If you do not believe that free speech is a necessity of life: please leave this blog now officially and legally as of reading this, your obligation to this statement is formally required.
Freedom of speech is understood to be fundamental in a democracy. The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, as one of the ten amendments that comprise the Bill of Rights.
The author of the Constitutional Rights Blog does not affiliate with any other organization or people on the internet or the world for that matter. I have been saying this since I first logged on to the internet. Just because I like organizations like the ACLU; does not mean I believe in everything they believe in or stand for. Just like in our great country when we vote; we will never believe in everything the candidate we vote for; believes in or stands for. That does not mean we should not vote.
I make typos allot. I do not get paid to do this. I do not have a editor or anyone working for me at all. Sometimes it may take me more than one day to finish a article.
I posted this on my art blog on October 11, 2015 on my art blog. Since I have decided to post Normal petitions and articles here; I will post it here. I donate to Normal; once a year. Normal is American earned freedom and INDEPENDENCE; in action.
Although I have not used Marijuana since high school and shortly after high school. Since I have mentioned it here on my blog yesterday; I have decided to support the legalization of Marijuana online. I signed up with these folks : http://marijuanamajority.com/
Growing up as a police officer's son in the 1970's I had my life threatened many times just for being a police officer's son; hence I hate all crime and have avoided it all my life. I definitely do not support the breaking of any laws; so until it is legalized; I hate even the thought of having anything to do with Marijuana. In fact any mention of Marijuana to me or any of my loved ones repulses me beyond belief; to the point of which makes me physically ill. I will always feel this way until Marijuana is legalized. I advise you take up this frame of mind also to protect yourself and the ones you love; if Marijuana is illegal where you are.
Posted here on February 17 2021. It is unconstitutional to let police arrest people for marijuana; since it is legal in so many states in our country. I see it all the time in the news; presented as a celebration by the police; posing so proudly next to the marijuana. Mean while just a few miles away; marijuana can be purchased completely legally. It reminds me of the lynching's of the old south. When the slaves were freed; they thought all of their problems were over. What they did not anticipate was; white men lynching them with no legal or rationale reason at all. I am behind any federal legislation to make marijuana legal for all of America; to keep these heinous crimes of arresting people for marijuana, from being committed in the name of the law. Release them all in the USA; arrested for marijuana and expunge their records.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 31 2023
Live updates, radar: Ice storm warning issued for western North Texas
Icy conditions worsened overnight into Tuesday causing closures and impacting travel.
5:35 AM on Jan 31, 2023 — Updated 54 minutes ago
The cold weather and icy conditions coating North Texas are likely to continue through Thursday morning leading the National Weather Service to extend its winter weather storm warning.
The warning, originally set to last through Wednesday, is now set to expire at 6 a.m. Thursday.
The storm — which brought freezing rain, sleet, and iced-over roadways, to the region Monday — caused schools and businesses to close, canceled flights out of DFW International and Love Field airports, and sent cars sliding on the highways.
Read more here.: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/weather/2023/01/31/live-updates-radar-winter-weather-storm-warning-extended-to-thursday-morning/
One thing that hurts me the most about Tyre Nichols is he was a skateboarder. I love all the women activists of Care2; they always have the best petitions.:
They beat him for three minutes, blocks from his mom's house.
Tyre Nichols Should Be Alive. Demand Justice!
Tyre Nichols was a 29-year-old Black man. He was a beloved father, son, and friend. On January 7, 2023, a gang of 5 policemen beat him so badly, he died of the injuries just days later.
The footage of the officers beating, macing, tasing, and kicking Tyre is horrendous. In it, as Tyre is violently assaulted, he yells out for his mom. She lives mere blocks from where he was beaten for 3 minutes.
This instance of police brutality is so heinous, even the sheriff's department isn't trying to cover it up or excuse it, the way departments usually do.
Instead, it has actually already fired the officers and charged them with kidnapping and second degree murder.
This department had already gone through 'reforms', they had body cam footage, they had racial sensitivity training, etc. But the fact of the matter is that reform is not enough. We need actual community building, not increased policing. That money should provide job training, mental health resources, community spaces, and more.
Enough is enough. Please sign the petition if you're finally ready to defund the police and fund communities across the United States.: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/133/479/871/
I totally trust the NAACP. I wholeheartedly support the NAACP to be in charge of any and all protests for black people in our country. They are non violent patriotic Americans who know how to work the system to make real long lasting change against prejudice in our country.
Email I got from the NAACP today.:
Last week, the world watched with horror as the city of Memphis released the footage of the heinous police brutality that killed Tyre Nichols.
The police officers involved have been charged, but that is far from enough. We have run out of thoughts and prayers. Thoughts and prayers do not change the lack of regard for Black Lives.
Ending the inhumane and unjustified trauma of police violence against Black Americans is going to take MORE than what we’ve seen from people in power.
Today, there is not a SINGLE federal law on the books addressing police violence.
We’re making sure Congress knows that failing to act now means writing another obituary.
Below is a outstanding article from Daily Kos. I live in one of the most republican county's in Texas. I love to talk to people of color about civil rights; to encourage them to be active against prejudice. Most of the people seem like strict republicans; to me, around here, even the people of color. They are also good Americans around here and respect different political views. I do not know why things have not changed here. There is always hope. I remember this really old black dude that worked the night shift at a store I used to go to at night. He inspired me to research and post many articles on this blog. See the October 25 2019 post. This guy actually had memories of actual lynchings. He told me about this one story that he witnessed about a sheriff that was backed up to this guy's cell from the street; who the mob wanted to lynch. He also told me about this guy that hid in a barrel or something because a mob wanted to lynch him. I only speak to a limited amount of people so I can not make a proper consciences about the locals. They are good honest, hard working people is something I remember feeling and posting about the local people. I think we have a ACLU office here and the NAACP has allot of clout here too. Also the poorer side of town has been known for its stand against prejudice. They are a big part of our city here and it's heritage. I have also posted that I am down with them all here for life, recently online. They all won my heart many years ago. Also I have been republican before and would go back if I deemed it necessary. I am just liking the democrats more these days. They have all these insults and false accusations railed at them and seem to ignore it all. You have to admire that.
There is something profoundly disturbing when five black cops fatally beat an unarmed black man for no justifiable reason. If these cops were white, then we could easily conclude that this was another example of the systemic racism in law enforcement. This of course would not be a new accusation because there is a long history of the police mistreating black people.
Because Nichols murderous cops were all black, one could easily conclude that there was no racism in this case. That conclusion though could be wrong and due to a lack of understanding the nature and scope of racism. His death has everything to do with racism, which is associated with the psychological power or influence that it has over all people to behave in unexpected ways. This assertion implies that black people who are the target of racism can use racism against their own people to gain whatever advantage they seek. In the old days black people who did this were called Uncle Toms.
Tyre Nichols cop killers are members of a culture where systemic racism prevails. Like Uncle Toms, they allow the psychological influence of racism to behave in ways that institutional racism sanctions. They have subverted themselves to this morally corrupt system and so they cannot make decisions about what is right or wrong. They simply do what they believe they have the authority to do. Read full article here.: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/1/31/2150261/-Tyre-Nichols-Horrific-Police-Brutality-Death-and-Nothing-Changes
I must play the the Schindler's List card again. It reminds me of the Jewish people who joined the Nazis to kill their own people.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 02 2023
Before you send the kids or grandkids off this Valentine’s Day with a box of those iconic pastel candy hearts – ‘Be Mine,’ ‘Cutie Pie,’ ‘I’m Yours’ – know this: these Sweethearts candies contain Red Dye No. 3, a known carcinogen.
Consumer Reports has asked the biggest manufacturer of these candies to commit to removing Red Dye 3 from their products, since the dye has been banned in cosmetics by the FDA for more than 30 years because of the cancer risk. But the candy company has refused to even return our calls.
Let’s give the maker of Sweethearts candy some love of our own! Join us in sending a special Valentine directly to the Spangler Candy Company to remove this cancer-causing additive now!: https://act.consumerreports.org/wh1heco
Sign and send the petition: JUST SAY NO to a national sales tax
Republicans don't want low taxes—except for the rich. The rest of us can take a hike.
And now, the new GOP House majority has proposed a radical plan to remake the tax code, which guarantees that all but the wealthiest Americans will pay much more in taxes.
This plan would replace the I.R.S. with a national 30 percent sales tax on almost everything we buy, from groceries to cars, homes, and healthcare. It would shift the tax burden from wealthy incomes to the middle, working and lower classes by raising prices on the goods we purchase.
Of course, the smart Republicans know this spells political disaster. After Mitt Romney's disastrous 47% comment in 2012, followed by Senator Rick Scott's 2022 proposal to make everyone pay income tax, they know these ideas are wildly unpopular. That's why they still haven't brought the national sales tax to the House floor.
But Kevin McCarthy cut a deal with the most extreme elements of the Republican Party to get elected Speaker. And now, they are demanding payback—which includes a 30% national sales tax. Despite their denials, House Republicans will fight hard to make this a reality.
That's why we must let all our members of Congress know it is unacceptable. If your member is a Democrat, tell them to keep fighting and this idea is unconscionable. If your member is a Republican, remind them that you are a voting constituent—and you strongly disagree with it.
Sign and send the petition to your members of Congress: NO to a national sales tax.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/letters/sign-and-send-the-petition-just-say-no-to-a-national-sales-tax
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 03 2023
My Story Updated February 03 2023
My alma mater. I have to stick up for my old school. Be true to your school. As a student I still recommend this school all the way. Although Collin County has changed in many ways over the 30 years I have lived here; there is still change that needs to take place. The article below shows how so much basic change must still take place.
10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech: 2023
by FIRE February 2, 2023
#3 Collin College (McKinney, Texas)
Given that Collin College has earned a reputation as the “epicenter of censorship in Texas,” it is no surprise that the college makes its third straight appearance on our infamous list.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 04 2023
Right now, Republicans are excited that a case in front of the Supreme Court called Glacier Northwest v. Teamsters could result in a major blow to workers. In short, SCOTUS will likely use the case to make it far more difficult for unions to go on strike. That means unions would have much less power at the bargaining table, and big corporations would have even more license to exploit workers.
In the Glacier Northwest case, the company is alleging that striking workers should be responsible for money the company loses during a strike. The entire point of a strike is to create economic pressure, so if SCOTUS finds with the company, it could fundamentally undermine workers’ ability to strike.3
We can’t let the right wing Supreme Court get away with this attack on unions. We must protect labor laws and the right to organize.
Add you name: Defend labor law against Republicans' attacks.: https://act.demandprogress.org/sign/scotus-workers-rights/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 05 2023
When Domestic Abuse Victims Get Protection, Their Pets Can Still Be Vulnerable
In the state of Utah, as in much of the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, domestic violence rates are up. One non profit cited an increase of between 25-50% in domestic violence cases in the state during the pandemic. But right now, when a victim seeks a legal order of protection against an abuser, they could be putting their pets' lives at risk. That's why a new bill, HB 175, has been put forward that would allow those legal protections to extend to pets, the same way they extend to children.
Sign now if you want to keep at-risk pets safe from domestic abusers in Utah!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/107/388/331/orders-of-protection-against-domestic-abusers-must-protect-pets-too/
I added this to my signature.: If a domestic abuse victim is housed for safety they should be aloud to have their pets with them; by law, too.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 06 2023
PUBLISHED APR 3, 2019 11:00 AM
A Russian surveillance jet based out of Travis Air Force Base in northern California has been enjoying access to restricted air space that are off limits to U.S. passenger planes since last week.
In turn, Russia has allowed U.S. spy planes to fly over its nation's most sensitive military bases.
The arrangement is in accordance with the Treaty on Open Skies, according to CBS Sacramento, which has spotted the Russian jets doing their part. The 27-year-old peacekeeping effort allows both countries to monitor one-another's military assets. The transparency agreement extends to 32 other nations.
What do I know part 1. This treaty went for many years. Pretty cool.
The treaty was eventually signed as an initiative of U.S. president (and former Central Intelligence Agency Director) George H. W. Bush in 1989. On 22 November 2020, the United States withdrew from the treaty
Learn about The Treaty on Open skies.:
Maybe we could have a spy all you want treaty. Send your spy balloons; as long as we can spy on all your land as well.
Please do a search in Google News for police shootings. It seems to me that police shootings are taking place at a very accelerated rate. What do I know part 2. See here.:
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 07 2023
The Independent California police release video in attempt to justify fatal shooting of double amputee Mr Lowe had just lost his legs five months before his fatal encounter with police. .3 hours ago KRQE: I did not see this video, I do not watch stuff like that. You can look up this video somewhere and watch it if you want.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 10 2023
Consumer Reports’ testing of canned tuna released today found worrisome levels of the toxin mercury in some cans, prompting our safety experts to recommend that pregnant people avoid canned tuna altogether because of the health risks to developing babies in the womb.
Yet the Food and Drug Administration, which sets consumption guidelines for the fish, continues to give the green light for those who are pregnant to eat up to three servings of canned light tuna, or one serving of canned albacore tuna, weekly.
Since babies exposed to mercury in the womb can have neurological and developmental damage, it’s time the FDA gets serious about this toxin!
Mercury is a known neurotoxin, and is found throughout our oceans due in part to man-made pollution. Large fish like tuna tend to have higher levels from eating smaller fish. And our tests of five popular brands – Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, StarKist, SafeCatch and Wild Planet – found that larger ‘albacore’ tuna varieties had higher levels of mercury than smaller types of tuna, branded as ‘light’ and ‘skipjack.’ In fact, the albacore products we tested had three times more mercury, on average, than the others.
Compounding this concern, individual cans can sometimes have much higher levels than those allowed under current FDA guidelines. “From can to can, mercury levels can spike in unpredictable ways,” says Consumer Reports’ Senior Scientist Michael Hansen, who recommends those who are pregnant avoid all canned tuna.: https://action.consumerreports.org/20230209-mercurytuna
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 12 2023
8 hours ago - Politics & Policy
Police violence persists even after 3 decades of video
A bystander used a handheld camera to capture white Los Angeles police officers beating Rodney King nearly 32 years ago. Other videos of police violence have since emerged constantly.
The big picture: Body cameras, dash cams, surveillance videos and cell phone footage in recent years mirror a reality we can't seem to change.
State of play: The 2014 shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, added pressure for more departments to use body cams.
Earlier this month, the nation was shocked by police body camera and neighborhood security camera footage from the beating of Tyre Nichols.
He was a 29-year-old Black man kicked, punched, and struck with a baton by multiple Memphis Police Department officers as he screamed for help. He died days later.
By the numbers: The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics found that around 80% of large police departments had acquired body-worn cameras by 2016.
And video footage — whether captured by a body cam, a bystander or a surveillance camera — has been instrumental in pressuring police departments to discipline, fire and in some cases arrest officers.
Yes, but: The drumbeat of footage showing violence against citizens can create a new kind of negative impact, causing fear and trauma in communities of color, Snowden Becker, an audiovisual archivist, tells Axios.
What they're saying: "Thirty years ago, we were horrified by the footage of police beating Rodney King. And yet, despite our decades of protest, we're still fighting the same battle," The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law said in a statement.
"The only difference now is more of the horrific incidents are being captured on video, whether it be body cams or bystanders. Tinkering at the margins of a violent police state is not enough."
Details: Images caught from a variety of different sources show police shooting or choking Latinos, Native Americans and white residents suffering from mental illness.
A 2014 police shooting in Albuquerque, for example, involved James Boyd, a white homeless man suffering from schizophrenia. The shooting generated riots and led to a Justice Department probe of Albuquerque police.
A July 2015 police shooting in Denver, including Paul Castaway, a Native American, moved his family to bring focus to police violence against other Native Americans.
Yes, but: Video doesn't automatically lead to accountability.
The death of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old Black boy, was captured on surveillance video, which federal prosecutors deemed to be poor quality and no charges were filed against the officers involved.
The bottom line: "We are seeing an increased sense that encounters with law enforcement are likely to turn minor offenses into death penalty offenses, where the police officer is acting as judge, jury and executioner," Becker said.: https://www.axios.com/2023/02/12/police-violence-persists-even-after-3-decades-of-video
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 16 2023
Homophobia is going to cost lives. The Federal Government Gives States Money for HIV Treatment. Tennessee Rejected It. This program offers free medication, mental healthcare, and access to primary care for millions of Americans living with HIV. But in one of the state's more overt displays of homophobia in recent years, conservative politicians in Tennessee have decided to stop accepting federal funds this May. Clearly, Tennessee legislators do not think that vulnerable Americans -- like queer folks and patients of color -- deserve healthcare, and we cannot let this stand. Sign now to demand Tennessee accept federal HIV treatment funds to save lives!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/247/290/161/
A deadly toxic spill could pollute the water supply of millions.
Last week a toxin-filled freight train slid off the rails spilling poisonous chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio. But the rail operator responsible, Norfolk Southern, is already trying to dodge responsibility for cleaning up this toxic mess.
In 2012 a train crashed in Paulsboro, New Jersey spilling tens of thousands of gallons of vinyl chloride - two years later over half the residents reported health problems. Five times that amount of vinyl chloride was spilled in East Palestine.
We won’t know the true impact of this catastrophe for some time but we do know that Norfolk Southern must publicly commit to covering the full cost.
Tell Norfolk Southern to foot the bill for this toxic spill.: https://actions.eko.org/a/tell-norfolk-southern-to-foot-the-bill-for-this-toxic-spill
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 18 2023
President Biden plans to crack down on junk fees, hidden charges, costs, and add-ons for goods and services. The Administration is specifically targeting four types of fees, including exploitative or predatory fees that target consumers who are locked into a product or service, or are otherwise economically vulnerable, imposing a financial burden.
Incarcerated people and their families are subject to some of the most exploitative and predatory fees, and they have no recourse. They can't comparison shop, or switch to other companies, and these fees serve as punishment on top of being locked up.
We cannot have a serious conversation about junk fees and how they place undue burden on American families without looking at our predatory criminal justice system.
Incarcerated people often have to pay for essential items like food, hygiene products, and paper from the commissary. Their families often have to send money to help with essential purchases. The companies that facilitate money transfers from the outside charge up to 37% in complex, difficult to understand fees.
For incarcerated people, phone calls to their loved ones outside are prohibitively expensive, particularly for people in county and local jails–including the majority in pretrial detention who are legally deemed innocent. These fees vary widely by facility, due to service providers taking advantage of structural issues that make local jails less likely to be able to negotiate contracts as well as state prisons.
These fees exacerbate a cycle of inescapable poverty for people who have ever been incarcerated.
When people are released, they are preyed on by a number of junk fees. Released people get "release cards" with the balance of wages earned, commissary, and/or money people were holding when they were arrested loaded onto a prepaid debit card. These cards are required and also charge exorbitant fees that eat away at those balances, making it even more difficult for people to re-enter their communities.
People on supervised release–parole or probation–have it worse. They can be required to pay hundreds and thousands of dollars in supervision fees, including electronic monitoring, mandatory counseling, and drug testing. Failure to pay these fees could land them back behind bars, though debtors' prison is supposed to be a shameful relic of the past.
Congress, along with state legislatures, must investigate ways to regulate the junk fees that further punish incarcerated people and their loved ones.
Sign the petition: Incarcerated people MUST be included in junk fees relief.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/forms/sign-the-petition-incarcerated-people-must-be-includd-in-junk-fees-relief
Normally I do not post stuff like this. I keep a text file and then delete it after a while. I put like 3 or 4 articles like pasted below, then I delete it; even though it is pertinent info about the threat of nuclear war against our country. I studied the threat of nuclear war on my war blog for about 3 years; then I unpublished it. I will post my latest articles this one time before I delete it, this one time. :
Now this is nuke news. I do not know about you but when my ship has to have nukes; that would concern me for good reason.
The Independent
Russia deploys ships armed with tactical nuclear weapons for first time in 30 years, says Norway
Norwegian report comes days ahead of Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine touching one-year mark.: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-norway-tactical-nuclear-weapons-b2282558.html
This shows just how paranoid the leader of Russia is. What does that say about us and the threat of Russia? This combined with the UFO pro nuke vision he had is not good for us.
The Independent
Ukraine-Russia news – live: Putin travelling in armoured train over ‘fear of flying’
Russian president is reportedly afraid of being 'shot down': https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-ukraine-war-putin-nuclear-latest-b2284354.html
When there is a real threat they turn to Africa for war superiority. Control the African coast and you will control any world war.
South Africa and Russia Are Old Friends. A War Isn’t Going to Change That.
South Africa is set to start joint naval drills with Russia and China, despite criticism from American, European and even some South African officials that...: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/17/world/africa/south-africa-russia-china.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 20 2023
There's a Russian Spy Ship Lurking Off the Coast of Hawaii
The Kareliya, a Russian intelligence collection vessel, may be hoping to collect intel on the U.S. military's ballistic missile defense system.
.4 weeks ago: https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a42638990/russian-spy-ship-off-coast-of-hawaii/
Rattled by China, U.S. and allies are beefing up defenses in the Pacific
But ‘everything needs to go faster,’ says Indo-Pacific command’s top admiral
Updated February 20, 2023 at 9:48 a.m. EST|Published February 20, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. EST
CAMP SMITH, Hawaii — The Chinese spy balloon spotted over sensitive nuclear sites in Montana and shot down by a U.S. fighter jet earlier this month jolted the nation.
But for Adm. John Aquilino, commander of all U.S. military forces in the Indo-Pacific, it was only the latest in a string of provocations that includes missiles fired over Taiwan following a visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in August, China’s rapidly growing nuclear arsenal and a pair of Chinese surveillance balloon sightings in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands last year.
Last summer, Aquilino’s command completed the largest-ever maritime exercise off the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California with 26 nations, several dozen ships, three submarines, 170 aircraft and more than 25,000 personnel. Participants included Chile, Indonesia, Tonga, France, Germany, India and Japan.: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/20/china-taiwan-invasion-deterrence/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 21 2023
Just when you thought the criminal justice system in the United States couldn't get any more inhumane, a proposed piece of legislation could make it worse.
A terrifying new bill in Massachusetts would give prisoners shorter sentences - in exchange for organ or bone marrow donations.
People who are incarcerated should not be forced to literally sell their body parts for freedom.
The high number of people waiting for a medical organ transplant is not the fault of people behind bars, nor should we harvest their bodies as a solution.
There are other ways to incentivize organ and blood marrow donations from civilians that do not involve coercing some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
Sign the petition to demand the Massachusetts state legislature vote no on this dystopian bill! Lawmakers must find other ways to reduce prison sentences and incentivize organ donations.: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/783/305/478/
There’s a disaster unfolding right now in and around East Palestine, Ohio.
On February 3, 38 cars of a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed and burst into flames. Due to the possibility of an explosion, authorities forced residents nearby to evacuate as they breached the tankers, sending a cloud of toxic gas into the air.
The State of Ohio is currently setting up a medical clinic to support local residents who have been exposed to harmful chemicals in the aftermath of the crash.
According to some lawmakers and experts, this disaster could have been prevented with stronger rail safety regulations.
Tell the Department of transportation: Enact stronger rail safety regulations and hold Norfolk Southern accountable.: https://civicshout.com/p/strengthen-rail-safety-regulations-now
Would Wall Street Kill Your Granny for A Little More Profit?
There are industries that occasionally do something rotten. And there are industries like Big Oil, Big Pharma, and Big Tobacco – that persistently do rotten things.
Then there is the nursing home industry – where rottenness has become a core business principle. Listen here: https://hightowerlowdown.org/podcast/would-wall-street-kill-your-granny-for-a-little-more-profit/
Reuters 4 minute read February 21, 2023 11:34 AM CST Last Updated 4 hours ago
Russia's Putin issues new nuclear warnings to West over Ukraine
President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday delivered a warning to the West over Ukraine by suspending a landmark nuclear arms control treaty, announcing that new...
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 22 2023
China's ICBMs: The Nuclear Threat Joe Biden Needs to Worry About
China's nuclear-armed ICBMs have become more and more advanced over the years and can surely strike the U.S. homeland with ease.: https://www.19fortyfive.com/2023/02/chinas-icbms-the-nuclear-threat-joe-biden-needs-to-worry-about/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 23 2023
While in office, Republicans approved hundreds of judges under former president Donald Trump, remaking our courts to fit their right-wing extremist agenda. If we want to take our courts back, our senators must confirm Biden’s nominees and prioritize filling every vacancy on the federal bench.
Biden's nominees will bring more representation to the court. Many are workers' rights lawyers and voting rights lawyers. And a majority are women and people of color who will bring crucial representation to historically white, corporate courts. We need their experience on the bench to return legitimacy to our judiciary. The Senate must confirm Biden's nominees expeditiously for a better, fairer judiciary.: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/sign-the-petition-senate-bidens-judicial-nominees-3
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 24 2023
Let's look at this from another point of view. I see it as, social media and all them that support it; are responsible for countless deaths and sexual molestation of children. OK maybe it is not so cut and dry as that. It can not be denied that if you support social media, you have to claim at least a small amount of blame for the crimes that take place because of social media existing. It is no secret that I believe and have always believed that social media should not exist and should be abolished by the government. Unless everything you publish, can be seen by the whole internet; it should not be published, especially by the mobs of social media.
When the mob of social media says someone deserves more prison time; what does that mean? I call it the pot calling the kettle black.
R Kelly sentenced to 20 years in child porn case, social media says ‘not enough’
Disgraced R&B star-turned-convicted sex offender R. Kelly was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Thursday on another set of sex crimes, including a number...: https://opoyi.com/usa/r-kelly-sentenced-to-20-years-in-child-porn-case-social-media-says-not-enough/
China's support for Russia taints Ukraine 'peace' plan, western officials say
China will always side with Russia as any good learned person would admit.
The “Day of Hate” is being promoted by noted hate groups, The National Socialist Movement, and The Goyim Defense League. The original call was put out by a neo-Nazi group in Iowa. The plan is to, "Shock the masses with banner drops, stickers, fliers, and graffiti,". Flyers were distributed by groups in advance. As of now, there are no threats on specific targets, and no calls for physical violence. I found warnings directed specifically to the New Jersey, New York, Illinois, and South Florida communities. I’m hoping this thing is a bust, but even if it is, it’s serving its intended goal of terrorizing Jewish people.: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/2/24/2154783/-Antisemitic-Day-of-Hate-planned-for-tomorrow
In my opinion, the only things that keeps us hanging by a tread; is our support of the Jewish people.
One more thing I have learned. When you see earthquakes in diverse places; it is a sign that this earth was not meant to last.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 25 2023
H&R Block never gave us a military discount even though they processed my wife's Army college funds for years. Try finding a place to complain to them; it does not exist. They have no email. I guess I may try https://www.bbb.org
It's once again tax filing season, the time of year where hardworking Americans like you and me buckle down to make sure we're paying what we owe.
However, while we understand the importance of pitching in our fair share to fund schools, hospitals, roads, and other critical services, it's outrageous that we're often paying hundreds of dollars for tax preparation services we don't really need.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/forms/sign-if-you-agree-tax-prep-should-be-easy-and-free-3
Some of the families most burdened by junk fees, yet overlooked in the conversation, are those of incarcerated people. Incarcerated people are forced to pay for most of their essential items including soap, shampoo, menstrual products, laundry, and food despite making an average of $0.52 per hour. In seven states, they make nothing.
Court fees and restitution are also paid out of incarcerated workers' meager earnings, and payments often continue after release. Upon release, "release cards" with a series of service fees quickly eat up account balances for formerly incarcerated people.
Add these fees to the discrimination against convicted folks in housing, employment, and education, and this creates an extremely stressful situation that compounds and increases recidivism. This financial scam coupled with over-policing, over-prosecuting, and over-representation of Black people in the criminal justice system point to an intentional design to oppress a community.
Sign the petition: Junk fee relief MUST include incarcerated people.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/forms/sign-the-petition-incarcerated-people-must-be-included-in-junk-fees-relief
Bush marks two decades of PEPFAR, the global HIV/AIDS effort that’s saved 25M lives
HIV was a death sentence when the 43rd president launched the staggeringly successful global health program.
BY TODD J. GILLMAN
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 26 2023
I remember when this first started in South America. They thought lesbians should be raped to convert them. This may be a extreme example but isn't that what this is in away. It is like a assault on someone's sex: in that much, it is like rape. I think we in the free world are above condoning raping lesbiens in every way possable, though.Why do people encroach on other people like that; or want to? That automatically makes them the bad guy. I would never want to be the bad guy. Even the Bible says; never to push it on others, because it could make them hate God. It might seem that way to a intrenched LGBT person. We all have free will for a reason. You can not force people to be what you want; it will always make things worse. Conversion therapy could be considered to be like Nazism to LGBT folk; in the most extreme case, but nevertheless, could happen.
The purpose of conversion therapy is to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of individuals. The therapy has been debunked and deemed ineffective and cruel, often leading to anxiety, depression, and even suicide.
The American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Counseling Association have denounced conversion therapy for the past 20 years and determined it to be deliberately harmful and dangerous.
The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act would protect LGBTQ+ Americans from the harmful fraud that is conversion therapy. And at Cedar Key Progress, we elect Democrats in swing districts in the South who will fight back against quakery.
Stand up for the LGBTQ+ community and support the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act that would effectively stop conversion therapy!
While some states have conversion therapy bans, states including Texas, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina do NOT have laws to prevent conversion therapy. In fact, many of those states also ban or are actively trying to ban gender affirming care!
Conversion therapy is strongly associated with negative mental health outcomes and greater rates of attempting suicide.
The Trevor Project published a study in the American Journal of Public Health that found that LGBTQ+ youth that participated in conversion therapy were twice as likely to attempt suicide and more than 2.5 times as likely to report multiple suicide attempts.
The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act clarifies that conversion therapy practiced in exchange for monetary compensation or advertising those services is an unfair or deceptive practice, a fraud.
Join us and sign the petition to stop conversion therapy. Support the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act!: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/sign-the-petition-to-end-conversion-therapy
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 27 2023
I signed a petition sent to me in the mail this morning for basic human rights for LGBTQ folks from: thetaskforce.org. I drew a picture on the back of the petition. I only post my art once a year but this one time I will make a exception. Click here for photo of it. Enjoy.
It is hard to believe what I am reading. It is like Indiana Jones Temple of Doom. Isn't this child abuse? Maybe the charge of child abuse could be brought against the creators of this law.:
Iowa Republicans Want Children to Work in Mines and Hazardous Meatpacking Plants
Republican state lawmakers in Iowa have introduced some of the most regressive labor laws in a century. A new bill, backed by powerful businesses across the state, would weaken existing child labor laws in order to allow corporations to employ 14-17 year olds in extremely dangerous conditions.
Think that sounds bad? It gets worse: the bill, Senate File 167, would also ensure that employers could not be held civilly liable if kids are injured, sickened, or killed on the job - even if it's a result of corporate negligence!
The bill would specifically create exemptions for children to work in mining, meatpacking, demolition, and other extremely dangerous industries. These are some of the most hazardous types of work in the country.
Workers in the labor movement fought and died to protect children from the tragic conditions of these industries. We cannot roll back 100 years of labor rights for the benefit of a few greedy companies that want to hire more cheap workers and don't care about workers' rights.
Sign the petition to demand that Iowa state lawmakers show they care about children by actually protecting kids! Demand that Republicans vote "no" on Iowa Senate File 167!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/670/884/492/
Daily Express
China could 'take out the entire US' with huge coordinated spy balloon attack
China has been at odds with the United States for weeks after Joe Biden authorised the Army to shoot down a suspected spy balloon off the coast of South...
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 01 2023
Euromaidan Press
Russia sends China 6.5 tons of uranium, sparks nuclear arms race concerns – Bloomberg
Latest news from Ukraine today. Russia sends China 6.5 tons of uranium, sparks nuclear arms race concerns - Bloomberg. Follow updates on Euromaidan Press.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 02 2023
As I have said hundreds of times in my blogs my father was a police officer and I loved my dad especially from the age 19 through 24 (after accepting the responsibility of honoring my parents) before going off to get married to my wife. Once you get married things change. My father's police friends were my friend too, we had real comradery; like family. Going to the police station was a happy time because my dad worked there and I knew he was always there during the work week. Like I said on this blog before; lookup "police shooting" on Google News, then arrange it by date. There is a real epidemic and what upsets me is people don't seem affected by it. We should never assume all is well with whatever police do; they are human beings and sometimes they do bad things. We never blink twice to sentence a pretty young female college professor to prison for having sex with a 18 year old young man (story I will never forget from around here); but we never consider that police need to be reprimanded sometimes. I enjoyed reading this great email so I am posting it below.
In the time it takes you to read this sentence, another person in the United States will be arrested.
The rate at which people in this country are routinely arrested is devastating enough on its own, but what many do not know is:
Coming into contact with police can have far reaching collateral consequences.
Those consequences harm the health, educational development, and economic security of individuals and communities.
That doesn't just include people who have experienced police brutality. Routine law enforcement actions such as street stops and arrests can cause significant harm to and destabilize communities.
Every day that policing is relied upon as a primary approach to safety, we risk the health, dignity, and well-being of millions of people. From email, from.: https://www.vera.org
Over half of older adults in the U.S. do not have dental insurance, and the majority of those without insurance have received no dental care in the past year. These numbers are shocking -- but predictable -- because dental health is not included under Medicare. Why is the richest country in the world unable to include vital dental health care coverage under national medicare programs?
Poor dental health has been linked to a slew of other bad health outcomes, and can lead to a number of painful and expensive health conditions, some of which may even become disabling. There is no reason that dental care is not included as an essential form of healthcare under the existing Medicare program. We must tell Congress: the time is now for dental coverage to finally be included in medicare! Sign the petition now if you agree!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/222/043/947/
Kherson torture chambers were planned and financed by Russia, war crimes investigators allege
10:14 , Andy Gregory
A network of at least 20 torture chambers uncovered in recently liberated Kherson was “planned and directly financed by the Russian State,” war crimes investigators have alleged.
The Mobile Justice Team, funded by Britain, the EU and the US, has been working with Ukrainian war crimes prosecutors across Ukraine and in Kherson since the city was reclaimed from Russian forces in November after more than eight months of occupation.
“New evidence collected from recently liberated Kherson reveals torture chambers were planned and directly financed by the Russian State,” the team established by British lawyer Wayne Jordash said in a statement.
Witnesses described the use of electric shock torture and waterboarding by Russian forces. At least 1,000 torture chamber survivors have submitted evidence to investigators and more than 400 people had been reported as missing from Kherson, it said.
Funding a network of torture facilities was part of a Russian state plan to “subjugate, re-educate or kill Ukrainian civic leaders and ordinary dissenters,” the team said.
Torture centres were operated by different Russian security agencies, including the Russian Federal Security Services (FSB), local Kherson FSB and the Russian Prison Service, it said. You must click on continue story for it to reveal this story.: https://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-russia-war-news-latest-103102351.html
I am investigating why HR Block has not ever given us a military discount after using them for 30 years; when they processed all our military info for many years. I had to call the office we visit since they have no email listed on the internet for complaints.
When Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act last year, it allocated $15 million to the Treasury Department for the IRS to explore the possibility of creating a free federal tax filing service.
But now, according to a new analysis by Open Secrets, Intuit – the parent company of TurboTax – is spending millions of dollars on lobbying to stop a free and easy tax filing system from being created.
According to the Open Secrets analysis, Intuit spent $3.5 million on lobbying in 2022, which is more than it has spent in any previous year. In total, since 1998, the company has spent more than $40 million on lobbying.
Last summer, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Katie Porter and Rep. Brad Sherman wrote a letter calling for an investigation into Intuit’s “use of the revolving door to influence policy decisions” by hiring former federal employees as lobbyists.
The fact is, Intuit fights to stop the creation of a free and easy tax filing system because it profits enormously by charging fees to Americans who are simply trying to file their taxes. We can’t allow the company to win that policy fight any longer.: https://civicshout.com/p/filing-taxes-should-be-free-and-easy
Republicans have reintroduced one of their long held unhinged ideas to eliminate the IRS and all federal taxes and replace them with a nationwide 30 percent flat sales tax. They unironically call it the “Fair Tax Act”.1
This proposal, championed by Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ron DeSantis, and Ted Cruz, would shift the burden of taxation away from the wealthy and onto the poor and middle class.2,3
They want to eliminate the current income tax system, including all deductions and exemptions, thereby severely damaging charitable organizations that rely on tax incentives to encourage donations from individuals and corporations.1 The proposed legislation would result in a crippling blow to the poorest members of our society as well as the critical services provided by charitable organizations.
