"In his verdict, Judge Reed O'Connor argued laws that would otherwise forbid gender-based discrimination require doctors "to remove the categorical exclusion of transitions and abortions (a condition they assert is a reflection of their religious beliefs and an exercise of their religion) and conduct an individualized assessment of every request for those procedures." In other words, doctors would have to argue on an individual basis their refusal of a patient. This ruling is unconscionable. Such actions and the decision-makers who institutionalize discrimination must be stopped.

We are a group of concerned neighbors and constituents from all walks of life who stand together against this absurd cell tower construction. Our neighborhood would see property values plummet by upwards of 20% according to some studies. We believe that the homes of our neighborhood are more important than better 4g coverage. We also believe that the church they are building the tower on has been taken for a ride because English is not their first language. We will not be bullied by a corporation and we will not allow our neighbors to be bullied either.

As members of the public, we are supportive of the Sawyer Free Public Library's mission and resources it provides the community. The tear-down and expansion project is being presented far too close to grant deadlines for any meaningful community engagement in the process. Topics of community concern range from razing the current building, architectural design considerations, range of services, content of resources relevant to the community, surrounding expansion options and future use of the Thomas Saunders House property. Both the SFL and the Cape Ann Museum buildings were designed by Architect Don Monell with careful planning to design them in mirroring architectural style to compliment each other and grace the prominent City Hall building. We are requesting the Gloucester Lyceum and SFPL Board take action to renovate the current library building. A community forum needs to be scheduled to earnestly engage the public in this important process of upgrading the library's infrastructure, services and resources.

Sen. Jeff Sessions has spent decades undermining civil rights and the right to vote, targeting voting rights activists and favoring rollbacks to federal voting protections. Now, he’s been nominated for Attorney General. Putting him in charge of the Department of Justice would effectively repeal the Voting Rights Act (VRA), and threaten the progress we've made towards a more inclusive and accessible democracy. We must stop him. Sessions has repeatedly attacked the VRA, our most effective tool to stop voter suppression, calling it an “intrusive piece of legislation” and applauding the Supreme Court when it gutted major VRA protections in 2013. As Attorney General, Sen. Sessions would be in charge of enforcing the VRA through the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. We can’t trust someone so hostile to this cornerstone civil and voting rights legislation to faithfully enforce it. There’s compelling evidence that Sessions would use the Department of Justice to increase - not fight - voter suppression. As a U.S. Attorney in Alabama, Mr. Sessions aggressively prosecuted three civil rights activists who’d worked with Martin Luther King Jr. for their efforts to register black voters. The jury came back with a fast verdict clearing them of all charges, but not before Sessions had threatened them with up to 250 years in jail and a trumped up prosecution. Even today, and even despite his own personal role in prosecuting civil rights workers, he denies the fact that thousands of eligible voters are being turned away at the polls each election. In 2013, he said: “if you go to Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, people aren’t being denied the vote because of the color of their skin.” This is extremely naive or willfully ignorant at best. Sen. Sessions must know that all three states have pushed voting restrictions that disproportionately harm Black voters -- something the Department of Justice is required to protect against. Beyond the issue of voting rights, Sessions has shown, through a history of racially offensive comments and regressive policy positions, that he cannot carry out the DOJ’s responsibility to advance civil rights and prevent discrimination in housing, education, employment, and other areas of American life. The Attorney General’s duty is to ensure that every American receives equal justice under the law. We cannot give this job to someone who spent his career obstructing progress toward equal justice and voting rights. Sen. Jeff Sessions is unfit to serve as Attorney General. The Senate must reject him.

Rep. Nisly’s so-called “Protection at Conception” bill would ban and criminalize abortion in Indiana. This legislation is stridently unconstitutional and directly in opposition to the viability criteria established in Roe v. Wade. If enacted, Rep. Nisly’s legislation would create an impossible choice for many pregnant Hoosiers: violate their conscience or violate the law. In effect, this legislation would force pregnant Hoosiers to give birth - even if doing so jeopardizes their health or life. Simply put, Rep. Nisly wants to lead a crusade against a safe, legal medical procedure at the cost of criminalizing doctors who provide needed health care and patients who seek trusted medical counsel. Let’s be clear: Hoosiers do not lose their constitutionally-protected rights because politicians don’t like them. This is an extreme agenda and it will not fly in our state. Speaker Bosma, this legislation, if signed into law, will almost certainly be challenged in court and overturned. We urge you to use your leadership to stop this bill before it is officially filed and keep Hoosiers' rights protected.

