NYPD Rejects Freedom of Information Request for Freedom of Information Handbook

From Obama to de Blasio, Democratic administrations block freedom of information

No surprise. Citizens can be duped more easily if they are kept ignorant of the true workings of their own government. It's sad to see this, but that's where things are headed. The lazy mainstream media, the one with the resources, need to challenge this, but that would mean that they would have to actually call out what is happening : a deliberate subversion of the truth. You won't see The New York Times do shit, though. Like Goldilocks trying out chairs, it took three articles spread out over three days (first)(second)(third) for them to finally do a decent reporting on the bishop being busted out of jail for free story, and that was only after every major daily (and the AP wire) had out-reported The NYTimes. There was once a time when I used to think of The NYTimes as the "Bible" of journalism. There are some times when they are spot on, but more and more each edition seems like the apocryphal texts of journalism.

As much as I have pushed "progressive" LGBT activists to speak out on other betrayals by the new administration, I'm now resigned to see how many LGBT activists sweep this one under the rug, too. There was once a time in New York when LGBT activists were on the forefront of pushing forth new progressive achievements. That was back then.

In an era when the media refuses to "vet" politicians for the truth, we only have activists to rely upon, and perhaps good government groups. But the way that the New York Civil Liberties Union has retreated from holding the NYPD accountable, who is left to apply pressure politics to government officials, forcing them to adopt a truly progressive reform agenda ?

• RELATED : NYPD Rejects FOI Request for FOI Handbook (MuckRock)
• RELATED : Most recent update on Freedom of Information Act Request pertaining to vindictive prosecution of Lt. Daniel Choi (NYC : News & Analysis)

LGBT activists fought so hard to come out of the closet, but now they feel so right at home locked up in the veal pen.

Will NYPD ever adopt @NYCLU police reform recommendations following 2003 anti-war protest ? @CommissBratton http://t.co/mMGeHlSBNB

— Bold Progress NYC (@boldprogressnyc) February 9, 2014

Although a lawsuit connected to the 2003 anti-war protest was settled, police abuses later continued against Occupy Wall Street demonstrators. What do "settlements" mean, if there is on-going compliance or oversight of the NYPD when it comes to broader constitutional rights and civil liberties reforms ?

Will NYPD ever adopt @NYCLU police reform recommendations following 2004 RNC protest ? @CommissBratton http://t.co/59XSIpxEiY

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 9, 2014

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• RELATED : MuckRock Podcast : FOIA By Numbers

In Twitter exchange, NYTimes reporter admits he looks the other way on human rights abuses

LGBT rights activists upset with NYTimes reporter over incomplete article

Sam Borden, a reporter for The New York Times, wrote an article about some American Olympic athletes being upset with LGBT activists, who are calling attention to the violent anti-LGBT crackdown taking place in Russia under President Vladimir Putin ("American Lugers Annoyed by Group’s Gay Rights Video," 11 Feb 2014).

Christian Niccum and Preston Griffall, both American Olympic athletes competing in Sochi, said they were ruffled by some of the social media activism of LGBT supporters and allies. In particular, the pair of athletes objected to a YouTube video by Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion lampooning the savage heterosexism now sweeping Russia.

In the article, the American athletes bemoaned stereotypes that they now felt that they must endure because of the CIDI video, but The New York Times reporter never asked the athletes what they thought about the violence that LGBT Russians must face in the current oppressive crackdown atmosphere in Russia.

Perhaps if Mr. Niccum and Mr. Griffall had been able to have empathy for the plight of LGBT Russians, the Sochi Olympics might garner them some additional fans. But the silence from American Olympic champions and even from reporters from The New York Times seems to suggest that there's an unofficial attitude of appeasement toward President Putin's violent crackdown.

Here is the CIDI video, which ridicule only scratches the surface of the brutal heterosexism in Russia. Even this small amount of humorous criticism triggers painful cognitive dissonance for athletes and media, who'd apparently want to keep the extreme violence locked up in a closet. This video has now been viewed over 5 million times on YouTube :

