Full disclosure 1: RantWoman always finds Cal Anderson Park cramped and uncomfortable, for reasons she can't quite put her finger on. RantWoman thinks Gas Works Park sounds like a MUCH more fun place to hold a rally / worship service than Cal Anderson Park. Sun. Water. Rehabilitated industrial site. Sense of spaciousnes, the glory of God.
Full Disclosure 2: statement from RantWoman's faith community, the North Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends about welcoming transgender people
Full Disclosure #3: RantWoman has not researched which other faith communities identify as open and affirming. RantWoman thinks it would be a very good idea for local faith communities to speak up frankly about free exercise of religion (for any faith or no faith) and respect for religious pluralism.
Full Disclosure #4: Ditto for anyone running for office, not just Mayor Harrell.
Lately RantWoman has been wading into some of the pronouncements from local commentator Brandi Kruse.
This is probably a thankless venture, but RantWoman is going there anyway, purely for spills and thrills. This post has been fermenting but still seems topical.
Oh please.
The sign is not a call to violence. It's a statement of principle, two principles in fact. 1. Palestinians absolutely have a right to armed resistance which I am fine with for better or worse and "You can't be pro-Palestinian unless..." I do not agree with that assertion. I am not Palestinian. Based on people I know with a long track record of working for Palestinian human rights that the statement does not apply to all Palestinians.
That said, I believe the UW is taking seriously a legal obligation under the federal Privacy act, which is probably wise considering they are dealing with a recent law school graduate. There is something to be said for just ignoring attention seekers. Also, in this case, the person left when politely asked, so I from a non-lawyer perspective do not think there is a disturbance to prosecute. HOWEVER hundreds of people heard the person's name so presumably if someone thinks something criminal, as opposed to merely disagreeable occurred, is anything stopping them from trying to file criminal charges?
The last point: law school graduates still have to take bar exams and be admitted to the bar in order to practice law. Anyone who has an issue with the person's conduct at graduation is free to take the matter up with a bar association.
RantWoman offers the following slices of international media coverage.
RantWoman apologizes for not having energy to summarize key points. RantWoman is afraid her head will explode if she spends too much time on this coverage of #GazaGenocide, lies, lies, lies
Brave act by Pakistan; calls US veto blocking food for Gaza children ‘mo...
Protest Curmudgeon erupts again, regarding the Christian rock performance and counter protest at Cal Anderson Park. The bottom of this rant has links to many of the sources RantWoman has interacted with.RantWoman apologizes for sometimes lacking precise citation and is trying to make clear which points are speculation and which are derived from long familiarity with the tiresome repetitiveness of protest dynamics in Seattle.
For background, RantWoman hails from a definitely open and affirming faith community and here is an example of a relevant statement.
RantWoman still has not connected with members of various faith communities who sent out an emergency email about an event later in the day. After hearing on Twitter / X about melees and arrest, RantWoman decided that bad eyes did not need to get mixed up in whatever was going on and that RantWoman needed to deal with mundane matters such as grocery shopping.
RantWoman believes strongly both in free exercise of religion and in religious pluralism. RantWoman just decided that social media is going to have to be her venue.
b-b-but RantWoman...
Yeah. RantWoman has skimmed the Mayday USA tour website, the website for the On Fire ministry. RantWoman is not sure we are reading the same bible, but does have, at least for Capitol Hill, a higher than average tolerance for diversity of religious messages.
Call RantWoman a cynic though: chances are pretty good that somewhere in the Mayday USA crowd there is someone struggling with their sexuality or their gender identity or some kind of abuse experience who might have caregivers completely unequipped to walk with someone, someone who might DESPERATELY want some kind of emotional safety valve.
But No. NO! NO!
Nothing says safety for transgender youth like people sort of trying to speak up for transgender youth by just chanting "fascists go away," and getting tackled by police, by getting everyone drowned in pepper spray and raising questions about whether officers' body cams are even turned on.
B-b-but one of the Burner podcast staff was told that the praying group had rented the whole park.
Is this a thing? It's hard enough for people who live here to rent even one picnic shelter. How do people who bus in from out of town get to rent a whole park? RantWoman is also amused by a comment about a police officer telling a journalist just to pick a side. It's STILL A PUBLIC PARK.It's open worship with a come as you are message. Aren't people allowed just to come and watch?
B-b-but they weren't just watching.
Noted. Needs more investigation.
Finally RantWoman has had enough recreational blood pressure elevation and is not going to delve too far into the background and religious witness of Mr. Ross Johnson, of Spokane's On Fire ministries, but RantWoman has one thing to say to him:
No. NO NO!
