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- Havdalah #40: Boycott, ICE Bills, & Beware the Ides
Havdalah #40: Boycott, ICE Bills, & Beware the Ides
16 Adar, 5785 / March 15, 2025
White Rose RI
March 15, 2025
Hello all, and welcome to Havdalah #40 —
So, I’ve had a week. Had a couple of weeks, actually. Two separate sets of car repairs, neither my fault, a pet-related three week health crisis that finally seems to be getting better, and when I went to pick up some meds for that pet today I realized I’ve lost my wallet. And that’s not even touching what’s happening on the news.
Stop the world, I want to get off.
It seems overwhelming; an endless array of problems, bullshit, deliberate malice from the powers that be, while I’m desperately just trying to get to the end of the week and make my daily calls or get to that protest, or write that letter to the editor, or even just draft this newsletter. They seem inexhaustible, while I’m just exhausted. But the thing is, it seems that way because I’m looking at it as me vs them. And it’s not; it’s us vs them. I don’t have to do it alone; we can do it together. We will do it together.
Although the wallet is unfortunately up to me. Let me know if you found it, it’s somewhere in Cumberland.
James has written the first of five parts on The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and its relevancy to our times, and I am eagerly awaiting the rest. We’ve got a couple of events, a couple of bills, a lot of links. Take a minute, take a breath, we can do this.
Goodnight, and mind how you go —
Katherine (she / her)
PS: We’d like to hear from you! Let us know how we’re doing!
PPS: Seriously, if you find a black leather wallet, drop us a line.
Target Fast: Boycott over Retreat from DEI Initiatives
When: now through April 17 (end of Lent)
Where: everywhere
There is a call to boycott Target, which pledged to spend over $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by the end of 2025, only to then stop the program at the start of the year. Black people spend over $12 million a day at Target.
The four demands of Target
Honor the 2 billion dollar pledge to the black business community through products, services, and black media buys
Deposit 250 million dollars amongst any of the 23 black banks
Complete restoring the franchise commitment to DEI
Pipeline community centers at 10 HBCU to teach retail business at every level
Workers and Renters: Providence General Assembly
When: Saturday, March 15, 12:00pm and every other Saturday
Where: 134 Mathewson Street, Providence, RI 02903
From their Instagram:
Worried about Trump?
Want to defend our communities?
Want a world that works for everyone?
Come to the Providence General Assembly!
Spanish, ASL interpretation and childcare available upon email request
Masking requested and masks will be provided
Direct questions to [email protected]
Rally for Working People
When: Saturday, March 22, 12:00pm-2:00pm
Where: Across from the Tesla Dealership, 375 Adelaide Avenue, Providence, RI 02907
From the event post:
Working people built America and we deserve a government that fights for us!
Instead, Trump, Vance, and Musk are raiding departments, firing workers, cutting benefits, and pilfering the coffers to line the pockets of their billionaire friends. While they get richer off our labor, we’re left struggling with stagnant wages, rising costs, and attacks on our rights.
Enough is enough — we're pushing back.
It’s time to stand together and demand an economy by us, with us, and for us — not the ultra-wealthy.
They are encouraging registration but that is very poor protest practice so don’t do that.
Sponsored by NEARI and Indivisible.
For more info contact Fil Eden at [email protected].
Trump Administration Play-by-Play Tool for Public Education
When: Up now
Where: Online
The Partnership for the Future of Learning is making an online tool available which aims to demystify the Administration’s plans for the coming months. During his presidential campaign, Trump was open about his plans for dismantling public schools. Even as the campaign backed away from Project 2025, he embraced its proposals to roll back civil rights protections and defund and privatize public schools. Following the election, organizations across the progressive education policy space developed important resources on what these plans will mean for schools and communities. The Play-by-Play includes and complements many of these resources with information on how Administration policies are likely to be enacted, and the steps state and local organizations can take in response.
