This needs to be posted here. A voice from a West Virginian.
I am a grassroots organizer for economic justice here in West Virginia, building the Rattle The Windows movement alongside poor and marginalized West Virginians. I have been working tirelessly for months in coalition with groups here, on a state level and on a national level wi…
This needs to be posted here. A voice from a West Virginian.
I am a grassroots organizer for economic justice here in West Virginia, building the Rattle The Windows movement alongside poor and marginalized West Virginians. I have been working tirelessly for months in coalition with groups here, on a state level and on a national level with Moms Rising and Community Change Action, to organize and elevate the stories of WV children and families around their support of Build Back Better, especially the Child Tax Credit expansion, paid leave, and child care.
For months, I have celebrated with moms as they talked about being able to pay for child care, buy reliable vehicles, fill their freezers and cupboards with food, and move their families out of Section 8 housing, to name a few. The expanded CTC allowed families to feel as if they were finally able to breathe a little easier, and Senator Manchin's announcement yesterday was devastating, especially so close to the holidays.
West Virginia was born out of the resistance. Engrained in our DNA is the need to not give up or to back down. When we think about the 50,000 WV kiddos the senator has singlehandedly pushed back across the poverty line, our hearts break, and we wonder how he could be that far removed from those he was elected to protect and fight for. We wonder what legacy he is seeking to leave for all the children in the Mountain State, not just his own. And we need for him to know that he's taking away our best opportunity to be able to rely on ourselves. We're disappointed in Manchin's actions, but we haven't given up. It is, after all, the season of miracles and hope.
- Amy Jo Hutchison, organizer and movement builder, Rattle The Windows
Thank you Carla for sharing Amy Jo’s message. It is the season of Hope…
I read this quote a few days ago, and it resonated with me:
“Optimism is the belief that things are going to get better. Hope is the belief that we can make things better. Optimism is a passive virtue, hope is an active one. It takes no courage to be an optimist, but it does need courage to hope.”
I am reading Timothy Snyder’s book “On Tyranny.” In it, Snyder talks about the need to find ways to really connect with the people around you, have conversations and look them in the eye. I live in MN so having a face to face chat with folks in West Virginia isn’t possible, But making sure they know I wish them well and support them is.
www.rattlethewindows.com is the link to the organization mentioned above. Sending money seemed like a good idea to me earlier but the link is to a site where the only thing you can do is purchase stickers. So I think you can purchase stickers to show support. If you wish to actually donate, looks like Moms Rising is the place to send money. Carla, please feel free to correct me if you know better than me. https://www.momsrising.org/
I hope some of you will join me in purchasing stickers-along with sending good energy and best wishes to keep up the good fight. That we can ALL do! (This has been edited and updated as of noon central time. Thank heavens Substack allows editing!)
West Virginias leaders should be supporting the people who keep voting for them over and over and over ad nauseum. It is hard to care more about the people of west Virginia than they care about themselves.
I so appreciate your offering a coupla progressive, positive, useful ways to stick it to that damn Man-chin -- my mind was taking me to a very dark place!
Not that I could find Camille - I have purchased a few stickers and then sent a gift to Moms Rising. Rattle the Windows is not a nonprofit - Sorry I should have checked that before posting.
Carla, thank you so much for posting those words by Amy Jo Hutchinson. I'm so grateful she is organizing West Virginia families who really need the Build Back Better plan that their coal baron senator has such a hard time supporting. I'm adding her organization, Rattle The Windows, to the list I support with my small donations.
There are many working hard on this. N.O.W. in Morgantown among many others I cannot list here. Thank you for thinking of supporting Amy's organization.
Bless you. You all have been screwed over for ever. Ask everyone to send John Denver’s ‘ Take Me Home Country Roads ‘ to your so Relevant Senator ‘. Maybe he forgot what state he represents ? So sicking that they climb on your backs to get where they are . ❤️🦋
Sheila, I agree 100%! Carla, your "Voice from a West Virginian" is absolutely inspirational! I am going to circulate this to our local Indivisible and Commit to Democracy groups and mention it in Robert Hubbell's newsletter comment section. If we all "pay it forward," good things will come!!!
Is it ok with you if I copy and share this with my own and several other Indivisible groups outside of Heather's comment page? I would like to amplify Rattle The Windows and hopefully get some $$$ sent their way. But, I don't copy/share with an ok from the poster. Thank you.
They have known for yrs and yrs. Don’t let that last guy’s statement fool you. And they All have more perks than just furniture . Hope her testimony bears fruit. Look how long it took John Stewart helping the sick 911 first responders . The fact that they put us in this place and we have to beg them to help us up and out is disgusting. But she packed a heck of a punch and it showed.Go Amy ! It’s happening to Seniors, Disabled Ppl. Keep us updated Mary Pat.
