I'm calling for an industry wide audit of all Oregon strip clubs pertaining to proof of legal age of their dancers, also I want to demand backround checks for managers and bouncers that are, in actuality, employed with the main purpose of that employment being to protect these girls during their shifts. Not only is it criminally unsafe to employ sex offenders in this particular industry, but highly illegal. Clubs should be practicing these precautions anyways. This petiton effects our entire community. We need to come together and protect our young women from sexual exploitation, as well as from the sexual predators looking exploite them. Recently, two 13 year old girls were found working at the Beaverton Starz Caberat strip club, they were being sexually abused, fed methanphetamines as well as being forced to prostitute themselves.Out of the two managers arrested for their involvement, one of them was in fact, a registered sex offender. The severity and perverse nature of this injustice calls for immediate action. As Americans, it is our sworn duty to look out for one another. We are an evolved, mature society capable of systematically and effectively extinguishing the evils threatening our world today. If we don't do something about it, these tragedies will continue to occur. We have to keep these monsters away from our little girls. The solution is simple and had Starz been conducting correct buisness practices in the first place, this horrific event essentially could have been avoided. I personally have a 13 year old niece that I love very much, making this whole situation that much more sinister and upsetting. Please do your part and sign this petition. Together we can help prevent any more young girls from experiencing this nightmare.

People are fed up with war and violence. Give peace a chance.

The Obama administration’s proposal to remove the gray wolf from the federal endangered species list. Critics oppose federal delisting because that leaves it up to the states to decide how to manage wolves living within their boundaries. They say states have ramped up hunting quotas and fear that the gray wolf’s slow and fragile recovery could be overturned. This animal should be protected by the people

I am an Iranian American who understands the roots of the unfortunate mistrust that has developed between USA and Iran over the past 60 years, and recognizes the common interests. I strongly believe that there is now a short time window to amend the existing sour relationship, and a great opportunity for resolving the major conflicts. I see far more opportunities in making peace with Iran than maintaining the hostile approach towards Iran and continuing along the same path.

I was raised in Pennsylvania's woods. I am heartbroken when I visit the state forests including Tiadaghton, Black Moshannon, and Loyalsock and see how they have been forever changed. The drilling and pipelining of these lands are obscene. The fact that there is already a glut of gas without drilling state owned property underscores the fact that this drilling is based on greed not need. Why should Pennsylvania's public resources be destroyed to allow private interests to drill for gas and oil destined for China and India? Why should lands protected for future generations of Pennsylvanians be exploited to enrich billionaire's coffers? I hope this petition will help to enlighten state legislators about public opinion concerning our state forests and balance the efforts of ALEC and other industry efforts to promote fracking on public lands.

Dr. Marc Epstein is veteran of the New York City system who is extremely concerned with the direction we are heading. Epstein has been published in City Journal, The Post, The Daily News and various influential blogs. His writings have demonstrated an intellect and caring that could only benefit a system that is currently in disarray. His knowledge of both national and local education issues is obvious.

Dr. Dallas Williams was wrongly convicted of this crime, and under statute he should have been convicted of a misdemeanor if in fact he was guilty of anything at all, which he is not.

My neighbors pay their mortgage by donating plasma and yet do not qualify for Medicaid in Kansas. They have health conditions that need care but aren’t getting it. A friend goes without his insulin because he cannot afford to buy it but also does not qualify because he is too poor for Obamacare. Under the Affordable Care Act Kansans who are below 138% of the federal poverty level ($15,856 for an individual and $32,499 for a family of four) are not eligible. This leaves 240,000 Kansans uninsured. It was intended that the Medicaid Expansion would then cover these people but our Governor did not accept it for Kansas. A key provision of the Affordable Care Act is the expansion of the Medicaid program to these Kansans. The federal government will pay most of the costs of financing the Medicaid expansion.

