Imagine praying silently in church, when suddenly strangers rush in and start shouting: "Abomination! You're going to hell!" Last Sunday in New Orleans, a group of anti-abortion protestors called Operation Save America disrupted worship at First Unitarian Universalist Church -- later bragging that they had brought the "truth of the Gospel" to a "Synagogue of Satan." The protestors went on to picket a doctor's home, and hold a mock funeral with a casket they claimed was an aborted fetus. There's no justification for this behavior, no matter how you feel about abortion. Operation Save America -- formerly Operation Rescue -- was hosted in Louisiana by a local Southern Baptist Congregation. If state and national leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention stay silent now, it is a tacit endorsement of these extremist protests.

After finding out about banfield I thought it was a good idea to get the wellness plan for my 2 year old husky who was perfectly fine, probably the healthiest dog in the world. After he got his vaccines, which were for the lepto, rabies, parvo and bordetella, he started feeling weak and lost his appetite a month after that. I took him back to find out what it was and they thought there was something wrong with his stomach, I knew there wasn't anything wrong with his stomach because when you felt up his abdomen he didn't complain or anything but since I'm not an expert I trusted what the doctor said. He gave him antibiotics for an infection, to control diarrhea and throw up which was $300, I didn't mind the cost because I thought I was saving money with the wellness plan plus it was going to my dog who was my best friend. After he was done with the medication he was feeling worse and didn't eat AT ALL, he was loosing weight so fast and didn't have any energy. I took him back and they thought it was either parvo or endocrine disease so I paid for more test which were $500. They told me it was parvo virus so I bought antibiotics for parvo which were $200 and I did my own research of things i could do to fasten the treatment so he could get better. Another month went by and he was worse than ever, he went from being 70 pounds to almost 30, he still tried to run but he barely had any muscle, fat or energy left. I called them to make an appointment because the treatment wasn't working and they told me it was actually leptospirosis. After a month of trying to fight parvo they told me it was another thing. I did more research on it so i could help my dog out and i saw an article about a woman talking about her dog dying because of the vaccines so I started to look more into it. I learnt that a dog should NEVER get more than one shot at a time because animals have different immune systems and that it takes at least one or two months to recover, Bear had 4 on the same day. On the same page I saw a comment about a girl who was a vet tech and worked at banfield but quit because she saw so many dogs overdose and when a dog gets more than 1 shot their immune system can get so low that they actually get the diseases they got vaccinated for. The leptospirosis shot Bear got is supposed to be an independent shot but banfield gave him 3 more shots along with that and made him suffer without helping him. Bear passed away yesterday and I am frustrated i can't do any justice for him because its their policy. I advise anyone that is looking into going to banfield to go to another vet, don't think your saving money because of the wellness plan since it's a year contract I have to finish paying off for my dead dog. I'm not the only person this has happened to, it's not fair for animals to suffer because of this chain that's in it for the money. Please help me do justice for bear.

I worked for five years on gun safety issues. I know first hand that allowing more guns into our community will put our neighbors at risk. Our elected leaders should be writing our laws, not a federal judge in New York.

Here are the facts plain and simple. There are children in crisis. A family does not without conscience send their child through dangerous miles of unspeakable violence to get to America because they feel like it. We are facing a real opportunity to step up and help our actual neighbors. Literally, our neighbors. Even if you decide not to sign this petition, please send word to your representatives that the disgusting behavior of some at the border through their yelling, policing, etc... is unacceptable and we need to support these child refugees in the same way that we supported families after other crises in our history.

Antibiotic-resistant infections are on the rise and the warnings from the medical community are getting louder. But even as we press the Food and Drug Administration to act, we need stores and restaurants to do their part, by ending meat purchases from factory farms that give daily doses of antibiotics to healthy livestock. Trader Joe’s, with its direct control of its suppliers and its history of taking socially responsible actions, is an ideal company to step up.

DeafBlind individuals, particularly those who use Tactile ASL and are interested in culturally and linguistically affirmative DeafBlind services (the DeafBlind Way) experience oppression at the Helen Keller National Center (HKNC). DeafBlind individuals still attend training at HKNC because there are no other programs to choose from. This is because funding is specifically set up by congress for HKNC. If congress makes this funding (money) available for multiple organizations/agencies (apply for grants), it will open the door to competitive programs. Having competition encourages innovation (new ideas and technology), accountability (making sure money is managed the right way, making sure people are not oppressed), and opportunities for DeafBlind Self-Representation (DeafBlind leadership).

Many police are violating citizens rights. Too many citizens are being killed and abused over simple misdemeanors. For desk appearance tickets, none violent offences citizens are being arrested and sent to jail for the charges to be dismissed or they are given the desk appearance ticket THEY Should HAVE BEEN Given To BEGIN with. Until police are charged with false arrest wasting time and money. The police will continue violating citizens right because there is no deterrent for them. When the citizen demands to know why they are being detained and they object, they are then charged with resisting arrest, whereas they shouldn't have been arrested. Until police are penalized and charged with violating citizens rights, breaking the law they are suppose to uphold, they will continue to act like they are above the law.

