Daily Archives: 04/18/2013

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Duane Buck doesn’t deserve to die


Change.org

                                            I was a prosecutor in a case that used race-based testimony to sentence Duane Buck to death. Now, I’m calling for the state of Texas to spare his life and grant him a fair sentence.                                          

                                                                                                                                              —

In 1997, I was one of the prosecutors in a court case that used race-based testimony to sentence to death Duane Buck, who’s black.

At the time, I was an Assistant District Attorney in Harris County, Texas and Mr. Buck was being tried for murder. During the trial, an “expert” witness named Dr. Walter Quijano was permitted to testify that being black increases the likelihood of ‘future dangerousness’. That testimony in part led to the jury sentencing Mr. Buck to death.

Mr. Buck committed a terrible crime and deserves to be punished, but he does not deserve to be sentenced to death because of the color of his skin. That’s why I started a petition on Change.org calling on Harris County District Attorney Mike Anderson to allow Duane Buck a resentencing hearing so he can serve a sentence based on his crime and not his race. Click here to sign my petition now.

Three years after Mr. Buck’s trial, the Texas Attorney General actually promised that he’d get a new, fair sentencing hearing. This was along with six other men who were sentenced unfairly because of similar testimonies in their own trials. Those six other men have received their hearings, but not Mr. Buck.

I started my petition in the hopes that District Attorney Anderson will act to make sure that our justice system is not tainted by unconstitutional considerations of race — and that begins by having a new, color-blind sentencing hearing for Duane Buck. Please click here to sign my petition now, calling on District Attorney Mike Anderson to grant Duane Buck a resentencing hearing.

Thank you.

Linda Geffin Senior Assistant County Attorney Houston, Texas
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Judy Waxman, National Women’s Law Center


National Women's Law Center
Abortion opponents just won’t stop! In the past few years, they tried to restrict women’s reproductive health care at the federal level — again and again — but we joined with millions of people across the country to speak out, work hard and stop them in their tracks. When you get to the states, things are even worse — and the results are truly frightening.
Please help the Center fight back and protect women’s reproductive health — including access to abortion. Please donate $10 to support our work on these and so many other issues vital to women and families.
Honestly, I’m hopping mad — and here’s why:

  • In just the past few weeks, Arkansas and North Dakota passed bans severely limiting when you can get an abortion, and many other states are considering similar measures. Arkansas’s ban limits abortion at 12 weeks, while North Dakota’s goes even further, limiting abortion after just 6 weeks, a time when many women don’t even know they’re pregnant.
  • Nearly all private insurance plans include abortion coverage, but 22 states have banned this coverage and Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia are considering similar bans, threatening women’s health and well-being.
  • These attacks come after states ALREADY enacted the highest number of restrictions on women’s reproductive health care EVER in 2011 and 2012.

We can’t stand for this! Please donate $10 to support the Center’s work on reproductive health and so many other issues vital to women and families.
All these bans have one important thing in common — they take decision-making away from women and their families and put it in the hands of politicians. The last time we checked, only you know what’s best for your body, your family and your future. We need to put a stop to this, and with your help we will.
Please donate $10 to support our work on women’s reproductive health and so many other issues vital to women and families.
Thank you again for all the work you do — we know we can count on you in the fights ahead.
Sincerely,
Judy Waxman Judy Waxman Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights National Women’s Law Center    

P.S. Please join the fight — donate $10 to support the Center’s work on women’s reproductive health and so many other issues vital to women and families.
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Auctioning off assault rifles


by  Jaxon Ravens, WA State Democrats

Want to know the Washington State Republican Party‘s position on gun violence?
Look at how they raise money. Washington State Republican Party Chair auctions off assault rifle CLICK HERE and send the message:

Washington voters support common-sense steps to reduce  gun violence

Auctioning off an assault rifle to raise money?

I guess we know how the Washington State Republican Party feels about gun violence.

This weekend at their annual Gala Auction and Dinner, the Washington State Republicans actually auctioned off an AR-15 style assault rifle. This is the same type of killing machine used in Newtown, CT and Aurora, CO. 1 2

Republicans wonder why they have trouble connecting with suburban, independent, and moderate voters. They wonder why they haven’t sat in the governor’s office since 1985.

It’s because of actions like this. This is nothing less than a slap in the face to all Washington families who fear gun violence.

Click here send the message to the Washington State Republican Party: Washington voters support common-sense steps to reduce gun violence.

It is more important than ever that we hear your voice on gun violence. The United State Senate will vote today on legislation calling for expanded background checks. Even though 90 percent of Americans support expanded background checks, the bill faces an uphill battle. 3 4

Gun control has also faced obstacles on the state level. Expanded background checks failed to pass out of the Washington State House in Olympia this session. 5

But gun control advocates aren’t giving up. They are gearing up for an initiative on background checks that may appear on the ballot in 2014. We need to start building momentum now. 6

The Washington State Democratic Party stands by common-sense steps to reduce gun violence, like expanded background checks. Click here and join us today.

Thank you,

Jaxon Ravens Executive Director Washington State Democrats

1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk1H-mgWhIc&feature=youtu.be

2 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/business/the-ar-15-the-most-wanted-gun-in-america.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

3 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/13/background-checks-poll_n_3070954.html

4 http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/16/17780515-senate-background-check-compromise-in-peril-as-gop-opposition-grows?lite

5 http://www.columbian.com/news/2013/mar/12/gun-bill-proponents-secure-key-washington-vote/

6 http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020782329_guninitiativexml.htmlgun

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