Get Your Laws Off My Body

Get Your Laws Off My Body

A friend read that slogan to me, written large in a women's restroom on campus. 

Most women don't even Know they are pregnant at six weeks.  In my state the last clinic providing safe, legal, abortions, even to save a mother's life who already Has children to care for, is being targeted for closure.

The supposedly Supreme Court gets to decide if employers can deny their female workers birth control, NOT abortion, just Birth control!  

Where do these people get such "rights"?  I didn't vote for them.

Take Action Now

Right now, politicians in Alabama are considering the most extreme and restrictive

abortion ban in the country. And if that wasn't bad enough, this bill, which would

ban abortion at just six weeks of pregnancy, is only one part of a sweeping package

of bills aimed at restricting a woman's personal medical decisions.

Add your name to stand with Alabama women

If it becomes law, the proposed six week ban would become the earliest ban and most

extreme ban in the country, with no exceptions for cases of rape and incest. Many

women do not even know they are pregnant at six weeks — something that these Alabama

politicians don't seem to care about. Unfortunately, these politicians aren't the

first to try it. Just last year a federal judge blocked a similar ban passed in North

Dakota because it was blatantly unconstitutional. If passed, this bill would essential

ban all abortions in the state of Alabama.

Pledge to fight against the most extreme abortion ban in the country — take action now

The larger package of restrictions includes other dangerous bills that block access

to reproductive care. There's even a bill that would allow staff at an emergency

room to turn away a woman who is experiencing a miscarriage.

States like Alabama are working to restrict women's health care at an alarming rate. Sign the pledge now to oppose these extreme restrictions

Women in Alabama, and every state, are capable of making their own decisions when

it comes to reproductive health care. It's time for lawmakers to learn that they

cannot put women's health in danger by eliminating abortion.

Thanks for keeping it personal,

Thao Nguyen

Campaign Director

This Is Personal

We sent you this email because you signed up for news updates and action alerts about

women's reproductive health from This

Is Personal. If you don't want to get these anymore,

click here to unsubscribe

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Privacy Policy

All content © 2014 National Women's Law Center

11 Dupont Circle NW, #800

Washington, DC 20036

Trigger Warning:

  A man who sexually assaulted his  two children under the age of Four was given Parole by a judge who said this wealthy heir "Wouldn't fare well in prison."  Does he not think imprisoning those children with their father/abuser is not "Cruel and all Too Usual Punishment?"  Does he think those children will "fare well" at home?

A wealthy heir was convicted of raping his 3-year-old daughter and sexually abusing

his 19-month-old son.

But the judge gave him only probation, saying he "wouldn't fare well" in prison.

 Demand this judge be removed from the bench.

click here

Click Here

This is hard to stomach--

Robert Richards IV, a wealthy heir to the DuPont fortune, was convicted of raping

his 3-year-old daughter and sexually abusing his 19-month-old son

, crimes he admitted to. But instead of putting this dangerous abuser behind bars,

the

judge shockingly gave him only probation, justifying this by saying Richards "wouldn't

fare well" in prison

.1

What?!

There is so much wrong with this situation it's hard to know where to begin.

The idea that someone's sentencing should be based on their financial position and

the luxuries that they're used to is disgusting.

 But even more importantly, two young survivors of sexual abuse will see no justice,

and a violent pedophile is walking free. The judge in this case, Jan Jurden, is sending

the unbelievable message that

if you've got a trust fund and a powerful family, you are free to do whatever you

want with zero consequences--including raping your children

.

That's not the world we want to live in. And that's not the world survivors of rape

and violence deserve to live in.

Right now, this story is blowing up. As more and more media report on it, the pressure

on Judge Jan Jurden is growing. If we all speak out now while the story is in the

spotlight, we can force Judge Jan Jurden to be removed from the bench for this gross

misrepresentation of justice.

Can you stand up for a 3-year-old survivor and demand Judge Jan Jurden be disrobed? Click here to sign the petition.

Robert Richards IV is the great-grandson of multi-billionaire Irenee DuPont, and

a member of the eighth richest family in America.

2

 He lives off a massive trust fund and doesn't need to work.

3

 Of course, immediately after he was charged with abusing his children, he hired

a top-notch expensive law firm to help him dodge the charges. He even denied that

he was a rapist and abuser.

4

But even the best lawyers couldn't help Richards when he failed a lie-dector test

and

admitted that he had raped his children.5

He accepted a deal and pleaded to fourth-degree rape, a violent felony with a maximum

15-year sentence.

6

 But rather than the max he could have been given,

Judge Jan Jurden chose to let him off with a slap on the wrist.

For raping his children.

Worse, officials tried to hide the case from the public

 after returning Richards to his life in luxury. It wasn't until Richards' former

wife filed a lawsuit that the story came to light.

7

This isn't the first time that money prevails over justice. Just last year, a judge

let off the son of wealthy parents who plowed into a car while driving drunk and

high on drugs, killing four people. The judge gave him probation and sent him home,

saying he wouldn't do time behind bars, because

he suffered from "affluenza"--being too rich to understand right from wrong.8

This kind of preference that lets some people get away with horrific crimes because

of wealth and power can no longer go unchecked. Already, a meager 8% of rape survivors

take their cases to court because of the scrutiny and victim-blaming they are often

subjected to.

