Tag Archive: alec


Like Quitting Heroin, I Put The Smack Down

Filed under: Art & Literature, Being Mom, Musicness, Nerdgasm, Politics — Leave a comment
September 5, 2013

(Not sure how that lyric plays out of context, so here’s the context.)

Today’s walk included several songs in a row that were fighting songs. As in, don’t stop fighting. As in “You Can’t Win ‘Em All, But You Gotta Win All of the Right Ones.” And, you know, in order to win the right ones…you gotta keep fighting. Maybe a better example would be:

Or my old standby pep talk song:

Anyway, you get the drift. I believe we have emerged, victorious. Yay!

(I knew we would, but it’s still nice to celebrate that we have.)

I’m celebrating by dying my hair and earnestly working on drawings for my zine. And FINALLY getting that tattoo that I’ve been wanting to get but have never been able to justify the expense of. Fuck it. It’s expensive. I can’t justify it. Well, I can, actually…it’s justified because it will be awesome, and it will remind me of my strength. And all of the strength it has taken to get here.

I’m slowly pulling things back together. I have another week of a weird work schedule, and after that I feel like I’ll be able to really participate in all of the things I enjoy participating in again. Slowly, and with priority. I’m already starting to read more…trying to take walks or dance every night. Really haven’t been seeing friends as much as I’d like, but I’m also feeling kind of introvertedy lately, so that hasn’t really bothered me. Working really hard to make sure we have at least SOME family time carved out so we don’t all lose touch with each other. These are the things I am prioritizing.

I’d like to keep participating in actions against ALEC and TPP, for sure…but probably not leading or organizing. What I’d really like to focus my energy on is housing justice. It was going to be what I focused on this year, but then I got laid off. And everything kind of got all weird. And then the state of Texas went to war over my uterus, and I kind of had to stand and fight that one. I’d like to get back to figuring out how I can be helpful in achieving truly affordable housing in Austin, and how we can ensure the protection of people who are being exploited or abused by apartment managers. That’s what I’d truly love to spend my activist energy on.

I don’t feel adequately educated to speak in any depth on Syria. I’m against all war, so I’m sort of working backwards from there. It would take a LOT of convincing to get me to support ANY war. Which makes it easy to oppose war, but is also kind of a cop-out. I still need to educate myself. I’m working on it. Slowly.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Bella Ciao. Bella Ciao. Bella Ciao Ciao Ciao

Filed under: Uncategorized — 1 Comment
August 2, 2013
Image by US Action: http://usaction.org/

Image by US Action: http://usaction.org/

 

Dear Friends,

In solidarity with those who will be attending the 40th annual meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in Chicago on August 7-9, local Austin activists are hoping to build a coalition in opposition to ALEC’s influence over our legislative process in Texas.

For those who are not aware, ALEC is an organization that promotes a pro-corporate agenda by way of aiding big business in drafting bills that our legislators then attempt to pass into law. On ALEC task forces, corporate lobbyists and special interests vote as equals with elected representatives on templates to change our laws, behind closed doors with no press or public allowed to see the votes or deliberations. This agenda is orchestrated on both a state and national level, and has been the process by which problematic laws have passed through the legislatures of several state governments.  For example:

• Anti-women’s health bills like HB2 in Texas (introduced by Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, ALEC’s Texas Chair), SB 353 in North Carolina, SB 206 in WIsconsin and HB 200 in Ohio

• Anti-justice legislation such as “Three Strikes”, Stand Your Ground”, and mandatory minimum sentencing laws

• Healthcare proposals to weaken FDA drug regulation, privatize Medicare and Medicaid, repeal laws that expand public access to health care, and bar the families of Americans injured or killed by drugs and medical devices from holding manufacturers accountable in courts of law

• “Ag Gag” laws that prosecute whistleblowers for even so much as taking photographs of feedlots and factory farms to expose animal cruelty and food safety concerns

• Anti-environment legislation to roll back pollution regulations and health safeguards, eliminate clean energy competition, and allow drilling and extractive mining on protected lands

• Privatization of public services including but not limited to public schools, foster care, adoption and child support enforcement, Social Security, correctional facilities, environmental research facilities and public utilities

• Opposition to initiatives to roll back the Citizens United v FEC decision or fix the worst aspects of it

• “Jobs” legislation that would lower wages, eliminate employee rights, bust unions and ship more American jobs overseas

• Voter ID and other voter suppression legislation

• Opposition to comprehensive immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship

• And much, much more.

Since ALEC has its fingers in so very many pies, this is a great opportunity to connect the dots between all of the various grassroots organizations in Austin, and provide space for everyone to work together to oppose corporate influence over our representative democracy. Toward that end, you and your colleagues are invited to a meeting on Monday, August 5th at 7 PM on the Austin City Hall Plaza to plan a visual solidarity action aimed at building the coalition and educating the public about the various ways our issues are all connected.  This action will tentatively take place under the Rotunda at the Texas State Capitol on Friday, August 9th at 1 PM.  We’ll also discuss plans for the future.

Let’s show our legislators that Austin is united in opposition to corporate influence on our state Capitol.

If you are unable to make the meeting on the 5th or the action on the 9th, you can email me at lainie.duro@gmail.com for more information about future meeting dates and actions.

Here’s the Facebook event for the action that will take place on August 9th: https://www.facebook.com/events/493662220715367/

 

Sincerely,

 

Lainie Duro

Occupy Austin participant

Unruly Mob Media Team member

Rise Up/Levanta Texas participant

Mother of 2

❤

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Comment