Tag Archives: BarackObama

Alice Jay – Avaaz


Avaazpix

Boko Haram just used a 10-year-old girl as a bomb-detonator right after massacring up to 2,000 people. But the government and the international community are hardly responding. Let’s call for an emergency UN Security Council meeting now:

SIGN THE PETITION

Boko Haram just used a 10-year-old girl as a bomb-detonator right after massacring up to 2,000 people. There is a reign of terror in Northern Nigeria.

But Nigerian President Jonathan has said almost NOTHING about this in his election campaign, and his brutal army, instead of protecting civilians, is fuelling the insurgency.

The world has put this crisis in the ‘too hard to solve’ box — the UN Security Council hasn’t even issued a Presidential Statement on Nigeria!

The only good news: escalating violence has renewed pressure to act.

Let’s multiply that pressure now and persuade our leaders and the United Nations to convene an emergency Security Council meeting and prioritise this crisis.

Join this urgent call — for the sake of that tiny, innocent girl, and all those like her at risk:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stop_boko_haram_terror_en/?biEWLbb&v=51541

Nigeria is deep into a brutal conflict that’s ostensibly a Muslim/Christian war, but underlying it are tensions between an oil-rich, corrupt, ruling elite and a poor, disenfranchised and neglected North. Over 10,000 people were killed in 2014, and over 1.6 million Nigerians have fled their homes. Boko Haram now controls an area the size of Denmark.

Politicians have fed this divide, and the recent surge in violence comes in the middle of a deadly election campaign. Shockingly, President Jonathan’s under-resourced response could be part of a dark game — if there is chaos in the North and low voter turnout, he is more likely to stay in power since his support base is in the South.

International military advisers and special forces have been sent in, but there is hesitation about working with Nigerian units with terrible human rights records. The UN Council should now prioritise a comprehensive plan that includes cleaning up and training security forces to contain Boko Haram; investing in the poorest regions; and prioritising an anti-corruption programme.

This is not a short, sharp, shock strategy — this crisis cannot be solved in days — but it is immoral to ignore it any longer. Our global community can ensure the UN Security Council finally lays out a genuine plan for peace.

If we do nothing, thousands more will be killed, and the Boko Haram threat will spread. The attacks in Paris have reminded us that terror has no borders. Join the call:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stop_boko_haram_terror_en/?biEWLbb&v=51541

With elections looming and violence escalating, Nigeria is like a boiling pot. Politicians have failed their people, and the international community has allowed the situation to deteriorate. We cannot wait any longer and with enough backing, a strong UN statement could begin to change the game. Let’s make it happen.

With hope and determination,

Alice, Pascal, Mike, Melanie, Marigona, Ricken and the rest of the Avaaz team

Sources:

Nigeria: two suspected child suicide bombers attack market (The Guardian)
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/11/child-suicide-bombers-nigeria-market

UNOWA Briefing and Consultations
http://www.whatsinblue.org/2015/01/unowa-briefing-and-consultations.php

Nigeria’s Jonathan Slams Paris Attack, Ignores Baga Massacre (Bloomberg)
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-12/nigeria-s-jonathan-slams-islamist-raids-abroad-is-muted-at-home.html

Nigeria’s Boko Haram: Baga destruction ‘shown in images’ (BBC)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-30826582

Uniting Against Boko Haram (BloombergView)
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-01-13/boko-haram-can-be-stopped-by-a-nigeria-united-again

GoFundMe


It’s been a few months since we sent you an update about our GoFundMe-Darren Wilson campaign. In that time we’ve been in dialogue with the company and its lawyers, and here’s where we’re at:

In October, GoFundMe donated its profits from the hateful Darren Wilson fundraisers to the Ferguson-Florissant school district. This was one of our top-line asks: for GoFundMe to stop profiting from racially-motivated donors. This donation was an important step and would not have happened without the actions of 130,000 ColorOfChange members. Collectively, we spoke up and put pressure on the crowdfunding company that they could not ignore, including this billboard right outside their offices:


Moving forward, tech companies like GoFundMe know what the ColorOfChange community is capable of. And they know we’ll remain vigilant. Since the launch of our campaign, we haven’t seen anything like the Darren Wilson fundraisers on GoFundMe’s platform. If a similar fundraising drive does show up, the company knows that it will have to answer to us.

