Advocates are strongly encouraged to contact members
of Congress and urge them to support provisions in the FY 2005 VA-HUD Appropriations
bill (HR 5041/S 2825)
Want to do something that actually helps reduce crime?
Help ex-offenders find jobs and get training when they are released
Please Let these state officials and your legislators know how you feel!
Write your Legislators - then Sign the FAMM PETITION!
We are continually
adding news & articles to our database. If there is a specific
article you would like to submit, please contact
us
Latest
News
Please consider attending our local January 20 counter-iinaugural event and
if you can help us spread the word as well, it would be greatly appreciated!
Full details are available on our website: http://stpeteforpeace.org/jan20.html
St. Pete for Peace "State Your Cause"
counter-inaugural
Thursday, January 20, 2004
12 Noon - 7pm
5858 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg
Do you oppose war, oppression, imperialism, the prison-industrial complex,
police brutality, racism, sexism, homophobia, war profiteering, destruction
of our environment, curtailment of our civil liberties, corporate cronyism,
privatization of social services, the War on Drugs, gentrification, NAFTA,
the FTAA, the WTO, cruelty to animals?
Do you support equality, freedom, peace, social and
economic justice, an end to racial inequities, animal
rights, worker's rights, gay rights, immigrant rights,
human rights, clean air and water, medical marijuana,
fair trade, choice, clean elections, an end to class
struggle, affordable health care, a fair living wage,
the abolition of the death penalty, an end to
corporate fascism and a better world for future
generations?
Whatever your cause is, we hope to see you at our
local counter-inaugural event with your banner flying
high!
Come for an hour or stay all day. Bring banners, signs
and drums or other noisemakers. Please wear black.
We will be picketing on the public sidewalk outside
Sembler Corporation. Why Sembler? The Sembler Company represents the kind of
capitalist cronyism, environmental rape and repression that spells trouble
for all those who want to see this country move in a more progressive,
people-centric, life-affirming direction. Mel Sembler is one of Bush's best
buddies, a rapacious developer and, as ambassador to Italy, is currently
attempting to spread the Bush Administration's message of corporate fascism
for all throughout the European continent. Let's tell them all that we say
NO! More info here: http://stpeteforpeace.org/jan20.html
Sincerely,
Carol Schiffler
St. Pete for Peace Outreach Group
Search for parents of tsunami orphan - Until a relief agency puts up a website for these things.... here is a
jpg photo of a two-ish blond boy missing his parents in the tsunami.
Apparently he won't/can't speak yet, so his country is unknown.
The boy about 2 years, from Khoa Lak is missing his parents.
Nobody knows what country he comes from.
Please contact us by phone 076-249400-4 ext. 1336, 1339 or e- mail : info@phuket-inter-hospital.co.th Please pass this along to reliable individuals.
12-08-04 - MEDIA CENSORSHIP re United Church of Christ ad
Urge NBC and CBS to reverse censorship of United Church of Christ advertisement
CBS and NBC refused to air a United Church of Christ (UCC) advertisement on the grounds that its message of inclusiveness was "too controversial." The advertisement shows a gay couple being turned away from a church and states that the UCC welcomes all people, regardless of sexual orientation, race, age, economic circumstance or ability. View the advertisement at: http://www.stillspeaking.com
It's simply inexcusable that CBS and NBC find equality and inclusiveness "too controversial."
Action: Urge CBS and NBC to reverse their decision to censor the United Church of Christ advertisement. Encourage them to support religious freedom and nondiscrimination. Humanist voices need to be heard, so please contact NBC and CBS:
CBS
NBC Nightly@NBC.com
Background: Rev. Robert Chase, director of the UCC's communication ministry stated in response to NBC and CBS's refusal to air the advertisement, "We find it disturbing that the networks in question seem to have no problem exploiting gay persons through mindless comedies or titillating dramas, but when it comes to a church's loving welcome of committed gay couples, that's where they draw the line."
In a written explanation from CBS, the advertisement was considered inappropriate because "the Executive Branch has recently proposed a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman." NBC deemed the advertisement "too controversial" and declined to air it.
As the Federal Marriage Amendment failed to pass in both the Senate and House of Representatives, CBS shows partisanship toward the Bush administration and those who support the Federal Marriage Amendment. Furthermore, the FMA prioritizes certain religious beliefs over others and over those without religion.