9

 But after this ruling, how many people won't report a rape because the abuser is

wealthy and seemingly untouchable?

We need to prove that judges can't get away with favoring wealthy abusers over their

victims simply because the abuser has money and power. Public pressure from 140,000

UltraViolet members helped hold a Montana Judge accountable when he let a teen girl's

rapist off the hook.

10

 And we can do it again. UltraViolet might not have billions of dollars to advocate

for a 3-year-old rape survivor.

But there are 550,000 of us and because of that, we are a force to be reckoned with.

 Let's send the message that we WILL hold Judge Jan Jurden accountable even if she

chose not to hold a rich pedophile accountable.

Can you sign the petition demanding the judge who let the rapist of a 3-year-old go free be removed from the bench? Click here to add your name.

Thanks for taking action.

--Nita, Shaunna, Kat, Karin, Adam, Gabriela, and Holly, the UltraViolet team

Sources:

1.

Report: Judge said duPont heir wouldn't "fare well" in prison

, CBS News, March 31, 2014

2.

America's Richest Families

, Forbes, December 3, 2009

3.

One Percenter Convicted of Raping Child Dodges Jail Because "He Will Not Fare Well,"

 Huffington Post, March 30, 2014

4. Ibid

5. Ibid

6.

DEL CODE § 770 : Delaware Code - Section 770: RAPE IN THE FOURTH DEGREE; CLASS C FELONY

, FindLaw

Delaware Felony Crimes by Class and Sentence

, Criminal Defense Lawyer

7.

Du Pont heir dodged prison for raping 3-year-old daughter after judge ruled he 'would not fare well' behind bars

, NY Daily News, March 31, 2014

8.

Texas rich kid who killed 4 in drunken car crash spared jail

, NY Daily News, December 11, 2013

9.

Reporting Rapes

, Rape Abuse and Incest National Network

10.

Activists Want Montana Judge Removed Over Rape Sentencing

, KRTVQ, September 23, 2013

Baugh to retire, won't file for re-election

, KRTVQ, January 6, 2014

Want to support our work?

 UltraViolet is funded by members like you, and our tiny staff ensures small contributions

go a long way.

Chip in here.

You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.

Fight Human Trafficking on Corporate Plantations

I know this is long.  Please read it anyway.

WalkFree.org

********CAMPAIGN UPDATE**********

In response to messages from over 10,000 activists, a representative from Tata Global

Beverages emailed us on 15 March, 2014.

They said Tata takes our concerns seriously and wanted us to let you know that they

have authorised an assessment of the living and working conditions in Assam, India.

We wrote back, thanking Tata for their concern and repeated our call for the company

to take specific steps (see below) to prevent the trafficking of young girls working

on their tea plantations.

They are clearly paying attention to us right now, this is your moment:

Ask Tata Global Beverages to help fight human trafficking in Assam, India.

By now, you’ve probably seen the exposé in The Guardian on what is being called the

“Tea Maid Trade.” Men and women operating as “recruiters” prey on young girls living

on tea plantations in Assam, India.

 Thousands of girls have reportedly ended up trapped as domestic slaves in middle

class homes in Delhi

1.

Ask Tata Global Beverages to help fight human trafficking in Assam, India.

So how do these girls become trapped? The short answer is that workers in Assam are

trapped in a unique situation of terrible poverty making them vulnerable to the lure

of human traffickers

2.

The long answer looks like this:

1. Tata Global Beverages (owner of Tetley Tea) is the biggest shareholder of a company

called Amalgamated Plantations (APPL)

 which manages tea plantations in Assam, India

3.

2. Several years ago, a program was initiated that aimed to make tea plantation workers

part owners in Amalgamated Plantations. In exchange for a portion of their already

small wages, they would get shares in the company. Sounds good, right? Sadly,

scores of workers report they were coerced to buy shares in Amalgamated Plantations

and remain confused about the details

4.

3. The minimum wage on the tea plantations in Assam is industry wide and set by a tripartite

agreement, but reports

indicate that workers are paid 94 rupees ($1.54USD) a day, a little over half the

legal wage for an unskilled worker in Assam.

There is a price for keeping wages so low, and it is paid by the workers who cannot

afford to keep their daughters

. When the traffickers come knocking, offering to take the girls away, promising

good wages and an exciting new life, they find it hard to say no

5.

4. Because of the poverty in Assam, trafficking girls is an attractive business for

locals. Investigative reports indicate that

people in Delhi have bought girls for as little as 4,000 Rupees (or $65 USD)

6.

As the biggest single shareholder,

 if Tata Global Beverages commits to help improve the working conditions of the employees

of Amalgamated Plantations, they could play a much needed leading role in ending

slavery

in the region.

We know that right now, Tata is listening.

Tell Tata Global Beverages, parent company of Tetley Tea to help fight human trafficking on tea plantations in Assam, India.

Unfortunately, the problem of human trafficking in Assam is not new. But

 right now we do have a window of opportunity to act and call for change

. Due to growing global media coverage,

Tata is feeling the heat.

