March 27, 2025 Minutes

BDTC Meeting March 27th, 2025

In Attendance: Linda Levin-Scherz (Chair), Michael McNamara (Secretary).,  Kim Haley-Jackson Angus A., Anne P., Molly Aalyson., Marc Sacks, Jeff L.S., Mike Crowley, Joanne C., Richard W.,  Dan D., Barbara B., Dick M, Frank F., Peter G., Steve W., Ruth S., Kathy Q, Anne Q., Helen B., Ann Mooney., Cabell Ames., Andrew Hrycyna, Sanji Alwis, Emily Norton (Guest Speakers: Jessica Craven for Chop Wood Carry Water, Mary Ryan: Middlesex DA).  

  1. Introductions 
    1. Linda L.S. introduces Jessica Craven, creator of the Chop Wood Carry Water Substack 
  2.  Jessica C.-> Thank you for all you do, the grassroot groups do the hard work and they give us all hope. You all show bravery, drive, and determination at a time when cowardice in Democratic national leadership has led to a lot of righteous anger and frustration.
    1. Notes we also need to highlight positive stories and maintain our hope. Even though things are bad in many ways, there seems to be a crystallizing resistance to the Trump Administrations overtly unconstitutional acts.  
    2. Notable signs of hope are Indivisible Chapters growing all over the country even more so than under the first years of Trump’s prior Administration and even getting chapters of Americans in Ireland (!).  
    3. Notes races that were Trump +15 districts are now becoming nerve-wracking for Trump’s Administration. 
    4. Two Democrats in FL are raising insane amounts of money and running close races in districts that should not be competitive, and Trump has personally pulled the nomination of Elise Stefanik to the U.N. because he is worried Republicans could lose control of the House of Representatives. 
    5. WI Supreme Court race: If Dems win, they keep SC majority 
      1. That’s key as the Dems are trying to uphold fair maps that prevent gerrymandering and that could net democrats 2-3 House of Representative Seats, that could be control! 
      2. Elon fears oversight for all of his illegal actions and DOGE various misdeeds. 
      3. Elon is trying to bribe voters with money for signing an anti-”activist” judge petition to try to get more conservatives to vote/help GOTV 
  3. Jessica Craven notes we need to keep giving people hope, and as mentioned earlier, keep up morale of folks who want to resist, but feel overwhelmed or struggle to see a path forward. 
    1. Notes there is a lot of bad, and people are and are continuing to be hurt by this Trump Administration 
    2.  But note massive protests, and grassroots outrage at cutting government services, (Social Security, Medicare, VA, Voice of America, food bank aid, and School lunches). 
    3. Judges have been a potential firewall, Trump is not (yet) “Directly” trying to defy them, though he is trying to maneuver around them. But he has faced constraints on his actions thanks to federal court judges. 
  4. Action Steps we can take: Jessica Craven 
    1. Telsa takedown: Peaceful (and loud) protests at Telsa dealerships. We hit Elon Musk in his wallet. That is a weak point/vulnerability of Trump Administration. Elon is very unpopular, and his financial stake in Telsa provides a way to impact him and by extension Trump.  
    2. These protests can send a message to Telsa’s stakeholders and shareholders. Could cause a short sell, or other economic impact for Elon and show the massive anger and frustration with an unelected official affecting policy and devastating American’s lives 
  5. Action Steps 2: Boycotts! 
    1. Try (though it might be hard, and only as much as you are able) to avoid using Amazon, and Target. They have caved to Trump on social policy, or are trying to get influence by coddling him 
    2. Also, use your purchasing power! Back companies that have refused to bend or have protected their diversity programs or other vulnerable groups. Ex. Costco  
  6. Action Step 3: Call your Rep! Thank them, or critique them as appropriate. Be loud, and be consistent 
    1. Call supportive Reps to loudly thank them for standing up for Democracy 
    2. It *does* matter, and it also lets our Reps/Sen know which issues matter to us and the voters. 
    3. Calling those Reps/Sen who do not support and say, “Shame on you, you gave an oath to protect our Democracy!” 
    4. Also, clearly state, using personal examples, why this affects you and your family/friends. You could note a relative who is affected by Social Security cuts, or a gay sister or brother. Make it personal and let the Rep know why it matters. 
    5. Also let supportive Reps know too! They could use this to get out the message of what is being lost. 
  7. Reasons for Hope 1
    1. Among voters who stayed home in 2024, 84% have extremely negative views of Trump since 2024 
    2. Remember 74 Million people voted for Kamala Harris (and Tim Walz) 
  8. Dates for Rallies again Trump and Musk 
    1. Date for Telsa protest: March 29th Watertown 10am 
    2. Hands Off Protest: April 5th 11am at Parkman Bandstand 139 Tremont Street Boston MA  
      1. Website: HandOff2025.com
    3. ResistBot: Way to call/contact your Rep/Sen
  9. Q/A with Jessica Craven 
  10. Sanji asks a question about Musk, notes he can’t sell directly to consumers in WI, so he also has a financial interest in overturing that law and winning a SC race could be enough to do so. 
  11.  New Members (Nominations!) 
    1. Linda Nominates Susan Griffin, Eloise McGaw, and Austin Brass to be Associate Members. 
    2. Nomination Seconded by many 
    3. Moved to nominate all three by slate 
    4. Approved Unanimously by Full members 
  12. Mary Ryan, Middlesex DA comes to speak to us 
    1. We are only 66 days into Trump’s term, and its been a real mess. 
