In the absence of state or federal laws, localities around the United States are proceeding to put unmanned aerial vehicles in our skies as they see fit. The federal government has authorized the flight of 30,000 drones, and the use of drones up to 400 feet by police departments, at least 300 of which already have surveillance drones in operation. Drones are not safe. Surveillance by drones cannot comply with the Fourth Amendment. And the arming of drones with tear gas and rubber bullets, already under way in many U.S. localities, is an outrageous threat to our First Amendment right to assemble and petition our governments for a redress of grievances. City councilors and members of boards of supervisors take an oath to support the Constitution of the United States. Cities and towns routinely send petitions to Congress for all kinds of requests. This is allowed under Clause 3, Rule XII, Section 819, of the Rules of the House of Representatives. This clause is routinely used to accept petitions from cities, and memorials from states, all across America. The same is established in the Jefferson Manual, the rulebook for the House originally written by Thomas Jefferson for the Senate. In 1967, a court in California ruled (Farley v. Healey, 67 Cal.2d 325) that “one of the purposes of local government is to represent its citizens before the Congress, the Legislature, and administrative agencies in matters over which the local government has no power. Even in matters of foreign policy it is not uncommon for local legislative bodies to make their positions known.” Abolitionists passed local resolutions against U.S. policies on slavery. The anti-apartheid movement did the same, as did the nuclear freeze movement, the movement against the PATRIOT Act, the movement in favor of the Kyoto Protocol, etc. Here are resolutions that have already passed and other resources: http://bit.ly/droneres START A PETITION LIKE THIS FOR YOUR LOCALITY AND ROOTSACTION CAN HELP YOU PROMOTE IT. Click "Start a campaign" at the top of this page to get started. Contact us for help: info at rootsaction dot org.

If my son Jeremy had been advised and aware of a Policy and Procedure such as this, a person of his choosing would have been with him for emotional support and guidance at his disciplinary meeting and subsequent firing from his job.

In 2010 with its “Citizens United” ruling, and again this year in its “McCutcheon” ruling, the US Supreme Court has equated money with free speech and eliminated many of the restrictions on how much cash corporations and wealthy individuals may contribute to political campaigns. These rulings give great power to those who have megamillions to spend on electing politicians who will vote their way. Billionaires and huge corporations paying to put politicians into office is the opposite of democracy. As Comcast Executive Vice-President David L. Cohen said, “My priorities in political giving are Comcast’s priorities. I don’t kid myself.” Are big Pharma, Agribusiness and Assemblymember Levine’s other donors any different? Levine was elected to represent California Assembly District 10, which encompasses one of California’s most progressive regions: Marin County and part of Sonoma County. Yet he has accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations from big business interests, and has voted or abstained from voting in line with those interests instead of in the interests of his constituents in the district. It’s hard to believe that Mr. Levine is anything but a Corporate Democrat when we see six-figure donations from big business, while he toes the line and votes the way big business wants him to vote. Marc Levine, we urge you to return those donations, start voting the way your constituents want you to vote, and support public financing of campaigns!

We can do better than our current path.

There's been a huge discrepancy between what the government has publicly said about who has been killed by U.S. drone strikes - in particular, how many civilians have been killed - and the record of independent reporting. Because of the secrecy of the program, there's been little accountability for this discrepancy. Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Walter Jones (R-NC) have now introduced legislation (1) – the Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act – to require an annual report on the number of combatants and civilians killed or injured annually by U.S. drone strikes. The requirement is retroactive for five years. It also requires that the report include the definitions of combatants and civilian noncombatants used. (2) The Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act has been endorsed by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. (3) References: 1. “H.R.4372 - To require the President to make publicly available an annual report on the use of targeted lethal force by remotely-piloted aircraft,” http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4372/ 2. “Reps. Adam Schiff and Walter Jones Introduce Bipartisan Bill Requiring Annual Reporting on Drone Casualties,” April 2, 2014, http://schiff.house.gov/press-releases/reps-adam-schiff-and-walter-jones-introduce-bipartisan-bill-requiring-annual-reporting-on-drone-casualties/ 3. “Joint Statement in Support of The Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act,” April 2, 2014, http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/news-item/joint-statement-in-support-of-the-targeted-lethal-force-transparency-act

