INDIVISIBLE Lambertville NJ / New Hope PA

Author: Indivisible Lambertville / New Hope

  • Practicing Radical Hospitality

    Contributed by Rev. Susan Broadhurst Goodwin.

    My heart, like yours, has ached since November 2016. Values our nation stood for, particularly truth, human rights and protecting creation, have been cast aside while the raw sewage of greed, white supremacy, racism, sexism, xenophobia and homophobia coming from this president has been baked into policies that hurt people and spilled across our airwaves splattering all of us. As a progressive Christian minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC), I am horrified that #45 identifies as a Christian and profoundly shocked that evangelicals support this country’s most morally corrupt leader. My denomination’s slogan is: “No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” Like other followers of Abrahamic tradition, welcoming the stranger is integral to my faith tradition’s path to peace. Radical hospitality is the central message of the Gospel.

    Radical hospitality means that we care about one another. Jesus said: “Love one another as I have loved you.” We cannot love one another without respecting one another. To love one another fully, we must watch our words, speak our truth, and listen carefully. Radical hospitality calls us to build up families, communities and relationships; there is no room for taunts, jeers, and threats. While my faith calls me to be peace-filled, it does not encourage passivity. There can be no peace without justice and that means we understand the place of righteous anger: Jesus famously illustrated this by over-turning the tables of greedy money changers taking advantage of the poor in the Jerusalem Temple. Indivisible resisters understand righteous anger too.

    In the Book of Micah, we find these words: “Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God.” That is our privilege, our challenge, our mission, our path to peace. Justice, kindness and humility are of no interest to #45. Nevertheless we persist. Our path to peace is clear.

    Susan B. Goodwin is a member of ILNH. She graduated from Drew Theological School (M.Div, Summa Cum Laude) and was ordained in the UCC in 2004. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Politics & Public Policy from the Eagleton Institute at Rutgers University.  She has served churches in New Jersey and current teaches, writes and preaches in Bucks County and New Jersey.

  • A Human Approach to World Peace – The Dalai Lama

    The following is the closing from an essay by the Dalai Lama on the need for compassion and understanding that we are all part of the human family and the role of individuals, institutions and religions to work towards more peaceful co-existence. Read the full essay here.

    I have written the above lines

    To tell my constant feeling.

    Whenever I meet even a ‘foreigner’,

    I have always the same feeling:

    I am meeting another member of the human family.

    This attitude has deepened

    My affection and respect for all beings.

    May this natural wish be

    My small contribution to world peace.

    I pray for a more friendly,

    More caring, and more understanding

    Human family on this planet.

    To all who dislike suffering,

    Who cherish lasting happiness –

    This is my heartfelt appeal.

  • Get the Facts – Peace

    Contributed by Olga Vannucci.

    Just the Facts

    • Humans have been entirely at peace for 268 of the 3,400 years of recorded history, 8% of the time.  The U.S. has been at peace for 17 of its 240 years of existence, 7% of the time.
    • The world spends just $1 on conflict prevention for every $1,885 it spends on military budgets.  In the U.S., taxpayers provide almost $1 billion per year for military academies, and only about $40 million for the United States Institute of Peace—the only U.S. agency dedicated to conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
    • Yet investing early to prevent conflicts from escalating into violent crises is, on average, 60 times more cost effective than intervening once violence erupts.
    • Between 1990 and 2017, women constituted only 2% of mediators, 8% of negotiators, and 5% of witnesses and signatories in all major peace processes.  
    • Yet when women are included in peace processes, there is a 35% increase in the probability of an agreement lasting at least 15 years.

     

    Sources: The New York Times and https://freakonometrics.hypotheses.org/50473 and http://www.olympiafor.org/prevention_60_1_cost_effective.pdf and http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/peace-and-security/facts-and-figures  

  • Reflections from ILNH Leadership

    Reflections from ILNH Leadership

    Contributed by Deb Kline.

    The big stand out for me this year was how fierce and unapologetic Indivizzies are about their love of democracy and humanity. It makes them brave and generous and it makes me believe that virtually anything is possible. Cindi Sternfeld

    What stood out for me was that every time I felt despair over the direction that T45, McConnell and Ryan and his evil, inept cabinet were taking our country, there was this team of dedicated Americans that took our values seriously. That our hard work could make a difference. That all over the country, we the majority rejected hate, ignorance and fear.  That I in my somewhat crippled state could work to help save our democracy. Priceless. Elycia Lerman 

    I have been extremely thankful for the grounding effect this group has on my jangled psyche.   I learn something (about myself, how to approach or frame an issue, how to be considerate of other viewpoints) at every LT meeting as we discuss, from our disparate backgrounds, matters that are important to us and to our work.  ILNH has allowed me to feel good about my contributions to the resistance – beyond the fact that I’m doing SOMETHING, to the fact that I’m part of group that does lots of somethings to good effect. Thank you all. Karen Mitchell

    I was warmed by all the new people who got involved with the election this year, and the not-new people who came back again & again.  We’re unstoppable, and we’re caring and smart and funny, and we’re unstoppable. Olga Vannucci

    Over the past year, I’ve been so grateful to be part of the ILNH community and have been continually inspired by the level of our constituents’ commitment to our country, positive change, and each other. Sarah Gold

    I am honored to have spent 2018 with a group of fierce and tenacious activists who have  fought tirelessly and succeeded in making real change in our country. Hats off to you my friends! Grateful for each and every one of you. Liz Peer

    Although I live very nearby, I feel isolated in my “red dot in a blue state.” I found a community that motivated me, inspired me to act – more than I ever have and I made beautiful friendships along the way. Beautiful. Nancy Boelter