The Womxn Project’s Bodily Freedom Forever Index
When: Up now, updated every Tuesday
Where: Online
The Womxn Project has put together an index of politicians in RI, showing how candidates did in the 2024 election compared to their stance on bodily freedom. TWP will post weekly reports on Tuesdays, highlighting some of their findings from the BFFI.
They’re also welcoming people to come join them as they organize in each district, creating small hubs. With volunteers, they will keep building a more transparent political landscape with data-informed action and strategy. Check them out if you want to get involved!
Weekly Kaddish
When: Every Sunday, 1:00pm-1:30pm
Where: Michael Van Leesten Pedestrian Bridge, Providence, RI 02903
Jewish Voice for Peace RI and allies will be hosting a weekly gathering on Sundays to recite the Mourners Kaddish and communally grieve the Palestinians murdered by the Israeli military. You need not be Jewish to attend; all are welcome to participate.
JVP Course: Study & Action for Palestine 2025
When: Sundays, March 16, 30, April 6, 20, 27, and May 4, 4:30pm-6:30pm
Where: Online (sessions will also be recorded)
Study & Action for Palestine (Spring 2025) is an online course and a learning community for anyone who is committed to a Free Palestine and the well-being of all people, everywhere.
It consists of extensive study materials, six live sessions (recorded and available to anyone who registers) and an ongoing focus on action — both what participants are doing or can be doing right now, as well as how we can deepen our engagement in specific, strategic struggles and for long haul, systemic change.
Designed to be a community of support for study and taking meaningful action, course content includes:
Campaigning and organizing skills that can apply to anything you are working on, brought directly to the group from Palestinian, Jewish, Christian and labor organizing for a Free Palestine right now
Camaraderie and support for your involvement in solidarity struggle whether you are new to activism or a seasoned community leader
A material analysis of U.S. imperialism, settler colonialism, and the struggle for a free Palestine that strengthens all of the work that you do
Sustainable ways to contribute to the solidarity movement for Palestine and the broader struggle for collective liberation (at home and abroad) for the long haul
Suggested registration fee is $175-$325, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Inspirational Women Film Lecture Series: Jackie
When: Wednesday, March 19, 1:00pm
Where: Salem Family Auditorium, Barrington Public Library, 281 County Road, Barrington, RI 02806
In honor of Women's History Month this March, join Librarian Doug Swiszcz on Wednesdays at 1:00pm for a collection of biopics featuring inspiring women from history. Each film will be preceded by a short film lecture given by Doug.
Free and open to all. Registration recommended.
March 19 - Jackie
Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy fights through grief and trauma to regain her faith, console her children, and define her husband's historic legacy in the days immediately following her husband’s tragic death. Natalie Portman’s portrayal earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
2016 – 1 hr, 30 mins – Color – Rated R
March 26 - Respect
This look at the first 30 years in the life of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, traces her beginnings singing in her pastor father’s church, her initial record contract, her struggles to break free from the controlling men in her life, and the eventual recording of a gospel album that returned her to her gospel roots. Jennifer Hudson’s powerhouse performance conveys the highs and lows of Franklin’s life and career.
2021 – 2 hrs 25 mins – Color – Rated PG-13
How to End Christian Nationalism Event
When: Saturday, March 22, 9:00am-3:00pm
Where: Community Church of Providence, 372 Wayland Avenue, Providence, RI 02906
The Rhode Island State Council of Churches is pleased to host Amanda Tyler, Executive Director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, as our featured speaker as they work to end Christian Nationalism in Rhode Island and beyond.
Christian nationalism is a cultural framework that idealizes and advocates a fusion of Christianity with American civic life. But the "Christian" in Christian Nationalism is more about identity than religion and it carries with it assumptions about nativism, white supremacy, authoritarianism, patriarchy, and militarism.
The day’s activities will also include workshops, engaging panel discussions with elected leaders, worship, and lunch catered by Amos House.
