Right now, unidentified federal agents are on Portland’s streets targeting, tear-gassing, beating, and illegally arresting protestors in an OUTRAGEOUS overreach of federal authority. These forces are cobbled together from a number of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies, acting with impunity and without cause. The last three years have shown how far Trump is willing to go to maintain and increase his hold on power — and how DHS can be used to achieve those ends. What’s happening in Portland, and what’s being threatened in other cities, is nothing less than the post-9/11 national security state being turned on regular people exercising their constitutional human rights. Luckily, you can’t wage a war that you can’t pay for. And Trump’s timing couldn’t be worse: the House may vote on a DHS appropriations bill next week. Add your name now to demand Congress refuse to pass this bill without a COMPLETE withdrawal of these agents and a bar on ANY funding that would support Trump’s secret police force.

The President has deployed unidentified federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security and sub-agencies to Portland over the objection of local and state governments. These agents have subsequently escalated conflict, and gleefully beaten, shot, and gassed peaceful protesters, and kidnapped others off the street in unmarked vehicles. The President has threatened to deploy more agents to Chicago and other "Democrat" cities, against the will of the states. It has become clear that the Department of Homeland Security has exceeded its original purpose. It has been transformed into a secret police force used by the President to inflict terror against those with whose politics he disagrees. Although unlikely, we are in a small window of time where it may be possible to undo the damage that has been done, and dismantle this occupying army being deployed against U.S. cities. If we hesitate to take action, the President will only be emboldened, and the precedent of using the Department of Homeland Security for political retribution will be established. Please tell Congress to dismantle the Department of Homeland Security and some sub-agencies.

On the steps of the Capitol, Republican Rep. Ted Yoho called Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a “f**king b*tch.” She had never even met him before.[1] She was defending her over-policing criminalizes the poor and marginalized. And for daring to have an opinion, Rep. Yoho thought it was okay to hurl a sexist, vulgar slur at her. Congress cannot let this stand. Rep. Yoho’s comments were abhorrent and need to be dealt with immediately. Tell Congress: Censure Rep. Yoho for his sexist, vulgar language toward Rep. Ocasio-Cortez! Let’s be honest: men hurl these insults at women to demean them. Men like Rep. Yoho need to use vulgar language toward women because they’re threatened by women who speak up, who stand by their convictions, and who challenge the antiquated notion that only men should hold power. But as much as men like Rep. Yoho wish for the sexist days of Mad Men, that’s not the world we live in. AOC and Ted Yoho have the same job. In other words, on the steps of Congress, they’re equals, no matter what kinds of names Rep. Yoho wants to throw at her. But this isn’t just a DC-spat, Congress has rules governing decorum and codes of ethics. They’re put in place to secure the American people’s trust that our elected officials are professional, lawful, civic-minded servants. Rep. Yoho violated those rules and ethics by cursing at Rep. Ocasio-Cortez. He needs to face consequences, and swiftly. Demand Progress has already filed a complaint against Rep. Yoho, but Congress to take action now by censuring him. Tell Congress: Censure Rep. Yoho for his sexist, vulgar language toward AOC! Source 1. https://thehill.com/homenews/house/508259-ocaasio-cortez-accosted-by-gop-lawmaker-over-remarks-that-kind-of

We, the people of South Carolina, urge you to put the welfare of every citizen before partisan politics We, the people of South Carolina, urge you not to put educators and school employees in harm's way. We, the people of South Carolina urge you to make masks, social distancing, and all recommendations of the CDC our state policies. We, the people of South Carolina, request you declare a state of emergency in education and find an immediate way for distanced learning to reach every child in communities with no internet connectivity.

United States citizens and residents have the freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of association. Protesters' civil rights are being trampled on and violated. Putin stops protests in Russia and Xi Jinping hurts protesters in China but this is not acceptable in the United States of America. Photo credit: Skylor Powell

If we value the ability to live and speak freely, this is imperative to every single person living in the United States, as well as those we affect abroad.

