Call to Action: Phone-banking Against Prop 23 with Van Jones

Ryan Van Lenning Wed, 6 Oct at 12:55am
Van Jones and Becky Bond of Credo doing a trial run before phone-banking

I had the pleasure of phone-banking last night with Van Jones at the First Congregational Church in Berkeley.

Just to make it clear, Van and I are not related, though we look alike and do share in common a few things: 1)the same hair-cut, 2)an affinity for tequila, and 3)a commitment to crush Proposition 23.

Okay, so I made up one of those.

Prop 23 is the deceptive ballot initiative funded by Texas oil companies and the billionaire Koch brothers that would suspend California’s landmark greenhouse emission reduction law AB 32 (Global Warming Solutions Act).

Seriously though, it's time to put the pedal to the metal (as they used to say).  Voting by mail starts today and some folks either don't know about Prop 23 or are being fooled by the lies of Texas Oil. It's time to move past the awareness of Prop 23, the blogging and commenting about prop 23 (wait, isn't that what I am doing now?), the bumper sticker activism, and hit the phones and knock on doors.

As we all know, engaged citizenry is not saying the right things, but acting on the right things.

Let's plug into the Ella Baker Center's campaign, Democracy For America, or Credo Action and find a way to act on our conviction by donating time and money.

Because as Michael Kieschnick, head of Credo/Working Assets says, “The old guard oil companies won’t go easily into a future where they don’t dominate the energy scene. We have to win here, crush it here, or it is a big step backwards.”

Here is why Californians must crush Prop 23.

About Ryan Van Lenning
Ryan Van Lenning is a writer and organizer focusing on issues of social justice and sustainability. He is also passionate about food justice/urban ag, anti-militarism, and building alternative economies in resilient cities. His work appears in Ecolocalizer, Truthout, Huffington Post, Terrain: Northern California’s Environmental Magazine, and Matador Change. Prior to becoming caught in the web of Bay Area ink-slinging and activism, he taught in the Humanities Department at a community college in Ohio, where he created courses in Environmental Ethics and World Religions: Peace and Violence. He is both a hyper-localist and a globalist, a home-body and travel-addict, and a city explorer and nature aficionado, just a few of the many paradoxes with which he is afflicted. Contact him at ryan@oaklandlocal.com, follow him on twitter @vanlenning, and find more at his blogs Pull the Root, Travelin' Bones, and Rumi and the Cholo.
EarlRichards commented Array ago

The California Jobs Initiative (CJI) is an oil corporation farce and fraud. There is no connection, whatsoever, between greenhouse gas emission reduction and the loss of jobs. This notion is an insult to the intelligence of the people of California. In fact, there is job growth in the clean, renewable energy industry. Chevron employs 65,000 worldwide and CJI is not going to change this. The only jobs created by the oil industry are clean-up jobs after oil spills and deep water blow-outs and pump-handler jobs. CJI will make fantastic profits for the oil industry, increase air pollution, especially in communities around their refineries and there will not be lower gas prices. Koch Industries, Valero and Tesoro are super Enrons. Since when did the oil companies start to show any concern for the unemployed and their families and for small businesses?

Janet Stromberg commented Array ago
Thanks for the link to our East Bay DFA No on 23 phonebank this Wednesday! Details for anyone who didn't click: Wednesday October 6 Rockridge Library 5366 College Ave. Oakland 6:00 pizza 6:30 training then calling 8:00 Speakers in favor of Props 19 (Marijuana) and 25 (Majority Vote for State Budget) We'll have trainers and lists from Greenlining Institute (partner org in Communities United Against Prop 23) and CREDO.
Vincent Casalaina commented Array ago

I think its great that you put out a list of potential phone banks.  The Democracy for America event is tomorrow (Wednesday night).  People interested in stopping this bad legislation should come by the Rockridge Library and help us make calls.

Communities Unite... commented Array ago

We just posted a video of Van doing his best Texas Oil Company impression from this event:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SveYy4-Lwg

 

 

Susan Mernit commented Array ago

Thanks for the comments, and keep'em coming, please!