In this week’s address, President Obama urges Congress to take action now to put our teachers back to work in classrooms, because the best predictor of individual and American success in this economy is a good education.More
Category Archives: ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture
New York has a police problem … Emma Ruby-Sachs – Avaaz.org
Dear friends across the US,
 After being “stopped and frisked” by the NYPD more times than he can count, Avaaz member Tyquan started a petition calling on Mayor Bloomberg to end the racially charged policy. Stand with Tyquan and the over 200,000 people stopped this year alone – sign the petition now:  |
Tyquan, a recent high school graduate and Avaaz member from Brooklyn, has been stopped, handcuffed, and violently thrown to the ground by NYC police more times than he can count, often with no explanation. Now he’s started a petition asking Mayor Bloomberg to end the police “stop and frisk” policy that is fueling this harassment.
Crime is at a record low, but the practice of “stopping and frisking” primarily black and Latino New Yorkers has exploded by 600% in the last decade. NYC’s Public Advocate recently called for a halt to “stop and frisk” and now a Federal Judge has called the policy a broad abuse of fundamental constitutional rights, allowing a massive class action lawsuit against the city.
But the Mayor has dug in his heels, refusing to fold in spite of the legal ruling. Massive public opinion is the only thing that can end this police policy for good. Let’s stand with Tyquan and bring a national call for justice to Mayor Bloomberg’s front door:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Mayor_Bloomberg_End_Stop_and_Frisk_Now/?vl
Tyquan’s story is hardly unique, in fact, it’s standard operating procedure for the NYPD who have stopped and frisked over 200,000 people just like Tyquan this year alone. Worse, the stops are almost completely arbitrary. Officers cited vague sounding justifications for over half the stops made last year, including “furtive movements” and “inappropriate attire off season.” There’s also no evidence the policy is cutting down on crime – in over 90% of these stops the NYPD makes no arrests, or even issues a ticket. And white men accounted for only 4% of those stops last year.
If enough of us stand with Tyquan we can show Mayor Bloomberg that a growing national outcry demands better of him – and New York. Sign and share now, when our call reaches 100,000 strong, we’ll deliver this petition directly to Mayor Bloomberg at City Hall urging him to do the right thing and halt this reckless policy:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Mayor_Bloomberg_End_Stop_and_Frisk_Now/?vl
As a member, Tyquan has been inspired by the Avaaz community’s work to stop Internet censorship, end deforestation and prevent attacks on women’s rights around the world – now its our chance to stand with Tyquan and lend people-power to the fight against racial injustice and police abuse in New York.
With hope and determination,
Emma, Joseph, Ricken, Andrew, Brant, Kya and the whole Avaaz team
PS: Have you been harassed by law enforcement where you live? Click here to start a petition like Tyquan’s: http://avaaz.org/en/petition/start_a_petition/?ps14480
MORE INFORMATION
Public Advocate to Call for Audit of Stop-and-Frisk Tactic (New York Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/09/nyregion/new-york-public-advocate-to-call-for-an-audit-of-police-stop-and-frisk-tactic.html
NYPD stop-and-frisk lawsuit now class action in victory for civil rights groups (The Guardian) http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/16/new-york-stop-and-frisk-lawsuit
In 2011, NYPD Made More Stops Of Young Black Men Than The Total Number Of Young Black Men In New York (ThinkProgress) http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/05/10/481589/nypd-stop-and-frisk-young-black-men/
New NYCLU Report Finds NYPD Stop-and-Frisk Practices Ineffective, Reveals Depth of Racial Disparities (NYCLU) http://www.nyclu.org/news/new-nyclu-report-finds-nypd-stop-and-frisk-practices-ineffective-reveals-depth-of-racial-dispar
NYPD Stop And Frisks: 15 Shocking Facts About A Controversial Program (Huffington Post) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/13/nypd-stop-and-frisks-15-shocking-facts_n_1513362.html?ref=new-york&ref=new-york
Why is the NYPD after me? (New York Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/opinion/sunday/young-black-and-frisked-by-the-nypd.html?pagewanted=all
‘Quotas exist’: Former NYPD Officers discuss the data driven department http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/05/5837828/quotas-exist-former-nypd-officers-discuss-data-driven-department?politics-bucket-headline
Crime is at a record low, but the practice of “stopping and frisking” primarily black and Latino New Yorkers has exploded by 600% in the last decade. NYC’s Public Advocate recently called for a halt to “stop and frisk” and now a Federal Judge has called the policy a broad abuse of fundamental constitutional rights, allowing a massive class action lawsuit against the city.