2014 Cadillac ELR Coupe : "Rogue" French-Bashing Commercial Adds to GM Woes (UPDATED)

PUBLISHED : FRI, 14 FEB 2014, 04:06 PM
UPDATED : FRI, 11 APR 2014, 01:35 PM

The American carmaker General Motors has resorted to bashing French citizens for their unique culture in the new "Work Hard" TV commercial for the 2014 Cadillac ELR Coupe hybrid. Neal McDonough, who stars in the controversial new Cadillac commercial, mocks French cafés, the French family values sensibility that places a special importance on the annual summer vacation, and France's emphasis on quality of life. The commercial implies that the French do not work hard at all, nor are the French capable of accomplishing major scientific breakthroughs, like landing on the moon -- an example of "American exceptionalism." Meanwhile, the truth is that the French invented each of aviation, motion pictures, and antibiotics ; they revolutionized astronomy and statistics ; and a Frenchman created the first digital form of writing, Braille, amongst many other notable breakthroughs. Indeed, René Lorin, a Frenchman, invented the ramjet, a supersonic jet engine that allowed later jets to travel at speeds between Mach 3 and Mach 6. Mr. McDonough does not ever identify France in the commercial as the target of his scorn, but the litany of his generalizations and stereotypes unmistakably points to France, and, as if to remove all doubt, at the end of his rant, he asks with a knowing wink, "N'est-ce pas ?"

Adding to the controversy, this commercial has been being broadcast during the karmically-doommed Sochi Winter Olympics, the latter which has become the target of global protests over the violent anti-LGBT crackdown taking place in Russia under President Vladimir Putin.

(An earlier YouTube video of the Cadillac commercial, which went viral after TV viewers become outraged by the discriminatory commercial's theme, was mysteriously censored removed from YouTube. A replacement video was subsequently also censored removed from YouTube.)

• RELATED : Google Changes Sochi Olympics Home Page To Protest Russia's Violent Anti-LGBT Crackdown
• RELATED : Is it time for Greenlight Capital to short stock of Sochi Olympic Sponsors ?

Mr. McDonough, who stars in the Cadillac ELR Coupe hybrid commercial, is a handsome and charismatic actor, who has attracted widespread goodwill in Hollywood for his roles in movies, like Captain America : The First Avenger, in which he played Dum Dum Dugan. How much goodwill will it personally cost Mr. McDonough with his fans for having made this controversial commercial ? What's been the reputational risk ?

Social ills, like de facto discrimination, are usually based on ignorance. It's not known why U.S. networks on broadcast and cable TV would accept money in exchange for airing this commercial, given the controversial use of harmful and stupid generalizations of the French. For GM's part, that ignorance is all the more clear. The luxury automaker brand of Cadillac was named after a French explorer, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. It's unknown whether GM's advertising executives are even educated about how the new French-bashing Cadillac TV commercial actually attacks the company's namesake's own homeland ?

Perhaps in a wink and a nod to their Red State-minded target customers, the controversial Cadillac commercial was produced by a new advertising outfit known as Rogue, an Interpublic Group of Cos. team reporting to the following GM executives : Bob Ferguson, vice president of Global Cadillac ; Craig Bierley, Cadillac's advertising director ; and Steven Majoros, a former Campbell Ewald advertising agency executive now at Cadillac, according to a pre-commercial review of Cadillac's marketing team by Advertising Age. The advertising agency Campbell Ewald had previously done work for GM for its Chevrolet unit. Adweek provides the complete credits for the controversial Cadillac commercial.

That GM is integrating cultural contempt and bullying of the French in its new Cadillac commercial is a new low for the once great carmaker. Once the largest automobile manufacturer in the world, GM has since yielded that title to Toyota. In the wake of this "identity crisis" for GM, it's now developed a dubious track record of making commercials that have been judged to be controversial at best and racist at worst. The commercial for the 2013 Chevrolet Trax subcompact crossover was called racist over its use of a controversial Chinese soundtrack.

GM further sparked controversy when some politicians questioned whether the automaker was deliberately underpaying its new CEO, Mary Barra, because she is a woman. Institutionalised de facto discrimination runs rampant at GM. Whether you are French, Chinese, female, Black, or belong to a union, it seems that the troubled automaker is intent on insulting your equality.

Maybe GM wouldn't have such a hard time selling cars to people, if it first learned to treat people with dignity and respect. Compris ?

Three Brooklyn Hospitals Face Down-sizing, Despite Billions in State and City Resources

No Political Commitment to Save Hospitals

Brookdale Hospital, Interfaith Medical Center, and Wyckoff Heights Medical Center will now have to down-size in order to survive, aides to Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today. No mention was made if Long Island College Hospital, a fourth Brooklyn hospital that has been targeted for closure by Gov. Cuomo, would survive the chopping block.