Sign the petition: Tell Congress to reject that devastatingly unfair “Fair Tax Act” and instead focus on tax policies that actually help working Americans, not just the ultra-wealthy.: https://act.demandprogress.org/sign/republicans-crazy-tax-plan/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 03 2023
A desperately needed overhaul of Japan's sexual offense laws has been proposed, and we must do everything we can to ensure it becomes enacted. Under the current law, Japan's national age of consent is just 13 years old. On top of that, the country's rape laws make it incredibly difficult for survivors to prove sexual assault has occurred to courts, meaning perpetrators are unlikely to ever face any punishment. But this new proposal could change all of that.: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/194/760/563/
A bombshell court filing has just pulled the curtain back on Fox "News," showing in private text messages what we've known for decades: that Fox peddles hate and fear, not news.1
Hundreds of pages of internal text messages between top Fox propagandists have been made public as part of a lawsuit alleging that they knowingly aired lies about the 2020 election. The evidence shows that Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, and other right-wing anchors, all the way up to Fox News's CEO, knew they were lying to their viewers and the public by repeating Trump's false claims to undermine the election.
What’s worse, as a consumer, you may help pay for Fox News to knowingly compromise our election and air lies.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/forms/sign-now-confront-fox-newss-rampant-partisan-lies-and-disinformation
H&R Block sent this email concerning my wife's service to our country.:
Thank you for email regarding the military discount. Military discount is available to active military personal. However, since your wife was honorably discharged in 2001, we will offer a free return for the tax season 2023. Please present this email when you have your 2023 tax return prepared.
CBS News
First Alert Weather: Storm damage reported across North Texas
Much of North Texas is dealing with damage left behind from severe storms that rolled through Thursday evening.
BY CBS TEXAS STAFF UPDATED ON: MARCH 2, 2023 / 9:30 PM / CBS TEXAS: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/live-updates/first-alert-weather-significant-severe-weather-outbreak-possible-thursday/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 04 2023
Seriously; war is despised by all of the coolest people that have ever lived on earth. The thought of war should make every, rightly fearing gentleman (and gentlewoman) that has ever lived; righteously, sick to their stomach. War is sickening!
Russia's foreign minister gets laughed at over Ukraine remarks at a global conference
March 4, 202310:59 AM ET
"The war, which we are trying to stop, which was launched against us using Ukrainian people," he said.
U.S. and Russia's top diplomats meet for the first time since the Ukraine war began
Before Lavrov could finish his sentence, the audience laughed and groaned — loud enough for the foreign minister to pause and stumble on his words.: https://www.npr.org/2023/03/04/1161128415/russia-foreign-minister-lavrov-laughed-at
I do not care what anyone says about me; I love Japan! I love them more than anything for their love for; true blue American art work; of which I have had the privilege of being a part of, creating. The colorful enthusiasm of Japan is so inspiring to me. If all countries had the enthusiasm Japan has, we would all enjoy our short live's way more in a productive way as well.:
Fiji on high alert over Japan's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated wastewater
Share. QR. Copied. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, March 17, 2022. /CFP. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant...: https://news.cgtn.com/news/2023-03-04/Fiji-on-high-alert-over-Japan-s-plan-to-discharge-nuclear-contaminated-wastewater-1hU0xOVzNEk/index.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 06 2023
Needless to say, stock buybacks mostly enrich top corporate executives and other wealthy shareholders. That’s because about 90% of all corporate stock is owned by the richest 10% of Americans; over half is owned by the top 1 percent.
This isn't just unfair. It's also bad for the economy as a whole. When Corporations get tax cuts, it doesn’t suddenly make them invest in growth and development. Now with companies using profits to buy back their own stock instead of investing in efficiencies, improvements, and employees, the system gets further rigged in favor of the ultra-rich, expanding economic inequality even more.
Corporations have spent $4.2 trillion on stock buybacks in just the last 5 years. That’s money that should have been used to raise workers’ wages, invest in workplace protections and public safety, and lower costs for consumers. By doubling the taxes on stock buybacks, we can create an incentive for corporations to invest in workers instead of Wall Street.: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-your-senators-become-a-co-sponsor-of-the-stock-buyback-accountability-act-of-2023
Russia Nuclear Submarines Deployed Off U.S. Coast Spark Alarm
BY ISABEL VAN BRUGEN ON 3/6/23 AT 9:46 AM EST: https://www.newsweek.com/russia-nuclear-submarines-deployed-us-coast-alarm-1785774
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 08 2023
Jeff Blackburn Memorial Comments
On Saturday, per his request, I spoke at Jeff Blackburn's memorial service about our work together in the aftermath of the Tulia drug stings and at the Innocence Project of Texas; here's what I said. Below my comments, I've compiled links to a guest post by Jeff and various interviews with him on this blog over the years, if only for my own selfish purposes: It was nice to turn on a couple this morning and hear the sound of his nasally, flat, Panhandle drawl. They broke the mold after Jeff Blackburn and I probably will never stop missing him. Rest in Power, brother.: https://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2023/03/jeff-blackburn-memorial-comments.html
Fox News just refused to air an ad that calls out Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, and other Fox News anchors for spreading the Big Lie about the 2020 election—even when they admitted behind closed doors that they knew it was all a farce.1
This rejection shows that Fox News is afraid of its viewers knowing the truth. That’s why we need you to watch the ad holding Fox News accountable and share the petition calling on cable providers to drop Fox or make it optional, so that customers are no longer funding this network of disinformation and deceit.: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/demand-your-cable-service-provider-make-fox-news-channel-optional-or-don-t-carry-it-at-all
Legislation which would reduce penalties for possession of cannabis flower and concentrates has passed out of committee!
HB 218, authored by Rep. Joe Moody of El Paso, advanced unanimously by the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee. It now heads to the Calendars Committee to be scheduled for consideration by the full Texas House of Representatives.
Ask your Representative to vote YES on HB 218!: https://www.texasnorml.org/decriminalization/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 11 2023
Sign and send the petition: No corporate tax breaks for outsourcing jobs TARGET: Your members of Congress
The 2017 Trump Tax Scam created huge incentives for corporations to export jobs and profits overseas. Now, Democrats in Congress have introduced a bill to undo the damage.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/letters/sign-and-send-the-petition-no-corporate-tax-breaks-for-outsourcing-jobs
Content warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of violence. Reader discretion is advised.
(Update March 13 2023.): I would have posted the title to this story but I thought it was too controversial. I just copied the first few sentences. At least I got this cool disclaimer that I may post on top of all my pages here. Here is the title instead of the first few sentences; instead.:
‘LEGAL LYNCHING’: ‘STAND YOUR GROUND’ LAWS REFLECT LEGACY OF WHITE SUPREMACIST VIGILANTISM IN DEEP SOUTH
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 12 2023
Right on Japan. I remember the suffering you endured. The world needs to help you.
Japan mourns 2011 disaster as nuclear support grows
Japanese offered tearful prayers Saturday on the anniversary of the deadly tsunami that triggered the Fukushima disaster, but public support for nuclear...
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 13 2023
Tuesday March 07, 2023 · 3:55 PM CST
I want you to see very clearly in front of you, in your minds. Because throughout history, hate is always been the easy path, the path of least resistance. It's easy to find a scapegoat for a problem than to try to make things better ourselves. Right? But let me be clear. You will not find success in the end of this rope.
You will not find fulfillment or happiness because hate burns fast and bright. It might make you feel empowered for a while, but eventually consumes whatever vessel it fuels. It breaks you. It's the path of the weak. And that's why there has never been a successful movement based on hate.: You will not find fulfillment or happiness because hate burns fast and bright. It might make you feel empowered for a while, but eventually consumes whatever vessel it fuels. It breaks you. It's the path of the weak. And that's why there has never been a successful movement based on hate.: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/3/7/2156740/-The-Governator-stuns-with-a-12-minute-speech-against-fascism-that-s-a-must-see
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 14 2023
Did you know that forty percent of U.S. states allow child marriage - with no minimum age required before getting married? It's true: once accounting for parental or judicial waivers, 20 U.S. states allow any age of child to be married off.
Between 2000 and 2018, nearly 300,000 children were married off inside the U.S. And in most of those cases, it was grown adult men marrying little girls.
This is heinous and clearly just a legalized form of child abuse. Demand that every U.S. state finally and explicitly ban child marriage now!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/654/750/460/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 15 2023
SVB collapse was driven by ‘the first Twitter-fueled bank run’
Updated 1:25 PM EDT, Tue March 14, 2023: https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/14/tech/viral-bank-run/index.html
I got this email this morning and thought I would post it to let people know I am doing everything I can to end mass incarceration. I am there for this cause 24/7.:
Because of your commitment to justice, recently, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken found that high-level California Department of Corrections (CDCR) officials retaliated against Todd Ashker for his advocacy and leadership role in the Center for Constitutional Rights’ lawsuit Ashker v. Governor of California that ended indefinite solitary confinement in the state. The Center’s lawyers were able to prove to the court that officials in CDCR’s Sacramento headquarters directed an effort to manipulate the housing review process to ensure that Ashker remained in a restrictive segregated unit. This comes in response to our motion to enforce the anti-retaliation provision of the 2015 settlement, which effectively ended long-term solitary confinement.
This win is only possible because of your staunch support! You understand that the fight for justice can be long and winding and that we cannot give up, even when we are weary and the odds are not in our favor. You make it possible for us to continue the fight. Thank you.: https://ccrjustice.org/home/press-center/press-releases/landmark-agreement-ends-indeterminate-long-term-solitary
A costly gender gap: Texas women working full time earn $12,000 less than men annually
March 14 is Equal Pay Day, highlighting the gap between men’s and women’s earnings. Nationally, women average $0.77 for every $1 white men earn.: https://www.keranews.org/news/2023-03-14/a-costly-gender-gap-texas-women-working-full-time-earn-12-000-less-than-men-annually
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 17 2023
Our Message to Congress :
Silicon Valley Bank's demise is a moment of deja vu for those of us who experienced the Great Crash of 2008. Wall Street banks were supposed to be held accountable, but the 2018 Trump era law that repealed parts of Dodd-Frank (along with lax bank regulation) created the mess we are in today. Sign here.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/petitions/sign-the-petition-no-more-silicon-valleys-we-need-tough-bank-regulations
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 19 2023
Ruetir Russian Poseidon Nuclear Torpedo Specifications That Can Trigger Doomsday Tsunami in London loading… The Poseidon torpedo is launched from a Russian submarine with a nuclear warhead. Photo/EPA-EFE/KREMLIN. MOSCOW – Experts warn that if Russian...: https://www.ruetir.com/2023/03/russian-poseidon-nuclear-torpedo-specifications-that-can-trigger-doomsday-tsunami-in-london/
Seriously, no one can disagree with the charges against Russia concerning the war. Shouldn't Our leaders be concerned with the ICC arresting them for the atrocity's taking place at our borders like children being separated from their family's?: https://www.adl.org/resources/lesson-plan/why-are-families-being-separated-and-detained-border
Russia-Ukraine War: Can Vladimir Putin Be Jailed After ICC’s Arrest Warrant? March 19, 2023 news New Delhi: The International Criminal Court (ICC) this week issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of war crimes of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. In its first warrant for Ukraine, the ICC called for Putin’s arrest from February 24, 2022 on suspicion of illegal deportation of children and illegal transfer of people from the territory of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.: https://eng.bharattimes.co.in/russia-ukraine-war-can-vladimir-putin-be-jailed-after-iccs-arrest-warrant/
Just when you thought Republicans couldn't possibly stoop any lower, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders just signed a bill into law allowing child labor in the state.
That's right: Kids under 16 in Arkansas can now work in the state – and their parents don't even have to agree to it.
Now, other states like Iowa and Minnesota are considering similar laws. We need to fight back against these dangerous attempts to exploit children for the benefit of big corporations.
"It was wild to listen to adults argue in favor of eliminating a one-page form that helps the Department of Labor ensure young workers aren't being exploited," Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families wrote in response to passage of the Arkansas law.
The Republican push to roll back child labor laws comes on the heels of the Department of Labor finding repeated violations of such laws around the country.
It's a cynical attempt by Republican politicians to help their corporate donors find and exploit cheap sources of labor – and we need to fight back now to put a stop to it.
Tell Republicans: Stop weakening child labor laws.: https://civicshout.com/p/tell-republicans-stop-weakening-child-labor-laws
A similar article.:
As a society, we have a duty to protect children from harm, but last year child labor violations rose by 37% in the United States. This is not only unacceptable, it is utterly unforgivable.
Children are the most vulnerable members of our society, but in states across the country, from Alabama to Nebraska, companies like Hyundai and JBS Foods, are being sued by the labor department for employing children as young as 12 in unsafe working conditions.
Even the world's largest private equity firm, Blackstone, had to pay $1.5 million in penalties for illegally employing over 100 children to clean meatpacking plants.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 was a milestone achievement in the history of labor rights. It established minimum wage, standard workweek, and outlawed child labor. Yet, Republican state lawmakers want to dismantle these laws in a blatant disregard for children's lives.
Child labor laws are in place to protect children from exploitation, abuse, and neglect. These laws set age limits for employment, limit the hours that older teenagers can work, and establish minimum wage requirements. They also provide for regular inspections of workplaces to ensure compliance.
The worrying trend of attacks on these laws isn't just isolated to Alabama and Nebraska. In Iowa, lawmakers have introduced a bill, to allow children as young as 14 to work in hazardous jobs like construction, meatpacking, and mining. Similar challenges to child labor laws are also happening in Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Texas, and even New Jersey.
Rolling back these laws would expose children to a number of dangers. Younger children could be forced to work in hazardous conditions, missing out on their education and putting their physical and mental health at risk, while older children may work long hours for low pay, leaving them little time to pursue their interests or develop important life skills.
The bottom line is that the consequences of rolling back child labor laws would be severe, not just for the children involved, but for society as a whole. Child labor is linked to poverty, inequality, and social unrest. By protecting children from exploitation, we are investing in a better future for everyone.
Higher cancer rates found in military pilots, ground crews
A Pentagon study has found high rates of cancer among military pilots and, for the first time, shows that ground crews who fuel, maintain and launch those aircraft are also getting sick
ByTARA COPP Associated Press
March 19, 2023, 7:03 AM : https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/higher-cancer-rates-found-military-pilots-ground-crews-97969512
Frisco Has Second Biggest Gender Pay Gap In America, Study Finds
A new study has discovered that Frisco, Texas is the city with the second-largest gender pay gap in the U.S.. According to the small business information...: https://localprofile.com/2023/03/16/frisco-second-biggest-gender-pay-gap/
Expert: ITER aims to generate power like sun through nuclear fusion
What is ITER? Will people live without fossil fuel one day? Luo Delong, head of the China International Nuclear Fusion Energy Program Execution Center,...: https://news.cgtn.com/news/2023-03-19/Expert-ITER-aims-to-generate-power-like-sun-through-nuclear-fusion-1iix4Qgkbeg/index.html
U.S. nuclear plant leaks wastewater, public unaware for months
Minnesota regulators knew four months ago that radioactive waste had leaked from a nuclear power plant in the U.S. state – but they didn't release details...: https://news.cgtn.com/news/2023-03-19/U-S-nuclear-plant-leaks-wastewater-public-unaware-for-months-1iilnYJXVCM/index.html
Nuclear nightmare: reckless leaders are pushing the world back to the brink
It's not just Putin or the refusal of the main powers to disarm. Irresponsible regimes in Israel and North Korea are also raising global nuclear tensions.: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/19/nuclear-nightmare-reckless-leaders-push-the-world-back-to-the-brink-putin-israel-north-korea
Russia and Ukraine extend wartime grain deal to aid world’s poor
... confirmed how long it would last; The United Nations, Turkey and Ukraine had pushed for 120 days, while Russia said it was willing to agree to 60 days.: https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3214043/russia-and-ukraine-extend-wartime-grain-deal-aid-worlds-poor-asia-middle-east-and-africa
Nuclear nightmare: reckless leaders are pushing the world back to the brink
It's not just Putin or the refusal of the main powers to disarm. Irresponsible regimes in Israel and North Korea are also raising global nuclear tensions.: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/19/nuclear-nightmare-reckless-leaders-push-the-world-back-to-the-brink-putin-israel-north-korea
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 20 2023
Arlington again? I have been to Arlington many times when we 1st moved here. That was the place to be in the mid nineties, around here. We got our first Windows C computer from Arlington (Bealls Outlet for like 20 dollars) in 1994 that lead to our 1st 1995 computer; the rest is history.:
1 dead, 1 hurt in Texas school shooting; suspect arrested Police says one student was fatally shot and another injured when a third student opened fire outside a Dallas-area high school Monday morning before being arrested on murder charges The Dallas Morning News, WFAA-TV Mar 20, 2023 Updated 11 min ago: https://lufkindailynews.com/anpa/us/1-dead-1-hurt-in-texas-school-shooting-suspect-arrested/article_4a97bc39-da2a-5a8d-aeb0-6f64bf8a6229.html
Deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia is war crime - UN
Published
3 days ago
Russia's forced deportation of Ukrainian children to areas under its control amounts to a war crime, UN investigators have said.
The UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said there was evidence of the illegal transfer of hundreds of Ukrainian children to Russia.
The Commission's report is categorical that Russia also committed other war crimes in Ukraine.
They include attacks on hospitals, torture, rape and wilful killings.
Ukraine government figures put the number of children forcibly taken to Russia at 16,221. Read more here.: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64985009
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 21 2023
Please let me remind you of this article that I posted March 19th here.: SVB collapse was driven by ‘the first Twitter-fueled bank run’
Updated 1:25 PM EDT, Tue March 14, 2023: https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/14/tech/viral-bank-run/index.html Yet one more reason to end social media.
Silicon Valley Bank has collapsed.
But the bank's collapse could have been avoided if key parts of the Dodd-Frank law, which protected consumers, had not been rolled back in 2018 by Donald Trump and the Republican Congress under pressure from the banking industry.
This deregulation in 2018 made it easier for banks to take risks, potentially putting consumers and American families in danger. If the stronger liquidity and capital requirements had remained in place, the collapse could have been predicted and prevented, and consumers' assets would have been safeguarded.
Instead, Silicon Valley Bank executives awarded themselves large bonuses just before federal regulators took over the failing institution. They did this because they believed they could get away with it in the current financial regulatory environment.
To prevent this from happening again, Congress should repeal the 2018 Trump law and reform deposit insurance to shield everyday consumers from the consequences of reckless bank behavior.
Sign the petition: No more Silicon Valleys. We need tough bank regulations.: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/sign-the-petition-no-more-silicon-valleys-we-need-tough-bank-regulations-3
Its consequences have been described as “shoot first and think later” by a sitting Supreme Court Justice. The legal doctrine called “qualified immunity” protects government officials—including police officers—from facing consequences when they violate our constitutional rights.
The stakes are literally life and death. Police officers remain unchecked and will continue to wield their power against other people as long as they’re seen as above the law.
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor herself said qualified immunity "tells officers that they can shoot first and think later." In any other job, individuals who cause harm are held accountable for their actions. Police cannot continue to be an exception, especially at the expense of Black lives.: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-now-changing-this-may-be-the-only-way-to-hold-violent-police-accountable
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 22 2023
Children deserve safety, support, and protection, regardless of their background or immigration status. But as revealed by the New York Times in a bombshell exposé, migrant children across the country are being forced into grueling child labor conditions.
You may be familiar with some of the brands associated with this scandal. They include Hearthside Food Solutions, Fruit of the Loom, Whole Foods, Target, Walmart, J.Crew, Frito-Lay, Ben & Jerry’s, General Motors, Ford, and more.
Migrant children forced into these situations are required to work dangerous jobs and long shifts, placing them at higher risk for injury or death while missing school days. And while the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was supposed to keep track of these minors and their sponsors, the agency lost contact with a third of migrant children.
Once the NYT exposé was released, the Biden administration took swift action, announcing that the Department of Labor and HHS will take new actions to crack down on child labor and exploitation. While a step in the right direction, this solution is a band-aid over a bullet wound.
Sign the petition: End child labor in America.: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-end-child-labor-in-america-expand-asylum-for-unaccompanied-migrant-children
Republicans are intensifying their attacks on Social Security.
They’re now working on a bill that would increase the full Social Security retirement age from 67 to 70, which would significantly cut benefits for all workers.
These cuts would be disastrous. Nearly everyone over 65 years old in the United States receives a Social Security check. The program has been extraordinarily effective, and without it, millions of American seniors would fall into abject poverty.
As Republicans attack Social Security, Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren recently introduced legislation to protect and expand the program by forcing the ultra rich to finally pay their fair share. Dubbed the 'Social Security Expansion Act,' the measure would put an additional $2,400 in beneficiaries’ pockets each year and ensure the program is fully funded through 2096. Huge majorities of Americans support making the wealthy pay more into Social Security, with a recent poll showing even 79% of Republicans in favor.
We need to send a clear message to Congress that they must fully reject any and all Republican attacks on Social Security. Instead, Congress must pass the Sanders-Warren plan to expand the program.
Sign the petition: Congress must pass the Social Security Expansion Act!: https://act.demandprogress.org/sign/social-security-expansion-act/
President Biden’s plan to pardon marijuana convictions is a direct result of years of organizing from activists across the country. But as great as it was, the President's 2022 announcement of the plan didn’t result in the immediate pardoning of a single individual. Shocking, right? That’s because pardon accessibility is a completely different issue than the presidential pen stroke of offering the relief.
Five months after the announcement, the Department of Justice said that for every individual eligible for a pardon, it may take up to 2.5 hours to submit “research, phone calls, and conversations with necessary personnel to attain the appropriate documentation.” That’s an unnecessary barrier to relief. Join us and our partners to demand Attorney General Merrick Garland automate the pardon system to ensure people receive access and relief. Add your name to the joint petition now!: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/tell-attorney-general-garland-automate-marijuana-pardon-applications/
Two men in Nebraska went on a hunting expedition, planning to kill a bird and use it as a meal. But what they bagged wasn't just any bird: they accidentally shot a bald eagle.
Sign now to demand the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission increase public education and awareness for bald eagles!
Bald eagles are protected under federal law. But the men seemed genuinely unaware of this fact - and equally surprised to learn that these animals were nesting in the area.
If these men didn't recognize the bird they killed as a protected bald eagle, other people in the area are likely unaware bald eagles are nearby too.
Educating the public on bald eagle habitats and protections is crucial. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission can take simple steps to prevent this kind of tragic event from happening again in the future.
Actions that would help include putting up clear signage near bald eagle nests and sightings, which describe how the iconic birds must be protected, respected, and left alone.
Tell the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: protect the eagles! Sign the petition now if you agree!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/960/235/492/two-men-shot-a-bald-eagle-and-quotplanned-to-eat-it-laterquot/
Each year, Procter & Gamble buys more than 600,000 *megatonnes* of palm oil to make everything from shampoo to toothpaste – and too much of it is still grown on bulldozed rainforest and stolen Indigenous land, wreaking havoc on lives and livelihoods.
For years P&G’s leadership has ignored calls to end deforestation, even when they came from its founders’ descendants. But the clock is ticking, and P&G won’t be able to ignore us any longer if we all come together as consumers, shareholders, workers and investors. Together, we can make P&G’s upcoming annual meeting all about its nasty deforestation problem!
If we can make this massive with your help, We can push this consumer giant to change how it sources its megatonnes of palm oil – which will, in turn, help clean up the entire dirty palm oil industry until every shampoo, toothpaste, and detergent is 100% deforestation-free.
Add your name to tell P&G: No more deforestation!: https://actions.eko.org/a/p-and-g-solve-your-big-deforestation-problem
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 23 2023
What’s wrong with us? Our nation’s moral compass, I mean.
I don’t like being a downer, just focusing on wrongs, but some wrongs stand out as morally abominable, such as this one. It’s about hundreds of thousands of our low-income elders who, toward the end of life (when frail and most vulnerable) find themselves cast into a part of the Medicaid system that has been deliberately structured by Congress to subject them to needless deprivations and daily indignities.
These are our loved ones with serious health problems who need long term care in nursing homes, and two-thirds of them rely on Medicaid to cover their costs. To get this benefit, they surrender all of their income, which goes to defray their nursing home expenses. Of course, for a decent existence beyond mere survival, we all rely on a few little things that are basic to our humanity. So, Medicare authorizes each state to set a monthly “personal needs allowance,” so their elderly patients can cover their hygiene and grooming products, a book or CD, a small gift for grandchildren, a chocolate bar, etc.
Good! But then Mr. Mingy walked in. In 1987, Congress set the minimum for this allowance at a meager $30 a month – under $8 a week! Congress has not raised it in the 36 years since, and most states still provide only a pittance, despite inflation and monopoly price gouging on practically everything. So, our state and national “leaders” (who freely dole out massive corporate subsidies and tax giveaways to billionaires) are leaving ill seniors with so little spending money that they must ration their toothpaste and scrimp pennies to buy a rare treat from the vending machine.
I know this is small in the global scale of human indignities, but that makes it an even bigger moral failure for our society. It would take so little to do so much for so many. Listen here.: https://jimhightower.substack.com/p/why-cant-ill-seniors-get-even-a-scrap You have to hear this dude speak.
President Biden has said that Congress made a mistake in 2018 to loosen bank regulations that resulted in the Silicon Valley Bank debacle:
I’m going to ask Congress and the banking regulators to strengthen the rules for banks to make it less likely this kind of bank failure would happen again and to protect American jobs and small businesses.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Katie Porter have introduced the Secure Viable Banking Act that would do just that. We must pressure Congress to do the right thing, and restore key consumer protections in Dodd-Frank that were repealed in 2018.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/letters/sign-and-send-the-petition-banks-cannot-gamble-with-our-money-bring-back-tougher-regulations
Following the train derailment disaster in Ohio, The Lever’s reporting revealed regulators had ignored safety officials’ recommendations and exempted trains like the derailed Norfolk Southern train from hazmat safety rules.
This meant that the train carrying toxic and highly flammable chemicals was not being regulated as a “high-hazard flammable train.” If it had been, Norfolk Southern would have had to comply with more rigorous safety rules and local governments would have been aware of what chemicals were present at the crash site.
To remedy this problem, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) have proposed legislation to make sure the “high-hazard flammable train” safety rules cover trains such as the one that derailed in East Palestine.
In addition to the House bill, a bipartisan group in the Senate has just announced the Railway Safety Act, which would, among other things, mandate minimum two-person train crews on all major trains. President Joe Biden has lauded the legislation, saying it “provides us with tools to hold companies accountable to prevent terrible tragedies like the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine.”
The passage of both of these bills is essential to better protect communities from derailments. So we need your support now!
Send a message to your lawmakers in the Senate and House to support their respective bills.: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/take-action-stop-the-next-toxic-train-derailment/
A new investigation from the New York Times found that Cheerios and Cheetos, popular snacks marketed to children, are being made... by literal children.
Migrant children are disproportionately at risk of this type of brutal exploitation, working up to 12 hour shifts in factories with dangerous machinery reported to have ripped off fingers and even a woman's scalp.
This is because these kids are often more desperately in need of money to stay in the country or send funds back to their families in Latin America. They are also far less protected by the system -- there are numerous reports of kids disappearing once they enter the country, or child laborers calling hotlines only to have nobody help them.
All children deserve happy, healthy lives where they can go to school, explore, and play with their friends without rushing to a 12 hour night shift in a dangerous factory. We must protect migrant children from this horrific, abusive exploitation. Sign now to tell The Department of Labor: hold Hearthside Food Solutions, producer of Cheerios and Cheetos, accountable!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/272/789/955/
SIGN: STOP SHOOTING WILD COWS FROM HELICOPTERS!
PETITION TARGETS: U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, District Court of New Mexico
Nineteen wild cows in New Mexico’s remote and massive Gila National Forest likely suffered slow and agonizing deaths after being cruelly shot down by helicopters — with their corpses left to rot where they landed, according to news reports.
The federal reserve encompasses nearly 3 million acres — including grazing allotments for privately-owned cows — but the U.S. Forest Service alleged that shooting an estimated 150 feral cows reportedly was needed to “protect public safety and biodiversity.”
The Forest Service reported the brutal gunning would be “humane” — despite that the shooting was from a distance, at panicked animals fleeing from the helicopter. They also claimed that leaving the dying and dead cows to decay in the wilderness wouldn’t cause pollution of precious waterways.
But at least two cows died and decomposed in the precious Gila River during last year’s aerial shootings — which massacred 65 defenseless cows over two days — according to the New Mexico Livestock Board, which also reported the animals had numerous gun shot wounds to their heads, necks, backs, and sides — likely leading to painful, prolonged deaths.
The shootings also likely orphaned calves left to fend for themselves who are not likely to survive, said the Humane Farming Association — which called the shootings “unadulterated animal cruelty.”
Over the 4-day hunt, 19 innocent cows lost their lives — simply for existing.
It’s time for the U.S. Forest Service to acknowledge that cows are sentient beings capable of feeling pain and fear and that aerial gunning is inherently cruel and to adopt humane alternatives that don’t cause the animals to suffer.
Sign our petition urging the U.S. Forest Service and USDA to NEVER AGAIN shoot cows from the sky and instead allocate resources toward more effective and humane methods of population control. We’re also urging New Mexico’s governor to continue speaking out against how this “management” was handled, and for the courts that hear lawsuits or requests to halt this gruesome practice to take opponents’ concerns seriously.: https://ladyfreethinker.org/sign-stop-shooting-wild-cows-from-helicopters/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 25 2023
I do not support allowing mentally ill people; endangering themselves and others in Israel. From what I understand; Israel, has their hand's full as far as that is concerned. Today's Christian is very full of themselves. Being overly prideful can lead to mental illness. Being full of yourself reminds me of a mental disease Michael has on the sitcom The Office. This is a great page and well worth the read.:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AMichael_Scott_(The_Office) They actually have a mental disorder about specifically of what I mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph. I just found this.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_syndrome Jerusalem syndrome is a form of psychosis. Psychosis (also called a 'psychotic experience' or 'psychotic episode') is when you perceive or interpret reality in a very different way from people around you. You might be said to 'lose touch' with reality. Read more here.: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/psychosis/about-psychosis
Israel won’t criminalize sharing the Gospel amid pushback to new bill, Netanyahu says
March 24 2023
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that his government will not pass a bill that would criminalize Christian evangelism, a proposal that drew concern from American Evangelicals. : https://www.christianpost.com/news/israel-wont-pass-ban-on-sharing-the-gospel-netanyahu-says.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 27 2023
An assistant professor at the University of Oslo recently wrote an article that advocated for using the unconscious bodies of women in persistent vegetative states (PVS) as surrogates... for other people's babies.
Since these women are medically brain dead, they would not be able to object in the moment. That's exploitation of vulnerable people, plain and simple.
The supposed reasoning behind this dystopian suggestion is to help "anyone who wishes to avoid the risks and burdens of gestating a fetus in their own body." But why should those risks and burdens be pushed onto people who cannot move or speak for themselves?
The assistant professor claimed this unconscious-surrogacy proposal would be ethical, as long as women gave prior consent similar to agreeing in advance to organ donation. However, this this idea is not like organ donation at all.
Recent research has shown that "as many as 20% of people declared PVS may actually not be PVS at all -- and are fully aware of what is happening around them." That means a person might want to change her decision -- but she has no way of intervening or saying "No."
It is essential that we respect the reproductive rights of all individuals, including those who are incapacitated and unable to speak for themselves.
Sign the petition and demand that Rector Svein Stølen condemn these harmful, hateful suggestions and stand up for reproductive rights!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/471/253/661/
Texas civil rights attorney Lee Merritt jailed in Collin County after protest, police say
Lee Merritt also faces one charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon, police said.
12:22 PM on Mar 27, 2023 — Updated at 12:50 PM on Mar 27, 2023
A North Texas civil rights attorney — who has been involved in high-profile cases on behalf of Black people killed by police — was arrested Sunday afternoon in McKinney after a protest blocked a highway.
Lee Merritt, 40, was listed in the Collin County jail records Monday morning. Merritt did not immediately respond to a call Monday, and it was unclear whether he had an attorney.
The Collin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Monday that Merritt was given a personal recognizance bond and being processed for release.
Merritt is an advocate for victims of police violence and known nationally for his work, including on cases representing the families of Botham Jean, Atatiana Jefferson, Marvin Scott III and Darius Tarver. He also had an unsuccessful campaign for Texas attorney general in 2022.
Merritt was arrested by the McKinney Police Department about 4 p.m. on charges of obstructing a highway/passageway and unlawful carrying of a weapon, according to McKinney police.: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2023/03/27/prominent-texas-civil-rights-attorney-jailed-in-collin-county-after-protest-police-say/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 28 2023
Merritt, who’s forged a national profile representing the families of people killed by law enforcement officers, told The Associated Press that he was “unlawfully arrested” while he attended the protests as the Scott family’s lawyer. The attorney said he had been legally carrying a firearm at the time of his arrest, which led to the weapons charge.
Merritt was released from jail Monday. The Collin County district attorney’s office did not respond to a phone message about whether prosecutors would pursue the charges.: https://apnews.com/article/lee-merritt-arrest-collin-county-marvin-scott-1f3ef01c3f8d73758cdc17acca96722d
My wife and I prayed for these victims of this tragedy.:
Former Dallas-area pastor’s daughter killed in Nashville school shooting Chad Scruggs, the father of one of three children who were fatally shot Monday morning at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn., was an associate pastor at Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas, according to the church’s Facebook page. 11:02 AM: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2023/03/27/former-dallas-area-pastors-daughter-killed-in-nashville-school-shooting-media-reports/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 29 2023
Senate votes to repeal Iraq War authorization
March 29, 20231:05 PM ET
"This effort has been years in the making," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. "The American people are tired of endless wars in the Middle East."
Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Todd Young, R-Ind., led a years-long bipartisan effort to repeal these authorizations for use of military force. Kaine said the effort faced indifference from the Obama administration and outright opposition from the Trump administration, but the political stars aligned under President Biden who has indicated he will sign it if it reaches his desk.
The action is largely symbolic as U.S. combat operations against Iraq ended more than a decade ago, and if enacted, the repeals would have no effect on any ongoing military operations. Rather, supporters argued it was important for Congress to reassert its constitutional authority to start and end wars.
The Senate eyes a formal end to the Iraq War, and a reassertion of Congress' power
The Senate eyes a formal end to the Iraq War, and a reassertion of Congress' power
"A lot has changed in the last 20 years, and yet according to our laws today, we are still at war with Iraq," Young said on the floor Wednesday. "This isn't just the result of an oversight, it's an intentional abdication of this body of its constitutional role in Americans' national security, and allowing it to continue is a strategic mistake."
Senators side-stepped the more difficult debate about how to address the 2001 war authorization that was approved in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and has given broad legal authority to four presidents to conduct counter-terrorism operations around the world.
Amendments by two Republican senators — Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah — addressing the 2001 AUMF were overwhelmingly rejected. Paul's amendment would have sunset the 2001 AUMF in six months to force Congress to rewrite or repeal it, and Lee's amendment would sunset all AUMFs every two years to force every new Congress to assess whether the war authority should continue.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has not yet committed to a vote, but the measure has bipartisan support in the House. A similar bill passed the then-Democratic-led chamber in 2021.
McCarthy has signaled the House Foreign Affairs Committee would hold its own markup on the bill before it gets to the floor.
"I think it has a good chance of one getting through the committee and getting to the floor," McCarthy told reporters during a recent GOP retreat in Florida.: https://www.npr.org/2023/03/29/1165581083/aumf-iraq-war-senate
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 30 2023
Camila Cabello says social media is "a facade," credits her family with keeping her grounded
How Overstimulation Is Hurting You | Eckhart on Social Media and the Loss of Stillness
As a result of social media, we are constantly overstimulated in our lives. By never being still, we are causing all kinds of mental and physical problems.
.3 hours ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtyuUP0hv9Y
The Washington Post
TikTok is addictive for many girls, especially those with depression
A new study of social media platforms deepens our picture of the struggles faced by teen girls.
.6 hours ago: https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/03/30/social-media-girls-teens-depression-tiktok/
National Review
Social Media and Their Effects on American Society, Etc.
On the 'anti-social media'; a righteous weatherman in Mississippi; authenticity in politics; baseball in Japan; Romanian sopranos; and more.: https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/03/gettin-nasty-c/
Art instructor describes shooter’s recent social media posts
A college art instructor who taught the shooter told CNN that Hale once had an outburst in class and appeared to be “suffering” in social media posts over the past year. https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/29/us/covenant-school-shooting-nashville-tennessee-wednesday/index.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 02 2023
The fact that nine countries in the world still possess nuclear weapons is a threat to humanity and the Earth. In 2017, the United Nations adopted a groundbreaking agreement to ban nuclear weapons, but none of the countries with nuclear powers signed it; including the United States.
The scale of devastation from a nuclear weapon is unlike anything else ever created. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons puts the severity of the situation simply: "Even a single nuclear detonation in a modern city would strain existing disaster relief resources to the breaking point."
The immediate effects would be painful and horrific. The lasting effects would be equally as terrifying: radioactivity that's genetically damaging to humans, the destruction of our society as we know it, and the disruption of the climate.
Nuclear weapons are the most inhumane weapons ever created, and the U.S. has the most in the world, second only to Russia. It's time to ban them for good.
Sign the petition to demand Russia, United States, China, France, United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, Israel, and North Korea sign the U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/248/298/913/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 05 2023
All I can say, in our sick and present time, is; may the Lord bless you DeWitt Perry Middle School, for being street wise. You know what bothers me about these overdoses; we do not know who dies of what. Do you think everyone has a autopsy and announces the real cause of death? In my opinion; they very rarely do, ever.