    2. We must think about ways to reach out to voters who voted for Trump (maybe due to economic reasons) and persuade them to vote for us (due to Trump various illegal, foolhardy, and economically nonsensical actions). 
    3. Word to use for folks who can be persuaded: “Unserious” 
      1. For example, Trump, Elon, DOGE firing 2,000 people who work for the nuclear power systems and security for the U.S. 
      2. Then desperately trying to hire them back
      3. Then having to call all their managers to email their personal emails as all their work emails were removed 
    4. Canada PM noting that they must “Resist the U.S.” now on Tariffs, no longer seeing us as a reliable ally 
    5. Trump saying Putin (Russia), Un (NK), and other dictators are “real smart and real tough” 
  13. Ways for D.A. office to reach out to others and across the aisle 
    1. Accountability 
    2. Competence 
    3. Transparency 
  14. Notes gun violence recently hitting Belmont, as well as Sommerville and Cambridge
    1. It doesn’t just kill folks; one person who was shot is paralyzed
    2. Also bad behavior were there are fights in the court house or on the steps 
    3. Some fights have latter lead to shooting to retaliate 
    4. Need to push for punishments for those who do gun crimes 
    5. Also reform system, as gang now are aware if they give the gun to a minor, they can get less time 
  15. Also, her focus is on successfully resolving cold cases 
    1. These cases linger for the families who are denied justice 
    2. Recently got a suspect who lived in CA on a million dollar yacht about a serial rape case 
    3. Justice, regardless of time, or income, getting justice for those families 
  16. Promoting Civic Education for our young people 
    1. Telling them their rights under the law 
    2. Educating them about what our democracy entails 
    3. Great feedback from the kids/teenagers 
    4. Showing them how to register to vote and why it is important (and allowing them to make their own political judgements as free people) 
  17. Have investigation/justice committee that seeks to right wrongs in the criminal justice system 
    1. First case was a prosecutor who over the years recognized that he got the wrong man, and seeking to put it right. 
    2. Pushing for Justice and expunging felonies who were done not by the man\women convicted. Responsibility to acknowledge and seek to put things right 
    3. Prosecutors have so much power, need to hold the watchmen/women accountable as well 
    4. Promotes Democracy and the Rule of Law for All 
  18. Working on Public Safety and ways to include all folks (including those who are neurodivergent) 
    1.  Most preventable deaths are often drownings 
    2. Often affects young kids, but also some kids who never learned but then they go out with their friends to a pool or other waterway, and think “not too hard right?” and then tragedy happens 
    3. Increasingly, seeing rise in drownings for neurodivergent folks 
      1. Notes a lot of neurodivergent like the water, as it is calming for them to hear it or feel it 
      2. Unfortunately, lot of times, they might run in and don’t have the training to be safe 
      3. New program called “Swim Angel Fish” by a mom who has a neurodivergent child 
      4. Ways to teach water safety in a way that they can use and allows them to work it into their pattern and order/structure 
      5. Taught by teenagers from local swim teams, a great program that gets neurodivergent and neurotypical folks together 
  19. Other public safety programs 
    1. Diverting young offenders into Drug Courts, and getting mental health counselling 
    2. Young offender still has to face consequences, but allow them to have a chance to fix their mistakes and seek to re-integrate into society, and rebuild
    3. Also, working to provide dental services to some students who have gotten suspended or gotten into fights at school 
    4. Often these students have been having issues at home or health concerns that lead to unable to focus or lead to fights due to chronic pain or other health affects 
    5. Have young dentists work on the kids (with parent permission) which helps the kids and also the young dentists 
    6. “Cut it out” program to work with barbers and dentist and others to help provide services to women and men who are victims of domestic abuse 
    7. These groups often can spot the risk, or can be confidents of these women/men 
    8. Also, ways to give business and other jobs training on how to spot abuse, harassment, or stalking  
    9. Tragic case of a woman facing stalking, but worried that if she spoke up, she would be fired. Unfortunately, she was tragically murdered
  20. Sanji notes that she really appreciates all DA Ryan did and is doing 
    1. Did have concerns that “unserious” is not really describing the danger we as a country are in right now though. 
    2. Not quite sure what word to use, but the fact the Trump Administration is forcibly taking people off the streets at will, it is the “due process” or the “rule of law”. 
    3. We need to classify the stakes 
  21. One of the BDTC female members notes that attacks on judges are frightening and are undermining the rule of law 
    1. Worries about the intimidation of judges, law firms, lawyers, and jurors 
    2. DA Ryan notes she will speak up in favor of the rule of law and fight for judges 
  22. Kim H.J. notes that protesters feel unsafe, if they are yanking people off the street for political disagreements, and deporting folks without due process to El Salvador… she worries about political opposition, or people of color being targeted or vulnerable.
  23. DA Ryan agrees strongly and will fight to protect vulnerable groups 
  24. Motion to adjure 
    1. Seconded