In Pursuit of Clean Countertops

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Voting for less WTFs

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Weekly WTF

Voting for less WTFs

Resources, inspiration, and of course, some galvanizing rage

Sara Petersen
Nov 8, 2022
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Voting for less WTFs

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This weekend was beautiful and ugly all at once. Here in New Hampshire, the sun shone and the temperature hovered in the mid-70s, well above the average temperature for early November. I spent most of my time outside “enjoying” the warmth while also fighting back a feeling of dread that the unseasonable weather was yet another harbinger of doom in a world which feels increasingly out of my control.

But there’s one thing I can control. My vote. And yes, casting a ballot might feel like a relatively small thing in the grand scheme of big and awful and scary things, and yes, I wish I could launch a comet of progressive reform at this country instead of just driving my little self to the local high school and penciling in my dissent, but until I get magical comet powers, I’m gonna vote.

Because guess who absolutely IS voting?

Men who want to ban birth control and condoms.

People who want to curtain the voting rights of Black people, Indigenous people, and disabled people.

Extremists fighting for “parents’ rights” to “protect” their children from sex education and from learning about how America was built on systemic racism.

Republicans who want to remove and attack the rights of LGBTQIA+ people.

People who don’t want children learning about the Holocaust (or that the Holocaust was bad).

Conservatives who openly make antisemitic public remarks.

People who want to deny trans kids’ healthcare needs.

Republicans who want to roll back environmental protections.

“Mama Bears” who want to gut public schools and indoctrinate our kids with extremist conservative propaganda.

Christian Nationalists who want to remove women’s voting rights and place “restraints” on Black people.

A few weeks ago, when I was doing my final book edit and updating momfluencers’ follower counts, I noted that the follower counts of every alt-right/QAnon/pro-femininity, anti-feminism momfluencer I cover in the book have grown in the year since I had first started writing the book. Every single one.

Twitter avatar for @slouisepetersen
sara petersen @slouisepetersen
I'm updating follower counts for the momfluencers mentioned in MOMFLUENCED, and every single one of the alt-right/Q/anti-vax momfluencers' counts have risen significantly in the past year.
4:32 PM ∙ Oct 21, 2022
73Likes6Retweets

I don’t share this information to depress you; I share it to galvanize you. Conservative extremists and the Christian right have long understood the power of the long game. They are not discouraged by a fight. And they’re fighting against a lot of things! So, if we want our kids to inherit a world a little less on fire than it currently is, we need to fight back.

chamberofmothers
A post shared by Chamber of Mothers (@chamberofmothers)
Twitter avatar for @monaeltahawy
Mona Eltahawy @monaeltahawy
Mid-term elections coming up in the U.S. next week. You will hear again & again about "women," voting, abortion. The race of those "women" matters. White women have driven the anti-abortion movement and the majority of white women voters vote GOP
feministgiant.comEssay: The White Women Who Destroyed Roe v WadeThe tag team of white Christian women who helped build a theocracy
1:42 AM ∙ Nov 3, 2022
131Likes65Retweets
celesteladd
A post shared by Celeste Ladd (@celesteladd)
Twitter avatar for @MomsRising
MomsRising @MomsRising
It turns out that voting is catching - in a good way! Did you vote yet? Do you know where to go? Check here to find your local polling place! moms.ly/3DE8t4P #ElectionDay #BeAVoterRaiseAVoter #GOTV #GOTV2022 #MomsVote
Image
8:51 PM ∙ Nov 5, 2022
6Likes4Retweets
mother_tongue_magazine
A post shared by MOTHER TONGUE (@mother_tongue_magazine)
Twitter avatar for @alexanderchee
Alexander Chee @alexanderchee
“Voting as Fire Extinguisher,” @elguante
Image
2:26 PM ∙ Nov 7, 2022
821Likes325Retweets
mother_tongue_magazine
A post shared by MOTHER TONGUE (@mother_tongue_magazine)
Twitter avatar for @sandylocks
Kimberlé Crenshaw @sandylocks
We have to be clear about what's at stake: the efforts to ban books and anti-racist ideas are connected to the efforts to keep Black Americans from voting, and our democracy thrives when citizens have the freedom to be informed and engaged.
Image
12:39 AM ∙ Nov 7, 2022
41Likes14Retweets
themamattorney
A post shared by Daphne Delvaux, Esq. (@themamattorney)
Twitter avatar for @rebeccamakkai
Rebecca Makkai @rebeccamakkai
So I have two daughters (15 and 12) and this is super weird, but the USA is holding an election about their bodies on Tuesday (?!?!)... Like, people will be voting about my daughters' reproductive systems. Anyway, if you could please vote on Tuesday I'd really appreciate it.
7:00 PM ∙ Nov 3, 2022
2,645Likes456Retweets
everodsky
A post shared by Eve Rodsky (@everodsky)
Twitter avatar for @transscribe
Katelyn Boo-urns @transscribe
For @MSNBC, I wrote about how voter ID laws can really ruin a trans person’s election day — and deny their right to vote.
msnbc.comOpinion | The GOP is forcing trans voters into an impossible predicamentFor transgender Americans, voting is often a nightmare of awkward and invasive explanations, or even outright hostility.
3:09 PM ∙ Nov 7, 2022
86Likes34Retweets
hellicity_merriman
A post shared by hellicity (@hellicity_merriman)
Twitter avatar for @rokwon
R.O. Kwon 권오경 @rokwon
political anxiety was spiking very! high!, so spent part of today phone-banking with PA Democrats to get out the vote, helping people figure out how to return ballots. I keep relearning that by far the best balm for this anxiety is action. If you want to join me, some options ➡️
11:13 PM ∙ Nov 2, 2022
152Likes46Retweets
theworkingmomtras
A post shared by Raena Joy (@theworkingmomtras)
Twitter avatar for @surlybassey
Kaitlyn Greenidge @surlybassey
"Voter turnout is (a) leading measure of a (healthy) community...we’re not just voting for ourselves...We’re voting for our neighbors who may face a threat against their freedom...Democracy is not singular. It’s not about me; it's about us." @mandanadayani
harpersbazaar.comI’m a Voter. You Should Be One, Too.“We’re not just voting for ourselves in high-turnout elections,” Mandana Dayani writes. “We’re voting for our neighbors who may face a threat against their freedom or may value freedom differently than you or me.”
3:36 PM ∙ Nov 7, 2022
7Likes2Retweets

Finally, one more plug for the In Pursuit of Clean Countertops’ Giving Circle! State governments can decide whether mothers or children live or die, and they can dramatically transform our country (for good or bad.)

This might be a tough election year, but keeping the margins in our target state chambers close will give our democracy a fighting chance. Keeping a legislature’s balance of power close minimizes the number of lawmakers we need to do the right thing if our democracy is threatened during the 2024 election.

So even if election results feel as dystopian as the weather, we can still fight to get as close as possible to the majority threshold in every chamber we are working to flip or defend this November. Let's keep it close, and stay steady in the fight. Join me here!

Because elections are anxiety provoking as hell and because I love you, here’s a photo of a tree frog who spent most of his summer on my deck (paid subscribers might recognize him as Alfie the tree frog). His ability to hang on inspires me.

Alfie is roughly the size of my thumbprint.

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Voting for less WTFs

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Voting for less WTFs

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Roxy Coryell
Nov 8, 2022Liked by Sara Petersen

I actually voted early (fortunately, Indiana has that option!) yesterday! Hoping and praying for the best possible outcome.

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Katie
Writes Dispatch Newsletter
Nov 8, 2022Liked by Sara Petersen

Early voter here too! Let's goo democracy!!

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