A couple of days ago, they agreed to conduct an audit on the living and working conditions

in the APPL tea plantations. This is a good first step, but we’re asking Tata to

do more:

1. Publish the Tata Global Beverages Code of Conduct

. Make public a code of conduct which ensures zero tolerance for modern slavery and

includes measures for effective remediation when modern slavery is found.

2. Ensure that plantation workers are paid a full cash living wage

 and are able to opt out of investment schemes, across all plantations. Pay should

be backdated accordingly.

3. Establish an independent grievance mechanism

 to enable workers to report violation of their rights, both individually and collectively,

as verification that the code is being implemented.

Ask Tata Global Beverages to break the cycle of modern slavery on tea plantations in Assam.

Thank you in advance for taking action. If you have a moment, please forward on to

three of your friends to triple your impact.

In solidarity,

Debra, Mich, Kamini, Andrew, Kate, Sarah and the Walk Free Team

P.S.

We want to be really clear -- we are not accusing Tata Global Beverages of trafficking

girls from Assam to be held in situations of modern slavery. We are, however, concerned

that Tata Global Beverages is engaged in a labour scheme via Amalgamated Plantations

in Assam that is fuelling unique forms of vulnerability to modern slavery. Of all

the possible players,

Tata Global Beverages has the power to do the most good in this situation

 and that is why we are calling on them to engage.

1

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/mar/02/tea-workers-sold-into-slavery

2

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/video/2014/mar/01/tetley-tea-maids-real-price-cup-tea-video

3 Tata Global Beverages own a 49.66% share in Amalgamated Plantations -

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/01/india-tea-firms-urged-tackle-slave-traffic-plantations

4

http://web.law.columbia.edu/human-rights-institute/initiatives/global-economy/tea-plantations/more-things-change

5

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/01/india-tea-firms-urged-tackle-slave-traffic-plantations

6

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/mar/02/tea-workers-sold-into-slavery

Walk Free is a movement of people everywhere, fighting to end one of the world's

greatest evils: Modern slavery.

Follow on Twitter

 |

Friend on Facebook

 |

Subscribe on Youtube

 |

View this email in your browser

 You can unsubscribe from WalkFree.org at any time.

© 2014 WalkFree.org | All rights reserved |

www.walkfree.org

WalkFree.org

********CAMPAIGN UPDATE**********

In response to messages from over 10,000 activists, a representative from Tata Global

Beverages emailed us on 15 March, 2014.

They said Tata takes our concerns seriously and wanted us to let you know that they

have authorised an assessment of the living and working conditions in Assam, India.

We wrote back, thanking Tata for their concern and repeated our call for the company

to take specific steps (see below) to prevent the trafficking of young girls working

on their tea plantations.

They are clearly paying attention to us right now, this is your moment:

Ask Tata Global Beverages to help fight human trafficking in Assam, India.

By now, you’ve probably seen the exposé in The Guardian on what is being called the

“Tea Maid Trade.” Men and women operating as “recruiters” prey on young girls living

on tea plantations in Assam, India.

 Thousands of girls have reportedly ended up trapped as domestic slaves in middle

class homes in Delhi

1.

Ask Tata Global Beverages to help fight human trafficking in Assam, India.

So how do these girls become trapped? The short answer is that workers in Assam are

trapped in a unique situation of terrible poverty making them vulnerable to the lure

of human traffickers

2.

The long answer looks like this:

1. Tata Global Beverages (owner of Tetley Tea) is the biggest shareholder of a company

called Amalgamated Plantations (APPL)

 which manages tea plantations in Assam, India

3.

2. Several years ago, a program was initiated that aimed to make tea plantation workers

part owners in Amalgamated Plantations. In exchange for a portion of their already

small wages, they would get shares in the company. Sounds good, right? Sadly,

scores of workers report they were coerced to buy shares in Amalgamated Plantations

and remain confused about the details

4.

3. The minimum wage on the tea plantations in Assam is industry wide and set by a tripartite

agreement, but reports

indicate that workers are paid 94 rupees ($1.54USD) a day, a little over half the

legal wage for an unskilled worker in Assam.

There is a price for keeping wages so low, and it is paid by the workers who cannot

afford to keep their daughters

. When the traffickers come knocking, offering to take the girls away, promising

good wages and an exciting new life, they find it hard to say no

5.

4. Because of the poverty in Assam, trafficking girls is an attractive business for

locals. Investigative reports indicate that

people in Delhi have bought girls for as little as 4,000 Rupees (or $65 USD)

6.

As the biggest single shareholder,

 if Tata Global Beverages commits to help improve the working conditions of the employees

of Amalgamated Plantations, they could play a much needed leading role in ending

slavery

in the region.

We know that right now, Tata is listening.

Tell Tata Global Beverages, parent company of Tetley Tea to help fight human trafficking on tea plantations in Assam, India.

Unfortunately, the problem of human trafficking in Assam is not new. But

 right now we do have a window of opportunity to act and call for change

. Due to growing global media coverage,

Tata is feeling the heat.

A couple of days ago, they agreed to conduct an audit on the living and working conditions

in the APPL tea plantations. This is a good first step, but we’re asking Tata to

do more:

1. Publish the Tata Global Beverages Code of Conduct

. Make public a code of conduct which ensures zero tolerance for modern slavery and

includes measures for effective remediation when modern slavery is found.

