As I write this, the clock that indicates how much time we have left to avoid a 1.5 degree temperature increase is about to roll over from 7 years, 0 days, 00:00:00 to 6 years, 364 days, 23:59:59. In spite of this, and the fact that the majority of Pennsylvanians want to see their government act on climate, our state government continues to take us in the wrong direction, approving more fossil fuel and petrochemical development while pushing for huge investments in false climate solutions promoted by the fossil fuel industry. Among them are technologies like Carbon Capture and Storage and Blue Hydrogen, initiatives like turning western PA into a Hydrogen Hub, and specific projects like Nacero, Encina, and KeyState. Our clock must serve as a permanent reminder that our government needs to break its ties with the industries responsible for the ever-shortening amount of time it counts down and take swift, bold, and just action on climate.

The overturning of Roe v. Wade requires bold action. It is important for the Surgeon General to issue a letter to every American household giving them complete and accurate information about medication abortion, to increase knowledge and availability of this safe and effective process.

The language the media uses requires accuracy.

It’s not enough to hit pause on human rights violations Did you know the Biden administration has asked Israel to pause “actions in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem that could create tensions” ahead of the president’s visit to the region this week? That means they’ll play “nice” while the diplomats meet, but once the president is gone, it’s back to business as usual: occupation, evictions, bulldozers, and violence. Take Masafer Yatta — just weeks before President Biden’s first official visit to the Middle East, Israel began the largest forced eviction in the West Bank in DECADES. At least 1,000 Palestinians living in the villages of Masafer Yatta are facing eviction as the Israeli government continues its strategy of illegal encroachment in the West Bank. It’s not enough for the Israeli government to simply pause their human rights violations, and we can help put a stop to them once and for all. Usually, this kind of aggression by Israel’s government would be overlooked by the United States. But with President Biden touching down in the region today, and members of Congress already speaking out, we have a unique opportunity to push for more and to STOP the evictions and demolitions before it’s too late.

Ask yourself, would you want a slaughterhouse next to you home? Bottom line is that this slaughterhouse/meat processing facility does not belong in a residential neighborhood. It is a commercial operation and belongs in a commercial setting.

Ben & Jerry’s is in court protecting their decision to stop selling ice cream in occupied Palestinian territories, after a betrayal by their parent company, Unilever. To appease the Israeli government, Alan Jope, CEO at Unilever, authorized a backroom deal to sell the franchise to an Israeli company – essentially overriding Ben & Jerry’s decision. Sign the petition: tell Unilever to stop its betrayal of Ben & Jerry’s and Palestinian human rights. Ben & Jerry’s made the human rights-affirming decision in 2020 to stop doing business in occupied Palestine, following a decade of grassroots organizing and campaigning by Palestinians and allies across the globe. In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s finally went public with their decision — after a particularly brutal Israeli military assault on Gaza which killed over 200 people — and during a huge surge of international support for Palestinian freedom. Now, a year after Ben & Jerry’s public announcement, their parent company, Unilever, has made a backroom deal to sell ice cream operations to the Israeli licensee rather than honor Ben & Jerry’s decision to respect Palestinian lives.