As part of a controversial Medicaid waiver, New York state must reduce inpatient hospital beds across the board in accordance with the wishes of Stephen Berger, a New York investment banker and member of a working group of Gov. Cuomo's Medicaid Redesign Team. Since 2006, Mr. Berger has overseen the closure or down-sizing of 11 hospitals in New York City alone.

• RELATED : Healthcare As Bargaining Chips in New York City Politics // The Pelican Brief (Updated)
• RELATED : Bill de Blasio, New York Liberals, and the Veal Pen (Updated)

Gov. Cuomo wants to use some of the money from the Medicaid waiver to down-size hospitals into urgent care centers, emergency units, and specialized treatment facilities. “We will be able to fund the structural and rebuilding needed to transform hospitals so they can be profitable and thrive and remain open,” one aide to Gov. Cuomo said.

Because the Medicaid waiver was negotiated in secret, it is not known if any of the down-sized facilities in Brooklyn will "transform" into spin-offs as for-profit healthcare corporations.

No response, yet, from New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who campaigned outside the former St. Vincent's Hospital with a promise to stop hospital closings.

Billion in Surplus State and City Budgets

Gov. Cuomo says that New York state has no money to save our hospitals, yet he is spending "surplus" state tax money that was "made" by closing entire hospitals. From this "pot of gold," the governor is offering tax breaks to the wealthy and to corporations, so much so that the Moral Monday movement is now coming to Albany, to fight the irresponsible way in which Gov. Cuomo has politicized state tax dollars. Many observers note that Gov. Cuomo is diverting "surplus" money from healthcare cuts to cozy up to corporate supporters in order to increase his margin of victory in his re-election bid later this year as a way to launch a campaign for the 2016 presidential race.

• RELATED : In election year, governor is in a giving mood, except for healthcare
• RELATED : Moral Mondays Come to Albany : Morality Meet Cuomo's Budget
• RELATED : Gov. Andrew Cuomo's 2016 Presidential Machinations

Mayor de Blasio has also attracted some scrutiny in how he's using tax money. The new mayor enjoys a $3 billion budget surplus, and the city stands to make an additional $1 billion from the sale of new air rights around Grand Central Terminal as part of the mayor's plan to rezone the east side of Midtown Manhattan. But so far, Mayor de Blasio has not proposed to use any of these resources to save two hospitals on the verge of closure, Long Island College Hospital or Interfaith Medical Center, both in Brooklyn.

• RELATED : Budget Puzzle for Mayor : What to Do With a Surplus That May Top $3 Billion
• RELATED : City Council Postpones Decision on $1 Billion Midtown Air Rights Sale

As each of Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio plan their next budgets, now is the time to hold them to account to save our community hospitals.

Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina 'Beautiful Day' Delusion As Killer Snow Storm Strikes New York City

New York City Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina faced resounding criticism today as she decided to keep New York City public schools open on a day of a massive snow storm that destroyed a ferry ramp in Brooklyn and a snow plow ran over and killed a pregnant woman in Brooklyn. Chancellor Farina said of the weather conditions : "It's absolutely a beautiful day out there."

• RELATED : 'It's absolutely a beautiful day out there,' schools chancellor says—but students and parents disagree, with just 45% attendance as snowstorm piles a foot of snow on the city (The New York Daily News)
• RELATED : Mayor Bill de Blasio Defends Controversial Snow Day Decision (Politicker)

School attended was about 45%, according to The New York Daily News. Earlier in the day, Mayor Bill de Blasio added the controversies surrounding the city's response to the snow storm when the mayor insulted NBC Today Show weathercaster Al Roker. Before the snow storm struck New York, it had killed more than a dozen people. After Mr. Roker said that people should take this snow storm seriously, Mayor de Blasio said, "It's a different thing to run a city than to give weather on TV."

On Twitter, Chancellor Farina's "beautiful day" remarks were transformed into hilarious memes with lightning speed.

#BeautifulDay #carmenfarina @NY1thecall pic.twitter.com/lODCp20ptf

— Five Boro Fund (@5BoroFund) February 14, 2014

Carmen Farina said it was a "beautiful day" today #howtomakeCathieBlacklooksmart

— cardozoenglishhonors (@cardozoenglish1) February 13, 2014

Despite Dangers, New York City Public Hospitals Set to Outsource Dialysis Care to Private Chain

Four of the city’s public hospitals are expected to turn over dialysis care to a for-profit franchise called Big Apple Dialysis despite government data showing the company’s chains did not perform as well as the hospitals themselves.