DeWitt Perry Middle School student unresponsive in class, revived with Narcan
Staff administered the opioid-reversal medication and the student was taken to a local hospital, says an email shared with Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD families.
BY MAGGIE PROSSER
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 07 2023
I had to read this carefully and it seems to be sensible and doable. Maybe the labor unions could have input for the annual inflationary updates.
Stop us if you've heard this before – Medicare patient access to care is under attack again this year unless Congress acts to fix the flawed and outdated physician payment rules.
Tell your legislators to cosponsor H.R. 2474 to fix the broken Medicare payment system
Did you know that physicians are the only health care providers whose Medicare payments do not automatically receive an annual inflationary update? It’s true and now, during this time of record inflation, coming on the heels of a highly disruptive pandemic, this statutory flaw will make it harder for America’s Medicare patients to access the care they need.
Thankfully, a bi-partisan group of physician members of Congress - Representatives Larry Bucshon, MD (IN), Raul Ruiz, MD (CA), Marionette Miller-Meeks, MD (IA) and Ami Bera, MD (CA) recently introduced H.R. 2474, legislation that would reform this flawed system and provide annual inflationary updates for physicians like other health care providers, ensuring that more of them are able to continue to provide care for Medicare patients.
While there are many other concerns with the Medicare physician payment system that still need to be addressed, this legislation is a great first step. It will help put doctors on the same footing with other health care providers and give them the ability to invest in new ways of providing care. This will help Medicare beneficiaries maintain their access to high-quality care.
Please take a moment and contact your legislators and urge them to help fix the flawed Medicare physician payment system by supporting H.R. 2474 today!: https://patientsactionnetwork.com/action-center
Request for your support for H.R. 2431, the Veterans Equal Access Act.
This bipartisan legislation expands and facilitates medical cannabis access to military veterans suffering from chronic pain, PTSD, and other serious medical conditions by allowing physicians affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs to recommend marijuana in compliance with state laws.
Presently, healthcare providers in the VA system are forbidden from making medical marijuana recommendations, even in states where marijuana is legal for medical use. This prohibition forces many military veterans to seek the advice of private, and often expensive, out-of-network physicians.
Veterans are increasingly turning to medical marijuana as an effective alternative to opioids and other conventional medications. A study published in March 2023 showed that one in ten veterans reported consuming cannabis at least once in the past year. Further, nationwide survey data compiled by the group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America finds that 75 percent of military veterans “would be interested in using cannabis or cannabinoid products as a treatment option if it were available.”
With medical marijuana now legal in 38 states, the VA should not stand in the way of veterans obtaining the treatment and relief they need.
I urge you to support the Veterans Equal Access Act and call for its immediate consideration in the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.: https://norml.org/act/veterans-equal-access-act/
Russian defector sheds light on Putin paranoia and his secret train network, Andrew Roth and Pjotr Sauer, The Guardian
The Guardian has reviewed an interview with Karakulov by the Dossier Centre, a political information outfit founded by the exiled Russian billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and confirmed the credentials of the senior Russian communications engineer, who travelled with Putin extensively and helped transmit some of his most secret messages. [...]
In the interview, Karakulov called Putin a “war criminal” and told fellow officers they should come forward with information being hidden from the Russian public.
“Our president has lost touch with the world,” he said. “He has been living in an information cocoon for the past couple of years, spending most of his time in his residences, which the media very fittingly call bunkers. He is pathologically afraid for his life. He surrounds himself with an impenetrable barrier of quarantines and an information vacuum. He only values his own life and the lives of his family and friends.”
Karakulov described a virtual state within a state that includes firefighters, food testers and other engineers who travel with Putin on his trips abroad, providing a rare first-hand insight into the levels of paranoia and sheltered lifestyle of the Russian president. “They call him the Boss, worship him in every way and only ever talk of him in those terms,” he said.: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/05/russian-defector-sheds-light-on-putin-paranoia-including-secret-train
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 08 2023
Rep. Justin Pearson & Justin Jones committed no such crimes that would rise to the level of an expulsion. The ultra-partisan GOP Tennessee House was simply uncomfortable with their strong advocacy to fight gun violence. We will not be silenced, and the county commissions must respond by simply re-appointing them to their seats.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/petitions/sign-the-petition-they-will-not-silence-us-re-appoint-tennessee-state-reps-pearson-jones
Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk had a bad week, not only because Donald Trump was arrested but also because progressive judge Janet Protasiewicz won her election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, tipping the balance of power to the liberals. Kirk admitted to his talk show audience that this victory in Wisconsin was going to thwart Republican efforts to cheat in the 2024 presidential race. Charlie said, “Wisconsin was a blowout and there goes the Wisconsin Supreme Court and it decreases our chance to be able to win the White House in 2024.” Kirk is saying the quiet part out loud, which is that the way they planned to win Wisconsin in 2024 was not necessarily by winning the most votes, but by filing motions that would get to the State Supreme Court so it could grant the state’s electoral votes to the Republican nominee. This is exactly why these state and local races matter because it can put a stop to right-wing efforts to win by lawfare when a majority of voters don’t side with them.: https://davidpakman.substack.com/p/they-admit-they-need-to-cheat-cult
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 09 2023
Baby seals are being shot, bludgeoned, and impaled to death with guns, clubs, and ice-pick-like weapons off Canada’s east coast in the country’s annual commercial seal hunt. In many cases, wounded victims flee into the water and suffer agonizing, slow deaths.
We must continue to defend these helpless seals. This brutal massacre must stop.
Sign this petition urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take a stand against animal cruelty and ban Canada’s appalling annual commercial seal hunt.: https://ladyfreethinker.org/sign-outlaw-commercial-seal-massacre-in-canada/
‘Hopeless’: Parole denial for 71-year-old Alabama woman with terminal illness highlights ‘tremendous injustice’
Harris’ experience is the norm these days in Alabama. The rate of incarcerated people being granted parole in the state plunged to a new low in the last fiscal year, when 90% of eligible people’s parole claims were rejected, according to the board’s reports. The Southern Poverty Law Center and a growing number of advocates for incarcerated people say the decline is no coincidence. The board, advocates say, is not following its own guidelines and has made denial of parole the default decision.
“Pure injustice,” former Alabama Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb calls the Harris denial, and the streak of denials of which it is part. Two years ago Cobb, appalled at the plummeting release rates and the way parole hearings are conducted – attorneys are given four to six minutes to make their case and there is no possibility of appeal – formed Redemption Earned, a nonprofit law firm that represents elderly and ill incarcerated adults it deems worthy of transition to nursing homes. Cobb and Redemption Earned staff are representing Harris at no cost.: https://www.splcenter.org/news/2023/04/07/freedom-denied-71-year-old-woman-terminal-illness
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 10 2023
I enjoyed reading this email. It is good to know I am not the only one that thinks the way I do. I can not vouch for everything Faithful America believes but this email is pretty good.:
Unfortunately, working for positive values often means we must spend our days talking about negative social and spiritual challenges: Injustice, discrimination, transphobia, antisemitism, political violence, Christofascist assaults on democracy, white Christian nationalism, and so much more. The list feels endless.
The drivers of injustice and oppression, the powers and principalities of this earth, never win in the end.
We are reconciled to God through Christ -- a reconciliation that reveals all is long forgiven and there is nothing to hold us back.
We love LGBTQ people.
We love Black lives.
We love immigrants and refugees.
We love students and teachers in states where public education is undermined.
We love the victims and survivors of violence in an idolatrous, gun-worshipping nation.
We love the mentally ill, crying out for support the state does not provide.
We love the poor and the unhoused, often trapped by a vicious economic cycle not of their own making.
We love women in the face of patriarchy, remembering especially that God revealed the resurrection to women first.
We love our Jewish, Muslim, atheist, and other non-Christian siblings, whose religious liberty is under assault by Christian nationalism.
We love the lonely, the isolated, and those whose families or communities have abandoned them.
We love religious-right pastors, MAGA Republican lawmakers, and their supporters, for God loves everyone and they are our neighbors too.
We love.
Edited email (to shorten it) from: Faithful America: https://faithfulamerica.org/
Although there are small fractions of this above email I received from Faithful America that I would like to write a expounded amount of detailed info on; I hope you will not judge them falsely for trying to help people. (This edit is a exact replacement of what I originally meant to say.) I think I got very defensive when it came to this article and thought that most Christians today would shun this great organization and in defence of that I pointed out the flaws in today's Christian. It took me a while of reading the article and reading what I wrote more than once to try to convey myself better.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 12 2023
Thee Dallas Morning News has too many good articles to list right now. Check it out for yourself. : https://www.dallasnews.com/news/
Ok, so what we are talking about is a red beret* (Apocalypse Now like) styled, hard core solders; in a room, ready, at any time to react to a shooting of children; in our country. I like it; Sheriff Jim Skinner, good job, once again.:
Collin County Schools Could See New Safety Unit To Prevent Shootings
The plan could be implemented as early as next year
APRIL 12, 2023
Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner discussed the installation of a special unit to address school safety, as threats and school shootings become a common issue nationwide.
Since 2023 began, there have been 146 mass shootings, of which, 14 occurred in schools. The tragic Uvalde shooting is also coming up on its one-year anniversary, and Sheriff Skinner hopes to prevent more of these shootings, especially in his county.: https://localprofile.com/2023/04/12/collin-county-schools-safety-shootings/ and https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/collin-county-sheriff-wants-start-special-unit-address-school-threats/287-7e14afe7-0f14-44d5-bfcc-f0f18529d60e
*The color Scarlet was worn by Combat controllers and special tactics officers. :https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Special_Tactics_Officer Also the maroon baret meant you were the best of the best as well.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_beret : Though unofficial at first, the green beret of the US Army Special Forces was formally adopted in 1961. Maroon airborne and black US Army Ranger berets were formally authorized in the 1970s. I have been a fan of our military since I was born on a US Air Force base.
As we continue to face challenges from Republicans looking to shape the judicial system in its favor, it is essential that we call upon our Senate Democratic leadership to do away with a little-known antiquated rule that is preventing progress by tilting the courts toward a clear right-wing bias: the blue slip process.
Blue slips are a century-old Senate custom that mandates that both senators from a nominee's home state must submit their approval of a judicial nominee by returning a blue-colored form to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
This tradition has been abused by Republicans in the past to obstruct qualified nominees, resulting in a more politically polarized and gridlocked judiciary because it gives them a de facto veto power that allows a single senator to effectively block a nomination.
By removing this unnecessary roadblock, we can create a more efficient and fair confirmation process, allowing for a judiciary that better reflects the diversity and values of our nation.
Sign the petition to Senate Democratic leadership: Do away with blue slips and confirm all of Biden’s judicial nominees who are committed to civil and human rights, and to equality and justice for all.: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-to-senate-democrats-abolish-blue-slips
Legislation to improve the Texas Compassionate Use Program has been passed by the Texas House of Representatives. The bill will still have a second reading, which is a formality, before it heads to the Senate.
Ask your Senator to support this effort.
As amended, HB 1805 adds chronic pain to the list of qualifying conditions, replaces the THC cap by instituting a volumetric dose of 10mg, and empowers the Department of State Health Services to add additional qualifying condition through an administrative process.: https://www.texasnorml.org/support-medical-cannabis-in-tx/
Conversion therapy is the attempt to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of individuals, and it isn’t only ineffective, it is dangerous.
The American Medical Association, The American Psychological Association, and The American Counseling Association have denounced conversion therapy as it has been shown to increase depression, anxiety, and rates of suicide.
The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act would protect LGBTQ+ Americans from harmful conversion therapy. At Futures PAC, we support candidates who will fight back against bigotry and exclusion.
Stand up for the LGBTQ+ community and tell Congress to bring back the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act and effectively stop conversion therapy!
SIGN ON
Conversion therapy is a harmful, fraudulent practice based on prejudice and fake science, and it is clearly associated with negative mental health outcomes. According to the Trevor Project, 42% of LGBTQ+ youth who participated in conversion therapy have attempted suicide.
Many Republican led states do NOT have laws to prevent conversion therapy. In fact, many of those states also ban or are actively trying to ban gender affirming care!
The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act states that conversion therapy practiced in exchange for monetary compensation or advertising those services is an unfair or deceptive practice, a fraud.: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/sign-the-petition-to-stop-conversion-therapy
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 14 2023
21-Year-Old Suspect in US Intel Leak Identified Using Instagram Photos APR 14, 2023: https://petapixel.com/2023/04/14/21-year-old-suspect-in-us-intel-leak-identified-using-instagram-photos/
Collin College Received Hoax 911 Call About Active Shooter Other colleges in Texas also received hoax calls APRIL 14, 2023 Hoax emergency calls were also made to other schools in Texas, including Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Baylor University in Waco, Galen College of Nursing in San Antonio and Texas A&M University in Bryan. All of the reported incidents were confirmed to be false.: https://localprofile.com/2023/04/14/collin-college-hoax-active-shooter/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 15 2023
Sign to demand President Biden free Native activist Leonard Peltier
We recently marked the 50th anniversary of the occupation at Wounded Knee in 1973.
After the occupation, the FBI continued harassing members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and people at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for years -- including when a massive shootout in 1975 ended with three people dead: a young Native man and two FBI agents.
AIM activist Leonard Peltier was there that day, and was arrested despite a complete lack of evidence connecting him to the FBI agents’ deaths.: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-to-demand-president-biden-free-native-activist-leonard-peltier/
Police realized they might be at wrong house before killing man, video shows
April 15, 2023 at 1:45 p.m. EDT New Mexico police officers were questioning whether they were at the right house shortly before they fatally shot an armed homeowner this month at what turned out to be the wrong address, according to body-camera video released Friday.: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/04/15/police-shooting-wrong-house-video-new-mexico-dotson/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 17 2023
I believe in the FBI. I can not vouch for the FBI during the time the movie Die Hard came out. I want to join the FBI. My wife is eligible for the FBI. The FBI; in my opinion may be the last best hope.
F.B.I. Arrests Two on Charges Tied to Chinese Police Outpost in New York Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn charged the men with conspiring with the Chinese government and destroying evidence.
April 17, 2023 Updated 4:01 p.m. ET
When news that the F.B.I. had searched the Manhattan office was first reported in January, the Chinese Embassy in Washington downplayed the role of the outposts, saying they were staffed by volunteers who helped Chinese nationals perform routine tasks like renewing their driver’s licenses back home. But The New York Times reviewed Chinese state news media reports in which the police and local Chinese officials described the operations very differently.: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/17/nyregion/fbi-chinese-police-outpost-nyc.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 19 2023
Sexual assault, racist slurs, gun violence - Ekō researchers only spent an hour in the metaverse before experiencing the dark side of Meta’s platform. And now Meta wants to open up the metaverse to teens.
Meta’s greed-driven execs have tried this before. Remember Meta’s nightmarish Instagram for kids? Meta shelved that plan after a massive public backlash.
If we act fast, and we make a huge public outcry, we can force Meta to drop its toxic metaverse for teens too.
Just this week we joined a massive coalition of civil society groups and child development experts calling on Zuckerberg to terminate his plans -- if we can demonstrate the public outcry, we can make sure he listens.
With crashing share prices and younger users leaving in their droves for TikTok, Meta is desperate to turn its fortunes around. That’s why it's pushing this plan to get teens in its toxic metaverse - make a quick profit, and to hell with the harm it might do to young teenagers.
Meta says that users in the metaverse can turn on safety features that protect them from the most toxic behaviour. Yet again, these clueless tech bros push the responsibility on users to keep themselves safe from their harmful and predatory apps.
Facebook, Instagram and TikTok are fuelling a massive mental health crisis - our kids desperately need these tech platforms to stop exploiting them for profit.
The Ekō community forced Zuckerberg to ditch Instagram for kids. Now let’s make sure he doesn’t push his latest hellscape onto young teens.: https://actions.eko.org/a/metaverse-for-teens-no-thanks
President Biden has proclaimed April 2023 as Second Chance Month, but the U.S. Senate has yet to act!
Now more than ever, it is crucial that we raise awareness about the challenges encountered by individuals with a criminal record, even after facing their consequences. When we extend second chances to men and women with a criminal record, our communities can become safer, stronger, and more prosperous.
Using our quick and easy tool, find your lawmakers and send a letter urging them to take a stand for justice that restores. You can use our pre-written letter or make it your own.
Act soon! Click this link to send a letter of thanks to President Biden and urge your senators to declare April as Second Chance Month.: https://p2a.co/abkgci7
Forty-six years ago, on April 18, Leonard Peltier was convicted for the killing of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. While the serious and tragic nature of the incident has always been clear, Amnesty and many others have long had concerns about the fairness of his trial. Decade after decade, Leonard Peltier has always maintained his innocence.
Now, at 78 years old, Peltier has spent more than 46 years in prison, serving two consecutive life sentences, including years in solitary confinement. He suffers from several serious health conditions — and he’s even more at risk after contracting COVID-19 last year.
That’s why we’re calling on President Joe Biden to FINALLY grant clemency for Leonard Peltier.
President Biden committed to broadly use his clemency power during his administration.1 Still, no decision has been made on the petition Leonard Peltier’s attorney applied for in July 2021. Biden must act in the interest of justice and grant Leonard Peltier clemency on humanitarian grounds.: https://act.amnestyusa.org/page/96017/action/1
What if your doctor could do a simple test to make sure you got the best treatment for your cancer?
That’s the promise of precision medicine. With biomarker testing, doctors can find out which treatments will or won’t work for many patients based on markers in their cancer cells.
Will you email your state Representative and ask them to support this important legislation?
As medicine continues to advance, we need to make sure patients have access to the best treatment possible. With biomarker testing, doctors can help patients get the right treatment at the right time, leading to better health outcomes, quality of life, and potentially cost savings.: https://act.fightcancer.org/a/bmthouse
GOP lawmaker admits to calling 911 on drag shows
The Minnesota Senate was debating an amendment to stop state spending on necromancy, demonology, and pedophilia.
Tuesday, April 18, 2023: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/04/gop-lawmaker-admits-to-calling-911-on-drag-shows/
Is Discord the world’s most dangerous social media site? DailyMail.com investigates the secrecy-obsessed $15 BILLION platform used by child abusers, killers and now the Pentagon ‘leaker’... and their response will disturb you
Cyber-security expert says site allegedly used by 21-year-old Air National Guardsman to leak top US secrets is now 'Wild West' of internet
It's tailored to young video-gamers, yet Discord is littered with shocking and extreme content
Charlottesville neo-Nazi mob used platform to plan their lethal 2017 rally: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11987701/Is-Discord-dangerous-place-online-Site-hosted-killers-child-abusers-Pentagon-leaker.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 20 2023
Found this article by mistake while searching the word discord. Not my fault it is apropos.:
U.S. charges 4 Americans involved in Russian election discord case
Apr 19, 2023 at 8:04 pm
An indictment was unsealed Tuesday charging four Americans and three Russians with covertly attempting to sow discord in U.S. society through Russian propaganda and interfering in elections.
The Americans, and two of the Russians, were added to an already ongoing case in a Tampa, Fla. federal court.: https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-four-americans-charged-russian-election-discord-case-20230419-eenpba375zf6hdaoembpdbh5oe-story.html
THE DISCORD LEAKER: THE CASE OF THE MOST UNORTHODOX NATIONAL SECURITY LEAKS IN HISTORY
Jeremy Scahill, Murtaza Hussain, and Vanessa Gezari analyze the leaked top-secret Pentagon documents and the Air National Guardsman alleged to have taken them.
April 19 2023, 5:01 a.m.: https://theintercept.com/2023/04/19/intercepted-podcast-pentagon-discord-leaks-national-security/
China readies supersonic spy drone unit, leaked document says
THE DISCORD LEAKS | China’s cutting-edge drone could give it a surveillance advantage during a possible military confrontation over Taiwan
April 18, 2023 at 7:06 p.m. EDT: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/04/18/china-supersonic-drone-taiwan-leaks/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 22 2023
THE DISCORD LEAKS
FBI leak investigators home in on members of private Discord server
Investigators have spoken to online friends of alleged leaker Jack Teixeira, who hung out and viewed secret documents in a gaming chatroom
Updated April 21, 2023 at 7:08 p.m. EDT|Published April 21, 2023 at 5:54 p.m. EDT
In at least one instance, the FBI has seized the electronic devices of a former member of the server, according to people familiar with the matter.
Former members of the server told The Post that Teixeira shared hundreds of classified documents, including transcriptions he typed out and photographs of documents that covered subjects ranging from battlefield updates on the war in Ukraine to insights into foreign countries and officials that the U.S. intelligence community is monitoring.
One former member of the server told law enforcement officials that Teixeira began sharing classified documents in December. But two others told The Post that he provided documents earlier than that, beginning around last summer.
The classified documents appeared to be restricted to members of the server during that time. Former members said there was an unspoken rule not to share them beyond the small circle.
(After checking out Minecraft on the internet and having it thrown at me during my college years as the game to play; I decided to hate Minecraft and have always considered it a child's game, at best. As hard as I try I can never consider myself a child or anything like a child. I doubt the sanity of any adult in this day and age that considers themselves like a child or claims to have the same likes as a child.)
On March 4, 10 documents appeared on “Minecraft Earth Map,” a Discord server focused on the popular video game. A user operating the account that posted the smaller tranche of images told The Post they obtained them on wow_mao.
Secret and top-secret documents were now available to thousands of Discord users, but the leak wouldn’t come to the attention of U.S. authorities for another month.
Read full article here.: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/21/discord-leak-fbi-investigation/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 26 2023
Audio: 911 calls provide new details on false Texas school threats
Audio of calls received from Fort Worth and Tyler Police Departments after public information request
Published: Apr. 21, 2023 at 7:57 PM CDT
TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - A KLTV public records request revealed new details in the wave of false active shooter threats that occurred on Thursday, April 13.
Eight universities and colleges were the subject of 911 calls, falsely claiming an active shooter was on each of the campuses. All of the calls came in to local authorities during the late morning. Although the voice in two of the calls sounds similar, authorities have not stated whether the school threats are connected at this time.
On the same day that the false threat occurred, Tyler Police Department released the 911 call to KLTV news. During the two minute call, the caller claimed that a shooter had shot 24 people in the I.T. room of Tyler Junior College’s West campus.
Read more here and listen here.: https://www.kltv.com/2023/04/22/audio-911-calls-provide-new-details-false-texas-school-threats/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated April 28 2023
Who is paying for the political ads in your social media feeds? Would voters think twice if they knew who was trying to influence their decisions? Is there any hope of relief from the corporate spending spree unleashed by Citizens United?
Thirteen years after the Supreme Court launched the dark money era in its disastrous Citizens United decision, untracked and underreported political spending continues to undermine our democracy. The current reality:
Wealthy individuals and corporations can anonymously skew elections in favor of their interests
Agents of foreign governments can easily exploit loopholes and sow disinformation via online ads
There is a lack of transparency — and a lack of voter trust — in who is funding political campaigns
But there is hope for change.
Call on Congress to increase transparency in online political advertising and stem the dark money flood.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/forms/sign-now-pass-the-honest-ads-act-and-disclose-act-now
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 02 2023
A federal judge on Monday lambasted Texas officials for challenging her authority to review...
Judge defends keeping eye on Texas’ overuse of mental health drugs on foster children
Monitors say Texas is overmedicating foster kids. State lawyers counter that reviews into medication are overreach.
3:48 PM on May 1, 2023, 8 Minutes Ago : https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/05/01/judge-defends-keeping-eye-on-texas-overuse-of-mental-health-drugs-on-foster-children/
Groups urge U.N. to call for abolition of Death by Incarceration during historic U.S. visit
Amid the historic visit of the U.N. Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement, we welcome the experts and the light they are shining on racial injustice in the U.S. criminal legal system and its roots in slavery and colonialism. Our groups work in coalition with other organizations participating in the visit on many interconnected issues – from policing and immigration enforcement to incarceration, political prisoners, and the death penalty – and we welcome EMLER’s examination of all aspects of the U.S. criminal legal system. We hope EMLER’s areas of focus during its visit include life imprisonment, which we call Death by Incarceration (DBI). This is the term people serving these sentences and their loved ones use to emphasize the reality of their impact: premature death in prison.
Learn more on our website.: https://ccrjustice.org/home/press-center/press-releases/groups-urge-un-call-abolition-death-incarceration-during-historic
‘Lie to Fly’ Is Part of Pilot Culture. An Air Force Doctor Wants to Change That
May 1, 2023 |
Continuing to fly without reporting troublesome medical symptoms “is overtly against regulations for U.S. military pilots because of aviation safety concerns and increased health risks to the pilot,” the study authors noted. “These data speak to the risk (both aviation safety and individual health-related) certain military pilots may willingly tolerate to avoid health care because of fear of losing their flying status.”: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-pilot-mental-health/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 03 2023
More People Arrested After Texas Mass Shooting and Manhunt
Authorities didn’t say why the people were taken into custody
Updated May 3, 2023 11:22 am ET : https://www.wsj.com/articles/more-people-arrested-after-texas-mass-shooting-and-manhunt-1c96f352
Got this link in a email from SPLC today.:
Male supremacy is a hateful ideology advocating for the subjugation of women and rigid gender roles.
Many of the core tenets of male supremacist ideologies are contradictory. Adherents maintain that women are incompetent yet conniving and manipulative. Some argue that women use feminism to oppress men, while other male supremacists seek to maintain and exploit existing structural gender inequality. Many male supremacists reduce women to their reproductive function – simultaneously shaming women for having sex while believing that sex is something women owe men or that should even be coerced out of them. United by the common goal of explicitly and implicitly oppressing women, and anyone whose gender diverges from rigid heteronormative archetypes, male supremacist tenets also undergird much of the far right.: https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/male-supremacy
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 04 2023
The woman crashed her car down a remote ravine. For eight terrifying days she was trapped, unable to call for help. When finally found she was critically dehydrated, leading to significant medical complications.
Her doctor said if her car had automatic crash notification – built-in technology that can automatically call for help in an emergency and give the precise location of the vehicle – she wouldn’t have suffered such severe trauma.
It’s estimated that more than 700 lives could be saved each year if all new vehicles had this safety feature. And while many new cars come with this technology, a CR analysis found that most automakers still require a subscription fee that can be upwards of $100 a year to keep this safety technology active – and will disable it if that fee isn’t paid!
We believe your safety shouldn’t come at a price! Join us in calling on automakers to include automatic crash notification for FREE always in all new vehicles!: https://action.consumerreports.org/nb-em-20230523cars-crashnotification
Uganda's Parliament Has Passed Its “Kill the Gays” Law
42 Tue, May 2, 2023 at 5:11 PM CDT·3 min read: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/ugandas-parliament-passed-kill-gays-221157599.html Got the lead to this story from a email I got from GayUSA. They discus it on their show here.: https://vimeo.com/823519246
Researchers described the sale as a "tasting menu for buying people's mental health data," with packaged lists of data ranging from "Consumers With Clinical Depression in the United States" to ones that identified users with attention deficiencies or bladder complications.
In the case of in-person treatment, much of this would be a HIPAA violation. But because BetterHelp is a virtual healthcare platform, many of its for-profit actions are not yet regulated by the FTC.: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/189/072/909/
Last week, all but eight Republican Senators voted against moving forward with the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, which requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to study the potential benefits of medical cannabis for veterans for conditions such as PTSD. :https://norml.org/act/support-medical-cannabis-research-and-access-for-veterans/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 05 2023
Police across US respond to fake 911 calls made by one 17-year-old, Texas cops say
MAY 05, 2023 1:12 PM
Over two dozen first responders, including police and medical personnel, descended upon a Texas home after a 911 caller said he murdered his mother there, police said. But upon arriving at the scene in Princeton, city law enforcement officials determined the call, which was placed on April 5, was inauthentic, according to a May 4 news release from the Collin County Sheriff’s Office.
Swatting is not a victimless crime, according to a 2013 report by the FBI. It has proven dangerous for victims, some of whom suffered heart attacks, and police. The process of dispatching dozens of first responders to a home is also expensive and can “cost thousands of dollars,” according to the FBI.:
Can 911 see a blocked number?
In fact even if you have an unlisted number or caller ID block, when you call 911 we still get your information. Furthermore, if you ever have a true emergency and dial 911, even if you hang up before the phone rings we will still get the information.: https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/emergency-operations/911-frequently-asked-questions/
From email I got from.; faithfulamerica.org
Disgraced retired general Michael Flynn's "ReAwaken America Tour" is one of the most glaring displays of toxic Christian nationalism we've seen since the January 6 insurrection.
Featuring baptisms, praise music, and a litany of evangelical speakers spreading hateful MAGA talking points in Jesus's hijacked name, these pro-Trump political rallies are designed to radicalize Christians, use the church as a vehicle for QAnon misinformation, and seize power for conservative white evangelicals at any cost.
The ReAwaken America Tour is a threat to democracy and a perversion of the Gospel.:
I am very quick to agree with that sentence. Anybody ever heard of Separation and Church and State?: https://constitutionalrightsblog.blogspot.com/p/constitutional-rights-blog-separation.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 07 2023
Texas mall massacre gunman Mauricio Garcia ‘had neo-Nazi beliefs’
May 7, 2023 ‘had, beliefs, garcia, gunman, massacre, mauricio, neo-nazi, texas
Texas mall massacre gunman Mauricio Garcia ‘had neo-Nazi beliefs’
The Texas mall shooter has been named as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia.
Garcia, 33, killed eight people – including children – before being shot himself at Allen Premium Outlets on May 6. Investigators now believe he may have been a white supremacist or neo-Nazi who followed extremist ideologies.
The killer fired more than 100 times during his rampage, and he had more ammunition and guns in his car – from which he emerged before the carnage.
Dressed in tactical gear and armed with an AR-15 and a handgun, Garcia opened fire outside an H&M ( Hennes & Mauritz ) store on a busy Saturday afternoon in Allen, Texas.: https://en.cedarnews.net/42664/task/texas-mall-massacre-gunman-mauricio-garcia-had-neo-nazi-beliefs/
As far as I can tell Hennes and Mauritz are Jewish names.
At least, no matter what; this is worth mentioning.:
Texas ranks fifth in Anti-Defamation League 2022 antisemitic incident audit
The state saw its largest increase in vandalism, which increased by 71 incidents from 2021 to 2022. April 4, 2023 10:03 am...: https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/antisemitism-texas-anti-defamation-league-adl-audit-fifth/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 10 2023
The lawyer whose sex trafficking case against Instagram could spell trouble for big tech
Annie McAdams represents clients who claim Meta’s products connect vulnerable people with sex buyers
Wed 10 May 2023 08.00 EDT
Last modified on Wed 10 May 2023 09.40 EDT
On 14 March 2022, Annie McAdams, a personal injury lawyer running a small firm in Houston, Texas, filed a civil action suit on behalf of one of her clients. The plaintiff was a 23-year-old woman, who had endured years of sexual exploitation at the hands of a convicted trafficker. The defendant was one of the most powerful technology companies in the world.
Contained within McAdams’s federal suit was a series of allegations that Meta – the owner of Facebook and Instagram, which are used by more than 3 billion people every day – had knowingly created a breeding ground for human trafficking and was actively facilitating the buying and selling of people for sex online.: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/may/10/lawyer-sex-trafficking-case-against-instagram-could-spell-trouble-for-big-tech
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 12 2023
Man arrested after Texas child gives bus driver note asking to call 911
Updated: May 11, 2023 / 12:58 PM PDT
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – A man from Odessa, Texas, was arrested earlier this week after a child passed a note to her bus driver asking for help on Tuesday.: https://www.kron4.com/news/national/man-arrested-after-texas-child-gives-bus-driver-note-asking-to-call-911/
Did US Send Nuclear AEGIS Missiles To Ukraine?!
Did the United States just send nuclear capable AEGIS missiles to Ukraine?! Take a look at the claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Report blasts Russia over nuclear threats, slowed progress | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and ...
HIROSHIMA--Experts are condemning Russia in a new report for deepening the rift among nuclear powers through the “nuclear intimidations” it made during its...
.19 hours ago: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14894856
Medical Examiner? Really? All these people claiming they are healthcare workers; when they are actually paperwork only. Nevertheless; this guy must have been keeping up with his medical training classes.:
How the Collin County Medical Examiner handled the mass shooting in Allen
"It is so hard to do my service to the shooter because you're angry too. We are human beings. But it's not my job to judge," Dr. Su said.: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/how-collin-county-medical-examiner-handled-mass-shooting-allen-texas/287-8b0f73af-8e99-462e-9379-5466a238a961
Loved ones sue social media companies over Buffalo massacre
Loved ones of those killed in the Buffalo grocery story mass shooting filed a wrongful death lawsuit Friday against a number of social media companies.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 13 2023
I have been saying this for years; do away with social media and these mass murders will stop or at least be less often. It always seems there is a social media footprint leading up to these horrific events. The evidence is overwhelming that social media and mass murders are closely related; even part of the motive.
Texas mall shooter ranted against Jews, women and racial minorities on apparent social media page
May 8, 2023, 6:59 PM UTC / Updated May 8, 2023, 10:14 PM UTC
In the weeks before the attack, Garcia posted more than two dozen photos of Allen Premium Outlets, where an officer killed him after the shooting Saturday, and surrounding areas, including several screenshots of Google location information, seemingly monitoring the mall at its busiest times.
He also posted photos of a flak vest emblazoned with patches, one of them with the initials for "Right Wing Death Squad," a popular meme among far-right extremist groups. Another post included a series of shirtless pictures with visible white power tattoos, including SS lightning bolts and a swastika.: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-mall-shooter-shared-extremist-beliefs-jews-women-apparent-social-rcna83336
Texas Mall Shooter Mauricio Garcia Posted Threatening Messages, Photos Of Tactical Gear And Nazi Tattoos On Russia Social Media Platform Ok.Ru
print
May 10, 2023
Nazi tattoos, racist vitriol and shooting plans: Texas mall gunman Mauricio Garcia’s white supremacist social media footprint
Law enforcement officials are investigating the 33-year-old gunman’s apparent profile
A federal law enforcement bulletin notes that the FBI’s “review and triage of the subject’s social media accounts revealed hundreds of postings and images to include writings with racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist rhetoric, including neo-Nazi materials and material espousing the supremacy of the white race.”
During the attack, he was reportedly wearing a patch reading “RWDS,” an acronym for “Right Wing Death Squad” – a flak jacket with the patch appears on the ok.ru profile.
“RWDS” has appeared at neo-Nazi gatherings, far-right protests and other events attracting Proud Boys members and other fascist groups within the years after the 2016 election.: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/mauricio-garcia-allen-mall-shooting-nazi-video-b2336234.html
The "Right Wing Death Squad" patch worn by the Allen Premium Outlets shooter is something that is worn and sold by the Proud Boys. I've seen groups of Proud Boys at various protests and events in the north Texas area near Allen. I've even been threatened by them while reporting.: https://twitter.com/stevanzetti/status/1655318111304708097
Far-right extremists pose rising threat in North Texas around election, FBI’s Dallas office says
8:16 PM on Oct 1, 2020 CDT
In the presidential debate, Trump also urged another controversial group, called the Proud Boys, to “stand back and stand by.”: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2020/10/01/far-right-extremists-pose-rising-threat-in-north-texas-around-election-fbis-dallas-office-says/
Biden to graduates of historically Black Howard University: U.S. history hasn’t been a ‘fairy tale’
May 13, 2023, 2:45 PM CDT / Source: Associated Press
”But on the best days enough of us have the guts and the hearts to stand up for the best in us,” he continued. “To choose love over hate, unity over disunion, progress over retreat.”: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/biden-howard-students-us-history-hasnt-fairy-tale-rcna84303
Collin County medical examiner hustled to provide closure after Allen mall shooting
The second-deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. this year took place in a county where the officials who identify bodies and perform autopsies usually see one homicide every few weeks.
7:22 AM on May 13, 2023
“All of us have lots of pressure. We have to handle the emotion, too,” Su told The Dallas Morning News. “Because we feel angry about the shooter and we feel sad for the victims. But it’s our work. It’s our job.”
But, he added: “Compared to the loss of the families, this is nothing.”: dallasnews.com/news/crime/2023/05/13/collin-county-medical-examiner-hustled-to-provide-closure-after-allen-mall-shooting/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 16 2023
Japan hosts G7 leaders in Hiroshima to highlight risks of nuclear weapons, with modest hopes
Three G7 members -- the United States, Britain and France -- have nuclear arsenals, with Washington holding an estimated 5,244 warheads, according to the Federation of American Scientists
FP Staff May 16, 2023 10:22:42 IST
This week, Japan is hosting the G7 leaders in Hiroshima in an effort to highlight the risks of nuclear weapons and advance the cause of disarmament.
