It is important that the North Carolina-based Ku Klux Klan should not be allowed to rally at the State House on July 18, 2015, in Columbia, SC, because they represent racism and hate towards Africa America. They are known for killing African-American and burning down black churches. Their presence is negative energy and the people of Columbia SC already going through enough hate and racism as it is. After the hate crime that took nine African Americas lives at a church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015, six historical African America churches had been set on fire in the past two weeks. A couple of people have already been arrested at the Statehouse. A rally at this time is a bad idea. People should support this petition because this rally will follow our state for years to come, and we as a state should not want to be connected to a gang as hateful as the KKK. We are afraid for our safety also the well-being of the historical African Americans churches we have here in the city of Columbia. This will make a big different in our state because they are not wanted here. By not allowing the Ku Klux Klan to come to our state and rally will keep some of the gangs and Black Panthers that are also planning to show up on the 18 of July away. It will also allow the people of Columbia SC time to grieve and heal from all the tragedies that have taken place in the last month.

The New York Times reports that between 2001 and 2011, right-wing extremists in the U.S. averaged 337 attacks per year, and killed 254 people—a toll that's only risen since 2012.[1] In Charleston on June 17, at Mother Emanuel church, nine more murders were added to that total in a killing spree that was intended to "start a race war," according to the shooter.[2] And since the massacre in Charleston, six Black churches in the South have suspiciously caught fire, including several that have already been identified by authorities as arson. Right-wing extremism was already a real threat—last year, in a survey of 382 law enforcement agencies, 74% listed anti-government extremism as a top three terrorism risk.[3] But recent events have made this issue more urgent than ever, and it's time the Department of Homeland Security took action. If you agree that your member of Congress should sign Representatives Keith Ellison and Raul Grijalva's letter to President Obama and Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, please sign the petition. The letter by Reps. Ellison and Grijalva specifically calls on the Department of Homeland Security to reopen the Extremism and Radicalization Branch of the Homeland Environment Threat Analysis Division.[4] That branch, which is critical to addressing the growing right-wing terrorist network within our own borders, was disbanded in 2009 because of partisan political pressure. Today, no politician worth their salt as a public servant can debate the statistics. The biggest cause of extremist violence in the U.S. since September 11 has verifiably been home-grown right-wing radicalism, and it's in the best interest of everyone, whether politically conservative or liberal, for the government to stop denying this problem and start doing something about it. Tell your member of Congress: Please add your name to Reps. Ellison and Grijalva's letter urging the DHS to take immediate action. Sources: 1. "The Growing Right-Wing Terror Threat," The New York Times, June 16, 2015 http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/16/opinion/the-other-terror-threat.html 2. "Dylann Roof Said He Wanted To Start A Race War, Friends Say," NPR, June 19, 2015 http://www.npr.org/2015/06/19/415809511/dylann-roof-said-he-wanted-to-start-a-race-war-friends-say 3. "The Growing Right-Wing Terror Threat," The New York Times, June 16, 2015 http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/16/opinion/the-other-terror-threat.html 4. "House Democrats urge Obama, DHS to target 'violent right-wing extremism,'" The Washington Post, June 25, 2015 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/06/25/house-democrats-urge-obama-dhs-to-target-violent-right-wing-extremism/

If these were purported Islamic terrorists bombing "American" churches, this would not be tolerated. The government needs to take a stand to eradicate this terrorism against the Black community specifically and Americans at large.

Across the Deep South, public officials are finally recognizing that the Confederate flag is a deeply divisive symbol – one that represents the era of slavery, Jim Crow segregation and the white supremacist resistance to the civil rights movement. It’s a symbol that has long been brandished by racist extremists – most recently Dylann Roof, the gunman in the massacre at “Mother Emanuel” in Charleston. But even as the flag is being taken down, five Southern states continue to celebrate Confederate “heroes” with official holidays honoring Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, and Robert E. Lee, the Confederacy’s top general. It’s time to stop the celebrations. We’re calling on Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi to end their holidays honoring Davis and Lee. We should honor those who represent American ideals, not those who led the fight to preserve slavery.

This is s national issue, affects us all whether or not one is Hispanic.

It may feel small; by many small acts lead to large scale change. It's important to make your voice heard, to show the world how many people are against systemic racism. Lend your voice in calling for an end to the toleration of domestic terrorism thereby working towards ensuring liberty, justice and true equality for all!

CPS workers need to be held accountable. If they have nothing to hide or worry about, they should be willing to wear body cameras when interacting with the public. In a criminal court, evidence matters. In a family courtroom, it's your word vs the CPS worker. Guess what, the CPS workers always win because the judge always sides with them. We need justice back in the justice system. Sign this petition for all CPS workers who work with the public to wear body cameras.