Dear Mr. Ross Johnson
No, you DO NOT get to bus into town, demand to put your anti gay "worship service" in the gayest neighborhood in Seattle and then demand that Mayor Harrell resign. For one thing there is an election coming up. You don't get to vote unless you move to this hellhole one of your prayer service attenders basically in need of cleansing.
But thank you, RantWoman supposes for contributing to the latest rounds of:
--rage on the internet about what a godless hell hole Seattle is and how everyone involved in protests should be locked up
--Rantings on social media about protestors going unpunished
--complaints from the Seattle Police Officers Guild that Seattle PD is understaffed. (They are but many parts of town would probably prefer more ordinary neighborhood patrols and less pepper spray.)
PS. Maybe don't brag on X about starting a riot just by praying.
No, RantWoman did not watch the whole video. After some testimonials, RantWoman skipped forward several times. At the end of the show, people who attended were exhorted to pick up their trash and guys were exhorted to walk women to their cars. RantWoman had an ick reaction but was fine with "don't walk alone."
Check out #DontMessWithOurKids on your favorite social media platform
Unthinkable act by US Senator as Marco Rubio reminded of violation by Ne...
Thank you, Senator Merkley for your frank questioning.
Random RantWoman observation: Israel has been stalling about anything to do with Right of Return for Palestinians for decades. Why should anyone belive Secretary Rubio now?
RantWoman offers a sampling of today's Israel news items. RantWoman does not have energy to pull out every nugget to be had here, but does consider these items rich with points to ponder.
Trump completes Netanyahu’s insult with hostage release, spokesperson lo...
1. MAYBE if you are thoughtful, protestors detained in the recent protests at the UW Interdisciplinary Engineering Building MAY be able to negotiate some way to stay off campus and still finish classes. RantWoman has no opinion beyond that, or rather RantWoman has opinions that probably everyone is going to find problematic. More on that shortly.
2. Some or all of you are likely to face criminal charges. RantWman is not a lawyer and is not going to comment about that beyond the observation that there are plenty of voices demanding criminal consequences.
3. It is never a bad day to condemn the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. There have been abundant opportunities to do that for decades, since long before October7. Again, more on RantWoman's thinking, the role of the academy, job hunting, conscience and more separately..
Now back up a few steps.
Y'all have again aroused eruptions from Protest Curmudgeon. Protest Curmudgeon, aka RantWoman is old enough to be your mother and probably in some cases your grandmother. RantWoman is not up on every detail of student movements at protests at the University of WA, but back in the mists of last century, RantWoman graduated from college on disciplinary probation because of a protest about South Africa. RantWoman is probably taking some risks by putting together all of the comments below; RantWoman hopes the risks are worthwhile.
Say it loud. Say it again.Any day would be an excellent day to keep speaking out loudly and clearly about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A really clear ask, needed for decades. A clear ask of whoever might make a difference is It's not just that 2 million people starving to death under Israeli watch seems to RantWoman VERY unlikely to lessen the level of anti-semitism in the world. RantWoman also does not understand how chasing campus anti-semitism is supposed to help when the ones braying most loudly are also sitting down to dinner with holocaust deniers and avowed white separatists. RantWoman can though agree that lots of people on many sides of Middle East conflicts are making piles of money in the arms business.
Next, we take massive property damage at a building called the "Interdisciplinary Engineering Building." As someone who spends a lot of time reminding engineers why humanities classes are good for everyone and redefining the scope of projects, the very idea of an Interdisciplinary Engineering Building sounds awesom to RantWoman. In fact, RantWoman has contributed as a community member to a number of different computer-science and transportation related projects at the UW I school. So RantWoman, is definitely not charmbed by the scale of property damage seriously.and definitely does not think the current presidential administration is likely to offer anything good for what RantWoman considers extremely valuable and constructive projects.
RantWoman can imagine--but has NO INTENTION of penning--a manifesto about "Look at this mess! Does it remind you of any place, like say GAZA? Do you want to live in Gaza? Do you want to turn the whole campus into Gaza? How about we find a way to talk and do better?"
RantWoman is NOT volunteering to write any manifesto, butwhat to do? In the current humanitarian crisis, people are likely to starve to death in Gaza long before either Boeing or the U of WA respond to absolutist demands. But people can and should demand an end to the two-month total humanitarian blockade of Gaza. So, say it loud. Say it whenever and whereever you can, End the Total humanitarian blockade of Gaza.
