Rubber bullets are not safe to be used for crowd control. They are made of a metal core and coated in rubber. It is not safe to be firing them into crowds, and we have seen over the past few days many protestors losing eyes or damaging their faces due to a rubber bullet hitting them. These bullets are supposed to be aimed at the ground, but we cannot trust law enforcement to do that as we have seen. Rubber bullets can seriously injure, and even kill people. The damage they cause to protestors is immense, and the costs are unimaginable. Sign the petition in hopes they will see this petition and call for a ban on rubber bullets. Let our people protest and let our people assemble.  Rubber bullets don’t protect or control a crowd, they only add unneeded injury to protestors. This isn’t “crowd control” when it purposely wounds protestors. These rubber bullets are large too. They are about the size of the palm of your hand. They do not need to be that big, and they do not even need to exist. They generate useless violence, as law enforcement officials are harming protestors in the name of crowd control. BAN THE USE OF RUBBER BULLETS NOW! STOP LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM HURTING MORE PROTESTORS IN THE NAME OF CROWD CONTROL. THEY ARE INHUMANE AND CAN PROVE TO BE LETHAL.

The U.S. taxpayer is paying an exorbitant amount of money to protect the First Lady in Trump Tower, located in New York City. As to help relieve the national debt, this expense yields no positive results for the nation and should be cut from being funded.

Donald Trump announced that transgender individuals would no longer be accepted or allowed into the U.S. Military because their cost is a "burden." This is extremely disgraceful and an insult to all those who have already given their lives for this country. This is not equality, and this is not "supporting the LGBT community," as he said he does. This is utterly transphobic. Many people who served are going to be left jobless, and many others will no longer be able to fulfill their dreams. This is not okay, and this should not be legal. Trans people are still people. 

My name is Nick and I am 54-years old. In October 2011, I was diagnosed with ALS. Today, I am in a wheelchair and cannot walk or stand. My arms grow weaker almost every day and my breathing is starting to be affected. I used to be very active but now I can only leave my home when I have someone with me who's strong enough to lift me into my wheelchair once I'm done scooting down to the bottom of the stairs on my butt. It can feel like I'm a 100-year old man who can't do things for himself anymore. At 54, I should still be a vibrant part of my community, but this disease is kicking me where it hurts. Through the enthusiasm generated by the Ice Bucket Challenge, many people now know that ALS is a degenerative neurological disease that currently affects over 30,000 Americans, and as it stands the disease is always fatal. Most people with ALS are given only 2-5 years to live. When I was diagnosed, I was devastated - it took me months to accept it. Although I am now resolved, I have not lost hope. Currently, there is only one drug available to treat ALS (Riluzole) and it is only able to extend life expectancy by a couple months. That's why the recent news about a small company named Genervon Biopharmaceuticals and their trial drug "GM604" has been so exciting for the Global ALS Community. While most trials have a hard time even finding a positive trend, the GM604 trial data supports the view that this drug could very well be is a game changer in the battle against ALS. There are multiple, statistically significant data. Not only in clinical data and results alone, but also correlated biomarkers data and results as well. (Please see "Files" section on the campaign website: https://sites.google.com/site/aap4gm6/) Genervon met with the FDA in February 2015 and made a potentially life-changing request on behalf of the ALS community; they asked the FDA to promote GM604 to the Accelerated Approval Program with Post-Marketing Phase 4 Requirements, so all ALS patients can have legal access to GM604 now. Under the FDA's Accelerated Approval Program, the treatments would be covered by health insurance. Although Genervon knows that this request might complicate their relationship with the FDA, they were willing to take a stand and do everything they can to help the ALS community because it is the right thing to do. If the FDA does not grant Accelerated Approval, it will likely be 3 more years before patients are able to access this drug -- meaning that most people currently living with ALS will not live to see it reach market. While acknowledging the paramount importance of public safety in the FDA’s drug approval process, I believe that ALS presents a compelling case for an exception to the usual process. I am asking you to help me appeal to the FDA through their sense of compassion for those of us with this dreadful illness. People with ALS don't have time to wait for another clinical trial to be completed.  By signing this petition, you'll be helping patients like me request that the FDA expidite the way potentially life-saving treatments are made accessible to people with ALS -- starting right now with GM604. Doing so could very likely mean a change in the course of ALS progression not only for myself, but hundreds of thousands of other patients worldwide. After you sign, please follow this link to tweet and/or email the FDA: https://www.change.org/p/lisa-murkowski-fda-accelerated-approval-of-genervon-s-gm604-for-use-in-als/u/9475826 Thank you, Nick Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gm604forals Please go to the Genervon website for a true understanding of the facts and the science behind GM604: http://www.genervon.com/genervon/about_pressreleases.php  

