Both The Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center list The WBC as a Hate Group, picketing the funerals of innocents, such as the children and adults of Newton, CT, and picketing the funeral of actor Paul Walker, military veterans, among others, based on their bigotry and homophobia, and the Southern Baptist Convention, along with The Baptist World Alliance, two of the largest Baptist denominations, don't recognize them as a sanctioned church, and have actually denounced the WBC. I am appalled that such hatred and self-righteous mockery of all that we as Americans hold dear can be, and is, rewarded by the continuing of granting them tax-exempt status. They do not deserve our generosity as tax-paying citizens, but our pity at their foolish blindness to truths that we strive for every day.

Peabody Energy developed the Prairie State Energy Campus as a way to burn some low-grade coal reserves in Illinois that it couldn't sell. But because Peabody got Midwestern cities to foot the bill, Columbia is now in debt for a strip mine, power plant, and coal ash landfill that are more than $2 billion over-budget, and we have to keep making payments no matter how poorly the plant runs. We want to continue to see more renewable energy powering our city; we don't want to see our electric rates and tax dollars funding a project that ties Columbia to dirty energy for decades.

American workers deserve to make a living wage. The President and Democratic leaders in the House and Senate have proposed raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, but the minimum wage should be $15 an hour because: (1) $10.10 an hour isn't enough to lift full-time workers and their families out of poverty; (2) Unlike 45 years ago, today's typical low-wage worker is not a teenager; he or she provides all or a large percent of family income; (3) The minimum wage would be at least $15 an hour if the minimum wage we had back in 1968 were adjusted for inflation and for the productivity gains we achieved since then; (4) Because some employers now pay wages that don't lift their employees out of poverty, the rest of us pay for their Medicaid, food stamps, housing, and other assistance -- in effect, subsidizing these low-wage employers; (5) Some jobs may be lost by raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, but many more people will be lifted out of poverty; (6) The economy will also benefit as low-wage workers have more money to spend, thereby creating more jobs; and (7) At a time in our nation's history when 95 percent of all economic gains are going to the top 1 percent, raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour is the right and decent thing to do.

When something proves itself unable to function as needed, it must be thrown out and replaced! The Harper government needs to be done away with. Are you going to let him and his senators foolishly spend tax dollars and witness more scandals? Sign the petition if you are against him and his regime.

Last year, Governor LePage vetoed a bill that would have brought millions of dollars in federal money to Maine so that 69,500 low-income Mainers could have health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Despite a broad, non-partisan campaign to secure a veto-proof majority for the bill’s passage, efforts failed in the final hours before session adjourned. Now, we have a second chance to bring that money to Maine. When research shows that accepting federal funds would save as many as 157 lives in the first year alone, create 4,400 new jobs, and generate at least $20 million in state and local taxes, why would any legislator turn that money down? Let’s not allow this opportunity to slip through our fingers. It’s good for Maine’s people, and it’s good for Maine.

Far too many people have suffered and died in Louisiana from AIDS. We must take actions NOW in order to have the first AIDS-free generation.

After working 31 years for the State of Ohio I found myself unemployed for the first time in my life due to my willingness in exercising my 1st amendment rights by speaking out against Governor Kasich's lack of diversity in his cabinet, his blatant attempts to strip certain Ohioan's voting rights & his selection of the Director of The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Corrections, Gary Mohr who happens to specialize in privatizing prisons. They began abusing their power via harassment after my avid support for President Obama!

Nine (12% of) Grade 12 students have just been expelled for personal possession or consumption of a prohibited substance on a school trip. For all of them this was a first offence. This expulsion came just weeks before final exams. They are now unable to complete High School exams, nor the IB, nor graduate from High School. Most of them had university offers which they now have to forego. What these students did was wrong and we, their parents, agree they should undergo consequences and learn from their foolish mistake. The ISK High School Handbook stipulates the following consequential options for this type of violation: 'in-school or at-home suspension; social/behavioural probation; in-school or external counselling; recommendation of expulsion'. ISK chose expulsion for all nine students who were caught. We think this punishment is disproportionate to the violation, and does not provide any value in terms of educational development for our children. One foolish mistake or bad choice and any ISK teenager could face the same lasting consequences. Please show your opposition to ISK's decision to expel the nine High School students by signing this petition. If you can, please leave a comment saying if you are an ISK parent, an educationalist etc.

To better protect all law abiding citizens from the corrupt actions of Law Enforcement Officers.

Support Providence Hotel Workers

Compared to the Active Component (AC), the Reserve Component (RC – National Guard & Reserves) are: 1) One-third the cost with the same operational performance. 2) On average older, more experienced senior and master aviators and mechanics. 3) Have a significantly better accident record. Here's an analogy... it's like the U.S. Olympic Team taking one third of their team, the third that are not full-time Olympians, but those that may have other jobs in addition to training for the Olympics, and just letting them go. And in that one third are some of the most committed, most passionate, and oftentimes most diverse and experienced. The ARI threatens to do just that to Guard Apache and Kiowa Warrior pilots and maintainers. These are the Guardsmen and women in your State, in your community, in your neighborhood. Are you, as a tax paying citizen, OK with that? Apache and Kiowa Warrior units in the Guard do more than just train for combat. They provide ready and immediate Domestic Operations (DOMOPs) to their respective States. They can provide an Air Base of Operations (AOB) for air and ground ops, and integrate with other services such as firefighting. Support companies within the Battalion can provide ground equipment (vehicles, generators) and mechanics; a robust medical section that can provide a variety of medical care; mobile kitchens as well as several tents that can provide heat and housing in the event of a natural disaster. Apache helicopters can provide airborne command and control, escort vehicles around destroyed bridges and other infrastructure, and use FLIR (infrared) to locate isolated persons and even find hot spots during firefighting to assist with water bucket drops. As you can see, the Guard provides a valuable role whether serving at home or overseas. This is a grassroots effort to raise awareness - please speak out to your representatives and let them know why you disagree with this! Make sure you bring to their attention the proposed House Resolution 3930, which if approved will halt the ARI for at least 2 years and allow an independent study to be conducted. To learn more, and to contact your representatives, go to: http://savetheguard.weebly.com/speak-out.html We need your help now... President Obama's budget drops on or around March 4th! http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/house-bill/3930/cosponsors

The NFL should not openly support such a discriminatory practice. Thousands -- including LGBT people-- will visit AZ for the Super Bowl. By keeping the Super Bowl in AZ, the NFL is saying it's OK for some of their fans to be discriminated against.