Next, we have numbers. To some extent, RantWoman empathizes with people who just want to study and get a good job." But in the case of the college sit-in RantWoman knows best two things matter. The sit-in happened against a background of more than half the entire campus, undergrads and graduate students signing a petition calling on the university to divest from companies doing business in South Africa. The sit-in RantWoman's senior year was one of several from previous years.
The sit-in RantWoman's senior year was not exactly because of something new about South Africa. The sit-in happened because, after the umpteenth divestment resolution was turned down in the Board of Trustees, the President of the University said something in the campus paper about closing discussion. The campaign asked the President to find a way to restate whatever he meant to say. He said he was misquoted and would not correct that quote out of fear that in the future people go after him about anything that he said that got printed in the campus paper..
Before RantWoman's college sit-in one person involved in the campus campaign called RantWoman to say he supported the demonstration but did not feel able to participate out of concern not to endanger his commissioning due from his ROTC scholarship. That person has probably long retired. If he hadn't, he is the "wrong" color and at risk of being insultingly labelled "#DEIHire,"by a graduate of the same institution now working beyond his depth in the current administration.
The actual demonstration took place during finals week, at the best-known administration building, an edifice that briefly served as the nation's capital. The plan was just to blockade all the doors and not let anyone in until the university divested of its holdings in companies that do business in South Africa.. RantWoman imagines there may have been some chalk art but no other property damage. Also, little impediment to people needing to get around most of the campus.
The university did not of course immediately divest. Instead, 89 students, 49 seniors, out of a total campus of 4800 plus or minus were detained by campus police, delivered to the local police station, processed and sent home facing two charges. RantWoman had a final the afternoon of the sit-in and considers herself VERY fortunate to have gotten processed in time to go home, have lunch and then go to her final.
The sit-in got a lot of publicity including interest from lawyers who offered both legal help and suggestions. One lawyer suggested just having everyone plead guilty. RantWoman was part of the not guilty caucus who thought it was dishonest to plead guilty if one does not feel guilty. That stance let to a group conversation with a local firm. By that time, the protestors had already asked the university to drop charges against anyone who might have visa problems. The firm suggested that protestors could ask that for everyone. That team also noted that no one had any intention of suing the university, that the protest was about South Africa.
Happy ending sort of.
All criminal charges were dropped in fairly short order. At the next Board of Trustees meeting, there was an announcement of a divestment of a small holding which may just not have been doing well.
RantWoman's bottom lines:
The humanitarian crisis in #Gaza is NOW. Address that. End the humanitarian blockade. Peace in the Middle East is going to take longer, so buckle up.
Universities are vital spaces where people can come together and learn. That role must remain even when conversations get difficult.
Actions have consequences. Deal with them. Don't expect consequences to go away just because of more earnest pleas.
RantWoman is by turns deeply saddened, horrified and furious on multiple grounds about renewed college campus protests. The most immediate message RantWoman would like to hear, from as many directions as possible, even before lots of pieces play out further:
Call for Immediate Aid Access to Gaza
The world is at an all-hands-on-deck moment, because of the total blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza. For more than two months, now, there has been no food, water, fuel, or medicine allowed to reach over 2 million Palestinians and the remaining Israeli hostages. Massive starvation is imminent. The problem is not a lack of food. Aid agencies are poised with 3,000 truckloads of humanitarian aid waiting at the border but barred from entry.
Make a public statement immediately calling for unfettered humanitarian access into Gaza in compliance with international law.
Take action now to save lives.
Just DO IT. Don't get stuck about what Boeing will or won't do or about divestment. Start from the immediate humanitarian crisis.
On religious notes:
RantWoman once attended an event where it took facilitators an hour and a half of back-and-forth discussion to get to enough agreement to have opening prayers. Praying together is not everyone's go-to but prayer seems highly on point for anyone who prays.
RantWoman considers it antisemitic to give anyone a pass about genocide because of their religion. RantWoman does not know of a single religious tradition that does not in some way or another call people to find their better selves and to get along with others.
Also, IT'S NOT COLLEGE if one does not encounter ideas and circumstances that challenge at least one core part of one's identity. Hopefully this results in stronger, wiser, more aware and flexible contributors to the fabric of society!
Enough said, or RantWoman's Dial-a-Tirade will erupt!
Will #Donny2Dolls and his tariffs drop a GIANT load of reindeer turds all over Christmas?
And why we gotta think about the question in freaking APRIL / MAY???
RantWoman is going to let Lawrence Odonell explain it. Expect some punchy commentary after the video.
