UPDATE: May 15, 2024 BACKGROUND The latest mass shootings in Nashville (Covenant School), Highland Park, Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX only serve to reinforce that a federal ban on military-style assault weapons and high capacity magazines needs to pass Congress and be signed by the President. Assault weapons and high capacity magazines are easily available for civilians to acquire in the U.S. Weapons of war have no place in our society. In addition, these military-style weapons and high capacity magazines are the choice of domestic terrorists and other shooters in the vast majority of mass shootings that have taken place across our country. We do not want or need politicians' thoughts and prayers - we want action now! Military-style assault weapons and large capacity magazines have no place in civilian society and are only designed to kill and injure large numbers of people in a short period of time. We cannot allow the daily carnage in our country to be the new normal. Support legislation by Senator Feinstein (S.25 ) and Rep. Cicilline (HR 698) Tell the President and Congress to act now to ban military-style assault weapons and large capacity magazines. Please sign and share. As we always do, your signatures will be delivered electronically and in person. Thank you.

UPDATE: This Petition was started a few years ago after a fatal accident on Highway M in Barnhart, Missouri. That particular accident involved a mother of a student killed after dropping her son off for the day. At that time, the petition was setup, news channels were contacted and many communications were had over the following months with MoDot official, Judy Wagner. The request was submitted to Install traffic lights at Hwy M /St Lukes Church Rd and Hwy M / Moss Hollow Road AND DENIED AT THE TIME WITH MANY REASONS WHY THEY WOULD NOT DO THIS, the main reason given was that the install of traffic lights would cost too much at around $1 million. NOW THE J-TURN project is estimated to cost $1 million. Also stated that stop lights do not work. ROCKPORT School has a stoplight in front of their school as do many other emergency houses in the area that just have flashing lights during the day and become operational during PRIME HOURS needed such as morning and evening rush hours for school and those leaving for and coming home from work. The emergency houses would also have access to have the lights operate when they are in need to leave for emergencies. There are First Responder Houses (Antonia Fire Protection District and Rock Township Ambulance District House 4) as well as Antonia Middle School at those intersections. This results in a large number of school buses and families with children being forced to pull out onto Hwy M, crossing multiple lanes of traffic. These intersections absent of traffic lights with the factor of high speeds by drivers has proven to be hazardous AND CONTINUES TO BE HAZARDOUS TWO YEARS LATER WITH NO CHANGES BY LEGISLATURE AND MODOT. The amount of accidents due to high-speed and excessive traffic on Hwy M is becoming more frequent at both of these intersections, resulting in fatalities and injuries. First Responders were involved while attempting to respond to a call, resulting in injuries and delay for those needing the fire department. There are a number of families in both of these areas that send their children on school buses that are given no other option than to merge across a four-lane highway to transport the children to and from school. At Moss Hollow and Highway M, the traffic coming and going has increased now that the new Estates at Moss Hollow is complete and close to 100 new families moved into the area. (ADDING MINIMUM 100 NEW DRIVERS DAILY). There are MANY kids approaching the driving age so new drivers will be embarking on those intersections as well. Let's take safety into consideration and push Jefferson County to install traffic lights and NOT the proposed J turns AT BOTH INTERSECTIONS for the residents of Barnhart AND SLOW DOWN THE SPEED LIMIT IN A SCHOOL ZONE. As of June 2019 I was informed by Judy Wagner that the proposed construction review was being added to the “ Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan for review.” She informed me that in December 2019 they had met with families in Williamsburg to address this issue and I wa stood other affected subdivisions, including Fountains would be contacted in Spring 2020 to have community forum... I can only assume due to COVID that didn’t happen. CONSIDERATION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN FOR ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS AT MOSS HOLLOW AND THE CONTINUED POSSIBILITY OF GROWTH ON THE ANTONIA CAMPUS, FUTURE ADDITION OF NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, INCREASING TRAFFIC ON ST LUKES CHURCH ROAD SIGNIFICANTLY SO THIS WARRANTS MAKING CHANGES TO INTERSECTIONS AND LOWERING SPEEDS ALONG HIGHWAY M FOR THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE AND OUR CHILDREN. J turns will greatly affect emergency crews, residents and school bus transportation. THIS PETITION WILL ONCE AGAIN BE SHARED WHEN SIGNED AFTER A FEW WEEKS IN HOPES OF EXPRESSING CONCERN AS A COMMUNITY AND GETTING SOMETHING DONE SOONER THAN TWO YEARS FROM NOW. I HAVE UPDATED TO INCLUDE NEW MODOT AND COMMITTEE CONTACTS.

