LAW & ORDER
DON’T TAKE THE BAIT
The Wisconsin State Assembly will debate and vote on packages of bills related to law enforcement, prosecution, and other “public safety” measures.
We can expect dog whistles, lies, and outright racist bullhorns from a handful of politicians.
Their goals?
To divide us by race and place by signaling to certain Wisconsinites these divisive messages while claiming “plausible” deniability in the press and on the floor.
To distract us from exposing their failures to deliver the things Wisconsinites want and the things we all fight for — higher wages, better healthcare, funds for schools, and above all, racial justice and true community safety.
To get us to do their PR by repeating their messages, lies, and outrageous actions, at the expense of promoting the words and works of our leaders and organizations.
To harm BIPOC communities be further defunding the healthcare, schools, environmental justice, housing and so much more that would keep us safe, and use those life-saving funds to instead further entrench systems of harm, violence workers and militarized policing in our streets.
They’re hoping that for today, this week, and perhaps all year, they can dominate the news, social media, and even our own communications, by arguing with them about what they want the conversation to be.
STEP 1: ACT
You can join Leaders Igniting Transformation (LIT) in emailing your state legislators and urging them to vote NO on a package of bills that would use American Rescue Plan funds to pad the budgets of police departments — and instead direct them to fund healthy meals, housing, mental and physical healthcare, and our schools.
Step 2: AMPLIFY BIPOC VOICES
We know the actual and intended impact of defunded healthcare, housing, and schools is one that disproportionately impacts BIPOC Wisconsinites. And even after we marched and mourned throughout 2020, a handful of politicians have blocked the justice, accountability and safety we demand, all the while pushing more blank checks and free passes to their law enforcement backers.
We’re committing — today and every day — to share, retweet, uplift, and look out for the words and posts of Wisconsin’s leaders of color, in movement or in office.
Step 3: SPEAK UP
Here are a few examples of what you might say throughout this week’s news cycle.
We know what keeps us safe: communities where people of every color have fair wages, great schools, and affordable healthcare, where we address problems with proven solutions like social support instead of ever more militarized police.
We see through politicians who spread lies & try to distract us as they write blank checks to their law enforcement backers at the expense of our communities. We won’t stop until we fund our futures and win safety for all in Wisconsin, no exceptions.
We know what keeps us safe: living in communities where we provide for each other, get the care that we need & build the future we want. Find out how Gov Evers is directing relief funds, from @ABetterWis: https://youtu.be/LsFQUv0GE5Y
Whether we are Black, white, or brown, we all want to live in communities where our families can be whole and safe. But some politicians spread lies about our safety, hoping to divide us by what we look like, as they block the health care and housing we need.
We’re coming together - from cities to suburbs to towns - to demand reform in our criminal legal system, so that our communities are safe for each and every one of us, especially our Black and brown neighbors targeted by police brutality.
