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This past September, we launched the Out of Fashion campaign, urging fifteen major fashion brands to make sure that their fabrics don’t contain forest destruction and human rights abuses. For years, this controversy had gone unnoticed — but not any more! Thousands of you signed the petition, stickered controversial products and sent tweets during Fashion Week. While some brands are starting to respond, some of the worst companies have not taken action. Ralph Lauren is an iconic brand with a huge reach. It has the power to eliminate controversial fiber and suppliers, such as Sateri and Royal Golden Eagle Group. And if Ralph Lauren steps up, other brands will follow. We are going to be building this campaign over the next few months, but today, we have a super-quick action for you to take: email Ralph Lauren and ask the company to protect forests and human rights by tracing its supply chain, eliminating the worst actors, and adopting a policy. It only takes a moment and together, we can make our voices heard. Thank you so much for all you do.
For the forests, Christy Tennery-Spalding |
Tag Archives: morning joe
A policeman rips the American flag away from 5-year-old Anthony Quinn, having already confiscated his ‘No More Police Brutality’ sign. Jackson, Mississippi; ca. 1965
The guy in the background looks justifiably shocked. And yet is doing nothing.
In the South during the civil rights movement, the American flag was a potent symbol of support for racial integration (and support for federal law). Southerners who believed in racial segregation displayed Confederate flags instead. People were pulled from their cars by policemen and beaten simply for displaying an American flag on their license plates. So the simple act of a small child carrying an American flag represented defiance of Mississippi law and custom.
Anthony and his mother were arrested and hauled off to jail, which was a cattle stockade at the county fairground, since the city jails were already full of protesters. The Quinn protest was organized by COFO (Council of Federated Organizations), an umbrella organization responsible for most civil rights activities in the state. Today Anthony lives in Florida. I believe he is a lawyer…
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Understanding The Iran Deal
The United States Reaches A Deal To Cut Off Every Pathway For Iran To Obtain A Nuclear Weapon
After more than two and a half years of intense negotiations, the United States, along with its partners and allies comprising the world’s greatest nations, has reached an agreement that will put Iran’s nuclear program under unprecedented international scrutiny. In exchange for easing economic sanctions, the deal will prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
This agreement is the result of years of tough-minded American diplomacy and a comprehensive strategy. When President Obama took office, Iran was hiding a covert nuclear facility and was well on its way to producing a bomb. But after instituting tough sanctions on Iran that helped the United States and the world’s other leading powers negotiate from a position of strength, we have reached an accord that proves that American diplomacy — and not war — can bring meaningful change to make our homeland and the world safer and more secure.
Despite the rhetoric from many who would rather try to score political points instead of do the hard work of actually governing, this agreement is in fact a good deal. In April, the Center for American Progress laid out five criteria to be met in order to ensure US interests are protected and its security concerns are met. The deal reached yesterday meets every single one:
- The agreement cuts off all pathways to an Iranian nuclear weapon.
- The agreement is verifiable through rigorous international inspections of Iran’s nuclear supply chain and facilities.
- Sanctions relief is conditional on Iran fulfilling its commitments and sanctions can “snap back” if those commitments are broken — without being blocked unilaterally by Russia or China.
- The United States retains the ability to counter Iranian human rights abuses and support of terrorism.
- All options remain on the table to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
The many months of negotiations and the decades of economic sanctions have paid off with a meaningful agreement. But now that a deal has been reached, the hard work of monitoring and verification begins. The ultimate success of this deal rests on its robust implementation in the future.
Congress played an important role leading up to the deal by approving sanctions, but now the ball is back in their court. After the hard work of our diplomats, President Obama has made clear that he will veto any attempt to undo the agreement. Congress has 60 days to approve the deal, and has the opportunity to play a constructive role in making the deal even stronger. Instead of the political grandstanding many elected officials employed earlier this spring, Congress should approve the deal and take concrete steps to strengthen it.
BOTTOM LINE: This agreement with Iran is a crucial first step that will allow the United States and its allies to more strongly oppose Iran’s destabilizing behavior in the Middle East. This is just the beginning, not the end, of the hard work. Congress must work to approve and strengthen the deal so attention can turn to robust implementation of the agreement.
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Quote of the day … White House
“Our nation is stronger when prosperity is broadly shared. And as we’ve seen throughout our history, one necessary ingredient of shared prosperity is working people banding together and raising their voices.”
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more from 1600 Penn
DOT Helps States, Local Communities Improve Transportation Resilience
The U.S. Department of Transportation has been working hard to support communities across the country as they adapt the planning, development, and management of their transportation assets for greater resilience in the face of climate change.
Weekly Address: Reaffirming Our Commitment to Protecting the Right to Vote
In this week’s address, the President celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act by underscoring the importance of one of the most fundamental rights of our democracy — that all of us are created equal and that each of us deserves a voice.
West Wing Week: “The Measure of a Leader”
Last week, the President announced a new historic action to cut harmful carbon pollution, advocated for the Iran deal, celebrated his 54th birthday, and inaugurated a new class of Mandela fellows.
Be a Seed for Change 
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