Why Call When They Don't Care? A pep talk

Did you contact NC Representative Ray Pickett asking him not to make it more difficult for places like the Hospitality House to serve the hungry and homeless, reminding him that enhanced criminalization of addiction doesn't reduce drug use and only benefits prison systems? Only to find out that not only did he vote for it, he sponsored it? (Are we considering mailing him a copy of Matthew 25:35-45? Maybe).

Did you contact Senator Ted Budd telling him how worried you are about how DOGE is accountable to no one, firing essential federal workers recklessly, creating a massive data breach of our private information ? Only for him to respond by bragging about how he is on the DOGE committee and what great work they are doing?

Did you contact Senator Tillis to ask him to vote against what the Brennan Center called one of the "worst federal voting policies in US history," only to find out not only does he plan to vote for it but he sponsored it in the Senate? 

Did you contact Representative Foxx about how unaccountable Musk is and the unprecedented corruption of his access to agencies that fund and regulate his businesses...only for her to use her official social media presence to try to sell Tesla cars? 

Don't even get us started on State Senator Hise, the one who singled out Watauga County to be gerrymandered because someone’s feelings were hurt that Republicans couldn’t otherwise win every seat.

Senator Tillis, Senator Budd, Representative Foxx, State Representative Pickett, and State Senator Hise don't seem to care about these concerns. They act as if they are only accountable to elite donors and powerbrokers.

So why bother calling? Here's a pep talk to share ten reasons why we call anyway.

1. Pressure builds

Every small action builds pressure. You didn't call before but something has happened and you are calling now. One call alone doesn't matter, but hundreds or thousands of verifiable calls from constituents will increase pressure. The calls are not the only action we take; they are part of a larger movement to make our government truly "of the people, by the people, for the people." Change can seem as if it just happens overnight, but it is the result of this almost invisible pressure, countless people engaging in multiple ways, pushing towards justice.

Find out more about how to call and why from 5calls.org.

2. Spite.

They want to take away our rights, cause countless deaths from preventable diseases, profit from an industrial prison and detention system, kick our elders out of nursing homes to die in the streets, pretend that anyone they decide to call a criminal without evidence or hearing can be imprisoned indefinitely, decimate essential programs that save countless lives here and abroad, effectively shred our constitution and every last fragment of our admittedly besieged democracy, pretend that human beings aren't human beings...they want to do all this and relax over a cup of coffee in their district offices? I don't think so. When we call, someone has to pick up the phone and be (respectfully) reminded that despite the echo chamber of lies they prefer, their actions are being witnessed and we are not shrugging this off.

3. "Save the only life you can save"

There's a poem by Mary Oliver called the Journey about learning to listen to yourself and understanding that "the only life you can save" is your own, a line that can be so empowering. It can also appear selfish except I know this to be true for me: picking up the phone to speak out against injustice and, lately, atrocities, is a way to save my own life. I will not do nothing in the face of so much reckless harm.

4. Each call you make is educational

Making calls is a way to pay attention and learn about an issue, at least enough to talk to someone about it. It can help you discuss the issue later with friends and neighbors–and to remember what the elected officials did or didn't do when it comes time to vote.

5. Sometimes, they actually need to hear from you.

Sometimes politicians, yes, even ones seemingly indifferent to our concerns, will have their own reasons to want to take action on an issue you are calling about, and your calls help them follow through.

This is why we sometimes push harder on issues that may sound less important than ringing the alarm on the ways that they are endangering lives here and abroad. There are some issues that speak in a language that they are more likely to hear, such as "tariffs are killing small businesses and will raise taxes on everyone,” or, as we told them before his confirmation, “Pete Hegseth is not qualified to lead the Department of Defense, and his nomination is an insult to everyone in service.”

We may never understand what inspires them to act. Call anyway. You might give them the push they need.

6. The broken record

When one of us was a teacher, she learned a classroom management strategy called the broken record. That is, I would tell a student to open his textbook, and he might not do it. Instead of making a big deal about it, I just repeated myself. We have to do the same to our politicians. (And possibly our acquaintances on social media). Don't argue. Just keep repeating what we know to be true. This can be surprisingly effective.

7.  Provide them opportunities to break from the cult

Some of the people supporting this chaos and destruction resemble members in a cult blindly following their leader, even to the point of self-destruction. Some of the people answering the phones may belong to that cult. We are unlikely to persuade them directly, but our calls provide opportunities for them to regain self-determination far more than our silence would.

8. “You try 50 times and win the 51st."

As explained by civil rights attorney/activist Sherrilyn Ifill on Bluesky: "That’s how it works. Progress happens when you find ways to make it matter. And sometimes it’s just your persistence.” 

Persistence, hmm, that sounds familiar.

9. "You can win a war by losing every battle slowly.” 

We liked this quote from attorney/activist David Menschel on Bluesky. This is so critical to keep in mind. Right now, the odds are against us at every level, so success for now is to do whatever we can to slow down the harm. It doesn't matter that they ignore our calls. Call anyway. Slow them down.

10. Phone calls are a form of nonviolent action

We want to stress the value of responding to injustice with nonviolent action--violence is not only morally wrong, it actually makes things worse in authoritarian situations. So seek nonviolent options, such as making a simple call to a political representative.

In case you are curious about more options, here is a list of 198! https://www.aeinstein.org/198-methods-of-nonviolent-action