Our campaign targeting GoFundMe began when people started giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to Michael Brown’s killer, celebrating his death. We were disgusted and outraged. We know that these types of fundraising drives lower the social and financial costs of taking Black lives. They send the message that shooters will be supported in the aftermath of killing Black men and boys.

In 2015, we’ll continue our work combating the culture of hostility against Black folks that’s present across our country. Thank you for being part of it every step along the way.

Onwards!

—Arisha, Rashad, Matt, Bhavik, and the ColorOfChange team

Rashad Robinson, ColorOfChange.org


President Obama has the power — and responsibility — to help end the nationwide crisis of police violence and its unjust consequences.

Dr. King quote: Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

Urge Pres. Obama to issue an executive order directing the Department of Justice to rigorously enforce and expand civil rights law and federal bans on violent and discriminatory policing:

Take Action

#GetCovered


President Obama: “What Drives Me”

Yesterday in Southeast Washington, DC, President Obama spoke about what he called the defining challenge of our time: reversing a decades-long slope toward growing inequality and a lack of upward mobility. It’s a trend that has jeopardized middle-class America’s basic bargain — the idea that if you work hard, you have a chance to get ahead.

Find out why we have to make our economy work for every working American.

Click here to see more from yesterday's event.

It Shouldn’t Have Happened to Me, But It Did

Deputy Cabinet Secretary Michael Robertson discusses when doctors told him that he had stage IV colorectal cancer, and why the passing of the Affordable Care Act is personal to him.

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White House Youth Summit: Making Sure People Have the Information They Need to #GetCovered

Yesterday, youth leaders from across the country gathered here for our White House Youth Summit. The Summit was made of up 160 of this country’s finest national and local leaders aged 18-35. Joined by White House and Administration staff, these millennial participants discussed issues important to their generation — especially spreading the word about the Affordable Care Act and organizing to get people enrolled in their respective communities.

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People Don’t Hear These Stories Often Enough. Let’s Change That.

You’ve probably been hearing a lot about health reform and HealthCare.gov these past few months, check out some of our favorite enrollment stories.

READ MORE

about failed Promises


thefacesMy take on failed promises, past present and future, which is what we are all experiencing under the Republican controlled House of Representatives versus change to or redirection of promises that President Obama has had to make on numerous occasions. It is obvious the two situations are quite different. The first two years of the Obama Admin the RTP as we know was spent on the floor of Congress saying no, blocking, making the Democratic Party scale back or run away from legitimate bills that RTP attached felonious amendments to that no member of Congress could in good conscience vote for. Then came the campaign for the midterm election that if you know your history gets few voters out to vote though in what definitely is a first of many first in this Presidency, the midterms were important yet folks did the same ole same, some opted out on purpose and even more voted right of center on purpose. While most know the outcome of the midterm elections, I think that many people do not understand what truly happened. President Obama said he got a shellacked and would try to make a move to be more bipartisan, though senator McConnell said if he wants us to consider compromise he would have to do, say and act like we want him to, essentially bow down to the Republican Tea Party. For the last 4.5 years, Americans have been hearing Republicans say that we need to create jobs. Mr. Boehner and his comrades definitely used the jobs, jobs, jobs slogan to win the House or Representatives. Sadly, these carpetbaggers have been waving one hand in the air while using the other to attack, slash, cut, and burn every effort to get our economy back on track. It may sound dramatic, but it feels as if the Republican Tea Party has wanted to eliminate the middle and lower class since then Senator Barack Obama became President and now I certainly feel our country is at risk with reckless, seemingly uneducated Republican members of Congress.

Contrary to most if not all polls the anger or feelings of distrust and failed promises should be pointed at the way in which President’s govern? It was done poorly for eight years during the house of Bush, because when he took office there was a surplus… Question is, what did he do with it and how do we make sure this cannot happen again lest we talk about in times of American crisis both Political Parties and any entities involved must all come together to fix the issue … leaving ideology at the door!