The motive to make money from dialysis patients at for-profit chains has resulted in what researchers describe as starkly higher mortality rates than at patient-care centered clinics that are operated as non-profits.

The four New York City hospitals, where dialysis patients may face worse healthcare outcomes, including a risk of higher mortality, are : Kings County Hospital, Lincoln Hospital Center, Metropolitan Hospital, and Harlem Hospital.

The nurses union New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) and other healthcare advocates are critical of the effort to outsource dialysis care.

Please contact Councilmember Corey Johnson, the chair of the Council Health Committee, to express your opinions about this controversial outsourcing contract : 1 (212) 564-7757.

Rep. Joseph Crowley asks DOJ to release information regarding vindictive prosecution of Lt. Daniel Choi

New York Congressman presses Department of Justice to answer Freedom of Information Act request

U.S. Representative Joseph Crowley (D-NY) wrote a letter to the staff of the U.S. Department of Justice, requesting that the agency answer a Freedom of Information Act request submitted last year.

The FOIA request was submitted on 30 April 2013 to obtain information about the Department of Justice's policy of aggressively prosecuting activists. One activist in particular, Lt. Daniel Choi, who led the charge to over turn the military's discriminatory policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," was the target of a "vindictive prosecution," according to a court finding. A pattern of others being targeted for their activism shows that some federal prosecutors may be overreaching in a deliberate campaign to punish activists.

• RELATED : FOIA Appeal Update Regarding the DOJ's ''vindictive prosecution'' of Lt. Daniel Choi

Lt. Choi's circumstances very visibly highlight questions about why the government chose to press federal charges against one of the nation's most visible LGBT civil rights activists. Lt. Choi's activism, sometimes involving direct action, was undertaken to end the military's discrimination against gays and lesbians in the U.S. Armed Forces. After the U.S. Congress acknowledged the harmful discrimination of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and repealed the policy, and after President Barack Obama signed the repeal into law, the government still prosecuted Lt. Choi as if he were a criminal, even though his activism was undertaken solely to advance social justice. Rep. Crowley's crucial letter to the Department of Justice comes as the FOIA request remains pending over nine months after its initial, formal filing. In December, the law firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP filed an appeal in support of the FOIA request after it had become apparent that the Department of Justice had constructively denied the FOIA request by refusing to provide any response.

2014-02-10 Rep Joseph Crowley Letter to DOJ - Lt Dan Choi FOIA Request by Connaissable

Here is the appeal filed in December by Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP :

2013-12-06 Lt Daniel Choi FOIA Appeal - Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP - Flores Louis by Connaissable

And here is the original FOIA request, formally filed last April :

2013-04-30 Lt Daniel Choi DOJ FOIA Request Louis Flores by Connaissable

Brooklyn Beep Eric Adams Caught in Web of Medicaid Redesign Team, de Blasio, and Cuomo Machinations

Politicians are playing a deadly game with people's lives over the hospital closings crisis that is gripping New York City. But very few politicians own up to the fact that the hospital closing crisis is being manufactured by both the state government under an Orwellian plan first under the Berger Commission and later under the Medicaid Redesign Team, originally dating back to at least 2006.

On NY1, you were defending downsizing LICH. To stop hospital closings, you need to stand up to both mayor and governor. @BPEricAdams

— StopNYMRT (@StopNYMRT) February 10, 2014

• RELATED : Watching the Political Chess Pieces Move on the $10 billion New York State Medicaid Waiver

Because Mayor Bill de Blasio took advantage of health care unions concerned with hospital closings, his mayoral campaign catapulted over former Council Speaker Christine Quinn's own campaign in last year's mayoral election. But now that the mayor is loath to come up with the city tax dollars to actually bail out Long Island College Hospital and Interfaith Medical Center, the lesser-ranking city officials are left in a quandry : afraid to hold the mayor accountable to his campaign promises, but still let to have to "go through the motions" to quell union and voter anger over how quickly the mayor and the Public Advocate's office have abandoned any concrete plans to save full-service hospital care at LICH and Interfaith.

AG Eric Holder takes to HRC gala dinner to announce compliance update with landmark SCOTUS marriage equality ruling

Some Federal Civil Rights to be Extended to Same-Sex Couples, Finally

As has been noted by some LGBT civil rights activists, even though the national recognition of some civil rights being announced this evening by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is just a "clear interpretation" of the landmark marriage equality SCOTUS ruling, it's interesting to see how desperate the jockeying is to "take political credit" for the SCOTUS ruling.

