This is the email we sent today. If you haven’t already subscribed to one of our two lists, do so by clicking either the Subscribe or Activists tab above.
Legislative Update:
The legislature is expected to meet in mid-October to approve re-districting. We need to convince 2/3 of the legislature (24 Senators and 67 Representatives) to continue the session in order to consider medical freedom legislation. The proposal should be non-controversial: essentially, it says you do not have to disclose your vaccination status to anyone. The result of that is employers cannot discriminate against you (or fire you), as long as you don’t tell them. This is a good start. If this important bill passes, then we can push more comprehensive legislation in the next regular session. More legislators are coming around to our side, but we aren’t there yet.
The way we get there:
One way to apply pressure to the fence-sitting Republican legislators is for local governments (city councils, quorum courts, school boards, and Republican committees) to pass a non-binding medical freedom resolution. We are recommending that you contact your LOCAL officials in YOUR TOWN, COUNTY, or DISTRICT requesting that they pass this resolution, which can easily be adapted to your local council.
Resolution Supporting Healthcare Freedom and Choice Regarding Vaccine Mandates
WHEREAS, the members of the ______________________________________ believe and affirm healthcare freedom and choice as it concerns vaccine mandates, of the rights of individuals to bodily autonomy, of the right to individual healthcare decision making, individual liberty, freedom of association, the right to privacy, and the right to work without being forced by one’s employer to receive a vaccine, and the human rights inherent to making healthcare decisions they deem best for themselves, individually, and for their families.
WHEREAS, the members of the __________________________________ believe competent adult individuals have the right to control their own healthcare decisions and should not be mandated to make healthcare choices required by their employer, government, or any other authority other than themselves.
Therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the members of the ______________________________________ hereby advise and request that our elected state Senate and House Members elected to represent the people of this state, pass legislation directing employers in Arkansas, healthcare authorities and officials, and all other persons holding authority over Arkansas residents and citizens, to:
- Allow competent adult individuals to make their own decisions as to whether they take the COVID19 vaccine(s);
- To make it against the laws of any state or local government in Arkansas for an employer (private or government), to require, as a condition of employment, proof of receiving the COVID19 vaccine;
- To make it against the laws of any state or local government in Arkansas to require as a condition to receiving public services, generally available to all persons, proof of receiving the COVID19 vaccine;
- To make it against the laws of any state or local government in Arkansas for that government to discriminate against people in any way based on their COVID19 vaccine status;
- To require employers to protect the privacy of their employees and not to inquire regarding or disclose or cause to be known the COVID19 vaccination status of employees;
- To prevent an employer from discriminating in favor of or against and treating employees differently because of their COVID19 vaccinated status;
- Prohibit private and government employers from fining, increasing healthcare premiums, or otherwise causing a negative financial effect on employees or those receiving government services based on their COVID19 vaccinated status.
Therefore, be it further RESOLVED, that this _____________________ urges the General Assembly to pass legislation enacting the proposals outlined in this Resolution.
That the executive committee of the _____________________________ expeditiously and in writing, advise the elected officials who are potentially to vote on this matter in the state of Arkansas of this Resolution.
Approved and Passed by the members of the _____________________________________________ this ___ day of _____________ 2021.
__________________________________________
Download PDF resolution here.
Download Word resolution here.
Here is a sample cover email / text: Vaccine mandates establish a dangerous precedent to many in our community. Individuals and families are facing possible loss of jobs, homes, and a way of life. As my elected representative, will you please vote and support a resolution opposing COVID vaccine mandates in our community? If so, will you sponsor the resolution? A clear and prompt response is appreciated.
Contact information for these elected officials should be posted on your local city, county, or school board website. When you get denials, please post them on social media, and send us screenshots. The public needs to know where these local officials stand. (Remember, you can always email mail@staging.reopenarkansas.org with anything useful.) If we can get several local governmental bodies to pass the resolution, we can then leverage that to apply pressure to the legislature.
Continue pressuring these senators:
These are the Republican “fence sitters” who need to hear from you in the coming days. Ask them to pass medical freedom legislation when they meet in October.
Beckham, Bledsoe, Caldwell, Dismang, Eads, English, Flippo, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Leding, Pitsch, Sample, Wallace
Assuming we get no democrat votes, we will need 14 of these 18 to vote with us.
A note about the senators on our side:
Be sure to THANK those who have already agreed to stand with us. Don’t hassle them; they are already working the other legislators on your behalf. These 10 stand for your freedom:
Ballinger, Clark, Davis, Garner, Mark Johnson, Rapert, Rice, Stubblefield, Sturch, Sullivan
As always, you’ll find the legislative contact info (sorted multiple ways) under the Contact Lists tab, or by clicking here.
Why are we fighting this battle in a deep red state?
Simply put, we are having to fight this battle because we have elected (and re-elected) a large group of RINOs. They say what they need to say in order to get elected, post pictures of themselves hunting and declare their opposition to abortion, while avoiding the more controversial topic of medical and religious freedom. We need to elect better legislators!
The website is our most reliable communication tool.
Because we own reopenarkansas.org, we are able to post the info on the website that facebook won’t allow. We are consolidating the major stories each day into one shareable post. Today’s big stories can be found at https://staging.reopenarkansas.org/2021/08/30/daily-update-tues-8-31/. We’ve recently added a plethora of resources to help you educate legislators, school board and city council members, and even employers about the lack of effectiveness of masks and the vaccine. You’ll also find several different prevention and treatment protocols under the Documents tab. The search bar on the website works well – use it to find the articles you need.
We are giving you the necessary resources to help you become a better activist. It’s up to you to use those resources to fight for our freedom.
PLEASE SHARE THIS EMAIL WIDELY.
In pursuit of individual liberty and medical freedom for all Arkansans,
Chris Stafford & Scott Gray
Re-Open Arkansas
reopenarkansas.org