However, with China expanding its arsenal and North Korea and Russia making nuclear threats, there may not be much desire for aggressive action to achieve Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s stated objective of a “world free of nuclear weapons.”: https://www.firstpost.com/world/japan-to-push-disarmament-in-hiroshima-with-modest-hopes-12601682.html
Brandon Kidd tragically killed in Collin County motorcycle accident
May 16, 2023 EDT Updated: May 16, 2023 11:16 AM EDT
Friday's collision was at FM-1138 and County Road 541
COLLIN, TX, (May 12, 2023) - A Nevada, Texas man lost his life on Friday evening when his motorcycle was involved in a three-vehicle crash in Collin County.
Brandon Kidd died on Friday evening in a collision between his motorcycle and another motor vehicle in Collin County.
According to a Texas Department of Public Safety preliminary investigation, a 2022 Suzuki GSX motorcycle was traveling south on Farm-to-Market 1138.
This accident underscores the dangers that motorcyclists face on our roadways each day. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration National Center for Statistics and Analysis, in 2018 there were 4,985 motorcyclists killed on U.S. roadways.: https://www.thelegaladvocate.com/news/breaking/brandon-kidd-collin-county-motorcycle-crash-fm-1138-road-541
When you should have the privilege to see a bike like a 2022 Suzuki GSX motorcycle, you right a way: watch yourself and pay attention. Yet as usual these bike riders suffer prejudice on the American roadways. Not right!
Lahari from Texas found dead in Oklahoma.. In a tragic turn of events, the search campaign for a young professional from McKinney, Texas, has ended with the recovery of her body in Oklahoma. .1 hour ago: https://www.greatandhra.com/articles/special-articles/lahari-from-texas-found-dead-in-oklahoma-129289
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 18 2023
Thank you Montana; the state where I was born.:
Montana is first state to do complete TikTok ban
Associated Press Videos
Thu, May 18, 2023 at 11:12 AM CDT
Montana became the first state in the U.S. to enact a complete ban on TikTok on Wednesday when Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a measure that's more sweeping than any other state's attempts to curtail the social media app. (May 18): https://news.yahoo.com/montana-first-state-complete-tiktok-161211182.html
I still believe all social media should be banned or completely controlled by the government.
Five takeaways from elections in Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Florida
05/16/23 11:46 PM ET
A good night for Dems
Democrats had a lot to celebrate Tuesday night.
In one of the most closely watched races of the year, Democratic candidate Heather Boyd beat Republican Katie Ford in the special election for a Pennsylvania state House seat outside Philadelphia, allowing the Democrats to keep control of the state’s lower chamber.
The race was seen as particularly critical because Democrats feared the GOP would use a potential majority to push through restrictive measures relating to abortion and LGBTQ issues.
Meanwhile, in Jacksonville, Fla., Democrats scored an upset with Donna Deegan (D) winning the mayoral race against Republican Daniel Davis, who was backed by DeSantis. The election offered Democrats some relief given Duval County’s red leanings, suggesting that Democrats may still be able to compete in the state, even as Florida has trended Republican in recent years.
Meanwhile, in Colorado Springs, independent candidate Yemi Mobolade won the mayoral race against Republican Wayne Williams, a former Colorado secretary of state. The result was a blow to Republicans; Trump won El Paso County, which includes Colorado Springs, by 11 points in 2020. From: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4007904-five-takeaways-from-elections-in-kentucky-pennsylvania-and-florida/ Got lead to this story from GAY USA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYbXPQuUBBI
Last week, the Senate Banking Committee held a hearing on the SAFE Banking Act, which would help ensure access and accountability in the cannabis industry while allowing small businesses the opportunity to avoid huge barriers and fees for things as simple as checking accounts.
Immediately after the hearing, Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, along with Senators Cory Booker and Ron Wyden, released a joint statement of support for SAFE pending the addition of the bipartisan HOPE Act, which stands for Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungements.
Senators have been working on bipartisan negotiations to win marijuana policy reforms for more than a year, with legislation in the works to normalize legalization and expunge criminal records for minor offenses and THE VOTES ARE THERE.: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/action-tell-your-senator-to-pass-safe-banking-the-hope-act
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 19 2023
With Tucker Carlson gone, and Fox “News” paying a $787 million settlement to Dominion Voting Services for false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election, Fox is in the weakest position it has been in a long time.
What you might not know, if you are a cable subscriber, is that you have been helping fund the Fox propaganda machine with your subscriber fees – even if you never watch it!
This is because all the major cable companies actually pay Fox for the privilege of putting their lies and disinformation on the air. These payments are known as carriage fees, and they come straight from the fees that cable consumers pay for their bundles and packages. And right now, these carriage fees are up for negotiation.
Tell the cable companies to stop forcing their customers to subsidize right-wing hate, lies, and disinformation! Click below to sign and send your direct message to the CEOs of Comcast, Charter, Xfinity, and Cox Cable.: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/deplatform-fox?
Atomic bomb survivors look to G7 summit in Hiroshima as a 'sliver of hope' for nuclear disarmament
Holding this week’s Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, the site of the world’s first atomic bomb attack, is an attempt by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to promote an anti-nuclear message
Associated Press
May 19, 2023, 3:37 AM
The United States conducted the world’s first atomic attack on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, destroying the city and killing 140,000 people. It dropped a second bomb three days later on Nagasaki, killing another 70,000. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II.
An estimated 12,705 warheads were in nuclear inventories as of 2022, most of them held by the United States and Russia, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/atomic-bomb-survivors-g7-summit-hiroshima-sliver-hope-99450747
Collin County Conservative Republicans: Happy Mother's Day — Unless You're Trans
MAY 16, 2023 8:00AM
On Sunday morning, the political organization published a contentious statement to Facebook.
“Happy Mother’s Day to all of the women who actually gave birth,” the post read. “This is not a day for girly men.”
While it isn’t shocking that conservatives would further work to alienate transgender folks at a time when transphobia is skyrocketing in Texas and beyond, it’s slightly more surprising that they’d be so brazen in admitting it.: https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/collin-county-conservative-republicans-post-anti-trans-mothers-day-message-16589351
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 22 2023
Meta fined record $1.3 billion and ordered to stop sending European user data to US
LONDON (AP) — The European Union slapped Meta with a record $1.3 billion privacy fine Monday and ordered it to stop transferring users’ personal information across the Atlantic by October, the latest salvo in a decadelong case sparked by U.S. cybersnooping fears.
The penalty of 1.2 billion euros is the biggest since the EU’s strict data privacy regime took effect five years ago, surpassing Amazon’s 746 million euro fine in 2021 for data protection violations.
Meta, which had previously warned that services for its users in Europe could be cut off, vowed to appeal and ask courts to immediately put the decision on hold.
The company said “there is no immediate disruption to Facebook in Europe.” The decision applies to user data like names, email and IP addresses, messages, viewing history, geolocation data and other information that Meta — and other tech giants like Google — use for targeted online ads.: https://apnews.com/article/meta-facebook-data-privacy-fine-europe-9aa912200226c3d53aa293dca8968f84
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 23 2023
Look; Derrick Johnson is saying the things I always say.* I sincerely appreciate the NAACP; they are great Americans.:
"Under the leadership of Governor Desantis, the state of Florida has become hostile to Black Americans and *in direct conflict with the democratic ideals that our union was founded upon."
- Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP
This weekend, the NAACP issued a formal travel advisory for Florida in response to Governor Ron DeSantis' aggressive attempts to erase Black history and restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools.
This is a state that so clearly devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced, by Black Americans and other marginalized groups. Gov. DeSantis’ decisions to ban an AP course on African American Studies and to sign a bill defunding DEI programs were deliberate attempts at erasing Black history, culture, and identity from Florida’s education system. It’s policies like these that perpetuate the systemic disregard of the contributions made by Black Americans and other people of color in the United States.
You and I both know that failing to teach an accurate representation of the horrors and inequalities that Black Americans have faced and continue to face is a disservice to students and a dereliction of duty. Our students deserve better. Sign petition.: https://naacp.org/actions/florida-unsafe-black-americans
TELL PRESIDENT BIDEN: Commute Billie Allen’s sentence and abolish the death penalty
Billie Jerome Allen has been on federal death row for over half his life. Now 45, Allen was just 19 at the time of the crime for which he was sentenced to death in 1998.
Allen is one of 43 men who remain on federal death row, despite President Biden’s promises to eliminate the death penalty at the federal level. The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman punishment that violates the right to life.
Will you be one of the 500 people we need to tell President Biden to use his constitutional authority to commute the death sentence of Billie Allen and all others on federal death row? Sign petition.: https://act.amnestyusa.org/page/125122/action/1
Please Schedule a Hearing for Medical Cannabis Improvements!
UPDATE: HB1805 passed the House and has been assigned to the Water, Agriculture & Rural Affair Committee, where it is pending being scheduled for a hearing.
HB 1805 amends the Texas Compassionate Use Program so that physicians may recommend certain products containing fixed levels of THC to patients with “a condition that causes chronic pain, for which a physician would otherwise prescribe an opioid.” It also empowers state health officials, rather than lawmakers, to add additional qualifying conditions. The measure also replaces the THC cap by instituting a volumetric dose of 10mg.
Please ask the Lt Governor and Senate Committee members to support this important legislation's timely advancement. Send letter.: https://www.texasnorml.org/pls-schedule-senate-hearing-hb1805/ also: Link to phone numbers and call script.: https://www.texasnorml.org/mmj-finish-line/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 27 2023
From email I got from.: https://www.collindemocrats.org/
We wanted to start off this rally acknowledging all the military families who have given the ultimate sacrifice of a loved one to keep our country free. We know that a simple post or thank you will never be enough, but we at CCDP think it is important to always strive to show our gratitude.
In the USA, even with all of our issues, we are a free country. That freedom comes with a price and it is those who have given their all so that we can live free. Remember, freedom is not free.
Thank you.
Over 400 Black Women and Girls Are Missing in the City of Oakland
Oakland-based organizations and activists are sounding the alarm on the terrifying rate of abduction of Black girls and women in the city. Of the 1,500 people that are missing in Oakland, nearly one third of them are Black women — a wildly disproportionate and alarming rate.
“China’s Nuclear Subs: Impact on Canada’s Discourse | GVS Analysis”
May 27, 2023
A decade ago, experts in foreign policy and defense described a potential military conflict between the United States and China as “unthinkable.” However, recent events have made it clear that this possibility is now being considered.: https://www.globalvillagespace.com/canada/chinas-nuclear-subs-impact-on-canadas-discourse-gvs-analysis/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 29 2023
Biden recognizes nation’s ‘sacred obligation’ to military families in Memorial Day speech
Published 1:03 PM EDT, Mon May 29, 2023
“Every year as a nation, we undertake this right of remembrance, for we must never forget the price that was paid to protect our democracy. We must never forget the lives these flags, flowers and marble markers represent,” he said during his speech at Arlington National Cemetery, famed for its rows upon rows of white marble headstones. “A mother, a father, son or daughter, sister, spouse, a friend, an American – every year we remember, every year it never gets easier.”: https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/29/politics/joe-biden-memorial-day-speech/index.html
What should we say instead? The COSF suggests wishing someone a meaningful Memorial Day rather than a happy one, or encouraging loved ones to help remember those who have served. Above all, it's important to remember the purpose behind the three-day weekend.1 day ago
Observing Memorial Day without saying "Happy Memorial Day": https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/should-you-really-say-happy-memorial-day-this-monday-veterans-service-military-moment-of-silence-observance-code-of-support-foundation
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 30 2023
The transition to hospice care can be an incredibly difficult time. The last thing a hospice patient or their family needs is to worry about a pet being taken away because they do not have the capacity to fully care for it. Pet Peace of Mind hopes to change that.
Pets deserve to stay with their beloved owners, even if those owners are sick or limited in their capacity. This incredible program allows owners to keep their furry friends close by their side when they need them most.
While this program is absolutely incredible, it is small and rare: most hospice care locations do not offer support for pets. That's why we must tell HCA Healthcare, one of the largest healthcare networks in the country, to partner with this program and implement pet hospice care across all of their facilities!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/997/010/726/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 31 2023
A Child Sex Scandal Rocked a Texas Town in 2005 — but Was It All a Lie?
Published on May 31, 2023 08:52 AM
“The truth of the matter is it didn’t happen. It never happened,”: https://people.com/how-to-create-a-sex-scandal-documentary-alleged-mineola-child-pedophile-ring-7504808
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated June 01 2023
Employers in the United States are not required to pay tipped workers the federal minimum wage. Instead, the minimum wage for tipped workers, called the subminimum wage, is just $2.13 per hour in forty-three states.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) only requires an employer to pay a tipped worker the subminimum wage if that amount combined with tips equals the full federal minimum wage. However, due to weak enforcement, huge numbers of employers often engage in wage theft.
In addition to financial stability for workers, the restaurant industry thrives in states where tipped workers receive equal treatment and are paid the FULL federal minimum wage in addition to their tips.
Join Real Populists and sign the petition urging Congress to level the playing field and end the federal subminimum wage!
I copied some of the latest Google News articles about social media. You read them and decide if social media is either destroying us all or contributing positively to our society. :
Park district shuts down pool early after social media ‘trend’ post
The Park District of Forest Park announced that it will be closing the Aquatic Center at 4:30 p.m. on June 1 after receiving a report of a Snapchat “trend”...: https://www.forestparkreview.com/2023/06/01/park-district-shuts-down-pool-early-after-social-media-trend-post/
Social media influencer ‘ambushed,’ killed while riding in Uber
ATLANTA — A Guyanese social media influencer died early Tuesday when she was shot while riding in an Uber in an apparent ambush in Atlanta, WSB-TV reported.: https://www.wpxi.com/news/trending/social-media-influencer-ambushed-killed-while-riding-uber/V36DTSRVJBA25FQYKISWNKK3B4/
Harford County Public Schools Files Suit Against Major Social Media Firms, Citing Detriment To Youth Mental Health
Harford County Public Schools is suing major social media firms like Meta, Google, ByteDance, and Snap Inc., alleging that their platforms harm students'...: https://havredegrace.patch.com/g/havre-de-grace-md/n/162055/harford-county-public-schools-files-suit-against-major-social-media
Opaque Suspicions About Social Media And Our Kids Are Becoming Clear
A little over a week ago, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy affirmed what a growing number of officials, mental health and crisis intervention experts,...: http://www.newtownbee.com/06012023/opaque-suspicions-about-social-media-and-our-kids-are-becoming-clear/
New Law Threatens Major Change to Social Media Platforms | Daily News Now
A newly proposed law in California has caused ripples through the world of social media and journalism this week as it has continued through the state...: https://original.newsbreak.com/@daily-news-now-1602563/3044957839341-new-law-threatens-major-change-to-social-media-platforms
Did Jamie Foxx get blood clot in brain, left blind, paralyzed due to Covid vaccine? Rumor goes viral on social media
A rumor is going viral that Jamie Foxx got a blood clot in his brain, and was left blind, and paralyzed. The actor got blood clot and was paralyzed after...: https://opoyi.com/entertainment/did-jamie-foxx-get-blood-clot-in-brain-left-blind-paralyzed-due-to-covid-vaccine-rumor-goes-viral-on-social-media/
Behavioral health manager believes increased social media use is impacting children’s mental health
Some local health care providers are concerned about an increasing number of children with mental health concerns.
NewsBreak
The Impact of Social Media on Youth Mental Health
DULUTH, Minn. — The deep sea of social media is vast and ever-evolving; and as experts report, it continues to impact the...
.5 hours ago: https://www.newsbreak.com/duluth-mn/3044684095176-the-impact-of-social-media-on-youth-mental-health
French parliament expected to pass law regulating 'jungle' of social media influencers
The upper house Senate of France's parliament was Thursday due to pass a law that will better regulate social media influencers by limiting and regulating...
Colorado teen killed 'car surfing,' cops issue warning against social media challenge
A Colorado teen has been killed in a rollover crash while “car surfing,” prompting authorities this week to warn against the dangerous social media...
Cow pee drinkers are becoming social media stars in India—and pushing dangerous claims
Social media influencers in India are building a base of fans pitching cow urine, or gaumutra, as a cure-all.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated June 02 2023
Police find 45 bags containing human remains in Mexico
Published: Jun. 2, 2023 at 9:45 AM CDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
The country has been troubled by an epidemic of disappearances with more than 100,000 Mexicans and migrants still missing.: https://www.wilx.com/2023/06/02/police-find-45-bags-containing-human-remains-mexico/
The Texas Tribune
Facing youth prison crisis, Texas lawmakers opt to build new facilities and funnel more kids to adult system
For more than a decade, Texas has been trying to slim down its youth prison system, which has been plagued by years of abuse scandals. 9 hours ago: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/06/02/texas-youth-prison-crisis/
‘Largest nurses strike in Texas history’: Ascension Seton nurses vote to authorize strike
A union that represents 900 registered nurses at Ascension Seton Medical Center said Thursday that 98% of its members authorized a one-day strike at the...10 hours ago: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/largest-nurses-strike-in-texas-history-ascension-seton-nurses-vote-to-authorize-strike/
Male guards at Elizabeth Holmes' Texas prison 'carried out shower checks', ex-inmate claims
An ex-inmate at the Texas women's-only prison where scorned Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is serving 11 years claims male prison guards 'carried out...: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12152655/Male-guards-Elizabeth-Holmes-Texas-prison-carried-shower-checks-ex-inmate-claims.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated June 03 2023
A shocking new report from federal monitors of the NYC Rikers Island jail complex reveals that city leadership is withholding data related to death and injuries happening every day in the jail—including a case where a man was brutally beaten then left naked and ignored for hours.
Now they have gone one step further: trying to hide the deaths of incarcerated people from the press. In the last two weeks, the NYC Department of Correction has abruptly stopped notifying the media when an incarcerated person dies in its facilities, hiding the true impact of incarceration from the public and policymakers alike.
At least 22 people have died in New York City jails since the start of last year. Rikers Island must be closed for good. Join Vera in demanding that NYC delivers on its commitment to close Rikers Island and end persistent human rights abuses in its horrific jails. Add your name to show your support today >>: https://secure.vera.org/a/take-action-rikers-060123-1
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated June 06 2023
Add your name to prioritize kids' safety online over Big Tech's bottom line.
Apple, Etsy, Salesforce, Samsung, and other big tech companies are part of an industry group, TechNet, which is lobbying against state and federal legislation that will make social media and online platforms safer for young people.
Multiple reports this year alone make it clear that social media's impacts can be detrimental to the health and well-being of children, and Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy just recently warned that social media can be a "profound risk" to youth.: Please sign this petition.: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/tell-these-companies-to-stop-lobbying-against-children-s-well-being
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated June 07 2023
New York City sues Kia and Hyundai over car thefts that went viral on TikTok
2 hours ago: https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/7/23752535/new-york-city-sues-kia-hyundai-car-theft-kia-boys-tiktok
I will not check the following link I am sending you. I do not want to know some stuff.:
1,225 active hate and antigovernment extremist groups were documented across the U.S. in 2022.: https://www.splcenter.org/year-hate-extremism-2022
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated June 08 2023
In this undated photo provided by family, pilot Jeff Hefner smiles from the cockpit of a...
Retired Southwest Airlines pilot helmed the unresponsive plane in sonic boom over D.C.
Jeff Hefner’s career with the Dallas-based carrier spanned 25 years and more 25,000 hours of flying experience.: https://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2023/06/08/retired-southwest-airlines-pilot-helmed-the-unresponsive-plane-in-sonic-boom-over-dc/
Supreme Court rules in favor of Black voters in Alabama redistricting case
The Supreme Court has issued a surprising 5-4 ruling in favor of Black voters in a congressional redistricting case, ordering the creation of a second district with a large Black population.: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/courts/2023/06/08/supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-black-voters-in-alabama-redistricting-case/
Bloomberg Law News
Surgeon General Calls for Age Restriction on Social Media Access
US Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy said Thursday imposing age restrictions on social media access, protecting children's data privacy, and requiring data...: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/surgeon-general-calls-for-age-restriction-on-social-media-access
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated June 10 2023
Add your name: Christians oppose Uganda's "kill the gays" law
Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni recently signed one of the most shocking, hateful, and harmful pieces of anti-LGBTQ legislation in the entire world -- and the American religious right played a key role in laying the groundwork for it.
Proponents of the Ugandan bill have tellingly nicknamed this new rule the "kill the gays" law, because it would punish queer people and their allies with long prison sentences -- and in some cases, even death.
American Christian fundamentalists like Focus on the Family, evangelical activist Scott Lively, and the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) have been building anti-LGBTQ sentiment in Africa for decades. Now, their work is paying off -- with devastating results.
Thankfully, many Christians are pushing back. Pope Francis denounced anti-LGBTQ laws like Uganda's as an "injustice," clearly stating that "homosexuality is not a crime." And global Anglican and Presbyterian leaders have agreed.
All LGBTQ people are made in the image of God, period. Let's make it clear to the press and the public that we won't sit back while the global far right abuses our faith and their authority to punish people for loving who they love.
It's important for social-justice Christians here in America to take a close look at what is happening to LGBTQ people in Uganda right now. The same religious-right forces that made this horrific law possible are using a similar playbook here at home -- and they're gaining momentum.
Just this week, the Human Rights Campaign declared its first-ever national state of emergency for LGBTQ Americans, citing a record number of state-level bills attacking queer people -- bills pushed by Christian-nationalist organizations like ADF, a Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate group that also operates in Africa.
Not only are the same organizations pushing anti-LGBTQ laws across Africa and America, they're also using the same strategy to wrongly turn queer people into villains in the public eye. Here's how the Rev. Dr. Kapya Kaoma -- a Zambian pastor and scholar -- explained what he's seeing on the ground to the Tampa Bay Times:
"These Christian fundamentalists go into a country like Zambia (my homeland), which has been historically accepting of homosexuality, and they preach that gays are coming to rape your children… they are told it's about their children, and that the 'homosexual agenda' is a threat to their family, nation, and faith."
Jesus commanded us to do as he did: Love our neighbors without exception, no matter what country they live in or who they love. Let's speak out against the hatred and homophobia that's being perpetrated in Christianity's hijacked name in Uganda, and show the world that American Christians oppose anti-LGBTQ legislation everywhere.: https://act.faithfulamerica.org/sign/uganda-lgbtq/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated June 15 2023
I'm Erica Shelby, a tribal advocate, writing to ask for your help on the tragic case of Mika Josephine Westwolf, a 22-year-old Native American woman living in Montana, who was killed on March 31 as she was walking home along Highway 93.1
The circumstances surrounding her death are tragic and mysterious—the key suspect has ties to the white supremacist Aryan Nations, the Montana Highway Patrol is refusing to release body camera and dash camera footage, and the family and I are not aware of any investigative requests for nearby businesses to provide surveillance videos.: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/justice-for-mika-westwolf-mikamatters
As we approach Juneteenth, we wanted to take a moment to emphasize the significance of this important holiday. Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States.
On June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to proclaim the end of slavery, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued.
Juneteenth stands as a powerful reminder of the struggles and resilience of African Americans throughout history. It serves as a time for reflection, education, and celebration of freedom, equality, and justice.
By acknowledging and honoring Juneteenth, we not only recognize the immense contributions and achievements of African Americans, but also reaffirm our commitment to fostering an inclusive society that values diversity and respects the rights of all individuals.
Let us come together to observe Juneteenth and continue the journey toward a more just and equitable future for everyone. From email I got from.: https://www.collindemocrats.org
Texas prison officials change 'strange' policy that kept some women in solitary in gowns
June 15, 2023 at 11:46 AM CDT
A policy that provided only white gowns to women prisoners in solitary confinement is coming to an end.
The update came shortly after TPR reported the story of women protesting that they were only issued what some described as nightgowns.
Last fall, female inmates at the TDCJ’s Security Detention — also known as solitary confinement — went outside for their allowed outdoor recreation.
The policy, which had been called “strange” by prison researchers, raised criticisms concerning the treatment of the women, allegations of humiliation and questions around basic human dignity.
The only time women in solitary are issued another clothing item is when they have a visitor. At that point, they receive a jumper. The jumper must be returned at the end of their visits.
“To my knowledge, this is the only state that I have heard of this. This is the first time I'd ever heard of this,” said Vivian Aranda-Hughes, a criminology professor at the University of Colorado, who focuses on incarcerated women.
said Michele Deitch, director of the Prison and Jail innovation Lab at the University of Texas at Austin. “I'm having trouble coming up with a justification other than an effort to humiliate them and make them feel less than fully human,” she said.
“How would anyone feel if they were wearing a nightgown 24/7?” she asked.
She said that many states have adopted policies of not allowing men to guard women in these situations. Texas has not, which affects the women there.
"It gets hot, and you only have a gown in your cell, and [we] take it off. Then you’re just in your panties and bra,” Arambula explained. Read full article here.: https://www.keranews.org/criminal-justice/2023-06-15/texas-prison-officials-change-strange-policy-that-kept-some-women-in-solitary-in-gowns
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated June 19 2023
Where notable Dallas freedman’s towns built by former slaves stand 150 years later
With Juneteenth just days away, we examine the history and modern struggles faced by freedman’s towns, communities built by Black former slaves after the Civil War.
6:02 AM on Jun 17, 2023
Juneteenth marks the anniversary of the day the last slaves in the U.S. were told in Galveston that they were free.
Some of these freed slaves went on to form freedmen’s towns, historic communities founded across the South from 1865 to 1930, according to the Texas State Historical Association. These communities are also called freedom colonies or Black settlements.: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/from-the-archives/2023/06/17/where-notable-dallas-freedmans-towns-built-by-former-slaves-stand-150-years-later/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated June 20 2023
Arts & Culture
New York Army National Guard Sgt. William Henry Johnson, circa 1919.
The U.S. Army renames a base in honor of Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black WWI hero
VIDEO: Shelter Dogs Given Second Chance in Service
Symphony Violin Competition Showdown:https://dallasexpress.com/lifestyle/video-shelter-dogs-given-second-chance-in-service/
Jun 19, 2023
Researchers have discovered phosphorus — an element essential for life — emanating from Saturn’s moon Enceladus.: https://dallasexpress.com/health/saturn-moon-discovery-renews-search-for-life/
China negotiating with Havana about joint military training facility in Cuba: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/20/china-negotiating-with-havana-about-joint-military-training-facility-in-cuba-00102636
Why China still refuses to resume military dialogue with US: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3224794/why-china-still-refusing-resume-military-dialogue-us-despite-antony-blinkens-latest-appeal
ADD YOUR NAME: To end forced prison labor.:
Emancipation was not the end of racism and, in many ways, it wasn’t even the end of slavery in the United States.
For the nearly two million people held in the United States prison system, slavery is still legal. If this “exception” seems racist, cruel, and inhumane, we urge you to add your name and say you support an end to slavery in the prison system.
Ad your name here.: https://secure.vera.org/a/end-forced-labor
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated June 24 2023
Outside workers expected to lose break requirements as heatwave soars through Texas
KERA | By Andrew Schneider | Houston Public Media
Published June 23, 2023:
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated June 28 2023
Obviously there are some of these LGBTQ books that maybe should not be banned. We need to figure out which ones are which. Maybe we should be able to receive a PDF of these books that are more supported to be approved. I would have apriciated a book explaining about LGBTQ folks when I was young.:
Progressive org demands school district ban the Bible after it banned other “obscene” books
An anti-LGBTQ+ group got several books banned. Now progressives are demanding the district hold the Bible to the same standard as other books.
June 28, 2023: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/06/progressive-org-demands-school-district-ban-the-bible-after-it-banned-other-obscene-books/
Texas inmate dies while working in Huntsville heat
Posted: Jun 27, 2023 / 05:25 PM CDT
“[She said] he was a model inmate and was always willing to help and lead other inmates in a positive way,” Neshyba said. “She said just [Friday] he was up and ready to go out and get to work.”
“It’s absolutely inhumane, heartless, and senseless,” Neshyba said. “Someone needs to be held accountable for this cruel act.”:
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 02 2023
China and Russia 'trying to mine the moon' to create 'cosmic nuclear weapons'
Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey, head of UK Space Command, warned Russian and Chinese leaders are quietly pumping 'billions' into space exploration and the development of 'cosmic' nuclear weapons
2 JUL 2023
China and Russia are feared to be plotting to build “cosmic” nukes using vital minerals mined from the moon.
The head of UK Space Command Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey warned Russian and Chinese leaders are quietly pumping “billions” into space exploration and the development of deadly arsenals developed from drilling in space.
He added: “Asteroid mining will be a thing in our lifetime.”
READ MORE: Putin set to invade the moon with £20million rocket heading for the Lunar South Pole: https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/putin-invade-moon-20million-rocket-30339472
Vice-Marshal Godfrey also warned Beijing was looking at plundering the moon for minerals after a test mission in 2020 discovered a new phosphate mineral named Changesite-(Y) that could be used as fuel for nuclear fusion.: https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/china-russia-trying-mine-moon-30374301
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 06 2023
VIDEO: Solar Flare Causes Radio Blackout
Jul 5, 2023
NASA announced that a strong solar flare was emitted from the sun on Friday.
A solar flare is a type of explosion on the surface of the sun that occurs when “twisted” magnetic fields release massive amounts of solar energy and material into space, according to The European Space Agency. While these events do not have the destructive potential of a coronal mass ejection, they do affect the ionosphere, as well as radio communications.
A powerful solar flare is just one of the many ways ChatGPT predicted an end to life on Earth could come about, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.: https://dallasexpress.com/health/video-solar-flare-causes-radio-blackout/
Medical City Healthcare’s Tips Amidst North Texas Heatwave
The healthcare provider says that it has experienced a 30% increase in heat-related emergency cases
I hope everyone is staying safe and hydrated and always mindful that heat can make us in a bad mood. :
Older research suggests people tend to be more irritable, or even aggressive, during hotter months. Aug 12, 2022: https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/weather-and-mood
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 07 2023
Environmental group tested Texas beaches and found 90% potentially unsafe for swimming Many Texans head to the Gulf Coast to cool down in the dog days of summer but a new report from Environment Texas states that pathogens pose a risk at the...: https://www.ksat.com/news/texas/2023/07/07/environmental-group-tested-texas-beaches-and-found-90-potentially-unsafe-for-swimming/
I hope this is a very valuable lesson that the Collin County jail has learned. The next time a pregnant woman asks for help she should have whatever she wants on this earth; to procure the miracle of birth.:
Deep in my gut, I know that this could have been prevented if someone had given me help. The guards did the only thing they could do, which is to notify the medical staff. But the medical staff were indifferent. One nurse even told me that if I kept acting the way I was acting, that I would go back to maximum security.They threatened me with punishment. While all I did was beg for help.: https://www.themarshallproject.org/2023/07/07/texas-miscarriage-collin-county-jail-wellpath
Elite universities can and will continue to offer preferential treatment in their admissions to the children of alumni and donors. Legacy preferences effectively exacerbate discriminatory admissions practices by giving wealthy white students and families even more leverage.
One study revealed that legacy status was comparable in value to a 160-point gain on the SATs. At Harvard, 43% of white students from 2009 to 2014 were legacy admits or athletes. A study found only about a quarter of those students would have otherwise been accepted.
Sign the petition to Congress: Pass the Fair College Admissions for Students Act to prohibit universities from giving special treatment to legacy applicants.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 11 2023
Wealthy corporations like Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, and H&R Block brokered a sweetheart deal, promising to offer low-income taxpayers free software in exchange for the IRS not making a free filing program of its own. Of course, these companies then made the "free" options difficult to use by deploying deceptive design and misleading tactics to steer low-income filers to paid versions of their service when they are eligible to file for free.
Thanks to sustained advocacy, the IRS finally announced a new tax filing software that will go live for a select group in 2024. This question-based software will allow people to send their returns electronically to the government for free.
Americans shouldn’t have to pay wealthy corporations in order to use a program to file taxes online. A free alternative is possible, and everyone should have access. Join us in encouraging the IRS to make this software broadly available as soon as possible so everyone will have a public option for electronic tax filing.
Sign the petition: Tax prep should be free and easy. Support direct filing for tax returns.: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/support-direct-filing-for-tax-returns/
Congress is back in session today, and we need to hustle to ensure the Senate makes real progress towards passing the SAFE Banking Act before lawmakers take an extended break for August recess in three weeks.
Please contact your Senators TODAY and urge them to support the SAFE Banking Act!
The Senate Banking Committee held a hearing on this necessary legislation earlier this year, but despite the House of Representatives passing the bill seven times already, this is as far as the Senate has ever gotten.
We need your help to move SAFE Banking forward immediately. Small cannabis businesses and the responsible consumers they serve cannot afford to wait any longer.: https://norml.org/act/tell-your-senators-to-support-the-safe-banking-act/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 12 2023
Our nation is teetering on the edge of a regressive catastrophe. State by state, non-unanimous jury verdicts in death penalty cases are re-emerging, threatening to plunge us back into a dark chapter of our history, exacerbating systemic injustices, and forever silencing voices that deserve to be heard.
Florida recently passed a bill allowing non-unanimous jury verdicts in death penalty cases, joining Alabama, Missouri, and Indiana. If this stands, if merely eight out of twelve jurors vote for death, a defendant can be executed.
Sign the petition: Stand against non-unanimous jury laws across the nation.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/forms/sign-the-petition-oppose-non-unanimous-jury-verdicts
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 13 2023
The Fourth of July in the U.S. is often marked with both huge government fireworks displays as well as small unofficial neighborhood pyrotechnics.
But not only do these dangerous, loud, and bright explosives trigger PTSD episodes, harm people with sensory disorders, and terrify animals — they also create poisonously bad air quality for all of us and increase the risk of deadly raging fires.
That's why one state in the U.S. — Massachusetts — has completely banned consumer firework products and sales. All other U.S. states must follow Massachusetts's lead and ban consumer firework sales for good!
Under these bans, states can still put on official firework displays. They are just regulated and conducted by professionals. That means there's a much smaller chance that an errant firework will start the latest wildfire.
Additionally, bans would improve our air quality. Informal and unsafe neighborhood fireworks that last for days or weeks on end often cause dirty, smoky air to linger. This is terrible for our lungs, especially for the respiratory systems of children and elderly people.
All U.S. states should ban consumer firework sales! We must protect our neighbors, our pets, and our air! Sign the petition now if you agree!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/836/228/173/fireworks-hurt-our-lungs-and-initiate-wildfires.-why-do-u.s.-states-still-let-consumers-buy-them/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 15 2023
My (highly decorated police officer) dad; retired after 25 years on the force. He was a good man and led a good life. He obeyed the law to the letter; every day of his life, as far as I remember him. I think Andy Warhol died from that bullet wound many years after he got it. How is that for a intro to this story?
At the time of his death, Standridge did not receive the full honors that a death that occurred in the line of duty would entail. Although Standridge’s injuries from the day he was shot did not result in his immediate death, Black and Standridge’s son-in-law, Matt Baren, claimed that complications arose from the shooting that followed him for the rest of his life and eventually led to his death.: https://dallasexpress.com/city/dallas-cop-receives-honor-25-years-after-death/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 16 2023
This story really touched me. I remember when we lived in California we would go to the beaches no one went to, on weekday mornings. The seals would always come to see us in those spots. They are like people in many ways, their eyes and face have expression like that. Miss you California.
My dog used to try to skateboard because he wanted to be radical like me. I think animals admire us like that and mimic us; to be like us.:
A sea otter known as "841" in Santa Cruz, California has clearly had it with humans interfering in her natural habitat. The precocious, personality-filled animal has become famous in recent weeks for riding on surfboards, even stealing a few from surfers.
No humans have been harmed in the process. But authorities have labelled 841 as "aggressive," which could put her at risk of danger.
The coastal waters of the West Coast were once filled with sea otters. Then humans began hunting them nearly to the point of extinction, skinning them and using their furs as clothing. Today, sea otters are considered threatened, living in only 13% of their historic range, with much smaller populations.
According to experts, this sea otter's level of comfort with commandeering surfers' boards could be due to too much previous interaction with humans. That's why it's so important to never feed wild animals, and to always give them their space.
Local authorities have said they intend to educate the public about wildlife safety and relocate 841 to a new, more remote home. But we all know that many things could go wrong in that process.
Authorities must prioritize 841's safety in the process of finding her a newer, less-populated home! Sign the petition now to protect this sea otter! https://www.thepetitionsite.com/308/683/331/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 17 2023
“More than five Texans die every day from deadly fentanyl, and Texas continues to ramp up our efforts to combat the growing fentanyl crisis plaguing our state and the nation,” Abbott said in a statement. “Texans must come together to raise awareness of this deadly opioid to our family, friends, and communities, and the data published on this website will help Texans lead the fight against this deadly drug.”: https://dallasexpress.com/health/abbott-announces-fentanyl-death-dashboard/
A lawsuit filed by three former inmates says the Smith County Jail is keeping people detained for weeks beyond their sentences. It also alleges dozens more in the county, southeast of Dallas, may have suffered the same fate.
Complaints of inmates being held longer than their sentences have surfaced in other counties, including Dallas.
