Tag Archives: senate spot

When my 12-year-old cousin Tamir Rice was shot and killed by a police officer as he played in a park with a toy gun, our family didn’t know what to do. Shocked and heartbroken, we knew we had to find justice for Tamir. I remembered that Trayvon Martin’s parents started a petition on Change.org when police refused to arrest the killer of their young son and that it helped draw national attention to their story.

So I started my own petition on Change.org and over 50,000 people have signed it.

It’s been one year since the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, which propelled #BlackLivesMatter into a national movement. I never thought my family would be part of this conversation – that my little cousin would become one of the reasons we needed to call for police accountability and racial justice here in Cleveland and nationwide.

The simple act of signing a petition can make a difference and other families at the center of the #BlackLivesMatter movement have started petitions on Change.org. The parents of John Crawford, who was killed in a Walmart while he held a toy gun sold at the store used a petition to secure an important Department of Justice investigation into the death of their son. The brother of Walter Scott, shot and killed as he ran away, and the parents of Michael Brown, have each started petitions to call for body cameras nationwide.

You can view all of these petitions on one page by clicking here. There are more than three million signatures from people like you who have shown us that we’re not alone – and that meant the world to us.

From body cameras to a police shooting database, from individual calls for justice to national racial profiling reforms, the petitions on this page not only tell the stories of those directly affected, but provide a way for you to take action and continue to be part of this national conversation. Please use this moment to read these petitions and reflect on what you can do today.

Please continue to support these families’ petitions as we continue to push for justice for our loved ones and positive changes in our communities.

Thank you,

Latonya Goldsby
Cleveland, Ohio

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

#JusticeForMikeBrown ~~~ #Ferguson police confiscated our billboard!

07/09/2016 Nativegrl77

During an event in Ferguson where hundreds of people marched for an end to police brutality, police confiscated our Governor Nixon mobile billboard and arrested the truck driver, who was then held in police custody for hours and later released.¹ Witnesses say police in an unmarked car targeted the driver and ripped him from the truck before he was even able to undo his seat belt.

It’s a shameful attempt to silence our message and diminish our power, but we won’t be stopped. Now, the “accountability truck” is back on the road and it’s time to redouble our efforts to hold Governor Nixon accountable. In just a few days, a grand jury will decide whether or not Officer Darren Wilson will be held acountable for killing Mike Brown — meaning the time for Gov. Nixon to secure a special prosecutor and protect the right to free speech and peaceful protest is now.

Will you help amplify already growing media and public pressure on Governor Nixon?

Share this image of the Governor Nixon “accountability truck” on Facebook.

Tweet this image at Governor Nixon.

Picture of billboard outside Governor Nixon's office, image reads: Go. Nixon, what will you do in this moment with the whole world watching

When communities are prevented from speaking out and challenging their country we are no longer in a democracy; we are no longer in America. From the unconstitutional “keep walking” rule that was ultimately shutdown by a federal judge² to unlawful arrests, tear gas, and rubber bullets,³ Missouri law enforcement have consistently violated the constitutional right to free speech and peaceful demonstration since Officer Wilson killed Mike Brown. The confiscation of the “accountability truck” and arrest of the driver is just another instance of these outrageous and discriminatory intimidation tactics and police abuse, which Governor Nixon must immediately address.

Right now there are military tanks in St. Louis, which suggest police are preparing to crackdown on peaceful protesters after the grand jury verdict is announced.⁴ Failure by Governor Nixon to take immediate action to keep Black Missourians safe and secure justice for Mike Brown only condones further police brutality and human rights violations. We will not sit idly by as police treat courageous Missourians as enemy combatants.

If enough people take action today, we can show Governor Nixon the cost of his inaction and hold him accountable for securing a special prosecutor and enforcing a higher standard of police conduct across the state.

Call out Governor Nixon’s failed leadership on Facebook.

Demand #JusticeForMikeBrown on Twitter.

Thanks and peace,

—Rashad, Matt, Arisha, Lyla, Jamar and the rest of the ColorOfChange team
November 8th, 2014

References

1. “Activists rip Ferguson cops for seizing ‘rolling billboard’ criticizing Gov. Jay Nixon,” RawStory 11-06-2014 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4324?t=6&akid=3893.1174326.EfyXLv

2. “Ferguson protest leaders seek 48 hours’ notice of indictment decision” Guardian 11-06-2014
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4325?t=8&akid=3893.1174326.EfyXLv

3. “Police Violated Constitutional Rights Of Ferguson Protesters, Federal Judge Rules” Huffington Post 10-06-2014
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4326?t=10&akid=3893.1174326.EfyXLv

4. “On the Streets of America: Human Rights Abuses in Ferguson,” Amnesty International Report 10-24-2014
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4327?t=12&akid=3893.1174326.EfyXLv

