Take Action: State and federal agents are using chemical weapons against protesters

Today’s Take Action post is brought to you by Juniper Simonis.

In cities across the U.S, law enforcement agents have been deploying chemical weapons against racial justice protests. In Portland Oregon, the department of Homeland security is using tear gas and munitions smoke against protesters, medics, press, legal observers, and bystanders.  

Researchers have gathered a library of chemicals used by city, county, state, and federal law enforcement against racial justice protesters in Portland, Oregon. To date, there has been no transparency about the use of chemicals against civilians or accountability for such actions. This is not an isolated U.S. occurrence - similar tactics were recently used against protesters in Hong Kong, France, Russia, Chile, and many other countries, actions U.S. politicians routinely decry.

What can we do to halt the use of chemical weapons against protesters in the U.S.?

• Raise awareness - if people don’t know this is happening in the U.S. and abroad, it will continue without accountability

• Sign this letter calling for the U.S. government to halt the use of chemicals against its citizens. 

  • Call or email your senators and representatives and let them know you care about this issue. Every call counts and a critical mass of calls and pressure can lead to meaningful change, especially with Democratic majorities in Congress.

  • Continue to push our legislators and the new Biden administration to issue regulations and guidance for the Department of Homeland Security’s and other federal, state and local agencies’ use of chemicals.

Additional information on this issue:

https://www.kptv.com/news/portland-ice-facility-site-of-another-violent-clash/article_d5381038-5c6a-11eb-97e8-6bf8fa55f151.html

https://www.koin.com/news/protests/portland-protests-risk-backfiring-from-destruction/ 

What Tear Gas Does To Fish https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/what-tear-gas-does-to-fish/ 

Federal Agents Used Toxic Chemical Smoke Grenades in Portland https://theintercept.com/2020/10/10/portland-tear-gas-chemical-grenades-protests/ 

Highly Toxic" Smoke Grenades Deployed at Portland Protests https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/484862-390719-sinister-smoke and https://www.koin.com/news/protests/military-grade-hc-smoke-used-against-portland-protesters/ 

Scientists Identified a Green, Poisonous Gas Used By Federal Agents on Portland Protesters https://futurehuman.medium.com/scientists-identified-a-green-poisonous-gas-used-by-federal-agents-on-portland-protesters-5b56ac20a624 
Feds used toxic smoke grenades during summer protests in Portland https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2021/01/portland-researcher-finds-federal-agents-used-toxic-smoke-grenades-during-summer-protests.html and https://www.columbian.com/news/2021/jan/19/feds-used-toxic-smoke-grenades-during-summer-protests-in-portland-researcher-finds/.

Photo by Kai Dahms on Unsplash

Take Action: #Teach4BlackLives

Take Action: Offer to teach for your Black colleagues #Teach4BlackLives

As we continue to fight for fundamental human rights and for #BlackLivesMAtter, we must acknowledge that there is no business as usual, especially for our Black leaders, members and colleagues who are processing trauma while carrying the burden of teaching, research, mentorship, broader community service, and responsibilities at home. For white allies, it is challenging to know how to help in a concrete way. 

@KTElliotMicro posted an offer to do something tangible during this especially challenging time:

Tweet by KT Elliot: “If any of my Black colleagues need someone to teach a class, I could be available Thurs/Fri. I’d be most ready to pinch hit for Genetics (I teach an intermediate level course a lot), but I could also teach Intro Bio and Microbiology courses pretty easily too. My DMs are open.”

We love this concrete way to support our Black colleagues. Here is what you can do immediately #Teach4BlackLives:

• Offer to teach a virtual course

• Share your teaching materials and lectures 

• Take the service and mentorship burden off your Black colleagues

• If you work for a funding agency, extend grant submission deadlines 

• Order a meal for your colleague’s family

• Support your Black students

  • First and foremost, acknowledge the trauma and grief in your classes

  • Extend or eliminate deadlines and assignments - your Black students are processing grief and trauma and having to make up missed work just puts them further behind

  • Offer extra office hours and resources to support your Black students in whatever way they need

We recognize that this in itself is not enough, and that these actions will not fix the racism and violence deeply embedded in the system. This is an immediate action for white allies to show up NOW and take some of the burden off grieving and furious Black scientists.

Take Action: Stop using cancer-causing powder by Johnson & Johnson

You may be familiar with Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based Baby Powder as a household staple. But you might not know that for decades the company suppressed the science showing the product sometimes contained asbestos and was linked to cancer in women around the world. A twitter thread with some more details can be found here. 

Despite the knowledge, the company continued selling its product globally, and targeted Black Americans with its marketing. The company has faced a slew of lawsuits from those harmed and will stop selling its baby powder in the US. But J&J baby powder remains on store shelves in the US until it runs out, and alarmingly, the company is continuing to sell its harmful product outside the US. Black Women For Wellness asked the company to cease selling their product, but the company has refused. 

Take Action:

1. Hold Johnson & Johnson accountable for suppressing science and harming women. Sign the petition asking the company to cease selling the product globally. 

2. Stop using Johnson & Johnson baby powder and educate your family and friends about its harms.

Photo by Isaac Mehegan on Unsplash