Nobody plans to bury their murdered child – it’s among the worst possible unexpected expenses, yet thousands of Illinois families are paying it. They are depending on your help during some of the most tragic and painful times of their lives. We look forward to working with the Illinois General Assembly to ease some of their pain.

When asked at the Chamber event honoring Irma Cauley why no action yet on the street renaming, a Bryan Councilmember responded "well, if everybody wants it." City Manager policy requires “100% of property owners, residents and business owners” to sign a written petition affirming their desire to rename their street Carey Cauley Jr Street. There is no ordinance -no law- on Bryan’s books to rename streets. Local community leader, Helen Washington, walked the streets gathering signatures. She's the spearhead who is crossing every "t" and dotting every "i.” Help her. EVERYBODY, please join Helen and everybody who lives on 21st Street to SUPPORT this effort to honor the Cauleys. Please SIGN to tell Bryan Mayor and City Council you SUPPORT renaming 21st Street to honor our local civil rights heroes.

Why This Matters    In a nation built on the ideals of equality and shared freedom, Día de los Muertos offers an opportunity to emphasize unity in our shared fate. It serves as a reminder that no matter who we are, where we come from, or how we live, we all face the same human experience.    By officially recognizing this holiday, the U.S. would:    • Honor the legacy of diverse communities, especially those of Hispanic and Latin American descent, whose traditions enrich our nation.  • Create a space for all Americans to reflect on the fragility of life, the importance of remembrance, and the need for compassion and equality.  • Promote healing and unity, helping us look beyond our differences and focus on our shared existence.    The message of Día de los Muertos is particularly poignant in these times of division. It reminds us that, in the end, we are all bound by the same human experience, an experience that calls for unity, understanding, and mutual respect.  Call to Action    We, the undersigned, urge Congress and the President to formally recognize Día de los Muertos as a national holiday to be observed annually on November 2nd. By doing so, we will create a day for all Americans to honor their ancestors and reflect on the values of equality, family, and our shared humanity.    On November 2nd, 2024, we will gather at the National Mall to celebrate Día de los Muertos with cultural performances, live music, art, activities, speeches, and more, all emphasizing the importance of unity in life and death. Joined by advocates, community leaders, and citizens from across the nation, this event will serve as a powerful reminder of our shared humanity and the values of remembrance and togetherness.     This petition serves as a call for all Americans to embrace the values of Día de los Muertos, recognizing that in death we are all the same, and that in life, we must strive for the same equality, respect, and compassion for all.     By establishing Día de los Muertos as a national holiday, we honor not just a tradition, but the universal human experience. We affirm that our shared mortality should lead to shared humanity in life, an understanding that transcends divisions and brings us closer together.    Last year, we were proud to receive the official "Celebration of the Day" from the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs in Washington, D.C.  This year, we have made history by receiving the "Proclamation of the Day"  from DC's Mayor Muriel Bowser, herself.  These acknowledgments mark significant milestones in celebrating the cultural and spiritual importance of the holiday within the nation's capital. The support from local government not only highlights the growing influence of the Latino community but also demonstrates a collective commitment to honoring traditions that bring people together in unity and remembrance. This recognition has further inspired us to advocate for making Día de los Muertos a national holiday, so its message of shared humanity can resonate across the country.    The time has come for us to recognize this day, not only as a cultural celebration but as a reminder of our common destiny and the dignity we all share. Let us take this opportunity to embrace our shared past, present, and future.    Sincerely,  La Familia DDLMDC      Please sign this petition to support the recognition of Día de los Muertos as a national holiday and to honor our shared mortality, humanity, and community.  #DDLM4ALL

This country cannot move forward while Blue and Red continue infighting. Something must be done. Republican Senate leaders have been known to say they will not vote for anything just because the Democrats put it forth. This, coming from a man as old as Mitch McConnell, and being agreed to by the others in the same party, is ludicrous. We did not elect them to play games. The censuring of senators for not voting the way they want them to (for having minds of their own) is also a very telling indicator that the Republican party is more concerned that their members play "follow the leader" than think for themselves. The people who voted for each senator did so for the purpose of looking out for their interest... Not so they can sit around, smoking cigars, drinking whiskey, and thinking about how they can get back at the unpopular members of their group, or play tit-for-tat with the Dems. Pointing fingers, blaming each other, and threatening "if you do that, we'll do this" makes every single one of you look like a playground bully!

