Tag Archives: United States

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Yelp and ALEC are partners ?

12/12/2013 Nativegrl77 2 Comments

Yelp! is silencing thousands of its users who oppose its recent decision to join ALEC.

At our new site TELLYELP.NO, submit your own Yelp! “review” and we’ll deliver it directly to Yelp’s CEO.

Friends ,

According to documents ColorOfChange obtained from the highly-secretive American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) last month, user-review site Yelp! joined ALEC — and gave the group at least $10,000 — during the opening week of George Zimmerman‘s murder trial.

More than 50 corporations have pulled their funding from ALEC over its responsibility for deadly so-called “Stand Your Ground” — or “Shoot First” — laws. It’s due to Shoot First that Zimmerman was not only acquitted of all criminal charges for his confessed killing of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin,¹ but will likely be immune to any civil penalty for wrongful death.²

Pressed to explain the company’s bizarre decision to join ALEC now, Yelp!’s Director of Public Policy admitted he “can’t ignore” the damage ALEC has done.³ But the company is suppressing thousands of negative reviews posted to ALEC’s Yelp! page opposing the move, and Yelp!’s CEO has made every effort to sidestep the growing controversy. To cut through Yelp!’s filter and reach company decisionmakers directly, ColorOfChange is launching a new site — TELLYELP.NO — that drives home the harm Yelp! inflicts on our communities by funding ALEC.

Check out TELLYELP.NO now, and urge CEO Jeremy Stoppelman to withdraw Yelp!’s funding from ALEC.

In the wake of Zimmerman’s acquittal, Shoot First — with its legal presumption that subjective, racist fears are justifiable grounds for vigilante homicide — has served to paint a target on the backs of Black youth.⁴ Shoot First endangers millions of people living in more than two dozen states, and there is now eight years of available data on the laws’ racially-biased outcomes.⁵ But ALEC has taken no steps to repeal Shoot First laws in the states where they’re on the books — nor to stop ALEC legislators from continuing to introduce new ones. Ten Shoot First bills have been introduced so far in 2013, and two have passed.⁶

ALEC is a bill mill that thrives on millions in fungible corporate “membership,” “scholarship” and “sponsorship” monies;⁷ this explicit pay-to-play legislation pipeline ensures that ALEC will continue to produce extreme profit-driven laws⁸ that exploit and endanger our communities. By funding it, Yelp! is directly furthering all aspects of the ALEC legislative agenda, and is responsible for the harms caused by the laws that result.

Join us in urging Yelp!’s CEO to withdraw funding from ALEC and TELLYELP.NO now. And when you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same.

Thanks and Peace,

–Rashad, Matt, Arisha, Kim, Johnny and the rest of the ColorOfChange team
September 26th, 2013

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. “Fox News Still Denying Role Of Stand Your Ground In Zimmerman Acquittal,” Media Matters for America, 08-20-13
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2975?t=10&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

2. “‘Stand your ground’ law may snarl any civil suit vs. George Zimmerman,” Orlando Sentinel, 07-16-13
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2966?t=12&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

3. “Agree: can’t ignore it,” @lutherlowe (Twitter), 08-15-13
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2967?t=14&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

4. “Open season on black boys after a verdict like this,” The Guardian, 07-14-13
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2969?t=16&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

5. “Uneven application, shocking outcomes,” Tampa Bay Times, 07-03-12
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2970?t=18&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

6. “ALEC at 40: Turning Back the Clock on Prosperity and Progress,” Center for Media and Democracy, 08-08-13
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2971?t=20&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

7. “How the ALEC corporate bill mill works,” Capital Times, 08-16-11
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2972?t=22&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

8. “Big Money, ALEC and the Gun Agenda,” Truthout, 12-16-12
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2098?t=24&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Please Support the Black Institute

12/12/2013 Nativegrl77

Since 2010, The Black Institute has been the premiere “action tank” mobilizing the immigration reform movement from a Black perspective. We have advocated for low wage fast food workers, a Walmart Free NYC, Caribbean DREAMERS, comprehensive immigration reform, the rights of immigrants, environmental justice, and the deprivatization of public education. The latest TBI initiative is The G Project. The G Project aims to impact Comprehensive Immigration Reform by shifting the perception of immigrants in this country to include Black immigrants. This is achieved by identifying blacks and black immigrants as “G’s.”

We need you to support our initiatives and help us fight back! Our opponents are well funded by big corporations and wealthy donors. You can make a big difference and give us a fighting chance. Make your end of the year tax-deductible donation RIGHT NOW!!!!!
Please take Action today with a contribution of $25, $50, $100 or $250 today by clicking here!!

Sincerely,

Bertha Lewis

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

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

#GetCovered

12/10/2013 Nativegrl77

President Obama: “What Drives Me”

Yesterday in Southeast Washington, DC, President Obama spoke about what he called the defining challenge of our time: reversing a decades-long slope toward growing inequality and a lack of upward mobility. It’s a trend that has jeopardized middle-class America’s basic bargain — the idea that if you work hard, you have a chance to get ahead.

Find out why we have to make our economy work for every working American.

