Tag Archive for: build a movement

An epidemiologist offers Coronavirus answers as infections spike

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I’m not sure what the impact of months of strain from a mysterious killer that has upended our lives has caused, but I know the lack of consistent clear coronavirus answers has increased the emotions, financial and physical impact in disastrous ways. 

As an epidemiologist who worked on the front lines against numerous diseases including the effort to turn the tide against the spread of HIV/AIDS, I knew this one would require more than anyone wanted to admit in the early stages.

I wrote my prescription for health back in March. I think it’s even more valuable today as we reach a new level of the outbreak within the United States. I have also been doing Facebook live sessions where I apply my experience, research and expertise to answer your questions and give you clear, actionable coronavirus answers you can trust. 

In these Q&A sessions, you can get useful answers to critical questions, like what’s the safest way to travel, why is the age of infections going down, and should you wear a plastic facemask. There will be more to come, as I remain committed to helping as many as I can until this terrible pandemic is finally in check here in the United States and around the world. 

WHAT: Facebook Live Chat on COVID 19 pandemic

When: Mondays July 13 and 27 at 3 pm 

Join us and invite others.

 

One thing I can do: provide reliable coronavirus answers

So why do I do this? Do you remember back in February and March when we heard this pandemic “was like the flu,” would “disappear like a miracle” and a whole bunch of other bad information? 

Back then, I was stressed. I worried for my family. I worried about the misinformation and politicization of our national response. I felt the fear, which I know I can only counteract in two ways: 1) Work for a solution and 2) Wage Optimism. 

Both get harder each day and more urgent. So I keep at it. 

By Waging Optimism, I reject the fear and focus on a dream of what the world will be when we rally together and find real solutions to the ills that plague us: the climate emergency, racial injustice, a broken democracy, and a lack of coronavirus answers. This is why I formed Build a Movement 2020 because I knew it would take a grassroots effort that is willing to tackle all of these issues to make real, lasting, systemic change. 

We can and will overcome and work toward a solution. In the weeks ahead we will grapple with two historic challenges: finally altering the course of our 244-year-old racial injustice and ending the worst of the impact of COVID-19. We can and will do both. 

 

What can you do during troubling times?

You can help. You are needed. Every one of us can play a role in turning us away from these bleak, divided and confusing times. Part of what BAM 2020 does is help you do just that. We have action items through our Action Center that allows you to contact legislators in under a minute, to tweet to them urging action and to connect to others (like our Covid-19 Emergency Response Facebook Group). 

You can help spread accurate information about critical issues like the climate emergency or help people connect with the #BreatheWithMe initiative. It takes a little more than a couple of seconds on social media to share these posts and encourage your friends and family to get engaged. 

You can help people get accurate coronavirus answers simply by sharing this post and telling them to read it! 

This is how democracy works. We don’t let our leaders dictate to us what we can do, we dictate to them what they WILL DO! 

Aren’t you tired of the failures of our political leaders? How many more (like George Floyd killed by police or the more than 100,000 people killed by COVID-19) have to die before we all realize enough is enough?! I’m ready for a little rebellion right about now. How about you? 

 

How can I help? By providing trustworthy coronavirus answers

If you’re still reading it means you care! You’re committed to a future like the one I envision on the first pages of Waging Optimism. The vision I’ve been working toward throughout my career of waging justice! 

Like you, I ask myself constantly what can I do. What’s my small part? As I mention above, in the specific case of COVID-19, I can help people have trustworthy answers. Information is power and I want you are loved ones to have as much of it as you can.

Feel free to reach out through our contact page if you have a question you’d like me to answer in the weeks ahead.

As we know, we’re in the grip of this pandemic right now. Don’t grow weary. Grow together. Let’s #endcovid19 together. 

COVID-19 Heightens Need to Build a Movement for Change

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When Build a Movement 2020 launched last year, we focused on five pillars. We took pains to explain how inter-connected these issues are and how systemic change across each would ensure meaningful progress in all.

Then came the COVID-19 global pandemic that has impacted every facet of our lives. This is a health crisis that has created an economic crisis, a health care crisis and a crisis that tests the very nature of our democracy. The lessons we learn in this great battle will teach and train us for the larger issues to come.

But only if we listen and learn. Only if we truly build a movement that can effectively pair legislation, activism and social impact in meaningful ways.

