The nearly 8% or $3 million + increase in the Elgin Police Department budget is excessive. This money should be reallocated to support community based services such as the creation of an Elgin Health and Human Services Department that would include mental health, addiction treatment, housing, food distribution, nutrition, education, recreation, job development, public transportation, accessibility to resources, infrastructure, etc. The Elgin Police Department’s proposed budget for 2021 is well over $51 million. This is absurd. Crime statistics are trending down. The community needs expanded social services not weaponized control. Over policing is a clear manifestation of systemic and structural racism. The community needs to hold the City Council, City Manager and Mayor accountable to prioritize community well being with investment in basic human dignity and the expansion of systems of social justice. El aumento de casi 8% o más de $ 3 millones en el presupuesto para el Departamento de Policía de Elgin es excesivo. Este dinero debe reasignarse para apoyar servicios comunitarios como la creación de un Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Elgin que incluiría salud mental, tratamiento de adicciones, vivienda, distribución de alimentos, nutrición, educación, recreación, desarrollo laboral, transporte público, accesibilidad a recursos, infraestructura, etc. El presupuesto propuesto por el Departamento de Policía de Elgin para el 2021 supera con creces los $ 51 millones. Esto es absurdo. Las estadísticas sobre delitos están a la baja. La comunidad necesita servicios sociales ampliados, no un control armado sobre la población. La vigilancia excesiva es una clara manifestación de racismo sistémico y estructural. La comunidad debe responsabilizar al Concejo Municipal, al Administrador de la ciudad y al Alcalde de priorizar el bienestar de la comunidad con la inversión en nuestra dignidad humana básica y la expansión de los sistemas de justicia social.

Oscar Cain Jr was a passionate leader and even traveled to Ferguson to support the Black Lives Matter community during protests for Mike Brown. He was well loved in the community and was a part of many different organizations that dealt with issues such as voting rights and housing equality. He was a strong advocate for police use of body cameras and spent much of his time educating and speaking about this issue. Ironically, Cain, a father of two small children, was shot and killed by an Atlanta police officer that did not have his body camera on. Marquee Kelley, the Atlanta Police Officer who shot and killed Cain, claims someone told him they saw a man with a gun, and that when Kelley spotted Cain and tried to arrest him, Cain fled into a dark wooded area. According to Kelley’s story, he saw Cain with a gun in his hand so he shot Cain. Cain was shot in the back. He became the 7th activist who marched on the frontlines in Ferguson to die under suspicious circumstances. APD officer Kelley’s entire written report regarding the incident was three sentences and because Kelley’s body camera and dash camera were turned off when he shot Cain, there is no audio or video evidence of the shooting. Oscar Cain Jr was known to lead marches saying, “I am somebody and I deserve full equality. Right here. Right now.”

Pickleball is ‘America’s Fastest Growing Sport’ and one that is enjoyed by players of all ages and abilities, spread by the grassroots enthusiasm of its participants. It is a sport more appropriate to the “People’s House” than Tennis, which developed under the aristocratic patronage of the Royalty of both England and France. Pickleball originated in the United States, created through old-fashioned American ingenuity and creativity when a planned family badminton game had to be cancelled due to the lack of correct equipment. While the large, space-hungry tennis court demands a high level of athletic conditioning, Pickleball is played on a much smaller court which allows for more efficient use of public land (in parks nationwide as well as in the White House lawn) and can be effectively played by a much broader spectrum of America’s casual athletes. Pickleball is also a much more community-based, social sport than tennis, encouraging people of all backgrounds to find common cause and enjoyment together. Changing the White House tennis court to multiple Pickleball courts would be an inspiration to increased fitness achievable by all Americans, as well as a of symbol both American ingenuity and the effective and efficient use of our public lands.

President-Elect Biden's inauguration is just over a month away. And while Biden's inaugural committee has rightly rejected money from fossil fuel corporations, they're still planning to accept up to $1 million from individual corporations -- even though Barack Obama rejected corporate contributions for his inauguration in 2009. This inauguration will be different due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Instead of gala inaugural balls and parties happening in person, most of it will happen online. That should mean it's even less important than ever before to raise money from corporate interests to fund it. If the Biden-Harris administration is serious about “building back better” in a way that remedies the longstanding ills of the country, Joe Biden should not let corporate interests have this kind of unnecessary influence. Rejecting their contributions to the inauguration fund is a key step this administration can take to signal where their allegiances lie.

