Tag Archives: republicans

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If you’re not outraged...

10/10/2014 Nativegrl77

If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention – or so the saying goes.

Well, we’re paying attention – to the many harmful effects of the low-wage economy – and yes, we’re outraged.

So, on October 16th, we’re taking a stand – and we hope you’ll join us.

What: Low-Wage Rage: Workers Fight Back!

When: Thursday, October 16th at 12pm

Where: Midtown East, meeting location TBA

Why: It’s time to end the financial crisis that the Waltons and other one percenters have created for American families.

RSVP for details and updates: Click here.

Spread the word: Through Facebook.

With nearly half of all NYC residents living near poverty today, we’re at a breaking point. Many of us are burning up with low-wage rage, and it’s time to call out who is responsible: Walmart and the Walton family. If you’re fed up, it’s time to rise up!

Here’s why: Walmart’s worst practices have been adopted by NYC retailers, fast-food chains, and other low-wage employers. Walmart’s harm to NYC’s low-wage retail workers and fast-food workers can be seen and felt in growing poverty, erratic schedules, lack of stable hours and few opportunities for real career advancement among people of color, women, and immigrants.

Retail workers, fast food workers, and other low-wage workers are therefore coming together for a massive march on October 16. We’ll take our issues to employers on the Upper East Side that are perpetrating these Walmart practices, and we’ll culminate at Alice Walton’s new $25m condo, to demonstrate the urgent need to address the dramatic and deepening inequality that the Walmart economy is driving. It’s time to tell Walmart and the Walton family to stop holding America back.

Are you fed up? Then rise up!

Hope to see you then,

Bertha Lewis, on behalf of Walmart-Free NYC & The Black Institute

The Black Institute
http://www.theblackinstitute.org/

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Honey Bees … in Seattle are dying

10/05/2014 Nativegrl77

City of Seattle: We Call on the City of Seattle to Ban Neonicotinoid Pesticide Usage

Central Co-op and Seattle Sierra Club

Sign the Petition

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Rashad Robinson, ColorOfChange.org

10/04/2014 Nativegrl77

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:

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

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My sister was arrested for going to a volleyball game

10/02/2014 Nativegrl77

.@David_Cameron + @HassanRouhani Bring my sister home #FreeGhonchehGhavami

Iman Ghavami
London, United Kingdom

Sign Iman’s petition

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White House Snapshot

10/02/2014 Nativegrl77

An Interview You Should Watch:

Whenever challenges face the world, one fact is clear: The world looks to the United States.

Last night, in an interview with 60 Minutes, President Obama explained why the United States is “the indispensable nation” when trouble arises in the world. From responding to humanitarian crises to confronting terrorism, America leads.

Because, as the President said, “that’s how we roll.”

Watch the video here — and pass it on.

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President Barack Obama participates in an interview with Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Sept. 25, 2014. (Official White House Photo by

Community Colleges: The Secret Sauce

At the White House today, Secretary of Labor Tom Perez joined Vice President Joe Biden at the White House to announce the fourth round of job-driven training grants to community colleges across America.

In this week’s address, the President reiterated the forceful and optimistic message of American leadership that he delivered in his speech before the United Nations General Assembly earlier this week.

Last week, the President unveiled the “It’s on Us” campaign, signed the America’s Promise Summit Declaration, and headed to New York City for the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly. See the highlights in the latest edition of “West Wing Week.”

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