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Ten years in prison


Eight Greenpeace activists are each facing almost ten years in prison for participating in a peaceful protest to protect Indonesian rainforest.Indonesia RainforestSign our statement of support today for the action they took and the right to peaceful protest.

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In just a few weeks, eight Greenpeace activists, who last March participated in a peaceful protest at Procter & Gamble’s Cincinnati headquarters to protect Indonesian rainforest1, will be going on trial. greenpeace

They’re each facing two separate felony charges — burglary and vandalism — and if convicted, they could spend almost ten years in prison.

These are crimes they did not commit. The charges in this case are an attempt to intimidate us and prevent more people from taking action — especially when it relates to large corporations like Procter & Gamble. The eight individuals on trial in Cincinnati are prepared to accept the consequences of their actions for a cause they believe in. But they aren’t burglars. And they aren’t vandals. That’s why they’re going to trial.

I’ll be there in person in Cincinnati during the trial doing everything I can to support the eight individuals and their case. You have a role to play too.

Add your name to our statement of support today and show these individuals that they’re not alone and that you believe in the right to peaceful protest.

When I took the job of Executive Director of Greenpeace USA, I didn’t think that this would be how I’d introduce myself to you. But this is a very serious moment, and we need your help.

I’m Annie Leonard. You might know me from my most recent project, the Story of Stuff, but I actually got my start in the environmental movement at Greenpeace over 20 years ago. And I’ve seen firsthand the power that peaceful protest can have.

I’ll be delivering your messages of support personally to the activists. It’s important that they know they’re not alone and that the there is broad support for the action they took. And it’s important that we work together to protect the right to freedom of speech which allowed this action to take place, and which will continue to allow other activists to take direct action in the future.

Add your name to our statement of support today and show these eight individuals that they’re not alone and that you believe in the right to peaceful protest.

The right to peaceful protest is one of the single most important tools at our disposal, not only to protect the environment, but to bring about positive social change in a democracy. It should be allowed to be exercised without the fear of unjust legal consequences.

Carmen, I can’t tell you how excited I am to have come home to Greenpeace as its Executive Director. Or how excited I am to work with you in the days, months and years to come to make our world a greener and more peaceful place.

Thanks for all you do. I’ll be sure to keep you updated as we get closer to the trial and the proceedings begin.

Sincerely,

Annie Leonard
Greenpeace USA Executive Director

1. For more information on the protest and why these activists did what they did, check out this blog post.

Whoa!


Frankly, we were BLOWN away by your support last month. We were able to BEAT our goal of 10,000 donations to stop the Tea Party before Congress comes back to Washington.

In fact, August was one of our best months ever from online donors like you.

Democrats are fired up and are ready to help elect a Democratic majority to finally kick the Tea Party and Speaker Boehner out of control of Congress once and for all. As a special thank you, we wanted to give you a sneak peek of an ad we’re releasing tomorrow in Florida’s second congressional district.

Click here to watch the ad — then can you chip in to help us keep airing this ad and others like it in targeted districts across the country?

Defeat Steve Southerland. Keep our ad on the air>>

Vanessa murdered a young couple. Now she’s up for parole … Change.org


Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole: Deny Parole to Vanessa Coleman, Offender #473393

Daniel Frye
Knoxville, Tennessee

An Update on the Economy, Iraq, and Ukraine


At the White House yesterday afternoon, President Obama made a statement on a number of important issues ahead of his attendance at the NATO Summit in the United Kingdom next week.

The President first talked about the American economy, noting that it’s growing “at a stronger clip” than predicted, and that we have more work to do to continue this momentum. He then discussed the current U.S. operations in Iraq, reiterating his commitment as Commander-in-Chief to “always do what is necessary to protect the American people and defend against evolving threats to our homeland.”

President Obama concluded his statement addressing the situation in Ukraine, noting that the evidence is clear: “Russia is responsible for the violence in eastern Ukraine.”

See more from the President’s remarks here:

Learn more about the President's remarks yesterday.
Top Stories
West Wing Week: “Choose the Harder Right Instead of the Easier Wrong”This week, the White House honored two important anniversaries for women’s rights and civil rights, and the President announced new actions to improve access to quality health care for veterans.

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Second Estimate of GDP for the Second Quarter of 2014

According to a new report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis yesterday, U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 4.2 percent in the second quarter of 2014. The report affirms that second-quarter economic growth was strong — consistent with the recent string of solid job growth and improvements across other economic indicators.

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Chart of the Week: Where We Stand on Equal Pay for Equal Work

Though more and more women are becoming the primary breadwinners in their families, they continue to make less than their male counterparts at all income levels — a gender pay gap that only widens as people get older. In fact, women who enter the workforce after graduating college are paid less in almost every field of study.

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freedom paved with struggle


The World is watching … a repost

World

While the fight for Democracy breaks out all over the World, we are seeing the marches the violence against protesters who have had enough. We also see a World in transition, a few men, dictators who want to hold tight onto their empires ruling regardless of how many of their own call for Sovereignty while others want  21st Century living are killed.  Now, we have to include Governors, Mayors and Police Officers using excessive force who are supposedly hired take an oath to serve and protect.  However, there seems to be a growing movement of citizens who have begun to question and challenge dictators and clerics who have ruled with iron fists and have engaged in outdated ancient practices for centuries. Who knew Americans would need to question leaders of cities states and counties or be enduring policing that appeared in the days before people of color were legally given civil/humane rights.  It is important that the people never forget American history and to always remember there is strength in numbers.

Always remember strength in numbers

It is so hard to understand, believe, accept, or fathom that we are in the 21st Century, yet, there are people on the Continent of Africa dying at the hands of their own … in the what is called the Arab World for wanting to be heard, for wanting to be participants in their own futures and yes, this is not new. There are mothers with children, older men women and students coming out in droves protesting to tell these dictators/clerics it is time for a change. In a desperate move to control the truth, dictators have tried to cut off all connections to the outside world or insist and expect them to believe that the U.S. is at fault, meddling in the process of change, which they claim should happen slowly. When Protesters did not leave, most if not all these tyrants offered up some concessions to the people like crumbs while trying to divert responsibility until their patience ran out; replaced with tantrums, threats, crackdown, using extreme force, and death to those who refuse to obey. It is my hope that while the people rise up against these despots and we watch in horror, they know the efforts will help the next generation though the backlash seems hardly worth the effort in the moment. I wonder if anyone has had or even allowed himself or herself a chance to stop and consider what personal freedom would mean for them and their families. If they feel they deserve to be happy let alone an opportunity, a change from the old ancient ways to a life with the freedom to speak, better wages, human rights, to actually be a participant in the process of life. Then stop to think of how we Americans have issues with our leaders use the 1st Amendment and realize that the militarization of our police departments are quite possibly taught in the realization that our country is becoming more brown …that brown and black men are the enemy at large while we had the first person of colour in the White House the fear or fear mongering reached ugly levels …

We all know that the demand to be heard these days is great and how amazing it is to see people on two different continents with similar reactions by those who control, who truly are working for an agenda that is one of great self-interest. This seemingly symbiotic thing going on, though we are worlds apart is one that must be met without fear of evil to get the change needed and wanted. The big difference is … for them it means that any action toward independence or right to speak is not only a risk to life and family but the fear of authority may not be an option in many cases knowing the inevitability of death, for Americans, freedom to be is or used to be the possibility of death, though the last few cases of men and women of color dying by the use of extreme force has caused great concern

The journey toward freedom is sometimes paved with danger