“As all-important as the fight against racial discrimination was then, and remains today, know this : My commitment to confronting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity runs just as deep,” Attorney General Holder's prepared remarks indicated.

While the Attorney General brags about his civil rights record, he is also the very visible Obama administration official, who is leading the charge to prosecute activists, trash the First Amendment, finish off due process, violate freedom of information, and enable the NSA spying program, among other failures. All his talk is cheap. I don't know who can take the Attorney General seriously, how HRC would even revere the Attorney General, or how The New York Times even still accords the Attorney General any credibility in the realms of constitutional rights, civil rights, and civil liberties.

• RELATED : Some Federal Civil Rights to be Extended to Same-Sex Couples, Finally (The New York Times)

Federal recognition of some of our civil rights is being given to us not by the Attorney General, but by virtue of the SCOTUS ruling in the United States v. Windsor case. The Attorney General must apply the SCOTUS ruling across the nation. That's his job, that's all this is, and the timing of this was set to coincide with the Human Rights Campaign's dinner tonight. That is all.

I'm happy to see that the Attorney General can carry out his duties, as instructed by the SCOTUS ruling. If any thanks should go to the Attorney General for doing what he was told to do, then he should be accorded due thanks. How reasonable should it be for LGBT civil rights activists to expect that HRC will ask the Attorney General tonight to rise up to the challenge by asking President Barack Obama to sign the employment non-discrimination executive order referred to as ENDA ?

Fire on 78th Street in Jackson Heights, Queens

There was a fire this morning in an apartment building on 78th Street in Jackson Heights, Queens. Several fire trucks and ambulances arrived on the scene. It appeared that two ladies were brought out and given oxygen. One was seen being put into an ambulance. The other must have already been taken away. Standing outside along the sidewalk, some residents appeared as if they had just grabbed a coat to put on over their pajamas.

• RELATED : VIDEO : Fire destroys office building on 37th Avenue used by Plaza Business Institute (21 April 2014)

One of the fire trucks deployed a giant ladder that made loud noises as it was secured to the edge of the building's roof. Apartment dwellers across the way from the building could hear the loud sounds made by the ladder company and by rescue sirens. Once rescue was completed, fire officials arrived in SUV's to assess the damage. Once the building was deemed safe, the building's residents were let back in. One resident speculated that it may have been a space heater that started the fire.

If it turns out that that building isn't providing enough heat to its residents, I hope that complaint gets registered with the FDNY.

Vladimir Putin Violent Anti-LGBT Crackdown Mockumentary Facebook Movie Going Viral

The parody video, styled on the recent spree of data-mining movies that Facebook has been pushing to promote its 10 year anniversary, shows dramatic images of anti-LGBT violence in Russia under its president, Vladimir Putin.

The video says that President Putin joined Facebook in 1975, an impossible feat, but not impossible if the Russian president is advancing propaganda. Interspersed with official-looking photographs, like of the Russian president signing decrees, are depictions of state-sponsored violence of LGBT Russians. Whereas authentic Facebook movies end with the iconic Facebook like button of the "thumbs up" facing upwards, the Putin parody video ends with the "like button" turned upside-down, expressing growing worldwide dissent on Russia's draconian enforcement of its anti-LGBT law.

This latest video adds to the growing digital backlash from LGBT and ally activists playing out on social media now during the Sochi Winter Olympics.

LGBT protest Twitter spree on #CheersToSochi hashtag during opening ceremonies of Sochi Olympics

Spree of tweets from @lgbtprogressny marking the opening day ceremonies of the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Russian Officials Spying on Journalists, Visitors to Sochi Olympics http://t.co/YV2GB0HoFs #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

This is what it looks like when tyrants take away your right to free speech. #CheersToSochi #LGBT pic.twitter.com/qEvzabwjPn

— Queer Nation NY (@QueerNationNY) February 7, 2014

Russia Says Its Sochi Bathroom Spy Cameras Show No Plumbing Problems http://t.co/0mSJPjitkp #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Is Russia spying on Sochi hotel guests in the loo ? http://t.co/fOJr9Ea5w2 #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

People in LA, CA are sending #CheersToSochi right now. #AmericaIsBeautiful for its right to protest. #LGBT pic.twitter.com/Y90vCx1Cxf