Carla, Having been off-line all day, I am late to this conversation I am deeply grateful you initiated. I write, at least initially, to seek clarification regarding the mainstream’s repeated assertion that Joe Manchin is the only West Virginian Democrat who could win a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Though I don’t know the merits of said assertion, I was struck by “desperado’s” reference (see below) to West Virginia’s historical spirit of resistance. desperado wrote, “Today West Virginians remember that spirit of resistance, but they forget what they resisted. They’ve been taught to resist big government instead, to be free and independent mountain men….And a lot of white people would rather get nothing than get something that would help black people, too. Black people getting something is the Southern definition of socialism.”
Though I expect this mindset is not restricted to the South, I set that aside for another time. Returning to the thread you initiated, any insight you can offer regarding Manchin’s tenure in the seat previously occupied by Senator Byrd would be greatly appreciated.
Blessings to you for posting and launching this thread. Warmly, Barbara
Thank you for asking Barbara Jo. The "desperado" reference was not reflective of my experience as a native and as someone who researches the Scots-Irish immigration into Western Virginia. I was born in WV, and my parents moved from Southern West Virginia to the Washington, D.C. area when I was 4 years old. I did return to WV each year to visit our family there and I received my undergraduate degree at WVU in Morgantown. I have not lived there and voted there which means I will have to get back to you in order to try and answer your question about Manchin's tenure. Senator Shelley Moore Capito was a bit ahead of me attending WVU and I cannot comment on her tenure either. But, I can and will get back to you after receiving info. from friends who live in Morgantown and who are very connected to what is going on politically in the state. I appreciate your kind message and your interest. Merry Christmas! ~ Carla
This needs to be posted here. A voice from a West Virginian.
I am a grassroots organizer for economic justice here in West Virginia, building the Rattle The Windows movement alongside poor and marginalized West Virginians. I have been working tirelessly for months in coalition with groups here, on a state level and on a national level with Moms Rising and Community Change Action, to organize and elevate the stories of WV children and families around their support of Build Back Better, especially the Child Tax Credit expansion, paid leave, and child care.
For months, I have celebrated with moms as they talked about being able to pay for child care, buy reliable vehicles, fill their freezers and cupboards with food, and move their families out of Section 8 housing, to name a few. The expanded CTC allowed families to feel as if they were finally able to breathe a little easier, and Senator Manchin's announcement yesterday was devastating, especially so close to the holidays.
West Virginia was born out of the resistance. Engrained in our DNA is the need to not give up or to back down. When we think about the 50,000 WV kiddos the senator has singlehandedly pushed back across the poverty line, our hearts break, and we wonder how he could be that far removed from those he was elected to protect and fight for. We wonder what legacy he is seeking to leave for all the children in the Mountain State, not just his own. And we need for him to know that he's taking away our best opportunity to be able to rely on ourselves. We're disappointed in Manchin's actions, but we haven't given up. It is, after all, the season of miracles and hope.
- Amy Jo Hutchison, organizer and movement builder, Rattle The Windows
Thank you Carla for sharing Amy Jo’s message. It is the season of Hope…
I read this quote a few days ago, and it resonated with me:
“Optimism is the belief that things are going to get better. Hope is the belief that we can make things better. Optimism is a passive virtue, hope is an active one. It takes no courage to be an optimist, but it does need courage to hope.”
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (late)
Thank you! It is a wonderful quote!
I am reading Timothy Snyder’s book “On Tyranny.” In it, Snyder talks about the need to find ways to really connect with the people around you, have conversations and look them in the eye. I live in MN so having a face to face chat with folks in West Virginia isn’t possible, But making sure they know I wish them well and support them is.
www.rattlethewindows.com is the link to the organization mentioned above. Sending money seemed like a good idea to me earlier but the link is to a site where the only thing you can do is purchase stickers. So I think you can purchase stickers to show support. If you wish to actually donate, looks like Moms Rising is the place to send money. Carla, please feel free to correct me if you know better than me. https://www.momsrising.org/
I hope some of you will join me in purchasing stickers-along with sending good energy and best wishes to keep up the good fight. That we can ALL do! (This has been edited and updated as of noon central time. Thank heavens Substack allows editing!)
West Virginias leaders should be supporting the people who keep voting for them over and over and over ad nauseum. It is hard to care more about the people of west Virginia than they care about themselves.
Carla and Sheila, I salute you!
I so appreciate your offering a coupla progressive, positive, useful ways to stick it to that damn Man-chin -- my mind was taking me to a very dark place!
Yes!
Question: Is buying stickers the only to support them? If so, I’ll do that, but Amy Jo needs a donate button, and I haven’t found it.