As citizens of the United States and as living beings of the world, it is our responsibility to take responsibility for our future. America was built on the back of inequity and inequality. However, America is a country that that was meant to be created in the ideals that "All men are created equal," yet, as we see now more than ever that fairness has been a dream. We have the opportunity to use our voices to be on the right side of history. Now more than ever, we have the opportunity to create change for the betterment of society and to preserve what is left of the ideals laid within The Constitution. Racism is at the forefront of more violence in this country than any other act. From slavery to Jim Crow and Segregation to the war on drugs and systematic indentured servitude along with mandatory minimum sentencing; covert racism has been a tradition ingrained in our society like hot dogs, baseball, and apple pie. However, there are not strict federal and national laws in place to combat acts of racism. Racist acts and racism is often either simply frowned upon or turned a blind eye towards. I propose that we immediately enact legislation that protects people of all races, colors, creeds, and orientations from heinous and deplorable acts of physical, mental, or emotional racist/hate-motivated act(s) or action(s).  I propose that we make racially motivated crime an act of terror and racist/hate groups terrorist organizations. I propose that we create George's Law to combat domestic racist terrorist. Terrorism as defined by the F.B.I.: International terrorism: Violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups who are inspired by, or associated with, designated foreign terrorist organizations or nations (state-sponsored). Domestic terrorism: Violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious, social, racial, or environmental nature. I propose we consider the following: Expand the definition of terrorism to cover "domestic racist organizations" Which can be defined: A person who engages in domestic terrorism if they do a racially motivated act that is "dangerous to human life" that is a violation of the criminal laws of a state or the United States, or if the action appears to be race-related to: (i) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of citizens by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping.   Hate groups, including but not limited to The Klu Klux Klan, will be deemed as a terrorist organization and, as such, their members put on federal watch lists and incarcerated as such while being held to the amendments under the Freedom Act. The conviction of Hate crimes come with mandatory minimum sentencing. These crimes may include but not be limited to terror group hand signals, racism rhetoric, distribution and creation of racist propaganda and materials, an act of physical harm to another human being that is in the guise of an act of racist aggression and other racially motivated actions that result in mental, emotional, and bodily harm to an individual(s).  Strick penalties for Conspiracy and Aiding and Abetting acts of racist terror. Under 18 U.S.C. § 2, acts of the perpetrator become the acts of the aider and abettor, and the person aiding, and abetting can be charged with having done the acts himself. Anyone who aids, abets, counsels, commands, induces, or procures the commission of a crime is just as punishable as the person primarily responsible for the crime. Law enforcement officers who kill a civilian in the line of duty be immediately taken into the custody of the police department and held without release up to 30 days after the incident or until a full investigation can be completed by obtaining reviewing witness testimony, body-cam footage, and all other means of corroboration. If the officer acted within their rights as law enforcement, they are to be reinstated at the time of completion. If found that the officer has failed to comply with local state and federal law, they will be arrested and detained until a fair and reasonable trial date.  This is simply a high-level overview of what I believe can be an immediate step in the right direction We are at a pivotal point in history. The aim of this petition is to create fairness and equality in the world. We will take this petition to both state and federal governments as well as the President, Congress, Supreme Court and The House of Representatives. Today, as Americans, and people of the world we are faced with making decisions that are going to put us in a position to change not only the shape of our country, but history itself.  Please help us make racially motivated crime an act of terror and racist/hate groups terrorist organizations by creating George's Law. Now is the time to ask yourself what side of history do you want to be on? #MakeRacismTerrorism #GeorgesLaw --- Michael Anthony is an advocate for adult survivors of child abuse, international speaker, and author of Think Unbroken. @MichaelUnbroken

