It’s time for any political passivity to be a thing of the past. The efforts of the incoming president to strip away the balance of power and to revoke rights are underway. There is a bill under congressional consideration that would facilitate shutting down non-profits. According to the Nonprofit Association of Washington:
“H.R.9495 has the potential to endanger nonprofits and the work that we do by allowing the government to terminate the tax-exempt status of nonprofits by way of the Secretary of Treasury who would have full authority to designate charitable organizations as “a terrorist-supporting organization”, without the requirement of sharing the evidence or reasoning to the accused nonprofit and the public at large. It places the burden of proof on the nonprofit organization being accused and effectively eliminates due process by only allowing an organization 90 days to prove its innocence before having its tax-exempt status revoked. If HR9495 passes, charitable organizations that are involved in issues around women’s reproductive rights, serving immigrants and refugees, working on issues related to wars and victims of wars, and even issues around equity, could potentially be deemed as terrorists or domestic terrorists.”
Please, do not stay silent. Call your senator today and ask that they oppose any such bill.
George Carlin made a statement that has stuck with me for years, “Just when these American citizens needed their rights the most…their government took them away. and rights aren’t rights if someone can take em away. They’re priveledges. That’s all we’ve ever had in this country is a bill of TEMPORARY priviledges; and if you read the news, even badly, you know the list get’s shorter, and shorter, and shorter.” He highlights that we cannot assume our rights are givens. They can be revoked, as we have learned with affirmitive action, women’s health care, and protections for the transgender community. Please do not get comfortable. Please be vigilant and most importantly, please act.
For those in Colorado, here’s who you need to contact….. regularly!
Michael Bennet (D)
bennet.senate.gov
202-224-5258
John Hickenlooper (D)
www.hickenlooper.senate.gov
202-224-5941