From gun violence to universal healthcare, no field of endeavor or conflict in this country is untouched by the legacy of racism manifest by our American destiny. Despite scholarly and established work to the contrary, CDC cries "No evidence-based best practices to address it" as an excuse not to do their job, so the people must demand it. I have seen the stress of loss of privilege, the minute daily drips of intangible "microaggressions" and the gaping wounds of bullets; I took an oath and DO NO HARM is not enough. We're also on Twitter and would ask folks to tweet Trevor Noah and other prominent folks who "have the mic"! @Right2healthNow

Judge Benjamin Smith has caused irreparable damage through his abuse of power & manipulation of civil & criminal law. In our case, a single mother & sole provider of her child for 4 years lost custody after being set up & accused of a crime to which she hadn’t been proven guilty. During the court hearing, an exparte communication was made in the Judge’s chambers giving custody to the paternal grandparents & no testimony or evidence to the family’s ignobility or precarious lifestyle allowed. However, any testimony that could be used to decimate the maternal family’s character was welcomed. The maternal grandmother’s testimony was completely suppressed, all evidence refused & witness refused. Custody was first given to paternal grandparents, who were absent from the child's life since birth, & per the Texas Family Code had no legal standing to intervene in the custody dispute. The Petition for Intervention filed by the maternal grandmother was abandoned completely. Judge Smith gave full power & authority over the child to the paternal grandparents, including the right to decide the estranged father’s eligibility for visitation. Although the child's father owed more than $12,000 in back child support, he was not ordered to pay, however, the mother was ordered to pay support to the paternal grandparents. The Judge supported this decision through the complete suppression of opposing testimony, evidentiary support, & disregard for Texas Law. Following the hearing, the child’s mother’s attorney set a reconsideration hearing. During that hearing, without the mother present, the attorneys agreed & allowed the Judge to change temporary custody to the estranged father, although he was clearly proven unfit in the hearing, admitted to having 3 children over the past 5 years he didn’t visit/support & had only lived in Collin County 2 weeks breaking the law of required legal standing. Since that time, the child’s father/paternal family have been allowed to move the child out of state to an undisclosed location, changing phone numbers & blocking all social media profiles giving the child’s mother/maternal family no access to him for now 6 years. The last time the mother/maternal family saw the child was March 2015 only for 15 minutes while videotaped by the paternal grandmother Marguerite Alba who used her legal ties & legal assistant position with the Dallas Law Firm who represented her to, per witness testimony, “destroy” the child’s mother. Since the father has had custody, he abandoned the child at least 5 times, moved him 9 times, changing schools at least 8 times. It has been 6 years since the mother/maternal family have seen this child. Though the mother wrote letters to the Judge advising him that the paternal family would not communicate with her, & refused visitation, he did nothing. The mother is young, can’t afford an attorney, & even if she could, she would have no chance because the Judge & defendants are acquaintances outside the Court. All attorneys called refused to take a case in this Judge’s Court due to his “manipulation of the Law,” & Legal Services refuses to help as the long-arm of this Judge has reached the as well. We have heard so many stories of civil rights violations by this Judge with other families. Please help us send a message to this Judge that his illegal, unethical, bias, partial rulings will no longer be tolerated. If your rights have been violated by this Judge please contact us at https://www.facebook.com/injusticeincollincounty. Please sign & share our other petition to impeach Judge Emily Miskel at https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/please-sign-to-impeach-2. The law provides strict policies governing Texas Judges by way of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct. Texas law upholds that “our legal system is based on the principle that an independent, fair & competent judiciary will interpret & apply the laws that govern us.” It is required that a Judge should act as an arbitrator of "facts & law" to resolve disputes fairly only after allowing parties their right to testimony without showing bias or partiality "under the rule of law" while "establishing & maintaining high standards of judicial & personal conduct.” Canon 2A "admonishes Judges to conduct themselves in a manner to promote public confidence." Canon 2B states: "He (a judge) should not lend the prestige of his office to advance the private interests of others." Canon 3A(2) "admonishes judges to be unswayed by partisan interests." Canon 3B(5) states “a judge shall perform judicial duties without bias or prejudice.” Canon 3B(7) states “a judge shall require lawyers in proceedings before the court to refrain from manifesting, by words or conduct, bias or prejudice based on race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status against parties, witnesses, counsel or others.” Canon 3B(8) states “a judge shall accord to every person who has a legal interest in a proceeding, or that person's lawyer, the right to be heard according to law. A judge shall not initiate, permit, OR CONSIDER EXPARTE COMMUNICATIONS or other communications made to the judge outside the presence of the parties between the judge & a party, an attorney, a guardian or attorney ad litem, an alternative dispute resolution neutral, or any other court appointee concerning the merits of a pending or impending judicial proceeding.” Texas Constitution Article 15 entitled “Impeachment” states "any judge of the District Courts of the State who is incompetent to discharge the duties of his office, or who shall be guilty of partiality, or oppression, or other official misconduct, or whose habits & conduct are such as to render him unfit to hold such office, or who shall negligently fail to perform his duties as judge; or who shall fail to execute in a reasonable measure the business in his courts, may be removed by the Supreme Court."

