As a proud retired veteran of the Vietnam War, my sons and nephews as veterans of the wars in Panama and Iraq, my grandson and my nephews as veterans of the war in Afghanistan, I and my family have experienced the hardships of military life and reaped the consequences of misguided, senseless conflicts. My grandchildren, upon registration with the Selective Service, will automatically be subjected to being drafted into a future war. As such, I believe they should have an automatic say, at the voting booth, as to who makes the decisions to go to war, they should be able to decide who the deciders are in our government.

I am starting this petition because our money has been stolen and Social Security is always being attacked and threatened, when in reality, if no money was ever taken from it to begin with, there would be NO problem with it!

Our school district has an opportunity to make the fresh start that we need and our students deserve. The news broke recently that Superintendent Mike Miles is resigning his post. As the Trustees begin the search for a replacement, we need them to hear the voices of all stakeholders. We need a superintendent who is committed to working with all stakeholders—parents, teachers and school employees, and members of our community. We need collaboration—not confrontation--to ensure that Dallas has safe, welcoming neighborhood public schools where students are inspired and educators are well-supported. The process for identifying and hiring a new superintendent must include the voices of those stakeholders. I urge you to take a moment to let your voice be heard. Please contact the Trustees and urge them to consider the following three points in the search for a new superintendent to lead our school district forward: 1) The process must be inclusive and transparent. Schools work best when all stakeholders are involved. The Dallas ISD Board should take the time and create space to get input from parents, educators and members of our community. 2) An independent search firm should be engaged. Efforts to identify a new superintendent should be broad and deliberate. 3) A broad-based Stakeholder Advisory Committee should participate in the search and interview finalists with the Trustees. The new superintendent should be someone who can build relationships with the full Dallas community. One good way to lay that foundation is to include an array of stakeholders and constituents in the selection process. At a minimum, the committee should have a place for educators, parents, business leaders, faith leaders and representatives of civic organizations. One model for how this works is already familiar to Dallas ISD; whenever a new principal is hired, a campus-wide committee is involved in the selection and interviewing of candidates. A fresh start for Dallas ISD means giving community stakeholders a seat at the table where our new superintendent is selected.

Fairness. Currently, people are required to do extensive and expensive testing prior to a well being drilled and fracked and then follow up with testing afterwards to prove that the problem did not exist prior to fracking beginning. If a company is at fault - and tracer chemicals can easily show if the driller was responsible, then it will be easy to prove or disprove responsibility.

We need to commemorate and honor those Code Talkers who devoted their lives for a country that didn't recognize their existence until well after World Wars I and II ended. A national day will recognize all Veterans, Native and non-Native, and highlight the contributions of a small group and have such an extraordinary impact. Niles Aseret Member of the Federally Recognized Navajo Tribe Born and Raised on the Navajo Reservation, Arizona

My name is Joaquin Jackson, Mr. Clifford Greene asked my father Rev. Ronnie Jackson Sr. to bond his son (Moses Greene) out of jail on a property bond. The bond was $49,500.00, and my daddy didn’t get any money upfront. My father’s friend Mr. Jerome Enders knew Mr. Greene, and vouch for his character under the premise he would do the correct thing. Having his son at all future court dates. He missed a court date in early May. Mr. Greene and his son lied to my father for nearly a month saying his son had made the court date. My father didn’t found out until the Middle Georgia Fugitive Squad came looking for my father. I was so scared for my father, and I thought they were getting ready to hurt my father, and I just started crying. Instead of condemning his son, he is condoning, and encouraging his son to flee from prosecution. Mr. Greene is very aware that my father is getting ready to lose his home because of their backstabbing and low life ways. Therefore, if my father is going to lose $49,500.00, Mr. Greene should not keep making money at Flava Fashions//FLAVAUSA 1747/646 Shurling Drive, Macon, Ga. 31211-(478) 743-4050. He is making money off the African American community to fund his son excursion as he flees from prosecution. This is Cain killing Abel in our community as he screws over my father who has helped his son out. DO NOT SUPPORT FLAVA FASHIONS, Or FLAV USA. My father was borne and raised on the east side, and no Jacksons should support this business, or this low life scumbag. Boycott this business until he turns his lousy son into the proper authority. He is already on Macon Regional Crime Stopper (478) 742-2330 with a reward up to $10,000. Would you all please help my father so he won’t lose his property? PLEASE? Excuse my grammar, I am so afraid for my father. I thank you in advance, Joaquin. ☹

