Tag Archives: civil rights

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Rashad Robinson, ColorOfChange.org


 Police killings & Jim Crow era lynchings
We have a key opportunity to transform discriminatory and violent policing nationwide.
We have a key opportunity to transform discriminatory and violent policing nationwide. Ferguson activist holds a sign that reads: Hands up don't shoot.Urge the federal government to take definitive action to enforce a higher standard of policing:Join Us

 

The tragic police killing of 18-year-old Mike Brown hit home for millions across the country. The horror of losing a loved one, to senseless, racially-motivated police violence is a daily threat in the lives of Black people in America. In a time when law enforcement kill Black Americans at nearly the same rate as Jim Crow era lynchings,1 discriminatory and violent policing is a national crisis.

National leaders are paying more attention to racial profiling and police brutality than they have in years, due to the hard work of Black youth and community leaders in Ferguson and across the country.2 In order to capture the momentum of this moment and secure long-term, systemic reforms that transform policing nationwide, we need the federal government to intervene and set a higher standard of policing.

If enough of us demand action, we can change things. Will you join us in calling on the federal government to implement critical reforms to end abusive, militarized, and biased policing targeting Black and brown communities?

While we continue to fight for justice for Mike Brown, Eric Garner, Ramarley Graham and so many others whose lives have been taken at the hands of racially-motivated and violent local law enforcement, the federal government has a clear role to play in overturning the conditions that led to these tragedies, and setting a higher standard of policing across the country. In key ways, the standards, policies, and practices of the executive branch set the tone and tactics of local and state law enforcement.

For decades, our communities have worked tirelessly to combat the wholesale criminalization of Black Americans and the unimaginable police violence that threatens our children, parents, and friends every day. A walk to the store or drive to the mall have long held the risk of an unwarranted search, false arrest, or death. But we are in a historic time and how we capture this time will impact generations to come — the kind of world our children live in, the types of freedoms they have to fight for.

With Attorney General Eric Holder’s resignation approaching, now is the time to push the Department of Justice to do much more.5 Widespread public pressure can keep this issue at the top of the administration’s agenda, and push them to move forward before this major change in DOJ leadership. Next week, community members in Ferguson are organizing a Weekend of Resistance to build momentum for a nationwide movement to end police brutality.6 We need your support to move federal officials beyond symbolic actions to systemic reforms that protect the civil and human rights of all communities.

Join us in calling on the Obama administration, DOJ, and other federal agencies to take immediate action to strengthen police accountability and end discriminatory policing.

Thanks and Peace,

— Rashad, Matt, Arisha, Lyla, Jamar and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
October 3rd, 2014

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU—your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way.

References

1. “Mike Brown’s shooting and Jim Crow lynchings have too much in common. It’s time for America to own up,” The Guardian 08-25-14
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3985?t=7&akid=3717.1174326.CH01Xf

2. “Justice Dept. opens civil rights inquiry of Ferguson police,” LA Times 09-04-2014
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3979?t=9&akid=3717.1174326.CH01Xf

3. “Nobody Knows How Many Americans The Police Kill Each Year,” FiveThirtyEight Politics 08-19-14
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3983?t=11&akid=3717.1174326.CH01Xf

4. “Stop and Seize,” Washington Post 09-06-14
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3984?t=13&akid=3717.1174326.CH01Xf

5. “Eric Holder To Step Down As Attorney General,” NPR 09-25-14
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3992?t=15&akid=3717.1174326.CH01Xf

6. “Join us in Ferguson for a national mobilization,” ColorOfChange
http://act.colorofchange.org/signup/nationalmobilization/?t=17&akid=3717.1174326.CH01Xf

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Planned Parenthood: Time to Clean Up the Supreme Court’s mess

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Planned ParenthoodTwo months ago, the Supreme Court handed some bosses the power to deny women coverage for birth control. Now we have a chance to put these health care decisions back where they belong: with women and their doctors.

Help make sure employers can’t block access to birth control — support the Obama administration’s effort to make birth control available to all women, regardless of where they work.

