The Ku Klux Klan Act was passed in order to prevent White supremacists post-Civil War from harassing or even lynching newly elected Black officials. While the White supremacists of 2021 did not target Black officials specifically, their agenda was to maintain a racist demagogue, Trump, in power, even though he clearly lost the election. Bennie Thompson's lawsuit is now being heard in the US District Court in Washington DC. The defendants- Trump, Guiliani and the Proud Boys have all asked that it be dismissed. Trump claims that he had "absolute immunity" because he was still in office, Guiliani says he was just using rhetoric, and the Proud Boys claim that individual legislators have no standing. They are all trying to evade consequences for the upheaval they planned and executed. Derrick Johnson, NAACP President, puts it this way: “If you try to move forward without holding people accountable, you only set yourself up [for] future activity that could possibly be successful in toppling our democracy. For African Americans, we see a long history of people not being held accountable ... and if we don't hold people accountable, there becomes this entitlement that it's OK to cause harm and violate the law.” Trump has now become the Republican kingmaker, with the goal of installing White supremacists in power in the 2022 Congress, and throughout the states. All GOP candidates for office now seek Trump’s stamp of approval. His alt-right backers are increasingly radical and willing to use violence. https://www.virginiamercury.com/2021/03/16/after-the-insurrection-americas-far-right-groups-get-more-extreme/ The GOP has become a white supremacy party, racist, and anti-immigrant. It is a cult, built around a powerful man who believes he is destined to rule America. Rep. Thompson’s civil suit alleges trauma and seeks punitive damages. Witnesses can be subpoenaed. It will look into every aspect of planning, execution, and lack of prompt response to the insurrection of Jan 6th. The Ku Klux Klan Act makes it a Federal crime to take part in a seditious conspiracy. Therefore, the evidence that comes to light during this litigation can be used in criminal prosecutions of the defendants named in the civil suit. This lawsuit is a powerful tool to discredit Trump and his followers. It also may bankrupt them. The more Congresspeople join the suit, the more publicity it will get, the more damages the defendants will have to shell out, and the more likely it will be that white supremacy will be marginalized. Please call or write your Congresspeople and ask them to join Rep. Bennie Thompson’s lawsuit. You can find your Representative’s contact info at https://www.house.gov/representatives and your Senators at https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact And please spread this petition to everyone you know. https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/congresspeople-join-rep-bennie-thompson-s-lawsuit-vs-trump/ Peace, Carol Wolman

Inclusion and belonging are cornerstones of our community and it is the duty and the privilege of town administrators, police departments, and faith-based groups to make clear in no uncertain terms that all town residents throughout Hillsborough county are valued members of our community, that they will be treated with dignity and respect, and that acts of violence against them will be prosecuted. Additionally, it must be made explicitly clear to those responsible that these acts of vandalism and intolerance will not be tolerated by any of the abovementioned groups. That hate has no home in Hillsborough county. We urge the abovementioned groups to—in addition to their public statements addressing and condemning these acts of violence and expressing support for all residents in this community—make themselves resources on diversity, inclusion, and belonging by setting this as an important public priority within their own organizations.

We deserve a government that addresses our basic needs and protects all of us in moments in crisis. Despite the lies you'll hear from Abbott on Fox News, that's truly what the Green New Deal is all about. Now is the moment to deliver on immediate economic relief, invest in resilient infrastructure, ensure a social safety net, and halt the climate crisis once and for all. It is time for the Green New Deal. Add your name to demand: 1) Greg Abbott + Ted Cruz Resign 2) Green New Deal Now 3) Immediate Economic Relief

Ted Cruz does not represent the best interests of Texans and is not worthy of representing Texans in the Senate. Temperatures this week have plummeted to dangerous record lows in the Lone Star State; overwhelming power grids, leaving millions without power and more than 10 people dead. While millions suffer, Cruz boarded a plane to Cancun, Mexico, thereby abandoning his duties to help his constituents.

