This fight isn't about protecting Louisiana's "brand": it's about silencing the GOP's critics, no matter how much parody and political opposition are protected by free speech.

The issue of gay rights and equality shall persist no longer. We will make a difference.

Sign our petition immediately and share with others. The NAACP opposes this bill as it violates the Civil Rights of United States Citizens. The NAACP opposes collecting DNA prior to a conviction. This bill provides that law enforcement agencies may collect DNA samples at the time of booking for any person arrested for any felony offense beginning May 13, 2014 through December 31, 2014; and on and after January 1, 2015, requires law enforcement agencies to collect DNA samples at the time of booking for any person arrested for any felony offense.

If you are unfamiliar with the situation with Manzo, He unfairly beat a 16 year old over the head with a flashlight after being verbally inquired by this young man. After pulling over the boys father, the boy defended his dad's actions - and was then promptly, dragged out of the car into the squad car, and then beaten over the head with a flashlight. The city settled with the family, but only to avoid further action - this is not the first time that police brutality has become an issue in our County. If anything ; it has consistently been overlooked. Please consider the lives at stake , and the reputation it is setting for the rest of the police station, by allowing these men to continue active duty after such violent and selfish acts. All it takes is the willingness to agree that this is wrong. That they should be held to the same standards as the citizens trying their best to get through day to day, and that our rights and fair treatment is part of the oath they swore to protect. By signing this petition, you are simply asking that Manzo be given proper punishment for his actions to avoid further situations such as these.

As Chairman of the Election Law Conference Committee, Rep. Jamie Murphy is a key decision maker in passing a comprehensive bill to reduce voter disenfranchisement. Please sign this petition now urging Chairman Murphy to support comprehensive reform. If Chairman Murphy doesn’t hear from constituents like you, he could favor modest reforms rather than a strong reform package passed by the Senate. We need a giant leap in election modernization, not mere baby steps. As the cradle of liberty, Massachusetts should be at the forefront of expanding voting rights. But right now we’re lagging behind a majority of other states in adopting proven strategies to make voting more convenient, efficient, and accessible to all. Take a stand today for one of the strongest voter rights bills in the country. Thank you for taking a stand for democracy!

My little brother came out to our family as transgender and gay a couple of years ago, and with us living in ultraconservative Utah I am constantly disappointed at the capacity for ignorance and discrimination in our state. I hate to think that people elsewhere in the country suffer the same treatment. With so many states taking action recently to advance marriage equality, the Republican Party needs to make it clear that they can support causes that will eventually pull through, support the right of citizens to feel their identity and orientation are valid.

My little brother came out to our family as transgender and gay a couple of years ago, and with us living in ultraconservative Utah I am constantly disappointed at the capacity for ignorance and discrimination in our state. I hate to think that people all around our state, and all around the country, suffer the same treatment. With so many states taking action recently to advance marriage equality, the Democratic Party needs to make it clear that we support the right to marry in every state, support the right of citizens to feel their identity and orientation are valid.

My little brother came out to our family as transgender and gay a couple of years ago, and with us living in ultraconservative Utah I am constantly disappointed at the capacity for ignorance and discrimination in our state. I hate to think that people around the country, especially in also conservative places like Arkansas, suffer the same treatment. With so many states taking action recently to advance marriage equality, the Democratic Party needs to make it clear that we support the right to marry in every state, support the right of citizens to feel their identity and orientation are valid.

For years, The Salvation Army has operated discriminatory, homophobic, and abusive “Christian” addiction rehab facilities and slave labor work camps funded by State of Hawaii taxpayers through the Department of Human Services. The Federal 9th Circuit court decision in Inouye v. Kenma sent a clear message to our government that Twelve Step recovery programs contain religious content and are inappropriate for our government to force participation in them as a condition for receipt of benefits. Yet, the State of Hawaii Department of Human Services continues to require applicants for welfare benefits who have substance use problems to participate exclusively in Twelve Step-based inpatient or recovery groups such as those offered by The Salvation Army. Beyond that, contracted service providers like The Salvation Army discriminate against Buddhists, Muslims, agnostics, and atheist citizens, as well as those who otherwise refuse to participate in Twelve Step programs as an exercise of their Constitutional First Amendment rights. The Salvation Army further demeans and abuses gay, lesbian, and transgendered participants. They enslave impressionable and vulnerable persons into conscripted work programs for no pay, yet charge participants for their evening meals and sundries. State welfare applicants who “fail” to put up with these abuses are denied public welfare benefits and end up living on the streets.

America’s elections are broken. Not only do people with the most money fund our system, but also the election process itself systematically raises barriers to participation. People of color, young people, and college students are less likely to be registered and therefore less likely to vote. That’s true here in Delaware just as it is in Georgia, Ohio, and North Carolina where burdensome ideological-driven restrictions are being implemented to prevent more people from voting. And the result is that our democratic system is more accountable to people with money than it is to the rest of us. Since last year, I’ve been working with a diverse and powerful coalition of community organizations, faith leaders, civil rights organizations, labor, and advocates in pushing for House Bill 105, Same Day Voter Registration (SDR) in Delaware. The key to taking back our system is to ensure that as many eligible voters as possible can access the polls. And one of the best ways to do that is through Same Day Registration. Same Day Registration allows individuals to register to vote and cast their ballot on the same day. Same Day Registration is one the most effective ways to increase participation in our democracy. States that allow SDR consistently lead the nation in voter turnout, which on average is between 10 and 12 percentage points higher than in non SDR states. The top five states in voter turnout during the 2012 General Election are ALL SDR states. Delaware ranked well below these top-performers. House Bill 105 can increase voter participation in Delaware, both overall and especially amongst voters of color, young voters, and voters who move either into or within the state and need to re register. Despite the obvious democratic benefits that Same Day Registration could bring to Delaware, a few self-interested politicians are pushing for an amendment that would exempt primaries from SDR implementation. In a state where 84% of primary winners go on to win the general election, such an amendment guts the bill of any true effectiveness. Instead of serving as a leader and champion on voting rights, Delaware stands in danger of setting an awful precedent that establishes a two-tier electoral system. Stand against selective democracy. Support this petition. Tell the Delaware Legislature that you support Same Day Registration for ALL elections. --Apryl Walker State Campaign Director Delaware Alliance for Community Advancement (DACA)

Assembly Bill 54/Senate Bill 324 limits the time available to vote. People who work for a living, go to school, the elderly, and the disabled benefit from evening and weekend hours to vote. The legislature should be expanding voting hours to maximize participation in our electoral process not limiting them, or the authority of local clerks to set hours, and the staff legally authorized to accept absentee ballots as mandated in AB54/SB324.

Americans can still be legally fired for being gay in 29 states and for being transgender in 33 states. The Senate passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to address this problem, but Speaker Boehner refuses to take it up in the House. President Obama has an opportunity to protect as many as 16 million federal workers from discrimination with the swipe of his pen, and we think he should do it right now!