Message from the Founder
I started Protectors of Equality in Government (PEG) on November 9th when I realized that the America I loved was in danger.
Realizing I couldn’t make a difference alone, I utilized my experience founding both nonprofit and for-profit organizations and reached out to like-minded people to form PEG to preserve the American values we hold dear. When it became apparent that we couldn’t be as effective at protecting our civil rights as the ACLU, women’s reproductive rights as Planned Parenthood, and immigrant rights as the Immigrant Resource Center, we decided on our current modus operandi of supporting these established best-in-class organizations.
Mission
We believe that our government must never discriminate against anyone on the basis of their race, religion, national origin, gender identity, sexual preference, geographic location, political affiliation, age, skin color, or physical ability. Therefore:
- We will work to recruit and engage Americans to retain the equality and acceptance at the heart of our nation.
2) To work towards equal access to voting for all American citizens.
3) To work towards laws which protect all citizens from harassment and discrimination.
In next weeks newsletter I’ll describe how we support the organizations and activities we endorse and why we are a nonpartisan volunteer organization. Chuck Newman
We need your help building PEG. Click here to see see a list of volunteer opportunities. If you might be willing to be a PEG volunteer or to learn more, email info@equalityingov.org and put “VOLUNTEER” in the email subject line.
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Actions you can take now and Events you should know about
Each newsletter offers a group of events with their dates and locations. We want to make it easy for you to know about and participate in these important events and to choose the ones that most directly reflect your own commitments.
In the aftermath of the Senate’s defunding of Planned Parenthood, we can each do the following to support Planned Parenthood:
About to celebrate its 100th birthday, Planned Parenthood has always been there for us and our families— a source of birth control and reproductive care for women, with or without insurance.
1) Access their local web site: www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-michigan where you will receive both inspiration and specific directions on how you can help them.
2) Call your representatives in Congress to urge them to support Planned Parenthood.
3) Attend Planned Parenthood events.
4) Volunteer: Consult their web site for a myriad of opportunities to help fundraise and publicize Planned Parenthood.
5) Publicize your efforts on Facebook or Twitter or other social media.
6) Donate however much you can afford—and maybe what you can’t.
What do you care about? Education? Health Care? Roads?
Share your priorities with your Washtenaw County State Representatives at our This Is Your House Town Hall. Your State Representatives, Donna Lasinski, Yousef Rabhi, Adam Zemke and Ronnie Peterson, want to hear from you!
Thursday, April 13
6:30-8 p.m.
Scio Township Hall Board Room
827 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor
Contact Rep. Lasinski at 517-373-0828 or DonnaLasinski@house.mi.gov with any questions.
April Basic Bystander Intervention Trainings
As we see media accounts of attacks against immigrants, Muslims, and other populations, many of us have asked ourselves, “What would I do if I were there?”
The good news is that there are skills and techniques that you can learn and practice to keep others safe. You don’t have to be passive. This training will give you the basic tools you need on how to respond.
With over 20 years teaching non-violent communication methods and being on peacekeeping teams, Sheri Wander, trainer for Meta Peace Team, and other ICPJ facilitators will co-teach the basic tactics you can use to de-escalate or redirect threats and harassment.
In addition to the full-cost tickets below through the reservation link below we have set aside a number of free or reduced cost tickets for each event for those who need them. There are also some spaces set aside for members of targeted communities (people of color, LGBTQ community, Muslims, immigrants, etc). Email info@icpj.org or call 734-663-1870 for details.
***There are two Basic Bystander Intervention Training workshops being offered in April. Please select for the date/place you desire when you reserve your spot.***
Pre-registration is required. Please register here.
Ann Arbor: Sunday, April 23 from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm @ First Congregational Church Ann Arbor, 608 E William St, Ann Arbor
Dexter: Sunday, April 30 from 1:00 – 5:00 pm @ St. James Episcopal Church, 3279 Broad St, Dexter, MI
MARCH FOR SCIENCE Date: April 22
We will start on the Diag at 12, leave the Diag at about 12:45pm. Estimated end time of 2pm, depending on crowd. The exact route will be announced closer to the date.
Sister march of the national March for Science.
Twitter: @ScienceMarchA2Email: MarchForScienceA2@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/events/1237144609734310/?active_tab=about
[INSERT INFORMATION ABOUT PEG event April 30th. I’ve requested it.]
Educational Town Hall on Redistricting
Would you like to know more about Michigan’s current system for drawing electoral districts, and how other states have reformed their redistricting systems? I am hosting a panel discussion on redistricting and its profound effects on our democracy. I strongly believe that voters should pick their representatives, not the other way around, so a fair redistricting system is essential.
Monday, April 24
6 p.m.
Multipurpose Room
Downtown Ann Arbor District Library
343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor
Community Discussions: Yousef Rahbi and YOU
Yousef looks forward to the chance to meet many of you in person and to discuss your priorities for our state. To that end, he will be holding open forums in Ann Arbor twice a month. If you have questions about what’s going on in Lansing or would like to let me know what issues are important to you, he hopes to join him at one of these events.
Monday, April 10
6 p.m.
Mallett’s Creek Ann Arbor District Library
3090 E. Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor
Saturday, April 28
10 a.m.
RoosRoast Coffee
1155 Rosewood St., Ann Arbor
State Representative Yousef Rabhi
53rd House District
Environmental Justice
Protectors of Equality in Government is presenting Lisa Wozniak, the Executive Director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, who will be speaking on the subject of Environmental Justice on April 30th. This event is co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Center of Ann Arbor and will be held at the Center, 2935 Birch Hollow Drive in Ann Arbor, on April 30th at 3pm.
At this event attendees will have the opportunity to learn about joining small groups of like minded individuals to achieve PEG’s mission.
If you attend any of these events or participate in any of these activities, we would appreciate your sending us a short email at info@equalityingov.org describing what you thought of them.
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Interesting reading, listening and viewing
Sue Smith Vice-President of the League of Women Voters gave a comprehensive presentation on “Redistricting in Michigan: Should Politicians Choose Their Voters.” Click here to see her presentation.
John Bebow is the CEO and President of the Center for Michigan and the Bridge Magazine, Michigan’s premier investigative reporting publication. Click here to see his presentation on “Sustaining Journalism in the Public Interest in the Age of Alternative Facts “.
The New Yorker’s Kathryn Schulz wrote a wonderfully instructive article on “What Calling Congress Achieves.” “It’s said to be the most effective way to petition the government, but does it really make a difference?” Read the article here.
For more on redistricting listen to this NPR podcast by clicking here.
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For more information regarding Protectors of Equality in Government go to www.equalityingov.org
To contact us email to info@equalityingov.org
To follow us on facebook click here
To be on PEG’s contact list click here. Please forward this newsletter to others you think might be interested in being part of the effort to see that we have equality and acceptance in our government.