In my case; Case number 14-9155 docket number: 14CR1456 an unfair and tainted Jury was allowed to convict me of charges that didn't match what i actually am accused of. When the jury came into the room before EVER hearing the facts of the case, the jury had already thought i was guilty! that presents a judicial issue in that the Judge was mandated to dismiss the jury once someone came forward and informed him t hat the jury felt i was guilty! the judge did NOT! That is improper and leads me to think that this and other judges who may have done the same thing in other cases, are corrupt and in collusion with the Prosecutors and are willing to ignore procedures in order to convict so that they can gain finances from that individual! I am standing up for Justice and standing tall against INJUSTICE!!!! i am truthfully unafraid to stand against these two corrupt practitioners of injustice!!!! If my case is NOT immediately dismissed with Prejudice, Then I know that they aren't the ONLY ones allowing corruption of justice to run rampant!!! I WILL be immediately compensated financially for the inconveniences presented me in this carriage of injustice as well! $20,000 from each Thomas Kelly Kane and Brian Caplan. I am presenting the two of them with additional $7,500 each in small claims lawsuits to help shed light onto what they have done to me by NOT dismissing the tainted jury and for possibly tampering with that same Jury to get an unlawful conviction! Help me get my case thrown out of court, the Judge reprimanded and or fired, The Prosecutor reprimanded and or disbarred, the charges dropped by signing my petition.

Coercion. Fraud. Relinquishment. These are all words I was unfamiliar with until they impacted my life in a very horrible way. I was blindly led into a coercive adoption, and my rights as a mother were signed away before I even knew what had happened. I am pleading with you to consider changing the adoption laws to protect birthmothers, children, and adoptive parents. In my case I had agreed to have a child (biologically mine and my husbands) for some very close friends of ours who were unable to conceive. I made it clear before conception that I needed to be a part of my child's life or I could not do this. The couple eagerly agreed and promised I would always be in his life and he would know who his real parents are. One big happy family was the term always used. The signing of documents were referred to as temporary custody & 48 hour papers. I was also told the adoption wouldn't be finalized until the baby was 6 months old. This also led me to believe I would not have to sign adoption papers until the 6 month time period. I did not have an attorney to represent me, and never even knew that was an option. We were told to take our baby to the Dr. the day after we left the hospital due to a slight fever. I was told by Becky-the potential adoptive parent, that in order for her to take him to the Dr. we HAD to go first thing in the morning after I was dismissed from the hospital so she would have papers to show the Dr. Once again, I thought these were temporary documents giving her a legal right to have my son in her home and to seek medical care for him until the adoption was final in 6 months. Early the next morning we left for a law office and met with a lawyer I had never seen before. I was crying my eyes out because I was really having doubts about not having my son for the 6 month time period, but I was too scared to say anything. I was horribly sleep deprived and taking a pain medication I wasn't familiar with that made my thoughts even more cloudy. The whole meeting was very casual and there was a lot of talk between B and her lawyer about how we would remain involved in our sons life. I could barely see due to my crying, and regrettably just signed whatever paper was slid in front of me. I trusted this was temporary at this point, and never ever dreamed it would be so easy to sign away permanent rights so soon. We left the office with no copy of what we signed. Our son was born on July 17, and we didnt find out what we had truly signed until August 5. I was devestated and heart broken. All I could say when I found out was What have we done, what have we done??? I have researched and found support groups for so many women who have similar stories. Some don't remember signing anything at all. Almost no one ever has had a lawyer to explain the documents before they are signed. Ive seen a great deal of sad stories. Before this all happened to me I would have never believed half of these stories, or I would have dismissed the women as crazy. There is no way of knowing the emotions one will feel after your baby is born. Then when you have someone pushing papers in front of you and making promises to you, it is all just too overwhelming. I would like to propose a change to avoid this trauma to all parties involved. I propose that it become mandatory for a pregnant woman to recieve counseling at the expense of the potential adoptive parents so that she can make an informed decision. This will help ensure she is not being pressured or coerced by anyone, and that this is truly her decision. I propose that every pregnant woman would have to speak to an attorney prior to any signing to go over the documents that she will be expected to sign. The documents should be explained thoroughly by the attorney, and she should be told in no uncertain terms that once papers are signed, she will not have any rights to ever see that child again. Any promises made by the potential adoptive parents will most likely be broken, and she will have to learn to live without her child. I propose that the waiting period to sign papers be lengthened. Giving birth is a very hard, life changing moment and no woman should be expected to make a life changing decision in that condition. I propose that all adoption documents be signed in a court room in front of a judge. This will cause the woman to understand the seriousness of the matter, and everything said and done will be on record. While it is true that in some cases adoption is the best answer for a child; there are way too many cases such as mine that are very wrong and the system has failed us and our children. Please protect those of us who have been victimized by people that want a baby so badly that they will say and do anything to get their hands on one. Please protect the innocent children from such wrong doing.

