HAPPY HANUKKAH. CONGRESSMAN DAVID CICILLINE.

December 12, 2017
Dear David, At sundown tonight, the Jewish community will observe the first night of Hanukkah. This wonderful holiday commemorates the story of the Maccabees who fought for freedom, and whose incredible courage serves as a powerful reminder of the spirit of resilience that has defined the Jewish community for generations. Like so many of you, I’m looking forward to spending time with my family, lighting the menorah and reflecting on the past year. Every year, this Festival of Lights reminds us that even in the darkest of times, the human spirit has the capacity to shine brightly. This year in particular, we are mindful of the importance of staying true to our principles and our faith as we work to make the world a more just and peaceful place for all. I wish everyone celebrating tonight a very Happy Hanukkah. Warm Regards, David Cicilline Member of Congress

APA Eastern Division meeting: Call for volunteers.

Dear DAVID, We still have some volunteer opportunities available for the Eastern Division meeting of the American Philosophical Association to be held January 3–6 in Savannah, GA. Volunteers will be asked to work no more than three shifts of up to six hours (including daytime as well as some evenings) during the meeting. Volunteers will assist with registering attendees, managing registration lines, staffing exhibits, checking badges, and answering attendee questions. We will provide training prior to your first shift. Volunteers will receive free registration for the entire meeting so that you can attend any sessions you wish outside of your scheduled shifts, as well as receptions. We will also provide meals during your shifts. If you are interested in volunteering, complete our volunteer sign-up form by Wednesday, December 20. There are only a few volunteer openings available, and the positions will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. We look forward to seeing you in Savannah! All the best, Melissa Smallbrook Meeting Coordinator

DONALD TRUMPS AMERICA: MY WAY, OR ELSE. PART 2.

Now the question must be asked: Why is Donald Trump behaving in a manner that would seem to be
consistent with A WANNABE STRONGMAN/DICTATOR, WHOSE IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOR ONLY SERVES THE INTERESTS OF THE EXTREMIST WING OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

1-  His Campaign Strategy was exactly what you would expect from a Candidate who sought to Divide the Country by RACIAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC LINES. There is NOTHING HE HAS SAID, OR DONE, WHILE OCCUPYING THE WHITE HOUSE THAT SHOULD SUPRISE ANYONE WHO LISTENED TO HIS CAMPAIGN RHETORIC. TRUMP IS EXACTLY WHAT WE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE...

...AND IN THE WHITE HOUSE HE SITS.

2-  He did not earn the office of PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES THROUGH A FAIR AND HONEST ELECTION.  BOGUS VOTER TOTALS HANDED HIM THE OFFICE...
(See my posts on this subject.)

...AND IN THE WHITE HOUSE HE SITS.

3-  The Traditional Republican leadership supports him as long as Their Monetary Policies are tied up with the success of the SOCIETY OF HATE AGENDA THAT FUELS THE NEW FASCIST ELEMENT OF THE GOP.  They only turn on him if Their Financial Agenda of DISREGARDING THE NEEDS OF MOST AMERICANS, TO BENEFIT THE WEALTHY, FAILS...

...AND IN THE WHITE HOUSE HE SITS.

4-  Using the Office of President to Endorse and Promote "WEALTH BUILDING" programs on the Internet...

...AND IN THE WHITE HOUSE HE SITS.

GIVEN ALL OF THE ABOVE, WHY SHOULD TRUMP HOLD BACK HIS DESIRE TO MOLD
THE U.S. INTO A COUNTRY THAT MIMICS THE BELIEFS OF HIS BIGGEST SUPPORTERS,
THE FAR RIGHT FANATICS. AFTER ALL, NO CONSEQUENCES SO FAR...

FREEDOM UNITED. INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY.

Dear David, Today is International Human Rights Day, commemorating when the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights sixty-nine years ago. Since then, we’ve seen human rights activism evolve from being led by nations and global agencies to everyday people like you and me uniting our voices to help improve the human condition. We want to show you why being an active part of the global movement to end modern slavery is crucial and today celebrate our supporters for the time, action and even donations they’ve given to secure freedom and justice for vulnerable people across the globe.   There is strength in numbers. Through Freedom United supporters’ help, we reached over 1.3 million people to tell them about our call to urge the UN to investigate and close slave markets in Libya.  This year we also brought global attention to persecution faced by anti-slavery activists working for the freedom of others in Turkmenistan, Mauritania and Thailand.  Together we’ve urged nations to create strong anti-slavery policies that protect vulnerable workers beyond their borders and called on media houses to uphold the dignity of survivor voices in storytelling and reporting.   Over the course of 2017, we’ve partnered with 32 new organizations around the world, generated 10 new and robust campaigns, got our anti-slavery message out to several million people on social media, and organized, on average, a new action every month, both digitally and on the ground.  Here are a few ways your voice has helped to secure justice and impact change on the global slavery problem in 2017: March Our campaign helped to free human rights activist and monitor Elena Urlaeva from detainment and punitive psychiatric treatment for her work monitoring state-sanctioned forced labor in Uzbekistan’s annual cotton harvest.   May We delivered over 180,000 signatures with partners Mining Justice Alliance, Mining Watch Canada and SumOfUs to Nevsun Resources’ Annual General Meeting in Vancouver to show the company and investors that profiting from slavery is unacceptable. August Building on momentum in the region, our Help End Forced Marriage in Lebanon campaign supported national efforts to repeal ‘marry your rapist’ laws that allowed perpetrators to escape punishment. September Together with our partner Yazda, our campaign urging the UN to take action on slavery perpetrated by ISIS resulted in the Security Council unanimously passing resolution 2379 to establish an Investigative Team to end slavery in conflict and prosecute those responsible for war crimes. October Queen Elizabeth II reportedly called for a Modern Slavery Act, similar to the United Kingdom’s 2015 law, to be adopted in all 52 Commonwealth countries in order to better tackle modern slavery and human trafficking globally. This potential support from the Queen is important because it’s a step toward getting modern slavery on the agenda at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2018. We thank you for tirelessly joining us in the fight against slavery. There’s still much work to do and we know we can count on you to keep the momentum. Here’s to even more campaign wins and significant strides toward justice in 2018! Please forward this email to inspire others to join us in this important work. Happy International Human Rights Day, Joanna, Alex, Miriam, Kat and the entire team at Freedom Unite