Tag Archives: senate spot

dwts S20 10th anniversary celebration and val’s win!


WordPressDancing-3 I sat back waiting to write about the DWTS 10th Anniversary celebration because i was disappointed with what seemed to be going on. There were months after the MNM win  when we would see past competitors on the show but no MNM, interviews but no MNM, promos and interview gigs from past competitors yet no MNM.  So, when the 10th anniversary announcement was made the weeks leading up to any appearances on DWTS seemed fraught with a lot of “stuff” making fans wonder if DWTS would lose a substantial amount of viewers…   Then they started doing promos for their 10th anniversary celebration.  I admit that the teasing of who would be among the guests or dancers was fun. There were plenty of commercials with interviews of past competitors planning to dance or at least be in the audience supporting everyone else on the dance floor. Yes, fans of dance, competition and drama had their plate full as snippets of rehearsals, interviews, pictures of costumes and word that a dance off between maks and Meryl Vs witney and alphonso was on along with a vote for your choice to win site, which probably crashed. Anyway, the 10th anniversary was great, it was definitely well produced and while there was a lot going on it was good stuff filled with a lot of talk that viewers actually wanted to hear.  The costumes and dancing were amazing, the entertainment was good and while alphonso & witney killed it the Paso slash tango by MNM was beyond amazing.  It was apparent that MNM slayed it though the music was a bit different for me. I admit it was fun, up-tempo and added a modern feel they might have been going for and succeeded as the camera panned the room fans were up celebrating having fun.  In fact, fans are still talking about how MNM have not as tom said, lost a step, that Meryl has actually improved least we talk about her costume, great burst of curly hair and the clever red lighting, which made me scream … it, was perfect.  Their interview was fun cute and amazing because so few past DWTS winners maintain support that MNM continues to have.

So, as the 10th anniversary faded into the background and the 2014 MNM anniversary of the coveted MBT win was approaching, mak’s little brother Val qualified for the DWTS finals. There was a week or two of folks talking tweeting revisiting MNM videos leading up to both events.  When low and behold some could say, the stars were aligned because it just so happens that S20 ended with a big win for his little brother Val and Rumer Willis on May 19, 2015. What a night it must have been for Val to win the coveted MBT on the anniversary of his big brother!

I have been an avid DWTS fan since 2005. I watched until melb lost, stopped then heard about Season16 skipped most of Season17, why? Amber was great, I just don’t believe she dance as much as the others and just to be honest Derek did most of the work. I loved Season18 and watched Season19 sort of end in a predictable way because Alphonso was beyond amazing, he took his win on the DWTS tour and did quite well.  I thought Val’s choreography was good, his partner’s foot work not so much and the rumors of showmances surrounding that season seemed to take over so I lost interest. I admit that Season20 was not a favorite of mine, though we could definitely relax because the showmances were nowhere to be found, only what we saw happening between Kym and Robert, which fans still support.  It just seemed like there were too many changes; why fix it if it is not broken. The dances seemed to only last a split second and was I the only one distracted by all the props or “backup” dancers least we talk about the immunity debacle. While most of us wanted loved and needed the result night back, it was not that great. The best thing about Season 20 was watching Val’s face and his number one supporter when he won.

Dance is about expression, more often than not there is a story, it’s about moving through space and time, to beats lyrics music that may or may not mean a thing to the dancer or the audience in the beginning  yet, does by the end: like maks’ has said, he likes to tell a story  touching your heart and soul …done. I think that is definitely why fans want to see them dance and  MNM has continued dancing for charity, support each other’s projects,  meet & greets and generally do what they both love to do best … dance!

Their passion shows each time they go out onto the floor.

 If you haven’t already, get your tickets to see SWAY  ~~  Meryl Amy and Rumer will all be there dancing !

Brandi Collins, ColorOfChange.org


Congress is trying to sneak a bill past the American public that would allow the warrantless surveillance of everyone’s phone and Internet use. But if enough people call them out, we can stop them.

Rep. John Lewis

Tell Congress: No Patriot Act, No USA Freedom Act

Take Action

 

Congress will vote to expand the government’s domestic surveillance authority, which can and will be used by law enforcement against Black communities.

Last week Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) made clear why we must act to stop this legislation, “reading the FBI file on [the] SCLC & myself, I am more convinced than ever that we cannot allow government surveillance.” He and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus are fighting back against the USA Freedom Act, and all efforts to renew the domestic spying provisions of the Patriot Act.1

Rep. Lewis and the CBC need our help to block this disastrous domestic spying bill. Will you add your voice to this fight?

Tell Congress: Oppose the USA FREEDOM Act, which would reauthorize the PATRIOT Act.

After the events of 9/11, Congress rushed to pass the Uniting (and) Strengthening America (by) Providing Appropriate Tools (to) Intercept (and) Obstruct Terrorism Act (USA PATRIOT Act), which gave the U.S government far reaching and unconstitutional powers to spy on American citizens. Disguised as a reform bill, the USA Freedom Act — an extension of the PATRIOT Act — grants greater abilities than ever for the government to spy on civil rights organizers, teachers, construction workers, fast food workers, you and me.2

This legislation has not “strengthened and united” our communities, instead it has made us all targets.

