President's Message

If there was ever a time

to be patriotic, this is it

I was googling definitions of "patriotism" the other day and this one stood out.



"Patriotism means supporting and loving our country even when it's going through rough or difficult times. You still love our country, even when things are not as you desire or you would like. Devotion to our country means standing with it, no matter what, and working to make it better." [Source: Fleet Reserve Association]

I write this message the day after the first Presidential Debate and I know I'm not alone in thinking that arguing who has the better golf handicap is not the best use of a national platform designed to showcase candidates' values and policies. No wonder so many voters are saying they will probably not vote in November because they don't expect to like the options on the ballot.

But this is when the above definition of patriotism becomes so meaningful. The U.S. is certainly going through a difficult time, but if we love our country on this July 4th then we must continue to do what we can to make it better. And that means making a choice on election day, no matter what. These may be the times that try voters' souls but just because it's difficult doesn't mean you get a pass on fulfilling your civic responsibility.

During the next four months, League members will have many opportunities to discuss the upcoming election with family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and the community. Wearing our nonpartisan hats, we can focus our message on one thing -- the importance of voting as an act of patriotism.

Diane

Diane McNutt, President

League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara

Diane.McNutt@lwvsjsc.org

Virtual Lunch with League in July

"How to Navigate

Misinformation Online"

Author Sam Wineburg

Thursday, July 18, 2024

12 noon-1 p.m. via Zoom

Stanford University Professor Emeritus Sam Wineburg will share tips from his 2023 book Verified: How to Think Straight, Get Duped Less, and Make Better Decisions About What to Believe Online, co-authored with research scientist Mike Caulfield.

Professor Wineburg wants to help citizens use the internet as a powerful fact-checking tool, rather than as a place to become immersed in conspiracy theories. "You can often find out if something is reliable or a sham in as little as 30 seconds," he says. One reviewer commented that his book "offers clear advice on how to navigate a world of spin, trolls and lies."

Educated at Brown and U.C. Berkeley, he holds a doctorate in psychological studies in education from Stanford. Since 2016 his research has focused on how people judge the credibility of digital content. In 2020, his work on digital literacy was honored with UNESCO's "Global Media and Information" award.

REGISTER now for this Lunch with League webinar and ask questions you would like our speaker to address in his talk. This event is free and open to the public so please pass along this invitation to others.

Virtual Lunch with League in August

Bestselling author

A.J. Jacobs

The Year of Living Constitutionally

Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024

12 noon-1 p.m.

What does it mean to live by the Constitution? How does the Constitution fit into our democracy today?

"Now more than ever, Americans need to understand the meaning and value of the Constitution. As politicians and Supreme Court Justices wage a high-stakes battle over how literally we should interpret the Constitution, A.J. Jacobs provides an entertaining yet illuminating look into how this storied document fits into our democracy today." [Amazon]

A.J. is the author of four New York Times bestsellers. He is a contributor to NPR and Esquire magazine and a frequent guest on radio and TV programs, including CBS Sunday Morning. His latest book has been called "Hilarious and fascinating" by Entertainment Weekly and "A marvelously witty and wise consideration of the Constitution's legacy" by Kirkus Review.

Register HERE for this very special event.

Happy Hour and Connections

Tuesday, July 23, 4-6 p.m.

Lamella Tavern, 1109 Lincoln Ave., San Jose

No-host cocktails at Happy Hour prices!

Come meet or get re-acquainted with other League members and learn about the busy months coming up. Parking is available on the street or in the parking lots behind the buildings.

To help us plan, please register your intention to come by Thursday, July 18. If you bring a guest, please note that in the comment area or register that person directly. See you there!

Our League's Annual Meeting Summary

Thank you to everyone -- members and guests -- who attended the 2024 Annual Meeting on June 8. We appreciate Ann Ravel sharing her time and expertise on democracy and international elections. If you missed her talk, you can listen to a recording HERE.

Congratulations to the leadership team elected for 2024-2025: President Diane McNutt, Vice President Carol Watts, Secretary Tom Charron, Treasurer Anita Romero and Directors Martha Beattie, Roma Dawson, Gloria Chun Hoo, Gloria Loventhal, Linda Marquez, Sandy Mory, Julie Pollitt and Charlene Siddens. We also are grateful for Sally Pyle, Chair, Judy Chamberlin and Mary Gardner who were elected to serve on the 2025 Nominating Committee.

We gave special acknowledgement to Vicki Alexander and Rosaleen Zisch for their service on the board and for the many contributions each has made to the effectiveness of the League.

The business meeting agenda included approval of the 2024-2025 budget and these five program priorities:

• Voter Education and Participation
• Climate Change and the Environment
• Housing
• Homelessness
• Mental Health

Links to minutes of the 2024 Annual Meeting and the final Treasurer's Report on fiscal year 2023-2024 will be included in the August VOTER newsletter.

Volunteer for Candidates Forums

Learn more at Zoom meeting July 9

There are dozen of races on the ballots in the communities served by our League this November including city council and county supervisor seats and positions on school boards. How many Candidates Forums we can hold to educate voters depends on how many volunteers are available to serve as moderators, timers, question sorters and technical people familiar with Zoom. We also need people to help contact candidates and follow up with information about the forums. We expect that many forums will be virtual on Zoom, but there may also be some in-person forums.

If you would like to learn more about how to get involved with Candidates Forums, please attend the next organizing meeting on Tuesday, July 9, 4 p.m. Sign up HERE for this Zoom meeting. You can also contact Sandy Mory or Michelle Fernandez at VoterService@lwvsjsc.org.

Our delegates at National Convention

Thank you to Gloria Chun Hoo, Carol Watts and Roma Dawson for representing our League at the LWV National Convention in Washington D.C. at the end of June. The August VOTER newsletter will include a brief summary of Convention actions and activities.

Is Housing Healthcare?

The impact of our housing instability and housing quality

on our health

Thursday, July 18, 12 noon-1:15 p.m. on Zoom

This session will discuss whether housing is a health related social need. Speakers are Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, Melissa Jones, Executive Director of Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative, and a representative of SV@Home. Register HERE. This event is part of a series presented by LWV Bay Area to raise awareness of the importance and value of the public health system to our communities.

Help educate voters about propositions on November ballot

Minimum wage, affordable housing, rent control. These are among the potential propositions on the November ballot. We don’t yet know how many propositions will make it to the ballot this fall, but it looks like a minimum of 12 state-level and then there will be local and Bay Area measures we’re likely to see. 

Voters want to have good information about these propositions. Here is where League comes into play! We need League volunteers to learn about these propositions and measures and present (some of) them to groups that are eager to hear about them! Martha Beattie is recruiting new members to the Pros & Cons team who would need to know about these measures. 

This is a win-win situation! It gives you a chance to provide a valuable service to League and at the same time learn about the measures for your own use in eventually deciding how to vote! Contact Martha Beattie or call her at 408-271-7163 for more information.