Public restrooms are never enjoyable, but for transgender people and many others, using a public restroom can be a highly stressful and even dangerous experience. My point is being made in DC. All single occupancy restrooms are gender neutral and need no sign saying so. RESTROOM is the ONLY sign needed. No one is saying you can't have an additional sign. It's only saying you don't need one. Rather than clawing one toilet at a time across America looking for headlines this takes care of the issue either state by state or in one fell swoop at the federal level. This policy simply allows people to use a single person restroom in a greater degree of safety, legally and with greater convenience for ALL people. This is already being enacted in DC. It's already the law and they have stated RESTROOM alone is fine. You simply remove the gender sign rather than replacing it. What this creates is ease of change and not a requirement for all venues to spend money to make that change. It also creates choice and convenience for ALL people. Often, even in a loving society, we are reactionary when it comes to the needs of a transgender child or adult. We allow an environment that creates fear in them, which has them in the closet, until they muster the intestinal fortitude to face that unwelcoming environment and only after the fact consider whether or not to take steps for their welfare and comfort. This is backwards to the need. If we create a positive environment set up for them prior to that desperate moment of determination to say who they are, we take away much of that desperation in the first place. A child shouldn't be required to show more bravery than most adults ever will in their lifetimes simply because they were born as they were. The reactionary stance is never the best one. Proactive things can and need to be done now. It only takes an understanding of the facts by all to see the need. Start looking around you. Start wondering why it is you can't use the single occupancy (one person) restroom that is most convenient. Start wondering why you shouldn't just use the closest available rather than walking further down a hall or to another location when there is a perfectly good restroom in front of you. Start wondering why a gender sign on a door has some magical power to keep you out of a single occupancy restroom that is most convenient. Join us in bringing this message to our government officials. Join us in doing something reasonable that benefits all people. You can find more information at: http://www.thetransgendermovement.com/ and http://ohr.dc.gov/bathrooms

I have been and still advocate for medical marijuana, decriminalization and marijuana legalization, as well as drug abuse and addiction treatment reform. Drug overdose deaths in Colorado have gone down 25% since legalization was voted into effect. A side note: Motor vehicle accidents of all kinds have been reduced by 10% as well, not to mention the medical benefits and the amount of prescriptions that can be replaced, which I really hope isn't the real thing keeping these laws out of the house and senate floors, by way of 'Big Pharma' interest lobbies.

What if the volunteers who dedicate their time to coach and mentor your kids had their faces blacked out by a city official in a tournament publication? That is what happened in March, when Kevin Clement, Director of Recreation for the City of Thibodaux, LA, digitally erased the faces of Kenneth Lacy and Chris Ward, from the photo they took with their team for publication in The Biddy All-Star Tournament. Clement emailed St. Charles officials from his official city email and stated that the absence of Lacy and Ward's faces was due to "printer error." An outraged parent from another team saw this altered photo after purchasing one at the tournament, and demanded answers. Lacy and Ward's humiliation did not end there. When Lacy expressed his embarrassment and hurt to Mayor Tommy Eschete, a longtime friend of Clement, Mayor Eschete did nothing to remedy the harm caused to the two coaches' reputations or to the children and parents, who traveled from as far away as Finland for the tournament. They will always have the ugly reminder of the way two dedicated and invested black coaches were treated in a Louisiana Biddy Ball tournament publication. This act cannot do without redress! Demand that Kevin be held accountable NOW!

All our public service like firefighters, paramedics, police, are jobs for which that we citizens pay the compensation. So, since firefighters don't have to go looking for fires, paramedics don't have to go searching for medical emergencies, but they simply respond when called on, why should police be any different? The police should not go looking for crimes and traffic offenses as an excuse to disturb the peace of citizens. However, the police should only respond to crimes when called upon by citizens, just like any other public service employee would. The police should have no right to go out looking for crime. The police searching for crime should be against the law. So, we are asking that the police department's standard operating procedures, policies, and interactions with citizens be reformed to mirror the way that other public service jobs carry themselves.

Civil rights and guaranteed entitlement refused. Just because we're African Americans. Two veterans fell dead after taking Antabuse prescribed at WSVA Outpatient Clinic. There's no mistake antabuse was the apparent cause of their fatal exphixiation.

This is clear violation of civil rights and the clearest form of racism. This is the reason why there is civil unrest and a continuing divide between the very people who claim to protect and serve and the community they live in. This form of racism has to stop now and it our government should never allow such atrocity.

50 years ago this month, the Voting Rights Act was enacted, protecting millions of Americans against politically motivated attacks on their right to vote. Two years ago, the Supreme Court gutted many of these protections, claiming that voter discrimination was a thing of the past. Since then, opportunistic politicians have proven the Court wrong, rolling back key reforms and building new barriers to the ballot box with the intent -- and effect -- of keeping folks from voting. The government shouldn't get to pick and choose which citizens can vote -- we need to restore the Voting Rights Act's protections. Tell Congress to pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act and make sure every American's voice is heard in our democracy.

Richard Shaak, who was a long time and trusted employee, was terminated for simply speaking up and bringing to light what was on everyone's mind: the failure of management to provide their workforce with adequate and properly functioning tools to perform their jobs like the professionals that they aspire to be. Mr. Shaak simply wants the ability to for him and his co-workers to work with dignity and respect. Rich Shaak was fired for simply having a difference of opinion with Supervision. Obviously, Art Gasper and Gary Tuerk, the owners of Meridian Electrical Associates, do not value what their employees have to say. Even worse, they will not tolerate any differences of opinions between the workers, and management. Please let Art Gasper and Gary Tuerk know that suppressing freedom of speech will not be tolerated. Please sign our petition today and demand that Rich Shaak be reinstated NOW!

We are in need of help! The police departments and local governments can't handle this matter alone! Please declare a state of NATIONAL emergency! The numbers are out there! It's no secret we need help as citizens of the USA - help to save a precious generation!

I have been working in the field of education for more than 25 years. All children should be given the opportunity to experience an effective, solid and meaningful education. Our Black children deserve a quality education to prepare them for the future. It is apparent school board members set the educational clock back 60 years or more when they voted and approved to re-segregate several schools in South Pinellas County. It is time to right the wrong that has negatively impacted black children in these five schools. ~Dr. Psalms Mack

Native Americans are denied the same rights and privileges as others due to the length of their hair, being forced on many occasions to have their hair cut before they are allowed access to public establishments such as schools. We are demanding that you respect the rights of ALL Native Americans concerning this matter and abolish this practice. Having long hair is an important part of our culture and ancestry, and needs to be recognized as that. Make it illegal for Native Americans to be denied the same rights as others because of the length of their hair.

Because 6 debates is not enough! The American people need to hear from the candidates to start making their choice!