If scientists, doctors, the research community, and public at large do not have the proper information, and proper guidelines based on that information, we are at a greater overall risk of never being able to slow the spread, and needlessly killing tens of thousands additional people. Also, false numbers will impact the decisions of schools to re-open, putting children, teachers, and family members at greater risk. Lastly, at no level should we be lulled into complacency due to false optimistic data. We must trust the data or it is useless.

As Covid-19 cases spiral out of control, we’re reminded every day of the very real stakes of this painful, awful virus, and the abject failure of Donald Trump and his apologists in Congress. Among the California congressional delegation, the most irresponsible, anti-science, Trumpian voice has been Rep. Tom McClintock (R-04). In early June, as Covid-19 cases and deaths were beginning to escalate, McClintock urged people to file complaints with the Department of Justice against city and state public health directives. Then, on the cusp of the spike in cases we’re seeing across the country, McClintock said “(experts) substantially overstated the severity of COVID-19.” To top it off, when told by Rep. Jerry Nadler (NY-10) to wear a mask during a congressional hearing, McClintock replied that “I consider masks much more effective at spreading panic and much less effective at stopping a virus." The stakes are too high for ideologues like McClintock to continue misleading the public with dangerous misinformation. For those like McClintock who disparage government action to stem the spread, there is an imperative to take personal responsibility, starting by wearing a mask to protect others. Tell Tom McClintock to stop lying about Covid-19, and wear a mask As Bob Dylan sings, “to live outside the law, you must be honest.” In the case of Covid-19, being honest means acknowledging the danger of the disease, and the effectiveness of measures to confront it -- like wearing a mask. While ignoring the severity of the disease and peddling misinformation, McClintock voted twice to deny relief to Americans who have been harmed. The first time was out of supposed concern for people who might “game the system” to get paid emergency leave or food aid for seniors, while saying nothing about Trump family-connected businesses gaming the system to take millions intended for small business relief. McClintock objected to helping people the second time because he said it would add too much to the debt, while staying silent about the mushrooming annual deficits caused by his vote in 2017 to slash corporate tax rates. Unfortunately, McClintock’s practice of putting ideology before health, science, data, common sense and the common good is his standard operating procedure. In the case of Covid-19, lying about the facts and common-sense protective measures -- like wearing a mask -- means more people dying. Tell McClintock to be part of the Covid-19 solution and wear a mask. Thank you for taking action!

It’s a matter of public health

400 plus years of racial oppression. Black codes. Jim Crow laws. Texas’ convict leasing system. Black lives matter. Brown lives matter. Trayvon Martin. Philando Castile. Eric Garner. Pamela Turner. Michael Brown. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. George Floyd. No justice. No peace. All our words and images being cried-out in the streets worldwide among protestors, asking for an end to institutional systemic racism. Undeniably, racial disparates have existed for too long in the streets of Texas in the form of police brutality and misconduct. This has also led to, and amplified, disproportionate sentencing of black and brown minorities in the criminal justice system, and has caused Texas to lead the national race in mass incarceration. Adding insult to injury, many inmates have been inappropriately labelled “violent offenders,” when actually many were too young, and thus could potentially outgrow delinquent behavior. Tough-on-crime prosecutors, who often used illegal and deceitful tactics to obtain convictions, never gave them a viable chance. Instead the court’s mentality was overbearingly: “Lock them up, and throw away the key.” Right now, the barbarically outdated attitude is evident. Amid a pandemic, Texas officials have refused to grant “compassionate release” to any of its offenders in a coldhearted effort to unrelentingly warehouse offenders. Meanwhile, mothers and families are crying-out (to unsympathetic official ears) for the lives and welfare of their loved ones -who were sentenced to time, not a COVID-19 related death sentence. In these unprecedented times, the words “I CAN’T BREATHE” ring loud and true for the stifling oppression inmates and their families have yet to find relief from. Rightfully, they want-what we all should want – the removal of the institutional systemic “knee” from their loved ones’ necks. Afterall, the law should apply equally. Needless to say, there are plenty of good “people” in TDCJ that should have been permitted to return to society many years ago. It’s, therefore, high time to level the playing field, and open the political playbook to repeal and replace laws that have adversely and largely impacted black and brown minority communities. Inarguably, our elected, legislative officials can no longer be allowed to hold seats of passiveness or indifference amid these tumultuous times. Prison reform actions, which finely terminates mass incarceration, must began NOW!