Lawrence: Donny 2 Dolls Trump's cruelty ignores little girl who asked hi...
Who the F gets THIRTY dolls for Christmas in the first place??? A LOT of kids can barly expect ANY dolls for Christmas, thank you so much for firings, #DOGE cuts... A whole new angle on #WarOnChristmas #Donny2Dolls just dumped a big giant pile of reindeer turds all over Christmas.
The question: Will public outcry force l #FelonDon to walk back more tariffs?
Full disclosure, RantWoman does not want to see tariffs ruin anyone's Christmas or anything else between now and Christmas. AND Barbie would not be on the top of RantWoman's list when thinking about gifts. So market harder Mattel.
This post is dedicated to a former co-worker who always said, when declining to schedule a meeting on Good Friday, "Jesus is dead and you expect me to work." Further theological meditations belong on RantWoman's other blog. The point of this post is a small rant and a couple comments about shared dining.
RantWoman did not go anywhere to church for Good Friday. RantWoman did not go find a livestream. It has to be enough that RantWoman thought about the entire subject.
In particular, RantWoman rode the bus to a favorite neighborhood fried chicken place. RantWoman does not do fried chicken very often, but it seemed an easy way to get a couple bones to make chicken stock. RantWoman walked a couple bus stops toward home to a stop where there are two buses that between them come at least every 15 minutes and go straight to the best evening stop for RantWoman. RantWoman wound up actually dining al fresco with enough time to spare to wipe her fingers well before needing to find her bus pass for the return trip.
Except RantWoman could NOT find her bus pass, at least not where RantWoman usually puts it. THANK YOU to the driver who let RantWoman ride free. RantWoman was embarrassed and kind of in a panic. RantWoman has places to go this weekend and does not carry cash. Somewhere in this muddle, RantWoman remembered that AT LEAST she could do whatever is needed to link her MyORCA app to her Google wallet
Honestly, RantWoman knows that paying one's fare from one's phone is supposed to be hip and wonderful. RantWoman, though, just finds the whole thought cumbersome. RantWoman almost always carries Ambassador Thwack the badly behaved white cane, a purse, another bag and of course her phone. RantWoman could probaby set her phone timeout interval longer, but it's just CUMBERSOM to have to wake the phone up, find the wallet and then wave the phone.
But WAIT! later yesterday evening, RantWoman dug frantically through all the various pockets in her daily gear and, ta-da!, found her actual physical bus pass.
RantWoman has been meaning to offer up a #Pandemic plus 5 years piece. RantWoman would prefer NOT to be offering up today's post.
Yesterday the RantSisters received a normal conscientious email from RantWoman's new abode: a small number of residents and one staffperson had tested positive for #COVID.
RantWoman did not immediately pick up the phone and demand "Mom, are YOU all right?" Instead RantWoman decided that either RantMom would share news herself or it could wait until the RantWomen's nightly phone chat. On the call, RantMom definitely sounded drippy and congested. She also mentioned knowing of the cases among her neighbors. AND she mentioned another common COVID onset symptom, as well as plans to stay home from a Tuesday volunteer gig. At this point, RantWoman had to say "MOM, GET TESTED."
Tonight, when the RantWomen chatted, RantMom sounded a little worse than yesterday. RantWoman's experience from her own long-avoided encounter with "the 'rona" is that the cough and effect on a person's voice are different than a regular cold. That was definitely true for RantMom who ruefully acknowledged what RantWoman suspected. RantMom tested positive and this time has symptoms!. RantMom also said she had eaten dinner with one of the other cases that tested positive a few days ago.
Bah! It's not like RantMom would ever let anyone tell her not to eat dinner with her neighbors. RantWoman also considers it a blessing that the dining companion this time is alive and recovering, not falling over dead.
So now RantMom is isolating. Meals come to her. She puts on a mask to run out and get mail or toss out trash. RantWoman would SO like to run over and give RantMom a hug. RantWoman is scratching her head about whether she can and should deliver something supportive. The RantWomen also talked about masks. Neither of us is crazy about paper masks. Cloth masks are imperfect but some mask is always better than no mask.
Maybe another day RantWoman will go on some about:
--the assortment of different masks still lurking in coat pockets and bags
--how good it felt to move along some mail order shoes that never fit right to their destiny in the rest of the universe.
--assorted meditations about cooking and technology
--the colorful but not always perfectly fitting blouses RantWoman spent some of her #Pandemic stimulus payments on.