In a nation and world grown weary of war, there remain -- within our own borders -- powerful voices opposed to peace. President Obama and Western nations have reached an interim agreement with Iran which would prevent another war by assuring the world that Iran could not develop a nuclear weapon. Diplomatic negotiations are ongoing; yet, tragically, the voices of intolerance are already seeking to undermine Obama's diplomatic progress before negotiations for a final resolution can conclude. By setting double standards and violating the spirit of the existing accord, Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor has produced a bill which would undermine the interim agreement almost as soon as it was reached. I say: Give Peace a Chance! We must work cooperatively with the entire international community. Most ordinary Iranians love America and want peace. Those opposed to peace negotiations with Iran should recall that WMD's were not located in Iraq, but only in the hearts of those who were certain of their existence elsewhere. In this season of peace, let us remember that our greatest enemy is the fear and hatred in our own hearts. Our nation must demonstrate its true power by a willingness to first seek peace. Let's join our voices with the angel who said, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be for all people…and on earth peace, good will toward men." Please sign my petition urging Virginia congressmen to support President Obama's negotiations for peace. Thank you! Herbert Fitzell *Hoyer Praised For Backing Off Eric Cantor’s Iran Resolution; Think Progress, December 12. Update 12/20/13: News reports indicate that VA Senator Mark Warner will support increased sanctions against Iran. A senior Obama administration official put it very succinctly to the Huffington Post: “The fact is, passing new sanctions now would split the international community, embolden Iranian hard-liners, and likely derail any prospect of a diplomatic resolution. Members of Congress pressing for this bill are effectively choosing to close the door on diplomacy, making it far more likely that we’ll be left only with a military option.” Update 1/14/14: As of this date only Congressman Forbes has submitted a formal response to my petition. In a letter dated January 3, Congressman Forbes responded: "The Iranian regime has also sought to disrupt our efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq and continues to threaten our Israeli allies. Clearly a stable Middle East can only be realized when Iran stops supporting terrorism and ceases its pursuit of nuclear weapons." But it was the teenage Katniss Everdeen who got it right in Mockingjay when she said of these Hunger Games, "Because something is significantly wrong with a creature that sacrifices its children's lives to settle its differences. You can spin it any way you like...The truth is, it benefits no one to live in a world where these things happen." (Collins 377). Update 1/24/14: It appears that congressional support for new Iran sanctions is growing weaker. Several days after my original petition, bipartisan legislation was introduced in the Senate. The Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act (S.1881) was introduced by Senator Menendez (D-NJ), which proposes new sanctions on Iran. This is a bad idea. See article below by Steven L. Spiegel. I received an e-mail today from Senator Mark Warner who said: "I believe that it is important to allow this interim agreement a chance to proceed as a verifiable diplomatic solution is the preferred outcome. Nonetheless, Iran must live up to the terms of the compact or risk additional sanctions." Senator Warner is cosponsoring S.1881, the Iran Nuclear Weapon Free Act of 2013. Fortunately, this bill does not have enough votes for a veto-proof majority in the Senate. Public pressure has turned the tide. According to Sara Haghdoosti of MoveOn.org, "...we made this happen. Over the last few weeks since this legislation was announced, over 150,000 people have taken action, we've made over 10,000 phone calls and had petition deliveries all across the country. What we're doing is working and that's exactly why we can't let up now. What we've achieved over the last few weeks is proof that not only can we fight back against war—we can help create the space for politicians to become champions for diplomacy." All we are saying is Give Peace A Chance! Thanks so much for signing my petition. Support for new Iran sanctions wanes —MSNBC. January 17 January 23, 2014, 02:00 pm Congress, don't pass the Nuclear Weapons Free Iran Act By Steven L. Spiegel Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/foreign-policy/196154-congress-dont-pass-the-nuclear-weapons-free-iran-act#ixzz2rLiKsM6H 2/7/14 Update: Great News. Today i declare victory - for now. We Gave Peace a Chance and we won! See the details according to MoveOn: Starting in late November, after the interim deal with Iran was announced and reports surfaced that Congressman Cantor was trying to work with Congressman Hoyer on a sanctions bill, nearly 150,000 MoveOn members signed a petition calling on Democrats not to join with Republicans and torpedo negotiations. MoveOn members also made thousands of phone calls to the House and Senate prior to the holiday recess. · In January, when the Senate returned and new sanctions were on the table, MoveOn worked with progressive allies like Berim.org to generate more than 10,000 phone calls to Congress from MoveOn members demanding diplomacy, not new sanctions that could lead to a rush to war with Iran. · In early February, MoveOn, again working with Berim.org and progressive partners, flew MoveOn members from across the country to Washington for meetings with their representatives on Capitol Hill as Sen. Menendez held a Foreign Relations Committee hearing on sanctions legislation. · On Tuesday, Sen. Chris Murphy partnered with MoveOn.org to continue to mobilize grassroots support for diplomacy by auth...

