Blackface and Brownface have been historically racist practices in the media that have dehumanized black and indigenous people. We live in a time where this should no longer be acceptable. It only further marks our marginalization and lacks a positive representation of us. If Raymond Arrieta really cares for the people he should not be performing in these type of practices.

This petition is about correcting an injustice that has been weakening the Democratic Party's brand. Reschedule the next Democratic Debate on a Tuesday, not a three day weekend, not during an NFL playoff game. Hold the Democratic debates on Tuesdays, when people are home and will be able to watch.

Primates belong in the wild, not in human homes. Twenty-two states have laws prohibiting private ownership of nonhuman primates, but the exotic pet trade continues to profit off their suffering, and monkeys can still be bought at auctions and on the internet. It’s time to ban the trafficking of monkeys and apes. The Captive Primate Safety Act would add nonhuman primates to the list of animals that are prohibited from being bought and sold. Primates already in captivity would grow up in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries – and more would be left alone in their native habitat. Your voice is critical to taking action. Sign the petition: tell Congress to pass the Captive Primate Safety Act and protect monkeys and apes from animal trafficking! Working together, we can put an end to these cruel practices and allow these animals to live as they were meant to.

This petition about putting street lights on Lowellin Ave. in central Islip were there are blind curves and yes, my son was killed. He was 17 and I am hoping Islip town will up put street lights.

I have autism and Type 1 Diabetes, so I want an American Girl doll with a disability.

I have autism and Type 1 Diabetes. I love American Girl dolls, so I want a doll with a disability.

The Corrupt Behavior of the DNC and its vendors have in our view made the primary process undemocratic and unfair in its ability to serve the American people in the current election. Many of us will view the democratic nomination stolen if Hilary were to claim it because of these corrupt acts. We are fighting for democracy in lieu of the oligarchy that has assumed power over our government. We ask the president as leader of the Democratic Party to address and resolve this crisis in our election process.

We all know Bernie is being starved of Media attention. We all know this is the biggest draw back to his campaign. It may be early to start talking about VP's, but I think this may be just the thing to take the lead and maintain it in the primaries. Bernie Sanders and Jon Stewart for president and vice president. Stewart can handle the media, he can excite his base, he can get and handle all kinds of media attention. He can handle law makers, pundits and citizens alike. I would hate to be his opponent on the debate stage. Bernie Sanders, Jon Stewart, you two could fix the country together. We would be behind you 100% of the way!

Far from a mandate in the recent election (November 2015), Mayor Spano received a paltry 16,041 total votes out of just under 100,000 eligible Yonkers voters. In other words, only 20% of eligible Yonkers voters actually endorsed a second term for Mayor Spano. The overwhelming majority of Yonkers residents were NOT in favor of reelecting Mayor Spano, as demonstrated by his exceptionally poor polling numbers. 1. Yonkers Public Schools are underfunded, under-performing, and under threat. Mayor Spano presided over a $44 million budget accounting error in 2014-2015. Eight schools have been classified by New York State as struggling. Unable to obtain the appropriate level of funding himself, Mayor Spano had to accept a $25 million last-minute bailout from New York State for the 2015-2016 school year. Three of every four Yonkers public school students are classified as economically disadvantaged; class sizes exceed the statewide average; there are too few guidance counselors, social workers, and librarians; a number of schools are physically deteriorating; and the sudden resignation of Yonkers Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Yazrulo raises serious ethical and legal concerns. 2. According to a recent report by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, the Yonkers School District misplaced more than $225,000 worth of equipment between July 2013 and April 2015. 3. Beginning earlier this month (December 2015), Mayor Spano has decided to target disability payments for disabled Yonkers firefighters, many of whom are struggling with severe injuries or life-threatening illnesses including stage 4 cancer, serious burns, 9/11-related illnesses, and crippling job-related injuries. His attempt to reduce their disability payments will cost taxpayers untold amounts of public money in costly litigation fees as well as additional and unnecessary pain and suffering for disabled firefighters. 4. Five of the city's seven municipal unions have been working without a contract for at least five years. The Yonkers Uniformed Fire Officers Association, for example, still does not have a contract. 5. Despite perennial budget deficits in the City of Yonkers, the part-time Yonkers City Council recently voted unanimously (7-0) to give themselves a 35-40% pay increase. The vote took place on December 8, 2015, the last City Council meeting of the year. At least one member of the City Council has been in office for only two years (Council Member Corazon Pineda-Isaac). Mayor Spano’s complete silence on the matter can only be interpreted as his unqualified endorsement of their pay increase. 6. With a population of 200,000 inhabitants and a billion-dollar budget, Mayor Spano has failed to implement a viable, sustainable economic model that moves the City from deficit to surplus. The Mayor has failed to attract long-term, growth-based business investment. As a result, the tax base is diminishing as the City can no longer attract home buyers and renters due to poor employment prospects, substandard City services, and under-performing schools. 7. Taxpayer money is spent in an opaque manner with little-to-no accountability, justification, or public input. Public Affairs, the office responsible for the Mayor’s public relations, has increased its budget from $335,000 in 2014 to $1,241,000 through 2016. Constituent Services has increased its budget from $482,000 to $582,000. City departmental expenses are projected to increase $7million annually through 2018. Healthcare costs for City employees are projected to increase 7% annually. 8. Taxes have gone up. The income tax surcharge has increased from 15% to 16.75%, and can be increased to as much as 19%. Water usage fees have increased 10%. City sales tax has increased from 8.375% to 8.875%. Since 2011, red-light camera fines (another form of taxation) in Yonkers have raised nearly $14 million, with about a third of the money going to the company that runs the program, but with no demonstrable increases in safety. Yonkers also has the highest municipal parking fees in Westchester County and some of the highest parking fines in the region. 9. Under successive Spano administrations, patronage has become rampant. We are especially concerned about undue influence on and conflict of interest regarding Yonkers politics and policies by Mayor Spano's brother, convicted felon and tax evader, Nicholas Spano. Hiring practices lack transparency and frequently rely on an insider network of family and/or friends. Candidates often lack the necessary skills and credentials to fulfill basic job requirements. Pay raises are granted arbitrarily without justification or public input. In 2014-2015, the following people were among those within Mayor Spano’s administration that received substantial pay increases: Steven Levy — deputy mayor; $160,000 to $175,000; increase of 9.4%. Susan Gerry — deputy mayor; $165,000 to $175,000; increase of 6%. Denise Egiziaco — chief of staff; $120,000 to $140,000; increase of 14.2%. Christina Gilmartin — communications director; $110,000 to $120,000; increase of 8.3%. Eddie Ayala — promotion to assistant communications director; $80,000 to $85,000; increase of 6.25%. Jason Baker — promotion from assistant communications director to special assistant to the mayor; $85,000 to $105,000; increase of 23.5%. Shanae Williams — assistant; $47,000 to $60,000; increase of 27.6%. Saida Jereis — assistant; $47,000 to $60,000; increase of 27.6%. More recently, the current Head of Constituent Services, Gail Burns, has been named as the Yonkers Parking Authority Executive Director, which carries a salary of $150,000 per year over the course of four years. The basis for hiring the current head of Constituent Services to run the City’s Parking Authority remains unclear. 10. City streets have become more dangerous. Despite increases in the budget by $127 million under the Spano administration, violent crime for the first six months of 2015 has more than...