This petition is for legislation that demands harsher and longer mandatory sentencing for child traffickers and pedophiles that prohibit reduction of sentences for over crowding, good behavior or parole. Offenders will receive automatic sentences that include incarceration and mandatory therapy. Possessing child pornography, or engaging in pedophilia will result in immediate incarceration and prohibit bail as these individuals should be considered both a flight risk and an imminent threat to society.  For possession of child porn there will be a mandatory 10 year sentence for each instance. Possessing 2 files will result in a 20 year mandatory sentence to be carried out to term. 10 instances will result in 100 years. For producing child porn the offender will receive a mandatory 20 years sentence for every instance. Engaging in sexual acts with a child will result in a minumim of 50 years per instance. Any pedophilia acts that engage in kidnapping the child will result in mandatory life sentence.  Any sexual acts resulting in the death of a child will be a mandatory life sentence to be served in full. Intentional death of a child will be a mandatory life sentence to be served in full. Profiting from or engaging in the trafficking of children will carry a 20 year minimum sentence per instance. Finally for the protection of the victims. There will be a mandatory restraining order for life against the offender unless the victim (after turning 18 years of age) decides otherwise. The victim will receive some form of therapy and counselling. Persons under the age of 18 cannot be tried in criminal courts for prostitution charges as they are victims of traffickers. Mandatory drug treatment counselling if that victim was drugged as a result of being trafficked. Redact legislation that charges individuals who report child enticement from online forums with entrapment or stalking. Charge offenders with a mandatory 5 year sentence for each instance of trying to entice a child via social media, email or text. Harsher sentencing and more victim advocacy with a no tolerance policy will  send a grave message to those who view children as a mere commodity to exploit and subjugate. The effects of trauma will affect a child for the rest of their lives often resulting in drug addiction, unhealthy relationships, low self image and high risk for suicide. Children are our most precious resource and we must all act to ensure a generation that doesn't need to recover from their childhood.  View the story that inspired this petition: #justiceforbabyjames #justice4karaskids https://www.facebook.com/Justice4KarasKids/

Thousands of children are diagnosed with cancer a year. Their parents are the people who stick by their side day in and day out. We have to watch our child suffer and waste away. On top of that, Almost all of us are going through it with little to no help at all. Many parents go without meals, Showers, and are away from our families for months to years at a time. We are begging everyone for help to keep our lights on. To keep a roof over our heads. And, it all depends on how many kind friends we have on social media. My daughter has stage 4 brain cancer. We are doing everything we can to stay afloat while caring for our daughter in treatments. The costs of treatments alone is enough to completely sink a family into debt. I am just asking for our Government to set aside a little bit of funds to ease the burden from families like mine. So many of these parents are having to worry about even more. They have to figure out how to pay for burial and funeral costs after they just lost the most precious thing in their lives. It is too much on so many families. I know most that most people will never have to deal with this. But, Alot of families do. Whether it is in the form of a grant or a loan.. Please do something to ease the burden off of these families. We will not give up. We cant give up for our children. We are all they have. Please, Lets make a difference. Lets get our voices heard. #NaomiStrong #WeareFAMily

Due to the unprecedented global pandemic and resulting social distancing measures, millions of people are having to cancel their travel plans for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, many people who have tried to cancel their plans are being offered vouchers instead of full refunds. Vouchers are unacceptable. Since the airline industry accepted a $50 billion dollar tax payer bailout, the airline industry must fully refund all travel costs when asked for trips that have not (and cannot) occur. 

For the past 80 years there has been an exemption to the Fair Labor Standards Act that allows disabled workers to be paid $1 an hour. This gross discrimination in the workplace can no longer be tolerated. This petition calls upon not only our congressmen and women, but also our president. We urge that you help right this indecent wrong that has been committed against people with disabilities for far too long. 

The SEA Act bill and the SECURE Act bill would give oil industries almost unregulated ability to perform Seismic surveying. The practice involves a ship firing blasts of pressurized air to create powerful sound pulses that penetrate beneath the seafloor. Below the water, the explosions sound like bombs going off every 10 to 15 seconds and can be heard as far as 1,500 miles, audio recordings show. The testing threatens a number of species and is part of a thinly veiled oil industry wish list that would upend established protections and fast-track the permitting process for oil exploration off the Atlantic, much of Alaska and even California. Both bills have passed committee and could head to a full vote any day. The bills follow other undoings that have prioritized oil and gas energy over conservation which is vital to the protection of endangered species. The new bills would target the core provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which regulates seismic blasts used to locate oil and gas. The noise, scientists say, can disorient and damage the hearing of whales and dolphins so badly that they lose their ability to navigate and reproduce. We cannot allow further offshore oil and gas exploration and development as it harms our coastal economies in the near term and opens the door to even greater risks from offshore oil and gas production down the road. To read the full story, check out http://seavoicenews.com/2018/04/02/oil-seismic-tests-law-harms-marine-life/