Unless we act now, vital funding for clean wind power could disappear on December 31. The Koch brothers and dirty energy companies have been lobbying our elected officials to kill an important tax credit program vital to the success of wind power and other sources of renewable energy. We can't let them succeed. I am a state senator from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As an elected official and Climate Parents member, I am an advocate for kid-safe, climate-safe energy. Wind currently provides 25% of Iowa’s electricity generation, a feat made possible by the wind power tax credit. Congress must take action to keep this credit and continue to grow our renewable energy industries. If this tax credit expires, it paves the way for more unsustainable dirty energy that puts our climate and our kids in danger. What happens with climate change in our children's lives depends on the climate action our generation takes. Are we going to increase carbon pollution, fueling climate-related disasters? Or, will we take action to promote safe, clean energy that will allow us to stabilize the climate? To give our children and grandchildren a chance to live in a healthy world with 100% renewable electricity, Congress must extend this vital tax credit for wind energy. The Production Tax Credit (PTC) helps wind energy compete with highly subsidized fossil fuel industries. It helps attracts investors for new wind projects. The PTC fosters innovation and employs tens of thousands of Americans in the clean energy economy. The PTC is a winner for jobs, innovation, children's health, and the climate. Because of wind energy's growing success, dirty energy billionaires, like the Koch brothers, are trying to kill it. According to the Huffington Post (12/9/13), they have "enlisted their extensive network of think tanks, advocacy groups, and friends on Capitol Hill to spearhead a campaign to pull the plug on the PTC." That's why it's so important we send a strong message to Congress that the Koch brothers and their dirty energy friends don't represent us. They certainly don’t represent the best interests of our kids and grandkids. Congress has already heard from dirty energy industry lobbyists -- now they have to hear from us. Families across the country need to speak up and tell Congress to save the renewable energy production tax credit for our children, our economy, our health, and our future.

Twenty-year old Morium Begum lost her baby in her seventh month because of the unsafe working conditions she was forced into by Next Collections, a company that gives 70 percent of its output to Gap and Old Navy. Begum was forced to work over 100 hours a week, even while pregnant and ill. Her wage? Twenty-four cents an hour or less. The horror stories about the Next Collections factory are too numerous to count. According to a report released on 10/3/13 by the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights, physical punishment -- including beatings -- are standard practice, as is illegal firing. Workers are paid in cash so that they can be cheated out of hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Women are denied maternity leave. By the third week in a month, most workers do not have any money left to pay for food. Gap has allowed these abuses to continue, even though they are in violation of its official code of conduct. But Gap depends on our business to be successful. As a Gap customer, you have the power to stop this abuse. Tell Gap that you will boycott their stores until they adopt safe and fair labor practices. If enough people stop giving Gap business, the company will be forced to re-evaluate. It’s time the public stopped accepting sweatshop labor. We cannot in good conscience buy cheap clothes at the expense of human lives. Please join me in boycotting Gap until they end the abuses and beatings at the Next Collections factory. To learn more about Gap’s human rights abuses, please visit: http://www.globallabourrights.org/reports?id=0658 http://www.greenamerica.org/programs/responsibleshopper/company.cfm?id=229 https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/10/04-2

On December 5th, workers at the 181st Street Domino’s in New York City’s Washington Heights participated in a nationwide walkout to support underpaid fast-food employees. Management’s response was to have delivery workers—who only make $6/hour and must rely on tips—staff the store instead, but refused to pay them minimum wage for their time. After bringing this issue to management’s attention, the 20 delivery workers were fired. Sign our petition, urging Domino’s Pizza to immediately reinstate these workers.