… Community Organizer and Senator Obama watched from the sidelines, watched, heard, and knew the status quo had to change though we had no financial crisis to speak of things were not as they should be or more importantly not as they could be. The change we Americans need is one that moves all of us into the 21st Century. This effort to change has been misinterpreted in my opinion of one of socialism… folks have to know that our current system is outdated does not represent all of the people and if you are really listening. The Republicans want to go backward to a time when life was good but it was only good for the rich. Then Presidential candidate, Barack Obama had a plan for America. There were some financial issues are brewing, the house of Bush was focused only on the Iraq war, Obama’s ideas seemed far ahead of the other competitors. Americans saw and heard what he wanted to do and agreed, well at least 53% believed a change was needed in the way things are done on the Hill. However, change takes time maybe years.  If we had all participated, it could happen sooner with GOP co-operation but as the months passed by there were more rumblings of financial problems and then Senator Obama faced with lots of criticism became the main target and NOT our finances heading toward the ditch.  We voters heard or told to ask if Obama was an American, did he pal around with terrorists, could he bring in the vote of not only women but also white women and men on top of it all. I really feel people need to be reminded of when, what, where and who got us into an economic downward spiral. However, weeks went by more and more information is coming out, people notice that there were many layoffs happening, businesses closing up and some notice Bush is less available every day and while the backroom deals made by the house of Bush, McCain tells Americans that our economy is still sound and strong. In what seemed like only a month or few weeks before Americans had to vote for President of the United States. The House of Bush slowly opened the doors of pain and the possibility of our economic collapse. I still want to know why did they wait until the next administration was about to be put into place? Some say there is no such thing as a coincidence.

Wall Street, Main Street, AIG and a lot of Banks Crashed … with the house of Bush and Paulson making back room deals …

The day they swore in President Obama everyone knew there was quite a different Presidency he had walked into than most Presidents. This President has faced one crisis after another and contrary to what “the Media” wants us to feel or believe he has made failed and false promises. I do not believe he has made false promises, he has had to contemplate and change directions, he is still working for all Americans, and I am so proud to have voted for President Obama.

While the forces of the RTP say otherwise, we all need to understand the change, redirecting any and quite possibly all campaign promises if needed. Why? Because our lives have changed, they are more of a challenge now and the elements(theGOP) needed to create a better situation did not play by the rules choosing to sit on the sidelines. The banks flexed their muscles, lobbyists are stood in the way, Republicans/Conservatives cannot accept Obama as our President and have become more than just the party of no, some are trying to provoke fear and hate not bipartisanship, and I keep asking is socialist a code for the n word?

ConservaDems and definitely Republicans are not all in for the change the rest of us believed in want or voted for twice.  We need to tell members of  Congress! be outraged at the nonsense going on…We need to continue reforming that part of our economy monopolized by parts of Corporate America given the right to do so by folks on the Supreme Court. Vote out the TeaCarpetbaggers for a positive change.

While President Obama did promise change, he has kept over half of them, he also stated that he could not make changes alone … we all would have to participate. That comment is a hard reality given the crap that the Republican Tea Party keeps pulling out of somewhere disguised with them saying they are listening to what Americans want because Americans spoke thus the outcome of the midterm elections. Even if it were true, the promises the Republican Tea Party made before and have been making consistently are epic failures …like I said could put us at risk and as I finish a rant a rumor from twitter states Republicans might be considering a government shutdown. Republicans talk about not wanting big government but they do not deliver on their promise. In fact, they have been practicing failed promises and lies since the 112th Congress started. Mr. Boehner, Cantor and their comrades have failed to offer up a legitimate JOBS bill, failed to create a JOB and of course we can all debate whether that bush bonus giveaway has helped create, save and or stopped any outsourcing of jobs.

I ask the GOP, where and when are the JOBS among many other issues going to be brought to the floor of Congress! and the Epic Failure Promises describes the Republican Tea Party.