What the DNC is doing to Bernie's Campaign is wrong. Sanctioning a candidate's access to the VAN will stop them from being able to caucus in all 50 states. The Democratic Party leadership is wrong to do this. Tell DWS pull the sanctions. Let the people have a say in our democracy.

It is time to end this prohibition. Legalization is the most logical answer. Love and Aloha

For many years now, we, as committed Democrats have watched as Party Leadership has chosen to select our candidates for us; candidates who have failed to adhere to our Democratic Principals; candidates and platforms which became increasingly conservative. These conservative "Democratic"candidates have failed and continue to fail in the most urgent business facing our nation today: Corruption in our Government. By greater and greater degrees large corporations -- even those in foreign nations -- have been permitted greater and greater access to our elected representatives who have engaged in a "legalized bribery" scheme which has perverted the course of government and put the people of the United States at great peril, costing them their homes and livelihoods and sending the political landscape lurching wildly to the Right. This right-ward shift of the Democratic Party has not been representative of any such shift in rank-and-file priorities or values, nor has it placed the Party in a superior position in Congress or the White House when even those seats to which democrats were elected have been filled by conservative, corporatist and so-called "blue dog" (read: republican) democrats. What it HAS done is to depress Democratic voter turnout and involvement among liberals, ceding critically important Liberal Principals, allowing the GOP to win the day in too many elections leading to what can only be described as nightmarish fascist rule followed by the slow malaise of Conservative economic recovery and the total blocking of Liberal Initiatives. And now, Chairman Wasserman-Schultz gives every appearance of still being on the payroll as Chair for the Clinton campaign. She has arrogantly refused to bend to the will of the rank-and-file in scheduling adequate Democratic Debates and has even neglected to promote the few debates that she has scheduled! On her Facebook page today she touts a New York Times article about the Republican debate as a "must read" a day before the third (3rd) and final Democratic Debate referred to in that same edition of the New York Times as "The Invisible Democratic Debate(s)". BUT HERE IS THE LAST STRAW: She has denied access to the all-important Democratic Voter Database to Clinton's nearest challenger because of a so-called "glitch" that occurred (and had previously occurred) under her watch and from her offices. It is not entirely clear if this "glitch" is an intentional act by Chairman Wasserman-Schultz to put a lid on the challenge and attempt to secure the nomination for her "former" boss. This stinks to high-heaven of corruption and certainly fails the measure of being beyond even the appearance of wrong doing that her position demands. WHEREFORE, we demand that Ms. Wasserman-Schultz and her entire staff be removed from office without delay and that Vice Chair U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who has our full faith and support, be named Emergency Interim Chair and mandated to assemble a staff and move quickly forward serving ALL Democratic candidates for all offices in the upcoming primary and further to refer the matter of the firewall to Federal Law Enforcement Agencies DoJ and FBI for immediate investigation.