Right now, many of the wrongdoings that frequently occur inside the TDCJ and the BPP are shrouded in a veil of secrecy. This lack of transparency enables and perpetuates a broken system – which allows incarcerated individuals and their families alike to suffer. Regrettably, behind this veil of secrecy, inmates are subjected to deadly heat, non-working fans, guards denying access to cool areas when inmates are in medical distress, broken or contaminated water systems, bogus or frivolous disciplinary cases, assaults, harassment and retaliation at the hands of guards, and various other forms of cruel and unusual punishment. In similar respects, families who seek solutions, as well as the humane treatment and safety of their loved ones, suffer through the families’ inability to go beyond the red tape to get answers. Likewise, their frustrations are not alleviated by confrontations with TDCJ officials unwilling to correct a bad situation or wrongdoing instigated by one of its own. Undeniably, this clearly spells out a dire need for an independent, external oversight agency. Without such an independent agency, we are basically asking TDCJ to police itself, and to do what it historically has never done, that is, be totally truthful about its internal misbehavior. Further, it continues to place inmates, families and society at the mercy of the two prominent and failing internal TDCJ processes – which are the Ombudsman’s office and the TDCJ grievance system. Moreover, while both systems are too deeply rooted and connected within TDCJ to truly be effective and unbiased, the Ombudsman does not and will not investigate whether procedures are followed or ignored. Then, amplifying this injury, neither the grievance system or the Ombudsman are vehicles for inmates or their families to address any parole related misapplications of law, discrepancies, or misdeeds. And, since the BPP and inmates’ parole files are also cloaked in layers of secrecy, it’s commonplace for inmates to receive parole denials (set-offs) stipulated in vague, bureaucratic boilerplate language – which leaves the actual reason an unknown mystery. Thus, there has clearly never been a more urgent time than now for legislators to force both the TDCJ and the BPP into transparency and accountability by creating an independent oversight.

The United States harbors an enduring legacy of anti-Asian racism, from the murderous violence of the so-called "Yellow Peril" in the 19th and 20th centuries to the surge in hate crimes committed against Asian Americans in the wake of COVID-19. The continued use of "oriental" in the profession of East Asian Medicine in the US perpetuates this injustice. In 2016, the term was removed from all US federal regulations through a bill authored by New York State Representatives Grace Meng (D) and Hakeem Jeffries (D). It received unanimous, bipartisan congressional support and was signed into law by President Obama. The bill also struck the terms “Negro,” “Eskimo,” and “Spanish surname” (to honor Latinx folks), which are the associates of "oriental." Our profession is dangerously out of step with what progress has been made outside our community. We will fail in our institutional anti-racism efforts before they begin if we persist in using this racist, obsolete term.

We as Citizen should not have to stand by helplessly and watch another Citizen Beaten or Murdered right in front of US, just because the Murderer is wearing a police uniform.

