Patrick Lynch, President of the NYC Police Union, recently told a gathering of police officers "Our friends, we’re courteous to them. Our enemies, extreme discretion. The rules are made by them to hurt you. Well now we’ll use those rules to protect us.” The enemies he is talking about are anyone who opposes the grand jury decision in the case of Eric Garner, those who oppose police policy. He has even identified NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio as an enemy. His thinly veiled threat to use "extreme discretion" is very dangerous when coming from the head of the union that represents the largest police force in the country and rivals many national militaries in the world. Patrick Lynch is a a dangerous extremist who should not be leading the NYC Police Union.

Firstly, let us express our appreciation for the efforts of the Board of Directors and its managing Agent, in particular through many of the recent difficulties and challenges. Also, we completely understand the importance of compliance with City regulations and the need to be mindful of liability issues. However, many of the Bayside Court Community are concerned about the imminent evacuation and structural plans for the storage room.

I am a Service Connected Disabled Veteran. I was expelled under a pretext. UMKC wanted to make me go away. The Department of Education wanted me to stop filing charges that they were allowing the directors of Civil Rights departments to work for the very Universities that they were suppose to regulate. I did nothing wrong but advocate for disabled students, ask for a disabled student council, and ask where was all the Federal funding for Disabled Students. I need your signature to tell Universities around the country that Disabled Students in Higher Education have rights. We have a right to accommodations. We have civil rights that are supposed to be enforced by the Department of Education.

First they came for JVP. Then they came for J Street. Now they've come for Theatre J. It's time to fight back against censorship of Israel critics in the Jewish community.

This petition asks the United States to follow the call by over one hundred Palestinian leaders and organizations and almost one thousand Israeli public figures for recognition of the state of Palestine alongside Israel, living in peace and security for both people. Already 135 United Nations member states (70%) have recognized the state of Palestine, and European and other states now are considering doing so. The drive for recognition of the state of Palestine is being led by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and is supported by a majority of the Palestinian people who are citizens of Israel, and those living in the occupied territories of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Recognition of Palestine is a step toward resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict, although it will not resolve the conflict. Rather it is a symbolic action to show support for the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and freedom from occupation, and sends a message to the Israeli and United States governments that occupation must end in a way that all people in the region have political, civil, and human rights. For that and other reasons, recognition of Palestine is in the best interest of the United States and the community of nations. This petition calls upon the President and government of the United States to recognize the state of Palestine and accept Palestine as a full member of the United Nations. A strong showing of support for Palestinian recognition among Americans is especially important as the Obama Administration considers how it will act when Palestinian membership and the Israel-Palestine issue are debated in the U.N. Security Council over the next several months. We must do all we can to prevent an American veto of Palestinian recognition.

Kentucky Electric Power has announced it will seek a 12% rate increase to complete the purchase of half interest in the Mitchell Power Plant that is located in Moundsville, WV. This plant is currently owned by Ohio Power. Both KEP and Ohio Power are subsidiaries of American Electric Power. In effect, AEP is selling itself half interest in a power plant it already owns. AEP has already secured a 17% increase in the rates paid by its Kentucky customers so it can afford to pay itself back. Neither the 17% increase nor the sought after additional 12% increase are warranted. AEP owns that power plant outright, just as it owns both corporate entities involved in the sale of the half interest in the Mitchell power plant. It will cost AEP nothing to sell power from that plant to customers in Kentucky. I'm asking the KPSC to reject this increase.

Over the past several months, union leaders in Bangladesh, organizing for better wages and conditions, have been met with violent retaliation. One union president, Mira Boashak, was brutally assaulted by a group of thugs, who, acting on behalf of factory management, beat her with iron rods causing a severe head injury that required more than a dozen stitches. Who is the culprit behind these horrific assaults? The Azim Group, a supplier for companies like PVH Corp. (owner of brands like Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger). Less than three months after Mira was attacked, several female union leaders were targeted by a group of factory managers and supervisors who punched and kicked them - tearing their clothing in the process and making them fearful of returning to work. These cases are just a few examples of the type of violence Bangladeshi workers have faced while organizing for basic rights in the workplace such as living wages and access to fire safety. Despite repeated requests from labor rights advocates, PVH has not done enough to put a stop to this campaign of anti-union violence and ensure that its supplier respects workers’ freedom of association. At the behest of the union in Bangladesh, PVH has been asked to terminate its relationship with this supplier unless the Azim Group immediately negotiates a resolution with the union. But PVH refuses to set a deadline for termination, leaving workers afraid for their lives. Workers producing our holiday gifts, winter clothes, and collegiate apparel can't live in fear another day, join us in demanding justice for workers in Bangladesh.