5. ShordeeDooWhop Tweet 11-05-2014
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4328?t=14&akid=3893.1174326.EfyXLv

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Police Violence Against Blacks Has An Economic Context

07/09/2016 Nativegrl77

MORNING MESSAGE

Terrance Heath

Police Violence Against Blacks Has An Economic Context

Police violence against unarmed African Americans occurs against a too-often-ignored backdrop of economic disparity that both fuels and informs the resentments and racial tensions behind the events … Thirty years of Republican policies led to the economic abandonment of black communities. The remnants and results inform the mistrust and resentment between predominantly white police forces and African-American communities in cities all over the country … In 2009, McKinney settled a large housing discrimination lawsuit, alleging that the city was blocking the development of affordable housing for tenants with Section 8 vouchers, in the whiter, more affluent west side of the city …

Fast Track Vote Friday?

GOP aiming for Friday vote, but nothing is firm. Politico:“Senior aides and lawmakers in GOP leadership are intent on scheduling the vote at the moment they believe they have the votes locked up — ideally by Friday, to spare supportive lawmakers the possibility of another weekend of attacks by trade foes back in their districts … Still, the state of play remains fluid, GOP lawmakers and aides cautioned, and there’s a chance the vote will slide into next week.”

Medicare offset for Trade Adjustment Assistance “a last-minute sticking point.” Politico:“Pelosi privately pressed Boehner to drop a proposal, already passed by the Senate, that would prolong a cap on Medicare spending to pay for TAA. But late Tuesday night, the two sides appeared to be in agreement. The measure will now be offset by increasing penalties on companies that file incorrect 1099 tax returns, and by stepping up enforcement of fraudulent higher-education tax credit claims.”

Some holdouts angling for concessions. The Hill:“Some members may be genuinely undecided, while others may want to keep their heads down to avoid the ire of whichever side they are disappointing. And others might want to see what they can get. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) on Tuesday said her support is contingent on whether the House includes language in the trade package that would help steel producers in her district … Another undecided member, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), has repeatedly said he has gripes about how trade policy gives an edge to Canadian poultry and dairy producers.”

GOP Spending Bills Face Filibuster

GOP ignores filibuster threat on spending bills to keep government open. Politico:“Their reaction suggests the GOP is in no mood to negotiate, at least not yet, making it increasingly likely that senators will spend weeks, perhaps even months, working on appropriations legislation that has little chance of becoming law … McConnell in the coming days plans to call up a massive defense spending bill, daring Democrats to vote against money supporting troops …”

And rejects bipartisan “budget summit.” The Hill:“McConnell’s dismissal creates a fiscal standoff in the Senate months earlier than expected over whether spending limits, known as the sequester, should be lifted … Democrats have warned that they will block the Senate from taking up the annual defense spending bill unless the GOP agrees to lift the sequester on both defense and nondefense spending.”

WH, GOP Duel Over Climate

WH prepares slew of climate policies for summer. WSJ:“The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce as soon as Wednesday plans to regulate carbon emissions from airlines, and soon after that, draft rules to cut carbon emissions from big trucks … In the coming weeks, the EPA is also expected to unveil rules aimed at reducing emissions of methane—a potent greenhouse gas—from oil and natural-gas operations. And in August, the agency will complete a suite of three regulations lowering carbon from the nation’s power plants…”

And lays groundwork for international accord in December. WSJ:“Mr. Obama and the other leaders of the world’s largest industrialized democracies emerged from two days of meetings in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps with consensus that greenhouse-gas emissions should be reduced by as much as 70% by 2050 … Obama departed Germany having moved one step closer to finalizing the global climate pact that sits high on his agenda.”

While GOP plans climate counterattack. The Hill:“Legislation coming before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday would effectively block the EPA’s latest proposal, a rule defining which waterways it can regulate … The House Appropriations Committee released an Interior and Environment spending bill Tuesday that would block potential EPA rule-making on everything from the power plant regulations to oversight of lead in fishing tackle. McConnell has previously endorsed using appropriations riders to target EPA policies where possible.”

WH wins climate court ruling. The Hill:“The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the energy companies and states that filed the lawsuit had jumped the gun, and the court cannot yet review a regulation that has only been proposed, but not made final.”

Obama aims to help poor countries deal with climate change. The Hill:“The Obama administration launched a $34 million public-private effort [to] ‘provide needed climate services — including actionable science, data, information, tools, and training’… the White House said in a fact sheet.”

