The disastrous, brutal, and failed war on drugs has been especially punishing for Latinos in the US and across Latin America. In Central and South America the drug war — fueled for decades by racist United States policy — has led to misery, corruption and widespread violence. In the United States it has led to the criminalization and incarceration of generations of people, mostly for low-level and nonviolent drug crimes; and discriminatory enforcement that sees poor neighborhoods and communities of color more heavily targeted by police despite their using drugs at lower rates than their wealthier and/or white counterparts. This April, world leaders will gather at the United Nations to debate drug policy for the first time in nearly 20 years at an international convening known as UNGASS 2016. The stakes of this meeting are high — the outcomes could further entrench the world in the failed policies of the past, or they could signal the beginning of the end of the war on drugs. President Obama is still very influential internationally. If he were to speak out in favor of common sense drug policy, his voice could help to ensure a strong outcome. That's why we're asking him to address the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on drugs and call for global drug policies focused on public health and human rights, not punishment and criminalization.

Justice for Darrien Hunt and family.

What's happening in Atlanta, Georgia is nothing short of an unethical cover-up—and it's personal for thousands of parents whose children currently have a complex neurological disorder called Autism. In August 2014, Dr. Thompson issued a press release through his attorney stating, “I regret that my coauthors and I omitted statistically significant information in our 2004 article published in the Journal of Pediatrics. The omitted data suggested that African American males who received the MMR vaccine before age 36 months were at increased risk for autism.” Nevertheless, when the CDC scientists published their results in Pediatrics in 2004, they omitted the damaging data, fraudulently declaring there was no risk of autism from the MMR vaccination. Dr. Thompson has stated that as far back as 2001, scientists within the vaccine division of CDC have been aware of a connection between MMR and Autism in children. The effect was disproportionately observed among two groups of children: African-American boys and children who were born neuro-typical and who had met all milestones during the first year of life. Dr. Thompson has requested to testify before Congress about corruption at CDC and has handed Congress over thousands of documents showing widespread fraud in CDC’s vaccine division. U.S. Congressman Bill Posey of Florida requested information from the CDC regarding the study in the past, but the agency refused to hand anything over. Posey released a public statement saying, “The CDC can’t be trusted regarding investigating vaccine safety.” He even went on to say that the “CDC should be investigated.” We must call for an investigation first by getting Dr. William Thompson subpoenaed under oath. The CDC must be held accountable for fraud and corruption, which calls into question the validity of the entire body of research that families, medical professionals and policy-makers rely on when making decisions about the health of children. Once again, the CDC violated the public trust by concealing the link between vaccines and autism in all children.

Thousands of young people in our state are affected by these outdated laws. We need to move on to the 21st century and demand our local legislators and governor Martinez to take action. We need to follow the lead of Colorado and Washington that have been benefiting immensely from the sales of cannabis. They are putting all of this new generated income, that would otherwise go to a Mexican cartel, and putting it into education and rebuilding their infrastructure. This is exactly what out state needs, being one of the poorest states in this country for decades now, we can take this opportunity and make New Mexico a thriving state for all. Not only can we improve the local economy, but we can stop destroying the lives of thousands of young people that get thrown in prison for having a cannabis "offence". Alcohol has proven to be one of the most dangerous drugs in our country, taking the lives of thousands in our state, yet it is legally sold and regulated. We ask for the same treatment for a much more mild substance that hasn't ever killed anyone. We need common sense laws that aren't based on an outdated and ignorant mentally. Tell your local legislators and governor Martinez to act now because this is exactly what we need in our state!

I was born and raised in Wisconsin, which does not have a death penalty, and followed arguments in favor and against for many years now. It has never been shown to have a deterrent effect, only to provide revenge, which does nothing for elevating the citizenry. As the state senate has passed the repeal and the governor has agreed to support, we only need the Delaware House to approve the repeal so that Delaware can stand with the other states which have eliminated this barbaric act.

The training and behavior of police has grown more and more lethal and militarized over the past few decades. Too many citizens have been shot and killed by police who were trained to shoot to kill instead of using non-lethal methods to control a situation.

Ending any act of child abuse: physical, mental and sexual abuse. I have lived in a household where abuse has happened. Although it wasn't a regular occurrence, it has happened on more than one occasion. I believe our state (Texas) needs to reconsider their laws and help protect innocent children in abusive households. When will people realize it's happening? When a child is so brutally beaten in a hospital bed? Or when they are in their casket at their funeral? When will our society take a stand to end child abuse? No child deserves a life of physical, mental or sexual hurt. No one does. Although the physical scars don't always stay, the mental ones do. These kids will always have those memories for the rest of their lives. Police aren't acting and CPS isn't always the strongest point of safety. We need laws passed. We need people taking a stand!

Marijuana and its cannabinoids are listed as Schedule 1 under the outdated Controlled Substances Act of 1970, defining it as having a high probability for addiction and having no medical value. The Department of Health & Human Services was awarded US Patent #6630507 in 2003, stating that cannabinoids are antioxidants and neuroprotectants capable of treating cancers and neurological illnesses. Although Section 7606 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 allowed for hemp— defined as Cannabis Sativa L. with <0.3 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—to be grown for research only, the permits the DEA issues for the research plots still regulate hemp as "marijuana" under federal law, further adding to the confusion. To grow this plant as a resource is a human right. If alcohol & tobacco aren't on the list of controlled substances, then cannabis as "marijuana" shouldn't be either. The Drug War has failed and the United Nations drug treaties establishing global prohibition were passed prior to the scientific discovery of the Endocannabinoid System in the 1990s. It is time.

Federal lands belong to all citizens of the United States and not just to those who threaten violence. If their illegal activity is rewarded with no consequences then all federal lands will be vulnerable to such actions by any group with a cause and guns.

The property of Richard Wahmann Jr., $115,000, has been seized by a fake court order created by a non judicial court employee called a Support Magistrate. A support magistrate is not a judge and cannot create court orders which alter agreements and cannot interfere in a divorce judgment, but they do and did to me and they really put the screws to me because i had the nerve to research and inform them that I know this is nothing more than a fraud to get me to pay child support through their system so they can collect federal funds under 42 USC 658a Title IV-D. I have lost my home and nearly my sanity fighting people who commit fraud for a living under color of law.This fraudulent court order is created unlawfully and contrary to due process of law guaranteed by US Constitutuion and Specifically NYS Const Article 1 Section 2 "§2. Trial by jury in all cases in which it has heretofore been guaranteed by constitutional provision shall remain inviolate forever; but a jury trial may be waived by the parties in all civil cases in the manner to be prescribed by law" Section§11. "No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws of this state or any subdivision thereof. No person shall, because of race, color, creed or religion, be subjected to any discrimination in his or her civil rights by any other person or by any firm, corporation, or institution, or by the state or any agency or subdivision of the state."[Security against unreasonable searches, seizures and interceptions] §12. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. The Governor Andrew Cuomo is specifically empowered to uphold the NYS Constitution and preserve the rights of the residents residing inside New York State.

People should not have to live with a unfair and unjust conviction for their entire life. Wrongful convictions take away the American Dream for millions, and we must reverse this conduct.

Our teenage son was given a very harsh sentence outside the mandatory guidelines for his “first” offense. Both the Judge and the Prosecutor stated in the newspaper “We will make examples of all”. The court appointed lawyer provided counsel for both teenagers involved, which is a conflict of interest that was never addressed. No appeals and Writ of Habeas was ever filed by the court-appointed attorney. Our children, regardless of age, are our priority, even when the courts treat them just like a number.