Tag Archives: Russia

Over the past year we have exposed how greedy and abusive private detention corporations lock up immigrants for profit. Thanks to our work together and our partners we were able to fight back and shut down a facility in Southwest Ranches, Florida. Now we want to make you aware of an equally pressing nationwide problem.We want to introduce you to the latest Brave New Foundation campaign, Beyond Bars. Its purpose is to change Americans’ thinking and inspire action through short videos and shareable graphics that expose the U.S. system of mass incarceration.Think about this. The United States is spending over $200 billion a year on a justice system that locks up more people than any country on earth. We have more prisoners than China. More than Russia. More than anyone. This system is a beast — gobbling up resources that should be going to communities. WATCH THE VIDEO.

Beyond Bars will investigate corporations that profit off incarceration and politicians that use “tough on crime” rhetoric to scare voters. But we won’t just expose the negative; we’ll also show better ways to achieve public safety: things like prevention, rehabilitation, and job opportunity. This is particularly important to the Latino community as we see the rates of incarceration go up every year.

Will you join this campaign to curb mass incarceration? We want your thoughts, suggestions, and engagement as we begin this multi-year initiative. You can start now by sharing this new video to take a stand for a more just world.

Together we can make an impact,

Axel Caballero and the Cuéntame team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Syria and brave citizen journalists … by Alice Jay – Avaaz.org

02/08/2012 Nativegrl77

The Assad regime is slaughtering its citizens and tearing cities apart. The UN has failed to stop the killing, and Avaaz has the only network smuggling medical equipment in and information out. Brave Syrian democracy activists have called for our help— click below to watch the video appeal and chip in to save lives:

On Saturday, Syria’s brutal forces killed one of Avaaz’s brave citizen journalists as he pulled people from the rubble of a deadly massacre in Homs. Omar was just 23 and he died as he lived, photographing the regime’s crimes, helping others and sacrificing for freedom.
As you read this, the regime is murdering men, women and children and tearing cities apart. China and Russia just handcuffed international action at the UN and gave Assad license to unleash his murder machine to crush the Syrian Spring once and for all. Omar’s friend just wrote to us — his community is determined, but they are urgently asking for our help: “We’re heartbroken, but his death will not be in vain, we will carry on the fight, but we need your support.”
Let’s be clear — as embassies close, medical agencies withdraw and journalists pull out, Avaaz has the only network that is both smuggling medical equipment and journalists in and images and information out. Avaaz just received a list of urgent needs: medical equipment for doctors in makeshift hospitals; more cameras and computers to keep informing the world; money for power and transport; safe houses for people to take refuge; and continued international action in support. Click here to watch a video appeal and chip in now — if 20,000 of us donate now, we can get help to the besieged towns before the next attack:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/smuggle_hope_into_syria_i/?vl
For months, Omar, a civil engineering student, photographed Syrian forces brutally killing peaceful protesters and sent the images out to the global media through Avaaz. After the regime kicked the international media out, Omar was one of more than 400 activists who risked their lives to work with Avaaz to break the news blackout and help 18 of the world’s leading journalists from foreign news outlets into the locked-down country. It’s likely that the images you have seen on your TV or photographs in your newspaper came from this courageous team.
But that is just a part of what the Avaaz project has done. Thanks to the generous support of members across the world, Avaaz is providing a rare lifeline of strategic and critical support to the democracy movement in Syria. When activists told us medicines were running out, we set up a smuggling network to deliver over $1.8 million worth of medical equipment into the country, saving thousands of lives. When the Syrian National Council was struggling to present a credible leadership alternative to the world, we organized meetings in the UN, Russia and across Europe to support their efforts.
Day after day, these heroes have turned out to protest, facing down tanks with no support from international governments. But what happens in the next two weeks will be decisive. This is the pinnacle of the Arab Spring and the global struggle against brutal despots. Together we can secure a lifeblood to the resistance and walk with the brave Syrian people on their journey to freedom. Click to make a life-saving donation now:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/smuggle_hope_into_syria_i/?vl
This year people power in the Middle East has taught the world an important lesson — together we are stronger than the fiercest dictator, and stronger than the most ruthless army. On the streets of Syria, Avaaz is a beloved partner in the struggle for freedom. As one opposition leader put it, “the Syrian people have gained strength from knowing that the world, through the Avaaz community, stands with them.” Together, we have made the impossible, possible and with our help Assad’s regime will come to end.
With hope and determination,
Alice, Ian, Antonia, Emma, Ricken, Morgan, Mouhamad, Wissam, Sam, Bissan, Will and the entire Avaaz team
More information:
A Doctor’s Cry for Help as Homs Victims Pour In to a Medical Center [Warning: This is a graphic video not suitable for sensitive viewers] http://www.overstream.net/view.php?oid=r3tmevemrqn0
At Least 200 Reported Killed in Syrian City of Homs (Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/protesters-turn-out-across-syria-but-capital-is-quiet/2012/02/03/gIQAQOqNnQ_story.html
Homs: Bloody Winter in Syria’s Revolution Capital (CNN) http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/16/world/meast/syria-homs-profile/index.html
Anger After Russia, China Block UN Action on Syria (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/05/us-syria-idUSTRE80S08620120205?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=71
Syria Crackdown: Homs Bombarded, Dozens Killed (Huffington Post/Reuters) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/06/syria-crackdown-homs_n_1256699.html

