Tag Archives: United States

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Secretary Panetta lifts the “ground combat exclusion”


 

National Women's Law Center
 
 
     
  Join Us in Thanking Secretary of Defense Panetta  
     
   
     
  Send your message today.  
     
  Take Action  
     

They told us we couldn’t vote, because we didn’t understand politics.

They told us we couldn’t play sports, because we couldn’t compete.

They told us we couldn’t fight, because women aren’t fit for combat.

We proved them wrong. And now those days are over…

Last week we bore witness to a historic event: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s decision toopened wide the doors of opportunity to women in the Armed Services and eliminated the last vestige of government-sanctioned sex discrimination in the United States.

Please join us in thanking Secretary Panetta for lifting the ground combat exclusion and opening opportunities for women to serve the United States in all military occupations.

The wars of the 21st century have no clear-cut front lines: For years, women have been performing superbly in a broad range of vital military occupations, including unofficially in ground combat, risking injury and death to serve our country. Secretary Panetta’s historic announcement reflects this reality. It also confirms that to be successful, a modern military must have access to the best and brightest, men and women.

This decision was the result of long, hard work.

For the Center, this decision is the culmination of years of work. In the early 1990s, our analysis of gender-stereotyped limitations and our advocacy efforts helped secure congressional legislation and Defense Department policies that opened 260,000 military positions to women, including on combat ships and in combat aircraft.

Since then we’ve had to beat back efforts by some in Congress to restrict women’s military service, and we’ve worked hard to educate the public and policymakers about the important military roles women are performing and how well they are performing them, including in combat. We also worked with Defense Department advisory committees and met with Pentagon officials to advance recommendations and press for opening all military positions to women. In 2010, submarine service was opened to women, and in 2012 approximately 14,000 additional positions were opened, both precursors of last week’s momentous decision to lift all restrictions on women’s military service.

Now, if the best person for the job is a woman, she will no longer be barred from that job simply because of her gender. As President Obama said in his inaugural address, “our journey is not complete,” but we have just passed a significant milepost along the way.

Please join us in sending thanks to Secretary Panetta.
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Irreplacea​ble Pacific Northwest orcas: Alex Vanderweele


Below is an email from Alex Vanderweele from the organization EarthJustice, who created a petition on SignOn.org, the nonprofit site that allows anyone to start their own online petition. If you have concerns or feedback about this petition, click here.

 
Sign the petition

Dear Washington MoveOn member,

The critically endangered population of Pacific Northwest orcas has been reduced to only 84 whales. Now, they face a new threat from anti-environmental groups seeking to strip away their Endangered Species Act protections.

Tell the National Marine Fisheries Service that this unique population deserves full protection under the law.

These unique marine mammals have been decimated by the decline of salmon—their primary prey—and by toxic pollution and habitat degradation from shipping, sonar, and other human activities. They need more, not less, protection.

Please voice your support for continuing vital protections for the Pacific Northwest’s irreplaceable killer whales by signing the petition I created on SignOn.org to the Protected Resources Division of the National Marine Fisheries Service, which says:

I support continued protections for southern resident killer whales under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Removing ESA protections that the orcas vitally need not only threatens the survival of this fragile population, it would also needlessly disrupt and undermine recovery efforts that demand more—not less—attention.

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

Thanks!

–Alex Vanderweele

This petition was created on SignOn.org, the progressive, nonprofit petition site. SignOn.org is sponsored by MoveOn Civic Action, which is not responsible for the contents of this or other petitions posted on the site. EarthJustice didn’t pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

March 5-7: Join Us in D.C. for the 2013 Annual Conference


 

CARE Defending dignity. Fighting poverty.
 

Be a powerful advocate for women and girls: register for our 2013 conference!

You’ve been an amazing ally in CARE’s work advocating for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. That’s why I’m inviting you to gather with a group of passionate, like-minded CARE supporters and make a meaningful impact in the lives of poor girls and women, their families, and communities around the world.

We’ll train and educate you about critical issues, and help you deliver your poverty-fighting, women-empowering, compassion-promoting message on Capitol Hill.

March 5-7, 2013
Washington Hilton
Washington, D.C.

2013: Make YOUR Impact

  • March 5: We’ll kick off the conference with a celebration of International Women’s Day at an elegant diplomatic reception hosted at Maison Française, the cultural center of the Embassy of France.
  • March 6: On the first day of the conference, we’ll learn more about critical issues that poor people grapple with each day and how CARE’s making a difference.
  • March 7: Equipped with knowledge and stories from the field, spend the last day of the conference delivering our valuable message on Capitol Hill.

Respond to this email if you have any other questions, and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can. I hope you’ll be able to join us in March!

Sincerely,

Christine Santos
Christina Santos
Director, National Events
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

A new bra … by Allana Maiden Richmond, Virginia

9 Comments

Change.org
                          I’m asking Victoria’s Secret to make a “Survivor Bra” to help breast cancer survivors who had mastectomies feel beautiful too.                       
      Sign My Petition

I was six years old when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. But my mom is one of the lucky ones, and she survived after undergoing a mastectomy — a procedure that removes one or both breasts — when she was just 36 years old.

Even though she’s been cancer free for over 21 years, my mom still struggles to find bras for women missing a breast that are not only comfortable and attractive, but affordable. I’ve been a Victoria’s Secret customer for years, and I know they’re outspoken supporters of women with breast cancer.

Now I’m asking them to act on their word by making a “Survivor Bra” for women who have lost one or both of their breasts due to cancer. I started a petition on Change.org asking Victoria’s Secret to be a leader for survivors of breast cancer by making a bra that is comfortable for women who have had mastectomies. Click here to sign my petition.

My mom is amazing. Even when she was going through exhausting chemotherapy — all while raising me — she never complained. Now, after years of being cancer free, my mom still has to drive to an expensive specialty store just to find bras and swimsuits that fit.

Cancer survivors, especially women who have had a mastectomy, often struggle with their image and self-confidence. With thousands of stores located across the country and online, Victoria’s Secret could provide breast cancer survivors everywhere with access to better bras.

Victoria’s Secret’s parent company has publicly said that “breast cancer is an issue close to many of us.” I believe that with your signature, they will do the right thing and become a leader in helping women with breast cancer feel beautiful again after a mastectomy. They’ve responded to public pressure like this before, and now you can help get them to respond again.

Click here now to sign my petition asking Victoria’s Secret to make a “Survivor Bra” for survivors of breast cancer.

Thank you for your support!

Allana Maiden Richmond, Virginia