This is a letter from his mother- My name is Montye Benjamin I am the mother of Jayvis LeDell Benjamin. Jayvis was UNARMED and killed by officer Lynn Thomas of the Avondale Estates Police Department in Dekalb county Georgia. I would like the opportunity to share with you my experience seeking justice for my son. As his mother I will continue to be his Advocate and voice that was silence by officer Thomas who sentencing Jayvis to a roadside execution, being the judge and jury on the street. My journey includes many barriers that was put in place attempting to force me to quit or having no hope for justice with limited resources, legal counseling and mainly with little to no support from my community. On the night that my son was killed, a false narrative was given that he stole a car and assaulted officer who commanded him to get back in a wrecked car. I did not find out the truth until I appeared before the Grand Jury that my son only ran a red light. On January 18, 2013, Jayvis ran a red-light losing control of the car he was driving running into a telephone pole head on. Officer Thomas witness Jayvis running the light then calling into dispatch stating, “that guy is going 120 miles an hour, I am going to go look for him”. Upon arriving officer Thomas exits his patrol car approaches Jayvis and begin to pat both his left and right side appearing to decide either to use his tazer or gun. Officer Thomas then release from the holster his gun pointing it directly at Jayvis, before Jayvis exit the car. Jayvis then proceed to exit the car brushing away the broken window on the driver side, once he exits he then raised his hand up stating “Do ya’ll see this $h1#. Do see ya’ll see what he trying to do to me” repeatedly and then officer Thomas shouting, “get back into the car”. At no time did officer Thomas access for injuries from the impact of the car hitting the telephone pole. You can see that Jayvis was engaging with the people in the community that began to come out of their home because the power was knock out and the loud noise of the impact hitting the telephone pole. On April 30, 2015 a Grand Jury hearing “Strongly Advised Indictment” of Officer Thomas. On May 1, 2015 DA James announced during a press conference that a warrant would be issued for Officer Thomas and he would appear before a criminal grand jury. Almost a year later the Former DA presented an altered clip of the dash cam video, only showing Jayvis and not officer Thomas exiting the patrol car. Former DA Robert James ruled the shooting justified stating that he did not agree with the jury decision and they needed to be trained to evaluate a police involve shooting. The case was in the appellate court process because the judge dismissed the case. This decision was made on the altered video that was entered to the court and not the same one that was shown during the grand jury hearing. Five months after DA James rule the shooting justified Officer Thomas was promoted to chief of his department. Several request by me and my attorney’s to get the original dash cam video and we are yet to received it or our request has ever been honored. Jayvis and I have been “Denied Due Process”. I am so glad that I was able to view the dash cam video during the grand jury hearing, had I not seen it I would have never known the TRUTH. Jayvis should’ve received a traffic citation and a day in court, not a death sentence. There was no police chase, stolen car report or fitting any description. It wasn’t until after Jayvis was DEAD, that thomas came up with the stolen car report. Also, a background check was done on Jayvis after he was murdered and conducted by the GBI and the DA office showing he did not have any altercations or a criminal record with the justice system. It was the GBI investigator that actually motivated me to look deeper into Jayvis case. When I spoke with him he said that he could not discuss Jayvis case because of the open investigation by the DA office, but that I needed to request all copies of each investigation. The GBI completed their investigation March 2013, and the DA did not completed his until April 2015. For the justice system to function the way it does today I know I may not see justice in my life time but at least I do know the truth and he was murdered by lynn thomas. The only purpose of his badge, gun and uniform is to protect himself with the support of the court system that expect the average citizen to respect the very laws they are paid to enforce. I am presently requesting that Jayvis case be reopened with a special prosecutor and investigator with true transparency. I have been fighting Justice for Jayvis, for the last 7 years. I will continue to do so with my last breathe. My son was racially profiled and murdered with no accountability or remorse for life lost due to thomas incompetence and negligence. Thomas holding the position of chief has really taunted the respect, integrity and honor of the title chief.

On May 16, 2016, Jabril Robinson and his gf were having an altercation outside his gf’s mothers house. The gf’s mother called police wanting police to help de-escalate the fight, but she was quoted as saying, “If I knew they was gonna kill that young man I would have never got them police involved. Never. I love that boy like a son. God! God this is crazy!” She just wanted their help. Both Robinson’s gf and gf’s mother kept being questioned if Robinson had a gun multiple times even though they kept saying that he didn’t. Officers told the mother and gf that they would look for him, talk to him, and bring him back. When Clayton County Police Officer Charlie McDaniel and Dwayne Parkin spotted Robinson, he ran and they chased him behind the house where they shot him multiple times in the back. When he struggled to get up, they shot him in the back of the head. They were called to de-escalate, so why did Jabril Robinson end up dead? Sounds like Charlie McDaniel and Dwayne Parkin, who are civil officers, decided to take the law into their own hands over an argument between two civilians that they are meant to protect.

NYC DOT’s own policy as per its website (http://bit.ly/DOTAdopt) is that “Highways can be adopted by individuals, companies, or organizations (but not political candidates and campaigns).” This sign should have been removed in 2015 and, according to DOT’s policy should not be in place now, as Trump has stated an intention to run again in 2024.