These politicians are very outspoken about their Christian values. Here is a chance for them to put their money where their mouth is by returning these big checks from lobbyists into the hands of Texans who are desperately in need. Redirect this money to shelter the cold and feed the hungry.

Intersections are dangerous when properly marked. The risk of fatalities and other injuries exponentially increases at unmarked and dangerous intersections like this one. With the exploding increase in traffic flow and pedestrian usage, upgrading this intersection is critical to preventing preventing fatalities in Nuckols Road. Other intersections in Forsyth County similar to the Habersham Trce / Nuckols Rd have been upgraded AFTER FATALITIES have occurred. As a resident of the community for over 12 years myself I have seen the exponential increase of traffic usage (both Residential and Commercial) on Nuckols Road, which runs right through center of our community. Nuckols Rd is a high traffic road that is abused by local car dealers, motorcycle riders, non-residents using it as a bypass road between Buford Dam and Highway 20, and has no ADA Complaint crosswalks for subdivision residents for Habersham At Lanier and Habersham On Lanier. Nuckols Rd is clearly marked an a posted 30 Mile Per Hour Rd, which is very rarely observed by drivers. We have seen and appreciate the significant road improvements that include repaving and a sidewalk that stretches down Nuckols Road from Buford Dam Rd to Highway 20. These road improvements alone have created more traffic because non-residents of Nuckols road communities utilize it as a high speed bypass road. This along with the number of disabled persons, ageing residents, motorcycle riders, increased commercial traffic, car dealer test drives, and overall residential growth have contributed to decreased safety within our community and required immediate resolution before something catastrophic happens. As a community, we do our diligence to maintain a productive relationship with local car dealerships and often request them to ask their employees to respect the speed limit and be aware of the pedestrian traffic as these drivers roll through our community. At the end of the day, our words and requests only fall on deaf ears. As more residents move into our community, and most recently with the Covid pandemic, the use of the newly installed sidewalks has blown up! Parents with children, People with Pets, Joggers, Walkers, Handicapped residents, and even our elderly community are more active than ever. Why is the speed deterrent requests for a 4 way stop, speed break, or at a minimum a MARKED pedestrian cross walk so important? Currently there is no safe ADA Compliant intersection crosswalk that crosses and connects both sides of the community. § 40-6-92. Crossing roadway elsewhere than at crosswalk: To cross the road as a pedestrian means jaywalking and moving traffic does not have to yield to pedestrians, creating a safety issue. § 40-6-72 - Stop signs and yield signs: Vehicles, including School busses entering the intersection from Habersham Trace must still yield right of way to oncoming traffic coming from a blind curve, even after they entered the intersection. There is no deterrent to encourage speeders to slow down or stop for our children in school buses. On both side of Habersham Trace there are handicapped children, handicapped adults, elderly and coming soon a person who is permanently bound to a motorized wheel chair. All of whom need access to a safe crossing point that can be enforced by the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office. Sheriff Freeman and his department are aware of the handicapped children in our community and are continually watching out to protect our most vulnerable residents. They are also aware of the issue of dangerous speeders abusing Nuckols Rd. FCSO officers are limited in their ability to stop speeders because of the minimum distance rule that is required to use a laser to ticket them. The speeders are aware of this and take advantage of this. However, an improved traffic control intersection w/ ADA Compliant crosswalk at Habersham Trce / Nuckols Rd would not only be an excellent and enforceable speed deterrent, it would also drastically increase residential safety, and help FCSO reduce wasted resource time by giving FCSO officers a focused traffic enforcement point. A speed deterrent, even as minimal as a MARKED (Painted and Sign) Pedestrian crosswalk, drivers are required to slow down and yield (if needed) to pedestrians without swerving around them. Approving and installing any form of speed deterrent like this pedestrian crosswalk will accomplish 3 important things. 1. A 4 way stop with MARKED pedestrian crosswalk will provide a safe crossing point at Nuckols Road between both sides of the Habersham Community for all of the residents (handicapped or non-handicapped) to utilize the wonderful sidewalk some of our SPLOST funds were used for 2. A 4 way stop, with a MARKED pedestrian crosswalk will indirectly create a safe speed barrier, as drivers will be more alert to the presence of pedestrians while recalling that pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk. It won't be a harsh physical speed deterrent like a speed bump, but it will be a deterrent that is enforceable and safe to use when pedestrians are present. 3. A 4 way stop with a MARKED pedestrian crosswalk will also assist the Forsyth County Sheriffs office with their mission of keeping our roads safe by creating a focus point during the day when Pedestrians and Vehicle traffic co-mingle in the same spaces, at the same time. These improvements will increase overall safety for local residents, protect county resources, reduce wasted enforcement resource time, and most importantly increase overall property values. At the end of the day we all want the same things; safe roads, safety in the community, and reduced the use of wasted resources. Having this 4 way stop with pedestrian crosswalk will benefit everyone.

