{{ NUMOL BITES }}

{ from NARAL: Extreme anti-choice bill moves to the full House! }

email i got from NARAL.

NOTE: as always, if you cannot contact your congresspeople, circulating this info is still totally helpful.

Yesterday, a key committee in the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would let hospitals refuse to provide abortion care, even when necessary to save a woman’s life.

Call your member of Congress right now and urge him or her to vote “no” on this extreme bill, officially known as H.R.358.

It is unfathomable that Congress would move a bill that would allow a hospital to refuse a woman abortion care even if her life depended on it.

If that isn’t bad enough, the bill also contains the same Stupak-Pitts abortion-coverage ban that you helped to defeat last year.

Our pro-choice allies in Congress did everything they could to stop this bill. They even tried to make several changes to the legislation.

But our opponents are so extreme, they even voted down amendments that would protect women’s access to birth control.

I know we’re asking you to do a lot these days. But, these anti-choice politicians are out of control. The worst thing we can do is let their attacks go unanswered.

Please call your member of Congress and be sure the staff member who answers the phone counts you as opposing H.R.358 and other dangerous attacks.

Thank you for all your actions opposing all of these dangerous and extreme attacks on women’s access to abortion. Because of you, we’ve sent 107,857 emails to members of the House saying “no” to their anti-choice attacks.

Your phone call today is critical. Thank you for standing with us.

full contact info for congress members is available on this website.

{ THINGS YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO TO HELP LIBYANS }

abudai:

1. INFORM PEOPLE - Write op-eds and letters to the editor to your local newspapers. Blog about it. Use twitter, include #Libya hashtag. 
2. SUPPORT NEWS MEDIA THAT IS DOING COVERAGE OF LIBYA - CLICK CLICK CLICK on news articles! And comment on them! And share them on Facebook, on Twitter, on Tumblr. This is how news media thrives. It’s a sad reality, but clicks and comments encourage editors to cover a stort more. Tweet “Thanks” to Anderson Cooper, AlJazeera, etc. Send them thank you letters.
3. SIGN THESE PETITIONS: BP, Pull out of Libya now! (Change.org); Sanctions to stop Libya crackdowns (Change.org); Send help to Libya! (PetitionOnline)
4. GO TO LOCAL SOLIDARITY PROTESTS - The Libyan people think no one outside cares about them. Sending them photos and videos of supporters would bring up morale. If there are no protests planned for your city, plan one! Stage one in your University’s free speech zones! 
5. DISSEMINATE ONLINE RESOURCES - There is a lot of helpful, crowd-sourced material online right now. Like this crowd-sourced list of the dead. Or this number for free unmonitored Internet. Or even these instructions on how to control bleeding of a wound. 
6. MIRROR VIDEOS - Many videos are being taken down- especially Facebook videos. If you know how to, mirror the video, upload it yourself. 
7. TRANSLATE - If you know Arabic, help translate things like tweets, videos, audio, etc. The more people this information is accessible to, the better. 
8. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL STATESMEN AND WOMEN - Tell them you want the U.S. to acknowledge what’s happening in Libya. Tell them you want them to call for the resignation of Gaddafi. Tell them you want them to send aid to Libya. Tell them to support freedom. Tell them to support democracy. Tell them to freaking CONDEMN THIS MASSACRE. Look here and here.
9. SEND AID - Muslims Without Borders is organizing a medical convoy from Alexandria, Egypt to Libya. Send them money “earmarked” for Libya.  

(add to this list)

(via shergawia-deactivated20121108)

{ email i got from Feeding America: Urge your Senators to Protect Hunger-Relief Programs in the Budget }

general contact info for US senators is here: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

NOTE 1: if you cannot do this, passing this info around is still very helpful.  thank you.

NOTE 2: i do not like the language used in this email.  it seems to imply that people who cannot get enough food are incapable of speaking for themselves.

anyway, here’s the text:

Last week, House of Representatives passed their version of the FY2011 Continuing Resolution (H.R. 1) by a vote of 235-189. This bill is intended to fund the Federal government from March 4th through the remainder of the fiscal year. In total, this legislation contains more than $65 billion of cuts to non-security discretionary spending compared to what was enacted last year. Several hunger-relief programs which are critical to food banks and low income Americans struggling with hunger, faced serious cuts:

• The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) was cut by $20 million compared to the funding level enacted last year.
• The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Infrastructure Grants was zeroed out. This program was funded for the first time last year at $6 million.

We understand that Congress must make some difficult decisions to balance the budget. However, as advocates for the hungry, we must let our leaders in Washington know that they should not balance the budget on the backs of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens.

Help us urge Congress to protect hunger-relief programs by calling your Senators right now.

Here’s how you can call your Senators:

• Dial 877-698-8228 and enter your zip code to connect directly to your Senator’s office.
• Tell them that you are a constituent and state the name of the town you are calling from.
• Let them know you are calling about H.R. 1 
• Deliver this simple message:

 As an advocate for hungry Americans and a supporter of my local food bank, I urge you to oppose cuts to CSFP and other programs that are vital to food banks and low-income people at risk of hunger.

{ Peltier Update: Medical Treatment | email from the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee }

if you cannot send letters/faxes, passing this around is still very important and helpful.  thank you.

NOTE: you can send faxes over the internet for free at gotfreefax.com (there’s a 2-free-fax-per-day limit though).

The biopsy that was ordered by a physician last November was finally performed yesterday, 23 February.  Leonard will receive the results in roughly 7 to 10 days.  The feedback from the physician wasn’t positive, however.  Everyone must continue to pressure the BOP for Leonard’s transfer so that he can receive timely, quality care.

Please sign the below letter; write your name and mailing address; and mail or fax your letter today.

Mail to:  Federal Bureau of Prisons
Address:  320 1st Street, NW, Washington, DC 20534
Fax: (202) 514-6620

Sample Letter

* Often a handwritten heartfelt letter is quite effective.  Remember to always employ a respectful tone and keep your comments brief and to the point.  If you wish, you may adapt the following text. *

Harley G. Lappin, Director
U.S. Bureau of Prisons
320 First Street, NW
Washington, DC 20534

Dear Mr. Lappin:

It has come to my attention that Leonard Peltier #89637-132, an inmate at the U.S. Penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, is in dire need of medical attention.

I believe that Mr. Peltier’s medical needs are urgent. He needs to be seen by proper medical staff. Therefore, I respectfully request that Leonard Peltier be transferred to FCI-Oxford in Wisconsin or FMC-Rochester in Minnesota. Either of these facilities can adequately accommodate Mr. Peltier’s medical needs.

Thank you in advance for transferring Leonard Peltier and immediately addressing his medical needs!

Sincerely,



Signature

(Print Your Name)
(Print Your Street Address)
(Print Your City/State/Zip Code)

Thank you for all you do on Leonard’s behalf.