My name is Maria. Today I received bad news about the case of my husband, Anastasio Hernandez Rojas, who was murdered by the border agents on May 28, 2010. Anastasio was beaten, electrocuted and killed in front of eyewitnesses, but the federal prosecutor told me he cannot bring criminal charges against the agents involved because there is not enough evidence. If the agents had worn cameras on their uniforms, my husband might still be alive, or there would be evidence to hold the agents who killed my husband accountable. But the agents walk free while my children suffer. They cry in their sleep and continue to ask me who is responsible for killing their father. I have no answer.

I feel the celebration of Columbus Day is an insult to the indigenous people of this country and distorts the true history of the United States.

Jodie Burchard-Risch – who’s accused of attacking a woman for speaking in her native language, Swahili – should be charged with a hate crime. KSTP reports that the 43-year-old Ramsey resident was dining at the Coon Rapids Applebee's with her husband on Friday when she overheard the woman, sitting in a nearby booth with her family, talking in a non-English language. A criminal complaint says Burchard-Risch began to yell at Asma Jama, who’d been speaking Swahili. Restaurant staff tried to get Burchard-Risch to leave, but she refused, then smashed a beer mug across the victim’s face before fleeing, according to the WCCO. Burchard-Risch was charged Monday in Anoka County District Court with third-degree assault. We are Petitioning Annoka County Attorney(MN) Tony Palumbo, to file Hate Crime charges (Minn. Stat. § 609.2231(2009) ) against Jodie Burchard-Risch http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/11/05/charges-woman-attacked-for-speaking-foreign-language-at-applebees/

My son was placed in an out-of-home youth facility for petty vandalism and his time there nearly ruined his life. I know firsthand the damage these facilities can cause and how they fail to keep our communities safe. The last thing our state needs is another children’s institution. There are more cost effective, proven alternatives that are far better for West Virginia’s young people. West Virginia took critical steps to address our state’s broken juvenile justice system. In April, a set of reforms aimed at increasing public safety and eliminating taxpayer waste by keeping kids in their communities and out of costly detention centers was signed into law. These important reforms were lauded as a much-needed step to keep West Virginians safer while at the same time positively impacting West Virginia’s youth and their families. But now, all that hard work is being threatened. The Department of Health and Human Resources has fast-tracked the Dazzy Vance Mountain Resort, an unneeded 70-bed for–profit facility for youth with mental or behavioral issues to be built in the Earl Ray Industrial Park in Logan. The proposed facility will confine children as young as 4! We can’t let that happen. Governor Tomblin: Don’t allow Dazzy Vance Mountain Resort to go forward! It’s already been proven by that facilities like Dazzy Vance aren’t working for West Virginia. The bipartisan Intergovernmental Task Force on Juvenile Justice was unanimous in its findings that West Virginia was wasting taxpayer money by sending lower-level juvenile offenders to centers like Dazzy Vance at a staggering $100,000 or more per child per year. Dazzy Vance’s costs will be even higher – costing taxpayers $182,500 per child per year. Even worse, the Task Force found that youth are unnecessarily spending more time in these kinds of facilities than ever before. I know firsthand just how broken these facilities are because my own son was in one. After my son violated probation by spray painting a building, he was taken from his community and placed in a West Virginia detention center. After being given medication that made him violent, he was locked in solitary confinement and I, his mother, wasn’t allowed to make decisions regarding his medical treatment. He was later transferred to another facility where he spent every day locked down in his cell. Not only are these methods extreme, but they haven’t been proven to keep kids out of trouble long-term. West Virginia can’t keep wasting money on solutions that don’t work. Community-based alternatives that keep kids with their families and provide intensive treatment services have been proven to be more effective at keeping kids out of the system and communities safe. These programs are a fraction of the cost in comparison to housing youth in facilities like the proposed Dazzy Vance Mountain Resort.

