FYI
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2016 15:08:29 -0800
Subject: Follow up from conference calls on Harney County
From: cara@xxxxxxx
To: cara@xxxxxxx
Dear Human Dignity Leaders and Friends of ROP-
Thanks to all of you who were able to join us last weekend on the regional
conference calls. The calls generated great ideas and next steps in response
to the armed occupation in Harney County.
The below ROPnet summarizes those next steps and shares tools for amplifying
our voices and the wishes of Harney County residents. Please take time to
review and let us know which actions you and your group are interested in!
If you would like to read more about the situation in Harney County, who the
Far Right players are and access some of the information and key points from
our conference call visit these pages:
ROP resource page on militias in Oregon:
http://www.rop.org/issues/isues-category-placeholder/militiapatriot-movement-rural-organizing-tools/
ROP Facebook page has consistent news updates, analysis and information from on
the ground in Harney County:
https://www.facebook.com/RuralOrganizingProject/?fref=ts
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, reflections and ideas for local
action!
Warmly, Cara
Join ROP and human dignity groups to take action in support of the people of
Harney County.
Scroll down to read more!
January 14th, 2016
Dear ROPnet,
If you
have been following the headlines as the armed occupation of the
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge unfolds, you could come away with the
sense that Harney County is divided. While the media reports support for
the occupation by a handful of vocal locals, hundreds and hundreds of
local residents have raised their voices in unison: the militias need to
go home NOW and they can take their tactics of threats, violence and
intimidation with them!
The
most important story here is of the courageous neighbors struggling to
keep their community together in the face of outside forces seeking to
exploit the disenfranchisement of hardworking rural folks. The
vast majority of rural people of Harney County are calling on the armed
occupiers to go home. They are terrified and outraged by the militias
threatening their local officials, law enforcement, Federal employees,
neighbors, and friends. Young people are frightened to go back to
school. Businesses are taking hard hits as locals stay out of town to
avoid the militias. The majority of rural people in Oregon see this
occupation for what it is: a publicity stunt that exploits a local
community by people who have no stake in what happens to this community
or county after they leave.
We, as
proud rural Oregonians, have a very different set of demands that
prioritizes viable communities that meet the needs of all, with respect
for justice and inclusive democracy. With media all over this issue, we
have an opportunity to confront these militias. Let’s make our voices heard.
Let’s create an overwhelming response that demonstrates the armed militias will
not go unopposed.
Join us in Action! We invite you and your group to take action in one or all of
these ways:
1. Engage your local media. Send
letters to the editor, call into radio shows, contact your local media
with a press statement. Let’s overwhelm small town media with our
message! Here are some resources to help you frame your message:
ROP’s Talking Points
on the Armed Occupation cover a variety of issues related to the
occupation. Chose from them to write your own letter to the editor or
use them to engage your friends, neighbors, community members and human
dignity group. ROP’s Press Statement: submit this as your own press statement
or edit it to be a letter to the editor using this modified version.Here are
several sample letters to the editor from small town papers. Adopt, adapt and
use them to inspire your own.
2. Engage your local elected officials
Rep Walden is issuing statements of support and some county
commissioners have also spoken out in support. Out of state legislators
are showing up in Harney County. This leaves many of us asking whether
our elected officials are really legitimizing the actions of armed
occupiers that use threats and intimidation against community members
who may have a different opinion than them? Here are a few ways you can
take action:
Contact your city councilors, county commissioners or other electeds and ask
them to issue a statement stating that the armed occupiers should go home to
their families.Contact your County Sheriff. Ask him/ her to issue a statement
in support of Sheriff Ward.Contact Rep. Walden’s office
and express your concern about the intimidation tactics and the armed
people in Harney County. Ask that he steps up and speaks out against the
armed occupation. Remind him that the real problem is that a group with
automatic rifles came into town and are intimidating people.
3. Rural Day of Action - Tell us what you think!
We want to make visible our opposition to the armed militia and patriot
movement coming into our communities. Militia groups showed up in
Josephine County in April, they showed up in Roseburg in October and now
they are in Harney County. Enough is enough.
ROP and human dignity groups are interested in calling a Rural Day of
Action. Ideas range from standing on street corner and holding up signs
to holding a rally or march. Whether it’s 3 people or 100 people, this
is an opportunity to tell our own story, to make visible the opposition
to the armed occupation across rural Oregon and to show our solidarity
with the people of Harney County. Is this something your group would
participate in? Who in your community might you mobilize to participate?
What would have a significant impact? This idea is still being
shaped. Tell us what you think. What ideas do you have for a Rural Day
of Action? What day might work best for your and your group? Let us know!
ROP
can provide a sample press release for you to share with your local
media and social media avenues to share your stories, pictures and
messages.
Let us know how you and your group decide to engage! Send
us copies of your letters, share reports on engagement with elected
officials and be sure to connect for support in creating your local
plan.
In solidarity,
Cara
PS-
There is a lot of information to share about the players and Far Right
groups showing up in Harney County and we will share more on this in a
future ROPnet. In the meantime, for updates on who is there and what is
happening, visit our Facebook page.
--
Cara Shufelt
Rural Organizing Project
PO Box 1350 Scappoose, OR 97056
503-543-8417
www.rop.org
cara@xxxxxxx