The suit, filed recently in federal court, claims Ladarion Hughes, Angela Alonzo, and Demarcus Lively were incarcerated beyond their sentences for 27, 33, and eight days, respectively.: https://www.keranews.org/news/2023-07-18/former-east-texas-inmates-accuse-smith-county-of-keeping-them-longer-than-their-sentences
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 19 2023
No permit, no safety training, and no background check: that’s what’s needed to carry a loaded gun in over half the country–nothing!
Florida has now become the 26th state to allow adults to carry handguns without a permit or license. Meanwhile, states that allow permitless carry continually see increases violence and death. Research has shown that weakening public carry laws is associated with a 13-15% increase in violent crime rates, and an 11% increase in rates of homicides committed with handguns.
If it takes a permit and training to drive a car, it should take a permit and training to to carry a gun. That's common sense, and even most gun owners would agree.
STOP! Join us and demand our elected officials oppose permitless carry of weapons!
Sign the petition: Oppose permitless carry of weapons.: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-oppose-permitless-carry-of-weapons-2
Congress is considering a new law that would place new burdens on online sellers. The COOL Online Act would take complicated Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements that were written for foreign manufacturers and force them on Americans selling online.
These requirements come with potentially hefty fines for every violation, even when it is the responsibility of manufacturers to ensure that products are properly marked.
Make your voice heard, and tell your Senators to oppose COOL for online sellers. : https://www.ebaymainstreet.com/campaign/2023-cool-campaign-s-1421
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 21 2023
His claim was raised in light of the state's problems executing three inmates last year. Two of those executions, those of Alan Miller and Kenneth Smith, were ultimately called off when prison officials could not access a suitable vein. Another inmate, Joe James, was put to death only after a three-hour delay.
The state subsequently reviewed its procedures, which was enough to convince the Supreme Court and lower courts that the execution could go ahead.
The Supreme Court's brief order did not explain its reasoning in allowing Barber's execution.: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/liberal-justices-blast-supreme-court-majority-allowing-alabama-executi-rcna95502
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 22 2023
Last month, thousands of people filled the streets of Mexico City standing up for animal rights and demanding change from the Mexican government.
Citizens are refusing to be silent amidst a wave of horrific animal abuse cases, including a recent tragedy in which a teenager tortured and killed a stray puppy and then posted about it on Facebook.
Protesters are asking for stronger penalties for perpetrators of animal abuse. They also want lawmakers to amend the Mexican Constitution to consider animals as sentient beings.
In the past seven years, lawmakers have attempted to pass three different initiatives to improve animal welfare in the country and failed. In the meantime, while these vital laws weren't passed, horrific abuses have continued to unfold. For example, earlier this year, a roadside camera captured a man throwing a little boy's dog into a vat of boiling oil, right in front of him.
Sign the petition to demand Mexico's Congress of the Union take the protesters' demands seriously and pass stronger animal protection laws!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/174/794/217/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 25 2023
Trevor Reed, Marine veteran freed from Russia in 2022, is injured while fighting in Ukraine, US says
Published 12:36 PM CDT, July 25, 2023:
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 27 2023
Research finds social media doesn't create polarization, but reinforces it
For years, regulators and activists have worried that social media companies' algorithms were dividing the United States with politically toxic posts and...
.1 hour ago Updated July 27, 2023 at 3:07 p.m. EDT|Published July 27, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. EDT: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/07/27/social-media-research-meta-political-views/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 28 2023
Having a wife who served honorably for our United States Army; I am all for this advancement in the problem that has plagued our military. Now if we could get a real push behind war and rape; world wide. Our military persecutes any rape during war and sets a great example for the world as far as these heinous crimes; that are committed by soldiers', who are supposed to be a example to others. The thought of a soldier committing crimes is wronger than wrong.
Biden Overhauls Military Justice Code, Seeking to Curb Sexual Assault The largest overhaul of the Uniform Code of Military Justice since its creation in 1950 removes commanders' authority over cases of sexual assault and a... .2 mins ago: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/28/us/politics/biden-military-sexual-assault.html
Published July 27, 2023 at 2:52 PM CDT
Before a pretrial hearing on March 3, 1910, the mob came into the courthouse and seized him, tied a rope around his neck and threw him from the second story window. Brooks was then dragged down Main Street and ultimately hanged from a telephone pole near the Elks arch in front of an estimated 5,000 people.: https://www.keranews.org/news/2023-07-27/allen-brooks-lynching-historical-marker-dallas-county
JULY 28, 2023
The officers, while attempting to take Mr. Rigoberto Barrientos to the ground, broke, and I mean, compound fractured his leg. They literally turned his leg backwards. They essentially severed his leg from his body. The injury was so severe the doctors could not reattach it. Instead, they had to amputate it below his knee. Mr. Barrientos was charged after the fact. At that point, they told him, you’re not under arrest. We can give you a ride wherever you want. So he was never under arrest. I’m not sure at what point they decided to add the charges to him, but eventually, they dropped them because to start off with a resistant arrest is a secondary charge. And there’s no element to meet that crime. Mr. Barrientos was charged after the fact. At that point, they told him, you’re not under arrest. We can give you a ride wherever you want. So he was never under arrest. I’m not sure at what point they decided to add the charges to him, but eventually, they dropped them because to start off with a resistant arrest is a secondary charge. And there’s no element to meet that crime. My point is that both these cases prove undoubtedly so that as long as police feel they are immune to the law, it is up to us, again, the people, to disabuse them of this notion. When police start to think they can rack up bogus tickets, make unnecessary arrests and literally snap a man’s leg off during a routine encounter, the task is left to cell phone cameras, indie journalists and YouTube channels to make sure that none of this ever happens again. That’s why independent journalists like myself and Stephen are so grateful for the cop watchers and citizen journalists we cover and speak to regularly. : https://therealnews.com/texas-sheriffs-fought-to-keep-this-body-cam-footage-secret-now-we-know-why
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 1st 2023
Yes, heat can affect your brain and mood. Here's why NPR Published July 31, 2023 at 4:01 AM CDT.: keranews.org/health-wellness/2023-07-31/yes-heat-can-affect-your-brain-and-mood-heres-why
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 3rd 2023
Top Medical Journals Publish Unprecedented Joint Call for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
"The nuclear-armed states must eliminate their nuclear arsenals before they eliminate us."
The editorial begins by noting that the hands of the Doomsday Clock are closer to midnight than ever before, reflecting mounting nuclear tensions amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Current nuclear arms control and nonproliferation efforts are inadequate to protect the world's population against the threat of nuclear war by design, error, or miscalculation," the editorial reads. "Modernization of nuclear arsenals could increase risks—for example, hypersonic missiles decrease the time available to distinguish between an attack and a false alarm, increasing the likelihood of rapid escalation.": https://www.commondreams.org/news/medical-journals-nuclear-weapons
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 4th 2023
I got this in a email from the Collin County Democrats.:
August is National Civility Month
National Civility Month is an annual observance dedicated to promoting and fostering civility, respect, and kindness in society. Held throughout the month of August, this initiative aims to raise awareness about the importance of civil behavior in various aspects of life, from personal interactions to online communication and public discourse.
We need more of this and less laughing and making fun of our democrats; for instance. As the struggle goes on to help all men created equal goes on, people should be more civil to each other over it. Even though it gets sometimes dramatic and even traumatic; the last thing is, is funny. As I always say though is: a sense of humor is vital for the survival of our own psyche. Making fun of people as they struggle for equality is not right in anyway. Here is a good link and worth reading.: https://www.holidaycalendar.io/holiday/national-civility-month
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 5th 2023
‘We almost died.’ Arkansas family recounts traumatic traffic stop by Frisco police
The news conference in Little Rock was the first time the family spoke about the July 23 traffic stop on the Dallas North Tollway.: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2023/08/04/we-almost-died-arkansas-family-recounts-traumatic-traffic-stop-by-frisco-police/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 6th 2023
McKinney is twice on the list. McKinney is 3rd and 17th worst depression arias in the Greater Dallas aria. Frisco is the only other aria that is twice on the list as well.:
The State of Depression in Dallas: 2023 Report from Mental Health America of Greater Dallas
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 10th 2023
Woman catfishes herself, sends child sex abuse material through fake social media account: FDLE
A Springhill woman was arrested after making a fictitious account and pretending that someone was sending her child sexual abuse material through social...
.2 hours ago
Posted: Aug 10, 2023 / 12:23 PM EDT Updated: Aug 10, 2023 / 12:23 PM EDT: https://www.wfla.com/news/local-news/hernando-county/woman-catfishes-herself-sends-child-sex-abuse-material-through-fake-social-media-account-fdle/
In that same speech, Trump alluded to what a great favor he's doing the country by running for president again. "I could have been relaxing at Mar-a-Lago or the South of France," he said, "which I would prefer to being in this country, frankly.": https://www.salon.com/2023/08/10/donald-has-gone-off-the-deep-end-for-real-hes-a-danger-to-humanity/ , https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-says-he-would-prefer-being-abroad-us-1818439
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 11th 2023
A prison guard says she was forced to stay at her post during labor pains. Texas is fighting compensation for her stillbirth.
The seven-months-pregnant officer reported contraction-like pains at work, but said she wasn’t allowed to leave for hours. The anti-abortion state is fighting her lawsuit, in part by saying her fetus didn’t clearly have rights. AUG. 11, 2023 9 HOURS AGO: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/11/texas-prison-lawsuit-fetal-rights/
Published August 10, 2023 • Updated on August 10, 2023 at 11:44 pm
It's been three years since the high-profile disappearance and murder of 20-year-old Fort Cavazos soldier Vanessa Guillen. This week, family, friends and attorneys are preparing for the sentencing hearing for one of her accused killers in Waco.: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/she-found-joy-in-everything-sister-of-murdered-texas-soldier-speaks-ahead-of-hearing/3314615/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 14th 2023
Georgia Kay Baldwin, pictured in this undated photo, died in Tarrant County jail custody in 2021. Her sons are suing the county over her death.
Published August 14, 2023 at 6:00 AM CDT
Gundu called Baldwin’s case heartbreaking. In a different world, she might have gotten treatment instead of an arrest.: https://www.keranews.org/criminal-justice/2023-08-14/tarrant-county-inmates-unnecessary-death-spotlights-mental-health-crisis-in-jails-nationwide
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 16th 2023
Election workers are facing unprecedented threats. Since the 2020 elections, many have been subjected to harassment and violence. These threats have resulted in a record number of workers leaving the job, putting the integrity of our elections at risk.
The 2020 election, though the most secure in history, faced unprecedented challenges from conspiracy theories, violence, foreign cyberattacks, and domestic threats. Now our election workers are paying the price.
The safety and security of our election workers are non-negotiable. Let's rally behind them, support protective legislation, and ensure they can perform their duties without fear.: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-and-send-the-petition-protect-election-workers
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 18th 2023
USA TODAY Published 5:17 am ET Aug.17, 2023
The world’s biggest social media platforms are not just hosting antisemitic and hateful content, they are promoting it and making it easier to find.
That's the conclusion of two new studies, provided exclusively to USA TODAY, which found that Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, steer users to tropes and conspiracies.: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2023/08/17/antisemitism-on-social-media-rising/70605213007/
'Why didn't they just kill us?' Three women talk about life in a Texas prison without AC
KUT 90.5 |Published August 18, 2023 at 5:01 AM CDT: https://www.kut.org/crime-justice/2023-08-18/texas-prisons-heat-air-conditioning
Irritable, depressed or anxious this summer? Extreme heat impacts mental health, too.
KUT 90.5 |Published August 18, 2023 at 5:01 AM CDT: https://www.kut.org/health/2023-08-18/irritable-depressed-or-anxious-this-summer-extreme-heat-impacts-mental-health-too
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 20th 2023
Studies say social media companies are not only hosting antisemitic and extremist content but are actually suggesting it to users.
Posted: 2:43 p.m. Aug 20, 2023
Two new studies: https://www.adl.org/resources/press-release/social-media-and-search-algorithms-contribute-proliferation-online-hate from the Anti-Defamation League and the Tech Transparency Project looked at Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X, formerly known as Twitter.
The report says the social media companies are not only hosting antisemitic and extremist content but are actually suggesting it to users.
"These companies, in their own tools, are not just recommending and amplifying hate and extremism, but in some cases, in one of the reports, they're even auto-generating some of it," said Yael Eisenstat.: https://scrippsnews.com/stories/studies-social-media-giants-fuel-antisemitism-extremism-hate-speech/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 21th 2023
Of course, I remember San Bernardino! You better leave these wonderful peace loving people alone. They are not far from Upland, California. I used to frequent this town for it's a amazing; way ahead of its time, skateboard park. I even made a comic about it.
Laura Carleton shooting – latest: Mag.Pi store owner and ‘true LGBTQ ally’ killed in row over Pride flag
Community members describe Laura Carleton as a ‘remarkable figure’ dedicated to creating a ‘safe and inclusive space’ at her shop
August 21, 2023 240pm 10 minutes ago: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/laura-carleton-shooting-pride-flag-b2396393.html
COVID-19 hospitalizations have risen again in Texas. Here’s what to know about a new variant
Published August 21, 2023 at 5:00 AM CDT: https://www.keranews.org/health-wellness/2023-08-21/covid-19-hospitalizations-have-risen-again-in-texas-heres-what-to-know-about-a-new-variant
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 22nd 2023
August 08, 22, 2023
The daughter of slain California businesswoman Laura “Lauri” Ann Carleton says the man who shot and killed her mother is “irrelevant”.
Officials named 27-year-old California man Travis Ikeguchi as the suspect who shot and killed Carleton after making homophobic remarks about a Pride flag hanging outside her Mag.Pi fashion store in Cedar Glen on Friday.
Ikeguchi, who was later shot and killed by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies, had made bigoted comments criticising the LGBT+ community and law enforcement on X, formerly known as Twitter, and the far-right platform Gab.: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/laura-carleton-travis-ikeguchi-california-pride-flag-b2397016.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 23rd 2023
Investigation shows which Texas jails have the highest number of incidents August 21, 2023 3:00 pm: https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/texas-jails-violent-incidents-houston-chronicle-investigation/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 24th 2023
Texas school district closes for week following staff COVID-19 infections
Runge ISD said about 20% of its staff, 10 people, had active cases of COVID-19 this week. 1:17 PM on Aug 24, 2023: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2023/08/24/texas-school-district-closes-for-week-following-staff-covid-19-infections/
Someone is impersonating a North Texas police department on TikTok, officials say
MCKINNEY, Texas — McKinney police want to warn locals to avoid any TikTok accounts that claim to represent their department. On Tuesday, the official police Published: 8:46 AM CDT August 23, 2023: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/mckinney-texas-police-fake-tiktok-accounts-social-media/287-35157c36-d6db-45c1-9878-566287b089cc
Don't worry McKinney KERA has a story that will help try to solve your problem.:
Draft agreement shows the federal government seeking massive powers over TikTok
published: Thu, 24 Aug 2023 18:47:44 more »: https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/draft-agreement-shows-us-government-seeking-massive-powers-over-tiktok/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 25th 2023
Since its inception my wife and I have never been involved with any type of social media. We have never regretted it in any way. I miss the old days, when all security programs would warn you against social media and classified it: at best, as a dating website.
Survey: Extensive device use and social media concern parents most
Aug 25, 2023
Across a wide-ranging number of child health topics, device screen time and the use of social media are the top 2 most concerning for parents, according to an August 2023 edition of a C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.: https://www.contemporarypediatrics.com/view/survey-extensive-device-use-and-social-media-concern-parents-most
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 26th 2023
Every single day, dozens of elephants are killed because of poaching, habitat destruction and climate change. If things continue at this rate, elephants are at risk of going EXTINCT in our lifetimes.
At this rate, we may be the last generation to have the opportunity to feel the ground shake as a herd of wild elephants walks past — but there’s still time to change that.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/forms/elephant-populations-are-plummeting-add-your-to-protect-elephants-from-extinction
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 27th 2023
This could be truly groundbreaking.
Scientists are working to develop simple, innovative blood tests that can screen for dozens of cancers at the same time, including some rare cancers. They call it a multi-cancer early detection test. I call it an ingenious, potentially game-changing advancement for cancer patients.
This isn’t some far-off future. These tests could save countless lives by detecting cancer in its earliest, more treatable stages.
Will you sign on to ensure this pioneering advancement can be available for seniors and others on Medicare once they are FDA-approved and shown to have clinical benefit?
Please sign the petition today! It will take you less than a minute.: https://act.fightcancer.org/a/innovative-new-tests-could-screen-dozens-cancers-once
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 30th 2023
This is a great story because I believe in our local people here. I grew up in the mean streets of the east coast between the years of 1969 and 1982 and it spit me out very knowledgeable; enough to take me to the end of time. When I have the opportunity to meet someone from around here, since the day they were born; I immediately say how thankful they should be.:
Published August 30, 2023 at 7:04 AM CDT
Texas leads the country in keeping its native-born residents home
A report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas researchers say that economic growth, low taxes and big cities all can keep residents in their home states.:
I love Austin. It is my favorite city in Texas except San Antonio and Dallas with Corpus Christi at a close second. I can see how this story is important.:
'We are at a crisis point': Women's health center struggles to stay open in Austin
Published August 28, 2023 at 5:01 AM CDT: https://www.kut.org/health/2023-08-28/we-are-at-a-crisis-point-womens-health-center-struggles-to-stay-open-in-austin
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated August 31st 2023
Sign the petition: Protect Lāhainā residents from predatory developers & scammers!
Wed, Aug 30, 9:47 AM
In the aftermath of Maui's tragic wildfires, predatory land developers are cold calling survivors and lurking around emergency shelters to speak with residents of Lāhainā. Not to offer help or give comfort in the wake of a tragedy — but to capitalize on the vulnerable homeowners who have just lost everything.: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-protect-lahaina-residents-from-predatory-developers-scammers-2
Tell President Biden: Keep Your Promise, Decriminalize Marijuana
Wed, Aug 30, 4:29 PM
While running for President and since being elected, Joe Biden has promised time and again that he will decriminalize marijuana. But it seems that some of the bureaucrats have a different idea and it’s critical that we remind the Biden administration of his promise to end prohibition, full stop. Click here to join me in sending a message to the White House right now.: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-president-biden-keep-your-promise-decriminalize-marijuana/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 1st 2023
The average age of Congress is rising. That’s unlikely to change soon.
Updated August 31, 2023 at 11:38 a.m. EDT
The current class of lawmakers is one of the oldest in history, with an overall median age of 59. The median age of senators is 65, the highest on record. In the House, the median age has hovered between 57 and 58 for the past decade, higher than in any year before that period.: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/congress-age-demographics-house-senate/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 7th 2023
That is unacceptable. The United States is one of the wealthiest nations in the world. It is unjust to ask hardworking people, especially those in physically demanding jobs, to extend their working years while Wall Street executives continue to amass wealth without proportionate contributions to the system.
Raising the retirement age would be a disaster for our country. Despite advancements in healthcare and technology, life expectancy in the United States is declining. Demanding that citizens work longer when their overall lifespan is decreasing is counterintuitive.
The position is also incredibly unpopular. A Quinnipiac poll from March 2023 revealed that nearly 80% of respondents opposed raising the retirement age even by three years.: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/tell-republicans-we-will-not-raise-the-retirement-age/
On August 24, an Ohio police officer shot and killed 21-year-old Ta'Kiya Young while she was in her car in the parking lot of a Kroger's grocery store.
Police have now released body cam video from the shooting, which clearly shows that killing the pregnant woman was entirely unjustified.: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/396/292/695/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 9th 2023
Good job Flower Mound!: Flower Mound first responders rescue infant accidentally locked in car Crews broke a window to get to the child quickly during Thursday’s extreme heat.: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2023/09/08/flower-mound-first-responders-rescue-infant-accidentally-locked-in-car/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 12th 2023
Man fatally shot in McKinney parking lot by officers, police say
Police said the man was making "suicidal threats" before he charged at them.
Updated: 8:54 AM CDT September 12, 2023
Facebook Twitter
MCKINNEY, Texas — The Texas Rangers are conducting an investigation into a deadly shooting Monday night involving McKinney police, officials said.: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/mckinney-texas-police-shooting-parking-lot-bumpass-street-monday-night-september-11/287-e1ddc292-afeb-49c6-9590-d1c66c13e0b8
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 15th 2023
President Biden’s landmark Inflation Reduction Act empowers Medicare to negotiate some prescription drug prices, finally lowering costs for some life-saving drugs. But Big Pharma wants to stop this price reduction, and keep prescription costs high, no matter what.
Sign the petition: We support President Biden and Medicare price negotiations over the corporate greed of Big Pharma.: https://act.demandprogress.org/sign/big-pharma-medicare/
A quote from a email I got from Southern Poverty Law Center from Montgomery, AL.:
Tomorrow is the start of Hispanic Heritage Month! We are celebrating the history, culture and contributions made by Hispanic and Latinx people in the United States.
Observed from Sept 15 to Oct 15, Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to recognize the resilience and strides our Hispanic and Latinx communities have made in the fight for racial, civic and economic justice, but there is still more work to do to bring meaningful and equitable change.
Also liked this quote from my email I got from collindemocrats.org.:
Hispanic Heritage Month is a vibrant and significant celebration that honors the contributions, cultures, and histories of Hispanic and Latinx individuals in the United States. From September 15th to October 15th, our nation comes together to recognize the profound impact of Hispanic Americans across various fields, including arts, sciences, politics, and beyond. This month serves as an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity within the Hispanic and Latinx communities, spanning countries of origin, languages, traditions, and customs. It's a time to highlight the resilience, creativity, and dedication of Hispanic individuals who have shaped the fabric of American society while fostering greater understanding and unity among all communities.
As we mark Hispanic Heritage Month, we encourage everyone to engage in meaningful conversations, educational events, and cultural activities that celebrate the rich tapestry of Hispanic and Latinx cultures. Let's take this moment to reflect on the invaluable contributions of Hispanic Americans to our nation's growth and progress. By embracing this heritage and recognizing the shared values that bind us together, we can build a more inclusive and harmonious future for all. Together, let's commemorate this month with respect, appreciation, and a commitment to continued collaboration and understanding among all Americans.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 16th 2023
TO: Seattle and Washington elected officials, Governor Jay Inslee, President Joe Biden, White House administration
Jaahnavi was a daughter, granddaughter, sister, cousin, friend, classmate, coworker, and loved one. Her life had infinite value. Not only should the officer who recklessly hit and killed her be held accountable, but Detective Auderer—who disgraced his oath to serve and protect—needs to be investigated and fired for his horrifying disregard for human life.
Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23 yr old student doing her Masters in Seattle, was hit and killed by a Seattle police officer. While the incident may or may not be an unfortunate accident (which needs to be investigated too), it is the behavior and reckless comments that followed by officers in responsible position that is totally UNACCEPTABLE.: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/justice-for-jahnavi-kandula
School should be a safe place for children to learn, grow, and explore. And students should be able to get to and from school safely, including those who take the bus.
That means not getting almost hit by police officers needlessly running red lights. And yet that's exactly what happened in Nashville, Tennessee this June when a state trooper recklessly ran a red light, barely missed hitting a school bus, and drove away immediately, never reporting the incident.
When the terrifying event showed up on CCTV, it led to disciplinary action. The trooper was docked a single day without pay. One. Single. Day.
Police officers are expected to serve and protect their communities, and state troopers do so largely in their cars. This man clearly cannot be trusted to do so safely.: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/594/851/853/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 17th 2023
This is a good one. You can always find this info on the internet. It seems the internet has once again proved it is a irreplaceable asset. My favorite is diagnosing a medical problems. I have done this many times and it has always proven correct and verified by our doctors too. Also car troubles, you can learn exactly what is wrong with your car and how much it cost to fix. The internet is the best; it is just the so called social media or like I like to call it "the mob"; that must go. Google is not social media nether is YouTube and I hope they never change that. Long live Google!
Labels like “natural,” “organic,” and “local” appear on lots of different food products, but how do we know if these labels are fully accurate?
Weak federal labeling laws and fragmented oversight have allowed the food industry to stretch the meaning of labels like "organic" and "natural" in order to mislead consumers into purchasing their products.
The Food Labeling Modernization Act would make it easier for consumers to determine the right food choices by bringing transparency and simplicity to our nation’s food labeling requirements.
This legislation would require a prominent, standard, front-of-package nutrition labeling system for all packaged foods, require updates to the ingredient list on packaged foods, and apply consumer-friendly labeling requirements.
Join us in urging Congress to make it easier for consumers to determine the right food choices for themselves!
Sign the petition: Urge your members of Congress to support the Food Labeling Modernization Act!: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-fair-food-labeling-now
Yeah they dominate the search engines; because they practically invented the search engine. Who is suing them; social media? They do a great job and are never prejudice in any way. I dare you to find Google guilty of prejudice against any group of people on the internet, in words; it is because they are not social media. They always stay just outside of social media. Good for them!
Google faces the most consequential antitrust case in 25 years
The search engine giant is being sued by the federal government and 38 states who claim the company unfairly dominates Internet search.
September 14, 2023 11:01 am
Business & Your Money, Tech & Innovation, Texas Standard Original: https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/google-faces-the-most-consequential-antitrust-case-in-25-years/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 18th 2023
Portland, Oregon, like so many other cities in the U.S., is in the midst of a tragic drug epidemic, and seeing the deadly impacts. Use of highly addictive and dangerous drugs like fentanyl is rampant, and all residents are suffering the consequences.
Some regressive politicians are using this crisis to advocate for more punishment for drug users. But after decades of evidence in the U.S., we've learned that this type of drug policy has never worked.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is extremely potent — and also extremely dangerous. It's often laced into other drugs, meaning people wind up subjecting themselves to it without knowing.
To reduce the fentanyl crisis, people need support through harm reduction programs. Research has continually shown that this is literally the only way to actually combat addiction.
Throwing more people in prison does nothing to reduce drug use, addiction rates, or overdoses. It will just mean more people who are suffering are thrown behind bars, torn away from their families and communities, and stripped of most social support. Putting people in a cage doesn't end their substance use; it often just fuels it.
The city of Portland can save lives if it wants to.
Sign now to tell Portland City Council: stop punishing people for fentanyl possession, and start introducing policy focused on harm reduction!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/509/411/996/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 19th 2023
My solution to this would be to make reading more interesting, not sexually perverted; just more interesting. I have still not had the privilege to read any of these terrible books, so I do not know. I tell you I could sure go for some 1960's science fiction reading. Maybe if they could make the books more science fiction; it would make our young people read more. Sorry, it seems a little comical to me.:
Texas youth say book bans violate their rights and take away 'the joy of reading'
KUT
published: Tue, 19 Sep 2023 13:00:08 more »: https://www.kut.org/education/2023-09-19/texas-youth-say-book-bans-violate-their-rights-and-take-away-the-joy-of-reading
My solution to this is to strengthen the country sides.:
As Dallas residents endure poor air quality, city officials hold an 'Air Sensor Summit'
KERA News
published: Tue, 19 Sep 2023 10:00:00 more »: https://www.keranews.org/news/2023-09-19/as-dallas-residents-endure-poor-air-quality-city-officials-hold-an-air-sensor-summit
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 24th 2023
Any husband of any wife would agree with this. I have no idea how my wife coped with her monthly visitor but I was always so upset to see her suffer that way. Anything to help women like this is a worthy cause.
In 22 US states, menstrual products are taxed as "non-essential", even though they are literally essential to half the population. This ridiculous "tampon tax", as it's widely known, puts a totally unfair, unbalanced burden on people who absolutely need these products.
Studies have repeatedly shown that low-income folks struggle to afford menstrual products. One study found that almost two out of three poor women had to resort to using cloths, rags, or toilet paper to get by. No one should have to suffer the discomfort and hygienic risks of makeshift period solutions.
Luckily, the state of Texas just finally eliminated its tampon tax! This is an amazing first step — one that other states must take. The problem is especially dire in Idaho, which has one of the highest tampon taxes in the country. The state taxes menstrual products at a whopping 6%.
All people with uteruses should have access to the menstrual products they need. Period. It is time for the state of Idaho to drop its tampon tax! Sign the petition now if you agree!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/523/039/720/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 25th 2023
My solution to this is to make sure that all American politics have no contact, ever, with so called social media; ever. In my opinion most of social media is fake news. The internet and repubital media are real news but most social media, mob mentality, is fake.:
Supreme Court considers limits on White House contacts with social media
Controversial injunction stayed until Wednesday while SCOTUS mulls US motion.
The Supreme Court on Friday extended a stay of a lower-court order that would limit the Biden administration's contacts with social media firms, giving justices a few more days to consider whether to block the ruling entirely. The court could rule by the middle of this week on the Biden administration motion in a case in which the states of Missouri and Louisiana allege that speech related to COVID-19 and other topics was illegally suppressed at the behest of government officials.
A stay issued September 14 was scheduled to expire on Friday, but Justice Samuel Alito ordered that it be extended until Wednesday, September 27, at 11:59 pm ET. Alito is the justice assigned to the 5th Circuit, the circuit in which an appeals court ruled that the White House and FBI likely violated the First Amendment by coercing social media platforms into moderating content and changing their moderation policies.
The 5th Circuit appeals court ruling wasn't a total loss for the Biden administration. Appeals court judges threw out the majority of a district judge's preliminary injunction that ordered the Biden administration to halt a wide range of communications with social media companies.
While most of the original injunction's restrictions were eliminated, the Biden administration asked the Supreme Court to block the one surviving prohibition. Under the recently revised injunction, Biden administration officials would be barred from taking any action to directly or indirectly "coerce or significantly encourage social-media companies to remove, delete, suppress, or reduce, including through altering their algorithms, posted social-media content containing protected free speech."
"That includes, but is not limited to, compelling the platforms to act, such as by intimating that some form of punishment will follow a failure to comply with any request, or supervising, directing, or otherwise meaningfully controlling the social-media companies' decision-making processes," the injunction says.: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/09/supreme-court-considers-limits-on-white-house-contacts-with-social-media/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 26th 2023
Rough Biden poll looks terrible, but is it?
The David Pakman Show - September 25, 2023
There is a recent poll indicating that Donald Trump has a nearly ten-point lead over Joe Biden in a hypothetical 2024 election rematch. The ABC News poll shows Trump with 51% support, compared to Biden at only 42%. These results have understandably raised eyebrows, yet it is essential to approach them with a measured perspective more than a year out from the general election. This particular poll represents just a single data point, with 7% of the electorate either undecided, not planning to vote, or potentially considering third-party candidates. Furthermore, some of the poll's findings, like Trump winning young voters by nearly twenty points and Biden winning minority voters by only nine points, appear incongruent with historical voting patterns. Instead of succumbing to panic, this should serve as a wake-up call to encourage voter registration and turnout. It’s also important to stress that presidential elections are decided by the Electoral College, not merely the popular vote, making state-level strategies pivotal in shaping the outcome of the race.: https://davidpakman.com/2023/09/september-25-2023/
TO: Netflix and other reality television streaming and production companies. Add a Disclaimer to All Reality Television Programming!
Reality and unscripted television are often anything but that. Join us in demanding that producers add a mandatory disclaimer before and after each episode, underscoring that episodes are for entertainment purposes only, and the content can be edited, manipulated, and presented in any order for storyline purposes.: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/add-a-disclaimer-to-all-reality-television-programming
Tell President Biden: Pardon all marijuana offenders, not just low-level charges
On October 6th, 2022, President Biden took the unprecedented step of issuing a mass pardon for those with federal charges for simple marijuana possession. While the pardon was a monumental milestone, the New York Times estimates that only 6,500 individuals will benefit. That’s because most federal charges are not for simple possession of small amounts of marijuana, but often for intent to distribute or other stacked charges. While his leadership was followed by state and local officials around the country, their pardons were also similarly restrictive in who qualified for relief. If we want real relief for those who have been harmed by the criminalization of marijuana, we must address the more complicated charges that brand millions of individuals as lifelong criminals, resulting in a litany of lost opportunities including the potential loss of employment, housing, voting rights, professional licensing, and student aid.: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-president-biden-pardon-all-marijuana-offenders-not-just-low-level-charges
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 27th 2023
When I post petitions here it is because I signed them. I sign them because I read. You become good at reading on the internet after extreme amounts' of it presents it to you; everyday. The thing is never to take it too seriously and just get the gist of it; as best you can. Becoming a great internet reader is definitely something you acquire after years of practice. You should know both sides to every story too. People judge blogs like mine by simply lookings at the pictures. I stopped posting pictures because it slows down the loading of the pages here. After years of no pictures; I am real glad I did that.
Sign the petition: Abolish the cruel practice of solitary confinement.
Our criminal justice system should focus on rehabilitation, not punishment. And that means ending cruel prison practices, such as solitary confinement.
The End Solitary Confinement Act, introduced by House Democrats, is a crucial move towards transforming our prisons and promoting a more humane approach.
Solitary confinement, a harsh disciplinary measure, inflicts profound psychological and physical damage on incarcerated people, leading to mental health issues, self-harm, and suicide.: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-make-a-stand-for-human-rights-end-solitary-confinement-3/
BREAKING NEWS: Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel just announced that the agency is moving forward with plans to restore net neutrality!1
This is our chance to finally undo the damage done during the Trump administration by former FCC Chair Ajit Pai — but Comcast and their Big Cable allies will do everything in their power to block, delay, or weaken these net neutrality protections. We need to start right now mobilizing grassroots support for the free and open internet.
Restore Net Neutrality – Reconfirm Geoffrey Starks to the FCC!
The Senate just confirmed Anna Gomez to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). We now have a fully staffed FCC for the first time in years.
That means the FCC can begin doing the vital job of reversing the Trump administration’s decision to gut net neutrality. This confirmation succeeded in part because tens of thousands of activists like you took action and contacted your Senators.
But the Senate can’t stop here. Another FCC Commissioner, Geoffrey Starks, needs to be reconfirmed before the end of the year, or the agency will again be unable to function.: https://act.demandprogress.org/sign/confirm-net-neutrality-PA/
Last week, we said it was GO TIME in Congress, and we weren’t kidding.
Tomorrow – just one week after the House Oversight Committee approved legislation to prevent applicants for federal employment and security clearances from being discriminated against for past cannabis use – the Senate Banking Committee will hold its first-ever markup hearing on cannabis banking reform legislation. Members of the Committee will debate S.2860, the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act.
This newly-introduced bipartisan legislation builds upon the SAFE Banking Act to help address the concerns of advocates and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. NORML believes that it is absolutely necessary to provide safe and affordable access for cannabis consumers while improving transparency, fairness, and opportunities in regulated cannabis markets.: https://norml.org/act/tell-your-senators-to-support-the-safer-banking-act/
From the ACLU of who I have been a member since 2001 and actively corresponding with them since 1996.:
We are fighting across the country for everyone's civil liberties, including the safety and rights of our young people.
We defend trans youth's right to exist, protect students' right to learn in the classroom without censorship, and fight for any young person in this country who finds their freedoms on the line.
One such ACLU case that may not have been front and center in the news cycle lately was our fight to remove Louisiana children from the nation's largest maximum security prison. As someone who is key to our work, we wanted to make sure you knew the latest:
Since October 2022, 70 to 80 kids – almost all Black boys – have been cycled through and incarcerated in the former death row building of the notorious Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola. These children were all in the state's juvenile justice system – the purpose is rehabilitation, not punishment.
It is important to note that Angola started out as a slave plantation. It then became a prison camp exploiting Black laborers, and finally the nation's largest maximum-security adult prison. Simply put, Angola is a monument to slavery and white supremacy.
Within Angola's walls, these children were subjected to abusive conditions including solitary confinement for days at a time.
Two weeks ago, the state of Louisiana finally moved children out of Angola. After more than a year of national and local advocacy, public outrage, and an ongoing federal lawsuit – this is a victory for the children and their families.
While we are relieved the children are out of Angola, we are outraged they had to suffer these abuses at all. Angola's shameful legacy will not be forgotten. Children do not belong in prison, and no child should ever be sent back to Angola. Read our full press statement on this case.: https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/under-public-and-legal-pressure-louisiana-finally-moves-children-out-of-angola-prison
SIGN: Keep Rodeo Cruelty Out of San Diego
It’s come to our attention that San Diego’s Petco Park is aiming to hold an inaugural rodeo in January 2024 — which could bring with it terrible cruelty to animals.
The San Diego Padres, in collaboration with two other companies, announced in September that Petco Park will host its first-ever rodeo from Jan. 12 to Jan. 14, 2024 — billing the potential monstrosity as “the world’s top cowboys competing for over half a million dollars in prize money.”
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated September 30th 2023
Big News: Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Jessica Rosenworcel just announced plans to restore net neutrality — a big step towards undoing the damage of the Trump administration and his FCC Chair Ajit Pai.1
It’s been a long few years since the Trump administration ended net neutrality, and the free and open internet protections it provided to consumers. But we are closer than ever to overcoming the obstructionism of big corporations like Verizon and Comcast to restore strong open internet protections for all.