But the Mayor has dug in his heels, refusing to fold in spite of the legal ruling. Massive public opinion is the only thing that can end this police policy for good. Let’s stand with Tyquan and bring a national call for justice to Mayor Bloomberg’s front door:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Mayor_Bloomberg_End_Stop_and_Frisk_Now/?vl
Tyquan’s story is hardly unique, in fact, it’s standard operating procedure for the NYPD who have stopped and frisked over 200,000 people just like Tyquan this year alone. Worse, the stops are almost completely arbitrary. Officers cited vague sounding justifications for over half the stops made last year, including “furtive movements” and “inappropriate attire off season.” There’s also no evidence the policy is cutting down on crime – in over 90% of these stops the NYPD makes no arrests, or even issues a ticket. And white men accounted for only 4% of those stops last year.
If enough of us stand with Tyquan we can show Mayor Bloomberg that a growing national outcry demands better of him – and New York. Sign and share now, when our call reaches 100,000 strong, we’ll deliver this petition directly to Mayor Bloomberg at City Hall urging him to do the right thing and halt this reckless policy:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Mayor_Bloomberg_End_Stop_and_Frisk_Now/?vl
As a member, Tyquan has been inspired by the Avaaz community’s work to stop Internet censorship, end deforestation and prevent attacks on women’s rights around the world – now its our chance to stand with Tyquan and lend people-power to the fight against racial injustice and police abuse in New York.
With hope and determination,
Emma, Joseph, Ricken, Andrew, Brant, Kya and the whole Avaaz team
PS: Have you been harassed by law enforcement where you live? Click here to start a petition like Tyquan’s: http://avaaz.org/en/petition/start_a_petition/?ps14480
MORE INFORMATION
Public Advocate to Call for Audit of Stop-and-Frisk Tactic (New York Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/09/nyregion/new-york-public-advocate-to-call-for-an-audit-of-police-stop-and-frisk-tactic.html
NYPD stop-and-frisk lawsuit now class action in victory for civil rights groups (The Guardian) http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/16/new-york-stop-and-frisk-lawsuit
In 2011, NYPD Made More Stops Of Young Black Men Than The Total Number Of Young Black Men In New York (ThinkProgress) http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/05/10/481589/nypd-stop-and-frisk-young-black-men/
New NYCLU Report Finds NYPD Stop-and-Frisk Practices Ineffective, Reveals Depth of Racial Disparities (NYCLU) http://www.nyclu.org/news/new-nyclu-report-finds-nypd-stop-and-frisk-practices-ineffective-reveals-depth-of-racial-dispar
NYPD Stop And Frisks: 15 Shocking Facts About A Controversial Program (Huffington Post) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/13/nypd-stop-and-frisks-15-shocking-facts_n_1513362.html?ref=new-york&ref=new-york
Why is the NYPD after me? (New York Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/opinion/sunday/young-black-and-frisked-by-the-nypd.html?pagewanted=all
‘Quotas exist’: Former NYPD Officers discuss the data driven department http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/05/5837828/quotas-exist-former-nypd-officers-discuss-data-driven-department?politics-bucket-headline
Related articles
Share this:
Politics … caught on tape
President Obama’s Export Council meets to discuss increasing U.S. exports and creating American jobs. June 6, 2012.More
President Obama calls on Congress to pass the bipartisan, paid-for ideas that he proposed last year to put construction workers back to work upgrading our roads and bridges, teachers back in the classroom educating our kids and police and firefighters back on the job keeping our communities safe, and addresses the state of the economy, including the situation in Europe, which continues to pose headwinds to our recovery here at home. June 8, 2012.More
The White House Office of Public Engagement hosts a briefing for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. June 11, 2012.More
The White House holds a town hall to discuss the benefits of the Affordable Care Act for seniors and caregivers. June 11, 2012.More
President Obama is urging Congress to take up his proposal to cut through the red tape that prevents so many homeowners from refinancing their mortgages and saving hundreds of dollars each month. On June 6th, 2012 we asked Americans what they thought of the President’s proposal. On June 8th, 2012, we held a conference call with a group of people who responded to answer their questions. http://www.whitehouse.gov/More
Share this:
Another fossil fuel industry attack … Union of Concerned Scientists
Here We Go Again—Another Fossil Fuel Industry Attack on Science
Tell your member of Congress: Don’t block standards that protect our health and environment—vote no on the Gasoline Regulations Act.
