By Julia Parker.
Indivisible is a grassroots movement of Americans who oppose the Trump Agenda and are joining together to pressure the legislative and executive branches to not enact it. The model for action is the Indivisible Guide, written by the Indivisible Team and available as a free download at www.indivisibleguide.com. The Indivisible Team authors were Congressional staffers who watched the Tea Party decimate the plans of the Obama-led Democrats by bringing pressure to bear on their elected officials. The Team quantified the tactics used by the Tea Party and created a template to organize resistance.
Local teams are the key to Indivisible-style resistance. Groups of five to 50+ people, linked by phone lists, e-mail, and/or social media who can respond quickly to Trump initiatives form the core of the movement. Coordinated calls to members of Congress, like those that prevented the demise of the Congressional Ethics Office, are activated locally. District office meetings/sit-ins can gain legislator and media attention. Participation at town hall events show we are paying attention, and questions asked at photo-op events, like ribbon cuttings, remind Members of Congress that their constituents are watching and thinking.
The impact of the Indivisible movement has been seen in the response to President Trump’s Executive Order “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry,” better known as The Ban or the Travel Ban. The thousands of protesters showing up at airports across the nation resulted in green card holders being exempted from the ban. The Courts have considered the legality of the ban and issued injunctions against it, thanks to challenges brought by concerned citizens and groups, and have declared it unenforceable nationwide. This past week, town halls held by Members of Congress in their home districts were packed with citizens demanding answers and action.
On the national level, the Indivisible movement has become a formal organization, chaired by Ezra Levin. On January 30, 2017, at 9 pm ET, a teleconference “Emergency Call to Stand Against the Muslim and Refugee Ban” was attended by 25,000 callers! Subsequent teleconferences have addressed the repeal of the ACA, Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s tax returns, and deportation. These are just a few examples of how the national Indivisible movement is supporting local efforts by communicating what is happening nationwide and how to keep the issues focused.
In Horry County, residents are supporting resistance to policies defined in the Executive Orders and Presidential Memoranda issued over the last few weeks, objecting to Cabinet nominees, pushing for a comprehensive investigation of Russia’s role in our elections, standing against bills in the SC legislature that are inconsistent with our values, and keeping local officials on track to make our community the best it can be. There is ample opportunity to get involved!
If you want to participate with Indivisible in Horry County, please send your name and contact information to grandstrandindivisible@gmail.com and a volunteer will be in touch with you.
Note: the above map shows locations of Indivisible groups around the nation.