On June 16, 2015, Donald Trump made some hateful remarks about the immigrant community in the United States. Without a second thought, Donald Trump effectively labeled immigrants as “rapists” and criminals -- derogatory terms that in no way are representative of the hard working immigrants who contribute to their communities each and every day. As cable networks, businesses, and local governments speak out against Donald Trump’s tasteless remarks, a particular group has chosen to stay mum on the subject -- Republican presidential candidates. While seeking the highest office in the country, why are Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio allowing Donald Trump to insult immigrant communities who reside in their home state of Florida? As the husband of a Mexican immigrant, and former governor of a state with a vast immigrant population, Jeb Bush has not even blinked at Trump’s insults. The same goes for the son of Cuban exiles, Marco Rubio, who once supported an overhaul to our broken immigration system. As an immigrant and a Floridian, I expect more from the people who represent the Sunshine State. Our communities should not serve as pawns in political games; rather, they should be respected -- just as any other constituency in this great country. Donald Trump’s comments are both racist and disgraceful. No politician should let these comments go unnoticed. Tell Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio to speak out against Donald Trump’s hateful comments on immigrants!

Cesar Vargas stood up for his family at a Steve King and Citizens United event in Des Moines, Iowa and now the Polk County Attorney thinks he needs rehabilitation. After his father died, Cesar was brought to the United States at the age of 5 by his mother. He graduated law school, and interned in prominent government agencies. Since law school, he has been involved in the Dreamer movement — undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children — to reform the country’s broken immigration system. On June 3rd, a New York court approved Cesar’s application to practice law. This means Cesar will be the first undocumented immigrant in the State of New York to become a lawyer. Now there’s just one thing standing in his way -- the Polk County Attorney . Cesar is a long time leader in the immigrant youth movement. Earlier this year he was arrested at a Steve King & Citizens United political event in Des Moines while trying to ask Chris Christie about his support of a lawsuit blocking millions of immigrants -- including Cesar’s mother -- from getting work permits and a driver’s license. Instead of allowing Cesar to be released early from probation (as commonly done in civil disobedience cases), the Polk County Attorney is doing everything he can to keep Cesar on probation. They’ve even gone so far to say that Cesar still needs “rehabilitation” -- which is absolutely crazy! Speaking up for your family is an American value. Cesar is a leader in the immigrant rights movement and he doesn’t need rehabilitation, he needs to start practicing law so that he can continue his fight for family and his community.

Church and State are separate. For the millions of religious groups or ignorant, bigoted preferences, State employees do not have the "Right to Refuse Service" do to their bigoted, political or religious choice, as they are paid employees to serve everyone in the State. They can no longer deny filing this union contract between two people including the .05% born with atypical genitalia, the surgical alteration by choice or health, or personal choice of sexual orientation is. Just as the "One Drop Rule" Texas retained their old "blood fraction" statutes de jure, but amended these fractions (one-sixteenth, one-thirty-second) to be equivalent to one-drop de facto-that would have denied Ted Cruz and Gov. Abbot's marriages due to anti-miscegenation statutes in the Dallas Records building, at the desk across from the "Whites Only" sign etched in marble above the water fountain where Ted and Abbott's wife could be arrested for being thirsty. As Texas can no longer deny the religious ideology, race, country of origin, Health premarital blood tests and pelvic examinations as it is no business of any clerk (still CT, DC, IN and MT do) or Adultery Status.

The United States Supreme Court has ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that marriage is a constitutionally protected right of all citizens of the United States of America, including members of the LGBT community. When you, and all officials of this State, decided to enter into public service you became servants of all of the citizens of Texas, not just the ones you agree with. The public servants of this State receive their paychecks from the State, counties and cities that they serve, not from their respective churches or religious institutions. We have no issue with you having your deeply held religious beliefs. But if they prevent you from executing your jobs, from which the citizens of this State employ you to perform, then you should find another job. You have a constitutional duty to enforce all laws, even the ones you do not agree with because of your deeply held religious beliefs. It is time for you to stop disrespecting the rule of law and begin to immediately require all public servants responsible for issuing marriage certificates to our LGBT Texans to do so, and to require any public servant who, under usual and ordinary circumstances, would perform a wedding ceremony to heterosexual couples to perform those same services to homosexual couples seeking to marry. Note that this requirement does not include any religious institution who have specific exclusions from the Supreme Court of the United States' ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges.

I am totally against using derogatory terms used to describe a particular race. As an African-American woman, I am highly offended and I want it removed from all English dictionaries.