Sign the petition: Tell the Federal Communications Commission to finally restore net neutrality!: https://act.demandprogress.org/sign/net-neutrality-fcc-news/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 2nd 2023
What is wrong with people who torture and kill animals so terribly? I read stories like this almost everyday in my email inbox. These stories turn my stomach! You know like peeping tom's turn to rape; as a progression of demented crime; people who torture animals also can progress to murdering human beings.:
Demand All States Make All Animal Abuse a Felony Now
Animal abuse is a crime prosecuted on the state level, but way too many states are failing to pass tough laws that will protect animals.
In some states, abuse must fall into very specific categories to very specific animal types to be considered a felony. In other states, abusing an animal isn't a felony at all. Too often, perpetrators of animal abuse get off with a small fine or slap on the wrist.
From sea to shining sea, we need to protect animals in the United States. We need to call on state legislatures across the country to tighten their animal abuse laws and keep animals safe.
Before now in Virginia, animal abuse could only be considered a felony if the animal in question died from the torture. Now they've passed Tommie's law—in honor of a pit bull who was burned to death—that makes animal cruelty a felony.
We need more states to follow Virginia's lead. Will you stand up for our animals by signing this urgent petition to call on state legislatures in all fifty states to examine, and tighten, their animal cruelty laws?
Animals who are being abused cannot speak up for themselves. They need you. Will you stand up by signing now?: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/609/871/977/demand-all-states-make-all-animal-abuse-a-felony-now/
Stop A Dangerous Bill That Could Wipe Out Animal Cruelty Laws
A monumental threat is facing animals in our country! Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Congress that could be disastrous for animals.
This year has been historic for animals, with the Supreme Court of the United States upholding the strongest farm animal protection law in the country, California's Proposition 12. But this hasn't stopped lobbyists for the pork industry who have now turned to Congress, pushing for federal legislation to undo not just Proposition 12, but potentially any state sales laws aimed at addressing animal welfare and a host of other concerns.
The "Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression" (EATS) Act, S. 2019, is designed to wipe out state laws that ban the cruel cage confinement of egg-laying chickens, mother pigs and baby veal calves, and the sale of animal products derived from such cruelty. If passed, it could also destroy hundreds of other protections against terrible cruelties—like abuse of dogs in puppy mills, killing of animals for the wildlife trade and painful experiments inflicted on animals for cosmetic testing. But it doesn't stop there. State laws on a vast range of additional agricultural issues are also at risk, including pesticide application on fields, arsenic in food, protection against lead poisoning, chemicals in baby food, pollution standards for spraying sewage on crops, flammability standards for cigarettes, and child labor.
Animals (and people) need your help to stop the unraveling of even the most basic health and welfare protections.: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/480/751/610/
Marijuana has the same effect as beer. You can not die or overdose on marijuana. What is the problem? There are way too many old people in charge! Only 80 years or older are against marijuana. They are the ones that are paranoid; paranoid against marijuana. Shame on them all. I do not believe in smoking it in public; at all. Vape or edibles get my full endorsement. Regulating it will help everyone. Than you do not end up like Ben Affleck; taking too strong marijuana, the first time you take it.:
The Department of Health and Human Services is the most important health agency in the U.S. And it just confirmed what so many experts and advocates have said for years: it is time for federal agencies to reclassify marijuana as a lower-risk substance than it's currently considered.
Under the current Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) classification system, marijuana is set as a Schedule I drug, meaning the federal government considers it equally as dangerous — and addictive — as heroin or LSD. This is in direct contradiction to most research, which tells us that not only is marijuana much safer to use than drugs like heroin, it also can actually have medicinal benefits.
Now, even the Department of Health and Human Services agrees that marijuana should be classified as Schedule III (lower risk), instead of Schedule I. This would have huge implications for improving access to marijuana for scientific, medical, and recreational purposes, as well as reducing the brutal effects of non-violent drug-related incarceration.
For decades, millions of Americans have suffered the consequences of bad marijuana policy. Many of our neighbors and family members have been thrown in jail or prison for using or possessing marijuana. This is despite the fact that some studies suggest it is less dangerous than alcohol, a fully legal drug.
It is time for us to right the wrongs of the past, and that starts with reclassification by the DEA. Marijuana must be reclassified as a Schedule III drug! Sign the petition now if you agree!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/128/174/514/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 3rd 2023
We’ve reached out to you before about a new tax law that is going to force millions of eBay users to have their sales reported to the IRS.
Now, that harmful tax law is just weeks away from becoming a reality and we need your help now more than ever.
Unless Congress acts, starting next year, anyone who sells more than $600 on an online platform will get a tax form and will have their sales reported to the IRS – even if they didn’t make a profit!
We need your help now. Click here to tell your members of Congress — the people elected to represent YOU — to fix this burdensome requirement before the end of 2023 to protect Americans from confusing and unnecessary tax forms.
It only takes a minute to send a letter.
Sincerely,
The eBay Government Relations Team: https://www.ebaymainstreet.com/campaign/1099k-campaign-q4-2023
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 5th 2023
This is not about free speech. It is about spreading misinformation and hate. Also, it seems that all republican leaning media seems to do is make fun of the democrats as they struggle to help our fellow Americans, as broadly as they can; that is not free speech either.: Federal appeals court expands limits on Biden administration in First Amendment case. The nation’s top cybersecurity defense agency likely violated the First Amendment when lobbying Silicon Valley companies to remove or suppress the spread of online content about elections, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals expanded an injunction issued in September to include the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, ruling that it used frequent interactions with social media platforms “to push them to adopt more restrictive policies on election-related speech.”: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2023/10/03/fifth-circuit-cisa-ruling-biden-first-amendment/71051110007/
The Biden administration’s Department of Health and Human Services has recommended that cannabis, or marijuana, be reclassified as a Schedule III drug, down from a Schedule I, under the Controlled Substances Act. The problem with this reclassification is that it does not address social justice issues or extreme racial disparities caused by criminalizing marijuana. Rescheduling keeps marijuana illegal, instead of fulfilling President Biden’s promise to decriminalize it. During his 2020 presidential campaign, President Biden vowed to decriminalize cannabis. To truly fulfill this promise and address social and racial justice, he must remove cannabis entirely from the Controlled Substances Act, not merely reschedule it. President Biden can and must do more.
Sign the petition to demand President Biden do more and keep his promise: Decriminalize marijuana!: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-to-president-biden-keep-your-promise-decriminalize-marijuana-3
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 6th 2023
Right now, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is accepting public comments on the implementation of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). The proposed rule complies with long-standing civil rights law by ensuring that pregnancy-related accommodations at work extend to abortion, among other medical conditions.
Support the Regulations to Implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act >>: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/letters/sign-now-implement-the-pregnant-workers-fairness-act
Guns and Voting
Even when the Supreme Court expanded gun rights last year, it noted that banning guns at polling places remains constitutional. Yet only 12 states and the District of Columbia prohibit both open and concealed carry of firearms at the polls. A new report from the Brennan Center and Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence finds serious gaps in legal protections for voters and election workers against gun violence. It includes recommendations that are especially urgent in light of increasing political extremism. To ensure that elections remain peaceful, states must ban guns at places where votes are cast and counted and enact stronger anti-intimidation laws.: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/guns-and-voting
Excellent news: Federal Communications Commission Chair (FCC) Jessica Rosenworcel has announced plans to restore net neutrality!
Without basic net neutrality protections, corporations like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T are able to block, throttle, and slow access to sites and services at will, charge new fees for users and companies to reach audiences online, and freely sell our data. Internet users and small media outlets like Daily Kos are at the mercy of big telecom companies.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/forms/sign-the-petition-restore-net-neutrality
14 constitutional amendments are on your November ballot. Here’s what they’d do
October 5, 2023 8:38 pm
What do they mean in normal, non lawyer talk language?: https://fortworthreport.org/2023/10/05/14-constitutional-amendments-are-on-your-november-ballot-heres-what-theyd-do/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 7th 2023
Cash Bail Keeps Poor People in Jail, But Allows Wealthier People to Purchase Freedom. States Must Eliminate It!
A new Illinois law, which abolishes cash bail in the state, has finally taken effect! When someone is arrested, before they have been found guilty or innocent, that person can be released as they await trial if they can pay cash bail. This means that defendants without financial means have to remain locked up, while their wealthier counterparts can walk free. It's discriminatory, inhumane, and just plain wrong.
Even though Republicans love fear mongering about crime and punishment, the evidence is clear: cash bail doesn't protect anyone, it only works to punish communities of color and poor people. This Illinois law is an amazing victory for civil rights, and a step towards strengthening and protecting our communities from harm.
Now, it's time for the state of Louisiana to follow in Illinois' footsteps.
Sign now to tell Louisiana legislators: stand on the right side of history! End cash bail in the state!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/675/756/873/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 10th 2023
Misleading voters is anti-American
PEOPLE POWER UNITED
OCT 8
Misleading voters is anti-American. There is a troubling rise in the use of deep fake videos and audio to mislead the American voters.
AI-generated “deepfake” voice clips and videos can be used to impersonate a candidate or political party, misleading voters and dishonestly skewing their views of the person or group impersonated. As such, we are requesting restrictions on the use of audio and video deepfake technology created without the expressed written consent of the individual or entity being represented for a political purpose. Campaign ads would still be able to use parody or make statements critical of other candidates or political parties by way of text or images.
Can you take 1 (one) minute and sign on to our joint letter we are sending to the Federal Election to Commission to disallow political ads that use audio and video deepfakes?: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/misleading-voters-is-anti-american
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 11th 2023
How Israel-Hamas war disinformation is being spread online
Wed 11 Oct 2023 15.44 EDT
Pat de Brún, deputy director at Amnesty Tech, said: “Social media platform companies like Meta and X have clear responsibilities under international human rights standards, such as the UN guiding principles on business and human rights, and these responsibilities are heightened in times of crisis and conflict.
“Social media firms are responsible for identifying and responding effectively to risks and taking effective measures to limit the spread of harmful content – the amplification of which can lead to human rights abuses. However, all too often, big tech companies have failed to step up in the face of such emergencies, enabling hate and misinformation to proliferate.”: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/oct/11/how-israel-hamas-war-disinformation-is-being-spread-online
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 12th 2023
The death penalty is always wrong.
It’s wrong in principle: a violation of our most basic human rights. And it’s wrong in practice: in the biased and unjust ways in which it’s handed down.
And in the U.S., the simple, horrible truth is that race is the single biggest predictor of who will be given a death sentence.
There are 970 Black people on death row in the U.S. right now1 — people who have been treated more harshly by the justice system at every turn, simply because of their race. One of those people is Billie Allen.
Sentenced to death in 1998 at just 19 years old, Billie Allen has now spent more than half his life on federal death row. Despite concerns of racial bias in his trial and a lack of DNA evidence tying him to the crime, Allen still faces death as punishment.
The judge, victim, prosecutors, and defense team were all white – and 10 out of 12 jurors were also white. The disturbing reality is we know that makes a difference in the fairness of a trial.
We’re asking President Biden to use his power to commute Allen’s death sentence. We need your help. Sign your name now to demand justice for Billie Allen »: https://act.amnestyusa.org/page/125122/action/1
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 13th 2023
UN experts have condemned solitary confinement as psychological torture -- and that’s exactly what it is. It’s traumatic and inhumane, and disproportionately inflicted on Black and brown folks, young people, LGBTQ+ people, and other marginalized communities.
Solitary confinement has lasting negative impacts (PDF): https://www.vera.org/downloads/publications/the-impacts-of-solitary-confinement.pdf on mental health, often setting off a vicious cycle of reoffending and re-imprisonment. Far from making our communities safer, it upholds a flawed system that turns a blind eye to the critical help people desperately need.
The End Solitary Confinement Act, introduced by Rep. Cori Bush, is an important step toward rethinking how our criminal justice system functions. But legislation means little without public support to drive it home. Together, we can transform a system that's been destroying lives into one that uplifts and heals.
Sign the petition: Stand against solitary confinement in our prisons.: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-make-a-stand-for-human-rights-end-solitary-confinement-4/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 14th 2023
A flood of misinformation shapes views of Israel-Gaza conflict
The barrage of false images, memes, videos and posts — mostly generated from within the region itself — is making it difficult to assess what is real.
October 14, 2023 at 7:00 a.m. EDT
But Eric Feinberg, vice president for content moderation at the Coalition for a Safer Web, noted that Hamas and its supporters have been able to use X to share antisemitic propaganda across the Arab world relatively unchecked. He provided screenshots of pro-Hamas accounts using WhatsApp and X in English to rally support for the organization’s attacks on Israel in Pakistan.: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/10/14/propaganda-misinformation-israel-hamas-war-social-media/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 18th 2023
The hazards of fracking can be life-threatening: drinking water contamination, air pollution, and increased health risks, including among children. Fracking exploits our most vulnerable communities. And fracking is rapidly accelerating climate change.
Fossil fuel corporations continue to speed up the pace of new fracking projects. We need our elected officials to step up, stop new fossil fuel development, and stop fracking for good.
Sign the petition to Congress: Ban fracking now!: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-our-health-and-environment-is-at-risk-ban-fracking-immediately-2
I have been wanting to post a story for LGBTQ rights lattly and this one caught my eye today when I was checking my emails.
Police identify ninth victim buried on estate of closeted Republican murderer
A DNA test compared the mother of a man who's been missing for 30 years and unidentified bone fragments. Police in Indianapolis have identified a ninth body buried on the estate of now-deceased wealthy Republican businessman Herbert Baumeister, a closeted gay man who is believed to have murdered over 20 men and boys that he met in Indianapolis gay bars during the mid-1980s and ’90s.
DNA and forensic genetic genealogy testing helped police determine that a bone found on Baumeister’s 18-acre Fox Hollow Farm estate in Westfield belonged to Allen Livingston, the Associated Press reported. Livingston, who was 27 at the time of his 1993 disappearance, was identified using a DNA sample provided by his mother, Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison said.: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/10/police-identify-ninth-victim-buried-on-estate-of-closeted-republican-murderer/
Pass the Fracking Ban Act
Petition to Congress:
We urge you to pass the Fracking Ban Act.
For years, Big Oil has lied to the public about the real consequences of fracking, claiming that it is safe and a cleaner alternative to burning coal. Yet, the damage that fracking has caused and continues to cause to the planet and our health is astronomical.
Fracking contaminates drinking water. Fracking causes earthquakes.1 Methane gas leaked during fracking is not safe or clean, it’s another dirty fuel that worsens climate change and respiratory illnesses.
That’s why Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced the Fracking Ban Act. This legislation would ban fracking nationwide by 2025 and prevent Big Oil companies like Exxon from profiting off of polluting our water sources, threatening our health, and worsening the climate crisis.
Sign the petition: Tell Congress to protect our health and ban fracking immediately.
Fracking uses a ton of water–an average of 1.5 million to 9.7 million gallons of water to frack a single well.2 Oftentimes, fracking companies use freshwater, depleting local drinking water sources. But the lack of water isn’t the only concern. The fracking process increases the risk of water contamination as chemical spills and leaks are common.
Fracking has been making people sick for years. Children living near fracking wells are two to three times more likely to contract a form of childhood leukemia.3 Black and low-income communities are more likely to live near fracking wells and are disproportionately exposed to health risks like respiratory illnesses.
Earthquakes are another dangerous consequence of fracking. Oklahoma is one example of this, as people in the state experienced a 5.0-magnitude earthquake that scientists have directly correlated to the fracking process, where operators dump salty wastewater by injecting a high volume of fluids into disposed wells that are thousands of feet below the earth.4
On top of the damage that fracking has already caused, Big Oil has failed to do one important thing: track the leaks of methane during the process. While Big Oil marketed natural gas as a cleaner alternative to burning coal, they did not set up a process to monitor the leaks of methane that have massive negative effects on climate change.5
Big Oil has been reckless in the fracking business and has done way more damage than good, and if we allow companies like Exxon to continue, these dire consequences will continue harming whole communities of people.
Add your name: Demand that Congress pass legislation proposed by Bernie Sanders and AOC to ban fracking now.
Sources:
NBC News, “Oil and Gas Industry Ensnarled in Spate of Oklahoma Earthquakes,” November 14, 2016.
National Resources Defense Council, “Fracking 101,” April 19, 2019.
Yale Environment 360, “As Evidence Mounts, New Concerns About Fracking and Health,” November 17, 2022.
NBC News, “Oil and Gas Industry Ensnarled in Spate of Oklahoma Earthquakes,” November 14, 2016.
PBS Frontline, “The Fossil Fuel Industry Marketed Natural Gas as a Cleaner Alternative. But They Weren’t Monitoring for Methane Leaks, Former Exxon Mobil Engineer Says.,” May 3, 2022.
Click here to sign: https://act.demandprogress.org/sign/ban-fracking/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 20th 2023
October 19, 2023 at 6:43 pm
‘There is no law. You are a private citizen.’ Lawyer Says You Don’t Need To Let Walmart Workers Check Your Receipt
We’ve all been there! We’re leaving a grocery store and a staff member asks us to stop, they want to see our receipt.
And for most folk, this experience is embarrassing because it straight up makes you feel they believe you’re a shoplifter.: https://twistedsifter.com/2023/10/there-is-no-law-you-are-a-private-citizen-lawyer-says-you-dont-need-to-let-walmart-workers-check-your-receipt/
Pro-Palestinian creators use secret spellings, code words to evade social media algorithms
From ‘terrier’ to ‘P*les+in1ans,’ creators are changing up their language with ‘algospeak’ to evade Big Tech’s content rules
October 20, 2023 at 7:00 a.m. EDT
When Rathbone deBuys, 37, posts TikTok videos critiquing Israel in its conflict with Hamas, he turns to common strategies to avoid being detected and deleted by the social media giant.
In the subtitles of his videos, he uses terrier and violin emojis instead of the words “terrorist” and “violence.” At the bottom of his videos — which have collectively received millions of likes — he adds a disclaimer, saying the post is for “educational” purposes only. Changing the captions may make it less likely the video will be flagged as violating TikTok’s rules against hateful rhetoric or violent content, deBuys said.: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/10/20/palestinian-tiktok-instagram-algospeak-israel-hamas/
Published on 20/10/2023 - 08:24
The explosion rocked the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, reportedly killing hundreds of civilians, according to the Gazan Health Ministry. The exact number of dead remains unclear and unverified.
Neither side has claimed responsibility. Gazan officials said it was caused by an Israeli airstrike, while Israel blamed a misfired rocket by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another powerful local militant group.
As of Friday morning, it is still unclear where the rocket came from. On social media, confusion ensued as fake accounts impersonating journalists and government officials started popping up on X, formerly known as Twitter.: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/10/20/fake-social-media-accounts-used-to-spread-disinformation-after-the-gaza-hospital-blast
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 23rd 2023
Security guard says Dallas officers knelt on him, mistook him for violent crime suspect
In a federal lawsuit, the south Oak Cliff man alleges the wrongful arrest and excessive force spurred a downward spiral in his life.
6:00 AM on Oct 23, 2023
LISTEN
A man is suing several Dallas police officers for a 2021 arrest in which he says they used excessive force after mistaking him for a violent crime suspect with a similar name.
Silvester Hayes alleged in a federal lawsuit filed last week that officers Walter Paul Guab, Holly Harris and about eight others, whose names weren’t disclosed, kicked, punched and tased him, and dislocated his arm before realizing they had the wrong man. His arm injury has caused him “ongoing pain and mobility issues,” the lawsuit says.
The 27-year-old Black security guard from south Oak Cliff said police racially profiled him when they pulled him over on Oct. 16, 2021, as he drove to pick up breakfast — French toast and bacon — for his four young children. His name is similar to, but spelled differently than the name of a man wanted at the time on a family violence warrant, according to the lawsuit.
Hayes, who said the arrest wreaked havoc on his life, is seeking a trial by jury and an unspecified amount in compensation, including damages for his injuries and punishment for the officers’ conduct.
Dallas police declined to comment about the allegations, but said Guab is in the tactical and special operations bureau and Harris is assigned to patrol. The department’s spokespeople declined to say whether the incident was investigated internally. The city of Dallas also declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-safety/2023/10/23/security-guard-says-dallas-officers-knelt-on-him-mistook-him-for-violent-crime-suspect/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 24th 2023
It is common sense if you get to know the customer; then you do not have to keep checking their receipt; everything else is malicious and seems to be a niche job for the criminally sadistic. This is not the kind of job a unfriendly person or non English speaking person should do or even worse both. If they can prove that a Walmart worker is just checking receipts to cause havoc and create disorder that person should be charged with a criminal offence. One way to check if the person is doing this is to watch what kinds of people they are checking and what kinds they let go. For instance if they are checking only black or elderly peoples receipts (again even worse; both) this would show this person is being prejudice and vindictive. If a elderly person feels singled out or picked on (in other words bullied) by certain Walmart, receipt checkers; Walmart should be held liable for that person's health and medical bills. This is America. I think this is just a product of the beast; that is Walmart. I think of a post I posted years ago that was about women in India being forced to make clothing for Walmart until they hurt themselves. This kind of thing will always show it's ugly head in the way Walmart does business'. It seems to have manifested itself in America through your last impression, of your visit to Walmart; and that can not be good for business'.
The US Sun
I’m a lawyer – retailers like Walmart can’t legally check your receipt if you refuse but Costco has found a...
A LAWYER has warned shoppers that retailers like Walmart cannot legally check receipts on exit but Costco has found a loophole.The expert reveal.
.5 hours ago: https://www.the-sun.com/news/9395001/lawyer-retailers-walmart-cant-legally-check-receipt-costco-loophole/ and click here to see what KERA has to say.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 27th 2023
It is my privilege to post this for women.:
Birth control will soon be available over the counter. This is big news for our reproductive health access.
However, under current administrative guidance, health plans can still require a prescription for oral contraceptives–defeating the purpose of over-the-counter (OTC) access if you want it covered by your insurance.
Sign and send the petition to President Biden: Over-the-counter birth control should be covered by insurance.: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/sign-and-send-the-petition-over-the-counter-birth-control-should-be-free
This blog is not social media. Google and all its affiliates are not social media. Meta, Facebook and TikTok and all like that; are social media.
Social media is the root of all of our current problems
Start date Today at 9:14 AM
I was listening to an NPR article on the lawsuit just filed against Farcebook saying they deliberately addicted teens to social media and are the root of why teen depression and suicide are at record levels despite all other indicators for teens going UP.
MARTIN: As briefly as you can, say more about what this research does say about social media's effect on teen mental health.
ALLYN: Yeah. You know, Michel, this has sparked a lot of debate. But I talked to Twenge at San Diego State University about it since she herself has been a researcher on some really large studies that have looked at teens nationwide. In fact, some of her work is cited by prosecutors in these lawsuits. And she says adolescents are in the midst of a mental health crisis. Consider this fact. Between 2011 and 2021, teen depression has doubled. And while there's many ways to explain this, Twenge says the obvious one to her is social media.
TWENGE: No other explanation really fits for why we have a doubling in teen depression at a time when the economy was doing well and crime was going down and almost every other indicator for teens was getting better, but they were spending a lot more time on social media, a lot less time with each other face to face and less time sleeping.
In addition, and I've said this before.... "social media" has $#!@@ so many other facets of our society. I believe the rise in mass shootings is DIRECTLY attributable to SM. The trend in mass shootings tracks almost perfectly with the introduction of the internet, message boards, and then full on social media to this day. Same again for our decline in civility and especially in politics. I believe, if unchecked, SM will be the downfall of liberal democracies unless we put some safety rails on it very quickly.: https://forums.sailinganarchy.com/threads/social-media-is-the-root-of-all-of-our-current-problems.244253/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 28th 2023
BIG NEWS: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) just moved forward with a proposal to restore net neutrality protections that were repealed under Trump.
That means it’s absolutely critical for us to show our support now and in the coming weeks. This is by far the best chance we’ve had to win a free and open internet since the Trump administration’s disastrous decision to repeal net neutrality protections in 2017.
Telecom lobbyists and their Republican allies like Ted Cruz are already working overtime to block or at least water down the FCC’s proposed rule.2 We need to take action NOW to voice our support for net neutrality.
Demand Progress has been a longtime champion of net neutrality, the idea that internet service providers (ISPs) like Verizon and Comcast must treat all content equally. That means that providers can’t censor content, create “fast lanes” for their own products, throttle traffic, or block access to their competitors.
In 2015, the Obama FCC enshrined net neutrality rules with the Open Internet Order. Then in 2017, the FCC under Trump-appointed Chair Ajit Pai overturned the regulations, putting corporate internet providers back in control of the internet.
Since that time, we’ve seen what happens when these corporations are allowed to control how we experience the internet. Verizon throttled traffic for firefighters during massive wildfires; ISPs have left poor, rural, and communities of color behind by cutting them out of infrastructure expansion; some companies have even forced users to watch ads before connecting to the internet.
We’ve never been closer to restoring net neutrality, but we need to keep pushing.
Add your name: Save net neutrality!: https://www.battleforthenet.com/action/
Paxlovid saves lives. And Pfizer is jacking up its price.
Pfizer just announced it’s going to nearly triple the price of the antiviral COVID drug that can help reduce symptoms, prevent hospitalizations, and save lives.1 Pfizer executives are prioritizing profits over patients. This is Big Pharma greed, plain and simple.
Pfizer’s CEO doesn’t need any more millions — he made $33 million in 20222 while so many Americans struggle to pay for the prescription drugs they need to survive. We must let President Biden know this is unacceptable.
Sign the petition: Tell President Biden to stop the corporate profiteering off of COVID treatments by guaranteeing access to all Americans.: https://act.demandprogress.org/sign/big-pharma-greed-pfizer/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 29th 2023
It seems self-evident that members of Congress shouldn't be allowed to get rich off the very industries they oversee, but in some cases that may actually be happening.
In 2021, 54 members of Congress and at least 182 top staff members violated the STOCK Act, which requires that members disclose financial trades within 90 days.
In 2020, 75 lawmakers held stocks in vaccine producers Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, or Pfizer. Most of those trades happened in the early weeks of the pandemic. Fifteen Congress members with a hand molding defense policy invest in military contractors. Over a dozen members in key roles shaping energy policy invest in fossil fuel corporations. The list goes on.
Senators Jeff Merkley and Sherrod Brown have introduced a bipartisan initiative, the ETHICS Act, aimed at halting stock trading activities by members of Congress. This much-needed legislation seeks to restore public trust and ensure that our representatives remain focused on the nation's welfare, not their stock portfolios.
Three in four voters agree that members of Congress should be banned from trading stock. Lawmakers are in Congress to serve, not to gain an unfair advantage in the stock market.
Sign the petition: Members of Congress should not own or trade individual stock!: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-members-of-congress-should-not-own-or-trade-stock
Across the country, far too many instances of police and prosecutors violating the rights of citizens go unaddressed. These incidents can have life-altering consequences for individuals and their communities especially when facing criminal accusations. Restoring Justice is deeply committed to putting an end to this cycle and ensuring accountability for those responsible.
Our mission is clear: to tackle the pressing issue of police and prosecutorial misconduct. We are committed to breaking this cycle and ensuring accountability for those responsible.
In 2016, Restoring Justice helped launch the Protestors Defense Team in response to the wrongful arrests during the George Floyd protest in downtown Houston. With our community bail fund, we ensured that no protester remained in custody due to financial constraints. We also coordinated pro bono legal defense for the protesters, ultimately leading to the dismissal of nearly 800 cases!
We are dedicated to ending mass incarceration and dismantling racial disparities within the criminal justice system. And in order to continue this vital work in challenging police misconduct and prosecutorial injustices, we need your support.
Add your name to Restoring Justice’s petition now to empower marginalized members of our community, and create a fairer and more just society for all. >>
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 30th 2023
This will be a good read for a reader of this blog. I have the privilege to own a collection of SPLC magazines all of which I have read over and sometimes very thoroughly read. You have to understand that none of this is good news. You can not let it get you down or make you feel fear. "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." - Yoda. These things are good to know by anyone who is concerned for our nation; especially spiritually. No matter what it is the spirit of our nation; that can always use help. Below is a common adaptation of what I am trying to convey.:
Why camaraderie is important in the Army?
How Military Camaraderie Translates to the Civilian World ...
However, because they are all in it together, they get through it. This mutual self-sacrifice, teamwork and covering each other's six contribute to individual bonding, unit cohesion and, ultimately, the camaraderie in question.: Click here to read full article.
SPLC LAUNCHES HATE CRIMES AWARENESS MONTH TO HIGHLIGHT EPIDEMIC OF BIAS INCIDENTS
September 29, 2023
Content warning: This story contains a graphic description of hate-inspired violence.
The news from Jacksonville, Florida, on Aug. 26 was as familiar as it was horrifying: A white gunman who had posted racist writings online takes a military-style weapon emblazoned with a symbol of hate into a predominantly Black neighborhood. Three Black people are killed.
The nation has seen this kind of attack against communities of color and LGBTQ+ people many times in recent years. The Jacksonville murders, in fact, came just weeks after the fourth anniversary of the white supremacist attack in El Paso, Texas, where 23 people were killed in a bias-motivated hate crime. As in numerous other cases, the El Paso gunman was inspired to kill by racist rhetoric based on the false “great replacement” conspiracy theory and what he claimed was a “Hispanic invasion” of the U.S. – harmful extremist ideas that are frequently echoed by mainstream politicians and right-wing media figures.: https://www.splcenter.org/news/2023/09/29/splc-launches-hate-crimes-awareness-month
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated October 31st 2023
A prison beating by guards reflects staffing and training issue, something Texas denies
Texas Public Radio | By Paul Flahive
Published October 31, 2023 at 2:20 PM CDT
Laird, whose cell was next door, said he heard a loud, meaty thump, a sound he described as somewhere between a bat hitting a side of beef and a tree.
“I've seen a lot of use of force [incidents] — I’ve been involved in a few. That probably was the most brutal sounding use of force I'd ever heard,” said Laird.: https://www.keranews.org/criminal-justice/2023-10-31/a-prison-beating-by-guards-reflects-staffing-and-training-issue-something-texas-denies
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated November 1st 2023
Dexter Wade's mom seeks federal probe after he's killed by Mississippi police car, buried without her knowing
2 hours ago: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dexter-wade-death-jackson-mississippi-mother-seeks-federal-investigation-police-cruiser/
Boris Johnson suggested that COVID was 'nature's way of dealing with old people'3 hours ago: https://nypost.com/2023/11/01/news/boris-johnson-suggested-that-covid-was-natures-way-of-dealing-with-old-people/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated November 6th 2023
Public Defenders Help the Poorest and Most Vulnerable. Don't Let This City Privatize Such an Essential Service!
People who can't afford legal representation deserve high quality representation from passionate, committed lawyers, and all of this could disappear in the city of Aurora, Colorado.: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/297/862/852/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated November 10th 2023
This Saturday is Veterans Day.
We are grateful for the brave people who have served our country and protected us, and are especially thankful for veterans who have brought their unique skill sets to our hospitals and health systems.
We want to highlight several stories of incredible veterans who have dedicated their lives to serving their communities:
Stephanie Smart is not only the Vice President of Nursing at the United Hospital Center in West Virginia, she is a mom, a farmer, and a veteran of the Marines, having served two tours in Iraq. She credits the military for teaching her leadership skills and resiliency. Learn more about Stephanie here.: https://www.wvnews.com/theet/news/stephanie-smart-balances-family-work-and-farm-life/article_d2f3e57f-8ec1-5366-a39e-d2ecb74eaf1e.html
Devin Yates is the President of Nursing Staff at Atrium Health in Charlotte, North Carolina. Before that, Devin served in the U.S. Army for 10 years, receiving five Purple Hearts after being shot at multiple times throughout his deployment. After a medical discharge from the military, Devin pursued a career as a nurse, in part because he “wanted to give back to the field that helped me recover.” Learn more about Devin here.https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2021/11/15/from-army-to-nursing-
Doctors Meedlen Charles and Sarah Vossoughi are both physicians at New York Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital, and both served our country overseas. Linking her military service back to her career as a physician, Vossoughi shares: “I simply do what needs to be done because my mission now as a civilian is to take the best possible care of my patients. Nothing will stand between me and my mission.” Doctors Charles and Vossoughi shared their stories here.https://healthmatters.nyp.org/stories-of-service-two-physicians-reflect-on-their-time-in-the-military/
Tell your Senator: Protect access to quality health care!: https://actnow.protecthealthcare.org/a/senate-help-tweet-1
As we acknowledge Veterans Day, let us also reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that veterans receive the support, care, and opportunities they deserve. We must work together as a community and as a nation to provide for our veterans' well-being, both during and after their service. In unity and gratitude, we salute our veterans for their immense contributions to our country and the values they uphold.
With medical marijuana legal in most states, more veterans than ever before are eligible to use cannabis therapeutically.
Unfortunately, many find it difficult or impossible to gain access to these life-saving programs because doctors within the Department of Veterans Affairs are prohibited from officially recommending medical cannabis to their patients.
Members of the House and Senate have included provisions in their respective chambers’ military spending bills to finally allow VA doctors to recommend medical cannabis in states where it is legal. However, it is possible that this necessary reform could end up on the chopping block when lawmakers negotiate the final legislation.
This Veterans Day, tell Congress to help alleviate the suffering of those who served by improving their ability to access medical cannabis.: https://norml.org/act/let-va-doctors-recommend-medical-cannabis/
Veterans Day from CCDP!
On this Veterans Day, we honor and express our heartfelt gratitude to the brave men and women who have served in our armed forces. Their unwavering dedication and sacrifice have protected our freedoms and secured our nation's future. We stand together, across party lines, to recognize the courage and selflessness of our veterans, for they embody the very essence of service to our country.: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Happy-Veterans-Day-from-CCDP-.html?soid=1102052601563&aid=2ubiNNj-Nrk
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated November 11th 2023
Got this email from the NAACP yesterday, Sat, Nov 11 at 9:06 AM.:
Every year on Veterans Day, we celebrate the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of our veterans — past and present — who have selflessly defended our country over the years.
Today, let us not only thank our veterans for their service but also commit to honoring them with action, remaining steadfast in our commitment to safeguarding freedom, justice, and equity.
We owe a great deal of gratitude to all those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Our veterans have dedicated their lives to protecting our nation and preserving the values we hold dear. Many have made great sacrifices, leaving behind their families and risking their lives for the greater good.
As we take this day to honor and recognize their incredible valor and fortitude, let us also remember the importance of supporting and caring for those who have served.
For all they have done and for all they continue to do, we say thank you. Our nation would not be where it is today without our veterans. Thriving Together, Derrick Johnson President and CEO NAACP
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated November 15th 2023
I'm just glad someone watches over stuff like this.:
Tell Green Giant: Reduce harmful pesticides NOW
But, unlike many large agricultural companies, B&G is not adopting regenerative practices. The company is failing to act on harmful pesticides that endanger consumers, farmers and farmworkers, agricultural communities, and pollinators.
Tell B&G Foods: Clean up your Crops: https://action.greenamerica.org/page/59499/action/1
What is the most conservative county in Texas?
NOVEMBER 15, 2023
Collin County’s conservative reputation is reflected in its voting patterns. In the 2020 presidential election, the county overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump, with 69% of the vote going to the Republican candidate. This aligns with the county’s historical voting trends, as it has consistently favored Republican candidates in both local and national elections.: https://www.claytoncountyregister.com/news2/what-is-the-most-conservative-county-in-texas/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated November 17th 2023
Alabama is also the home of SPLC. There are great Americans in the south and anything like this is sure to fail; I hope this petition helps.
Attacks on the freedom of the press are unconstitutional. However, just last month in Alabama, two journalists were arrested on charges of disclosing leaked information after they published a story about an investigation into the local Board of Education’s alleged mishandling of COVID relief funds.
A free and independent press is a cornerstone of democracy. An informed, engaged public is able to hold the government accountable. We have to protect the freedom of the press whenever it is threatened.
Sign the petition: Protect freedom of the press.: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-protect-freedom-of-the-press-3
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated November 19th 2023
Sign the petition: Tell President Biden to stop the corporate profiteering off of COVID treatments by guaranteeing access to all Americans.
Paxlovid costs $13 to make. Pfizer is going to sell it for $1,400.3 That’s a 10,000% price markup.
Drug corporations are making massive profits on medicine people need to survive. Pfizer became the first ever Pharma company to bring in $100 billion in revenue. That’s right, $100 billion.4 While everyday Americans are struggling to afford medications, Pfizer executives are getting richer and richer.
Big Pharma will always want to maximize profits. Big Pharma executives will always want fat bonuses. That's why President Biden must step in.: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/stop-this-outrageous-paxlovid-increase-end-big-pharma-greed
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated November 20th 2023
NME
Sacha Baron Cohen says TikTok is "creating the biggest anti-Semitic movement since the Nazis"
A number of Jewish celebrities have criticised TikTok following a surge of anti-Semitic content on the social media platform.
.9 hours ago: https://www.nme.com/news/film/sacha-baron-cohen-says-tiktok-is-creating-biggest-anti-semitic-movement-since-nazis-3544276
Our country should be more and more involved with helping Mexico. The fact that this is a human rights issue in Mexico; should be a eye opener for the good people of Mexico.:
Ociel Baena was a beloved and well-known non-binary activist in Mexico, and the first openly non-binary magistrate in the state of Aguascalientes. According to Juan Pablo Delgado, who leads the human rights organization Amicus, Baena was a warm, encouraging leader "who generated so much empathy, affection internationally."
