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December 29, 2005
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Wednesday's Links
Activism
We urge Montgomery County, MD residents to get in touch with Montgomery County Board of Education. We need to support the Board's decision at its November meeting to begin piloting a new family life curriculum in three high schools that addresses homosexuality for the first time. If it works, the new curriculum will also be implemented countywide. Until now, teachers have been prohibited from talking about homosexuality except in response to a student's question. The Board of Education office has been receiving a large amount of e-mail opposing this new policy. According to Delegate Rich Madaleno (D-Kensington), "A board member told me that one of my constituents in Kensington actually wrote that the last election proved that Americans do not want to tolerate any more homosexuality in our country. We need to demonstrate that Montgomery County values tolerance, education, and diversity."
Please take a moment to express your support of the new Family Life Curriculum. It is very easy. Since all seven members run countywide, every county resident is a constituent of all seven board members. Therefore, they have one e-mail address - boe@fc.mcps.k12.md.us - and all the mail is forwarded to every member.
To read more about the backlash to the policy, go here.
For those of you who don't live in Montgomery County, MD, we encourage you to look into your own county's school system, and ensure that the children of your community are getting the best education possible. Special thanks to Lori Firestone for the link. Keep them coming, everyone!
News
Quality health care should be a right of every American. However, according to a recent study, between 1991 and 2000 more than 886,000 deaths could have been avoided if African-Americans had received the same health care as whites. We call upon the administration to aggressively pursue the options laid out by the American Journal of Public Health, including funding for technology improvements and drugs, and giving minorities better access to quality health care.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, now composed of 8 Republicans and 8 Democrats, will soon add two more Republicans. Sens. Brownback [R-KS] and Coburn [R-OK] have been appointed to the committee. Both Senators are expected to be approved, and both have been very outspoken opponents of choice. In fact, Coburn, a physician, has advocated the death penalty for doctors who perform abortions. The committee, headed by Orrin Hatch, is expected to help fill any vacancies on the Supreme Court with very right-wing judges, with the hope of overturning Roe v. Wade. Don't let this happen! Write to your Senator and demand that Supreme Court nominees be impartial and bipartisan!
Prozac With Your Espresso, Sir? A recently released report to Congress shows that the cost of importing prescription drugs from Canada would not be substantially cheaper than the cost of our current drugs. A bipartisan group of lawmakers, however, call the report one-sided, and have vowed to get a better idea of the costs. Canada, too, does not want to become "America's drugstore," fearing a shortage in their own country. Remember, there are 11 other countries that have lower drug prices than the U.S., thanks to government price controls. We bet none of those countries have special interest lobbyists to ensure a good return for the pharmaceutical companies.
Editorials
The Battle For America. A powerful PSA, created by a concerned citizen with the help of a team of talented NY filmmakers. This film (you'll need Quicktime, but it's worth it) helps illustrate the gravity of the situation we now face. The battle has just begun! Thanks to Max Skolnik for the link. This site has been a bit overloaded as of late, so be patient if you have problems accessing it.
Principle as Narcissism. Timothy Noah presents a solid theory that it's not stupidity, but rather Bush's cynicism that allows him to gloss over the enormous problems with revamping Social Security.
Ah, the Good Ol' Days. Mark Shields, on why, compared to World War II, this administration is doing an awful job of supporting our troops with the equipment and resources they need. If only the administration saw it the same way...
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December 29, 2005
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Wednesday's Links
Activism
We urge Montgomery County, MD residents to get in touch with Montgomery County Board of Education. We need to support the Board's decision at its November meeting to begin piloting a new family life curriculum in three high schools that addresses homosexuality for the first time. If it works, the new curriculum will also be implemented countywide. Until now, teachers have been prohibited from talking about homosexuality except in response to a student's question. The Board of Education office has been receiving a large amount of e-mail opposing this new policy. According to Delegate Rich Madaleno (D-Kensington), "A board member told me that one of my constituents in Kensington actually wrote that the last election proved that Americans do not want to tolerate any more homosexuality in our country. We need to demonstrate that Montgomery County values tolerance, education, and diversity."
Please take a moment to express your support of the new Family Life Curriculum. It is very easy. Since all seven members run countywide, every county resident is a constituent of all seven board members. Therefore, they have one e-mail address - boe@fc.mcps.k12.md.us - and all the mail is forwarded to every member.
To read more about the backlash to the policy, go here.
For those of you who don't live in Montgomery County, MD, we encourage you to look into your own county's school system, and ensure that the children of your community are getting the best education possible. Special thanks to Lori Firestone for the link. Keep them coming, everyone!