It's one small way to frustrate the fascist who is not my president.

A vote is expected soon on the Royce-Engel H. Res. 11 [1], which falsely and unjustly attacks the decision of President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry not to veto the recent UN Security Council resolution against settlements in the West Bank. A similar resolution has been introduced in the Senate by Rubio and Cardin. [2] The Obama Administration acted on the side of peace and justice when it refused to veto a UN Security Council resolution against settlements in the West Bank, allowing the resolution to pass. The resolution was consistent with longstanding U.S. policy and consistent with language previously adopted by the UN Security Council. But now the House of Representatives is threatening to pass a resolution falsely and unjustly slamming the Obama Administration’s action. Contrary to claims of supporters of H. Res. 11, every U.S. president since 1967 has abstained on or voted in favor of resolutions critical of Israeli government policies, including resolutions to which the Israeli government strenuously objected, when those resolutions were consistent with U.S. policy. [3] Urge your Representative to vote NO on H. Res. 11 and urge your Senators to oppose the Rubio-Cardin resolution by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-resolution/11 2. http://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/5590c8cf-1618-4749-98c4-c182f8a2a7bd/F06947C6440E55CC44C7F88FFC844089.rubioisraelunletter.pdf 3. https://peacenow.org/WP/wp-content/uploads/US-Israel-UNSCRs-1967-present.pdf; http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/opinion/international/israels-unsung-protector-obama.html

Poor Cam Marshall is about to be grounded for making us all laugh by dabbing at the most opportune moment. During these polarized moments we need more Cam Marshall to lighten up the darkened GOP controlled political landscape that lies before us. Please sign this petition to let the GOP know they can't hijack our laughter too!

President-elect Donald Trump's first priority when he assumes office is to take away our healthcare. He plans to issue executive orders to repeal the Affordable Care Act as soon as January 20. The Affordable Care Act has made a huge difference in my life. My son was born with a rare congenital disorder which affected his heart, airways, and kidneys. He went into respiratory distress and the pediatric surgeons saved his life. He was in intensive care for quite a while, and in his first month of life of he racked up $100,000 in medical debt. If it weren't for the ACA, my family would have to declare bankruptcy. The ACA not only helped cover my son's medical bills, but it has provided us with no lifetime limits on his coverage, and he can't be denied health coverage because of his condition. There are many families and individuals out there like me who had a major medical event happen without warning. The ACA was there for us. Protecting the ACA is not an ideological thing for us. It's affects our real lives, and repealing it would put so many of us in a bad position. As your constituents, we urge you to please stand up and protect our healthcare.

We call on Members of Congress to protect the American people, especially the Black and Brown voters who were systematically targeted and denied the right to vote through Intense voter suppression, fraudulent ballot counting and new discriminatory voter identification. These measures have disproportionately cheated Black and Brown, young, and poor people out of their vote! Before accepting the Electoral College results, we must verify the vote, even if that means delaying the installation of the next President. This work begins with lawmakers objecting at the January 6 Electoral College certification. Here are reasons to be concerned: • Cross-Check: A 30 state coordinated strategy targeting millions of Black and Brown voters with similar first and last names, erasing them even though middle names and dates of birth were different. Without notification, these voters were wrongfully dropped from the rolls for the “crime” of allegedly attempting to vote in two places. • Officials admit 87 machines were broken in Democratic-leaning Detroit, MI on Election Day leaving 74,000 uncounted ballots. The margin of victory was 11,612 votes. • Victory was declared also in WI, PA, FL, AZ and NC with very slim margins. The irregularities in three of these states alone would have changed the Electoral count by 86 electors. One person, one vote is the bedrock of Democracy! Without the right to vote, people are forced to live with public policies that are against their interests. Because of voter suppression, racial profiling and criminalizing voters of color, the 2016 election results do NOT represent the majority of the American people. It has never been more important to FIGHT for our Democracy.

This affects not only me directly but millions of people around the United States in hospitals or not, injured or not.

As a season ticket holder, this is disappointing to the on-field product of the program I am paying for each game. Rivals like Wisconsin and Iowa have no problem finding success, yet when the U of M has a successful season, it fires its coach. You had a leader who embraces what Minnesota is about, but you fired him.