Now, Baena and their partner Dorian Nieves are dead, having been brutally attacked inside their home. The Mexican people are demanding answers and a rigorous investigation!
Warning: this petition contains graphic details of homophobic violence.
According to the state's chief prosecutor, authorities found Baena's body covered in 20 different lacerations from a shaving razor. This level of intensity and cruelty would be consistent with the types of hate and abuse queer, gay, trans, and non-binary people face regularly.
Baena continually received death threats and hate messages, especially after becoming a more visible public servant. Yet state police are trying to redirect attention and blame the couple themselves, suggesting a murder-suicide. Other officials are even claiming their deaths could supposedly be "some kind of accident," as if that makes any sense at all.
But members of the LGBTQ+ community in Mexico are speaking out, sharing that homophobic and transphobic violence is still terrifyingly common. Additionally, activists in Mexico say state and local authorities have a long history of minimizing violence, including murders, against queer people.
The Mexican government owes it to these families and the entire LGBTQ+ community to thoroughly investigate the horrific crimes that lead to Nieves and Baena's deaths. Sign the petition now!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/737/158/847/
The recent rise of anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes show us that homophobia and transphobia are still prevalent in our country. At least 25 trans and gender-nonconforming people have been brutally murdered this year, most of them people of color.: https://support.splcenter.org/site/R?i=nPjmKsmBZsgou3EL4FhT1G2nk38-NENRSDzcUkRKtUX4-unEqLetRw The uptick of violence continues to threaten the ability for trans people to live their full, authentic lives, resulting in heightened suicide rates, particularly of trans youth.: https://support.splcenter.org/site/R?i=YcFYNDNB9TTSr4rrIbTwVoSdveA5Lo70tsw8AI16-Zvoh_nlXLFwOg
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated November 21st 2023
US retaliates against Iran-backed militants after ballistic missile strike, officials say
The Pentagon believes the counterstrike killed several Iran-linked militants.
November 21, 2023, 1:30 PM
US airstrikes target facilities in Syria being used by Iranian-backed militants: watch this
The U.S. military fired back at Iran-backed militants who injured several troops in Iraq early Tuesday morning local time, according to U.S. officials.
The militants launched a ballistic missile attack from a truck against U.S. forces at al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq, leaving several service members with minor injuries, according to U.S. officials.
"I can confirm an attack last night by Iran backed militias using a close-range ballistic missile against U.S. and coalition forces at al-Assad Airbase in Iraq, which resulted in several non-serious injuries and some minor damage to infrastructure," said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh.
"We can confirm an attack last night by Iran-backed militias using a close-range ballistic missile against us and coalition forces at Al-Asad airbase, which resulted in eight injuries and minor damage to infrastructure. Immediately following the attack, a U.S. military AC-130 aircraft in the area conducted a self defense strike against an Iranian-backed militia vehicle and a number of Iranian-backed militia personnel involved in this attack," said Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-gunship-strikes-back-iran-linked-militants-injured/story?id=105070277
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated November 22nd 2023
SIGN: STOP SHOOTING AUSTRALIA’S WILD HORSES FROM HELICOPTERS
An aerial gunning in 2000 saw more than 600 wild horses shot down in three days — leading to public outrage, condemnation, and a decades-long hiatus on the shootings.
No wild horse deserves to be gunned down from the sky and left to suffer an agonizing death. The Australian government must find a more compassionate path forward.
Sign our petition urging Australian leadership to recommit to non-lethal alternatives for these wild horses and so save countless lives and stop horrific suffering.: https://ladyfreethinker.org/sign-stop-shooting-australias-wild-horses-from-helicopters/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated November 26th 2023
Meta collected children’s data from Instagram accounts, unsealed court document alleges: https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/26/business/meta-collecting-data-children-facebook/index.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated November 28th 2023
Stars and Stripes
NAPLES, Italy — The Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier will stay in the eastern Mediterranean Sea for the foreseeable future in a continued show of strength, as Iran-backed militants increase their attacks on American forces in the Middle East.
The statement about Ford came as U.S. forces carried out retaliatory strikes Tuesday against two undisclosed facilities in Iraq. The operation was connected to a close-range ballistic missile attack Monday against American and coalition forces at al Asad Air Base in Iraq’s western Anbar province.
An AC-130 gunship airborne at the time of the missile attack fired on a vehicle carrying militants thought to be responsible, resulting in several casualties, U.S. officials said.
In all, U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria have been attacked upward of 66 times since Oct. 17, resulting in 62 injuries to American personnel, Singh said. Those numbers did not include the most recent attack, she noted.: https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2023-11-22/ford-navy-middle-east-attacks-12135190.html
US identifies American service member killed by IED in Syria
At least two coalition personnel were killed by an explosion on Thursday.: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/coalition-personnel-killed-ied-syria-54118440&cid=clicksource_4380645_1_hero_headlines_headlines_hed&cid=clicksource_4380645_1_hero_headlines_headlines_hed
Six Americans have died since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, he said, comprised of five Israeli troops - four killed in Gaza and one killed in northern Israel - and a national police border officer.: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-774278
The Nation
The Looming Threat of Israel’s Nuclear Option
A cornered, nuclear-armed Benjamin Netanyahu would be the definition of a perilous situation in a war where nothing—not journalists, schools,...: https://www.thenation.com/article/world/nuclear-weapons-israel-gaza/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated November 29th 2023
Veterans Affairs efforts housed over 750 homeless North Texas vets this year
More than 38,000 veterans across the country who were homeless at the beginning of 2023 now have homes of their own. That’s after a push by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to reduce homelessness among people who’ve served in the military — and it’s a milestone the VA hit two months ahead of schedule.: https://www-keranews-org.translate.goog/news/2023-11-29/veterans-affairs-efforts-housed-over-750-homeless-north-texas-vets-this-year?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated December 2nd 2023
For years, platforms like Meta’s Instagram have knowingly sucked kids into addictive and compulsive social media use — prioritizing profits over the well-documented, real-world harms their products have created for kids.
Finally, a massive group of state attorney generals is suing to correct this problem – but they’re already facing well-funded pressure from Big Tech to drop the lawsuit. Co-sign a letter of support to these courageous state attorneys general to tell them – we’ve got your back!: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/forms/add-your-name-to-thank-the-42-attorneys-general-for-suing-meta-3
In November 2023, over a million gallons of crude oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico, devastating the local environment and subjecting countless wildlife to horrific pain and suffering — and possibly entire species to extinction.
This is devastating. A spill of this magnitude creates long lasting negative effects on the environment, contaminating the water and any living thing that depends on it for habitat and food.
To make matters worse, the Gulf of Mexico is home to some of the most endangered species on Earth, like the Rice's Whale of which there are only 50 left alive. Kemp's Ridley sea turtles, the most endangered sea turtles in the world, were just seen hatching for the first time in 75 years near the oil spill! Now, these already vulnerable animals could be lost forever due to human greed for oil and horrific errors.
Over a dozen federal agencies have been working tirelessly to help clean up this spill. But the company responsible, Main Pass Oil Gathering Company (MPOG), must bear 100% of the cost of the cleanup. Period. Sign the petition if you agree!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/127/227/927/
Email from my favorite LGBTQ human rights people Lambda Legal.:
HIV was once a devastating diagnosis. But in 2023, we know that an HIV diagnosis no longer means a person can’t live a normal life — full of hope, aspirations, and a vision for the future.
By taking antiretroviral medications, people living with HIV — an estimated 1.2 million in the U.S. — can reduce the amount of HIV virus in their blood to the point of it being clinically undetectable. This means there is so little virus present that modern viral load testing can’t even spot the virus count in a given blood specimen.
But even with this advancement in HIV science and medicine, people living with HIV still face discrimination, including those who simply want to serve our country as part of the U.S. Armed Services.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CIWF6IYrpE
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated December 3rd 2023
A shocking new report found that Intuit (TurboTax) receives more money each year in tax subsidies than it would cost for the IRS to run its own direct, free tax filing service.
This is a massive blow against TurboTax’s argument that the IRS’ proposed free taxing filing service would be too expensive.
Last year alone, Intuit received some $254 million in tax breaks, including a special research tax credit of $94 million.
A free, direct IRS system would also be far cheaper for American taxpayers, who pay a combined $11 billion every year on tax preparation services.: https://act.demandprogress.org/sign/stop-turbotax/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated December 6th 2023
Facebook and Instagram Steer Predators to Children, New Mexico Attorney General Alleges in Lawsuit - https://www.wsj.com/tech/facebook-and-instagram-steer-predators-to-children-new-mexico-attorney-general-alleges-in-lawsuit-b76a5b04
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated December 7th 2023
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day: Historical photos show the Dec. 7, 1941 attack in Hawaii
On Dec. 7, 1941, a surprise attack at the Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawaii would officially begin the United States' involvement in World War II.
That day, which President Franklin Roosevelt would notably call "a date which will live in infamy," is now recognized each year as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/12/07/pearl-harbor-day-photos-1941/71823546007/
Increase Youth Turnout: Become a Vote At Home state!
According to a recent study, young people who live in states that mail all registered voters a ballot see significantly higher youth voter participation – with some states reaching up to 86%(!!!).
This commonsense reform is one of our most powerful tools to ensure young people cast ballots, and defeat Republicans up and down the ballot. But right now, there’s only ten Vote At Home states plus the District of Columbia.
Will you take a moment to sign our petition to demand that every state becomes a Vote At Home state?
Your signature on this petition is more than just an action; it's a statement that you stand for an inclusive, accessible democracy where every voice can contribute to shaping our nation's future.
Sign the Petition: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/increase-youth-turnout-become-a-vote-at-home-state
Today, I ask you to take action. Sign this ADL petition to ask university and college presidents: Is calling for the genocide of Jews a violation of your school’s policies?
We firmly believe that college campuses must be arenas for discourse and the free exchange of ideas. However, that does not allow for the incitement of violence and harassment that is occurring too frequently on many campuses right now. How can campus administrators ensure the safety of Jewish students, professors and other on-campus Jewish professionals if threatening and harassing calls for the genocide of Jews is not against each school’s code of conduct?
Please sign this important call for action by campus leaders now, and thank you for speaking out alongside ADL to Fight Hate for Good.
I’ll Sign Now: University Leaders Must Safeguard Jewish Students: https://adl.salsalabs.org/genocide-campus/index.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated December 12th 2023
(Content warning: This email includes mention of suicide.)
The evidence just keeps piling up that social media companies like Meta – owner of Instagram and Facebook – are knowingly inflicting massive damage on the mental health of a huge number of kids and teens. They will not take any meaningful action, because addicting young users means more profits.
Six years ago this month, Molly Russell – a teen in the UK – took her own life after social media’s algorithms continued to feed her “a stream of dark, depressing content.” Her father is still horrified by the scope of the problem and points out that “little has changed” since her death. Last month, the suicide prevention charity set up in Molly’s name revealed from extensive data analysis that “young people are routinely recommended large volumes of harmful content, fed by high-risk algorithms, that … present a clear risk of exacerbating feelings of depression, hopelessness, and misery.”
A newly-unsealed complaint filed as part of a recent lawsuit from multiple states’ attorneys general documents that … “Meta Platforms deliberately engineered its social platforms to hook kids and knew – but never disclosed – it had received millions of complaints about underage users on Instagram but only disabled a fraction of those accounts.” Meta knowingly kept millions of underage users on its platforms in violation of their privacy rights.
And another newly-unsealed complaint filed against Meta in Massachusetts revealed that executives at the company, including Mark Zuckerberg, repeatedly rejected internal recommendations to make Instagram safer for kids. Zuckerberg personally turned down a proposal to hide like counts on Instagram even though internal teams found such action would be beneficial to young people’s mental health and well-being.
While some states (such as California, which passed the Age-Appropriate Design Code Act last year) have taken action to address this problem, it’s obvious that broader, federal legislation is needed. In response to this crisis, Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn have re-introduced the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) – and if our Senators hear from enough of us on this topic, this bill has a good chance of moving forward. So please send a letter to your Senators today, asking them to support the Kids Online Safety Act and urge Senate Majority Leader Schumer to bring the bill to a vote.
TAKE ACTION NOW
Already almost 50 Senators representing over 200 million Americans have co-sponsored this bi-partisan legislation. KOSA would require social media companies to allow users to turn off engagement-based algorithms and stop recommendation systems that are sending them toxic content, like disordered eating content.
It would also require platforms to prevent and mitigate cyberbullying by giving users options to restrict messages from other users and to make their profiles private. In addition, KOSA would require that platforms address the ways in which their recommendation systems promote harmful content such as suicide and suicidal behaviors.
It’s obvious that Big Tech companies like Meta will continue to dismiss, delay, deflect, and deny the real need for changes to their platforms. They will continue addicting and harming our kids – until laws are passed that force them to stop. So send a letter to your Senators TODAY and ask them to do everything in their power to protect our kids, starting with passing the KOSA legislation.
SEND YOUR LETTERS: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-your-senators-we-need-the-kids-online-safety-act-now/
Tell Congress:
Reject the FISA Reform and Reauthorization Act, which would expand Section 702 to allow surveillance of immigrants and their families
SIGN THE PETITION!
A shocking new bill in Congress would allow the FBI, NSA, and CIA to warrantlessly spy on immigrants – as well as their families in the United States – using tools meant for suspected terrorists and spies.
The proposed bill would expand Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a dangerous power that government agencies use to collect, use, and share our personal data, including online communications, all without a warrant.
The current Section 702 rules, which are regularly broken by government agencies, require that targets are expected to possess or receive “foreign intelligence information.” The new bill would extend Section 702 for another year, and radically broaden these already loose constraints to allow for spying on anyone who interacts with the immigration system.
SIGN NOW: Congress must put an end to warrantless surveillance, not recklessly expand it.
Warrantless government surveillance of Americans under Section 702 is out of control, and has been used aggressively to spy on communities of color. Last month, 63 Asian American and allied organizations sent a letter to Congress noting that the FBI’s “misuse” of the authority has resulted in “disproportionate targeting” of Asian Americans and their families, with “devastating tolls on careers, livelihoods, and reputations.”
The massive number of documented abuses by agencies like the NSA, CIA, and FBI include searches for communications from tens of thousands of protestors, Black Lives Matter activists, journalists, donors to a Congressional campaign, and countless others.
Any extension of Section 702 would allow the government to obtain new year-long Section 702 certifications at the beginning of the year — allowing this unaccountable, abusive government spying to continue into 2025. We can’t let that happen.
Cigna and Humana are the fifth and sixth largest health insurance companies in America, totaling nearly $300 billion in revenue in 2023. And now, the two corporate giants want to become one health insurance behemoth.1
A select few giant corporations already control so much in the health care and health insurance industry. A Cigna-Humana merger of this size would inevitably hurt patients and care providers as corporate executives more and more emphasize profit over patient care.
Giant health care corporations are already abusing their massive power to the detriment of patients in need of care. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) can’t let Cigna and Humana merge to become even more powerful!
Sign the petition: Urge the FTC and DOJ to halt runaway corporate consolidation. Stop this Cigna-Humana health insurance mega-merger!
Decades of consolidation among hospitals, doctors, and insurers is alarming because the more corporations dominate the market, the more UnitedHealth, CVS, and Cigna-Humana can raise prices and negatively impact patients.
Cigna-Humana would be just one of the next steps in this runaway corporate growth in the health care industry, as UnitedHealth also seeks to execute a $3.3 billion merger of its own — even though UnitedHealth is already the largest health care conglomerate in the country.2
Cigna and Humana’s individual level of market control already leads to higher prices and worse patient outcomes. In fact, audits of Medicare Advantage plans found that Cigna and Humana overcharged the federal government by millions of dollars.3
Corporate health care mergers are a threat to patients, workers, and the entire industry — and Cigna and Humana’s rumored attempt to merge will make this threat even more serious.
Add your name: Patients over corporate profits! Stop this Cigna-Humana health insurance mega-merger: https://act.demandprogress.org/sign/cigna-humana-merger-moveon/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated December 15th 2023
In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared December 15 to be Bill of Rights Day, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights. In 1991, the Virginia copy of the Bill of Rights toured the country in honor of its bicentennial, visiting the capitals of all fifty states.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights
Today is Bill of Rights Day. We celebrate the rights and protections constitutionally adopted during George Washington’s first administration as president, on Dec. 15, 1791. Among these is the freedom of religion. It is not a stretch to believe that Washington would be dismayed by the recent rise in antisemitism in the United States. We know this because of his own words and actions.: https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2023/12/15/24000035/bill-of-rights-day-george-washington-antisemitism
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated December 22nd 2023
A surge in right-wing efforts to purge voter rolls is spreading across the country, often targeting minority and younger voters, who are more likely to vote for Democrats. Working in tandem with Republican-led state legislatures, they have already succeeded in purging millions of eligible voters from their rolls.
Between the 2020 and 2022 electoral cycles, states removed ( https://truthout.org/articles/10-states-purged-over-19-million-voters-between-2020-and-2022-electoral-cycles/ ) more than 19 million people from voter rolls. Often, these removals are based on flawed practices like 'inactivity' or inaccurate identification of felony or citizenship status.
Faulty voter purges often result in the erroneous removal of eligible voters and contribute to voter suppression.
The U.S. Department of Justice must intervene to ensure the protection of voting rights. These purges disenfranchise eligible voters and undermine public confidence in our electoral system.
Sign the petition to the DOJ: Investigate state voter purges!
Sign the petition to the U.S. Department of Justice: Investigate state voter purges!
SIGN THE PETITION: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-to-the-doj-investigate-state-voter-purges
Right now, we’re standing at a crucial crossroads in the fight for marijuana justice.
President Biden's campaign promise to decriminalize marijuana has not yet been fully realized. Last year's pardon for simple possession and his proposed plan for rescheduling have fallen short of the comprehensive reform we deserve.
That’s why we’re partnering with allies to launch United for Decriminalization,[1] a coalition built to urge President Biden to tackle racist enforcement and substantially overhaul federal marijuana policy. Your action in support of this bold effort is not just important—it's critical. Add your name now to hold the President accountable to his decriminalization promise.
Sign The Petition: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/petition-president-biden-advance-his-campaign-promises-on-marijuana/
The last 50 Rice’s whales in the world are fighting for their lives.
But the deck is stacked against this magnificent species, who suffered significant losses from the Deepwater Horizon spill – and now the waters they call home are under threat by the fossil fuel industry again.
Fossil fuel companies fire seismic airguns almost endlessly in their rabid hunt for more climate-busting oil in the Gulf of Mexico. For whales that rely on their sensitive hearing to communicate, reproduce, and even feed, these dynamite-like blasts are deadly.
Appallingly, the federal government has done nothing to stop this acoustic onslaught. Time is running out, so today we’re mounting the biggest public outcry possible to save the last remaining 50 Rice’s whales from extinction.
Send your letter now calling on the federal Department of Commerce to ban seismic airguns and save one of the most critically endangered whales on the planet.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/petitions/protect-critically-endangered-rices-whales-from-seismic-blasting-and-ship-strikes-increasing-their-threat-of-extinction
I love library's the smell of books, the quit and just plane atmosphere of library's was always a highlight in my life. We always had a very nice library in every town I have ever lived in. My favorites was in my 1st home town. It had the coolest furniture and was made so you could always find a private spot to stretch out and relax and enjoy reading. Back when few people knew what a personal cassette player was; I used to love to listen to my favorite rock bands and read at the library.
Our cherished public libraries, the hubs of knowledge and community, are facing a crisis that threatens their existence and the principles they stand for.
Across the U.S., libraries are experiencing alarming incidents, from vandalism to bomb threats. This escalation of violence is deeply concerning and poses a real threat to these safe spaces of learning and knowledge sharing.
The core issue here is the rise in book bans and censorship, attacking the fundamental principles of free information access and diversity of thought that libraries uphold. It's crucial that we act now to protect these institutions.
We urgently need to call on Congress to ensure libraries remain safe and free from censorship. They must be able to serve their communities without fear. That’s why we’re asking 10,000 supporters to sign our petition now and DEMAND Congress take action to protect our public libraries! Click here to add your name before midnight tonight.
Libraries are more than buildings; they're the heart of our neighborhoods. By signing our petition, you can help urge Congress to take action to protect these essential spaces.:
SIGN ON NOW!
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated December 24th 2023
First, investigators have documented widespread rape and sexual violence by Hamas against Israeli women and girls. Yet the world remains silent. Human rights organizations, advocates for women and children, and feminist leaders have ignored or flat-out denied that these atrocities took place. The evidence of sexual violence has been widely documented by a civil commission, forensic scientists, eyewitnesses and Israeli police. The world must recognize and condemn the use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war against Israelis.
We are grateful that a bipartisan group of 16 Senators has introduced a Senate resolution to formally recognize and condemn the use of sexual violence on October 7th. Please join ADL in asking your Senator to support the resolution.
Email Your Senator: https://adl.salsalabs.org/10-7-sexual-violence-res/index.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 1st 2024
I hope the world will help Japan in their time of need. Not like their last Tsunami incident. Japan for life!
Powerful Earthquake Hits Japan, Causing Tsunami and Killing Four: https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/tsunami-warning-issued-in-japan-after-powerful-earthquake-f275bddc
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 2nd 2024
Below is the second paragraph to the end of a email I got from NAACP. The theme of the email was reflecting on the victories of 2023. They have good graphics and images in their emails and a very well done graphic design job. As always; I like quoting Mr. Johnson. He seems like a good man.:
As we kick off 2024, let us continue to stand together in this fight for our community. Let us use our collective voices to speak out against injustice at every turn and hold those in power accountable for upholding the ideals our ancestors fought and died for. We must continue to advocate and agitate until we see a society where everyone is treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their race, gender, religion, sexuality, or background. We must also continue to uplift our culture knowing that our impact is vast, and it’s up to us to protect it and defend our history against those who seek to discredit it.
Derrick Johnson
President and CEO
NAACP
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 3rd 2024
In a disturbing revelation, it has come to light that major fast-food chains, including McDonald's, KFC, Wendy's, and Burger King, are implicated in the exploitation of prison labor in Alabama. This practice, described in a lawsuit as a "modern-day form of slavery," forces incarcerated individuals to work for little to no pay, benefiting these corporations while violating fundamental human rights and anti-human trafficking laws.
The lawsuit highlights a system where prisoners are subjected to inhumane working conditions, including long hours without pay, threats of solitary confinement for non-compliance, and even physical and psychological abuse. Join us in demanding accountability and ethical labor practices from McDonald's, KFC, Wendy's, and Burger King. Sign this petition to insist they stop using prison labor and uphold human rights and dignity in their business operations.: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/571/101/783/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 4th 2024
*Murder is one of the basic sins in any religion.:
The president of Burundi recently encouraged people to stone LGBTQ+ individuals — a brutal and terrifying form of murder. This is a direct incitement to homophobic violence and we should all be outraged.
President Evariste Ndayishimiye shared his views during a recent question-and-answer event with the public and journalists, where he said of queer people: "[If] we find them in Burundi, it is better to lead them to a stadium and stone them. And that cannot be a sin."*
Being a member of the LGBTQ+ community is already extremely dangerous in the country. If you're caught and convicted of engaging in same-sex relations, you could be imprisoned for up to two years. Queer people are seriously marginalized, facing social ostracization and intimidation.
No one should face death or terror just because of who they love. Burundi's government should be rolling back hateful laws, not doubling down on anti-gay sentiments.
Burundi is a member of the U.N. Sustainable Development Group, which supposedly prioritizes respect for human rights. But calling for brutal acts of terror does not count as respecting human rights.
Sign the petition now to demand the United Nations Sustainable Development Group hold member nation Burundi accountable for its president's incitements to hate crimes!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/314/280/785/
We have a public health crisis—and an opportunity to do something about it. Low levels of lead exposure in drinking water have been linked to learning disabilities in children, impaired hearing, and damage to the central and peripheral nervous system. In adults, lead exposure has been linked to decreased kidney function, reproductive health problems, and severe cardiovascular problems.1
Despite all of these known risks, between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020, 186 million people—56% of the U.S. population—drank water from drinking water systems that detected lead levels exceeding 1 part per billion (ppb). 61 million people were served by drinking water systems where lead levels were detected to exceed 5 ppb.2
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed regulations to help get lead out of drinking water. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements is a big step forward and would ensure the replacement of most lead pipes in 10 years, including in low-income communities and areas most impacted by this health crisis. We also must require water utilities to cover the full costs, so we’re not putting that financial burden on low-income homeowners, and to protect renters whose landlords are unlikely to pay the cost of lead pipe replacement. Otherwise, we are further exacerbating this public health crisis’s disproportionate impact on communities of color. The federal government has already provided some funds to help utilities shoulder these costs.
We can support this proposal by submitting comments to the Federal Register about these proposed regulations until February 5, 2024. Click here to submit your comment directly to the EPA, urging them to finalize strong regulations that will give everyone access to safe drinking water as quickly as possible.: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/support-the-epas-proposed-regulations-to-make-our-drinking-water-safer-for-all/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 5th 2024
Iowa school shooter believed to have posted an ominous TikTok video before killing a 6th grader and wounding 5 other people
Updated 10:47 AM EST, Fri January 5, 2024
Law enforcement officers work at the scene of a shooting at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa, U.S., January 4, 2024. REUTERS/
CNN
Moments before a 17-year-old unleashed gunfire at Iowa’s Perry High School, killing a sixth grader and wounding five other people, the student is believed to have posted a foreboding TikTok video.
On the morning shooter Dylan Butler opened fire, a TikTok post believed to be from the shooter shows him the inside a school bathroom posing with a blue duffel bag, captioned: “Now we wait.”: https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/05/us/perry-iowa-school-shooting-friday/index.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 7th 2024
A single endangered elephant was shot eight times by poachers before dying during a trophy hunt in South Africa. It's a heartbreaking reminder that the international trade in hunting trophies is alive and well — and demand in the United States is fueling it.
An endangered elephant was brutally killed during a trophy hunt in South Africa.
The elephant was hunted on foot and by helicopter and shot eight times by a group of trophy hunters before succumbing to its injuries. The elephant’s death is devastating.
It’s also a reminder that urgent action is necessary to prevent future poaching.
There are steps we can take at home to prevent trophy hunting abroad. Namely, by banning the import of elephant trophies, the Biden administration can discourage international trophy hunting and wildlife trafficking.
The U.S. is currently a major importer of so-called “trophies,” including elephant tusks and skulls. Between 2005 and 2014, approximately 32,500 trophies were imported into the country.
Given this, it’s no surprise that poaching is a leading cause of elephant deaths. An estimated 30,000 elephants are killed every year by trophy hunters.
A U.S. ban on trophy imports will disincentivize further elephant poaching. By sending a message to the Biden administration today, you can help build the necessary support to see a ban enacted.
Take action to save the elephants today.: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/petitions/add-your-name-end-the-elephant-hunts
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 8th 2024
GRITS FOR BREAKFAST
New Year Check In: Anyone still out there?
Having taken all of 2023 off, my spouse absolving me of all income generation responsibilities for the year, I left this humble blog to lie fallow, checking in only to promote other interests. I still don't know what the future holds for this lowly opuscule, but having had multiple reporters seeking me out since I got back from Mexico (mid-December), all asking what's being missed now that Keri Blakinger and Jolie McCollough are no longer working the Texas justice beat, I thought I'd say to y'all what I've been saying to them: https://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2024/01/new-year-check-in-anyone-still-out-there.html
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 11th 2024
When Bettersen Wade's son Dexter went missing, she didn't know what to do. Distraught, she searched for answers, but found none.
Until now. Recently, 215 bodies were discovered in a pauper's graveyard behind a county jail near Jackson, Mississippi. Dexter was among them.
Dexter's mother learned that a police officer had hit Dexter with his car and killed him — then brought his body to the mass gravesite behind the jail, where he was buried without ceremony. No one ever notified his family, even though he had a wallet in his front pocket with his name, address, and ID. It was still there after his body was exhumed.
Lying near a nondescript dirt road, the graves are unnamed, each marked only with a metal rod and a number. According to civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, there are actually at least 672 people buried in that field — but it's only been possible to identify 215 of them. While the group of people buried is multiracial, those subjected to this horrible fate have been disproportionately Black.
Usually, the protocol for when a person dies at the hands of police or while in custody is that authorities are supposed to look for their families or next of kin. But in Hinds County, that didn't happen.
Even worse, the county is demanding that relatives actually pay a fee to retrieve their loved ones' remains from this field of horrors.
Families are working together with Mr. Crump to demand the U.S. Department of Justice conduct a full investigation into how such an atrocity could occur. We must stand with them and demand answers now! Sign the petition!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/358/644/121/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 17th 2024
It’s a new year and the 1099-K threat remains. Although the IRS issued a one-year delay of the law’s implementation, the issue is still not resolved.
As Congress negotiates a potential tax package, it’s crucial that an increase in the 1099-K reporting threshold be included in any deal.
The IRS delay in November postponed a flurry of 1099-K forms being sent to thousands of casual eBay sellers, but it was just that—a delay. Americans need permanent certainty from Congress. Unless Congress acts, starting in 2025, anyone selling more than $600 on an online platform will get a tax form and have their sales reported to the IRS - even if they didn’t make a profit!: https://bit.ly/41WEctE
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 25th 2024
The death penalty is riddled with inequalities and fails to deter crime. It disproportionately affects marginalized communities and often overlooks the critical needs of mental health and trauma in those it targets.
Support for the death penalty is decreasing as more and more Americans understand that not only is it inhumane and unjust, but it’s also extremely expensive and can have a negative impact on our society.
Join us and demand an end to this archaic, inhumane punishment now!
Capital punishment is a flawed, unjust, and outdated practice. At its core, it is a discriminatory practice, plagued by systemic biases, inadequate legal representation, and junk science. The likelihood of receiving a death sentence is higher for individuals who are Black, economically disadvantaged, or when the victim is white. Those facing the death penalty often have backgrounds marked by severe trauma, mental health issues, or intellectual disabilities. It fails to serve as a deterrent to crime and does not aid in the healing process for victims.
Rehabilitation, not punishment, should be the cornerstone of our penal system.
Justice should not come in the form of state-sponsored executions but in upholding the sanctity of life, even in the face of heinous crimes. Support for capital punishment is waning, with more states enacting execution moratoriums or abolishing it entirely.
The death penalty has no place in a just society. Together, we must prevent a return to inhumane practices and continue our fight for a just and equitable justice system.:
In Daily Kos's 20-plus year history, 2023 will stand out as our most financially difficult year. Unfortunately, things aren't looking better as we enter 2024. Donations of just a few dollars from our readers and activists helps us pay the bills. Please support progressive news.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 27th 2024
Alabama Just Gassed a Man to Death. He Suffered Horribly for 22 Minutes Before Dying. We Must Abolish the Cruel and Unjust Death Penalty!
Kenneth Smith was executed in Alabama using an untested method involving nitrogen gas. His agonizing 22-minute ordeal could be described as nothing less than torture — even United Nations experts warned that it likely violates the official prohibition on torture.
Witnesses reported that he writhed, convulsed, and gasped for air during the execution.
While Kenneth Smith's case is particularly heartbreaking, it is time for us to take a stand against the death penalty, no matter the method. Death is not justice, and in the American justice system where wrongful convictions are rampant, there is too high a chance of executing innocent people.
Let's show the world that we value human life, even in the most challenging circumstances. We must urge our elected representatives in Congress to put an end to this barbaric practice — sign the petition today!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/560/956/770/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 28th 2024
It not only misinforms the public but also undermines the integrity of democratic processes. The unchecked dissemination of falsehoods about election integrity sows doubt, fuels division, and erodes trust in democratic institutions.
TV news networks, as gatekeepers of information, wield immense power in influencing public perception. They must exercise this power responsibly. Inviting election deniers to share their views under the guise of presenting 'both sides' of an argument is a false equivalency when one side is blatantly spreading falsehoods.
Their commitment to fair and balanced reporting cannot include the amplification of dangerous lies that threaten the bedrock of democracy.
The consequences of airing unfounded claims about election fraud are far-reaching. It not only polarizes society but also incites violent actions, as evidenced by the January 6th Capitol riots.
Misinformation breeds mistrust and hostility, making constructive political dialogue and consensus-building increasingly challenging. By giving airtime to election deniers, news networks inadvertently become complicit in these detrimental outcomes.
That’s why TV networks must prioritize the truth and uphold their duty to inform the public accurately and responsibly. It's time to take a stand against the normalization of election denial rhetoric.
The integrity of our democratic processes is at stake. The role of the media in a democracy is to inform, educate, and foster informed debate, not to amplify baseless claims that undermine these very principles.
Tell TV news networks to recognize their responsibility and take decisive action to stop inviting election deniers on air.: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-tv-news-networks-stop-inviting-election-deniers-on-air
These are the words of a patriot.:
Today, America’s heart is heavy. Last night, three U.S. service members were killed—and many wounded—during an unmanned aerial drone attack on our forces stationed in northeast Jordan near the Syria border. While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq.
Jill and I join the families and friends of our fallen—and Americans across the country—in grieving the loss of these warriors in this despicable and wholly unjust attack. These service members embodied the very best of our nation: Unwavering in their bravery. Unflinching in their duty. Unbending in their commitment to our country— risking their own safety for the safety of their fellow Americans, and our allies and partners with whom we stand in the fight against terrorism. It is a fight we will not cease.
The three American service members we lost were patriots in the highest sense. And their ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten by our nation. Together, we will keep the sacred obligation we bear to their families. We will strive to be worthy of their honor and valor. We will carry on their commitment to fight terrorism. And have no doubt — we will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner our choosing.: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/28/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-attack-on-u-s-service-members-in-northeastern-jordan-near-the-syria-border/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 29th 2024
For nearly 30 years, the Northwest Forest Plan has stood as a bastion of forest management. It ended the bitter Timber Wars of the '80s, using a truly science-based approach to stop clear-cut logging of old-growth forests and conserve vital wildlife habitat in Washington, Oregon and Northern California.
But from intensifying wildfires to strained clean water supplies, those forests and the communities who rely on them are facing very different challenges than they did 30 years ago. It is critical that we listen to all voices—Tribes, rural communities, scientists and more—to update this plan for future generations' benefit.
Take action: tell the U.S. Forest Service to ensure Northwest forests and communities have a sustainable future! >>: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/petitions/help-protect-northwestern-forests
Shelter for homeless families adds child care, learning centers so parents can work
50-room, newly renovated facility of former North Dallas hotel is almost always full of families who’ve lost housing and need help, including on-site child care during job searches.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated January 30th 2024
PETITON TARGET: State Attorney for Seminole County
A man was arrested for “intentionally” using his vehicle to brutally run over an innocent deer to make a TikTok video, in Geneva, Florida, according to a police report.
The man was apprehended by officers from Seminole County Sherriff’s Office, who had knowledge of the TikTok video.
The driver seemingly attempted to run over five deer and succeeded in hitting one. The video appears to have been posted to TikTok to exploit the suffering of the deer. In addition to the one felony charge for hitting the deer, he is charged with five misdemeanor counts of animal torment, according to the police report.
The arrested man allegedly admitted to “intentionally” driving at deer in attempt to kill them.
Tormenting wildlife for views online — or any reason — cannot be tolerated.
This is not the first time the arrested man has been investigated for harming wildlife and breaking animal conservation laws. In May 2021, he was given six years of probation for illegally hunting on protected land. Two months later, he was caught illegally capturing a fawn.
Deer do not deserve to suffer the fear and pain of being intentionally hit by cars for video views.
Sign our petition urging the Seminole County prosecutors to hold accountable the individual responsible for intentionally killing an innocent deer to the maximum extent of the law before any other animals are harmed.: https://ladyfreethinker.org/sign-justice-for-deer-reportedly-run-over-for-tiktok-video/
Legislation is pending in Congress, H.R. 7094, to prevent cannabis consumers and their families from being denied access to federally-funded housing.
Under current federal law, people who use marijuana - including those who do so in compliance with state laws - are ineligible for placement in federally-funded housing. Others who are already residing in subsidized housing can be evicted, even if their use is not bothering their neighbors.
Tell Congress to Stop Federal Housing Discrimination For Lawful Cannabis Use
Every day, we at NORML hear from people who are getting kicked out on the street because of this discriminatory federal policy. Many of these people depend on marijuana to treat medical conditions. These policies often lead to entire families being evicted from federal housing, and result in higher citation and arrest rates for public consumption in marginalized communities.
More than half of all Americans live in states where marijuana is legal for adults. It is cruel and unjust to punish the most vulnerable members of society for lawful, responsible cannabis use.
Please use this pre-written letter to contact your Representatives and urge them to support the Marijuana in Federally Assisted Housing Parity Act.: https://norml.org/act/stop-federal-housing-discrimination-against-lawful-cannabis-consumers/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 1st 2024
The term "excited delirium" has been used for years to help police officers who kill civilians to escape proper accountability for their actions. It's a pseudoscience term that refers to people who become understandably distressed when subjected to police violence.