Last week, the Obama administration proposed new rules that would guarantee women’s access to birth control, no matter what their bosses think. It’s up to us to make sure these rules are strong enough to get the job done.

The first step is to stop billion-dollar corporations from following Hobby Lobby and trying to take birth control coverage away from women. Help make sure these corporate giants don’t slip through the loophole the Supreme Court opened.

It is up to us to make sure that women aren’t denied the care they need because of their bosses’ personal ideology. A narrow Supreme Court majority gave Hobby Lobby and companies like it the power to place employers’ beliefs over women’s health — but the Obama administration has found a way to protect access to birth control for these women. Speak out now and show your support for this effort to restore women’s access to birth control coverage.

We also have to make sure that women know exactly whom they’re dealing with. Companies like Hobby Lobby shouldn’t be able to hide their anti-women’s health agenda from employees. If a company refuses to cover basic health care, including birth control, current and prospective employees have a right to know.

We have less than 60 days to make our voices heard before the Obama administration issues its final rules. Stand with President Obama and send a message to anyone who would stand in the way of women’s health. It’s time to protect women’s access to birth control, guarantee coverage for all, and require anti-birth control bosses to come clean.

Women’s health — including access to birth control — is too important to give up on. This is our chance to make sure bosses do not interfere in women’s health care decisions. Let’s make sure we get it right.

Thank you for standing up for women’s health, no matter what.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Walmart’s new employee dress code …

Walmart: Provide all employees a clothing allowance or reimbursement for your new dress code.

Leslie Catterall
Wildomar, California
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What’s wrong with the picture below …


John Crawford, a young African American Man died for handling a bb gun sold at Walmart … Nativegrl77

Imagine a country where violent criminals, domestic abusers, and terrorists can easily get their hands on guns.

Where people can drink alcohol at a bar with a loaded handgun in their belt.

Where parents have no right to know if there is a gun in their child’s classroom.

That’s the world the NRA’s leadership is fighting for, and they just announced that they’re going to spend at least $11.4 million on political ads to make it a reality.1 If you think this vision for America is backwards and wrong, then stand with me and make a donation of $5 or more now to help defeat the NRA’s hand-picked candidates in the 2014 election.

Donate Now!

The NRA’s power has gone unchecked for too long. They only speak for a small group of extremists, and now they’re facing an opponent they’ve never had to face before: all of the moms, dads, and concerned citizens of this movement — including you.

The majority of Americans — including the majority of NRA members — support common-sense gun laws that can save lives. That’s why thousands of volunteers in key districts across the country will be knocking on doors and making phone calls to talk to people about voting with gun sense.

Help power grassroots efforts to win key elections by making a contribution of $5 or more now.

If we all pitch in, we can beat the NRA at the polls this year and elect leaders who will stand with us on measures to reduce gun violence in America.

Thanks for doing your part,

Jennifer Hoppe
Deputy Director
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America

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1. “NRA goes big in key Senate, governor’s races,” Politico, September 17, 2014.

 

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Greg Abbott’s decision on chemical stockpiles …


I like to spend my days on the campaign trail.

But last night I took some time for a national TV interview to discuss Greg Abbott’s decision to keep the locations of dangerous chemical stockpiles secret from parents, and I wanted to make sure you saw.

Who are Abbott’s insiders? We now know they include the Koch family — the family of billionaires injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into this year’s elections.

Abbott got $75,000 in donations from the Koch family. Then Abbott ruled that the locations of dangerous chemical stockpiles — at least one of which is owned by a Koch company — should be hidden from the public.

These stockpiles have exploded in the past with tragic results. And when asked about releasing their location, Abbott told a reporter that if Texas families want to know where these chemical stockpiles are, they should “drive around” and “ask” each facility.

Watch the clip on the latest Abbott scandal. Then, if you can, contribute a few dollars to keep our campaign fighting back.

Greg Abbott may think his well-connected friends are more important than the safety of Texas families, but we know differently.

Thank you for taking action.

Wendy