It Shouldn’t Have Happened to Me, But It Did

Deputy Cabinet Secretary Michael Robertson discusses when doctors told him that he had stage IV colorectal cancer, and why the passing of the Affordable Care Act is personal to him.

Yesterday, youth leaders from across the country gathered here for our White House Youth Summit. The Summit was made of up 160 of this country’s finest national and local leaders aged 18-35. Joined by White House and Administration staff, these millennial participants discussed issues important to their generation — especially spreading the word about the Affordable Care Act and organizing to get people enrolled in their respective communities.

You’ve probably been hearing a lot about health reform and HealthCare.gov these past few months, check out some of our favorite enrollment stories.

ThinkProgress ~~ the GOP

12/10/2013 Nativegrl77

By CAP Action War Room

Today’s GOP, In Two Numbers

Last week, President Obama laid out a sweeping agenda to combat income inequality, strengthen the middle class, and extend ladders of opportunity to those striving to enter it. He also challenged the GOP to put forward their own ideas instead of just rejecting whatever he proposes. We have yet to see any new ideas from the Republicans but their opposition to the president’s agenda of economic empowerment is still going strong.

Two numbers perfectly illustrate the almost cruel indifference shown by today’s GOP toward the concerns of the millions of Americans who are struggling to get by:

4,831,590: That is the number of low-income Americans who will not receive health coverage through Medicaid simply because Republican governors and legislatures are refusing to expand the program under the Affordable Care Act. Because the expansion is almost entirely paid for by the federal government, states refusing to expand the program will forego billions in tax dollars, even as providers remain on the hook for uncompensated care provided to the uninsured. Texas will lose out on more than $9 BILLION, while Florida is leaving more than $5 BILLION on the table.

real_victims-53

1,300,000: That is the number of unemployed Americans who will immediately lose their benefits come January if Republicans in Congress refuse to extend long-term unemployment benefits, which would be an unprecedented move during a period of persistently high unemployment. The number who stand to lose their benefits would climb to 3.6 MILLION by the end of 2014. In addition to unnecessarily causing added misery for millions of struggling families, letting the extended benefits lapse would also deal a blow to the economy to the tune of 240,000 lost jobs as well as reduced growth. Over the weekend, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) tried to justify the GOP’s intransigence by making the bizarre argument that extended benefits are somehow harmful to the unemployed and do them a “disservice.”

BOTTOM LINE: If Republicans want to appeal to a broader group of Americans, they should stop putting politics ahead of people. The policies Republicans are pursuing will needlessly punish millions of Americans who can least afford it.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Weekly Address: Calling on Congress to Extend Unemployment Benefits This Holiday Season

12/09/2013 Nativegrl77

The White House, Washington

In this week’s address, President Obama says that before Congress leaves for vacation, they should extend unemployment benefits for 1.3 million hardworking Americans who will lose this lifeline at the end of the year.

Click here to watch this week’s Weekly Address.

Top Stories

Economic Mobility: On Wednesday, the President spoke about the growing inequality and lack of upward mobility in the United States. “The idea that so many children are born into poverty in the wealthiest nation on Earth is heartbreaking enough,” the President said.

But the idea that a child may never be able to escape that poverty because she lacks a decent education or health care, or a community that views her future as their own, that should offend all of us and it should compel us to action. We are a better country than this.

The President called reversing this lack of upward mobility the defining challenge of our time and said he is driven to expanding opportunity to ensure that if you work hard, you have a chance to get ahead. Click here to read his full remarks.

The passing of Nelson Mandela: Thursday evening President Obama delivered a statement on the passing of former South African President and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. “We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again,” the President said. “So it falls to us as best we can to forward the example that he set: to make decisions guided not by hate, but by love; to never discount the difference that one person can make; to strive for a future that is worthy of his sacrifice.”

White House Youth Summit: The White House held a Youth Summit on Wednesday, where youth leaders from across the country gathered to discuss issues important to their generation, including the Affordable Care Act. They participated in panels and breakout workshops with administration officials, and even had a surprise drop by from the President.

I look around the room and I see a lot of leaders who are going to be leading the charge well into the future on a whole range of issues. Don’t get discouraged. Be persistent. You may get a few gray hairs as a consequence — but I think at the end of the day you’ll think it’s worth it.

Holidays at the White House: Over the weekend, the Official White House Christmas tree was delivered to the White House by a horse-drawn carriage. The 18 1/2-foot high and nearly 11-foot-wide Douglas Fir tree is decorated in honor of military families and displayed in the Blue Room. Another National Christmas tree will be lit tonight at the 91st annual holiday tree lighting ceremony, which features a talented line-up of performers.

On Wednesday, First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed military families to the White House to preview this year’s holiday decor, centered on the theme ‘Gather Around: Stories of the Season.’

The President and First Lady joined a long line of past presidents in celebrating Hanukkah on Thursday. The two Hanukkah receptions included a candle lighting ceremony and a kosher meal.

You can check out more holiday happenings at the White House and find some holiday crafts here.

World AIDS Day: The White House hung a red ribbon from the North Portico on Monday to mark World AIDS Day. The President spoke in South Court auditorium