    My first meeting was December 2017.  Cindi had on her famous red shoes. First I thought, “ I’m gonna like this chick.”  But more importantly (and even though I was already motivated to become more engaged as a activist) it was something Cindi said that struck a chord with me, she said something to the effect, “Don’t wait for someone to show up and do the work because that someone you’re waiting for is you.”  Well, dang. I was all in. And I love all of you for your zeal and commitment to a more humane and just world. Peace. Paige Barnett

    Amazed that providing community the space and direction enabled more political activation than seen in years, or decades.  We all worked in a integrated process that promoted optimism and empowerment. Diane Abatemarco

    We didn’t know if it would work – but we needed to try. I don’t know if I would have done half as much as I did if I didn’t feel the force of the ILNH community with me. On the second Sunday before the election, I took an early shift to canvass. There were only two groups that came at that time but we went on knocking on doors and, greeting people in pajamas excited to cast a Blue vote. Then, on returning to the staging site for the noon shift, the weary back road was jammed with cars like rush hour on Rt. 78.  Carloads of people pulling in to get their marching orders. I yelped and cried. I knew we won, regardless of the outcome of the election (although I still held my breath). We won because you all believed in the Blue Wave and knew that each of us played a critical role. Love wins. We win when love wins. Deb Kline

  • The Blue Wave Election Re-Cap and Update

    Contributed by Paige Barnett.

    The midterm elections were, to say the least, a real humdinger — a nail biter. They quite literally kept us on the edge of our seats.  “What ifs” come to mind: What if all the canvassing didn’t work? What if people didn’t get their postcards? What if people don’t care?  What if we don’t flip the House? What if? But…YOU DID IT! YOU REALLY DID IT! Door by door, post card by post card, voter by voter — you built the Blue Wave.  YOU showed up and YOU made it happen.

    So, how did it all go down on election night?  Initially, early returns on the night of November 6th seemed to indicate Democrats may have only gained a high tide, at best.  But then, one by one, as an increasing number of precincts reported, more blue ripples and streaks started turning up. Then – just like that, the Blue Wave surfaced with a might and glory that had not been seen in over 30 years.

    In New Jersey, only one Congressional District in the entire state remained red when all votes were counted. Tom Malinowski unseated Leonard Lance in District 7. Mikie Sherrill filled a seat in the 11th District that had been held by Republicans for more than 30 years. And, after an eight-day delay in a very tight race, Andy Kim unseated incumbent Tom MacArthur in District 3. And, Senator Bob Menendez clinched his bid for re-election, besting former pharma exec and Trump supporter, Bob Hugin.

    In Pennsylvania, the U.S. Senate seat was held by Bob Casey, and Tom Wolf won re-election for governor. Overall in the keystone state, Democrats held the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 8th and 18th districts and flipped the 5th, 6th, 7th and 17th districts for the House.¹

    We were saddened by some losses in hard-fought races, however.  Scott Wallace failed to unseat incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick for House of Representatives in Pennsylvania Congressional District 1.  While Helen Tai was successful in her bid in the May special election for the Pennsylvania General Assembly, she was unseated by Wendi Thomas for PA District 178 House of Representatives.  

    The governor’s races in Georgia and Florida were unfortunate losses for Democrats.  In a speech, Stacey Abrams refused to concede and called out the purging of the state’s voter rolls and suppression largely aimed at African-Americans.  Abrams has since filed a federal lawsuit.³ The Florida governor’s race found Andrew Gillum conceding 11 days after the election to the Republican candidate, Ron DeSantis.

    More recent election calls included Senate races in Florida and Arizona.  Republicans flipped the Florida seat, installing former governor Rick Scott, but Democrats flipped the Arizona seat by electing the first openly bi-sexual woman, Kyrsten Sinema.  The final Senate race was determined in a runoff MIssissippi on Nov. 27, with the Republican incumbent, Cindy Hyde-Smith, holding her seat against her challenger Mike Espy, Democrat.  In addition, delayed election results saw more Blue waves roll in with six House seats gained in California and one each in New York, Maine and Utah.⁴ In total, the Blue Wave secured 40 seats for Democratic legislators.

    It’s important to note that even where Democrats lost, the margin of victory in traditionally Red states and districts was significantly narrower than previous elections. Further, the election smashed records for expanding representation from broader demographics, with most running on the Democratic ticket. For the first time, elected officials are looking more like the rest of America with:

    • The first Muslim women to run and be elected are Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashid Talib (D-MI).  
    • The first Native American women elected are Deb Haaland (D-NM) and Sharice Davids (D-KS).  Davids is also the first openly gay woman to be elected to congress.
    • Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) is the first African American woman elected to Congress from her state.  
    • Jared Polis (D-CO) is the first openly gay and first Jewish man elected governor of his state.  
    • Chris Pappas (D-NH) is the first openly gay man elected to Congress for his state.  
    • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is the youngest woman elected to U.S. Congress.  
    • Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is the first female Senator to represent her state.
    • Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM) is the first Latino female governor of New Mexico.  
    • Janet Mills (D-ME) is the first female governor of Maine.   
    • 107 women ran and won seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.⁶  

    To summarize, the hard work done by the Blue Wave saw the Democrats gain control of the House and flip seven governorships. Democrats saw a net gain in six state trifectas, meaning they control the state’s governorship, state senate and state house.  Currently, Democrats hold 14 state trifectas while Republicans still hold 23 and 13 states remain divided.⁵

    As a whole, the Blue Wave moved the entire country to the left. 317 out of 435 Congressional districts (73%) were more blue on Election Day than they were in 2016.  That is an amazing feat! Never underestimate the power of the people.

    That is progress.