The ACAA was enacted by Congress decades ago to eliminate discriminatory practices against disabled travelers. However, the lack of specificity in the ACAA with respect to the dimensions of airline lavatories has allowed the airlines and airline manufacturers to continue to downsize the lavatories to allow more seating capacity, making it impossible for wheelchair-bound travelers to use the lavatories. As a consequence, millions of wheelchair-bound travelers suffer true indignities and physical hardships when traveling on the airlines.

On September 11th 2007, my seven year old son was told all Muslims are terrorists. Eight years later, the fear and smear of American Muslims continues. The safety of our nation is intertwined with the spiritual growth of her people. Tell America that American Muslims are not terrorists, they are our friends and neighbors, our brothers and sisters.

My mother was a Native American. She died still trying to convince those around her that she was a dark skinned white person. While I took after my father and have white skin and green eyes, inside beats the heart of a native. I cringe every time I see or hear hate in America. Too many people fly Confederate Flags, shoot little girls on highways, sneer at homeless people. I am in awe of people who can swear at a black homeless veteran to get out of their way so they can get to the church in time for cookies and coffee.

Residents of a Washington, DC apartment complex dialed 911 to report an ongoing assault and man yelling “they are going to kill me.” DC Metro Police (MPD) arrived to find two men standing over 27 year old Alonzo Smith, who was handcuffed and unresponsive. Smith was later pronounced dead. The men were 'Special Police,' licensed by DC after only 40 hours of training, operating as a private police force with the power to detain and arrest. Privatized policing is a growing trend with most states offering some sort of Special Police license [1]. Even though Alonzo died in the custody of the private police force, they have not been charged or even publicly identified. Instead, MPD has released scant and confusing information- why was Alonzo arrested? was he the one being assaulted?- in what looks and feels like a cover up, even initially labeling the killing a “justifiable homicide.” [2] Because DC police appear to be covering up of facts, they cannot be trusted to handle the investigation. Therefore, we call on the UN and OAS to conduct a truly independent investigation of Alonzo Smith’s death and the conduct of the MPD. We also call for community control over police so that police do not continue to act like occupying forces in Black communities. References [1] “Get ready for privatized police forces,” TheHexateron.com, 11-6-2015, http://tinyurl.com/oqb6dbu [2] “D.C. police investigate death of man found unconscious and in handcuffs,” Washington Post, 11-4-2015, http://tinyurl.com/pkdt8xq

Direct To Consumer advertising has done two pernicious things. It has created a nation of hypochondriacs with depression, bipolar disorder, GERD, restless legs, insomnia, seasonal allergies and assorted pain, mood and ‘risk’ conditions; and it has reduced doctors to order takers and gate keepers. Thanks to TV drug ads, patients tell doctors what is wrong with them and what pill they need, coupon in hand.

With a democratic form of government, the people have the say in who is elected into government office. Then, these elected officials make decisions based on what the people want, and in the best interest of majority of people. Also, people who have a voice in the government are more likely to be up to date on issues that are happening nationally and globally.

On Friday, October 23rd, Dr. Paul Gausman and the Sioux City School Board disregarded a petition which was aimed to stop Donald Trump from speaking at Sioux City West High due to the violation of the School Board’s Anti-Bullying/Harassment/Hazing Policy. Following Dr. Gausman’s statements that Donald Trump was still speaking, West High students met with the School Board to discuss the bullying that the students had suffered since the announcement of the Trump’s event. Even with their concerns voiced and their best efforts to be acknowledged by Dr. Paul Gausman and the Sioux City School Board, the event continued and the student’s concerns were neglected. Please join with us and demand that Dr. Paul Gausman and the Sioux City Community School District revise the District’s Anti-Bullying/Harassment/Hazing policy and have them provide a statement to the community illustrating their negligence for the safety and concerns of students.

As part of First Lego League competition, our team Lego Plus researched glass recycling and would like to request this. The team consists of Sreeja Gudiseva, Tanya Singhal and Zahra Izzi.