— Queer Nation NY (@QueerNationNY) February 7, 2014

Did Russia admit to spying inside Sochi media showers ? http://t.co/Z7jXse1150 #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautifu

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

The Other Sochi Threat : Russian Spies, Mobsters Hacking Your Smartphones http://t.co/du3nhNAxMr #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Hacked Within Minutes : Sochi Visitors Face Internet Minefield http://t.co/CgCRHvlVoq #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Visitors to Sochi Olympics Will Be Instantly Hacked http://t.co/vprHaQpTMB #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Gay Bashing is not an #Olympics sport! #LGBT Activists Arrested in #Russia, Beaten In Police Station. http://t.co/1L79op7FSV #CheersToSochi

— Queer Nation NY (@QueerNationNY) February 7, 2014

Journalists at Sochi are live-tweeting their gross hotel experiences http://t.co/WpVCOTY82X #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Welcome to Sochi : Beware the water http://t.co/umWnKmd7Tv #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Our #CheersToSochi @CocaCola ad for #LGBT Russians Broke 100K views today! #AmericaIsBeautiful! #CelebrateWithABite http://t.co/IihMaH3MOL

— Queer Nation NY (@QueerNationNY) February 7, 2014

57% of Americans Think Sochi Terror Attack Is Likely, Poll Says http://t.co/ipmR7qZe2o #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Americans Warn Airlines of Toothpaste Bombs on Sochi Flights http://t.co/HwzocstZ7x #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Sochi Winter Olympics Black Widow Terror Attack 'Almost Certain' http://t.co/RKEf7okLVW #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Fist in the Air from sea to shining sea! #CheersToSochi @GetEQUAL @QueerNationNY #lgbt @Clarknt67 @nancygoldstein pic.twitter.com/0nNGTOOoSS

— Robin McGehee (@speechadvice) February 7, 2014

Terrorists Could Already Be Inside Sochi http://t.co/3BtOHOKAWk #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Sochi Games "nothing but a monstrous scam" http://t.co/Omje1UINSU #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Bravo #Google ! Standing on the right side of history unlike sponsors @CocoCola @McDonaldsCorp @Visa #CheersToSochi pic.twitter.com/T108eWq7Sy

— Omar Kuddus (@OmarKuddus) February 7, 2014

Vladamir Putin's Sochi games leave Russia tarnished http://t.co/3Aij9dYOjm #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Cyber criminals target businesses with Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics scams http://t.co/DP9pFmbezR #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Russia Olympics in the toilet before games begin http://t.co/EunprZfKtZ #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Cyber risks awaiting visitors and viewers of Sochi 2014 Olympics http://t.co/4emlFF4Vkg #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Is that Mr. @DJFLECK?! RT @speechadvice: "Save Russia's queer children!!" #CheersToSochi @GetEQUAL @QueerNationNY pic.twitter.com/8WtBveu6jB

— GetEQUAL (@GetEQUAL) February 7, 2014

Protect yourself when spending money at Sochi @Olympics http://t.co/hF6vZIYOuS #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Round up/arrest of 14 LGBT activists in Moscow & St. Pete prior to #Sochi2014 opening ceremonies. #CheersToSochi http://t.co/2q2Yt8OfEq

— Aaron Hartzler (@aaron007) February 7, 2014

Claims of corruption taint Sochi showpiece http://t.co/NepifHqdGB #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Olympic scams and official Sochi sites http://t.co/oSJeNoCLYP #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

! RT @ellievhall: Team Greece led the #Sochi parade of nations rocking rainbow gloves: pic.twitter.com/hA8af2DUQa

— BuzzFeed LGBT (@BuzzFeedLGBT) February 7, 2014

Athletes, beware the Sochi spy games http://t.co/fCs4UQgKED #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Anti-Hate Olympic flame lighted in Berlin. https://t.co/hjNZUavGZ5 https://t.co/ac6JJUS28v #CheersToSochi pic.twitter.com/UwvmRMb4Aa

— DEClark (@d3clark48) February 7, 2014

Don’t be a Sochi Sucker http://t.co/DqoZZWo5C4 #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Canadian cities to fly gay pride flags in Olympic protest http://t.co/LRAvXe7fJ0 #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

And HATE is ugly #CheersToSochi RT @CocaCola: As Team USA takes the stage, we're reminded why #AmericaIsBeautiful. pic.twitter.com/VRbCM3A7RM

