Weekly Member Update - June 23, 2025
We awoke Sunday morning at war in the Middle East. Again. For many of us, war in the Middle East has been a permanent state of affairs for the entirety of our lives, but Donald Trump rode into office promising to end the United States’ forever wars. Of course, he’s broken that promise as fast as he did all the others and, on Saturday night, our armed forces dropped more than a dozen 30,000-pound bombs on Iranian nuclear development sites. Let’s not forget, we used to have the ability to inspect – and therefore limit – the Iranian nuclear energy/weapons program. But Trump, in his infinite wisdom, trashed the Iran Nuclear Deal because Barack Obama had signed it. So, thanks to the stable genius, we no longer have insight into the scope of the Iranian nuclear program, allowing Bibi Netanyahu to dog-walk Trump into the use of military force without apparent justification and in the absence of Congressional approval. As of this writing, it is unclear whether Trump’s reckless use of American military might will have unanticipated consequences and drag us back into protracted conflict. But we’re not feeling too confident with Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the helm.
To those that think war with Iran is some sort of distraction, we share the contrary view that it is all part of one great authoritarian project by King Trump and his minions. We don’t need to look any further than our American farms and worksites to see the most glaring example of this Country’s totalitarian turn, with new stories being told every day of ICE’s wanton cruelty in furtherance of Trump’s (and Stephen Miller’s) mass deportation obsession. All across the country, the American people are watching their neighbors get taken away by masked men claiming to be federal agents. One day, it is the breastfeeding new mom torn away from her toddler; another day, it is the undocumented father of three US Marines being assaulted in broad daylight. But Americans everywhere are pushing back, shaming ICE out of their communities, building cooperative groups to protect their undocumented neighbors and telling Donald Trump in poll after poll that this is not the America we want. Donald Trump wants to be a dictator but, in a million ways large and small, the American people are standing up against him.
Meanwhile, in DC, the United States Senate will soon be taking up the MAGA Murder Budget, otherwise known as Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, quite possibly the most atrocious piece of legislation to ever have the chance of becoming actual law. The massive tax breaks for billionaires and the evisceration of the social safety net get the headlines, but that’s just scratching the surface of this “budget” bill. Do you think we should auction off vast swaths of National Park land to development and mining? This bill does that. Do you want to prohibit states from regulating AI, so that tech oligarchs can do everywhere what Elon Musk has done in Memphis? This bill is for you. Do you think that ICE needs to have their budget exploded so that they can take their campaign of terror and oppression to a city or town near you? This bill does that and more. Do you care about the national debt? Republicans apparently do not. The bottom line is that this budget reconciliation bill would dramatically reorient American society, and the American people are not on board. The national Indivisible organization has organized phone banks in opposition to the MAGA Murder Budget that you can join in from the comfort of your home, starting tonight and continuing every night through Thursday. We encourage everyone to join in.
Tuesday, June 24 is Primary Day in the Capital Region, and the Times Union has provided a voter’s guide if you are still looking for races to watch. The election reform activists at Unite NY will be out in force that day, using Primary Day as an opportunity to Picket the Polls in big cities across the state and draw attention to New York’s antiquated closed Primary system. Here in Albany, the awareness event is taking place outside the Bach Branch of the Albany Public Library on New Scotland Avenue beginning at 5:00.
The day after Primary Day, on Wednesday, June 25, Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood will be commemorating the three-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v Wade. We will be standing in solidarity with Planned Parenthood and calling for a restoration of our fundamental bodily autonomy beginning at 5:00 outside of UHPP’s offices at 855 Central Avenue in the City of Albany.
Speaking of attacks on bodily autonomy, last week, the Supreme Court of the United States opened the door for states to roll back the rights of transgender people and, in response, our friends at the Pride Center of the Capital Region need our help. In anticipation of an influx of families headed to New York to obtain the medical care their children need, the Pride Center is looking to provide additional social work resources here in the Albany area. Please donate here to help the Pride Center in its crucial work.
On Saturday, June 28, we’re partnering with other local groups for another STOP Avelo Day of Action. A whole bunch of you came out last month, despite cold and rainy conditions, to protest Avelo Airlines, the discount air carrier that flies out of Albany International Airport and which has contracted with the Trump Administration to conduct deportation flights for ICE. Since we last gathered in opposition to Avelo’s deal with the devil, Avelo has conducted hundreds of deportation flights to assist ICE in its nationwide campaign of terror, so this month we need even more of you to come out and send a message to ICE’s corporate enablers. We hope to see you, at the intersection of Wolf and Albany-Shakers Roads, beginning at 11:30 on Saturday! Register here so that we know to expect you!
Next, you’ve probably heard that the next big day of national action will honor the great civil rights icon, Congressman John Lewis, on the five-year anniversary of his passing on July 17. Good Trouble Lives On is a national day of nonviolent action to respond to the attacks posed on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration and to remind them that, in America, the power lies with the people. We are still working with our local partners on designing a fitting tribute to Congressman Lewis, so watch this space for more information as it develops.
Finally, be reminded that our next Monthly Membership meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 14 at the Guilderland Public Library. Each month we keep seeing more new faces and expect that July will be no different, so register here to let us know that you are coming!