On New Year's Eve, Oscar Grant was shot execution-style by transit police officer Johannes Mehserle in Oakland, California. He was shot in the back while lying face down on a subway platform, unarmed and restrained by other officers.
Despite damning video evidence, it took nearly two weeks for the District Attorney to arrest Mehserle and charge him with murder. The DA admitted that it was only due to massive public pressure that he moved even at that pace, pressure that included more than 20,000 ColorOfChange members speaking up.
That's why it's so important for each of us to commit to staying involved. Johannes Mehserle's arrest is important, but it's only the first step. In cases like this, history has repeatedly shown that as soon as the public eye turns away the prospect of justice fades.
We need you--and so does Oscar Grant's family. Making sure the prosecution does its job and pushing for much-needed reforms will require your voice. Are you in? Click below--it takes just a moment:
In 14 years as Alameda County District Attorney, Tom Orloff had never before charged a police officer for an on-duty shooting. And when asked, several legal experts were unable to come up with any examples of officer-involved shootings becoming murder cases in California.
But overwhelming public pressure made it impossible for Orloff to ignore Oscar Grant's murder. He said that "because of the intense public interest I think more resources were put into wrapping this up than would be put in in other situations." Orloff made it clear that because enough ordinary people spoke out, he poured investigative resources into this case that his record tells us he never would have otherwise.
We've exposed a chink in the armor of a system that protects trigger-happy cops instead of regular folks. Now there's a real opportunity to create systemic changes that would introduce transparency and accountability to police forces across California, and especially to the BART Police Department. We need to keep the pressure on Tom Orloff to make sure he keeps devoting time and energy to Mehserle's prosecution.
Help honor the memory of Oscar Grant and others who have fallen victim to police violence. Please sign up to stay involved in pushing for justice in this case and for real accountability for police. Join me:
We've seen aid achieve some amazing things in recent years - like over 29 million more children in school for the first time, and over 2 million more Africans with access to AIDS medications. But we must recognize the ongoing hunger crisis for the obstacle that it is and work to overcome it if we hope to continue our success. Europe can lead the way right now by giving African agriculture the support it needs.
There has been a lot of progress against extreme poverty in recent years, but, as recent headlines about the global food crisis and natural disasters like Cyclone Nargis in Burma will tell you, there is still much to be done.
When we unite with one voice and call upon our leaders to take action, we can and will solve these problems.
After decades of repression, the Tibetan people are crying out to the world for change. The Olympic spotlight is now on China, and Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama is calling to end all riots and violence through restraint and dialogue.
China's hardliners are lashing out publicly at the Dalai Lama--but many Chinese leaders believe dialogue is the best hope for stability in Tibet. The government is right now considering a crucial choice between repression and dialogue that could determine Tibet's--and China's--future.
We can affect this historic choice--President Hu Jintao values China's reputation, and he needs to hear from us that the 'Made in China' brand and the upcoming Olympics in Beijing will succeed only if he chooses dialogue over the hardliners' repression. An avalanche of global people power is moving to get his attention. In just one week, over 1 million people have signed our petition, which will be delivered in rallies at Chinese embassies worldwide on Monday--click below to join the global outcry, and then forward this email to friends and family right away:
China's economy is dependent on "Made in China" exports that we all buy, and the government is keen to make the Olympics in Beijing this summer a celebration of a new and respected China. China is also a sprawling, diverse country with much brutality in its past, so it has good reasons to be concerned about stability--some of Tibet's rioters killed innocent people. But President Hu must recognize that the greatest danger to Chinese stability and development today comes from hardliners who advocate escalating repression, not from those Tibetans seeking dialogue and reform.
The Tibetan people have suffered quietly for decades. It is finally their moment to speak--we must help them be heard.
With hope and respect,
Ricken, Pascal, Graziela, Iain, Paul, Galit, Milena, Ben and the whole Avaaz team
Here are some links with more information on the Tibetan protests and the Chinese response:
A new virus has just been discovered that has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive ever. This virus was discovered yesterday afternoon by McAfee . This virus simply destroys Sector Zero from the hard disk, where vital information for its functioning are stored. This virus acts in the following manner: It sends itself automatically to all contacts on your list with the title: "You've received a Post Card from a Family member."
As soon as the supposed virtual card is opened the computer freezes so that the user has to reboot. When the ctrl+alt+ del keys or the reset button are pressed, the virus destroys Sector Zero, thus permanently destroying the hard disk. Yesterday in just a few hours this virus caused panic in New York , according to news broadcast by CNN.
This alert was received by an employee of Microsoft itself. So don't open any mails with subject: "A Post Card from ." As soon as you get the mail, delete it! Even if you know the sender! Please pass this mail to all of your friends.