Enough is enough. From the exposure of the racial discrimination lawsuit in our countywide police department to black and brown people being used as BOTH punching bags and target practice by those that are sworn to protect us. PGCHANGEMAKERS and its' allies say NO MORE to police brutality in Prince George's County! WARNING - These videos are triggering. Viewer discretion is advised. https://www.instagram.com/p/CCwcmizBy8M/ https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2707963206105717 https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=pg+police+beat+downs&docid=607990734244021592&mid=50FC9D5356C4EF95491F50FC9D5356C4EF95491F&view=detail&FORM=VIRE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMk4L9iaE7o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrOnhcBpEFE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBsQfk-iEew https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o75_fjwtkfE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xf6oLSPB10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UqziDwXJSU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0doXRLkv8E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo6m8AP5odA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF-UatpD44k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08OR_Dr1l8s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOa1rFM9T-0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKzigsYQn58 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRi_smnYaCY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L3FyfbZVaM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKFfybKIaGw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfEhPjyBPDg

These are scenes out of a police state, not a democracy: heavily armed, unidentified federal agents are grabbing American citizens off the streets of a major American city, bundling them into vans and detaining them without charge. Local officials in Oregon are pushing back: the mayor of Portland has demanded these secretive federal troops leave the city, and the ACLU has filed suit. But this outrageous attack on civilians and peaceful protesters needs a loud, no-holds-barred national response NOW. If we don’t shut this down, Portland could be a trial run for Trump-backed paramilitary police squads deployed in cities nationwide. This is not a drill - it’s time to ring the alarm! Sign on to call on Congress to do everything within their power to shut down this authoritarian threat: from holding immediate hearings, to supporting Senator Ron Wyden’s amendment to the defense bill to stop the Trump administration from sending its paramilitary squads on to America's streets.

After an influx of revealing stories submitted by students who have been abused and traumatized by Greek organizations and their members at USC, it has come to the attention of USC's student body that these organizations are doing much more harm than good to our community. A recent study has grounded these perspectives in data, and those involved and uninvolved in Greek life at USC have shown us that empty promises and reforms are no longer tolerable. College is an introduction to adult life for many students, and Greek life acts as a precedent for how students should behave socially after they finish their time at USC. The normalization of sexual assault, white supremacist ideals, and gender or sexuality-based discrimination have no place in our students' first steps towards adult independence. The world around us is progressing rapidly, but by choosing not to stand with the abolishment of IFC and Panhellenic Greek organizations, USC will be left behind in social evolution.

The City of Bexley must recognize that institutional racism and discrimination, in all forms, exists, and has a painful, historic legacy in this country, the effects of which continue to place the health and well-being of minority citizens in crisis. The City of Bexley must pledge to work together with community groups, organizations, and individuals to confront systemic, institutional, and individual acts of racism and discrimination in order to promote equity, justice, and healing. The City of Bexley must reject, discourage, and condemn any and all racism, discrimination, and hate-based conduct in order to build and uphold a welcoming culture based on equity, dignity, respect, and inclusion of all people regardless of race, color, religion/non-religion, familial status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, language, age, disability, or genetic information.

John Lewis and C.T. Vivian should be the men that we create statues for. They spent their lives and careers to better the landscape for Black Americans and all Americans. This is who we should applaud. We can replace the KKK bust or other confederate statues.

Senator Mitch McConnell is among the many members of Congress who have made statements on the passing of their colleague and civil rights giant John Lewis who nearly died in the fight for the Voting Rights Act. McConnell tweeted, "I will never forget joining hands with John as Congress sang We Shall Overcome at a 2008 ceremony honoring his friend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It could not have been more humbling to consider what he had suffered and sacrificed so those words could be sung in that place." Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL-7) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced the Voting Rights Advancement Act that would restore key provisions of the act that were struck down by the Supreme Court in Shelby County v. Holder in 2013. You can read a brief summary here: https://www.hrc.org/resources/voting-rights-advancement-act The best way that he and his colleagues can honor the memory of their colleague is to pass H.R. 4.