Petition started by “Greenwich Parents Against Crumb Rubber” The turf at Greenwich High School's Cardinal Stadium is due to be replaced in Summer 2016. We are calling for an immediate moratorium on the installation of crumb rubber infill for turf fields. When turf surfaces require replacement, organic alternatives such as coconut, cork or GreenPlay should be utilized. No new turf fields containing crumb rubber should be installed at Greenwich Public Schools or at town-owned park sites. WHY THIS MATTERS: Crumb rubber is made of ground-up old tires, which are classified as “special waste” in the State of CT, meaning they cannot be landfilled. Grinding them up into small pellets exposes children playing on turf surfaces to known carcinogens (such as Benzene, Arsenic & Carbon Black) through fume inhalation, ingestion and dermal absorption as tire crumbs can get into hair, ears, eyes, mouths and may even enter the skin through wounds (such as turf burn). The Mount Sinai Children’s Environmental Health Center has urged a moratorium on the use of recycled rubber tires on fields and playgrounds. A multi-agency investigation into the safety of crumb rubber is under way at the federal level. The EPA found that “existing studies do not comprehensively evaluate the concerns about the health rises from exposure to tire crumb.” Additionally, the Consumer Product Safety Commission no longer stands by an earlier assessment that crumb rubber is “safe.” MORE INFO: You can read more about the carcinogenic substances contained in crumb rubber from a Yale study here: http://www.ehhi.org/turf/findings0815.shtml You can read more about the Mount Sinai Children's Environmental Health Center's position on crumb rubber here: http://media.wix.com/ugd/fd0a19_f5aa0824698341499b4228ebabf90cb5.pdf A University of Washington soccer coach has been tracking nationwide cancer diagnoses in players, potentially linked to crumb rubber. So far, 217 have been diagnosed, some have died. An ESPN special report can be viewed at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91svvfuF7iY (NOTE: The authors of this petition have no financial interest in or affiliations with any providers or manufacturers)

Hawaii's affordable housing shortage has reached crisis proportions. We are number 1 for homelessness per capita in the nation. Our college-educated children are priced out of the market. Politics as usual helped cause the current crisis. This is the time to tell our lawmakers that NOW is the time for them to act.

Update 4/12/16: Last night the Maryland legislature passed the Freedom to Vote Act, and it goes on to the Governor to sign. Note that this is only a partial victory: the legislation was watered down a lot so it no longer includes automatic voter registration. It does, however, make it easier to register to vote in Maryland for college students and others accessing state services- so this is a partial victory. The legislature has adjourned for 2016, so we can try again next year for full automatic voter registration. - The Maryland Senate is considering a new bill (HB1007), the Freedom to Vote Act. It has passed the House and may come up for a floor vote in the Senate today (Monday) before they adjourn for the year. This bill would automatically register Maryland citizens to vote when they get or update a driver's license. It would also require Maryland’s public colleges and universities to allow students to register to vote through the online portals they use to sign up for classes. Automatic voter registration has been a success in Oregon and was recently passed in California. It's time for Maryland to make it easier, not harder for eligible citizens to register to vote. References: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/it-could-get-much-easier-to-register-to-vote-in-maryland/2016/03/03/46351bf4-e14c-11e5-846c-10191d1fc4ec_story.html https://www.brennancenter.org/blog/automatic-voter-registration-oregon-huge-success

This petition is to cause attention to be brought to the Shelby County judicial system that not only wrongfully charge our black males but also, when there is no case or no evidence, falsely put together evidence so that they can get a conviction. Edgar Smith was charged with first-degree murder July 2014 when a store surveillance tape, which showed that the perpetrator was clearly not him, was lost or mishandled by the prosecutor. Now, weeks before the trial, the prosecutor has an "edited" tape that shows Edgar in the scene and a new witness who can identify him. Edgar is not the only black male in the Shelby County Jail system who has been held for years under false allegations or by the prosecutor mishandling the evidence. We are tired of having our black males taken away from their families for years just to set them free without restitution or getting the public defender to make them feel like it's no matter if you are innocent or not, you need to take this deal because there is no hope.

Jon, Your impact on the American people cannot be overstated. While the host of the Daily Show, you were a reassuring voice of hope, justice, and common sense for many millions of ordinary people in the face of demoralizing establishment politics and corruption. This election is critical to the future of this country. Bernie Sanders is the only candidate who represents the average American, working to end discrimination, improve wages, provide universal healthcare, protect the environment and ensure a brighter future. With your help, Bernie can win the White House and take back the government from the wealthy donors and super PACs. Please publicly endorse Bernie Sanders.

The Strafford School Board should focus on finding a common ground with our teachers. Once an agreement has been reached, the townspeople will have an opportunity to vote for or against the agreement, but in the interest of continuing to bargain in good faith, the negotiation process should remain confidential.

Dark money "Push Polls" are bombarding us with how Marylanders approve of what Governor Hogan is doing. No one expects him to get reelected because for all the world he doesn't understand what the Governor's powers are and he squanders state legislature funds and their time to override his vetoes.

I encourage everyone to pee on the South.