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

We need your feedback–Because we’re scientists, not mind readers

01/18/2011 Nativegrl77

Happy New Year! We’re excited to be kicking off 2011 with the support of people like you.

You are the foundation of our organization. It’s because of your support that the Union of Concerned Scientists has been able to make great progress on some of the toughest environmental, health, and security issues of our time.

We’re very interested in what you, as a UCS supporter, think about what we’re doing. So please tell us what matters to you by taking our quick online survey.

As a science-based organization, it is anathema to us to make uninformed presumptions, so we rely on you to tell us what you think. We’ll use your answers to make better decisions about what to send you and how often to contact you. Please click here to give us your opinion today.

We also want to make sure you know about some exciting accomplishments that happened in just the last few weeks—each of which we worked hard to shape and deliver:

•Congress ratified the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the United States and Russia. This critical pact will reduce each country’s vast arsenals of nuclear weapons and is a critical first step in a renewed global effort to reduce the nuclear threat.

•The Obama administration released its long-awaited scientific integrity plan to improve transparency in policy making, ensure that well-qualified individuals are appointed to science positions, and protect those who expose abuse of science.

•An historic agreement was reached at December’s U.N. climate convention in Cancún, Mexico, that will reduce tropical deforestation and protect forest peoples and biodiversity (contrary to the perception some have that only modest progress was made there).

These long-fought achievements would not have been realized if it weren’t for your actions and support. Thank you, and congratulations.

We look forward to the new year ahead and to continuing to work together with you, side-by-side, to promote science-based solutions to cut global warming emissions, develop clean energy alternatives, reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, and much more!

Don’t forget to take our quick online survey to tell us how our online communications are serving you.

Sincerely,

Kevin Knobloch

President

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

from Change.org

12/09/2010 Nativegrl77

Join the 1 Billion People Fighting Global Hunger

“The defining human tragedy of this century.”

That’s how a recent Oxfam report described the fact that rapid climate change is exacerbating hunger all around the globe.

It’s a story that’s too often missed. And as world leaders gather at a climate change summit in Cancun this week, we have just a few days to shine a bright light on how climate is intimately connected to hunger.

Stand up for the world’s poor and fight hunger now.

Evidence of the changing climate’s impact on hunger is everywhere.

We saw it in Pakistan, where massive, devastating floods swamped farmland, decimated crops, and left more than 10 million people in dire need of food aid.

We’ve seen it in Russia, where droughts have driven the price of wheat sky-high in some regions, increasing the number of struggling families.

And we see it in Kenya, where farmers no longer know when to expect rain, causing seasons of failed harvests.

The World Food Programme estimates that climate change is expected to add another 10-20% to the total of hungry people by 2050. The poor and malnourished are especially vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather and climate-related natural disasters. And, as rainfalls become more sporadic and temperatures increase, hundreds of millions of farmers worldwide will have to abandon traditional crops and try to adapt.

Take a stand against hunger now, before the talks in Cancun conclude.

And once you add your name, will you forward this email to friends and family and encourage them to do the same?

Thanks for taking action,

The Change.org team