Petitions / Lobbying

Update on the story I had on Isaak Wolfe, a transgrendered student who tried running for prom king and was not allowed via Red Lion High School principal Mark Shue.

In a email I received from the ACLU this morning, I was notified that Red Lion HIgh School and principal Mark Shue will not be allowing Issak to be named prom king, nor will address him by his new name at graduation. The following is a press release from the ACLU:


 

RED LION, Pa. – The Red Lion Area School District (RLASD) has refused to change its policy around transgender candidates for prom court, nor will it agree to allow transgender students to use a name at graduation to match their gender identity, according to a letter from the school district’s solicitor. RLASD’s treatment of its transgender students became an issue last month after a male transgender student, Issak Wolfe, was denied the chance to run for prom king when his principal placed his female birth name in the column for “Prom Queen” despite repeated requests to be listed in accordance with his gender identity.

My name is Brian Terrell. I'm co-coordinator of a group called Voices for Creative Nonviolence. We support the petition to ban drones organized by RootsAction. http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=6180

On November 30th I report for six months in a federal prison in Yankton, S.D., as a result of protesting drones.

The appearance of war being made easy by drones is resulting in more war. In Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and in places we don't know about, in places where we are not at war, we're sending these unmanned pilotless airplanes into foreign air space to hunt down people who've been accused of crimes only in the private court of the administration. They're hunted down and killed along with anybody who might be in the immediate vicinity.

Drones are creating new wars rather than scaling down old ones. Drone pilots in Afghanistan have been targeted and killed. Drone pilots in the United States suffer PTSD at higher rates than real pilots.

Drone victims are 98% innocent civilians according to the recent Stanford/NYU study. The other 2% are targeted victims of murder without charge, trial, due process, or in many cases even knowing the target's name.

Drones buzzing over houses traumatize children before they kill them. That those children are (in most cases) not American hardly diminishes the immorality.

Drones are rapidly being developed and deployed by other nations. Would you support the equal right of other nations to kill with drones in this country? And if not, why not? And how can that thinking not apply to U.S. policy as well?

About 500 Ethiopian Americans came to Camp David (Thurmont, MD) to show their opposition to their country's dictator who was at the Summit to Shmooze money from Obama.  2 billion US Tax Dollars go to the Ethiopian dictator Meles Zenawi who uses the money to ethnically cleanse a part of Ethiopia that was formerly Somalia.

Mo'Fo' https://www.facebook.com/pages/I-CARE-Campaign/192514707452206

Welcome to CITIZEN DISPATCH.

News and Commentary from Citizen Journalist around the globe.
This Edition; Glenn Simpson Leeds, United Kingdom

Senator Ron Wyden’s support of a plan that is said to privatize Medicare drew a protest at his Portland office this week. 

program:  Evening News program date:  Mon, 12/19/2011 Short Description:  Debate over Congressional Measures to End Online Piracy Continues Oregon senator Ron Wyden is one of three lawmakers that introduced a bill today to protect the free and open internet while still enforcing copyright violations. The bill, known as the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade, or OPEN Act, provides an alternative to the controversial PROTECT Act currently under consideration in the Senate, and the SOPA, or Stop Online Piracy Act, in the house. Those two Acts have been criticized for their plan to completely change the architecture of the internet in addition to imposing a censorship regime on all internet content. KBOO’s Jenka Soderberg spoke with Parker Higgins of the Electronic Frontier Foundation about this new bill.   4:26 minutes (4.06 MB)

program:  Evening News program date:  Mon, 12/05/2011 Short Description:  Fifty four Oregonians are on their way to Washington, DC this week to "Take Back the Capitol" 2:42 minutes (3.7 MB)

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#OccupyVermont spirited interaction with Burlington Vermont Mayor Bob Kiss, and Riot Police part 1 All Power to the PEOPLE! occupyvermont.wordpress.com From: WHYNotNews Views: 1 1 ratings Time: 14:03 More in Nonprofits & Activism

It;s gets really ROWDY in Part 2

12,000 people surround the White House demanding a STOP to TransCanada?s destructive Keystone XL Pipeline mega project. The wide array of indigenous leaders, labor organizers, environmentalists, young people, religious community and activists listened to speakers such as Naomi Klein before linking arms around Obama's home in a symbolic gesture of resistance and unity. After there was a breakaway march through Occupy DC.

Joe Walsh tells story to Portland City Council 7.20.11
More information: www.individualsforjustice.com The Place: Portland City Hall The Date: Wednesday July 20 2011 The Main Character: Joe Walsh (aka The Lone Vet) The Cast: City Council The Title: Joe Walsh tells story to Portland City Council From: zebra334 Views: 56 1 ratings Time: 02:58 More in Nonprofits & Activism

Gulf Coast Restoration Task Force Concentrate - NOLA
On February 28th the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force held public meeting for about 12 hours. The initial hours were all about government presentations about various aspects of the ecosystem and constant reminders that this process was and will be a bottom up process with the people who are affected and the people who are doing the work steering the cart of recovery. Most of the people speaking here are representing one of the multitude of non profit organizations that are and have been working on gulf coast restoration for years. Her's a link to our government's website that is a blatant rah rah, everything's fine top DOWN kinda propaganda.. thing. www.restorethegulf.gov On their website, try to find public comment or any info regarding the UN safety of the Gulf or the Seafood. Try to find out anything regarding the known, independently proven health effects imposed on the Gulf Coast residents by BP et al. Try to find actual transcripts or videos of anything that goes on at these "meetings". Do Not Attempt this unless you have a lot of time to kill for nothing or unless you are currently working for the corporate government. From: FluxRostrum Views: 1119 9 ratings Time: 28:38 More in Education

Gulf Coast Ecosystem Task Farce Public Breakout Session
This public comment dialogue session went from 6-8pm on a day that started at 8am. Lisa Jackson and all but 1 of the the Task Force members decided not to attend, decided not to hear the input of the people after tell folks all day how this was going to be a ground up approach and the people knowledge and expertise was needed. This is from the 2nd meeting of the Presidential executive order created Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Held Feb 28th 2011. This will be distributed very raw CSpan style. After Mardi Gras I'll have time to put it in context with a short wrap up video. Feel free to remix this long form content, linked credit makes it nice, for profit organizations can pay me something, right? Much higher quality footage available upon request. From: FluxRostrum Views: 200 3 ratings Time: 01:31:56 More in News & Politics

Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Farce: Public Comment Session
Public Comment 1 minute each session. This is from the 2nd meeting of the Presidential executive order created Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force. This will be distributed very raw CSpan style. After Mardi Gras I'll have time to put it in context with a short wrap up video. Feel free to remix this long form content, linked credit makes it nice, for profit organizations can pay me something, right? Much higher quality footage available upon request. From: FluxRostrum Views: 242 7 ratings Time: 01:09:37 More in News & Politics