Registration is required
Registration with lunch closes on Monday, March 17 at noon
Final Registration closes on Thursday, March 20 at noon
Registration link for How to End Christian Nationalism Event
Tomaquag Museum Lunch and Learn: Indigenous wisdom: our connection and responsibility to water
When: Monday, March 24, 12:00pm-1:00pm
Where: Online (sessions will also be recorded)
Join the Tomaquag Museum’s Education Department for a free virtual presentation on Indigenous history and culture, a new topic every month. Grab your lunch and take a break with them.
“Chenae Bullock will share her deep insights into the sacred relationship between Indigenous communities and water. Drawing from her extensive experience in cultural preservation, traditional wellness practices, and her role in global water ceremonies, she will highlight the urgent need for environmental responsibility and the wisdom that Indigenous knowledge brings to contemporary water issues.”
The AMOR Community Fund for ICE Detainees
The AMOR Community Fund for ICE Detainees is a volunteer run, community funded project dedicated to supporting folks in ICE Detention at the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls RI.
With the funds raised so far, AMOR has focused on providing commissary support so that folks detained can afford the phone calls that are often critical to getting connected with their family and broader community of support. Access to funds for commissary also helps the people in detention access basic necessities like deodorant, lotion, toothpaste, soap and snacks.
With threats of mass deportation, the world feels scary right now and it can be hard to know what to do or how to help. Your donation has a tangible effect on people experiencing detention in our community right now.
Help keep the AMOR Community Fund for ICE Detainees alive by donating today, or becoming a monthly donor!
Reminders for Legislative Advocacy
Be aware that written testimony submitted to any committee is considered public and will be posted to and accessible on the General Assembly website.
All times and locations given below are accurate as of the writing of this newsletter, but the RI Legislature is prone to changing time and locations of hearings with little notice. If you want to give in-person testimony for a bill, go to this Bill Lookup Page to double check the bill status and meeting information before you go. Put the bill number (no H, no S) in the Bills input field and hit Enter for the most up to date information.
Rise of the House or the Senate is when the full House or Senate finishes meeting together and breaks into separate committee meetings.
For in-person testimony, when you arrive and/or during the meeting, you will receive instructions on when and how you can give testimony. Don’t be afraid to poke someone who looks like they know what they’re doing and ask.
End ICE Detention in Rhode Island
Summary: S0295 would prohibit state and municipal officials or municipal bodies from entering into and renewing any agreements that will be used to detain individuals for federal civil immigration violations. H5724 would prohibit the state or a municipality from contracts to detain individuals for civil immigration violations, and if such a contract exists, it must end by July 1, 2026. It would also prohibit these entities from using public resources to detain those individuals.
Our Position: FOR / IN SUPPORT OF
Current Status: Referred to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees
How You Can Help: AMOR (Alliance to Mobilize Our Resistance) has made very helpful testimony toolkits for these bills!
Voter Suppression Bills
Summaries: H5137 would dictate that the state board of elections shall verify the citizenship status of all persons on the voter registration list. H5873 would require verification of an applicant's date of birth and either a Rhode Island driver's license number or state identification number on all applications seeking mail ballots and emergency mail ballots. These bills are designed to make it even more difficult to vote; there are plenty of citizens (trans people, for instance) who are eligible to vote in RI but do not have state IDs or driver’s licenses.
Our Position: AGAINST / IN OPPOSITION TO
Current Status: Scheduled for hearing and / or consideration on March 18, 2025
How to Submit Written Testimony:
Due: Monday, March 17, 4:00pm
Write a short statement for each bill, 1-3 paragraphs, explaining why you oppose the bill.
Include your name, the bill number (H5137 and H5873 respectively), and your viewpoint (AGAINST).
Email written testimony to:
How to Give In-Person Testimony:
Attend one of the committee meetings:
The House State Government & Elections Committee meeting, Tuesday, March 18, at the 4:00pm in Room 101 at the State House
Be prepared to share a brief statement about why you oppose these bills. Include your name, the bill numbers (H5137 and H5873), and your viewpoint (AGAINST).