The U.S. House and Senate just voted UNANIMOUSLY to support Israel's attack on a hostage people confined in an occupation prison, who have nowhere to run or take refuge -- in violation of international law. Every LIBERAL Democrat LIED by voting for the resolution to condemn Hamas' "UNPROVOKED" rocket fire on Israel . Why lie? Because, to attack an occupied people without provocation is a WAR CRIME. But, in the weeks before Hamas began its rocket fire, Israel had been invading and destroying homes and wounding and arresting hundreds of people in the West Bank under the pretense they were looking for three kidnapped teenagers when they knew full well the teenagers were already dead and that Hamas was not involved. If there are any people in this country who believe that is wrong, they have NOT A SINGLE REPRESENTATIVE VOICE IN GOVERNMENT. Therefore, we present this petition to the President and Congress of the United States to make it known that they do not represent us with their vote to endorse Israel's illegal siege and prosecution of war on the occupied people of Gaza.

It's not fair when the Grandparents have a great relationship with a Grandchild then their parents won't allow them to see you for spiteful reason. My Grandson even told me his dad was mean to him and he wanted to live with me, I don't even get to see him.

The California DISCLOSE Act (SB 52) would turn the tide on unlimited secret money in politics by exposing those who try to buy elections with deceptive ads. SB 52 will make all TV, radio, and print ads for ballot measures show their top three REAL funders clearly and prominently. No hiding in fine print behind front groups. The bill is close to passage but now some of the biggest interests in Sacramento are trying to stop it. Sign our petition to demand the Assembly pass the California DISCLOSE Act today.

The Government of Haiti could care less about another person life. Congressman Belizaire needs to be alive to continue the fight for the poor Haitians living in the slums, most unable to stand up for themselves. We want him to stop the hunger strike because, per his physician, his health is rapidly deteriorating, and for humanitarian reasons. The people will have no one to fight for their right.

Please be aware, under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) it is health care policy to afford access to lifesaving treatment with provision of medical food to children and discriminate against prospective enrollees because of AGE for phenylketonuria (PKU), a liver enzyme deficiency or inborn error of amino acid metabolism (IEM) which requires a severely restricted, lifelong therapeutic diet. Failure to continuously treat PKU results in devastating clinical outcomes, even into adulthood – such as mental illness, psychological disorders and neurological deterioration that are otherwise preventable. It is the responsibility of the US federal government to assure EQUALITY in the provision of successful working conditions and BENEFITS for the recruitment and retainment of a world-class workforce, for all federal employees - including myself - who live with PKU and equally fulfill a critical role in the provision of safe, quality health care for the nation’s Veterans. Such inappropriate discriminatory health care policy compromises public health and safety for employees with IEM, fails to comply with the Affordable Care Act and many state mandates, and does not uphold key, quality measures that integrate scientific research with clinical practice as necessary to meet national patient safety goals and standards. America does not tolerate discrimination. Despite evidence from leading medical and scientific experts and governmental partners (NIH, FDA, academia, many medical specialty societies, and industrial leaders in nutritional therapy), individual constituent matters have been passed to bureaucrats who lack the experience and expertise in the clinical management of specialized, rare genetic disorders such as PKU. No action has been taken by policy makers to address the blatant discrimination, health care disparity and inequity under the existing FEHBP plan structure - as has been for years. I am calling on your executive authority to do whatever you can to intervene while the legislative branch has been stagnant and inadvertent – for decades – as evidenced by more than 35 years having passed since the original call for Medical Foods Equity. Because Congress has failed to pass any patient protections to resolve policy problems, these issues of the past have now evolved to 21st century obstacles to access medically essential treatment. This irresponsible governance leaves a minority population of federal employees unnecessarily and unjustifiably disenfranchised from the US health care system for which they contribute. This is not the American way, and goes against the principle, fundamental core values and freedoms of our American democracy for which this country was founded. Please heed the call and echoes from President Roosevelt’s 1941 Four Freedoms speech and remind Congress, “Since the beginning of our American history, we have been engaged in change - in a perpetual peaceful revolution – a revolution which goes on steadily, quietly adjusting itself to changing conditions.” The government needs to change and do more - Empower - Do Not Discriminate against essential health care workers who successfully serve an integral role in public health and as stewards of taxpayers’ dollars. Medical food saved my life and my children’s lives. Continuous provision necessitates the discriminatory policy be removed so the federal workforce’s most essential asset –the people - have equal opportunity to serve, and to live a lifetime with dignity, integrity, and respect. I refuse to be handicapped by the US federal government anymore.