The House of Representatives will soon vote on yet another fossil fuel industry-backed bill, attacking clean air and public health. It is critical that we stand up for strong standards based on independent science, not false economic claims from big polluters.
The Gasoline Regulations Act (H.R. 4771) is an all-out attack on our clean air and public health. The bill would force the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to give undo weight to the industry’s economic claims when setting what should be, first and foremost, science-based standards that protect our health and environment.
The legislation delays standards that would save lives and save money by reducing sulfur in gasoline.
The bill also attacks standards that would limit ozone and other harmful air pollutants from power plants and global warming emissions from oil refineries. Some members of Congress may even attempt to amend the bill to prevent the EPA from moving forward with their historic draft standard to limit global warming pollution from new power plants.
Fossil fuel lobbyists and their allies in Congress are attacking the EPA with false claims about the impact that these proposed standards might have on gas prices. But we know that this bill will have no effect on fuel prices, but would have a lasting, negative impact on public health.
Congress needs to hear from Americans like you who support the EPA’s efforts to protect our health from dirty energy and dirty fuels.
Tell your member of Congress: Don’t block vital standards for our health and environment—vote no on the Gasoline Regulations Act.
Take Action Today!
Sincerely,
Chrissy Elles
Outreach Associate
UCS Climate & Energy Program
Share this:
Register for the Webinar Today! UCS
Join Our Webinar to Learn about the Farm Bill
What does the Farm Bill have to do with you? The answer to that question is simple: a lot. The Union of Concerned Scientists is hosting a webinar to help you learn why, with the inside scoop from our experts.
Toward Healthy Food and Farms: How Science-Based Policies in the 2012 Farm Bill Can Transform Agriculture
Date: Thursday, June 14
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST (11:00 a.m.-noon PST)
Register for the Webinar Today!
When you’re grocery shopping, do you ever wonder why corn chips and sugary drinks cost less than carrots and squash? In large part, it’s because government policies make the wrong foods cheaper and more abundant. UCS analysis shows that practical changes to agricultural policies can shift priorities to provide greater support to healthier food and farms instead of subsidizing unhealthy, processed foods.
Congress is currently working to finalize the Farm Bill, and while we’ve seen some good changes, they’re not enough. And the chance to change these policies comes just once every five years!
The webinar will cover the latest Farm Bill news from Capitol Hill, followed by an overview of UCS analysis showing that support for local food can benefit the economy and our health. Finally, we’ll share how you can take effective action now to urge Congress to support healthy and sustainable food production in the 2012 Farm Bill.
Time is ticking down for us to encourage a healthy and sustainable food system, so register for the webinar today!
Sincerely,
Jenn Yates
National Field Organizer
UCS Food & Environment Program
Be a Seed for Change 
You must be logged in to post a comment.