If there are bills you’d like updates on, let us know! Email us at [email protected] with the bill number, and we will track it!
James (he / she)
CAESAR: The ides of March are come.
SOOTHSAYER: Ay, Caesar, but not gone.
It’s an evergreen truth in my industry that The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is never far from the fingertips of a particular sort of director. During the season selection cycles for even-numbered years, the text is plucked from the libraries of Producing Artistic Directors all over the country. No matter whose reign or what epoch or which party, Julius Caesar maintains a ubiquitous presence in regional theatre. Its authorship ensures its longevity (and certainly being in the public domain doesn’t hurt), but Shakespeare’s words are often painfully underserved by productions that are, after all, maladroitly and unselfconsciously American. Mention of the play has become shorthand for local theaters so enamored with the smell of their own farts that they’ve disappeared up their asses.
Add to this its oversaturation in tenth-grade English curricula with insufficient pedagogy, and The Tragedy of Julius Caesar has become hopelessly and clumsily belabored at the expense of its subtleties — which, I promise, are there.
It’s a great injustice, because the play’s relevance to the United States empire cannot be overstated… just not for the reasons people usually point to. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar’s text is rich and dense, yet most only have a surface-level grasp of its themes, akin to our popular understandings of books like 1984. Its oft-invoked name alone communicates a number of ideas in our discourse, but not its more interesting or urgent ones. People who aren’t in theatre, or aren’t Shakespeare nerds, or whose only exposure to Julius Caesar was a ham-fisted production with a thinly veiled analog of their mayor as the titular tyrant, are by and large unequipped to engage with the play in any way beyond the superficial. This is not a personal failing! It’s a result of my fellow artists and I doing mediocre theatre, and honestly, that’s our bad, we should have been doing waaay better than we have. Mea culpa.
I don’t have the money or labor to give you a good production right now. But I do have a newsletter and a lot of professional opinions, so I’ll try to do what I can with that.
I’d like to spend time talking about why Julius Caesar is really relevant, from a theatre practitioner’s perspective, and not just the soundbites and blurbs a director gives local news to promote their third remount. Unfortunately for perhaps both of us, I discovered the hard way just how rich and dense the text really is while I was doing research for this Sidebar. Imagine that, me biting off more than I can chew. It’s been decided, therefore, that the best way to go about this is in five parts (Acts, one might say).
Let’s start with the original thesis that inspired this maze of rabbit holes.
Despite the play being named after him, we don’t actually spend much time with Caesar. Less of a villain, he’s more of an inciting incident. This is key to understanding with specificity not only why the tragedy plays out like it does, but also what the tragedy is.
We’re told from the very beginning that Caesar wants to be king. We and Brutus are increasingly persuaded that it is imperative that Caesar be stopped by any means necessary. Caesar is stopped (pretty decisively), and yet, the Republic still falls. The conspiracy is annihilated one by one and Rome gets its first Emperor in Octavian, Caesar’s adopted heir. It’s maybe easy to come away from the play thinking that the tragedy, like most, is due to a classic case of flawed but well-meaning men. Or, if you’re less charitable, one well-meaning but flawed man surrounded by a bunch of flawed, slightly less well-meaning assholes.
I think setting Caesar apart from the rest of the men in the cast is a grave mistake. The civil war that ensues in the wake of the assassination is over the same questions of power that existed while Caesar was alive, questions that certainly were not completely resolved by his murder, necessary though it may have been. The conspiracy fails to prevent the fall of Roman democracy not because they are flawed men, but because they are selfish, powerful, fearful men. Rome succumbs to autocracy in the end because of the conspirators’ initial refusal to name Caesar a tyrant, because to do so would endanger their own appointments. Simply: The conspiracy has the self-evident option of justifying their actions by publicly denouncing Caesar as a threat to the Republic. Instead, they demur because to identify Caesar’s power as illegitimate throws their own into question. Even our protagonist, the honorable Brutus, refuses to relinquish his status, and it costs him his life and the Roman people their (limited and far from utopic) democracy.