Remember to urge NBC and CBS to reverse censorship of the United Church of Christ Advertisement.
The American Humanist Association is the oldest and largest Humanist organization in the nation. The AHA is dedicated to ensuring a voice for those with a positive nontheistic outlook, based on reason and experience, which embraces all of humanity.
Comment on this action alert
To send a letter to the editor of the Humanist Network News, email: Duncan@HumanistStudies.org
Please try to limit your letters to 250 words. And be sure to let us know where you're writing from.
11/17/04
-The Marijuana Policy Project helped
make history this week when, for the first time ever, a
bill designed to protect medical marijuana patients and
providers was introduced in the U.S. Senate. MPP worked closely with the office
of the bill's lead sponsor, U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL),
to help craft the bill and lobbied hard to ensure its introduction.
We hope that you will now contact your two U.S. senators
and urge them to support this legislation.
Please visit http://www.mpp.org/trials to e-mail your senators
a pre- written message explaining why it's necessary to
provide federal protections to patients and caregivers
who use and provide medical marijuana in compliance with
state laws. With the U.S. Supreme Court less than two weeks
away from hearing a landmark medical marijuana case --
Ashcroft v. Raich -- this is a perfect time to make your
feelings on this subject known. The whole process will
take less than two minutes.
Like the House version of the bill, the Senate "Truth
in Trials Act" (S. 2989) -- introduced on November
17 -- would end the federal government's gag on medical
marijuana defendants in court. By providing an affirmative
defense to federal marijuana charges, this bill would not
only ensure that defendants could introduce evidence about
the medical aspects of their marijuana-related activities,
but it would also keep such defendants from being sent
to federal prison if it is determined that they were acting
in compliance with state medical marijuana laws.
Both U.S. senators from Vermont -- Sen. Patrick Leahy (D)
and Sen. Jim Jeffords (I) -- joined Sen. Durbin in introducing
the bill.
We can stop the federal war on doctors, patients, and caregivers.
But in order to do so, we must turn the 80% public support
for medical marijuana into a political force. This transformation
has already started, with more and more national organizations
making formal declarations of their support for safe, legal
access to medical marijuana. For example, in June 2003,
the American Nurses Association, representing 2.6 million
registered nurses, passed a resolution in support of "legislation
to remove criminal penalties ... for bona fide patients
and prescribers of therapeutic marijuana."
Please do your part to show your U.S. senators that support
for medical marijuana is widespread. Visit http://www.mpp.org/trials and send an e-mail today.
10/14/04 -
Members of the Pinellas Domestic Violence Task Force
(DVTF), and others interested in violence prevention,
gathered on October 14th to honor two area media personalities
during a luncheon, and attend a lecture discussing violence
as primarily a man’s issue. Click
here for information & photos.
FL
Citizens Opposed to Newly Mandated Inmate Banking
Fees
In
the past few years, the department of 'correction'
in our state has taken everything they can think
of from the inmates and punished the families
no end with extra phone charges, high canteen
prices, and the costs of traveling great distances
to see their loved one. Now legislators in Florida
have deemed it proper to slap them again. The
Florida Lolitshttp://www.angelfire.com/fl3/starke/lolit.html have
put up a petition opposing the new Banking Fee
that families in Florida will have to pay the
FDOC - because most inmates don't have an income
in this state, families feel double taxed. The
department will have more money but you, the
taxpayer will pay no less. I hope you'll
all sign to support the Florida Families.
Frank Kopczynski to be recognized for his dedication
and exceptional services to victims of
crime. As part of Victim Rights Week
a luncheon will be held on April 23,
2004 at the Holiday Inn in Clearwater.
Photos of the event to be posted soon. Click here for more
information about Victims of Crime.
4/19/04 Say NO! to
HMO
The
Florida
House
of
Representatives
in
its
Appropriations
Conforming
Bill
has
provided that the bulk of Medicaid mental health care be turned over to HMOs.
If this bill passes, the consequences will be tragic. Call FL Senate President,
Jim King at 850.487.5229 and FL House Speaker, Johnnie Byrd at 850.488.1450 and
urge them to vote NO! on HB 1843. Or, click
here to TAKE ACTION NOW!
3/31/04 -
Drinking
is the number one health problem on campuses today. Two
out of five college students are binge drinkers; 1,400
college students die each year from alcohol-related injuries;
more than 70,000 students are victims of alcohol-related
sexual assault or date rape; and 500,000 students are injured
under the influence of alcohol each year.