— Cheers2 Sochi (@Cheers2Sochi) February 7, 2014

For @CocaCola & @McDonalds, Ignoring Power Of Social Media Means No Sochi Medals http://t.co/gWtjplvoPM #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Protect yourself when spending money at Sochi @Olympics http://t.co/hF6vZIYOuS #CheersToSochi #AmericaIsBeautiful

— LGBT Progress NY (@LGBTProgressNY) February 7, 2014

Mayoral election violated PFAW's call to end corruptive influence of Citizens United on politics

People for the American Way opposes the corruptive influence of Citizens United, but, in the recent mayoral election, PFAW endorsed Bill de Blasio, who helped to win the election with the benefit of help of several Super PAC's administered or employed by the campaign consulting and lobbying firm, The Advance Group. How real is the PFAW's commitment to overturning Citizens United ? Will PFAW pressure the new mayor of New York to close municipal campaign finance loopholes, so that the effort to overturn Citizens United can be established in New York -- and then copied by other municipalities across the nation ?

From: Overturning Citizens United (alerts@pfaw.org)
Subject: Grassroots unite! (against "the next Citizens United")
Date: 7 février 2014 12:33:21 UTC-05:00
To: LF (g-Male) (lflores22@gmail.com)
Reply-To: Overturning Citizens United (alerts@pfaw.org)

Louis,

Later this month, the Supreme Court could hand down a decision in a case many have called “the next Citizens United.”

February 24 is the Court’s next decision day and if the conservative majority rules broadly in McCutcheon v. FEC -- and in favor of powerful, moneyed interests, as is their penchant -- they could deal a massive blow to the few commonsense campaign finance restrictions we have left.

All the polls, as well as elections where the issue has been on the ballot, are clear: Americans want big money and its corrupting influence OUT of politics -- not more of it in, like the Court could allow in McCutcheon.

Our coalition of pro-democracy organizations and activists is gearing up to make sure there’s a grassroots response, in cities and towns across the country, to the Court’s McCutcheon decision the day it is handed down (on Feb. 24 or after).

Please sign up now to attend an event near you, or if there’s not already an event scheduled in your area, to help organize one.

Click here to indicate your interest on the Money Out / Voters In campaign site now, and organizers will be in touch with you leading up to the decision day.

Thank you to our friends at Public Citizen for leading this effort.

And thank YOU for continuing the fight to restore Government By the PEOPLE.

Sincerely,

Ben Betz, Online Engagement Director

VIDEO : The Most Amazing Mother-Son Wedding Dance EVER

At a wedding reception, a young man starts off a slow dance with his mother. They dance to "Unforgettable," and then for some reason the music cuts out. After a brief pause, what happens next will blow you away ! After the pair finish dancing, Aaron Turner from "So You Think You Can Dance" keeps saying, "WOAH !"

Google Changes Sochi Olympics Home Page To Protest Russia's Violent Anti-LGBT Crackdown

Google has symbolically changed its home page to draw attention to the controversial enabling of the violent anti-LGBT crackdown in Russian by the International Olympic Committee.

• RELATED : International Olympic Committee praises 'magnificent' Sochi venues, dismissing concerns over law banning gay propaganda

Google's Olympics home page cited a section from the Olympic Charter that forbids discrimination :

"The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play." – Olympic Charter

The change of the "doodle" was also made by Google to its Russian homepage.

Google's digital action came on the day when activists in New York orchestrated their latest protest against the violent anti-LGBT crackdown in Russia. Activists acting in solidarity with the group Queer Nation NY staged a protest outside the Russian consulate in Manhattan one day before the opening ceremonies of the Sochi Olympics.

Ever since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a violent anti-LGBT crackdown in Russia, LGBT activists have been staging protests world-wide in the time leading up to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

• RELATED : Queer Nation NY Protests Outside NBC's The Today Show Over Olympic Coverage And Silence On Russian LGBT Crackdown
• RELATED : Queer Nation NY protests against Russian LGBT discrimination enablers continue, this time at Carnegie Hall
• RELATED : London gay rights protest over Coca-Cola Sochi sponsorship
• RELATED : If Mylène Farmer were a real gay icon, she would denounce the Russian government's violent crackdown against LGBT community
• RELATED : New Activist Video Mocks Coca-Cola's "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" Over anti-LGBT Russian Sochi Olympics
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