I want the United States of America to recognize and act on the fact(s) that "felons" are everyday being discriminated against when seeking employment. I know employers have the right to hire whom they please and may, but it is ridiculous when the employer wants to hire you, but the headquarters of that company tells the employer not to hire you. I want the President along with the House of Representatives (both Republican and Democrat) to all come together and create a solution to this problem. I am not alone in this situation. As a youth I never predicted I would become a man with two felonies, but I am as of today and for the rest of my life. There are many felons here in America. Life is nearly hopeless as a felon. I have been turned down from jobs with Wal-Mart, Target, and many other great jobs I sought to re-integrate me, only because of my background check. I never understood these truths until I became a felon myself. Why do they (felons) end up back in prison? Hardly anyone wants to hire a felon, and if they do they are not willing to pay them enough to survive. This is a matter that has NOTHING TO DO WITH COLOR. I want to see justice done here. I want the EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION to end. Felons are still human beings. The only difference between a felon and a non-felon is at least you know what the felon's struggles are. There is no deadline for this petition I am creating. I just hope this can be the beginning of this movement and hopefully end with a change in the employment field. Discrimination is real and it hurts. This is a serious matter. I can be contacted at [email protected] or (903)353-4896. Justice for all means FOR ALL.

For far too many years, Elanor Fortin aka "Queen Rippling Waters" has been fighting for our recognition as Native American Indians. For far too long, the Mohegan Tribal Council has denied legitimate heirs their birthright and documented Indian heritage and lineage due to power and greed. Please sign this petition and let Connecticut and Federal leaders know that while the Mohegan Tribal Council has financial means to deny our claims, a younger generation of Mohegan Indians have a social voice. A younger generation of Native American Indians should not be denied their heritage because of bitterness among an older generation. http://goo.gl/NFYmbf

I have a new awareness of wheelchair limitations in many situations after being forced to be immobile after a boating accident.

We are recuperating from a nearly four year struggle against gentrification in my hometown of Peekskill, NY. The all Democratic Party mayor and council completely forgot there was a constitution, appealed to race-based fears and even turned violent as our support picked up. The people of Peekskill deserve fair treatment and decent housing.

The Colony of Columbia has a nonvoting member in the House and no representation in the Senate. We (theoretically) elect a mayor and District Council member, but our own tax dollars are controlled by Congress even though we don't have a vote. Over the years, votes on many progressive issues (gun control, medical marijuana, and even the placement of a firehouse) have been overturned by Congress despite the wishes of the local citizenry. If they won't give us home rule and a vote in Congress, we should not be paying for Congress to decide how to use.

Since the killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed African-American teenager, by a Caucasian police officer last week in Ferguson, MO, Police Chief Jackson has demonstrated not only that he is an ineffective leader, but he will also promote a racist agenda in carrying out his job functions by: aiding & abetting the white suspect, Darren Wilson; deploying military tactics on a predominantly African-American crowd of protestors; disseminating video surveillance of a robbery suspect with a slight resemblance of the victim in an effort to defame the victim's character; & showing preferential treatment to Caucasian protestors over African-American protestors by charging them with lighter crimes. It is time to put an end to racist policing!

Community Call To Action! In response to the execution style murder of Mike Brown in Ferguson, MO on Saturday, August 9, 2014 and the overzealous police who teargased and injured innocent protestors, we are requesting the removal of Police Chief Thomas Jackson of Ferguson. During an interview he declared that no one was hurt during the protest. Indeed, people were hurt, tear gassed, and shot with rubber bullets. In fact, a young girl by the name of Mya White was shot in the head from rubber bullets and was hospitalized! People are suffering from rubber bullet wounds & psychological damage from their neighborhood being turned into a war zone. We are asking for people to call the Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III and sign this petition requesting the immediate removal and termination of police chief Thomas Jackson of Ferguson, St. Louis Missouri. I will be calling this am. Pass the word please and share with groups. Office of Governor Jay Nixon https://twitter.com/govjaynixon Mailing Address P.O. Box 720 Jefferson City, MO 65102 Phone: (573) 751-3222 Mayor James Knowles III City of Ferguson 110 Church St. Ferguson, MO 63135 Ph: 314-521-7721 St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay Address: 1200 Market St #200, St Louis, MO 63103 Phone:(314) 622-3201 Tweeter: MayorSlay.com @MayorSlay

