LET'S GET TO WORK: Civic action to-do list for 4-10-17

3. Keep gun laws as strict as they need to be!

The legal standards for granting a permit to carry a concealed weapon vary widely by state. A current bill in Congress would implement nationwide reciprocity for concealed carry permits, forcing states to allow a person with a concealed carry permit from any state to carry a concealed weapon, regardless of the standards used in issuing the permit. Considering that some states require no more than a brief online test, and that people can obtain concealed carry permits from states they don’t even live in, this bill would drastically limit a state’s ability to enforce its own firearm laws and endanger public safety. Tell your members of Congress to oppose H.R.38 / S.446, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act!

2. Demand equal pay!

The average woman still earns just 80 cents for every white male's dollar. Last week Senator Patty Murray (WA) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT) reintroduced the Paycheck Fairness Act (PFA), which would help close the wage gap by eliminating loopholes in the Equal Pay Act. JWI sent 100 young women to Capitol Hill to advocate for the PFA, garnering three new co-sponsors to sign on! Check to see if your representatives are among the cosponsors, and give them a call if they're not! Here’s a helpful fact sheet to prepare you for the conversation.

1. Say no to “fake news”

Can you spot a lie? What if it’s dressed up with a dramatic headline, eye-catching photo, and comes from a source that sure sounds like a news site? There are a lot of fakers out there these days, and they’re pumping out misinformation that’s believed and shared by people across the political spectrum. Don’t be a “digitally naïve” digital native. Read Margaret Sullivan’s guide and learn how to be a savvy news consumer.

And for you...

Bring social justice to your Seder table! Ask everyone to share an issue they’re committed to. For a more in-depth conversation, consider making activism an integral part of your holiday meal. You can speak out against gun violence with Rabbis Against Gun Violence’s Passover Seder Supplement or take a stand against oppression with HIAS’ 2017 Haggadah Supplement.