TO: Office of the Attorney General 40 Capitol Square, SW Atlanta, Georgia 30334 K. David Cooke, Jr. Macon Judicial Circuit 2nd Floor, Grand Building 661 Mulberry Street Macon, Georgia 31201 Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi, and Alicia Garza. Black Lives Matter http://blacklivesmatter.com Loretta E. Lynch Attorney General of the United States U.S. Department of Justice/Civil Rights Division 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530-0001 Judge Howard Z. Simms Superior Court Judge 601 Mulberry St Macon, GA 31201 State Office Georgia NAACP State Office 100 Edgewood Ave, SE, Suite 1610 Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Rev. Al Sharpton National Action Network House of Justice National Headquarters 106 W. 145th Street New York, NY 10039 Macon, Georgia Superior Court Judge Howard Simms, and K. David Cooke, Jr. Bibb County Georgia District Attorney must go. The community has stood by quietly, helpless, and observed these individuals giving prejudicial sentences to young citizens in our community. Judge Simms has the chutzpah to verbally abuse most defendants in his unrelenting and harsh sentencing methods. Judge Howard Simms and District Attorney David Cooke, Jr. are two sides of the same coin. These two gentlemen must go; they have destroyed families all over Macon, Georgia just to score political points, and notwithstanding, most defendants are innocent who could not afford an applicable legal defense. Simms and Cooke should have conducted themselves to the standards in the code of professional responsibilities. These are high standards, which they have not met. A lawyer, judge, and a district attorney who violate the code must be charged with professional misconduct. Judge Simms has verbally abuse defendants and most family members in his reckless verbal assaults. When a judge acts inappropriately while overseeing a case, we have the option of filing a complaint. Complaints are not something to be taken lightly and should be filed only when the judge has truly acted in a way that violates ethical standards. He has! Judge Simms violated this standard in the State of Georgia VS. Devontae Haywood. Judge Simms has constantly humiliated innocent defendants more often than not. All the while he rightly owned his own personal misdeeds. Judge Simms has his own unprofessional skeleton bones in his closet. Judge Simms did not uphold the integrity of the judiciary here, and he has violated the Code of Judicial Conduct, the Rules of Civil Procedure, and the criminal statutes. Not to mention, Judge Simms and District Attorney Cooke violated Mr. Devontae Haywood's civil and constitutional rights. Anytime a judge sentenced an innocent defendant to prison, that judge has committed a crime. These are all violations of Canon 1. A nondiscriminatory judge shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety with his unseemly disrespect to the court. Judge Simms demonstrated impropriety with the appearance of impropriety. These are all violations of Canon 2. Judge Simms sentenced Devontae Haywood, an innocent and petrified child, to an elongated prison sentence. This made no sense based upon the facts and the law. We believe he has shown the appearance of impropriety. Canon 2-A states; • A Judge shall respect and comply with the law. • A Judge shall promote public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary. • A Judge shall promote public confidence in the impartiality of the judiciary. Judge Simms defamed this young child. Judge Simms conveyed an act of communication that caused Mr. Haywood to be shamed, ridiculed, and lowered in the estimation of the community and he has suffered a damaged reputation. Judge Simms is notorious in defaming defendants just to get his fifteen minutes of fame with the media, or he is desperately trying to get himself a reality show at the expense of innocent and wrongly accuse defendants. Mr. Haywood could not afford a good defense attorney. His court appointed attorney (Larry Fouche’) was unproductive and ineffective at best, and extremely amateurish at worse. Moreover, Attorney Larry Fouche’ openly communicated to Mr. Haywood that prior to this inequitable sentencing phase; the prosecutor did not have any physical evidence against him. He frightened Mr. Haywood and told him by going to trial it could lead to a life sentence, which is why they hoodwinked and tricked him to take a plea. To this day, we don’t know whether Attorney Larry Fouche’ was working for Mr. Haywood, or the district attorney, or Judge Simms. What we do know, he only spoke five sentences or less, which were scarcely perceptible to Mr. Haywood defense. Mr. Larry Fouche’ needs to be investigated by the State Bar of Georgia. Judge Simms must tender his resignation as a judicial official in the State of Georgia. District Attorney Cooke must apologize to the citizens of Macon, Georgia, and then relinquish his position as District Attorney, where he has caused great pain and sleepless nights to this community. He has brought a great shame to this district attorney office. We are not going away! We will not kick the can down the road! This is not a sugar high! This will not flame out! This is a watershed moment! We are seeking justice! Dr. M.L. King Jr. writes, “Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere.” The Prophet Amos states, “But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24). Successful movements always start with one person!

Why should I pay tens of thousands of dollars in Federal Income Tax each year and have no one to vote my interests in Congress? Same argument on behalf of all my fellow and sister citizens of DC.

Corporations should not allow foreign entities to dictate morally and legally wrong discriminatory regulations targeting a specific group of people. This "regulation" prohibits only Cuban-born Cuban Americans from traveling via cruise ship to Cuba.

Voter disenfranchisement strikes at the very heart of our democracy. Ever since the Voting Rights act was struck down, Republicans have been passing laws to suppress mainly Democratic votes. A sister from Ohio, and all of us, are personally affected by this.