Jun252020

Amid threats and political pushback, public health officials are leaving their posts

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Public health workers, already underfunded and understaffed, are confronting waves of protest at their homes and offices in addition to pressure from politicians who favor a faster reopening.

More than 20 health officials have resigned, retired or been fired in recent weeks “due to conditions related to having to enforce and stand up for strong public health tactics during this pandemic” states Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.’

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Jun252020

Our American Democracy: the hard fought right to vote

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As part of Ann Arbor’s Juneteenth Day Celebration, the zoom showing of Suppressed: The Right to Vote by the well-known documentarian Robert Greenwald demonstrates the way state governments can deprive blacks and other people of color from voting. Focusing on Georgia’s 2018 gubernatorial election, the movie testifies to the array of injustices that state deployed to deprive minorities of the right to vote.

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Jun112020

Justice and the Police

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Read these articles and the proposed legislation; contact your legislators. There must be accountability!  Without accountability, nothing will ever change. Make sure your family and friends register to vote and actually vote. There are only a few months until November.  Support the candidates that agree with your values now!  Vote out those politicians that do not agree with your values.

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Jun42020

Police Target Journalists as Trump Blames ‘Lamestream Media’ for Protests

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A foundation of a functioning democracy is an informed, engaged public. Organizations such as the ACLU and Common Cause invite us to support their work to protect freedom of the press. Organizations such as ProtectPressFreedom.org – a coalition of journalists and press advocacy groups, in partnership with a wide range of major media organizations – encourages us to use social media to acknowledge threats, show support of the press and highlight great reporting. Journalists are there as representatives of the public, and if law enforcement is attacking them, they can’t do their job, and that hurts everybody.

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May212020

Call the Governor to release Michigan state prisoners at risk of COVID-19

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The best way to manage the COVID-19 challenge in Michigan’s prison system is to release as many people as possible as soon as possible. It can be done quickly, without compromising public safety, and in the best interest of public health. To save lives, it is imperative that the Governor act immediately to expand who is eligible for parole, expand the use of her commutation powers, expand parole boards, and expedite the review of wrongful conviction cases in front of the conviction integrity unit.

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May212020

The United States Postal Service

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It is urgent that Congress and the White House fully fund the United States Postal Service in the next stimulus bill. Private companies won’t deliver to certain remote areas — and, right now, the Postal Service is delivering lifesaving medications and food, supporting voting by mail-in primary states and helping other services necessary for our nation to continue to operate.

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