No proof Biden left Taliban $80B in weapons, or that he wants Americans’ pistols. No proof he had anything to with what the immigrants from went through recently. Are they going to blame him for the hurricanes that devastated the gulf coast & the north east earlier this summer. The Republicans are a bunch of tax collecting and spending money on nonsense instead of worrying about COVID-19 or anything but this BS TIT FOR TAT trying to get an elected President impeached on trivial crazy nonsensical statements and accusations. Challenging Joe & Kamala is a mistake the Republicans of Trump will never do. The Dems have the House, the Senate, and The White House- they’ll never get this done in the Joe Cool Era.

We don’t have the luxury of hanging up on reality. There is so much at stake: Healthcare, poverty, racial equity, public safety, housing, social programs — the list goes on. We cannot let the Conservative party win and implement policies that sow hate and division and take away what we have worked so hard for. The party that embraces Trump and all that he stands for — xenophobia, racism, classism, white supremacy, extremism, snd so much more. Their top candidate is a Trump Republican who will unravel all that is good in our State, including the progress that we have made. The struggle for equity and dismantling of hate will be under attack. If you still aren’t feeling the pressure — remember that the power of a governor is immense. Imagine meaningful legislation that we have advocated for never being signed into law. Our hands will be tied. The poll results are in and show that if we don’t show up to vote, the recall will 100% happen. If you do nothing else in this stressful year, please make it voting and reaching out to others to VOTE NO on the recall. Please contact the author of this petition for details on how to GET INVOLVED and SPRED THE WORD. And vote. Vote. VOTE. Kimberly Adams [email protected] 714-325-5303

Today the entire mainstream media is owned by only FIVE corporations, all of which are run by people who are invested in weapons and war. The result is a media that always starts with a pro-interventionist position and is staffed by former intelligence officials and generals that protect the government narrative instead of the truth. Additionally, it is extremely rare for mainstream media outlets to have on opposing viewpoints, especially from the left, to have debates and discussions. We need a return to fairness, truth and civil debate.

"Whether you are a fan of Star Trek or not the following has universal appeal to all. "A dream that became a reality and spread throughout the stars." – James T. Kirk, 2269 (TOS - "Whom Gods Destroy") "The United Federation of Planets was a supranational interstellar union of multiple planetary nation-states that operated semi-autonomously under a single central government, founded on the principles of liberty, equality, peace, justice, and progress, with the purpose of furthering the universal rights of all sentient life. Federation members exchange knowledge and resources to facilitate peaceful cooperation, scientific development, space exploration, and MUTUAL DEFENSE."** I've emphasized "Mutual Defense" because its important! While an obvious interpretation is "military defense", it also means Mutual Defense of Morals, Mutual Defense as in Care of Each Other. The US Senate are the rare few who are given the honor and duty of representing us all. But Minority Leader McConnell has vowed to put all of his efforts into blocking Democratic legislations to help all of us. We need to pass the President's Infrastructure Bill, the country needs roads, bridges, transportation, Broadband Internet, and We Need Clean Water. We need to Pass the For the People to help protect us from malicious voter suppression bills that are being passed by State Legislatures in multiple states. We need to have a commission to investigate the seditious attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6th, who are the Republican's trying to protect? We also need to Pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, The John Lewis Act, The Equality Act, The Pro Act, The Breathe Act, American Jobs Plan, American Families Plan, and Washington DC (our nation's great Capitol, is home to 712,000 people that are taxed hire per capita than any other state) should 100 percent be a state! We need common sense gun control like Mandatory Background Checks. We need the multiple Immigration Acts to Pass, We must raise taxes for the wealthiest one percent, they must pay their fair share, TAX THE RICH, We need NON-TRUMP JUDGES and damn it WE DIRELY NEED CLIMATE CARE!! WE NEED ALL THE THINGS NOW! WE CAN'T HAVE ANY OF THE THINGS WITHOUT ENDING THE FILIBUSTER! The Conservative Dems like Joe Manchin (WV) and Kristen Sinema (AZ) have said they want bi-partisanship. We have tried this to no avail. The Republican Senators do not represent the majority of the country, they do not speak for all of us, and they do not even speak for their constituents they claim to be speaking for. These policies are overwhelmingly popular with over 80 percent of the country's population. Enough is Enough. The Filibuster was established to protect Systematic Racism, and it continues to be in the way of changing that racist system.We need all of our Democratic Senators to ABOLISH THE FILIBUSTER NOW because WE NEED ALL THE THINGS NOW!! **(c/o https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/United_Federation_of_Planets)