Breakfast Sides

Hillary Clinton should use kickoff rally to build on FDR’s “Four Freedoms,” says W. Post’s Katrina vanden Heuvel:“This is Hillary Clinton’s historic opportunity. The greatest threat to freedom now is posed by the entrenched few that use their resources and influence to rig the rules to protect their privileges. She would do a great service for the country — and for her own political prospects — by offering a far more expansive American view of what freedom requires, and what threatens it.”

Wall Street ties of new SEC chief of staff questioned by AFL-CIO. McClatchy:“The AFL-CIO on Tuesday wrote to SEC Chair Mary Jo White demanding to know what sort of perks Andrew Donohue received when he left the Wall Street titan for a job as a regulator … Of particular interest to opponents of Donohue’s appointment is the Stock Incentive Plan at Goldman Sachs. It reportedly has a clause allowing the accelerated vesting of stock awards or equivalent cash payments when a Goldman exec resigns to enter government service.”

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Mall cop ignores racist harassing Seattle protesters and pepper sprays black bystander instead-reminder

07/09/2016 Nativegrl77

By David Edwards
Thursday, August 14, 2014 8:53 EDT

An African-American Seattle man who happened to be walking by a pro-Palestinian protest said that he is still confused as to why a security guard would have pepper sprayed him instead of a white man who was harassing demonstrators and yelling racial slurs.

Freelance photographer Alex Garland, who photographed and videotaped the incident, told The Stranger that a white shirtless man had been trying to start fights with activists at a pro-Palestinian rally on Saturday.

Garland said that the man had been shouting epithets like “towelhead” and “sand n*gger.”

As 26-year-old Raymond Wilford was walking to a friend’s house, the shirtless man apparently confused him for a protester.

“I was trying to avoid him because I heard him say a bunch of racial stuff,” Wilford told The Stranger.

In photos taken by Garland, the two men can be seen squaring off in a fighting stance, but Wilford said he never actually threw a punch.

That’s when a Westlake Center security guard arrived on the scene.

“The security guard was like, ‘Stop,’” Wilford recalled. “The white guy was still yelling and walking towards the security guard. I was like, ‘Why are you pointing your mace at me? He’s the one being aggressive.’ And then he pepper-sprayed me.”

Photos show the security guard walking past the shirtless white man to pepper spray Wilford, who is black.

“The guy that was the aggressor was closer to the security guard,” Garland said, according to MyNorthwest.com. “The other individual, the person of color, was further away but he was the one who got pepper sprayed.”

Video taken by Garland shows protesters pleading with the security guard, saying, “You Maced the wrong guy.” A Seattle police officer arrived on the scene, and the security guard took Wilford away to be detained. Meanwhile, the photos show the shirtless man casually walking away.

The security guard later told Seattle officers that Wilford “took an aggressive step towards him” so he was forced to deploy his pepper spray, a police reported indicated.

Valor Security Services, which employs the security guard, told KING that the guard gave multiple warnings.

“Please know these actions are never done without warning and careful consideration,” Valor spokesperson Scott Born insisted in a statement. “It is always our goal to try to resolve all situations as peacefully as possible.”

Valor declined to tell KING if the guard was still working for the company. The Seattle Police Department was investigating the incident.

For his part, Wilford said that he would like to speak with management at Westlake, and he has not ruled out legal action.

“I’ve been treated like that all my life, so it kinda brushes off,” Wilford explained to The Stranger. “I’m from the South, I’m from New Orleans. I’ve seen the worst of it.”

“People here seem to be more secretive about their not liking black people, or their racism,” he added. “I’m so used to it I don’t know what’s wrong and what’s right half the time.”

Watch the video below from KING, broadcast Aug. 12, 2014.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

#BlackLivesMatter … How will candidates2016 address the use of #Excessiveforce

07/09/2016 Nativegrl77

Just another rant …

I question anyone who decides one or two people represent the whole, but when a group of people found out that, their family members, neighbors, co-workers and friends have experienced some form of excessive use of force the need and demand for change happens in forms. There was a time when i was convinced that only Conservative Politicians wanted more control more swat equipment. Unfortunately, most Governors or Mayors on both sides of the political aisle think cracking down stricter measures is the only way to handle crime seemingly without any consequences. We all seemed to have forgotten Rodney King’s experience. Then we all saw heard officers lying to hide the truth and wonder what it will take Politicians legislators to see minorities as they see white people. There are good bad and ugly in all races cultures and communities. Why not address Police use of excessive force why not accept that ALL people want the police to protect & serve NOT to act as social controllers of children and or adult minorities …Why not tase, ask questions or shoot to stop FIRST? The use of excessive force by the police seems to be increasing. We used to believe it was only NRA supporters assuming blacks are a threat more likely than being a victim. Then we saw Black People who were in accidents in hours after 10pm killed for being suspicious…why? They were asking for help! Now its politicians on both sides who want the issue to go away and THAT is new.