While a lot of people have wanted to make a difference in politics since Trump's election, it can be difficult to know where to start. Facebook's new Town Hall feature aims to change that. The social media site will now direct you toward your local representatives and tell you how to contact them so that you can speak up for the issues you care about.
"This is a time when many of us around the world are reflecting on how we can have the most positive impact," Mark Zuckerberg explained last month when he launched the feature. "We may not have the power to create the world we want immediately, but we can all start working on the long term today. In times like these, the most important thing we at Facebook can do is develop the social infrastructure to give people the power to build a global community that works for all of us."
In order to use Town Hall, log into Facebook on your phone, click the menu icon on the bottom right, and go to "explore," "more," then "Town Hall." Put in your info, and it'll tell you who your representatives are on the local, state, and national level and how to call, email, or follow them.
Now that the obstacle of finding your reps has been removed, the question becomes what exactly to tell them. Here are some suggestions if you want to make a difference but aren't sure what to say.
Advocate For Women's Rights
To express opposition to the possible overturning of Roe v. Wade, defunding of Planned Parenthood, and other Trump administration decisions that could be disastrous for women's health and women's rights, call or email a local House or Senate representative and use this template from Bustle's Bronwyn Isaac:
Hello, my name is _________, and I’m calling today from _________ to urge Senator/Representative _________ to support a woman's right to choose in the United States and to do everything in their power to support women's health and reproductive rights. I would like to know how Senator/Representative _________ plans to protect women's reproductive rights, so that I can fully support them and spread further solidarity.
Protest The Travel Ban
To call for an end to Trump's executive order limiting travel into the U.S. from Muslim countries, ask a local representative to spread awareness of why it's a problem and press Trump to change it. You can get two different scripts from The 65 depending on whether your representative supports the legislation or not. Or, use this generic one: "Trump’s executive order doesn’t represent our values, and that I am asking him/her to take a principled, public stand against this kind of intolerance."
Protest The Obamacare Replacement
The Obamacare replacement bill hasn't passed yet, which means there still may be time to protest its most potentially detrimental parts. Here are some scripts you can use to express your concern about the millions of people who could lose health insurance.
Protest The Mexico Border Wall
Trump promised to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border during his campaign, and he's already planning how to design it. To protest its construction, you can start with "I am calling to ask <Senator/Representative Name> to speak up loudly against President Trump’s intention to build a wall on our border with Mexico" and bring up any of these other talking points from Indivisible Madison.
Voice Your Agreement
Your call doesn't always have to be a protest. You can tell your representative you appreciate what they've done and would like them to continue, or contact the organizations that lobby for them and ask them to hold them accountable.