2. Ensure that plantation workers are paid a full cash living wage

 and are able to opt out of investment schemes, across all plantations. Pay should

be backdated accordingly.

3. Establish an independent grievance mechanism

 to enable workers to report violation of their rights, both individually and collectively,

as verification that the code is being implemented.

Ask Tata Global Beverages to break the cycle of modern slavery on tea plantations in Assam.

Thank you in advance for taking action. If you have a moment, please forward on to

three of your friends to triple your impact.

In solidarity,

Debra, Mich, Kamini, Andrew, Kate, Sarah and the Walk Free Team

P.S.

We want to be really clear -- we are not accusing Tata Global Beverages of trafficking

girls from Assam to be held in situations of modern slavery. We are, however, concerned

that Tata Global Beverages is engaged in a labour scheme via Amalgamated Plantations

in Assam that is fuelling unique forms of vulnerability to modern slavery. Of all

the possible players,

Tata Global Beverages has the power to do the most good in this situation

 and that is why we are calling on them to engage.

1

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/mar/02/tea-workers-sold-into-slavery

2

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/video/2014/mar/01/tetley-tea-maids-real-price-cup-tea-video

3 Tata Global Beverages own a 49.66% share in Amalgamated Plantations -

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/01/india-tea-firms-urged-tackle-slave-traffic-plantations

4

http://web.law.columbia.edu/human-rights-institute/initiatives/global-economy/tea-plantations/more-things-change

5

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/01/india-tea-firms-urged-tackle-slave-traffic-plantations

6

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/mar/02/tea-workers-sold-into-slavery

Walk Free is a movement of people everywhere, fighting to end one of the world's

greatest evils: Modern slavery.

Follow on Twitter

 |

Friend on Facebook

 |

Subscribe on Youtube

 |

View this email in your browser

 You can unsubscribe from WalkFree.org at any time.

© 2014 WalkFree.org | All rights reserved |

www.walkfree.org

Important in So Many Ways

It's been almost a crazy month since I've written.  Explanation will follow as I have time.  But This is of major importance to all of us,  I think.

This concerns the Supreme Court's decision that a multi-national corporation has all of the legal rights of a U.S. citizen.  It allows corporations to get away with Much that they could have been Stopped from doing Before the Court's decision.  Look at the situation on bosses denying Birth control, not abortion, but simple Birth Control, to their female employees based on Their Personal Religious Beliefs!  And whatever happened to Freedom of Religion?

I do Not agree with all that this organization does.  But I Am behind this particular action.

Dear Friends and Activists,

The moment is NOW for undoing the existential damage done to our

democracy by the Citizens United supreme court decision.

We are off to a terrific start with more than 5,000 action page

submissions already, each going to all three of your members of

Congress. But we need YOUR voice too. We need everyone on this one.

End Corporate Personhood action page:

http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum1166.php

The good news is that there are identical twin joint resolutions

introduced in both chambers of Congress to clarify that where the

Constitution says "the people" it never intended to include

"corporations" of any kind.

The disgraceful news is that these resolutions have only 3 sponsors

in the Senate, and only 34 in the House. But that is only because

nobody yet has really jumped on this . . . until now.

And judging from the response of our participants, we are prepared to

go all in on this one.

It is incredible to us that ANY member of Congress would not sponsor

these resolutions to initiate formal amendment of the Constitution.

Do they purport to represent us?? Who do they think they are kidding?

Who do we think we're kidding . . . ourselves??

We are pledging to never again vote for any member of Congress who

will not get behind this.

We are pledging to never again give even a single dime to any member

of Congress who won't even go as far as stepping up as a sponsor of

these resolutions.

Last week our own inbox was subjected to what can only be described

as carpet bombing emails, crying "The whole world is going to come to

an end this very minute if you don't send us more money," from every

congressional campaign committee imaginable.

Enough!

There is only one way we will ever support any candidate for Congress

every again, and that is if they have demonstrable proof that they

are fighting for us, the people. And the only primary evidence we

will accept from now on is a meaningful commitment to reverse

Citizens United.

Now let's do it.

End Corporate Personhood action page:

http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum1166.php

And after you submit the action page, check out our proposal for our

next full length feature, dramatic movie, Citizens United, The Movie,

to help build awareness of this movement. Read the first 6 pages of

the script on this page.

Citizens United, The Movie proposal:

http://www.peaceteam.net/citizens_united2.php

Check out the demo of the second scene already posted, a faux defense

contractor spot to make a point of the extent to which corporations

have commandeered the concept of "We, The People." All we need to do

is get the REAL actors in to replace the stand-in voiceover we have

now, and that scene is finished.

Use the link there dedicated for you to give us your own comments and

suggestions about the new movie. This is your chance to influence our

production and creative decisions just as we expect our members of

Congress to heed us.

And if you are inspired to do so, request any of the policy advocacy

gifts related to all this, so that we can make the rest of this very

needed educational production a reality, just like our first dramatic

film complete and available for you now.

You may forward this message to any friends who would find it

important.

Contributions to The People's Email Network are not tax-deductible

for federal income tax purposes.

