My daughter was killed by her abusive spouse. Other people could be spared such a fate if more information about their potential partners were easily accessible.

I am starting this petition because I have personally experienced the need for aid and I am deeply offended by the sector of the population who acts as if we are taking food from their mouths all these programs require income to be coming into the home and not everyone on these programs is a drug addict or using it for fraudulent purposes. I also think that just because you are poor doesn't mean you shouldn't have children or necessities like healthy food. I am ashamed of my country because it has come to this. What next, mass genocide of the poor?

My husband Dan has 17 year old autistic twins. We received over 14,000 signatures to help defend the rights of the Intellectually Disabled community of Connecticut earlier this year. The previous petition helped to mobilize a community of parents, workers, aids, etc. to take a stance again Governor Malloy's dramatic proposed cuts. After seeing the budget battle and how this community was short changed, these pay increase are especially offensive. We need to make a very strong statement and tell Governor Malloy this is NOT OK.

I fell in love with the Brooklyn Bridge the first time I laid eyes on it. The Brooklyn Bridge is a worldwide icon and a National Historic Landmark. Toll Brothers should honor the agreement they made with the Brooklyn community to limit the height of the building so that people from around the world can continue to see the view of the Brooklyn Bridge from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, as they always have. This view should remain free for everyone in the world, not limited only to billionaires who buy a condo in this oversized building monstrosity.

Today, Californians are paying 62 million dollars a year for 35 years to rent one courthouse in Long Beach California that appears that it was the product of bid rigging. For several years, Californians were paying unlicensed contractors obscene amounts of money to remodel, renovate and maintain every courthouse in the state until whistleblowers, unprotected by state law blew the whistle and lost their jobs. Over 2,500 court workers have lost their jobs, over 200 courtrooms have been closed and over 50 courthouses have been shut down, including brand new courthouses that were recently built for millions of dollars under this program. The lines at most courthouses now wrap around the block and some citizens must travel over 180 miles to get to their nearest courthouse. California is the only state in America where the judicial branch performs an executive branch function of developing and managing state real estate without a hint of oversight or accountability and this must end immediately. But it must start with an audit authorized by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee of the State Legislature. Time is short - all requests for audits must be received by the joint legislative audit committee no later than August 4th 2015.

It is an insult and hurtful to millions of Americans and Floridians that have to pass this symbol of the war against the United States by Southern states to withdraw from the Union and to retain slavery.

This Petition is to bring education and healing by the facts of wounded knee. Chief Big Foot's tribe were prisoners of war, and after the massacre over 20 medals of "honor" were awarded for the murder, and in some cases dismemberment and sexual assault on, mostly elders, women and children. I am half white and half Indian. I also served in the United States Marines. To this date, this is still the highest amount of medals awarded in history, including WWII - the greatest generation to live. These medals absolutely have to be returned willingly or by an act of the president or Congress. We believe once this is accomplished, the poverty, crime, suicide, and violent crimes will be reduced and the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation will be a better place. L/Cpl Duane Garvais KD Lawrence, Gulf Co 2/5 1st Marine division 1986-1990

A lot has changed in the 125 years since this invention, that we call movies, caught the eyes and sensations of people all over the world, and the United States motion picture industry is at the heart of driving this art form and helping to shape how we and future generations see the world as it was, as it is, and as how it could be. It is time for them to open up their doors to a plethora of diverse stories that represent humanity in all of its numerous forms. Despite the fact that the majority of people in the world are female and/or people of color, our representation in the cinema is not being duly noted by the motion picture industry. Instead, the motion picture industry insists on representing a world where women have limited voices and people of color are mere auxiliary characters that serve no real function in driving the plot of the story towards a denouement. We have reached a point as a civilization where we need to see more representation of women and people of color in the movies that we consume. A friend of mine asked me, "What is a viable solution to this pervasive issue?" With that I said to myself, "I definitely don't think it is another petition." However, we need a chorus of voices all telling the entertainment industry that times have changed, and we need to document and represent the changes that have occurred within our society, and part of this is changing the movies that we make and the narratives we tell to include more women and people of color in focal positions. In order to do this, we need the motion picture industry to step up and commit to increasing the representation of people of color and women in their feature films by 25% over the course of the next five years. That's why I am starting this petition. We have to take some control over our culture and the images and values that it presents and others consume all over the world. No one should have to stand by and watch over and over a series of images that reinforce a perception that you are not important to the story of the world, and in fact you don't even have a place in the world that has any relevance to the big picture. This has to change, and we have to start this today, but we can't do this without the motion picture industry agreeing that the time to make a change is now. Can you sign this petition today? They need to hear our voices. We can't afford to remain quiet any longer.

We cannot afford to lose our fresh water. Without water we will perish. This has the potential to threaten our health and the very essence of our beings. This is mindless greed. There is nothing but potential harm coming out of this proposal. Won't you please save the only Everglades the world has to offer?

In the Spring of 2015, my best friend and international photographer Ernest Collins traveled to Haiti on assignment. The pictures he took for the assignment were breathtakingly beautiful, but the personal stories he told of everyday life for regular Haitians were equally breathtaking, albeit for entirely different reasons. My heart was moved by the devastation and dysfunction that they deal with on a daily basis just to survive and that is unacceptable when billions of dollars have been raised and squandered at the expense of the Haitian people. The global community of humanitarians and givers of the heart have been lied to, are outraged and demand transparency and accountability. Don't let this issue go unaddressed; today it's the Haitians, tomorrow it could be me or you in need of help. Sign the petition asking for 100% accountability of where all that money went and justice for the great peoples of Haiti. Thanks for your time and attention. Best regards, Ken Hare

To give a platform for mainstream middle American citizens across our country who are gravely disappointed in the White House, the Congress and all who are pushing wars in order to keep hegemony over other countries. The price is too high in human lives, degradation of whole countries, and we are creating enemies around the entire world.

I am sick of seeing and hearing about helpless animals being abused.