For several weeks, the people of Chicago have stood resolute in the fight against systemic racism in policing. The implementation of this pilot program will contribute to racial injustice in law enforcement, by inspiring average citizens to operate as honorary ICE agents in our city's streets, utilizing racial profiling to target victims. Chicago demands an end to racialized policing, not an expansion incorporating private citizens. This petition is a demand for Senators Richard Durbin and Tammy Duckworth to stand by Chicago's immigrant communities, and prevent ICE from implementing the Citizens Academy pilot program in Chicago. Sources: ICE Press Release: https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-offers-first-citizens-academy-public-learn-more-about-agencys-mission-chicago#wcm-survey-target-id Yahoo News Report: https://news.yahoo.com/ice-to-launch-citizens-academy-to-teach-civilians-about-targeted-arrests-172430342.html

Children are at higher risk for contracting the illness as well as every staff member in the school system leading to more and more illness and possible death with exposure of the virus and bringing home that exposure to each persons family. If one person is infected and they are in that classroom, now all the students in that classroom are exposed, as well as the teacher. If that student goes to another classroom or nurses office, now those students and those faculty members have been exposed and it will just keep spreading. Then our now exposed children come home to their family, that family member goes to work and now has exposed every person at their job. It is safer for our children to be home using a virtual classroom. They aren’t being exposed to any of the illness being home.

Blatant voter suppression efforts in states like Wisconsin and Georgia. Corporations pouring unlimited money into our elections through super PACs. Elected officials hiding behind weak disclosure laws. Our democracy is facing serious challenges -- and the American people need a president who is ready to face them head on. Joe Biden’s campaign teamed up with former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders to assemble and collaborate with a collection of six “task forces.” These working groups are comprised of members of Congress and subject experts -- and they address crucial issues: health care, immigration, criminal justice reform, education, climate change, and the economy. Notably absent from this list? Democracy reform. Biden called democracy the “wellspring of our power.” He claims that if elected, he’ll fight to restore the Voting Rights Act, overturn Citizens United, and more. [1] But if democracy reform is really a priority for Biden and his campaign -- they must invest time, manpower, and resources into it. Just like he assembled strategists to develop the best environmental and economic policies, Biden must also consult a team of experts to form a plan to strengthen our democracy. After all -- we can’t make any progress on the issues we care about in a rigged democracy. If you agree that Biden must form a Democracy Reform Task Force, add your name now. 1) https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/trump-erodes-america-s-foundation-fourth-july-i-pledge-rebuild-ncna1232887

President Trump has made it clear to the American people: he will always put himself -- and those who stay loyal to him -- above the law. Late on a Friday night, Trump used his presidential powers to commute the sentence of his longtime political confidant Roger Stone. So even though Stone lied multiple times to Congress about his efforts to find out what WikiLeaks had on the Clinton campaign in 2016 -- and threatened someone with death to cover it up -- he will serve no prison time. And this isn’t the first time Trump has abused his position to protect Stone. In February, federal prosecutors recommended Stone serve a 7-9 year prison sentence -- but Trump had his loyalist Attorney General William Barr override them and recommend a lighter sentence instead. Trump’s constant efforts to shield himself and his friends from any accountability put the foundation of our democracy at risk. And -- Trump’s action sends a disturbing message to his campaign staff and advisors: he will protect and reward those who facilitate foreign interference in the election. Congress has a responsibility to check abuses of power by the president. That’s why our representatives must launch an investigation to determine if Trump’s commutation of Stone’s sentence involves illegal obstruction of justice, witness tampering, or even bribery.

A policy proposal was recently published that calls for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to address racism through anti-racist reforms. You can read the full proposal here: https://www.slideshare.net/TimothyBerry8/an-anti-racist-west-point In response to this proposal, West Point’s Inspector General (IG) has started a “comprehensive review of all matters involving race at the Academy.” However, the results of this review are not publicly available. Additionally, many of the actions recommended in the proposal can be acted upon without waiting for the results of this investigation. We request that West Point: 1. Publicly acknowledge that the Academy faces challenges with racism that harms Cadets, that this does not align with Academy values, and that it will adopt changes to eliminate racism. 2. Immediately adopt the actions not under the IG purview. 3. Publicly share the IG report and ensure its recommendations are instituted by the end of 2020. If you agree that West Point must swiftly begin to take action in building towards an anti-racist West Point, you can express your support by signing this petition.