If you would like to be added to our distribution list, go to

http://www.peaceteam.net/in.htm

Or if don't want to receive our messages, just go to

http://www.peaceteam.net/out.htm

usalone559b:16973

Take Action Now

On March 25 the Supreme Court will hear two cases brought by for-profit companies

that want to deny their employees coverage for birth control. The bosses at Hobby

Lobby, a large chain of arts and craft stores, and Conestoga Wood Specialties, which

manufactures cabinets, are arguing that their personal religious beliefs should trump

the personal beliefs of their female employees, allowing them to evade the law and

deny their employees birth control coverage.

Decisions about my birth control are not my boss’s business. If you agree, add your name to the big banner.

This Is Personal

 will be at the Supreme Court on the day of the hearings to rally in support of birth

control coverage and to show America that every woman should have access to this

benefit, regardless of her boss’s religious beliefs.

You can be there with us. Add your name to the banner that we'll unfurl on the steps of the Supreme Court.

Already more than 27 million women have access to the birth control coverage benefit

under the new health care law. Birth control, one of the most frequently used women’s

preventive health services, is critical to women’s health and equality. Excluding

it from insurance coverage for women while covering the full range of preventive

care for men is discrimination—pure and simple.

If you agree — show it. You may not be able to be there in person, but you can still keep it personal. Add your name to the big banner.

Thanks for keeping it personal,

Thao Nguyen

Campaign Director

This Is Personal,

click here to unsubscribe

.

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All content © 2014 National Women's Law Center

11 Dupont Circle NW, #800

Washington, DC 20036

I Cry Foul

I Cry Foul

Maybe Blogger will think this is a sports comment and let it pass, we'll see.  This shit is UUUgly!

Mining companies are destroying the rainforest. Chip in to stop them.

Costa Rica's rainforests are some of the most amazing places on earth. So when a

Canadian mining company wanted to put an

open pit, cyanide-leach gold mine in the middle of its most pristine forest, Costa

Rica didn't just say no. They said hell, no.

So what did the mining company do?

They sued Costa Rica for $100 million lost profits.

It's the latest strategy in corporate bullying: If a country won't let you do whatever

you want, then sue them for violating "free trade."

But Costa Rica is the tip of the iceberg. Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly sued Canada

to increase drug prices. Philip Morris has sued Australia over cigarette warning

labels. The list goes on and on -- and under proposed trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific

Partnership, we'll see an explostion of these kinds of lawsuits.

But fighting corporate bullies is exactly what SumOfUs was set up to do.

 Using the Internet to organize, our worldwide membership has the collective power

to stand up to big corporations, so countries like Costa Rica don't have to face

these corporate bullies alone. Can you donate $25 to help us take on these giant

corporations and win?

Yes, I can chip in $25 to help stand up to bullying by big corporations.

Shortly after Infinito Gold proposed its mine, Costa Rica banned the kind of destructive

open pit mining they wanted to do. And you'd think that would be the end of it --

but because of a so-called free trade agreement between Canada and Costa Rica, many

experts think Infinito Gold will win its lawsuit. If it do, Costa Rica will have

to pay a huge sum of money just because they decided to protect their forests.

Costa Rica is just one example of a growing trend of corporations bullying sovereign

governments -- and it could get a lot worse because of similar trade deals like the

Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) or the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

(TTIP) that could affect virtually all of Europe, Australia, Asia, and North and

South America.

So we're fighting back. First, we're blowing the whistle every time a corporation

tries to bully a nation like Costa Rica. Second, we're organizing to block new trade

deals like the TPP and TTIP.

Can you make a donation to help support these efforts?

Can you chip in $25?

Thanks for all you do,

Paul and the team at SumOfUs.org

 SumOfUs is a worldwide movement of people like you, working together to hold corporations

accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable path for our global economy.

I thought the Republican Party stood for "Family Values."  There is a difference in "Family Values" and the values of the 1950's.  Why tear families apart when children tend to do better with two parents?  Why Not allow those parents to stay, pay their taxes, and learn English?

Reform Immigration FOR America

A Badge of Courage to Stand Up for Immigration Reform

Teresa,

There truly is "no place like home." Yet for millions in our community, homes and

families are torn apart due to a broken immigration system. In fact, more than 150,000

children are missing at least one parent who's been deported, and thousands more

face the pain of separation daily. Speaker of the House John Boehner has the power

to change this devastation by bringing an immigration reform bill to the House floor

for a vote. Yet, he remains silent and does nothing out of fear for anti-immigrant

extremists in the Republican Party.

Click here to tell Speaker Boehner that real leadership takes courage.

Since we began this fight, we have seen nothing but inadequate leadership from Speaker

Boehner on immigration reform.

 What started the year seemingly as a step forward with the GOP's introduction of

immigration principles led only to backpedaling just a few days later when the Speaker

claimed that he couldn't possibly put reform on the agenda because he couldn't trust

President Obama to enforce immigration laws.

Meanwhile, our families continue to wait for relief from the terrible threat of deportation,

and for reform that will allow them to stay together. While Speaker Boehner has the

power to end the ceaseless heartbreak of hundreds of thousands by bringing a bill

to the floor for a vote, he continues to sit on his hands out of fear of a small

but vocal anti-immigrant fringe of the Republican Party.

