep redefining who’s a part of the climate movement in Minnesota.
Musicians, artists, black-led organizations, union presidents, youth organizers, indigenous leaders, environmentalists, lifelong Minnesotans from the suburbs, new Minnesotans from central and south America: everyone belonged in this conversation. Everyone had a spot. Everyone had a story to tell.
Along with Peoples Climate Movement events in Duluth, Detroit Lakes, Willmar, and Winona, it was a day when we started to imagine a different future for Minnesota.
Idea Worth Fighting For: Make Minnesota a Home for Everyone
“We know what it says on the Statue of Liberty. It doesn’t say, ‘Get the Hell Out.’ ” – Rep. Tim Walz
Elections are about more than who wins & loses. (To be super-clear, we are all in for Walz-Flanagan. #TogetherWeWin) They are also about casting a vision about who we are, grounded in our values.
And on that, our choice is clear.
Tim Walz & Peggy Flanagan are clear that immigration makes Minnesota stronger, better positioned for the future. We’ve tried to be that state for over 150 years. Though never perfect, we should try to get it right for the next 150. The way we see it, the fight for immigrant rights and justice is about how our laws reflect or violate our values, people’s humanity, and how we chose to live in this world together.
Read about the differences between Walz/Flanagan and Jeff Johnson in MinnPost:
Question of the Week: What’s the first campaign you loved?
The general election season has begun. And with it, the negative ads, the cheap shots, the half-truths, and the doublespeak. But it’s not always like this. We each have campaigns we’ve loved, that have inspired us, that we’ve pour our time and talent and money into. For me (Chris), it was Wellstone for Senate 2002. For me (Kenza) it was Obama for President 2008.
What was the first campaign you loved? Tell us about it.
That’s a wrap. We love to hear from you.
– Kenza and Chris
Kenza Hadj-Moussa is communications director at TakeAction Minnesota. Email her at kenza@takeactionminnesota.org. Follow her @KenzaHadjMoussa.
Chris Conry is the strategic campaings director at TakeAction Minnesota. Email him at chris@takeactionminnesota.org. Follow him @ChrisConry.
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