Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins posted a message to his Facebook account that openly incites violence against Muslims. The post is still up and a Facebook spokesperson said it does not violate their hate speech policy. [1] Online statements have real-life consequences. A few weeks ago, a man known to post anti-Muslim and anti-Black statements on social media stabbed and killed Anthony Johnson, a 57-year-old Black man. [2] Meanwhile, there's no denying that what Higgins wrote was hate speech deliberately inciting violence. He wrote, "The free world... all of Christendom... is at war with Islamic horror. Not one penny of American treasure should be granted to any nation who harbors these heathen animals. Not a single radicalized Islamic suspect should be granted any measure of quarter. Their intended entry to the American homeland should be summarily denied. Every conceivable measure should be engaged to hunt them down. Hunt them, identify them, and kill them. Kill them all. For the sake of all that is good and righteous. Kill them all." Higgins stands by his statement by saying he wasn't referring to "all Muslims"––Facebook has decided to side with him instead of working to protect an increasingly marginalized population in the current political atmosphere. A person reading this statement could walk away with the idea that violence against Muslims is legitimate. As violent hate crimes against Muslims are on the rise, along with anti-Muslim groups, this type of speech should not be tolerated and doesn't bode well for the future we're headed towards. A congressman openly inciting violence against a group of people––criminalizing them without trial, without cause, and without reason––is unacceptable. For a Facebook spokesperson to defend the use of this incitement, and to keep the post up despite it's grotesque words shows that Zuckerberg needs to do more than just simply say he's against the Muslim Ban or against Trump's policies. We need clear guidelines on how Facebook will deal with violent speech towards groups that are increasingly becoming targets of White Supremacists, of violent hate crimes, and of elected officials that do not have our interests in mind. Facebook must immediately remove Congressman Clay Higgins while preserving the contents of his messages in a digital archive in case they are needed for legal or other purposes in the future. Sources: 1. "Congressman Calls for Holy War on Muslims on Facebook: 'Kill Them All' [Updated]," Gizmodo. January 5, 2017. https://gizmodo.com/congressman-calls-for-holy-war-on-muslims-on-facebook-1795815124 2. "'Major Trump supporter' who allegedly killed black man had previously stabbed 2 people." Mic. https://mic.com/articles/179057/major-trump-supporter-who-allegedly-killed-black-man-had-previously-stabbed-2-people

We want our local community to create a safe sustainable lawns and areas for small children. We want to eliminate the risk of disease from these chemicals!

Last month, Donald Trump signed an Executive Order threatening Giant Sequoia National Monument with fossil fuel development. The Department of the Interior is accepting public comments on whether to let Big Oil destroy Giant Sequoia. So we need you to speak up NOW and help save this special place! Tell the Department of the Interior: NO fossil fuel development in Giant Sequoia!

Corporate-backed special interests are pushing hard to pass the “Employee Rights Act.” This bill would be one of the single-greatest attack to workers and unions in decades. The bill is disguised as a bill to protect workers, but in fact, it does the opposite and gives more power and more wealth to CEOs and the corporations they represent. According to an EPI study, since the 1970s, as union membership has declined in our nation, so has the average pay for all workers. As union membership dropped, the richest 10% of Americans are now taking home 47% of all of the nation’s wealth, one of the highest levels ever. Unions help all workers, not just those who have one on their jobs. The ERA will gut unions and strip workers of their ability to voice opinions and make changes in their workplaces. Stop the so-called “Employee Rights Act” now! Source: http://www.epi.org/publication/as-union-membership-has-fallen-the-top-10-percent-have-been-getting-a-larger-share-of-income/

New Jersey’s local media is in crisis and — if we act fast — the state legislature can actually do something to fix it. Right now the legislature is deciding how to spend hundreds of millions in revenue from the sale of its old public-media licenses. Lawmakers are hoping you aren't paying attention, so now is the time to sound the alarm: These funds must go directly to rebuilding community media. The Civic Information Consortium — Assembly Bill A4933 and Senate Bill S3033 — would unite journalists, organizers, tech companies and higher education to fund projects aimed at providing our communities with quality information and impactful reporting. Every community deserves a voice. How can we improve schools, fix public works, hold elected officials accountable and be better neighbors when we don’t even know what’s happening on our block?(1) Local media — when it’s done right — makes it happen. But many of New Jersey’s local journalists have lost their jobs. Their newsrooms have shut down. Most towns get a constant loop of Philadelphia and New York City news instead of their own. Some get nothing at all. New Jersey deserves better media — tell the legislature to pass the Civic Info Bill today. -------------------- 1. "New Jersey Leaders Introduce Innovative Legislation to Support News and Information Needs Across the State," Free Press Action Fund, June 1, 2017: https://www.newsvoices.org/press-release/108124/new-jersey-leaders-legislation-support-news-and-information

Mayor Sylvester Turner, the time to take a stance on Senate Bill 4 is now. The legislative session has ended and we are less than 100 days from the implementation of a dreadfully bigoted bill. We demand that a lawsuit commence immediately. The safety of minorities is not a joke.

Trump wants to sell off our roads, bridges, and other public assets to foreign corporations and his Wall Street billionaire friends -- allowing them to put up new tolls and put our money in their pockets. And he's starting by trying to sell off America's air traffic control system! The Millions of Jobs Coalition is calling for a big public investment in roads, bridges, and 21st century infrastructure like clean energy, a modern power transmission system, and high-speed rail. This plan must be paid for by making the fossil fuel industry, Wall Street, giant corporations, and the rich pay their fair share.

Confederate Corey will be in the Richmond area June 9-10 as part of his "Take Back Virginia" tour. Corey Stewart has campaigned for Virginia Governor calling immigrants criminals while championing pro-Confederate principles. Stewart doesn't represent Virginia as it is today. He represents Virginia as it was 150 years ago. Stewart doesn't represent Virginians who are welcoming to all people and want to move beyond the lost cause of the Civil War. Richmond is a city of love that rejects the hatred and discrimination that are fundamental to Confederate Corey's campaign.

My son has autism and uses Medicaid (through the program Medical Assistance in Minnesota) for his treatments for this social and communication disorder. So many kids like him need occupational, speech, and physical therapies, in school and in clinics. Cutting Medicaid will leave so many professionals unemployed, and cause big, long-term problems for our state and our nation if autism goes untreated. Families depend on Personal Care Assistants for in home supports and behavior interventions, and these programs will not be funded with the proposed cuts.

Governor Bruce Rauner has not passed a comprehensive State Budget in Illinois for three years. The Illinois credit rating by Standard and Poor's was recently downgraded (again) to the lowest in Illinois history under Mr. Rauner's leadership. This issue will affect the state of Illinois ability to secure loans without higher interest rates. Illinois , to date, is the ONLY state in the union to have no budget ratified for 3 years and it's totally disgraceful. I expect political leadership to fulfill the job it was elected to do.Governor Rauner is expected to do the job he was elected to do, which is pass a state budget

I'm offended by Walgreens failure to act in this case, after pharmacist Jesse Garret refused to fill a customer's prescription for birth control. I will be happy to take my $5k a year prescription spending to CVS.

Must Read and Resist Hate! https://mic.com/articles/178984/louisiana-rep-clay-higgins-on-muslims-after-london-attack-kill-them-all#.zn4LYZyjr