Like the Cowardly Lion from the children's tale "The Wizard of Oz," Speaker Boehner

has the ability to accomplish great things -- yet he lacks the courage to take the

first step.

Click here to send him a badge of courage and help him find the nerve to stand up for reform.

Millions of families are waiting for the threat of deportation to be lifted. They

are waiting for a reform bill that will allow them to live their lives without fear.

Speaker Boehner cannot continue to hide from his responsibilities. He must act quickly

and decisively to help our families. The first step is to stand up against anti-immigrant

extremists and to bring an immigration reform bill to a vote.

You can help the Speaker find his strength.

 Let him know that passing immigration reform is a priority for the American people,

that we support creating a path to citizenship for the undocumented. So let's help

him find his backbone by sending him some courage. Sign the petition and for every

signature we get, we will send Speaker Boehner a badge of courage. Together we can

show the Speaker that talk about immigration reform is not enough -- we demand action!

Help this cowardly lion stand up to Republican anti-immigrant extremists and do the right thing for our community. Add your name to send him some courage today!

With hope,

Donna De La Cruz

Reform Immigration FOR America

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Something which Will Effect Our Futures, I think.

Something we all should be aware of.  I 'm noot sure how much of a democracy we have, but this is NASTY stuff!

Dear MoveOn member,

Do you know what McCutcheon v. FEC is? McCutcheon is

Citizens United 2.0. Remember that

—even if you don't remember anything else from this email. It'd do for wealthy individuals

the same thing

Citizens United

 did for corporations—and money would reign.

Shaun McCutcheon is an Alabama coal tycoon who likes to spread his money far and

wide.

1

McCutcheon's a real-life Raymond Tusk from

House of Cards.

In 2012, McCutcheon managed to spend nearly $300,000 on political campaigns—almost

three times what an individual can legally contribute—by creating his own political

action committee.

2

 Now, in a case he's argued before the Supreme Court—with support from Republican

Senator Mitch McConnell's own legal team—McCutcheon could eliminate some, or even

all, of our country's aggregate spending limits for individuals making political

contributions.

3

This democracy-crippling judgment could come down from the court as soon as next

week.

4

 and why it's so dangerous, check out this 90-second video to get up to speed—and then share it with a friend or two.

A bad Supreme Court decision in this case would practically legalize corruption.

Instead of donating to 18 House races, politician purchasers like McCutcheon and

the Koch brothers could donate to 435.

Check out the video above, and spread the word by sharing it on Facebook, Twitter, and email.

Thanks for all you do.

–Mark, Kyle, Matt B., Joan, and the rest of the team

P.S. MoveOn is partnering with Public Citizen and a dozen other advocacy and policy

organizations to pull off more than a hundred rapid-response rallies when the Supreme

Court issues its decision—whether it's next Monday or next month.

Find details for a rally near you.

Sources:

1. "Meet Shaun McCutcheon, the Republican Activist Trying to Make History at the

Supreme Court," The Daily Beast, October 8, 2013

http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=296936&id=91946-9089709-InX1D4x&t=5

2. "McCutcheon Super PAC Already Busts Limits, Rule of the Game,"

Roll Call, October 7, 2013

http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=296937&id=91946-9089709-InX1D4x&t=6

3.

"Meet Shaun McCutcheon, the Republican Activist Trying to Make History at the Supreme

Court," The Daily Beast, October 8, 2013

http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=296936&id=91946-9089709-InX1D4x&t=7

4. "Nationwide Rapid Response Planned for U.S. Supreme Court's McCutcheon Ruling,"

Common Dreams, February 10, 2014

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2014/02/10-6

Want to support our work?

 MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 million members—no corporate contributions,

no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a

long way.

Chip in here.

What We Need to do and What WE CAN SUCCEED in DOING

ppPersonal note, yesterday I made my First Sale from WWW.abilitieslive.com

A necklace I made with coral, black beads, and turquoise lamp work beads.  Working hard to get more on the site, but it's slow, with the blessing of hard working volunteer help.  Still, I have to begin Somewhere and have Finally begun!

Now, I hope the video of tar sands oil, mean meant for export, spilling in a small town is accessible from this site.  This pipeline (Keystone XL) is set to cross a lot of farmland.  Do you think ruined crop land won't result in price rises at your grocery store?

And then there are the victories we are working to win and Winning!  I know this is a Huge post, but please, check it out.

Thank you.

What We Must Do, and What We CAN SUCCEED in DOING

We Love Our Land

200,000 gallons is more than you can imagine.

Last spring, 200,000 gallons of crude oil spilled in the small town of Mayflower,

Arkansas when an Exxon pipeline carrying Canadian tar sands ruptured.

Many people became ill. The stench still lingers in the air. And ten months later,

some families still cannot return home.

The truth is, the residents of Mayflower never stood to benefit from this pipeline

— Americans won't benefit from the Keystone XL pipeline either.

Share this video with your friends so that they know what tar sands crude is doing to American towns like Mayflower.

Click here to watch the video!

http://nextgenclimate.org/mayflower

When tar sands crude travels through our neighborhoods, our communities bear the

risk while Big Oil reaps the profits. Issues like the Keystone XL pipeline affect

every American, but especially those living with this danger in their own backyards.