I believe it's important to recognize the history and heritage of all Georgians. However, the carving of Davis, Lee, and Jackson on the side of Stone Mountain only represents a small, regrettable time in the history of the Peach State. It's high time we added a bit more of our history and culture to this monument. By no means do we wish to erase or destroy the current carving, which, regardless of its context, is an impressive and historic work of art. We simply wish to add new carvings, of Atlanta hip-hop duo Outkast, to the mountainside. There's plenty of room. I believe that Daddy Fat Sacks and Three Stacks should be carved riding in a Cadillac (as is their wont). This will help the new carving blend nicely with the Confederates who are on horseback. Outkast are two of the greatest Georgians in the history of our state. It's about time the Empire State of the South paid proper tribute to them, while also improving a great monument and tourist attraction.

This is an appeal to redress an injustice in the US armed forces in which discrimination against Black people was rampant. Sgt. Waverly Woodson, Jr. should be added to the short list of African Americans whose valor needs to be recognized by this nation. Were there any Black people depicted on the D-day invasion in “Saving Private Ryan”? http://www.chestercounty.com/2015/03/13/64967/lincoln-university-honors-a-world-war-ii-hero. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/d-day-hero-widow-fights-for-husbands-recognition-waverly-woodson-jr-2019-06-06/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/06/20/77-years-later-still-seeking-appropriate-honor-heroic-black-medic-d-day/ https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/news/press-releases/van-hollen-trone-lead-call-to-award-maryland-veteran-with-medal-of-honor?fbclid=IwAR0I7mnywNU-qLvkmJDed8p8G9q9TikwJITsMQuWAPtuIehjt6ddLZU43Hs Should this come to fruition, his widow, Joann, will donate the medal to the new National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC.