Forward this to everyone in your address book. I'm sure most people, like myself, would rather receive this notice 25 times than not at All
Georgia, the second smallest of the former Soviet Republics, with a population of around 5 million, has been in financial crisis since the early 1990s, along with 2 civil wars and general collapse of society. From being the richest per capita republic in the USSR 15 years ago, it is now one of the poorest. Only in the last few years, since November 2003, has any hope of things changing sprung up, with the dramatic "Rose Revolution" of Mikheil Saakashvili, elected Georgian President by an overwhelming -- and largely fair -- majority in January 2004. But there is still much to do. The country has many thousands of poor people, including refugees, Gypsies, pensioners living on next to nothing, and those for whom job opportunities have simply not materialized, or for whom their old job has finished, e.g. in the many factories which are now ruined. There is much begging in the streets.
Children are among the beggars, as well, denied a chance at education and a normal life by the economic situation of their families.
One small effort to help street children in the capital, Tbilisi -- both those actually living on the streets and those who have a home of some sort but are still very poor -- has been in action for a few years now.
Our work with homeless and poor children started in the Spring of 2002. From that time until now we have given out small packets of sandwiches, and clothing and gifts when we had the possibility, at the same time inviting children and parents to the place which we had begun to rent.
The purpose of our work is to give them emotional, material and spiritual help; and towards this we are developing various programmes. We help them learn foreign languages – Georgian and English – and teach them other things as well, including the Bible, mathematics, geography and history; we have time for handicrafts, games, the celebration of Christmas and Easter; and there is always a hot lunch for them. Almost all of them also regularly attend Sunday School organised by the Georgian Baptist Church.
In the summer holidays the children have the chance for a getaway in evangelical camps, which are prepared beforehand and take place in various regions of Georgia. In the summer of 2004 our children had a camp on the Black Sea coast, organized by the Baptist church. They have gone to these camps every summer since then.
Currently, about 10 children come to us regularly, divided into 2 groups – the younger ones and the teenagers. We work with them from Mondays to Fridays.
Our needs to continue this project are US$600 per month. This includes $150 for rent; $150 for utilities, food and study materials; and $100 pay for each of the three workers.
We would be grateful for your consideration.
God bless you,
Nato Abulashvili The Ark Tbilisi, Georgia
Should you desire to help us financially, bank details are below:
BENEFICIARY'S BANK: TBC BANK 11, Chavchavadze Ave, Tbilisi, Georgia. SWIFT:TBSBGE22 Beneficiary's Account: 144070641 Name of BENEFICIARY: NATALIE ABULASHVILI
At this site, you can help to support worthwhile causes every month, and it's possible to click and support them as many times as you like!
So why not pop into Youth Noise, and support them by clicking on a regular basis? This month, they are supporting Building with Books, a philanthropic organisation, which runs out-of-school programs that empower American youth through intensive community service. BwB also helps people in developing countries increase their self-reliance through education.
So it's not just about Books, but about the lives of young people who, with encouragement, can make a real difference to their world So please visit Youth Noise, help their campaign by clicking on the link and why not add it to your bookmarks for daily visits?
If people with a
potential for
enlightenment are willing
to see in this way, they
must investigate most
deeply and examine most
closely; all of a sudden
they will gain mastery of
it and have no further
doubt.
The reason you do not
understand is jus...
I had a fight with the
neighbour this afternoon.
Apparently I'm not
helping them enough.
They don't know, or don't
care, that I haven't done
anything for myself for
years. I have trouble
getting out of bed
sometimes.
I had suicidal ideation
for a w...
Keep up the good work!
Washington can be a very
lonely place when you are
fighting for progressive
ideas like Medicare for
All and an end to the
occupations of Iraq and
Afghanistan. It is
for that reason I wanted
to thank all my friends
at...
FOREVER I-SOUL-8-DAs I go
deeper into exploration
of MySelf, I am finding
it a pleasure also to
look at words and go
deeper into them too.
Some of course offer
great depth, alternative
symbolic understanding
and meaning way beyond
the everyday useage....
You probably won't hear
anything in the news
about this anniversary
until the 50th is
reached.
However, I realized that
it is significant in the
fact that Kennedy was
forty-six years old at
the time of his death.
For those who were alive
and old en...
With the opening of the
13th stargate (rose) on
11/11/11 and another
11/11/11 on 29 November I
thought it appropriate to
bring to the fore the
13th house of the
Astrological Zodiac we
are entering into on 30
November for 3 weeks or
so.... accordingly...
I went down to Reston to
see Dana and Victoria.
Dana and I took Echo for
a walk on the Canupawakpa
hiking trail.
After supper, I went back
to Virden to play poker
at the Legion.
It went better than I
expected, and I came
close to making the final
t...
This little snow flake is
the magic of the season
.....for each is unique -
rare and perfect - as are
each of you - therefore
as the season begins to
unfold - know in your
heart that each of you
are perfect - rare -
unique and I am therefore
blessed ...
The purpose of our work is to give them emotional, material and spiritual help; and towards this we are developing various programmes. We help them learn foreign languages – Georgian and English – and teach them other things as well, including the Bible, mathematics, geography and history; we have time for handicrafts, games, the celebration of Christmas and Easter; and there is always a hot lunch for them. Almost all of them also regularly attend Sunday School organised by the Georgian Baptist Church.
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