Community Call To Action! In response to the execution style murder of Mike Brown in Ferguson, MO on Saturday, August 9, 2014 and the overzealous police who tear-gassed and injured innocent protestors, we are requesting the removal of Police Chief Thomas Jackson of Ferguson. During an interview he declared that no one was hurt during the protest. Indeed, people were hurt, tear-gassed, and shot with rubber bullets. In fact, a young girl by the name of Mya White was shot in the head from rubber bullets and was hospitalized! People are suffering from rubber bullet wounds & psychological damage from their neighborhood being turned into a war zone. We are asking for people to call Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III and sign this petition requesting the immediate removal and termination of police chief Thomas Jackson of Ferguson, St. Louis, Missouri. I will be calling this A.M. Pass the word please and share with groups. Office of Governor Jay Nixon https://twitter.com/govjaynixon Mailing Address P.O. Box 720 Jefferson City, MO 65102 Phone: (573) 751-3222 Mayor James Knowles III City of Ferguson 110 Church St. Ferguson, MO 63135 Ph: 314-521-7721 St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay Address: 1200 Market St #200, St Louis, MO 63103 Phone:(314) 622-3201 Tweeter: MayorSlay.com @MayorSlay

UPDATE: While the National Guard will not be involved, the Missouri State Police have taken over policing operations in Ferguson, while the FBI is providing technical assistance to Ferguson Police. St. Louis County Police have withdrawn from Ferguson on Gov. Jay Nixon's orders. Thanks to all for your support. Last night there was peace in Ferguson. ---------------------------- Over and over again during the Civil Rights Movement, presidents and governors mobilized the National Guard to protect the civil rights of citizens when local institutions refused to recognize them. In 1957, the National Guard escorted the Little Rock 9 to their first day at an integrated public school. In the 1960s, the National Guard helped integrate public universities in Mississippi and Alabama. Today, it is evident that the National Guard is needed in Ferguson, Missouri, where a white police officer shot and killed Mike Brown, an unarmed black teenager who reportedly had his hands in the air. Residents who protested Mike's death were met with police in riot gear and military vehicles. On Wednesday, police shot peaceful protesters with rubber bullets and attacked them with tear gas canisters, some of which exploded into nearby residents' yards — gassing sleeping families and children. They even used a torture device called a sonic cannon to try to disperse crowds. Even journalists weren't safe from local police. Officers attacked and arrested Wesley Lowery (Washington Post) and Ryan Reilly (Huffington Post) on Wednesday afternoon simply for recording them -- slamming one into a soda machine and knocking another's head into a glass door. Then, more reporters were shot with rubber bullets and gassed along with protesters. It was a gut-wrenching, sickening scene. I may live in St. Louis now, but Ferguson was once my home. My mom lived there for 10 years. And what I see happening to my former community at the hands of local law enforcement officers makes me sick, and it makes me angry. This isn't Afghanistan. It's not a war zone. But the police are treating United States citizens like enemy combatants, violating their civil rights at every turn. We can't trust local police not to hurt folks in Ferguson for peacefully assembling to protest unjustifiable state violence. And so, like leaders 50 years ago did during the Civil Rights Movement, our leaders today must take bold, swift, and decisive action. Tell President Obama and Governor Jay Nixon to protect the citizens of Ferguson from the cruel excesses of local police by sending in the National Guard.

This petition is being drawn up in hope of allowing citizens their rights, and as a tool to ease the tension in Ferguson, Missouri.

