Federal officers, having deprived Alex Pretti of his liberty, retrieve a firearm from Pretti’s waistband holster moments before depriving Pretti of his life.
Quote of the Week
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government…”
— The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.
Action of the Week: Speak Up for Data Privacy
The Moment for Meaningful Privacy Protection Is Now! Senator Creem Needs to Hear from You! Massachusetts is on the verge of passing its first comprehensive data privacy law, banning the sale of peoples’ sensitive data. Senator Cindy Creem’s leadership could be decisive. The Private Right of Action (i.e., the right of individuals to sue large corporations that violate the law) is the most important provision for Senator Creem to defend. It targets the data brokers trading in our digital lives and the ad tech giants tracking us across apps and locations. Industry lobbyists are fighting to strip it out of the bills.
Learn more at the Commonwealth Advocacy Team webpage. Contact Senator Creem by phone at (617) 722-1639 or email at cynthia.creem@masenate.gov. Consider using this Progressive Newton action alert link.
Rallies Action Team
Join us on Saturday, July 18th, from noon to 1:30 p.m., in Newton Centre (corner of Centre and Beacon Streets), for a special Good Trouble Lives On standout to honor the legacy of Congressman John Lewis, protect voting rights, and protest voter suppression laws. Make your voice heard! Bring signs and spread the word. Learn about opportunities for action. We are joining the Weekend of Action sponsored by Indivisible, the Transformative Justice Coalition, Move On, and other groups.
Learn about Congressman Lewis.
Massachusetts Can Undo Citizens United
Learn how Massachusetts can undo the Citizens United decision and rein in Super PACs. Read the Center for American Progress (CAP) report or watch their short video.
Candidate Forum for our 4th US Congressional District
Join us on Monday, July 13th, at 7:15 to 8:15 p.m., to virtually meet the incumbent Democratic candidate to represent Massachusetts’ Fourth Congressional District in the US Congress (CD-4), Jake Auchincloss. Register here. Learn more about Jake Auchincloss.
A large group joined our previous forum to virtually meet Jason Poulos, who is the challenging Democratic candidate to represent Massachusetts’ CD-4. An independent researcher with expertise in artificial intelligence and policy, Poulos has pledged to not accept money from corporate PACs, crypto PACs, AIPAC, or DMFI. Watch the Poulos forum or learn more about Jason Poulos.
Elections Action Team
The next meeting will take place via Zoom on Monday, July 13th, at 8:30 p.m. instead of the usual 7:00 p.m. time due to the Candidate Forum (see above). If you would like to receive invitations to our team meetings, please email us at elections@newton-indivisible.org.
Head over to the Elections Action Team page to find opportunities to take action!
Laughtivism Action Team
The Laughtivism Action Team will meet in-person at our regular meeting location in Newton Centre on Wednesday, July 8th, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. We will plan our presentation for the Wokestock Festival. Join us to protest with joy, humor and creativity. For more info contact laughtivism@newton-indivisible.org.
Wokestock Festival
Please come to the Wokestock Festival on July 18th, from noon to 9:00 p.m., at beautiful Herter Park on Soldier’s Field Road in Brighton on the Charles River. Enjoy art, activism, and music, including contributions from our own Laughtivism Action Team!
“More Perfect Union” Video from the Storytellers Action Team
Watch the first “More Perfect Union” video from the Storytellers Action Team.
Like the video and subscribe to our YouTube channel to catch all of our new videos this summer.
More Opportunities to Take Action
Please visit our Opportunities to Take Action page for a listing of important ongoing initiatives. The list is updated weekly along with our newsletter.
Contribute Newsletter Items
To submit items for inclusion in our Newsletter, please send them to newsletter@newton-indivisible.org and include an image if possible. Submissions will be edited for brevity and clarity. The submission deadline is Monday at 10:00 a.m., and the newsletter goes live on the website and is sent to our mailing list on Tuesday mornings.
Please Share Photos and Videos
If you have photos or videos related to Newton Indivisible activities that you are willing to share with our Storytellers Action Team, please use our Upload Page to share them for use in our newsletter and social media channels.
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Newton Indivisible
c/o Larry Denenberg, Treasurer
31 Ripley Street
Newton, MA 02459-2209
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This weekly newsletter is brought to you by Newton Indivisible. To send a message to the leadership team, use our Contact Form or email info@newton-indivisible.org.