Not that I could find Camille - I have purchased a few stickers and then sent a gift to Moms Rising. Rattle the Windows is not a nonprofit - Sorry I should have checked that before posting.
Is there some way to donate via Twitter? I don't "do Twitter" and have no idea. I'll try to find out. Thanks.
I don’t “do” Twitter, either. I’ll check Facebook.
She does have a Facebook page and I sent her a message there. I recall seeing her give testimony before Congress.
Thank you for posting the link, Sheila.
Carla, thank you so much for posting those words by Amy Jo Hutchinson. I'm so grateful she is organizing West Virginia families who really need the Build Back Better plan that their coal baron senator has such a hard time supporting. I'm adding her organization, Rattle The Windows, to the list I support with my small donations.
There are many working hard on this. N.O.W. in Morgantown among many others I cannot list here. Thank you for thinking of supporting Amy's organization.
Bless you. You all have been screwed over for ever. Ask everyone to send John Denver’s ‘ Take Me Home Country Roads ‘ to your so Relevant Senator ‘. Maybe he forgot what state he represents ? So sicking that they climb on your backs to get where they are . ❤️🦋
Sheila, I agree 100%! Carla, your "Voice from a West Virginian" is absolutely inspirational! I am going to circulate this to our local Indivisible and Commit to Democracy groups and mention it in Robert Hubbell's newsletter comment section. If we all "pay it forward," good things will come!!!
Many thanks, Andrew!
‘May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face..."
You are a hero among many who choose not to give up. West Virginia is lucky to have you.
Amy Jo Hutchison, #Rattle The Windows.
they need to understand that he truly believes that they are lazy drug addicts
Thank you, Carla, and AmyJo. Rattle All ! The windows!
Is it ok with you if I copy and share this with my own and several other Indivisible groups outside of Heather's comment page? I would like to amplify Rattle The Windows and hopefully get some $$$ sent their way. But, I don't copy/share with an ok from the poster. Thank you.
I too should have asked. My apologies, Carla. Was just inspired to get this message out.
Absolutely! Thank you. Green light!
Thanks, Carla. I looked at the groups website but there isn't a place to make a donation. Do you know if there is a link to offer $$ support?
Watch Amy Jo Huchison's testimony at the Rattle the Windows site. So powerful.
https://youtu.be/5-q584bITIk
They have known for yrs and yrs. Don’t let that last guy’s statement fool you. And they All have more perks than just furniture . Hope her testimony bears fruit. Look how long it took John Stewart helping the sick 911 first responders . The fact that they put us in this place and we have to beg them to help us up and out is disgusting. But she packed a heck of a punch and it showed.Go Amy ! It’s happening to Seniors, Disabled Ppl. Keep us updated Mary Pat.
MaryPat, that is powerful!!!
Carla, thank you for this message, and your work.
Carla, Having been off-line all day, I am late to this conversation I am deeply grateful you initiated. I write, at least initially, to seek clarification regarding the mainstream’s repeated assertion that Joe Manchin is the only West Virginian Democrat who could win a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Though I don’t know the merits of said assertion, I was struck by “desperado’s” reference (see below) to West Virginia’s historical spirit of resistance. desperado wrote, “Today West Virginians remember that spirit of resistance, but they forget what they resisted. They’ve been taught to resist big government instead, to be free and independent mountain men….And a lot of white people would rather get nothing than get something that would help black people, too. Black people getting something is the Southern definition of socialism.”
Though I expect this mindset is not restricted to the South, I set that aside for another time. Returning to the thread you initiated, any insight you can offer regarding Manchin’s tenure in the seat previously occupied by Senator Byrd would be greatly appreciated.
Blessings to you for posting and launching this thread. Warmly, Barbara
Thank you for asking Barbara Jo. The "desperado" reference was not reflective of my experience as a native and as someone who researches the Scots-Irish immigration into Western Virginia. I was born in WV, and my parents moved from Southern West Virginia to the Washington, D.C. area when I was 4 years old. I did return to WV each year to visit our family there and I received my undergraduate degree at WVU in Morgantown. I have not lived there and voted there which means I will have to get back to you in order to try and answer your question about Manchin's tenure. Senator Shelley Moore Capito was a bit ahead of me attending WVU and I cannot comment on her tenure either. But, I can and will get back to you after receiving info. from friends who live in Morgantown and who are very connected to what is going on politically in the state. I appreciate your kind message and your interest. Merry Christmas! ~ Carla
I hope she sent this to all the newspapers in WV.
Thank you for this report from the front lines.
A great opportunity for you and all you serve to call Manchin’s offices and be loudly heard.
You are a hero, Carla.
Oh please, no hero. Just a West Virginian who now lives in PA but will hope for better things in WV until the end of time.