Decades upon decades I witnessed as our local politicians take advantage of our communities and of the will of the people. They know the statistics and averages and how to get people activated and how to keep people inactive. Politicians in office know that people who don’t vote are the same people who say things will never change and are completely discouraged from partaking in our local politics and activities. They see the same politicians election after election making the same decisions and believe deep down inside that things will never change and that their one vote could never count. Politicians take advantage of this and allow themselves to get reelected over and over while not activating any new community members to get involved in our local government. The same voters vote for them year after year, and have no interest in encouraging the youth or new community members to get involved. Those that benefit from a politician being seated for decades are the ones that will vote and are the ones that will activate more voters like them to get the result they want. The people of Illinois are an example of these problems that come from politicians holding seats for far too long! We've had so many of our recent politicians go to jail because of their illegalities just slipping through the cracks, yet they were voted in election after election. At any given time an Illinois politician is under investigation and this is not right! Right now on this date 11/23/2020, the Mayor of Chicago, several Aldermen and woman and the decision to allow General Iron to move locations from the North side of Chicago to the South Side of Chicago is under investigation. This example is the #StopGeneralIron movement. Setting term limits will put an end to many of these problems. When we place two term limits on our local Aldermen and women it will activate more people to get involved in our government with each election and we will have a better and more current representation of the will of the people. Imagine knowing that when elections come up people will actually be working to build a better community and working towards activating new voters instead of manipulating our local government against the will of the people and suppressing our voters. The goal is to have as many people active in our local politics every four years not just when our community is at rock bottom! Setting a two a term limit to Aldermen and women will contribute to building a bigger and better community, involved and engaged and will also detour any local loyalist who will do the most to work against the will of the people. Please sign this petition for the good of the people! Thank You!

It is important for our Central Oregon region to stand up against hate groups of any kind!

Families have been destroyed by addiction. New Hampshire Laws needs to CHANGE! Too many lives have been lost because of the lengthy process it is to try and get our loved ones into a rehabilitation center when they are adult age. By the time the paperwork has been filed it is always too late. My Name is Meth I destroy homes, I tear families apart, take your children, and that's just the start. I'm more costly than diamonds, more precious than gold The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold. If you need me, rememeber I'm easily found, I live all around you - in schools and in town. I live with the rich, I live with the poor, I live down the street, and maybe next door. I'm made in a lab, but not like you think, I can be made under the kitchen sink. In your childs closet, and even in the woods, If this scares you to death, well it certainly should. I have many names, but there's one you know best, I'm sure you've heard of me, my name is crystal meth. My power is awesome, try me you'll see, But if you do, you may never break free. Just try me once and I might let you go, But try me twice, and I'll own your soul. When I possess you, you'll steal and you'll lie, You do what you have to -- Just to get high. The crimes you'll commit for my narcotic charms, Will be worth the pleasure you'll feel in your arms. You'll lie to your mother, you'll steal from your dad, When you see their tears, you should feel sad. But you'll forget your morals and how you were raised, I'll be your conscience, I'll teach you my ways I take kids from parents, and parents from kids, I turn people from God, and separate friends. I'll take everything from you, your looks and your pride, I'll be with you always -- right by your side. You'll give up everything -- your family, your home, Your friends, your money, then you'll be alone. I'll take and take, till you have nothing more to give When I'm finished with you, you'll be lucky to live. If you try me be warned - this is no game, If given the chance, I'll drive you insane. I'l ravish your body, I'll control your mind I'll own you completely, your soul will be mine. The nightmares I'll give you while lying in bed, The voices you'll hear, from inside your head. The sweats, the shakes, the visions you'll see, I want you to know, these are all gifts from me. But then it's too late, you'll know in your heart, That you are mine, and we shall not part. You'll regret that you tried me, they always do, but you came to me, not I to you. You knew this would happen, many times you were told, But you challenged my power, and chose to be bold. You could have said no, and just walked away, If you could live that day over, now what would you say? I'll be your master, you will be my slave, I'll even go with you, when you go to your grave. Now that you have met me, what will you do? Will you try me or not? It's all up to you. I can bring you more misery than words can tell, Come take my hand, let me lead you to hell. (This was written by a young Indian girl who was in jail for drug charges, and was addicted to meth. She wrote this while in jail. As you have just read, she fully grasped the horrors of the drug, as she tells in this simple, yet profound poem. She was released from jail, but, true to her story, the drug owned her. They found her dead not long after, with the needle still in her arm) Addiction does not discriminate Sign this petition - CHANGE THE SYSTEM

California and the country deserve leaders who represent them and don't actively cause harm.

Many students drop out of college because of the expenses, more scholarships can make a difference. Campus police can also be racially biased to minorities which is more than half of CSULA campus. Rather than making students feel safe, they perceive campus police to be targeting them.