Nathan Bedford Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army, and was the 1st Grand Wizard of the Klu Klux Klan. There are some apologists who argue that when the Klan started to become violent, Nathan Bedford Forrest distanced himself from the Klan. This image can easily be debunked, using the writings of the acclaimed historical non-fiction writer Andrew Ward:  "In the spring of 1867, Forrest and his dragoons launched a campaign of midnight parades; 'ghost' masquerades; and 'whipping' and even 'killing Negro voters and white Republicans, to scare blacks off voting and running for office." The ROTC building on MTSU's campus (Forrest Hall) is named after him. There is no reason or explanation on why MTSU continues to honor this man that is in any way justifiable. Help us to ensure that the memory of this hateful man be washed off of MTSU's Campus. We call on President Sidney A. McPhee, the State Legislature, the Board Of Regents, the SGA, and the Department of the Army to support our campaign and help to promote true diversity on MTSU's campus.  For any group interested in sponsoring our campaign, which is an extension Black Lives Matter, please contact us at the following email:  [email protected]

In today's world, fast, affordable and reliable broadband internet access is crucial to the economic and educational well-being of communities. Internet access is no longer a luxury; it is a necessary utility in the same way that electric power became in an earlier day. The TN laws that prevent municipalities from building effective broadband networks need to be repealed. My son and I, along with many others, have been badly affected by the monopolistic situation that has resulted from these restrictive laws. Young people in school, professionals working from home, farmers in rural areas, all have been cut off from pursuing their education and careers. Time for a change! See http://21stcenturycitizens.org/ for more information.

On Saturday, June 27 at 4AM Gaza time, international peace advocates aboard the Freedom Flotilla III announced their departure from European ports to the port of Gaza via international waters to protest the illegal blockade of 1.8 million human beings in Gaza. [1] Former US Army Col. Ann Wright and USS Liberty veteran Joe Meadors are on board. [2] The UN recently called for the end of the Gaza blockade. [3] Retired IDF Major General Shlomo Gazit, who was head of IDF military intelligence, has called on the Netanyahu government to leave the flotilla activists alone. [4] Haaretz – the “New York Times of Israel” – has defended the right of Knesset Member Basel Ghattas to participate in the flotilla as a nonviolent political protest against the Gaza blockade. [5] Urge Secretary Kerry to stand with General Gazit and Haaretz and press Netanyahu to let the flotilla pass from international waters to Gaza unmolested, by signing our petition. You can follow the flotilla on twitter on #FreedomFlotillaIII and @GazaFFlotilla. References: 1. https://www.freedomflotilla.org/coalition-statements/19-freedom-flotilla-iii-sets-sail-nextportgaza 2. https://ff3.freedomflotilla.org/sailors-to-gaza/ 3. http://www.defensenews.com/story/breaking-news/2015/06/22/un-gaza-war-report-skewers-israel-on-targeting-ops/29109875/ 4. http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.662626 5. http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/1.662903

SB 3 will increase the minimum wage in California to $13 by July 1, 2017 [$11 on January 1, 2016]. This bill also includes an innovative provision which adjusts the minimum wage indexed to inflation beginning January 1, 2019. SB 3 (Leno) is currently in the Labor and Employment Committee and has a hearing on July 8th.