This is why the tragedy is relevant to the present moment.
Caesar, while a clear and present danger, is not the only ambitious man in Rome. He is surrounded by others like him, the products of the burgeoning Roman Empire, which is already fattened on conquest and subjugation. Some of those others decide to eliminate him. But his assassins are as much motivated by sincere concern for liberty as they are simply happy to have one less competitor, one less rival with whom to share the spoils of imperialism. In such a milieu, the acceleration of authoritarianism is inevitable. This is demonstrated by the fact that Caesar’s murder doesn’t actually answer the question of dictatorship for Rome — it just removes a candidate. In the vacuum that follows, the man who wins the civil wars eventually ascends to absolute power. The loaded gun was still left on the table, waiting for the next autocrat to snatch it. Far from an unforced error on the part of the conspiracy, this was an intentional decision, because they wanted the gun.
The question of who wanted the gun for its own sake and who wanted it because they saw themselves as the only ones honorable enough to wield it responsibly will be the subject of the next two Acts. And spoiler: the difference has very little to do with elephants or donkeys.
Needle Drop: “Tidal Wave”, The Mountain Goats
News Round-Up: Local
Local non-profits and leaders address reported ICE detainment in Central Falls (Temi-Tope Adeleye for NBC10 News WJAR, March 6, 2025)
Chariho parents defend policies to protect trans, gender diverse, and transitioning students from activist school committee members (Steve Ahlquist in RIFuture.news, March 13, 2025)
Parents in Barrington defend policies to protect transgender, gender diverse and transitioning students at school committee (Steve Ahlquist in RIFuture.news, March 14, 2025)
News Round-Up: National
She Interrupted a Town-Hall Meeting and Was Dragged Out by Private Security (Alexandra E. Petri for The New York Times, February 25, 2025)
The 200+ Sites an ICE Surveillance Contractor is Monitoring (Joseph Cox for 404 Media, March 12, 2025)
Deep Dives
AI: The New Aesthetics of Fascism (Gareth Watkins for New Socialist, February 9, 2025)
The Columbia Network Pushing Behind the Scenes to Deport and Arrest Student Protesters (Natasha Lennard & Akela Lacy for The Intercept, February 15, 2025)
The Anti-Empathy Revolution of Elon Musk (Kelly Hayes in Organizing My Thoughts, March 7, 2025)
How the Terrorgram Collective’s Neo-Nazi Influencers Groomed a Teen to Kill (A.C. Thompson, James Bandler, & Lukáš Diko for ProPublica, FRONTLINE, & the Investigative Center of Jan Kuciak, March 8, 2025)
So It Begins: The Disappearing of Mahmoud Khalil and Authoritarian Capture (Jared Yates Sexton in Dispatches From A Collapsing State, March 10, 2025)
Mahmoud Kahlil and the Repression That Was, Is, and Will Be (Kelly Hayes in Organizing My Thoughts, March 14, 2025)
Pod Recs: Behind the Bastards, Movement Memos, & It Could Happen Here
Part One: In Honor Of Our New Monarchy, Let’s Talk About Versailles (Behind the Bastards featuring Ed Zitron, March 4, 2025)
Part Two: In Honor Of Our New Monarchy, Let’s Talk About Versailles (Behind the Bastards featuring Ed Zitron, March 6, 2025)
Fight Fear, Build Power: Community Defense Works (Movement Memos, March 6, 2025)
King Trump Yells at Congress (It Could Happen Here, March 6, 2025)
Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #6 (It Could Happen Here, March 7, 2025)
Part One: The Zizians: How Harry Potter Fanfic Inspired a Death Cult (Behind the Bastards, March 11, 2025)
Mahmoud Khalil’s Arrest and What Comes Next (It Could Happen Here, March 12, 2025)
Part Two: The Zizians: Birth of a Cult Leader (Behind the Bastards, March 13, 2025)
Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #7 (It Could Happen Here, March 14, 2025)
