Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Six More Days
South Hadley voting details:
www.southhadley.org/elections
Check your registration and receipt of your ballot:
www.VoteinMA.com
View a South Hadley sample ballot:
www.southhadley.org/1088/Sample-Ballot
View blue candidates and ballot questions anywhere in the US:
bluevoterguide.org
When we fight, we win. When we vote, we win.
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Not an Option
Election day, November 5, is just a week from today. In this issue of our newsletter, SHDTC member Jim Bosman urges all Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents to vote for Harris/Walz, noting that in this election, NOT voting is not an option.
The Update also includes links to things to inspire us as we head into
the home stretch, such as Michelle Obama's speech at Harris' recent
Michigan rally and and an original song, "Change Happens," by SHDTC
friends Ellen Schwartz and Roger Bruno (you may spot several SHDTC
friends in the video). Also included are links to some of the award winners
in this summer's "One Dem Minute" film festival, all of which can be
viewed by scrolling through southhadleydems.com
Monday, October 28, 2024
Anticipatory Obedience and An Island of Garbage
On Friday, Washington Post publisher Will Lewis announced a new no-endorsements policy after billionaire owner Jeff Bezos nixed the publication of an already-written endorsement of Kamala Harris by the editorial staff, setting off a firestorm of complaints. Even as scathing rebukes and promises to cancel Post and Amazon Prime subscriptions quickly mounted into the tens of thousands in the paper's comments section, Bezos dispatched executives from his Blue Origin aerospace company to meet with candidate Trump.
Enraged readers took issue with the action's inconsistency with the paper's 'Democracy Dies in Darkness' motto, commenting that it's now become a mission statement, or perhaps should be changed to be changed to 'Democracy DIED in Darkness.'
In its coverage on Sunday, The Guardian (a publication exiting Post readers often recommended as a subscription alternative) noted:
"Many pointed out how the stances from the Post and the LA Times seems to fit the definition of 'anticipatory obedience' as spelled out in On Tyranny, Tim Snyder’s bestselling guide to authoritarianism. Snyder defines the term as “giving over your power to the aspiring authoritarian” before the authoritarian is in position to compel that handover."
- The Guardian, Oct. 27, 2024:
www.theguardian.com/media/2024/oct/27/bezos-washington-post-non-endorsement-election
On Sunday, in an obvious parallel to a 1939 Nazi rally at the same venue, Trump held a campaign event at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. With millions of people living a train ride away, it wasn't hard to fill the place, and the crowd got a full dose of dystopian darkness and crude insults. In the wake of one early speaker describing Puerto Rico as an "island of garbage," Republicans have been backpedaling, while recording stars Bad Bunny, Ariana Grande, and others called out the hate and posted support for Harris.
- Letters from an American
Heather Cox Richardson, Oct. 27, 2024
open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson/p/october-27-2024 - The Guardian, Oct. 28, 2024
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/27/trump-madison-square-garden-rally
My Ballot
Writer Jim Bosman shares his ballot choices and thinking about the upcoming election in our latest newsletter:
Early voting continues at the Town Clerk's office through Friday, and mail-in ballots can be placed in the drop box behind Town Hall until 8:00pm on Election Day. On Tuesday, November 5, polls will be open at South Hadley High School from 7:00am to 8:00pm. For details, see: www.southhadley.org/elections.
Upcoming Events
Business Meetings
Our next meeting will be at 6:30pm on Thursday, November 19, 2024 in the South Hadley
Library Trustee's Conference Room. Our meetings are hybrid-online;
participants may attend in-person at the Library or online via Zoom. We typically meet on the third Thursday of the month. To obtain a meeting link, join our mailing list, or for other information about SHDTC, please email: southhadleydemocrats@gmail.com.
First Fridays Breakfast and Conversation
Plan to join us at a First Friday gathering! Upcoming get-togethers will be at 8:30am on Friday, November 1 and December 6, 2024 at Tailgate Picnic (www.tailgatepicnicdeli.com) in the Village Commons, 7 College Street, South Hadley. Conversation is casual, there is no set agenda, participants buy their own coffee/snacks, and all are welcome.
Candidate Standouts
Our pre-election standouts will continue on Saturday, November 2 and Sunday, November 3, 2024. We are also planning to be in front of South Hadley High School all day on Election Day during voting hours. We'll be sending out sign-up information and time choices to our mailing list, or email us at southhadleydemocrats@gmail.com. We have Harris-Walz banners, American flags, and plenty of signs for Harris-Walz and other Democratic candidates, or you can bring your own Harris-Walz lawn sign.
Friday, September 20, 2024
Running for Local Office
If you've ever wondered about local offices--what they are and how to run for them, your chance to find out is coming soon!
Our latest newsletter highlights a non-partisan information session about running for local office, with details about the April 8, 2025 Town Election and its timeline for running. The session will be hosted by the South Hadley Town Clerk's Office and Board of Registrars at 6:00pm on Monday, September 23, 2024 in the Community Room at the South Hadley Public Library.
Friday, September 13, 2024
Harris-Walz 2024 Lawn Signs
Our 18 x 24 coroplast lawn signs are are printed in color on two sides and come
with a stand.
Order Form with Pickup and Pay Details
Learn how to run for local office in South Hadley
Monday, September 23, 2024 at 6:00pm
South Hadley
Public Library, Canal Street
Now is the time to think about the April 8, 2025 Annual Town
Election!
Town Moderator John Hine will be present to speak about Town Meeting and running for a precinct-based Town Meeting Member seat, and information will be available about town-wide offices, how to run for local office, and timelines for running. No pre-registration is needed.
2025 Town Election-Running for Local Office Presentation
A non-partisan information session hosted by the
South Hadley Town Clerk's Office and Board of Registrars
For more information: http://www.southhadley.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1052
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