--the new bed from Amazon and why RantWoman is definitely peeved with Jeff Bezos on Constitutional and political grounds.
Tonight, though, it's all about RantMom. If you pray, prayers would be appreciated.
Confession: if people in RantWoman's faith community routinely gave things up for Lent, RantWoman would have to TRY to give up schadenfreude about Things Not Going Elon's Way although gratitude for Acts of God might also be in order.
1. As a rabid pedestrian safety advocate, RantWoman is completely disgusted by Elon's posture about European safety standards. RantWoman will be even more disgusted if Elon tries to throw his weight around to get rid of standards or throw people out of office over the issue.
2. SpaceX rocket blows up all over FL where Gov. DeSantis signed law exempting SpaceX from liability.
3. There is still enough left of the FAA that someone had the sense to close FOUR airports until the rocket debris settles out of flight paths.
4. MAYBE there is some "Repent! The End is Near " message about anything to do with DOGE, Starlink at the FAA, etc.
MAYBE.
PS. Does Elon have enough money just to send himself off to Mars RIGHT NOW?
PPS. In other judgmental witch observations, RantWoman desperately wishes Elon and all his baby-mommas would face some social welfare intervention forcing them to develop responsible parenting plans for all their children.
For everyone needing some concise MEASLES commentary
RantWoman will have to look up any MMR boosters since moving to Seattle but DEFINITELY remembers getting an adult dose because of a small outbreak connected to campus while RantWoman was in grad school.
The musical soundtrack and the word of the hymns are a fascinating aspect of this video. I would have to think to articulate the points that seem significant. It definitely enhances the sense of theater.
Kamala and Barack are the only two people of color in this sea of white people. I don't think it would have helped to have Michelle Obama there. I wonder whether there is a gender aspect to the visual exchange or lack of between Kamala and Barack
As an asterisk, Trump clearly cleans up well, compared for instance to the sketch artist images from his NY trial. But I also mean that there have been SO many comments about his body odor at different points and there was NO indication of that from anyone around him.
All of the former Presidents are smiling because as one of you noted, they are very attuned to engaging and they are all with their peers.
Hillary and Kamala are the only two women who have ever been at the top of a national party ticket and they have both lost to someone who has SUCH a long and deplorable record of behavior toward women. If I were writing an SNL sketch about this sequence, it might be WAY too much to play that up WAY beyond what is anywhere near appropriate at a state funeral. Daggers in their eyes....
The comments about the wives were interesting.
I am guessing that some of Emhoff's expression might be desire to protect his wife. He is also the only Jew in the group at this very Christian funeral. He is probably used to that feeling of difference, but I imagine this might have been exacerbated in the context of everything else.
I think Trump might be a little bit afraid of heat from his base if he admits to friendliness, even faint, with Obama.
Anyway the commentary is really interesting. I am legally blind and probably would have missed everything here without the commentary.
As long as RantWoman is sinking a ton of time into the matters related to the incoming administration, why should readers of this blog miss the opportunity to share in some of RantWoman's opinions?
#Petehegseth #SecDef
Merely being a Princeton grad does not make one qualified to be #SecDef. I for instance am also a Princeton grad and not even interested in being Secretary of Defense.
THANK YOU for calling out the President Elect's bent toward military action. No one asked questions about times when the point is NOT to use military force. I am troubled also by repeated comments about using the military INSIDE the US as well.
Why should Joni Ernst be the only point person about women in the military? Shouldn't EVERYONE on the Armed Services committee be concerned about Mr. Hegseth's attitudes and behavior toward women? IN PARTICULAR, concern about attitudes toward women needs to last longer than any one Senator's concerns about re-election.
I did not hear a single question about Christian Nationalism. To me there are concerns about separation of church and state. Also the Department of Defense is supposed to serve everyone in the US, not just Christians or in particular Christians with drinking problems.
I am very troubled that so far there are no reports of the FBI even talking to women who have raised concerns about Hegseth's past behavior. Honestly, if the FBI will just try to sweep everything under the rug LIKE THEY DID WITH JUSTICE KAVANAGH, who is willing to go for Congressional subpoenas? I absolutely do not consider repeated mumblings about "anonymous smear campaigns" appropriately responsive to legitimate questions.
Even if the President Elect is an adjudicated rapist and unabashed sexual predator, WE DO NOT NEED MORE RAPISTS in high office.
I am very interested in knowing more about the WHO of any team Mr. Hegseth proposes to assemble.
No one is well-served by ramming this nomination through. If the Senate needs to move on to other nominees and come back to Mr. Hegseth, that is what should happen.