As you know I’m an unreformed optimist, which is why I didn’t wait to publish part 1 of Waging Optimism. I believe a realistic optimistic, action-centered approach to these great crises will help us realize a new world that is safe for humanity, that ends this pandemic, that restores our climate and that builds a new democracy that works for every citizen.

We can’t accept half measures.

We’ve seen this interconnected play out in the news at a time when every headline is COVID-19.

We’ve seen a planet that’s getting well even as we get sicker. This is our Climate Restoration pillar.

We’ve seen an economy painfully learning to adapt to new realities that will become more sustainable in the future. This is our Sustainable Development pillar.

We’ve seen our democracy’s inability to move beyond partisan politics for a national response despite ample time to better prepare for this crisis and save more lives. This is our Heal America pillar.

We’ve seen people from all walks of life come together on Facebook live conversations, Zoom organizational meetings, shared content and progressive action to build a COVID-19 Emergency Response Group. This is the Gender and Health pillar.

To solve one, we must work together to solve all. The vision I have for 2030 seems more likely now than when I first wrote it in the opening pages of Waging Optimism.

We can build a movement that can ensure change across the pillars that makes each stronger.

I invite you to join this Earth protecting, humanity saving, democracy building, Purple Tsunami of historic change.

Click here an add your name to our pledge.

Click here and contact your legislators to demand rapid testing for COVID 19.

Visit the Dr Paul Zeitz Facebook page at 3PM eastern Mon., Wed. and Friday for a live chat and reliable information about COVID-19 that can help you and your loved ones stay safe.

Repost this article to your social networks and invite other to take action as well.

Healing America: Waging Optimism

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If you were sick and your physician said you had to take urgent action to remain alive, would you sit around and debate it? Not if you wanted to get well. If I were your doctor I’ll tell you to start by waging optimism and taking action! 

Well, here we are, at the conclusion of this Healing American series. The time for debate is over. The next government of the United States will be elected in less than 400 days. This is the time for action. 

In part one of this Healing America series, we recognized the urgency and illness. 

In part two, we diagnosed the cause. 

In part three, we decided to become a miracle cure.

In part four, we set a course for bold action, with America 2.0. 

So, how do we get from where we are today, a sick and dying nation embroiled in political scandal and ineffective government to where we will be upon signing an America 2.0 constitution as soon as possible? 

We start WAGING OPTIMISM and taking action. 

  • We build a movement together. Click here now to take our pledge and get started.
  • We call all justice-hearted Americans mobilize in mass, peaceful, non-violent demonstrations between now and Constitution Day.
  • We make our presence felt at the Democratic and Republic Conventions when the candidates for the President are formally chosen.
  • We demand candidates that will support our America 2.0 Constitution.

Now, it’s time for action.

waging optimism

Who am I to call you to action?

I’m a doctor and the father of five sons.

I am committed to ensuring that my family and all of your families have the opportunity to pursue the American ideal of liberty and justice for all.

My work for the last 30 years has been to hold the United States government accountable. I’ve been waging justice for all Americans and I want you to join me.

I’m an optimist to the core. I’m Waging Optimism now because I’ve seen what happens when people come together, like the time we changed the course of the AIDS epidemic. Like the Climate Justice movement that is making a huge push to save our planet.

On Martin Luther King’s birthday earlier this year, I launched Build A Movement 2020 (#BAM2020) to spark a patriotic revolutionary political movement. The pillars of BAM2020 can be seen here. (Link to blog with pillars). 

I commit my life to healing America and I know we can do it. 

But who I am isn’t as important who you are. 

Will you be the person who at this moment in history took bold action to demand life, liberty and justice for all? 

Will you wage optimism with me? 

Let Justice Ring!

Avoid extinction through climate restoration 

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Humanity, we have a problem. We are staring at our very own extinction. That’s what I call a big problem. But we have a big solution: climate restoration.

You might not have heard it put in these terms, but we humans are on the verge of polluting ourselves out of existence. The last climate conference I attended, a climate expert said that 4–5 billion people could die in the next decades and we may all go extinct.

Sounds bleak, right? But there is great news, too. These problems are entirely solvable! But first we need to understand the gravity of the situation if we don’t act.

The Sixth Mass Extinction

The sixth mass extinction is underway and scientists report that the climate emergency is spiraling out of control — imminently threatening our humanity.

First, we lost countless sea-dwelling anaerobic bacteria who could not survive in oxygen.

Now we are losing Arctic Ice and 1000s of species are going extinct.