Huge victory in New York! It's official: The state of New York banned fracking! Pennsylvanians Against Fracking is calling on Governor-elect Tom Wolf to join Governor Cuomo in moving our state away from dangerous fracking. This victory is because of the years of education, mobilization and advocacy work to build the political power for holding Governor Cuomo accountable to the people, not the oil and gas industry. New Yorkers Against Fracking, the strong network of allies and grassroots activists encouraging Cuomo to ban fracking, is directly responsible for this victory. Pennsylvania can be the next state to stop fracking. Pennsylvanians Against Fracking, our statewide coalition with over 80 member organizations, is working to build the grassroots power needed to show Governor-elect Wolf the people of Pennsylvania want him to stop fracking. After activists demanded that the health effects of fracking be studied, a two year investigation by the state's own commission confirmed what the movement has been saying all along, that fracking cannot be done safely. New York has set an example that the rest of the country should follow to make sure that families in every state are protected from fracking.

In a HUGE win for the planet and fractivists everywhere, Gov. Cuomo and his Health Department moved to ban fracking.* Fracking is a seriously dirty drilling practice that involves blasting a toxic mixture of sand, chemicals and water deep underground to shatter the bedrock, and extract tiny particles of methane gas. The practice has been linked to flamable faucets, polluted drinking water, climate chaos and even earthquakes.** Despite historic drought, California continues to waste what little water the state has on fracking. With the state's water running dry, tell Jerry Brown to stop fracking and protect California water. So it should have come as no surprise that when asked whether he would allow HIS family to live next to a fracking site, NY state Department of Health Deputy Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker replied simple "no."*** If fracking isn't safe for New Yorkers, why is it still allowed in most California Counties? Sign here to ask Governor Jerry Brown to step up and BAN fracking in California for good. ---------- * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mubbXS0-qf4 ** http://www.environmental-action.org/tags/fracking?page=1 *** http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/18/nyregion/cuomo-to-ban-fracking-in-new-york-state-citing-health-risks.html?_r=0

The Vaquita is a beautiful little dolphin-like marine mammal (porpoise) found only the Gulf of California. Gillnet fishing has caught and drowned Vaquitas until now there are fewer than 100 remaining. It is imperative that restrictions and supervision are put into place, and that their preserve boundaries be expanded before more losses occur. Join us to lobby Mexican authorities to stop the illegal fishing that threatens this cute, tiny dolphin-like animal. We believe assaults to the environment are a human rights issue. This includes attacks on endangered species that impoverish the biosphere and can have devastating effects to the Web of Life upon which we all depend. Help us Stop the War on Nature.

Huge victory in New York! It's official: The state of New York banned fracking! Pennsylvanians Against Fracking is calling on Governor-elect Tom Wolf to join Governor Cuomo in moving our state away from dangerous fracking. This victory is because of the years of education, mobilization and advocacy work to build the political power for holding Governor Cuomo accountable to the people, not the oil and gas industry. New Yorkers Against Fracking, the strong network of allies and grassroots activists encouraging Cuomo to ban fracking, is directly responsible for this victory. Pennsylvania can be the next state to stop fracking. Pennsylvanians Against Fracking, our statewide coalition with over 80 member organizations, is working to build the grassroots power needed to show Governor-elect Wolf the people of Pennsylvania want him to stop fracking. After activists demanded that the health effects of fracking be studied, a two year investigation by the state's own commission confirmed what the movement has been saying all along, that fracking cannot be done safely. New York has set an example that the rest of the country should follow to make sure that families in every state are protected from fracking.

In 2012, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback signed a landmark bill that delivered big tax cuts to high income earners and businesses. Less than two years after that tax cut, the state’s income tax revenues plummeted by a quarter-billion dollars – and now Brownback is pushing to use money for public employees’ pensions to instead cover the state’s ensuing budget shortfalls. -