When it comes to a cause of death, simply put, it's not a real thing. But that hasn't stopped state coroners and medical examiners from using this as an official cause of death to give police cover and create confusion about who or what actually killed someone in police custody.
Now California has become the very first U.S. state to ban the use of "excited delirium" as an official cause of death. This is an important step forward towards accountability for police, racial justice, and human rights. All other U.S. states must follow suit!
The American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, and even the National Association of Medical Examiners have all come out against using this term as a cause of death. As the American Medical Association notes, history has shown this term is primarily used as "justification for excessive police force, disproportionately cited in cases where Black men die in law enforcement custody."
In fact, this diagnosis has featured prominently in many highly-publicized cases of police violence. For example, when George Floyd died after an officer pushed a knee onto his windpipe for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, one officer's body camera audio caught him referencing "excited delirium or whatever" as a factor in the brutality.
It's a relief that California is finally addressing this and taking steps towards holding police accountable. Now other states must do the same. Sign the petition to demand that all other U.S. states ban "excited delirium" as an official cause of death!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/610/073/065/
Allegations of abuse had surrounded the late Hugh Hefner and the Playboy mansion for years. Now, Crystal Hefner — Hugh's widow — is exposing even more details about the horrors at the mansion. Horrors that allegedly include widespread animal cruelty and neglect.
But she isn't the first one to bring this up: multiple people from Hugh's past have even accused him of chronic acts of bestiality.
According to Crystal, Hugh kept exotic animals, including monkeys, captive on his property — locked away in cages as part of his private "zoo" collection. Some of the animals apparently died from Hugh's carelessness and neglect. Crystal shares that the various animals' desperate cries resonated throughout the property.
Meanwhile, a previous girlfriend and valet both have accused Hugh of forcing himself sexually on pet dogs, and coercing frightened women to engage in sex acts with dogs as well on multiple occasions.
Why did authorities allow this horrible man to get away with so much brutality for so long? In addition to harming animals, he was also described as being abusive towards humans — especially his girlfriends and wife. That sadly fits with a well-observed pattern, in which people who abuse animals often go on to harm humans, too.
There must be an investigation into how these despicable acts of sexual assault, cruelty, and neglect were allowed to continue at the Playboy Mansion! Sign the petition demanding accountability and justice now!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/578/475/873/
A robocall with an AI voice impersonating President Joe Biden was reaching out to New Hampshire residents ahead of the primary election, advising them against voting in the recent primary election.
The voice message told voters to "save" their vote for the November general election, and falsely claimed that "voting this Tuesday only enables the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again. Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday."
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s office is already investigating the call, but this issue needs to be escalated. Any attempt to disenfranchise voters is unacceptable.
Tell the Department of Justice: Investigate artificial intelligence enabled voter suppression in New Hampshire.: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/investigate-ai-enabled-voter-suppression-in-new-hampshire
I saw something I have rarely seen in my lifetime; a undercover police car doing a traffic stop. I did some quick research and found this. I could not find statistics on this subject; would like to someday.
According to the halo effect theory, driving in a marked police car makes you feel safer. They believe that the police will be watching them because they are used to following them. A marked car can make it easier for police officers to complete their tasks. The goal of this program is to keep officers and the public safe.
Unmarked cars and plain-clothes cops are a safety issue for citizens and the cops themselves. I can’t tell you how many news stories I’ve read where suspects ran or shot at cops because they had plainclothes on and don’t realize they were cops. (Of course the cops “insist” they knew). I’d run and fight back too if some plain clothed men in an unmarked car came tackling me and tried to handcuff me.: https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoXChromosomes/comments/147fdbh/am_i_the_only_one_who_feels_less_safe_with/?rdt=38364
A police car that is not marked raises the risk of someone claiming to be a police officer, which is a serious safety concern. When you see a unmarked vehicle and an officer who is not wearing uniform, you must show her or him your police ID and badge. You can be pulled over and cited by an unmarked police car in many Texas counties and cities.: https://www.ecusocmin.org/unmarked-police-cars-in-texas/
99.9% of police officers NEVER go undercover. It is a VERY specialist area of police work that most are not suitable to undertake. It is not just a case of working in plain clothes.: https://www.quora.com/How-often-do-police-officers-go-undercover#:~:text=99.9%25%20of%20police%20officers%20NEVER,of%20working%20in%20plain%20clothes.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 7th 2024
Protect Kids' Privacy From Big Tech Companies
Do you know what your kids are doing online? Big Tech companies sure do.
For years they've been exploiting kids' privacy, spying on them and targeting them with pervasive digital advertisements.
Thankfully, the Federal Trade Commission just proposed a series of new rules that will protect kids privacy online and make it harder for Big T... read more: https://civicshout.com/p/protect-kids-privacy-from-big-tech-companies
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 14th 2024
It is no secret online; that I stand for Separation of Church and State and always have. https://constitutionalrightsblog.blogspot.com/p/constitutional-rights-blog-separation.html
I actually opened TFN email by mistake this morning; as always they inspire me. I thought this was worth posting here.:
From: Texas Freedom Network
“Chaplains themselves understand the vitally important yet distinct roles that both counselors and chaplains play within communities. Heed their warnings and protect the wall of separation between the institutions of church and state by opposing school 'chaplains' in your state.”
Holly Hollman, General Counsel of BJC, the home of the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign, said in an op-ed for TIME. Per SB 763, Texas ISDs have until March 1 to vote on whether or not to employ or allow chaplains as volunteers to work with students in public schools.:
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 15th 2024
This is a typical example of what I believe has been going on for many decades concerning LGBTQ folks. It has been obvious to me especially since the mid 1990's that police whether consciously or unconsciously; target LGBTQ people for arrest. That is sick, beyond comprehension and should be abolished for all time; by whatever means necessary.:
Seattle Police Raided Several Gay Bars in Apparent Regressive, Targeted Move. Demand Justice!
Seattle police recently raided four gay bars and clubs, searched the premises, and threatened potential citations for "lewd conduct." What the actual heck? This is Seattle in 2024 — are authorities there really trying to bring back the regressive eras from decades ago?
LGBTQ+ bars and clubs are supposed to be safe spaces for queer folks to find a respite from the wider heteronormative — and often discriminatory, homophobic — world. Of course, that's partly why authorities have specifically targeted these establishments in the past.
Police have a terrifying and notorious history of raiding and violently attacking patrons at queer businesses, with one of the most famous examples being the attack on LGBTQ+ folks at New York's Stonewall Inn back in 1969. It wasn't the only such event, but its wide publicity helped shine a light on hateful, homophobic police brutality.
This is very targeted and clearly discriminatory. It's chilling to know that police are still using their outsized authority to intimidate queer businesses, patrons, and community members in this way, escalating a normal Friday night into something that's suddenly scary.
Sign the petition to demand that Seattle police apologize for their raids of gay bars and clubs, and drop any pending citations!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/645/549/445/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 16th 2024
I didn't mean to be on a high horse yesterday. I guess I let the emotional aspect of the above post get to me a little. Considering that the petition was just for a apology; I guess I do not have to feel that bad. Then when I signed the above petition I clicked on 2 more petitions in that fast click option they give you. They should not do that. I usually read the petition and even do a little research as well. I just want to say what I have said online hundreds of times. I support police. My dad was a great, well liked police officer and I loved my dad like any good son would naturally. My dad's friends on the police force were my friends too. I met them in a weightlifting club I was a member of for years. We got along like best buddies and shared many a great comedic conversion. I would never want the police in Washington to be endanger and hope they work out their misgivings. When I said homofobia in the police force should be abolished for all time; by whatever means necessary. I guess I mean sensitivity training or something like that. I think a LGBTQ history college course would be good; highlighting all of the greatest LGBTQ folks and their accomplishments that benefited all of us. That would be a giant book or movie; I imagine. Here is a bunch more petitions to consider.:
Sign the petition: Tax filing should be free and easy!
The need for an accessible, straightforward tax filing method is a fundamental right, not a privilege. It's time to advocate for a change that benefits all, not just the few.
Many popular tax preparation tools, like those provided by H&R Block and TurboTax, are designed to steer taxpayers away from free filing options and toward paid services. This manipulation undermines public trust and highlights the predatory nature of the tax preparation industry, which capitalizes on the complexity and confusion surrounding tax filing.
The IRS proposed a solution that could revolutionize tax filing for millions of Americans, offering a direct, cost-free filing option. However, these efforts face significant opposition from within the industry, which fears the loss of profits that a free, government-provided tax service would entail.
TurboTax has invested millions in lobbying efforts to safeguard its interests against potential reforms that threaten the tax prep industry. This record lobbying blitz underscores the lengths to which companies will go to maintain their grip on the market, often at the expense of the taxpayer.
A government-provided tax prep service could save taxpayers millions of dollars annually, eliminating the need to pay for basic filing services and reducing the risk of costly errors.
Everyone deserves access to simple and free tax preparation, regardless of their income or financial literacy. It's a step towards leveling the playing field and ensuring that all taxpayers are treated fairly. By removing the profit motive from tax prep, we can foster a system that prioritizes the needs of taxpayers over the interests of corporations, restoring trust in the tax filing process.
Sign the petition: Tax filing should be free and easy!: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/forms/sign-the-petition-tax-filing-should-be-free-and-easy-2
Sign the petition: Demand Hershey’s, Nestlé, and Mars end child labor practices NOW!
The chocolate industry, dominated by major companies like Hershey’s, Nestlé, and Mars, remains under scrutiny for its continued reliance on child labor in cocoa harvesting, particularly in West Africa. Despite promises made two decades ago to eradicate such practices, these companies have repeatedly failed to fulfill their commitments.
About two-thirds of the world's cocoa supply comes from Africa, where over 2 million children, some as young as 10, are engaged in dangerous labor to harvest cocoa. These children are often employed at extremely low wages or, in many cases, receive no wages. Children are exposed to hazardous working conditions, such as handling sharp tools, carrying heavy loads, and using pesticides. These are considered the most severe forms of child labor, according to international law. Major chocolate makers agreed to commitments in 2001 to end reliance on child labor by 2005–they failed to do so. They have now extended their deadline to eliminate the worst forms of child labor in their supply chains to 2025.
Meanwhile, child welfare advocates have initiated a federal lawsuit urging the federal government to prohibit the import of cocoa harvested by child labor in the absence of actions by major chocolate makers..
We demand that Hershey’s, Nestlé, and Mars immediately cease using child labor in cocoa harvesting. It is unacceptable for these corporations to profit while exploiting children. We urge these companies to honor their decades-old promise and take concrete, verifiable steps to eliminate child labor from their supply chains immediately, not several years down the road.
Sign the petition: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-demand-hersheys-nestle-and-mars-end-child-labor-practices-now
It’s been 25 years since Congress last passed legislation to protect kids online – and since then, social media companies have found plenty of ways to ensnare and addict children on the internet.
As I wrote to you earlier this month, the Big Tech CEOs faced skeptical lawmakers at a Senate hearing on January 31st, with parents in the audience who lost kids to social media’s harms. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg turned to face these families to offer an apology, but an apology isn’t enough to protect our kids online.
It’s obvious that Big Tech won’t self-regulate – so we need lawmakers to step in and do that job for them and finally pass legislation to protect kids online. Please take action today and tell your Senators to support the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA).: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-your-senators-we-need-the-kids-online-safety-act-now/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 20th 2024
Amid an ongoing battle against COVID-19, a virus that has already stolen nearly 1.2 million lives in the US alone, the CDC's recent decision to relax isolation guidelines for those infected sends a chilling message: convenience might now outweigh safety. This pivot away from a science-led, cautious approach to one that seems to gamble with public health is both alarming and deeply concerning.
Sign the petition to demand the CDC follow the science and reverse its decision on dropping the 5-day isolation period for COVID-19 cases.
The stakes are too high. Thousands are hospitalized each week and the disease of "long COVID" looms — a condition leaving millions in a fog of fatigue, pain, and breathlessness. The CDC's readiness to change these guidelines, despite the unchanged science around COVID-19's infectiousness, is baffling and frightening. Let's not allow convenience to cloud the judgment of those entrusted with our nation's health. Sign this petition to demand the CDC stand by science, not speculation.: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/997/844/870/
Every election year we set out to ensure that voters like you have the opportunity to know where the candidates on their ballot stand on the issue of marijuana law reform.
Texas NORML surveyed candidates running for legislative positions in both the Republican and Democratic primaries this year, including U.S. House, U.S. Senate, Texas House of Representatives, and Texas Senate. We asked them a number of questions to see where they stand on this important issue.
Their responses were used to assemble the Texas Marijuana Policy Voter's Guide.: https://www.texasnorml.org/votersguide/ Also included are relevant votes on marijuana legislation cast by incumbents.
Early voting begins on Tuesday, February 20 and runs through Friday, March 1.
Election Day is Tuesday, March 5
Anyone who is already registered to vote is eligible to vote in either primary.
Unsure how to participate in early voting? Click here for the official guide.: https://www.votetexas.gov/voting/early-voting.html
Join Texas NORML!
Now is a great time to join Texas NORML as a member. Your membership helps pay for resources such as the Texas Marijuana Policy Voter Guide during election years and legislative action during years the state legislature is in session.: https://shop.texasnorml.org/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 23rd 2024
I feel bad for the officer that died and do not believe it was related to Vigillo. This is a terrible sad awful event. I hope the police will gain their composer and do what is right; not based on emotion.
You have to read this one.:
Virgilio Aguilar Méndez is currently trapped in a nightmare scenario.
Seven months ago, he was a teenager sitting outside a motel in Florida, eating dinner while talking to his dad on the phone. Within a few short minutes, suddenly he was handcuffed, on the ground, tased — and then, soon after, being charged with a murder he didn't commit (which we know concretely from video footage of that night).
It all started when police began accusing his behavior of being somehow "suspicious." The teenager is of Mayan descent, speaking the Indigenous Mam language, and he repeatedly apologized to officers for being unable to understand what they were asking. Yet police continued to interrogate the boy — eventually searching his body without reason, in violation of his Fourth Amendment rights.
Body camera footage captured the whole incident. The video shows the teenager repeatedly screaming and crying out for his family as three officers tased him.
That's when one of the officers went into cardiac arrest, collapsing and later dying at a hospital. Medical examiners confirmed the death was entirely natural, and unrelated to the teenager who was sitting bound, shackled, and unable to harm anyone.
But officers charged Aguilar Méndez with aggravated manslaughter of an officer. As a result, he's spent the past seven months languishing in prison for something he didn't do, facing a possible life sentence.
What police are doing in Florida is indefensible, racist, and sickening. Authorities there must drop all charges against this boy and release him from prison immediately! Sign the petition to speak out and stand with Virgilio Aguilar Méndez now. https://www.thepetitionsite.com/708/301/264/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 24th 2024
Tell Your Representatives to Support the CURE Act
[UPDATE: This legislation was amended so that it only impacts past cannabis use – not current use – and the amended version was approved by the House Oversight Committee in a 30-14 vote. 9/20/2023]
Tell your Representatives to support H.R. 5040, the Cannabis Users’ Restoration of Eligibility (CURE) Act.
This long overdue legislation limits federal agencies’ consideration of past cannabis use when making security clearance or federal employment suitability decisions.
Passage of the CURE Act would greatly diminish the discrimination that responsible cannabis consumers have long faced when trying to obtain federal jobs and security clearances. It would also improve both the operation of federal agencies and national security by significantly expanding the talent pool that is eligible for these roles.
More and more states are taking steps to protect the employment rights of cannabis consumers and improve the opportunities available to them. The federal government - as one of the nation’s largest employers - should do the same.: https://norml.org/act/tell-your-representatives-to-support-the-cure-act/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 27th 2024
I am always against the death penalty so this was a no brainer for me to sign.:
Ivan Cantu was convicted of killing his cousin, James Mosqueda, and Mosqueda’s fiancée, Amy Kitchen, in 2001. Prosecutors argued that Cantu killed Mosqueda, who was a drug dealer, and Kitchen while trying to steal cocaine, marijuana, and cash from Mosqueda’s home. However, Cantu has claimed that a rival drug dealer killed Mosqueda and that he was framed for the murders.
Recent vigorous investigation into Ivan’s case has uncovered serious exculpatory evidence that was suppressed or manipulated at trial by state officials. Additionally, key state witnesses have recanted their testimony and, in light of these findings, three trial jurors have stated that had they known of these wrongdoings at trial, they very possibly would have rendered a different verdict.
And according to a new filing just released before the TX Court of Criminal Appeals, the DA just disclosed that the state’s star witness in the original conviction case falsely testified and the lead detective knew she was lying.
Ivan’s death date is fast approaching. We are calling on the Collin County District Attorney to request to withdraw the execution date.
Everyone deserves a fair trial. We want the judicial system to scrutinize the new evidence in Ivan’s case that exposes fraudulent testimony and wrongdoing by state witnesses and law enforcement.
The Collin County Criminal District Attorney’s office says that their mission is "not to convict, but to see that justice is done." Justice has yet to be delivered in Ivan's case. All we are asking is for the execution to be delayed and an inquiry into new evidence to be opened.
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, 196 former death-row prisoners have been exonerated of all charges related to the wrongful convictions that had put them on death row. To ensure that an innocent person is not executed, our legal and judicial systems must do their due diligence to examine all evidence in Ivan's case.: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/save-ivan-cantu-before-the-state-of-texas-kills-him
The tragic death of Flaco, the Central Park Zoo's owl, following a thoughtless act of vandalism, has left New York's animal-loving community heartbroken. Flaco's exhibit was damaged over a year ago, allowing him to escape into the bustling streets of Manhattan. Despite demonstrating remarkable adaptability and becoming a symbol of resilience, Flaco's life was ultimately cut short.
Sign the petition to urge the NYPD and Central Park Zoo officials to relaunch the investigation into the vandalism of Flaco's habitat to prevent any further zoo inhabitant escapes.
My wife read about this yesterday and told me how sad she was for the owl. I thought I should sign it for her.:
Our wildlife deserves better. Flaco was more than just an owl; he embodied the spirit of New York City and its inhabitants. His loss is a stark reminder of our collective responsibility towards the animals in our care. Immediate action is imperative to restore public trust in our city's institutions and to honor Flaco's memory by ensuring such a tragedy never occurs again. Sign this petition to demand a safer, more secure future for the animals at Central Park Zoo and to hold those responsible for Flaco's death accountable.: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/274/551/615/
Owls are amazing and have often been the subject of my artwork.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated February 29th 2024
I am and always have been against fracking.:
Don't Frack Our State Parks
Amidst the serene trails and tranquil waters of our state parks, a decision with profound consequences has been made. Ohio's state parks, guardians of natural beauty and wildlife sanctuaries, are now facing the onset of fracking operations beneath their grounds.
The Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission has opened the door for this invasive practice, sanctioning bids for oil and gas companies to tunnel into the earth beneath these protected lands.
Allowing this precedent to stand could lead to state parks in other states around the country opening up to harmful oil and gas development. It's up to us to fight back and make sure that doesn't come to pass.
Sign the petition: Don't Frack Our State Parks.: https://civicshout.com/p/don-t-frack-our-state-parks
Since this is such a conservative state; my concern is that this type of reckless legislation may come to us here next.:
PETITION TARGET: Wisconsin State Congress and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers
Cows, pigs, and other farmed animals could suffer worse factory farming conditions in Wisconsin, if newly-proposed legislation passes.
Assembly Bill 957 would prevent communities from implementing farmed animal welfare protections that are stricter than the state. Local laws could not regulate how factory farms care for their animals, including administering medications and vaccinations or how the animals are transported, if the bill is passed.
The bill — called the Protect Our Farms Act — would be a win for Wisconsin’s factory farms and a huge loss for animals.
As of 2022, there were 327 factory farms (or farms with over 1,000 animals) in Wisconsin. Factory farms commonly cram animals into filthy cages where they have little or no room to turn around. They are incentivized to put profit over animal welfare.
Cows, chickens, pigs, and other farmed animals are typically denied their natural instinct to take care of their babies, enjoy friendships, build nests, or engage in other natural social behaviors.
The proposed legislation could also encourage businesses to take part in other cruel farming-related practices without repercussions, including puppy mills, according to WXPR News.
Cows, pigs, chickens, dogs, and other animals deserve to be protected.
Sign our petition encouraging Wisconsin lawmakers to reject the Protect Our Farms Act, which would threaten the welfare of animals in the state.: https://ladyfreethinker.org/sign-stop-terrible-wi-bill-that-would-ban-local-governments-from-protecting-farmed-animals/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 1st 2024
I am curious about the so called social media habits of the Nex Benedict killers. Until then; this is the best article I could find.:
Nex Benedict was reportedly involved in a violent altercation with three older female peers in a school bathroom. Eyewitness accounts suggest that the violence escalated to a horrifying extent, resulting in severe injuries that led to Nex’s death. One of the assailants allegedly slammed Nex’s head against the floor, prompting a teacher to intervene and break up the assault.
The Owasso Police Department was called to Bailey Medical Center on February 7, responding to a parent’s report of their child being involved in a fight at the end of the school day. However, as of now, details about the arrest or the names of individuals involved in the incident remain undisclosed.
The Speculation of Hate Crime
The circumstances surrounding Nex’s death have led to widespread speculation that it might be a result of a hate crime. Many online discussions point towards transphobic rhetoric, with some attributing the tragedy to the controversial @LibsOfTikTok X account run by Chaya Raichik.
“Some argue that the student’s death is a result of being the target of physical and emotional harm due to their identity.”: https://today.nayag.com/nex-benedict-killers/:
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 2nd 2024
Will you sign this petition demanding state lawmakers take action to abolish the death penalty?
Despite thousands of calls and letters sent, and more than 150,000 people taking action to demand a new trial, Ivan Abner Cantu was executed by the state of Texas on Wednesday. Our criminal justice system failed Ivan and has failed so many others like him.
Ivan was grateful for everyone who supported him in his fight for a fair trial. By speaking up and taking action for Ivan, we showed that each and every life is worth fighting for. It is in Ivan's honor that we recommit ourselves to the fight to reform our criminal justice system and abolish the death penalty, once and for all.
The death penalty is a flawed, expensive policy, defined by bias and error. It targets the most vulnerable people in our society and corrupts the integrity of our criminal justice system. Each day, more and more Americans are recognizing that the death penalty does not make us safer. Together, we have the power to end capital punishment and abolish the death penalty. Add your name now!: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/abolish-the-death-penalty-20
Tell Congress not to leave a 1099-K fix out of the Tax Deal!
Send a Message to Congress
Right now, Congress is working to pass a major tax bill. This is a new and critical window of opportunity to permanently fix the 1099-K reporting requirement, but right now, a 1099-K fix is not in the bill!
Join thousands of Americans in asking Congress to include 1099-K in the tax bill.
You’ve heard from us many times before about the new requirement to force millions of eBay users to have their sales reported to the IRS. The IRS issued a one-year delay late last year, but the issue is far from resolved.
The IRS delay in November postponed a flurry of 1099-K forms being sent to thousands of casual eBay sellers, but it was just that—a delay. Americans need permanent certainty from Congress. Unless Congress acts, millions will get a tax form and have their sales reported to the IRS, even if they didn’t make a profit!
We need your help. Click here to tell your members of Congress — the people elected to represent YOU — to include 1099-K in the tax bill. Let’s fix this burdensome requirement once and for all and protect Americans from confusing and unnecessary tax forms.
It only takes a moment to send.
Thank you for taking action!: https://www.ebaymainstreet.com/campaign/1099-k-campaign-q1-2024
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 7th 2024
With the 2024 elections in full swing, it's imperative that online platforms take action to safeguard democracy. However, our recent analysis reveals a stark reality: All ten of the biggest social media platforms are falling short — way short — on election preparedness.
A few months ago, we introduced Democracy by Design, a framework endorsed by civil society organizations to protect election integrity in major elections around the world. This framework proposes actionable and content-agnostic steps for online platforms to adopt — some even empirically backed by their own research. To assess their readiness for elections, we created a scorecard based on these recommendations. We found that no platform scored above 62%.
Social media companies bear a responsibility to ensure their platforms aren't exploited by bad actors to erode trust in democracy. Join us in sharing the report's alarming findings:
READ THE REPORT: https://accountabletech.org/research/democracy-by-design-social-medias-policy-scores/
What happened to Nex Benedict, a 16 year old high school student in Oklahoma, is connected to the rising tide of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and discriminatory state laws.
Sign the petition: Stop giving Libs of TikTok a platform.
Libs of TikTok, an extremist social media channel run by Chaya Raichik, plays a leading role in the spread of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and has become a powerful player both in Oklahoma and around the country.
Raichik is provided platforms for hate by social media companies, and now even has an advisory board position in the same state where Nex was assaulted. Libs of TikTok’s anti-trans rhetoric has led to dozens of bomb threats. Their posts include false information that Raichik knows and admits is, in fact, false. And yet, Raichik is still permitted to espouse her hate.
Stop this. Raichik is not only wrong, gross, bigoted, and hateful, she’s inciting bomb threats and stoking language that leads to assaults on children. Stop giving Libs of TikTok a platform for hate!: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-stop-giving-libs-of-tiktok-a-platform
My solution to both of the above is to abolish all; so called social media. Social media should be called mob mentality media. I have been against social media since it's birth. Social media is set up to wreak havoc, negatively, against us all; it is that simple.
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 10th 2024
The 2024 election is already underway, and Congress must do more to protect election workers from an onslaught of harassment. Targeted abuse towards election workers skyrocketed after 2020, and 2024 is expected to be plagued by AI-powered disinformation that could undermine voter trust.
A Brennan Center survey found that 1 in 6 election officials have experienced similar threats. And even scarier: 77% of election officials we surveyed reported that the federal government is doing nothing, or not enough, to support them.
Several election workers testified before the January 6 committee about the harassment and threats they’ve endured from conspiracy theorists, drawing new public awareness to this crisis. Now, it’s time for action.
Add your name to the Brennan Center’s petition calling on Congress to enact critical protections for local election workers >> https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/petitions/sign-tell-congress-protect-local-election-officials-now-2
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 14th 2024
Someone Shot and Murdered a Man at the Dog Park Just for Being Gay. Demand Justice for John Walter Lay!
In February, John Walter Lay went to go enjoy the outdoors at a dog park in Florida. Everything should have been simple: he should have enjoyed a nice walk, had a good day, and gone home peacefully.
Instead, someone took his life as part of a homophobically-motivated hate crime.
At the park, another man approached him and began hurling cruel, homophobic slurs at him. Then, he revealed a gun and threatened John Walter with it. Ultimately, the man shot John Walter and killed him. For nothing more than being out and about on a February day.
It turns out the shooter, Gerald Declan Radford, had targeted John Walter before. Just the morning prior, he apparently charged up to John Walter and screamed in his face: "You're going to die, you're going to die."
Since then, the gunman has tried to claim "self-defense" — and in Florida, that could be enough to let him get away with literal murder. The state's "stand your ground" law provides lots of protection for killers, as long as they claim they killed to protect themselves.
This "stand your ground" law has been used by many perpetrators of murders and hate crimes to evade justice, including in racially-motivated cases involving the murder of BIPOC people.
In this case, state prosecutors are charging the shooter, Gerald Declan Radford, with murder and classifying it as a hate crime. But reversing Florida's chilling "stand your ground" law is also important.
Sign the petition to stand with the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities in Florida and demand the state legislature reverse its "stand your ground" law now!
If we could get rid of this too.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_panic_defense
Social media accounts use AI-generated audio to push 2024 election misinformation
By PolitiFact
12:01 PM on Mar 14, 2024
PolitiFact identified several TikTok accounts spreading false narratives about the 2024 election and Trump through its partnership with TikTok to counter inauthentic, misleading or false content.
Videos on YouTube made similar false statements. These videos, which also appeared to have AI-generated audio, were reshared with lower engagement on Facebook and X.: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politifact/2024/03/14/social-media-accounts-use-ai-generated-audio-to-push-2024-election-misinformation/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 22nd 2024
I never miss a chance to post a negative article about social media.:
The role that Artificial Intelligence and its derivatives, such as chatbots, are playing in the spread of misleading information is concerning. For example, after videos of an alleged passageway made under a Chabad headquarters went viral, social media users spread false images generated by Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), including images of Jews carrying blood-covered children.: https://www.adl.org/resources/blog/ai-chatbots-uneven-replies-raise-concern
The average credit card late fee is $32, costing Americans over $10 billion a year.
Thankfully, President Biden is fighting to eliminate these "junk fees" that impact nearly every American.
Biden’s latest effort aimed at protecting American consumers came from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which just finalized a rule that would cap credit card late fees at $8.
When elected officials and government agencies take action to protect us from corporate greed, it’s important to make sure they know we appreciate it. Sign the petition to thank the Biden administration for capping credit card fees.
"For over a decade, credit card giants have been exploiting a loophole to harvest billions of dollars in junk fees from American consumers," Rohit Chopra, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said. "[This] rule ends the era of big credit card companies hiding behind the excuse of inflation when they hike fees on borrowers and boost their own bottom lines."
Big banks do not need to nickel and dime everyday families with costly hidden fees while bragging about massive profits. This rule will positively affect families all across the country.
Sign the petition today to thank the Pres. Biden and his Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for capping credit card fees.: https://civicshout.com/p/thank-the-biden-admin-for-capping-credit-card-fees
In October 2022, President Joe Biden issued a pardon proclamation for people with federal convictions for certain low-level federal marijuana offenses, and he expanded the pool of people eligible for those pardons in December.
I hate commenting these days. I do not think I am good at it enough to just write. Better stick to commenting on my art blog instead about nonsense.
The presidential pardons have helped thousands of people alleviate some of the stigma and collateral consequences associated with their federal marijuana records, and they represent one of the biggest steps any sitting president has taken to address the decades of injustices associated with cannabis prohibition.
But the Biden Administration can do more to help repair the harms caused by the federal government’s war on cannabis consumers.
Please use this pre-written letter to urge the Administration to a) expand the pool of people eligible for pardons, b) take immediate action to grant clemency to those currently incarcerated for federal nonviolent marijuana offenses, and c) explicitly direct federal agencies to deprioritize low-level marijuana enforcement.
The White House is increasingly receptive to our message. Your words matter. That’s why it’s important to take action now.
PS: If you have a federal conviction for cannabis possession and you think you may be eligible for a pardon, an online portal for those who wish to apply to receive a written pardon certificate is available from the Department of Justice.: https://norml.org/act/tell-the-white-house-to-expand-marijuana-pardons-and-clemency/
GOP senator says “satanic” liberals “ruined” sex education to turn kids transgender
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 28th 2024
Surprise: officers who murder civilians while on the job don't want to be prosecuted for these deadly crimes. That's not a huge shock, but what is mindblowing is what police unions are doing about it. All across the country, police are funneling money into political campaigns specifically designed to remove and recall elected officials who try to hold them accountable.
And in many places, these efforts are working.
Trying to remove authorities who uphold the law and protect the lives and safety of civilians is a truly chilling move by police unions. Protecting killers shouldn't be their top priority and is a disturbing conflict-of-interest.
That's why lawmakers should step in to ensure that police unions are not allowed to spend money to fund this corruption! Sign the petition now!
Police brutality and terror continues to haunt people all over the U.S. Just recently, we learned about offices who chose to shoot and kill an autistic teenager in California, while the FBI and Justice Department unearthed a 20-year campaign of intentionally torturing and sexually assaulting residents in Mississippi.
Right now, in Minnesota, a district attorney is attempting to hold officers accountable after a state trooper carried out a deadly shooting against a Black man during a traffic stop, revealing evidence that shows there was no justification for the use of deadly force.
So what are police unions in Minnesota trying to do? They're pressuring the governor to remove the district attorney immediately.
But no one should be above the law. Accountability is deeply important - especially for the people who are so-called "law enforcement." The people who are supposed to uphold the laws and protect the public should not be pouring money into efforts to stop the enforcement of laws. If they can simply pay to have justice-minded authorities removed, then where does their power stop? Who is safe from them?
No one should be able to pay to make murder charges disappear. That would be a harrowing world indeed, and we must prevent it from becoming more of a reality than it already is. For police to pay to remove the very people keeping them in line is a clear case of corruption - and in this case, deadly corruption. We should all feel very frightened about this. What's to stop them if no one can hold them to the law?
No police union should be allowed to fund efforts to block the accountability of murderous, law-breaking cops. We demand an equal, just, and fair society where all members of the public are protected from harm - including from harm at the hands of police! Sign the petition now.: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/265/369/274/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated March 29th 2024
Tell Private Insurers: Stop Gouging Taxpayers for Medicare
The numbers are staggering—a new MarketWatch report finds Medicare Advantage plans are poised to overbill taxpayers by an estimated $83 billion in 2024 alone.
Right now, private insurers are exploiting a flawed system to siphon billions from Medicare, a lifeline for our seniors. The Congressional Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPac)'s report is not just a financial audit; it's an alarm bell for health care affecting our seniors.
Tell Private insurers: Stop gouging seniors for Medicare.
Our nation's health care is compromised when private companies inflate their pockets at the expense of our elders' health. This isn't merely an issue of corporate greed or efficiency. It's about a system swayed by the interests of "rich campaign donors" rather than our seniors' well-being. If left unchecked, it will continue to perpetuate disparities, affecting not just today's seniors but future generations as well.
Your voice matters. By holding insurers accountable, we're not just defending Medicare; we're upholding a principle—that a society that cares for its seniors is a society that stands for dignity for all. It's about reshaping a healthcare system that should be the model of fairness—not the blueprint for exploitation. We're ensuring that every individual has access to affordable healthcare free from the shackles of corporate profiteering.
Take a stand against Medicare overbilling. Tell insurers: Enough is enough.: https://civicshout.com/p/tell-private-insurers-stop-gouging-taxpayers-for-medicare
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 3rd 2024
I have decided to be more particular about what I sign or write about; these days. It does not help that all my free time goes to my new fantastic artwork. Also as always I have to go through so many emails to find the one little cause that I feel strongly about. Sometimes I just do not have the time to deeply research things. I refuse to write or sign anything without researching it; that just takes too much time while I am working in all my freetime, doing artwork. I have more art than I could count in my house; it has got to be some kind of world record. Also as always I have the fact that I make no money from anything I do on the internet and never have. I have not made 1 penny from the internet; as long as I have been a contributor to the internet; ever. It has cost me plenty in faulty computers and internet access fees. It has always been a way of giving from me to us all and our community's here in the best country in the world.
Tell Congress: We Want Permanent Protections for Our Forests!
Mature and old-growth forests are one of our most precious sources of biodiversity, carbon sinks, and outdoor recreation spaces. Despite recent protections for federal forests, there is still no permanent rule that protects our oldest trees from commercial logging.
These forests need lasting protective measures so they can store carbon for decades to come, clean our air and water, and be a home for wildlife.
Sign the Sierra Club's petition and tell Congress: protect our mature and old growth forests from logging! :
Who's Watching Over the UK's Exotic Animals? Not Enough Experts, and It's Harming Animals
There is a horrible, ongoing animal rights issue within the United Kingdom: there is a severe lack of regulations when it comes to the legal ownership of exotic and "dangerous" animals. This issue involves over 2,700 animals kept in private settings across Great Britain, including raccoons, wildcats, primates, and venomous snakes. These animals, often living in conditions far from their natural habitats, suffer silently behind closed doors due to outdated laws that fail to protect them adequately.
Sign the petition to urge the UK government to listen to the British Veterinary Association's recommendations to revise the Dangerous Wild Animals Act by implementing stricter regulations and creating a central register for the ownership of these animals!
Dangerous or exotic animals shouldn't be easy to purchase. They should be acquired by experts equipped to care for their various often unusual needs. This is a systemic failure that endangers both animal welfare and public safety. These animals are not commodities; they are living beings with specific environmental and dietary needs that typical domestic settings cannot provide.
By updating the Dangerous Wild Animals Act, we can ensure that all exotic and dangerous animals in private care are living in conditions that meet their complex needs, not just the bare minimum currently required by law.
Sign the petition to demand that our legislators protect these vulnerable animals and uphold the principles of animal welfare!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/754/964/892/
Constitutional Rights Blog Updated May 8th 2024
And now, these infections — as well as the associated deaths — are on the rise. That could all be prevented, since there is a highly effective vaccine for cholera. But right now, there simply aren't enough doses of the vaccine to go around.
Cholera's painful symptoms can include vomiting, severe cramps, shock, and dehydration. These are excruciating for anyone to experience, but they're especially difficult to comprehend and endure as a young child.
Right now, only one manufacturer produces relevant vaccines, with other potential manufacturers preparing to enter the market next year. We must urge world leaders to help ramp up production of these vaccines, and to help implement clean water and sanitation efforts to prevent more infectious outbreaks in the future.
Sign the petition to ask governments in the U.S., E.U., and China to prioritize scaling up the production of these life-saving vaccines!: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/535/479/274/