Due to the increased nationwide incidence of police abuse of power, brutality, harassment, and especially, the continued militarization of local police forces, it has become necessary that there be a greater checks and balances system in place to protect citizens and our officers. Body or lapel cameras have already been successfully implemented in places such as Rialto, California, and New York City, New York. A recent article written by Fox News said the following about a success last year with a camera trial: “The police department in Rialto, Calif., concluded a yearlong University of Cambridge study last year that found an 89 percent drop in complaints against officers during the camera trial. The chief has since mandated its deployment to its roughly 90 sworn officers.”(1) As you can see the impact of such legislation has been found to be highly effective in other cities. Here are many benefits of enacting such legislation: *Body cameras act as a supplement to dashboard cameras allowing a clearer picture of incidents from the officer’s perspective. This benefits prosecutors/defense in illustrating a clear argument, reducing litigation time and cost. *Greater accountability for officers, which can reduce problematic enforcement behavior, and also serves as a means to exonerate officers from false and malicious claims, thereby saving time and legal costs to the taxpayer. *Identifying problem and/or rogue officers and creating opportunities for coaching and development or necessary disciplinary action.(2) *Footage can be used for training and educational purposes, leading to proper law enforcement. *According to a paper published on policefoundation.org, studies show that when people are aware they are being recorded or watched, they are more likely to behave in a submissive or more socially acceptable way, thus potentially resulting in de-escalated police interactions.2 *When citizens are aware police are being recorded as well, it can foster trust in law enforcement resulting in more positive interactions. We, the People of the State of Missouri, are hereby formally requesting by way of petition that you immediately implement the usage of lapel or body cameras equipped with audio recording on all law enforcement officers in our state. This would include, but not be limited to, all officers in the local police departments, FBI, SWAT, ATF, correctional officers, sheriffs, county deputies and security guards. Undercover officers will not be required to wear these devices; however, officers should not be used as “undercover” to circumvent this law. Additionally, when undercover officers use a wire or other such recording devices, either on or off their person, the recordings of such data shall be made immediately available to the public as soon as it is legally safe to release such information, i.e. such as when a case has been brought to trial and the matter has been closed. We formally request and demand the following: 1. You draft, support, and enact legislation requiring all local and federal members of law inforcement to wear audio and video recording devices during each of their shifts. Law enforcement that shall be required to wear such devices include, but is not limited to, the following: local police departments, FBI, SWAT, ATF, correctional officers, sheriffs, county deputies, and security guards. 2. Such legislation should be enacted as soon as administratively possible, but not later than June 1, 2016. 3. You allocate and secure continued funding for the use of audio and video recording devices for each officer to wear on their person while carrying out their duties. 4. Create a website where recordings are readily available to the public to view and listen to as soon as administratively possible. This information shall be available without Freedom of Information requests or other formal requests to the police or other law enforcement offices. 5. Such legislation should include wording that prohibits law enforcement officers from intentionally deactivating or rendering their recording devices incapable of recording. If this behavior becomes a pattern with an officer, he or she shall be subject to disciplinary action and termination. 6. Law enforcement officers shall either notify citizens they are being recorded during interaction or conspicuously wear such notification. 7. Law enforcement officers shall give citizens the opportunity to decline recording of their interaction with law enforcement on a case by case basis. If the citizen declines, it must be recorded. 8. Law enforcement officers who disable their recording devices during an incident who later receive a formal complaint shall not be given the usual benefit of the doubt by the court and the court shall lean in favor of the accuser unless there is a preponderance of the evidence that the officer is not guilty of the accusation(s). 9. Citizens shall be given the opportunity to notify the police department at a later date, within thirty (30) days, that their interaction be thrown out, erased, or not made public. 10. This legislation shall be extended to correctional officers in the State or Federal prisons located in Missouri now or in the future. *Others are free to copy the language of this petition to start a petition for their own state. *Upon state approval an official petition will be circulated for signatures.

A Ferguson, Missouri police officer racially profiled and fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown as the teen stood with his hands in the air. Mike Brown's father — Louis Head — and community members are calling it an execution. Racially-motivated police violence has no place in law enforcement and represents the systemic police abuse against Black communities in Ferguson and Missouri at large. Enough is enough. Please join us in calling on federal and city officials to rigorously investigate, prosecute, and fire all officers involved.