We’re seeing daily impacts on human lives and living conditions from monster storms to raging fires. 

The fact is we’re in danger of losing all of humanity. All of the humans. All of us.

The clock is ticking.

This problem, even though so many of us want to deny it, isn’t going away.

That’s the bad news.

So, let’s get to the good news.

We can work together to restore a safe and healthy climate for all of humanity now and for future generations. Through climate restoration we can return our Earth to the safe home for us all it was intended to be.

Climate Restoration Emergency Action

We have a solution!

Worldwide “Climate Restoration Emergency Action (CREA)” can ensure that humanity can survive on Earth for generations.

We must return atmospheric CO2 to safe pre-industrial levels by 2030 and restore Arctic ice to prevent permafrost melt and the resulting disastrous methane emissions.

Climate restoration won’t be easy — in fact, it will be the most challenging endeavor humanity has ever undertaken — but it can and urgently must be done, as fast as possible.

On MLK Day earlier this year, I launched Build A Movement 2020 (#BAM2020) to spark a patriotic revolutionary political movement.

My goal is to mobilize all Americans to join together in a shared commitment to take urgent “Climate Restoration Emergency Action” to restore a safe and healthy climate to ensure the survival of humanity, for ourselves and for future generations.

I am committed to mobilizing the full capabilities of our American society and all of our global partnerships: the federal government, local governments, universities, academics, civic groups, faith-based groups, and the private sector.

Everyone everywhere is urgently needed to deploy “Climate Restoration Emergency Action.”

We must insist that the President of the United States, Congress, and local governments take “Climate Restoration Emergency Action.” 

If they are not willing to do this, I believe they are violating their oath to uphold our Constitution and they should be removed from office as fast as possible.

I am committed to demanding that our elected officials in federal, state, county, and city governments launch “Climate Restoration Emergency Action.”

You can take action immediately by texting BAM2020 to 52866. Within less than a minute you can email you legislators and tweet support for CREA. 

We can stop our own extinction with simple clicks of action. 

As Winston Churchill said, “Nothing matters except victory in the existential struggle.“

Step 7- Mobilize for the future This is not a one-time effort

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A march is an event. It’s a rallying point. It’s a start. But it’s not the solution. To be effective, even a march with millions of people all filling the streets in every region of the world, must to into a movement. 

And a movement can’t happen without you. 

Building a Movement 2020 is this movement, one where justice-hearted people are joining forces, in a fusion of solidarity for the purpose of making the impossible, possible. Build A Movement 2020 can usher in a more just and peaceful world. 

We are committed to ensuring that the next U.S. President and Congress shares our commitment to critical steps change. We are committed to holding the next U.S. government accountable for bold and transformative action. 

Our movement platform centers around five resolute pillars, each with a clarion call to action. 

BAM 2020’s five pillars are: 

CLIMATE RESTORATION: We call FOR RAPID CLIMATE RESTORATION and TRANSITION TO 100% CLEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY to ensure our planet is habital for future generations. Investments in clean energy will create jobs, upgrade our infrastructure and generate economic opportunity while confronting our current climate emergency. 

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: We call for the U.S. to join the rest of the world with a commitment to bold action in support of the “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) and the “Paris Climate Accord” — the world’s ambitious agendas for achieving social, economic, environmental, gender and racial justice by 2030. 

ENDING CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE: We call on all parents, families, guardians, teachers, coaches, clergy, and leaders in society, to break the code of silence regarding sexual abuse and incest. We call on these individuals to create safe spaces for survivors and to assist them in revealing as well as healing from their hidden trauma. Together, we will create a global and inclusive healing movement.

HEALTH AND GENDER EQUALITY: We call for gender equality, mental health programs, universal health care programs of prevention, and universal care for all Americans. Furthermore,  we call for the support of global efforts to end HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other infectious disease epidemics.

RESTORE DEMOCRACY: We call for major reforms of our political system to ensure fairness, freedom, and justice for all. We call for innovative solutions that can be deployed to address low voter turnout, gerrymandering, and campaign finance rules.  Additionally, we also call for the deployment of solutions that will assist in the combating of firearms violence, racially-biased voter suppression, and mass incarceration. 

On Sept 19, we joined the world to march for climate justice. Now, we ask you to join us in our continued movement toward justice for all. We will “Build a Movement 2020” to restore our government being run “by the people, for the people,” instead of  “by the greedy, for the greedy.” 

Join us today. Click here to take action.