The Big Cable companies are already undermining the principles of an open internet. After the pandemic sent many of us home for work and school, to rely entirely on high-speed internet, Comcast announced data caps on some of its home internet services. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of how Big Cable companies have taken advantage since Donald Trump and former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai took over the FCC and pushed through a repeal of the Open Internet Order that took effect in 2018. Verizon throttled a fire department during a wildfire, and AT&T said it would exclude its own streaming service from data caps that it would apply to rivals’ services. Ajit Pai just stepped down after four awful years at the helm of the Federal Communications Commission, which began when Trump installed him as chair. This is potentially huge news for net neutrality and reestablishing critical FCC authority over broadband. But even as Pai departs, strong open internet rules are blocked for the time being because of a 2–2 stalemate at the FCC. The internet needs President Biden to immediately nominate and the Senate confirm a 5th commissioner to break the tie and reinstate strong rules.

The Energy Reliability Council of Texas should be just that, Reliable. It is untenable that they have left millions of Texans across the state of Texas out of power with deaths and property damage in their wake because they could not perform the basic function as outlined in their name. They are the Energy Council of Texas at best. Somehow other state agencies like the Texas Dept. of Transportation did not strand millions of Texans on their highways. This is a failed agency with a false title. Texas may be an energy state, but clearly we don't know how to manage it. Tell the Texas Legislature to remove the R from ERCOT and give them a more fitting name and personnel capable of securing the lives of its residents.

Millions of families are months behind on rent and can’t afford to put food on the table. In addition to another stimulus payment of $1,400, Congress is considering giving families up to $3,600 per child, paid out in chunks every month for one year, to help with expenses. Experts say this Kid Cash would lift 5 MILLION children out of poverty! Will you sign the petition urging Congress to send families this much-needed #CovidKidCash?

The impending foreclosure avalanche will hurt many Americans. Foreclosures will increase the houseless population, and will DISPROPORTIONATELY affect black and brown homeownership and further widen the generational wealth gap. The American Rescue Plan needs to direct resources to help homeowners NOW

Essential workers voted and essential workers decided. We sent lawmakers to Washington who promised to stand with us to deliver racial and economic justice. Across the country workers like me are still struggling on poverty wages, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on. We have kids, rent, bills to pay. The $7.25/hr minimum wage just doesn’t cut it for anyone, anywhere. Enough is enough. No one should work 40 hours a week and still have to choose between rent and groceries. Congress will only act if we do. Add your name to tell Congress that we need a $15/hr federal minimum wage NOW.

The US already has a bloated Pentagon budget. Now the Pentagon wants to spend $100 billion on totally unnecessary nuclear warheads. But with a new president in office, we can finally put a stop to Trump’s misguided nuclear weapon spending. More nuclear weapons don’t make the planet more safe. Former Defense Secretary William Perry has argued this plan is totally unnecessary. Instead of tossing millions of our taxpayers dollars into unnecessary nuclear weapons and stoking world wars, we should throw the brakes on Trump’s nuclear program and focus on the real war against Covid-19. Sign the petition: Tell Congress to defund Trump’s $100 billion nuclear weapons system!