Since our inception, ColorOfChange has called for an end to racist practices by our government and corporations. Since 9/11, the PATRIOT Act has been used as an excuse to indiscriminately target, round up and incarcerate our Arab and Muslim brothers and sisters. There has also been a sharp increase in hate crimes against Black and brown folks who fit a certain profile. Let’s be clear — racial profiling in any form by our government is a danger to all of our communities, regardless of whether we ourselves are in the line of fire.

Tell Congress: Oppose the USA FREEDOM Act, which would reauthorize the PATRIOT Act. Click here to send a message to Congress.

Just last week a federal court ruled that the government’s domestic phone-spying program— known as Section 2153— under the PATRIOT Act is illegal.4

Now Congress is trying to pass a bill — the deceptively named USA Freedom Act — to create new legal loopholes to allow government agencies to continue their mass surveillance programs, while appearing on the surface to be a surveillance reform bill. Don’t be fooled. This bill is designed to appease the public while cementing the government’s surveillance authority for years to come.

We need to oppose this bill and all other methods by which Congress might extend Section 215.

Fortunately, we have a real chance to make sure that Section 215 is never again used to spy on innocent Americans. If we block the USA Freedom Act from passing in the Senate this week, this dangerous provision of the Patriot Act will expire on June 1st. Our community can make this happen. The bill only has the slimmest of majorities supporting final passage.5 If we all raise our voices and call on Congress we can stop it.

Tell Congress: Oppose the USA FREEDOM Act today.

Intelligence and law enforcement agencies have already proven with the existing law that they will exploit every loophole they can find to spy on hundreds of millions of people who are suspected of no wrongdoing. This new law will create even more loopholes that will allow them to spy not just on our phone call data but our Skype, Google Hangout and Snapchat data. Pretty much all data related to our smartphone activity will be fair game to be spied on.6

Stopping this dragnet mass surveillance is not just about protecting our privacy from the government, but it’s a crucial racial justice issue.

To protect the civil liberties of Black and brown communities throughout the country, we need to tell Congress that we know that this bill is nothing more than a Trojan horse.

SEND CONGRESS A MESSAGE: We do not stand for mass surveillance in our communities.

Thanks and Peace,

–Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Dallas, Evan and the rest of the ColorOfChange team.
May 21, 2015

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. “Critics blast NSA phone records bill as ‘fake reform’,” Computerworld, 5-15-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4813?t=9&akid=4382.1174326.LMEC_c

2. “Here’s What’s Wrong With the USA Freedom Act,” The Nation, 5-6-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4814?t=11&akid=4382.1174326.LMEC_c

3. “Verizon forced to hand over telephone data – full court ruling,” The Guardian, 6-5-2013
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4815?t=13&akid=4382.1174326.LMEC_c

4. “N.S.A. Collection of Bulk Call Data Is Ruled Illegal,” The New York Times, 5-8-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4816?t=15&akid=4382.1174326.LMEC_c

5. “Patriot Act on life support,” The Hill, 5-17-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4817?t=17&akid=4382.1174326.LMEC_c

6. “Congress’s Orwellian spying “reforms”: Why the government wants to outsource its surveillance to your Internet provider,” Salon, 4-30-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4818?t=19&akid=4382.1174326.LMEC_c

STOP … Cat dissections


Petitioning Harding Chater Preparatory High School

Tell This Oklahoma School To Stop Cruel Dissections On Cats And Other Animals

Petition by Debbie Bohling
Tulsa, Oklahoma
535
Supporters

Rashad Robinson, ColorOfChange.org … bill o’reilly


We all know Bill O’Reilly has built a career by making false claims about parental violence and neglect, and it’s impact on Black families.

Yet, according to multiple reports, Bill should probably be worrying about his own family. Details of his incredibly nasty divorce from ex-wife, Maureen McPhilmy, have gone very public, including a bitter custody battle and allegations of physical abuse in front of his children. 1

The situation is particularly appalling considering O’Reilly’s track record of viciously attacking Black families. Even if the domestic violence allegations are proven false, O’Reilly’s divorce saga still reflects that O’Reilly is hypocritical in his analysis of unmarried Black families. In the past year alone, he has accused Black communities of allowing 9-year olds to do drugs2 and embracing pathological patterns of violence, and even claimed that “the reason there is so much violence and chaos in the Black precincts is the disintegration of the African-American family.”3

With such an influential platform, O’Reilly’s relentless attacks, biases, and harmful mistruths about Black families cannot be tolerated. Over the coming weeks we will be talking to advertisers about their continued sponsorship of The O’Reilly Factor; if they don’t respond, we will begin naming those advertisers publicly. We need to know you’ll stand with us.

Click here to let us know you’ll stand with us and demand advertisers drop O’Reilly once and for all.

Check out our original email below.

Thanks,

Rashad

Governor declares emergency drought in parts of Washington


Gov. Jay Inslee declared a drought emergency for three regions in Washington state, clearing the way for state officials to provide money and other relief to those experiencing drought hardships. – See more at: http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/governor-declares-emergency-drought-parts-washingt/nkWdt/#sthash.XCxn3Jpb.us9uVt4m.dpufWordPressWADroughtMapvlcsnap-2015-03-13-16h01m25s229