On the occasion of Spring Days of Action against the killer drones the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance issues this call to action: The National Security Agency is not only violating the 4th Amendment to the US Constitution by taking away the privacy rights of Americans and others around the world, but contributing to the deaths and the maiming of innocents, including children, in the NSA's role supporting the US CIA and US Military drone strikes. The Obama Administration has already violated the 5th Amendment rights of Americans killed by the drones including Anwar al-Awlaki and his son in Yemen. International law has been violated, as the US drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq are war crimes. The NSA is culpable, and we must nonviolently express our First Amendment rights and responsibilities under international law to oppose the US Government and the Obama Administration's extrajudicial killings carried out in our name and with our tax money. On Saturday, May 3, 2014 we will gather and peacefully assemble at the National Security Agency to hold a public witness against the its role in violations of international law, war crimes, and crimes against peace. Across the United States, citizen activists have been involved in challenging the killer drone program, and some of them have been arrested and jailed for being voices for the voiceless drone victims. The demonstration at the NSA will be nonviolent, and is open to all peace with justice people. Some participants may be moved to risk arrest, however, the demonstration is open to all. Please let the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance know if you are able to be at the NSA on May 3 by emailing Joy First at [email protected] A final planning meeting will be held on Friday May 2. Contact Malachy Kilbride at [email protected] for information on this important planning session. The NSA, former employer of Edward Snowden, is located at Fort Meade, Maryland where the courageous US war crimes whistle-blower, Chelsea Manning, was tried and convicted. If not you, then who, will join us on May 3, 2014? Come out for peace with justice for all and be a voice FOR the drone victims and AGAINST US militarism and the violence of empire. For more information contact Joy First, convener of the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance at: [email protected]

Last year, under pressure from the oil industry, the California Legislature failed to pass a moratorium on fracking. Since then, fracking has continued to expand in California, putting our communities, our water supply and the climate at risk. Now we have another chance to pass a fracking moratorium bill. State Senators Holly Mitchell and Mark Leno introduced SB 1132, a strong moratorium bill that, if passed, will protect California from fracking and other well stimulation techniques. SB 1132 just got a yes vote at the first committee hearing. The next vote is on April 30. We have a real opportunity to pass a fracking moratorium in California this year. The oil industry will spend huge amounts of money and political capital fighting this bill. We need your help before the next vote on April 30. Please sign the petition to urge our California State Legislators to vote yes on SB 1132 for a fracking moratorium now.

While military spending produces jobs, it produces fewer of them than civilian spending, or even than tax cuts for working people. It's a drain on the economy, in addition to its other significant drawbacks.

Island Energy Services (IES), one of the several petroleum distributors and retailers in Hawai‘i, has purchased all Chevron assets in Hawai ‘i and has become the licensee of Chevron brand, Texaco for the “state”. To enter a license agreement, IES and Chevron have signed a contract allowing IES to utilize the Texaco trademark in Hawai‘i. Texaco in Hawaii also includes Techron in their fuel- a patented fuel additive developed and exclusively produced by the Chevron corporation. This license contract ensures that Texaco in Hawai ‘i has access to both the Chevron trademark and patented product.  Chevron is the main international actor extracting fossil gas claimed by apartheid Israel in the Mediterranean. 70% of Israel’s power production comes directly from Chevron. Through the billions of dollars it pays Israel for its gas extraction licenses, Chevron is also directly contributing to financing Israel’s apartheid and ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. Israel has killed over 40,000 Palestinians since October, and the true death toll is estimated to be many thousands higher. In July 2024, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel is guilty of apartheid against Palestinians and that its military occupation is illegal, calling for ending both, dismantling the settlements, providing full reparations to Palestinian victims, and facilitating the return of displaced people. It has also called for an end to all commercial and business activities that facilitate Israel’s regime of occupation and oppression. This includes Chevron, which is now in direct violation of international law. Chevron’s reputation is beginning to suffer due to this complicity with Israeli apartheid. Join BDS in Hawaii by boycotting Chevron locally. We demand that IES end their contract with Chevron, halt the sale of Chevron patented products, rebrand Texaco in Hawaii gas stations, and cut ties with Israel. 

If they can take away our American right and status quo of liberty, until and if ever found guilty of a crime without any conviction, then not only can they do it to Bilal Muhammad, but you, your loved ones and your families and friends. There is a saying that if they take away the rights of one person, then we are all in danger of losing those rights. So I'm asking all American people to stand together as one to stop this offense for our liberty, so that we can remain a free people.

Unnecessary wars are killing and displacing millions of people. Lobbying politicians for change is unlikely as long as the arms makers can manufacture public consent through a campaign of misinformation.

This should not only end poverty, but present a huge cost-savings to taxpayers since all the bureaucrats who are employed in conducting "means-testing" to dole out poverty-level "assistance" to those "poor and worthy enough" can now be comfortably retired. Ending poverty will also spell the end of lots more government spending, since poverty is the #1 predictor of both crime and disease. If our government can afford to offer billions in aid to Big Pharma, Big Telecom, and Ukraine, it can surely afford to aid the people of the USA.