Share this video with your friends to let them know the risks we run if Sec. Kerry supports the Keystone XL pipeline.

Thank you for sharing this important video,

Josh Burstein

Digital Team

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Photo by

Pembina Institute

 /

CC BY

This, just in the last 3 months:

The “world’s least sustainable corporation” has committed to stop destroying the

rainforest

Three huge clothing manufacturers have stopped torturing rabbits for their fur

The biggest corporate power grab in a generation has stalled in the US Congress,

and is facing growing opposition around the world

The UK government has put plans to sell citizens’ private medical data to corporations

on hold

Our growing community of more than 3 million people played a crucial role in every

one of these victories

 -- and many, many more! It’s been an exciting few months.

Meanwhile, we’re pushing forward in other areas, too. A massive US garden store has

confirmed to us that it's developing a policy on neonics, the pesticides that are

killing the bees. We’ve filed a legal request to fight back in the courts against

Bayer’s attempt to overturn Europe’s ban on these poisons. And more and more companies

are making strong commitments to remove conflict palm oil from their products.

Things are happening fast.

But let’s be clear: The fight against corporate power is a big one. In almost every

country, and on almost every issue, big corporations are fighting against the issues

we care most about. From environmental protection to human rights to economic justice,

corporate power is a huge part of the problem. And until we name it and fight it,

we can’t win.

And that’s why there is huge hope in the SumOfUs community.

 Together, we’re 3 million people strong -- and we hold tremendous collective power

over the corporations that increasingly control our democracies.

Thanks for being a part of it. Towards the next 3 months,

-- Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman, Executive Director

PS: Get ready for some groundbreaking campaigning in the months ahead to stop the

Trans-Pacific Partnership and challenge giant corporations like Monsanto, as well

as the launch of SumOfUs in German, French and Spanish (with more to come).

Chip in to make it happen here.

Campaign updates

VICTORY!

Saving Tony the Tiger and the rainforest from the “world’s least sustainable corporation”

Tony

After months of organized pressure against Kellogg's and its massive partner Wilmar

International -- a palm oil company that Newsweek named the “world's least sustainable

corporation” -- both companies are taking action to protect the rainforest!

Kellogg’s and Wilmar have both signed commitments to eliminate deforestation from

their supply chains

 in the next two years -- in what the Guardian called a “major success for environment

and consumer groups”.

We played a key role in pushing these companies over the line.

 Here's just a few of the things we did together:

Bombarded Kellogg's with hundreds of thousands of petition signatures and

thousands of phone calls

Worked with organizers in Michigan (where Kellogg’s is based) to pressure executives

on their home turf, generating reams of media coverage

Delivered

 tens of thousands of personal messages to Kellogg’s CEO

, and met personally with the company’s head of sustainability

Put the campaign on investors’ radar, who proposed the issue for discussion at the

company’s AGM to increase the pressure

Helped

publish a report that exposed Wilmar's role in illegal destruction

 of orangutan habitat

Kellogg's commitment raises the bar for other consumer companies

-- who we're getting ready to target soon. And because Wilmar controls nearly half

the world’s palm oil trade,

 this could represent a massive sea change in the industry.

 We’re working with partners to make sure they implement their commitments on the

ground -- groups like Catapult Campaigns, Rainforest Action Network and Greenpeace

-- all of whom were crucial in winning this campaign, too.

This is great news for Tony the Tiger, and for the survival of Southeast Asia’s rainforests.

It's one of our biggest victories to date as a community -- and a very, very big

deal.

Read More:

Original petition

Press:

Bloomberg

 |

Clean Biz

WE WON:

They stopped torturing and killing bunnies for their fur!

Bunnies

When we saw the horrific video footage showing rabbits screaming in pain as their

fur was torn off at angora farms in China for the sake of “fashion” -- we knew we

had to act.

We got in touch with PETA to put pressure on three clothing manufacturers to stop

production of their angora products -- and they did!

Topshop was the first to topple

, after five days of pressure from SumOfUs members around the world. Not satisfied,

we moved on to

Asos -- who promised to never sell angora on its website again.

 Next, we asked clothing giant Zara to suspend orders of angora -- who were initially

refusing to act.

After a week of pressure, Zara caved!

 SumOfUs members mobilized almost 300,000 petition signatures and thousands of comments

on Zara’s Facebook wall. 330 people signed up to our

Super Bunny Warrior Team

, and over 200 people personally delivered the petition to Zara stores to force them

to act.

Read More:

Original petition

Press:

Daily Mail

 |

Huffington Post

 |

LA Times

HUGE PROGRESS!

UK government not selling private medical records to corporations -- for now

NHS

Alarmed by a plan that would have seen British citizens' private medical records

sold to corporations, we sprung into action this month.

SumOfUs joined with 252,000 UK members to spearhead growing opposition to the proposal.

Our staff team was meeting with top officials this week when they announced that

they were delaying the scheme for six months.

 They were feeling massive pressure -- SumOfUs’ campaign had already been featured

in the biggest UK newspapers, we’d commissioned an opinion poll that demonstrated

that 65% of the UK public were opposed to the scheme, and we were working with our

partners 38 Degrees to build a mass opt-out system for our members.