News
Quality health care should be a right of every American. However, according to a recent study, between 1991 and 2000 more than 886,000 deaths could have been avoided if African-Americans had received the same health care as whites. We call upon the administration to aggressively pursue the options laid out by the American Journal of Public Health, including funding for technology improvements and drugs, and giving minorities better access to quality health care.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, now composed of 8 Republicans and 8 Democrats, will soon add two more Republicans. Sens. Brownback [R-KS] and Coburn [R-OK] have been appointed to the committee. Both Senators are expected to be approved, and both have been very outspoken opponents of choice. In fact, Coburn, a physician, has advocated the death penalty for doctors who perform abortions. The committee, headed by Orrin Hatch, is expected to help fill any vacancies on the Supreme Court with very right-wing judges, with the hope of overturning Roe v. Wade. Don't let this happen! Write to your Senator and demand that Supreme Court nominees be impartial and bipartisan!
Prozac With Your Espresso, Sir? A recently released report to Congress shows that the cost of importing prescription drugs from Canada would not be substantially cheaper than the cost of our current drugs. A bipartisan group of lawmakers, however, call the report one-sided, and have vowed to get a better idea of the costs. Canada, too, does not want to become "America's drugstore," fearing a shortage in their own country. Remember, there are 11 other countries that have lower drug prices than the U.S., thanks to government price controls. We bet none of those countries have special interest lobbyists to ensure a good return for the pharmaceutical companies.
Editorials
The Battle For America. A powerful PSA, created by a concerned citizen with the help of a team of talented NY filmmakers. This film (you'll need Quicktime, but it's worth it) helps illustrate the gravity of the situation we now face. The battle has just begun! Thanks to Max Skolnik for the link. This site has been a bit overloaded as of late, so be patient if you have problems accessing it.
Principle as Narcissism. Timothy Noah presents a solid theory that it's not stupidity, but rather Bush's cynicism that allows him to gloss over the enormous problems with revamping Social Security.
Ah, the Good Ol' Days. Mark Shields, on why, compared to World War II, this administration is doing an awful job of supporting our troops with the equipment and resources they need. If only the administration saw it the same way...
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December 29, 2005
We urge Montgomery County, MD residents to get in touch with Montgomery County Board of Education. We need to support the Board's decision at its November meeting to begin piloting a new family life curriculum in three high schools that addresses homosexuality for the first time. If it works, the new curriculum will also be implemented countywide. Until now, teachers have been prohibited from talking about homosexuality except in response to a student's question. The Board of Education office has been receiving a large amount of e-mail opposing this new policy. According to Delegate Rich Madaleno (D-Kensington), "A board member told me that one of my constituents in Kensington actually wrote that the last election proved that Americans do not want to tolerate any more homosexuality in our country. We need to demonstrate that Montgomery County values tolerance, education, and diversity."
Please take a moment to express your support of the new Family Life Curriculum. It is very easy. Since all seven members run countywide, every county resident is a constituent of all seven board members. Therefore, they have one e-mail address - boe@fc.mcps.k12.md.us - and all the mail is forwarded to every member.
To read more about the backlash to the policy, go here.
For those of you who don't live in Montgomery County, MD, we encourage you to look into your own county's school system, and ensure that the children of your community are getting the best education possible. Special thanks to Lori Firestone for the link. Keep them coming, everyone!
News
Quality health care should be a right of every American. However, according to a recent study, between 1991 and 2000 more than 886,000 deaths could have been avoided if African-Americans had received the same health care as whites. We call upon the administration to aggressively pursue the options laid out by the American Journal of Public Health, including funding for technology improvements and drugs, and giving minorities better access to quality health care.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, now composed of 8 Republicans and 8 Democrats, will soon add two more Republicans. Sens. Brownback [R-KS] and Coburn [R-OK] have been appointed to the committee. Both Senators are expected to be approved, and both have been very outspoken opponents of choice. In fact, Coburn, a physician, has advocated the death penalty for doctors who perform abortions. The committee, headed by Orrin Hatch, is expected to help fill any vacancies on the Supreme Court with very right-wing judges, with the hope of overturning Roe v. Wade. Don't let this happen! Write to your Senator and demand that Supreme Court nominees be impartial and bipartisan!
Prozac With Your Espresso, Sir? A recently released report to Congress shows that the cost of importing prescription drugs from Canada would not be substantially cheaper than the cost of our current drugs. A bipartisan group of lawmakers, however, call the report one-sided, and have vowed to get a better idea of the costs. Canada, too, does not want to become "America's drugstore," fearing a shortage in their own country. Remember, there are 11 other countries that have lower drug prices than the U.S., thanks to government price controls. We bet none of those countries have special interest lobbyists to ensure a good return for the pharmaceutical companies.
Editorials
The Battle For America. A powerful PSA, created by a concerned citizen with the help of a team of talented NY filmmakers. This film (you'll need Quicktime, but it's worth it) helps illustrate the gravity of the situation we now face. The battle has just begun! Thanks to Max Skolnik for the link. This site has been a bit overloaded as of late, so be patient if you have problems accessing it.
Principle as Narcissism. Timothy Noah presents a solid theory that it's not stupidity, but rather Bush's cynicism that allows him to gloss over the enormous problems with revamping Social Security.
Ah, the Good Ol' Days. Mark Shields, on why, compared to World War II, this administration is doing an awful job of supporting our troops with the equipment and resources they need. If only the administration saw it the same way...