WHY should Joni Ernst be the only person concerned about sexual assault in the military. #GOP MEN should have the balls / spine/ choose your body part to stand up for all the women in their lives.
We do NOT need more rapists or lifelong financial fraudsters in high office.
As for Jesus, the lefty commentariat goes all "who, what, Christo fascism?" the minute anything religious comes up. HOWEVER, I think it's more important to speak of separation of church and state an of the point that the DoD serves everyone in the US regardless of how they do or don't pray.
This is so much more than whether the President Elect has his ego invested in ramming Hegseth through. After what #FelonDon did about reports to the FBI about Kavanagh before he got confirmed to #SCOTUS, some of the public is rightly outraged that the Adjudicated rapist and unabashed sex predator keeps trying to name other rapists to high office. The military already has huge problems with military sexual trauma. the public needs to see Hegseth's background report NOW. Even Wikipedia helps. Hegseth went to Princeton on an ROTC scholarship and graduated in 2003. While there he was the publisher of a long surviving conservative publication called the Princeton Tory. I have not waded through the archives from Hegseth's time there but the paper has a long anti #DEI record.
As an aside, job interview question 101 "please describe your leadership experience and the size of the organization you led." The Princeton Tory has NOWHERE NEAR the personnel of the Deprment of Defense.
I find endless ranting from some quarters against #DEI in the military really offensive. Hello! Which demographics are overrepresented in the US military. Why SHOULDN'T command staff look like the troops they are leading. It makes me mad to think of an African American student also on an ROTC scholarship when I was at Princeton a few years earlier than Hegseth would have to live with all the nonsense that Hegseth represents.
Further rant: the DoD serves all of the US, not just drunk white Christians screaming "Kill all Muslims."
Hegseth is also a perfect example of why the US should not send troops into forever wars without planning for the costs of the veteran services they will need when they come home. Hegseth has said in interviews he is self-medicating after all his military service and he needs to GET HELP. There should be no stigma in that but he should never be confirmed
RantWoman thinks God has a weird sense of humor. RantWoman will at some point wander down that rabbit hole in search of ways to address the outcome of #Election2024, people who think differently from RantWoman or worse, don't appear to think at all.
In the meantime, RantWoman copium:
--cat videos
--recipes with no plans to cook.
--material that makes RantWoman laugh between other howling.
There is a lot besides RFK jr. to bite into. That is for another time.
RantWoman thinks that RFK Jr. will make a terrible Secretary of Health and Human Services. And he gets to get in line with a bunch of other terrible nominees.
RantWoman spent part of her weekend talking to elders now suffering post-polio syndrome, remembering the mass dosing at her elementary school and collecting a Twitter / X thread about RFK Junior going to American Samoa, arguing against polio vaccines, and leaving in his wake the germs of a huge deadly outbreak a few months later.
That, of course, is by far not the only reason one might have a very negative opinion of the current nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services.
RantWoman, however is touched by the cabinet secretary nominee's concern for the President Elect's diet. In fact, RantWoman wonders how long the nominee will last if he dares to insist that the President Elect maybe say EAT A SALAD.
The Quaker Voice Legislative Fellowship Program encourages the active engagement of fellowship holders in the state legislative process through mentorship, skill development, and partnering with legislative advocates in their work. Participants do not need to be Quakers.
The program provides a $500 stipend. Applications are due November 15, with decisions by November 20.
Quaker Voice Legislative Fellows are young adults ages 16-35 who live or study in the state of Washington. Each Fellow joins a group working to support action in the state legislature on issues in environment, police and prisons, healthcare, affordable housing, and other justice concerns. Within the scope of the working group, the Fellow develops background materials and tracks legislation, in partnership with an experienced Quaker Voice citizen advocate. Each fellow has an opportunity to see in depth how a lobbyist works by shadowing Paul Benz, our Senior Legislative Advocate, for a day. Travel costs to Olympia for Quaker Lobby Day and the shadow day are covered by the program.
RantWoman comments: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A QUAKER to participate. There will be some modest Quaker practice such as moments of silence at the beginning and end of meetings and a bit of jargon, but it is a HUGE opportunity to learn details of the legislative process with very experienced and focused advocates.
Interests: Digital Inclusion, Languages and language access, walkability, accessibility, disaster preparedness.
When in doubt, laugh about something!
http://rantwoman.blogspot.com
PLEASE NOTE: I use both screen reading and screen enlargement. I would love to say Blogger is screen-reader friendly, but I am in no position to comment!