We’re staying engaged so we can feed in our views to any consultation process that

might emerge from the wreckage of this proposal. And we'll be watching closely to

see whether NHS England will make real changes to the scheme to address our privacy

concerns. If they don’t, then we’re ready to spring into action.

Read More:

Original Petition

Press:

The Independent

 |

The Telegraph

STOPPING THE TPP:

A corporate lobbyist’s wildest dream

TPP

The Trans-Pacific Partnership

(TPP) is called a trade deal, but it’s really a massive corporate power grab

that would make it easier for corporations to sue our governments when they act to

protect our environment or health. And so we’ve launched a major campaign to stop

it.

In the US, Obama has been pushing for “fast track” authority to allow him to negotiate

the sweeping deal without input from Congress. But after SumOfUs members joined with

other groups and made

almost 8,000 calls to their representatives, key lawmakers including Senate majority

leader Harry Reid and House minority leader Nancy Pelosi came out against fast track

authority -- a major blow to the TPP.

This fight isn't close to over, but we've got momentum on our side. Now,

we’re working to build major opposition in Australia, Canada, and elsewhere in the

12-country block to kill the TPP.

 If just one key country stands up and rejects the TPP, the whole deal could fall

through -- and we think our community has got what it takes.

Read More:

American call-in

 |

Australian Petition

Press:

Reuters

 |

The Guardian

STILL BUZZING: Strong progress for the bees

Bees

Bayer is determined to keep selling its killer-pesticides for profit -- whatever

the cost to the bees. It’s still pushing ahead with a ridiculous lawsuit against

the EU’s two-year ban on the pesticides that are behind the global bee die-off.

Well two can play at that game. Tens of thousands of us chipped in to defend the

ban in the European courts against Bayer

 -- and the court is currently considering our case. The stakes are high. If Bayer

wins, it would be a huge setback for the bees -- making it much harder to push other

countries to ban these dangerous pesticides. But with science on our side, we’re

quietly confident we can silence Bayer’s legal threats.

Meanwhile, thousands of SumOfUs members in the US and Canada joined up with Friends

of the Earth and others to deliver a Valentine’s message to big garden stores Home

Depot and Lowe’s -- asking them on the phone and in stores to “show the bees some

love”. After the national media covered the story,

Home Depot has contacted us to let us know it's developing a policy on neonics.

 It’s a positive sign -- but we’ll keep up the pressure until it commits to remove

bee-killing pesticides from its stores, and we're working to push other retailers

to action, too.

Read More:

Contribution page for lawsuit

 |

Valentines call-in

Press:

Ecowatch

 |

NBC

VICTORY!

 Winning workers’ rights from the 4th richest man in the world

We Won

A company owned by the world’s 4th richest man, Warren Buffet, was threatening to

throw 200 low-wage rail workers on the streets when they came together to demand

decent wages. BNSF, a railroad company Buffet owns, planned to fire its subcontractor

if its workers went on strike for decent wages.

Union-busting is always wrong, but it’s especially disappointing coming from Buffet,

who’s become famous for speaking out against inequality. But

 after we spoke out against Buffet's hypocrisy, the railroad backed down and the

workers got a fair contract and a raise.

Read More:

The original petition

Press:

United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America

TAKING THE FIGHT TO ITS OWN BACKYARD:

Joining Monsanto’s concerned shareholders to call on the bio-giant to tell the truth

about GMOs.

Monsanto

Monsanto is known as the biggest bully around -- so we decided to find some friends

and fought it in its own backyard.

Thousands of us chipped in to so we could take action with concerned shareholders,

who simply wanted the bio-giant to come clean about the risks of GMOs at the company's

Annual General Meeting. With your help, we were able to:

Secure advertising in Monsanto's home town of St Louis, Missouri, so that shareholders

hear our message

Send organizers to St Louis to raise a media storm outside the shareholder meeting

and deliver 160,000 signatures to Monsanto

Buy a small, strategic stake in Monsanto so that we can speak out as shareholders

ourselves.

Our shareholders failed to win the vote to demand Monsanto come clean this time around.

But we know it is scared. Monsanto even planted pro-GMO advocates to speak out against

transparency (who in their right mind is against being open with the data on GMOs?).

But we built invaluable strategic partnerships that will help us fight Monsanto in

the future -- from spreading harmful GMOs, to introducing terminators seeds, to its

butterfly killing pesticides. We are as determined as ever to keep fighting Monsanto.

Read More:

Original petition

Press:

NPR

 |

Reuters

Onwards!

As you can tell, this has been a busy 3 months! We're not just winning campaigns

-- together, we are building a movement strong enough to take on corporate power.

Thank you for being a part of it.

To keep up our momentum and make sure that corporations continue to hear our voices,

would you consider

becoming a donor in order to help our movement grow

?

We are still a tiny organization, so we depend on members like you to keep us going

-- especially since we don't take any money from corporations or governments. SumOfUs

is a world-wide movement of people like you, working together to hold corporations

accountable for their actions -- and we really can't do it without you.     

donate

SumOfUs is a worldwide movement of people like you, working together to hold corporations

accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable path for our global economy.

Please help keep SumOfUs strong by chipping in $3.

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