by Cat Zavis
So for a brief moment, when Trump announced he would sign an executive order ending snatching children from their parents, I let myself cry tears of relief. This is an important and immediate victory for families that would otherwise have been separated. While it is not enough, our voices do matter. It would be so easy to go into despair, but in fact, Trump backed down – that in itself seems miraculous.
Sign from #KeepFamiliesTogether action on June 1, 2018 in Oakland, CA.
Does it mean the struggle is over? Of course not. Not on this issue and not on transforming the world. We are living in truly surreal times. The depravity, heartlessness, and cruelty of this administration and Republican party cannot be better demonstrated than by Melania wearing a jacket when visiting the detention camps for children wearing a jacket that says, “I Really Don’t Care, Do You?” Yes, WE DO CARE. Thousands and thousands of us care a whole hell of a lot. And we will continue to care and oppose the unjust, inhumane, devastating policies of this administration, on this and so many other issues.
To keep pressure on this administration and Congress, here are four things you can do to continue to challenge the unjust detention camps that will hold families indefinitely.
- Attend a protest or rally. On June 30 there will be actions all over the country protesting Trump’s cruel and inhuman treatment of immigrant families. Click here to find the action nearest you. If you do participate, we encourage you to print out and bring the NSP Brochure to distribute at the events. We’ve also created some 8.5 x 11 posters that you’re welcome to print and display at rallies––you can find those here.
- Sign our petition to members of Congress – you can do so here (https://tinyurl.com/yalfpogk). Please share the link with your friends on social media. The more people who sign, the better we’ll be able to make our voices heard: #KeepFamiliesTogether&Free.
- Write your local paper about family separation. Here is a sample letter you can send to your local paper. Feel free to personalize it. If you do send a letter, whether it gets printed or not, please send it to us at chris@tikkun.org so we know!
- Pressure companies that are benefitting from these policies. Click here for a list of companies benefitting from these detention centers––boycott, call, and let them know you will not stand for these inhumane policies.
If making America great again means bringing us back to the time when we snatched kids from parents, set-up internment camps, saw women, people of color, and LGBTQ people as second-class citizens, and undermined environmental laws so our waters and earth are poisoned and animals become extinct, then we are certainly on our way. Yet, we know that while the voices of evil and destruction seem to be flourishing, this too will pass because so many more people deeply yearn for a loving and just world where kindness, generosity, care, and love prevail. So don’t lose hope!
In addition to fighting on each specific issue, we must remember that we need to put forth a vision of the world we want. Resistance is simply not enough. We, at the Network of Spiritual Progressives, are working to bring this vision and voice to social change movements and organizations around the country. We hope you will consider joining our efforts.
Want to support our work? Help Tikkun & the Network ofSpiritual Progressives continue to mobilize Jewish, interfaith, and secular-humanist communities to heal and transform the world. We pledge to continue to resist Trump’s agenda and put forward a positive, long-term strategy for social change. To do so, we need your help. Can we count on your support?
Yes, I’ll chip in $10 a month.