On June 27, Jayland Walker was pulled over for an alleged “traffic and equipment violation.” Eight Akron Police Department officers shot at Jayland more than 90 times in seven seconds. Jayland suffered 60 gunshot wounds. Then the same officers who murdered him handcuffed his lifeless body. The police bodycam footage reveals eight cops killed a Black man while five officers stood by and watched. Our hearts break for Jayland’s family and the Akron community. Jayland was a young man with a family and a bright future, a human who deserved to be treated with dignity. Instead, Akron police murdered him. The officers who fired more than 90 shots at Jayland are on paid administrative leave. As we mourn and turn our outrage into action, this moment requires us to recognize a painful truth: The police murder of Jayland Walker is not an anomaly. We’ve been here before. • In South Carolina, Walter Scott was stopped by police for a non-functioning brake light. • In Michigan, Patrick Lyoya was stopped for improper vehicle registration. • Just outside Minneapolis, where police murdered George Floyd, Daunte Wright was pulled over for minor traffic violations and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. All of these Black men were murdered by police during routine traffic stops. In a country where armed, militarized police are the response to every incident and crisis — and Black people are viewed as threats, not human beings — Black people aren’t issued tickets or citations; we receive death sentences. Now, as Jayland’s family and neighbors take to the street to demand justice, the Akron Police Department has initiated a terror campaign against protesters and journalists. From tear gas and rubber bullets to false imprisonment, Akron police have waged war against people demanding justice for Jayland as demonstrated by the violent arrests of Bianca Austin, the aunt of Breonna Taylor, and Jacob Blake Sr., the father of Jacob Blake. Police terrorism continues to target Black and Indigenous communities. And when people stand up to protest police brutality, cops douse them with chemical weapons and beat them with batons. This is who the police are, and dehumanizing and terrorizing Black people is what they’re paid to do. The murder of Jayland Walker and the violent police response in Akron are just the latest cruel examples of what happens when elected officials prioritize policing over investments that actually keep communities safe. That’s why we’re standing with The Freedom BLOC to demand Akron’s elected officials: 1. Protect protesters: Immediately end the use of tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets. 2. Stop arresting protesters and free those who have been detained: Immediately release all protesters from jail, expunge their records and remove all fines and fees. 3. Create and fund an unarmed traffic enforcement unit for routine traffic stops. 4. Invest in community-led public safety solutions. Invest in what keeps Black communities safe, including reparations, housing, public transportation, food security, health care and community-controlled public safety alternatives. According to Mapping Police Violence, Black people are 4.9 times more likely to be killed by police than white people in Ohio. And when we protest police violence, we become the next target of police brutality. We must take action to end this vicious cycle.

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court's outrageous and harmful ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, President Joe Biden has reportedly caved to a demand by Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to appoint an anti-abortion extremist to a lifetime appointment on the federal bench. The federal judges below the Supreme Court are the only ones protecting reproductive rights at this point, and we can't afford even one new anti-abortion jurist on the bench. We cannot imagine a more out-of-touch move at this moment. Women overwhelmingly backed Biden over Trump in his bid for the presidency, and now he is taking our votes for granted and using us as bargaining chips. Let's take a look at the record of Chad Meredith, the Kentucky attorney Biden is considering awarding a lifetime position: Meredith has devoted much of his career to defending abortion restrictions in the Bluegrass State, including a controversial law on the books that requires doctors offering abortions to conduct fetal ultrasounds while playing audio of the heartbeat and giving vivid descriptions of the image. Meredith is also a member of the radically conservative Federalist Society, which also counts in its rolls anti-Roe Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. The fact that Senator Mitch McConnell wants Meredith on the federal court bench is all we need to know about Meredith's fitness for the job. We are a resolute NO on this appointment. Tell President Biden he must not consider Chad Meredith or any anti-abortion extremist for our courts!

Join others and demand state legislatures stop violating the rights of their citizens. A majority of Americans support access to abortion and state laws must reflect that. Let your voice be heard!

Amazon and the rest of corporate America want to reap the benefits of appearing pro-reproductive rights without actually having to stop their donations to candidates actively passing abortion bans. Companies across various industries—from AT&T and Disney to Amazon—have donated to Republicans and extremists for years including Republican governors who are now signing abortion bans into law. Amazon released a statement that “team members should get the care they need" and have offered to reimburse their staff for travel. But that’s simply not enough to combat an issue they’ve contributed to. Amazon has the opportunity to actually support their staff, by ending all donations to Republican and right-wing extremist candidates that will support abortion bans and limit worker’s rights across the country.

These organizations aggressively lie to teens in their most vulnerable moments – telling them abortion is dangerous, that ultrasounds or other procedures are required when they aren’t, and that local clinics don’t have appointments available when they do. This creates a significant public health risk. Some experts estimate abortion bans will increase maternal mortality in women and girls of color by 33%, the same population most likely to see abortion services from a deceitful center. By profiting from these centers’ advertisements, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat are spreading misinformation about critical health issues to vulnerable kids.

Ketamine works for Major Depressive Disorder, PTSD, Bi-Polar Disorder, and other mental health disorders. It stops suicide cold, in just a few hours. Clinicians have been administering these infusions for many years. It is safe and effective. The initial course of therapy is six infusions over three weeks, and costs up to $500 per infusion. People on Medicare and Medicaid typically have low incomes and many cannot afford the cost because CMS has not approved it for coverage. It is immoral to have Americans resorting to suicide when there is medication therapy that can help! The medication should not be out of reach because of cost. Many other FDA-approved drugs are routinely used off-label and approved by CMS. Ketamine is FDA-approved. Ketamine is safe. Ketamine SAVES LIVES!