For decades, California has underfunded mental health services. As a result, the criminal justice system often serves as the state’s default mental health provider, with jails and prisons filled with people suffering from mental illness. In addition, an estimated 10% of law enforcement agencies’ budgets – and 20% of staff time – are spent responding to individuals with mental illness. A direct consequence of our overreliance on law enforcement responses to mental health crises is that almost a quarter of all people killed in police-involved shootings since 2015 had a known mental illness, with black men dying at a disproportionate rate. Between when Derek Chauvin’s trial started and his conviction for the murder of George Floyd, 64 people died at the hands of police. More than a dozen of them had a known mental illness or were in the throes of a mental health crisis. In 2019, Miles Hall, a 23-year-old black man living in Walnut Creek, was in the midst of a schizophrenic mental health crisis when his family called 911 for help. Despite being familiar with Miles’ condition, the officers resorted to lethal force within a minute of their arrival. Law enforcement officers are not mental health experts and should not be expected to serve this role. A better system for Miles and all Californians is possible – one that leads with treatment, not law enforcement. Last year, the federal government established “988” as the new 3-digit alternative to 911 for mental health crises. Callers to 988 will be connected with around-the-clock support, including mobile crisis teams that can respond to the scene with trained mental health professionals and peers rather than law enforcement. If California does not act now, the state will lose critical federal support and funding. Please urge California lawmakers to pass, and Governor Gavin Newsom to sign, Assembly Bill 988 (Bauer-Kahan) – also known as the Miles Hall Lifeline Act – to implement the 988 system in California and take concrete steps to reduce shootings where mental health is involved. AB 988 will ensure that we respond to a health crisis with a health response.

They say the definition of insanity is repeating the same mistake and expecting a different result. Mass shootings should not be part of the nightly news like the weather. There have been way too many including several in the past two months alone. We aren’t safe in our grocery stores, salons, movie theaters, at concerts, at work, in our places of worship, or even in our schools. So many times the targets have been ethnic groups, people of color, religious minorities, lgbtqia, woman, and children. We teachers should not have to worry about our students or ourselves being shot during school. People should be able to worship in safety. This isn’t fake news, these events happened, hundreds of people have died. I have family that attend Synagogue in Pittsburgh PA near to where the tragedy at the Tree of Life Synagogue took place. Now, I worry they could be attacked while going to service. I’ve visited Emanuel A.M.E. in Charleston South Carolina, and to the memorial at the Pulse Night Club in Orlando Florida. These places are now forever marred by tragedy. Survivors and families are forever traumatized and altered. It is simply too easy to purchase firearms. We owe it to the survivors and the families of the slain. Honor their deaths and please tell Congress to pass these bills to make us all safer.

Atlanta. Boulder. Indianapolis. These have been just the high-profile mass shootings that grabbed national headlines over the last few weeks. In fact, the United States has averaged more than one mass shooting a day so far in 2021. And as the pandemic unfolded in 2020, gun violence rose dramatically with over 19,000 people killed in shootings and firearm-related incidents. Tragically, who is harmed by gun violence has often been determined by race, ethnicity, or gender. People of color -- and everyone -- deserve to be safe. While we mourn the recent shootings, we must also fight the explosive combination of guns, racism, misogyny, and white supremacy to reduce the likelihood of such tragedies recurring. The U.S. House has passed gun legislation to tighten background checks on gun sales, and now it’s up to the U.S. Senate to turn it into law. Tell the U.S. Senate to act against gun violence now and pass universal background checks.

For 8 years these bills have been "held for further study" - bills that have the support of the large majority of RI residents, as well as the backing of public health and safety experts, school principals, committees, and superintendents, and community and advocacy groups. It is time for votes for gun safety reform - please sign now!