This is an application for the immediate release of Jon-Adrian Velazquez, a man who is innocent and has been unlawfully imprisoned since February 2, 1998. Jon-Adrian Velazquez IS AN INNOCENT MAN. Here are seven reasons why Mr. Velazquez’s conviction must be vacated: 1. Mr. Velazquez and his alibi witness have both taken lie detector tests and have passed them with flying colors. 2. Eyewitnesses have recanted their identifications and changed their trial testimony. 3. There is no physical or DNA evidence against Mr. Velazquez. 4. There is absolutely no connection between Mr. Velazquez and the admitted co-perpetrator of the crime. 5. A seated juror was identified as the shooter during Velazquez’s trial, yet still voted to find him guilty, but has since admitted that he made a grave mistake. 6. There is an outstanding disparity between the initial descriptions of the shooter’s appearance and race-as provided by every single witness-and Mr. Velazquez’s actual appearance and race. 7. The police failed to pursue and investigate an individual by the name of “Mustafa” who was identified to law enforcement by multiple independent sources as the shooter and the person responsible for the death of the deceased. His continued incarceration violates his right to due process under Article 1, 5, and 6 of the New York State Constitution and the 8th and 14th Amendments to the United States Constitution. As citizens of "OUR" global community, WE respectfully declare that the case of the People v. Jon-Adrian Velazquez(Indictment #693/98) be vacated immediately. We demand immediate intervention and correction, and also pray for favorable consideration in this matter in accordance with our Bill of Rights.

The toxic circumstances of WORKPLACE/ACADEMIC BULLY has been well known for years. But progress for change has been excruciatingly slow primarily because of elected, civic and business powers that be. Elected officials in Albany should know that the time for change WAS YESTERDAY. Please support the petition and encourages others to sign.

Dear President Biden and Congressional Leaders: The Air Carrier Access Act of 1986, Title 49, Section 41705 of the U.S. Code, prohibits commercial airlines from discriminating against passengers with disabilities. The act itself, however, does not have any provision to protect the rights of those who, because of their disabilities and for safety reasons, cannot sit in a standard airline passenger seat and must remain seated in their personal wheelchairs like myself. These individuals are prevented from traveling any way except by land vehicles, trains, or ships. This constitutes a blatant infringement on their civil rights and access to affordable and expedient transportation. We, the undersigned, propose that every commercial aircraft have one to two removable passenger seat(s), in the front row of every aircraft, with a 4-point air cargo system underneath (identical to the system used in the U.S. Air Force cargo transport aircraft) to fasten each wheelchair securely to the floor of the cabin. An additional safety belt will be required around the waist of each wheelchair user to secure them in their seats. This proposed setup will guarantee the accessibility and safety of every passenger on board. Such implemented change is an economically sound investment for air carriers. The large and growing market of people with disabilities has $175 billion in discretionary spending, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Additionally, The New York Times reported that spending by travelers with disabilities exceeds $13.6 billion annually. I know that I personally spend approximately $5,000/ year on vacations. We estimate that this amount will increase significantly once individual aircraft become more wheelchair accessible. Please amend the Air Carrier Act of 1986 and push the Federal Aviation Administration to require airlines to designate wheelchair accessible spaces on every commercial aircraft. Thank you for your support, All Wheels Up https://www.allwheelsup.org/

The word democracy does not appear in The Constitution nor does it appear in The Declaration of independence. America is NOT nor was it ever intended to be a Democracy. We cannot spread Democracy by war all over the world if we are not a Democracy! All too often in our political system we fight with left and right, it's time we all stand in unity as a Republic, the way our forefathers intended...one nation under God

Hospitals have a responsibility to the public to make sure that doctors are practicing good medicine, through the process of fair and unbiased peer review. However, Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte abused this process to discriminate against Dr. Ron Virmani, who is a U.S. citizen, because he was born in India. On September 1, 1995, they kicked him out of the hospital after a very secretive sham internal peer review, labeling 24 of his patient charts "problematic". An expert of North Carolina Medical Board stated that Dr. Virmani met the standard of care. Dr. Virmani lost his ob-gyn career and his professional standing. He and his family suffered tremendously for 16 long years and still continue to suffer.

In Washington, DC, our nation's capital, we have no voting member of Congress, and our local taxes and laws are subject to the control of Congress. This violates every principle of democracy and it is un-American.