PHOTOS WILL BE AVAILABLE HERE
USA — As we prepare for Joe Biden to declare victory in the Presidential election, 350 Action and local groups are joining the #VotersDecided day of action today, Saturday, November 7th, supporting mass mobilizations and distributed actions across the country. The Protect the Results is a network of over 165 groups mobilizing millions of Americans, with over 520 #CountEveryVote #VotersDecided rallies scheduled.
Communities are rejoicing that the voters have decided to embrace change and reject Donald Trump’s bigotry, corruption and incompetence. We stand with firm resolve against any attempt to interfere in the rightful will of the people to choose our elected leaders.
350 Action is supporting groups across the country leading local #VotersDecided actions, including in: Minnesota, New Hampshire, Vermont, Oregon, and Washington, to rise up together to protect our democracy and our communities. For more information, visit Protect the Results.
This comes as communities across the country experience and recover from ongoing climate disasters: from Hurricane Zeta last week and Hurricane Eta breaking records as the 28th named storm of 2020, to fires raging across California, Colorado, and the West. Globally, Super Typhoon Goni, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded, tore through the Philippines last week, and Hurricane Eta made landfall in Honduras.
Meanwhile, the fossil fuel era is coming to an end: markets are divesting from fossil fuels, big oil is sinking, and in an attempt to stay afloat, has upped its political contributions attempting to keep Republicans in office.
QUOTES
Paul DeMain (Skabewis), Oneida/Ojibwe, Hayward, Wisconsin, current Board of Directors Chairperson for the environmental organization Honor The Earth: “The gravity of the situation is that every single vote counts like your life; your family, and that of future generations rely upon it. It does. Never before have we seen an administration turn its back on the covenants and responsibility, we have to protect the earth and all it provides to human and other life. Policy after policy has been in support of destructive industrialized projects that extract, pollute and contribute to the destruction and degradation of the earth and its resources and contributes to global warming and climate change. We all have to help put an end to it now!”
Sam Grant, Executive Director of MN350: “MN350 is inspired and deeply grateful to the record numbers of Minnesotans and Americans who voted this year. They showed great courage in casting their votes in many ways — from mail-in to drive-in to walk-in — in the middle of a pandemic. We’re marching on Saturday to make sure everyone’s voice is heard and every vote is counted. Beyond that, we’re marching to build a better future and to fight for workers’ rights, immigrant justice, and a stable climate for all, no exceptions.”
Kai Parlett, 18-year-old 350NH Action Electoral Organizer: “There are things happening in this country that are out of my control. But I do have control over who I choose to vote for, and I will do everything I can to make sure that my vote and the vote of every other American is counted.”
Valerie Costa, Executive Director of 350 Seattle: “This election is the nail-biter that we feared it would be — but with every hour that passes, the world we need is coming closer. We’ll be hitting the streets to stand together to demand that all votes be counted, and to gather energy for the work we’ll need to do with a new administration.”
Amy Gray, 350 Colorado Action Board Member: “In Colorado we are mobilizing with thousands across the state to protect the results. Democracy is only as strong as the people’s will to defend it. We must come together with our collective power and demand our right to free and fair elections, especially for those most impacted first and worst by the climate crisis.”
Mitch Chanin, 350 Philly, Steering Committee Member: “Here in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state, we’re taking action to protect our democracy, protect our communities, and protect our climate. We are standing up to make sure every vote is counted. We need to halt fracking, and more: communities across Pennsylvania need massive investment in renewable energy; repairs and retrofits for homes and schools; zero-carbon transportation; and cleaning up pollution. We need Green New Deal policies that guarantee living wage jobs, high quality health care, and affordable green housing for all, with a rapid and just transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy that leaves no worker and no community behind.”
Nan Farley, 350 Bay Area, Operations Director: “The atmospheres at both the Oakland and San Francisco demonstrations were powerful, peaceful and hopeful. Our insistent voices rang out across the country: Count Every Vote.”
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