1/27/04
- Free Classes at Resource Center
for Women
RCW offers free services to women in our community. They
include personal guidance, career development and parenting. In
addition, RCW offers a monthly computer orientation class
and a free computer lab.
In Personal Guidance, the focus is on stress management,
assertiveness and self-esteem.
In Career Development the groups work on resume preparation,
job search strategies and interview techniques.
The Parenting Education will help you build your child’s
self-esteem, communicate with your child and enjoy a
quality relationship with your child.
The Computer Orientation class and self-directed learning
lab offer basic computer instruction in a small, non-intimidating
environment.
The classes are located at the Largo and the St. Petersburg
locations. New programs begin the first week of
each month. These services are funded by the Juvenile Welfare Board
of Pinellas County, Pinellas County Community Foundation,
the Resource Center for Women Foundation and donors.
The Resource Center for Women helps women in transition
develop employment, personal and parenting skills that
lead to self-sufficiency. RCW does this through
life skills’ training, which includes programs in
career development, personal guidance and parenting classes.
Call RCW to register for a free class
today! 727-586-1110
1/16/04
- Frank
Kopczynski attends RCW Breakfast at the Biltmore More
than 200 men and women attended a fundraiser breakfast
at
the Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa in Clearwater
on November
6 to benefit the Resource Center for Women Foundation.
Guests from the Tampa Bay area were invited to learn
how they
could support this valuable resource for women in our
community.
To learn
more about the work of this fine organization click
here
NAMI
Pinellas Celebrates Mental Illness Awareness Week -
End the Mystery!
Friday, October
8 2004
7:00pm
Inaugural End the Mystery Awards Banquet and Silent
Auction - $50 per person
Theme: "Senior Moments" Come dressed as
you were when a senior in high school and win a prize!
This Awards Banquet will honor those individuals in
the community that go above and beyond to bring quality
care and services to the mentally ill. Come help us
celebrate your friends and associates while having
lots of fun.
The Silent Auction has some very inviting items to
tempt you. And, the DJ will have you on that dance
floor dancing the night away. This is a time to mingle
with your friends, co-workers and associates.
Saturday, October 9 2004
"Walk a Mile in Our Shoes" -
One mile mini-walk in beautiful N. Straub Park - $15
registration
The fun continues with the above mini-walk. Registration
includes free T-shirt and refreshments.
Please call Judy Turnbaugh (727) 942-8140 or Anne
Jones (727) 544-4543 to make reservations today.
3/8/04
If you should
receive a collect call from a county jail inmate don't
not be
persuaded to transfer the call by dialing *72 as you will
be charged for all
collect calls transferred to that number.
1/21/04 -
Protect Americans Against Mad Cow Disease!
After
years of trepidation the unwanted happened: a cow afflicted
with
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) - mad cow disease - was discovered in
the U.S.
Urge the US Department of Agriculture to help protect the American public
against mad cow disease by taking the following
steps:
test more cattle for BSE,
institute a mandatory animal tracking system,
prohibit the use of vertebral columns from cattle
of all ages in advance
meat recovery systems (in a recent USDA survey,
one out of three samples of
stripped meat was contaminated with central
nervous-system tissue),
publicly release distribution lists during
voluntary recalls, and
Convicted
before age 18 & sentenced to life without parole? Human
Rights Watch would like to correspond with and eventually
interview individuals serving life without the possibility
of parole
for crimes committed before they were 18 years old. Family
members
of such individuals are also welcome to get in touch with
us. All
correspondence / interviews will be treated confidentially.
The
purpose of the project is to work towards the abolishment
of life
without parole for persons under 18, since this is a serious
violation of international human rights. Interested individuals
can
write to:
Human Rights Watch
U.S. Program
544 W. Menomonee Street
Chicago, Illinois 60614
email: parkera@hrw.org
things.... here is a
jpg photo of a two-ish blond boy missing his parents in the tsunami.
Apparently he won't/can't speak yet, so his country is unknown. 
More
than 200 men and women attended a fundraiser breakfast
at
the Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa in Clearwater
on November
6 to benefit the Resource Center for Women Foundation.
Guests from the Tampa Bay area were invited to learn
how they
could support this valuable resource for women in our
community.