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ECDC sponsors CDP resolution on sexual assault

Authored by club member Mister Phillips, the resolution was co-sponsored by the ECDC and passed by the state Democratic Party in July. The full text of the resolution is below, and available on the CDP website.

PROTECT SERVICE MEMBERS FROM SEXUAL ASSAULT

Resolution 13-07.35L

WHEREAS, sexual assault is a serious crime that often causes significant physical and mental harm from which some victims never recover;

WHEREAS, there were 3,374 reports of sexual assault involving members of the United States Armed Forces in fiscal year 2012; and the actual incidence of sexual assault involving members of the Armed Forces was probably much higher; the United States Department of Defense (DoD) estimates that approximately 26,000 members of the Armed Forces experienced “unwanted sexual contact” in fiscal year 2012; and

WHEREAS, the DoD admits that “[d]espite unprecedented attention and involvement from senior leadership, enhanced SAPR [sexual assault prevention and response] policies and training, and outreach to key stakeholders, sexual assault remains a persistent problem in the military;”

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the California Democratic Party urges President Barack Obama, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Army John McHugh, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, and every member of the United States Congress to use the full weight of their respective offices to substantially reduce the number of sexual assaults involving members of the Armed Forces; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, copies of this resolution shall be sent to President Barack Obama, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Army John McHugh, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, and California’s Democratic congressional delegation to encourage them in this most important effort to protect services members from sexual assault.

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Petition to Ban Fracking in California

by Al Miller. A Food & Water Watch email from Adam Scow provided information for this article.

Food & Water Watch (http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/) has formed a new statewide coalition named Californians Against Fracking (CAF) that is working to ban fracking in the Golden State. “Today, [May 30th] the new Californians Against Fracking coalition, which has been endorsed by 100 organizations in California, will deliver over 100,000 petitions to Governor Brown at his offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. “Today’s launch of Californians Against Fracking is timely. Just this week, behind closed doors, the leadership in the State Assembly watered down a moratorium bill. It’s time to show the Governor and our political leaders that we do not want fracking in California.

Fracking an oil or gas well means injecting millions of gallons of fluid—typically a mix of water, sand and [undisclosed] chemicals—at a pressure high enough to fracture underground rocks and release oil or gas. The practice is leaving a legacy of air and water pollution in communities across the country, and is contributing to global climate change. [There is also some evidence that fracking has triggered earthquakes.]

Now, the oil and gas industry is targeting natural gas fields in the Sacramento Basin and oil fields in the San Joaquin, Santa Maria, Ventura and Los Angeles Basins. If industry succeeds, generations of Californians would pay the environmental and public health costs.

More on what FRACKING is: “Fracking is a form of natural gas drilling that involves the injection of millions of gallons of ‘frack fluid’ [under high pressure] into dense shale rock in order to crack the rock and release the gas. The gas can then be sent to a port to be condensed into liquefied natural gas (LNG) before being exported overseas. ‘Frack fluid’ contains a combination of [undisclosed proprietary] chemicals, water, and sand. After frack fluid is injected into the earth, some of it comes back out in the form of [toxic] wastewater that cannot safely be treated in standard wastewater facilities.

  • Fracking chemicals are toxic and can contaminate water as a result of spills or accidents.
  • Fracking produces hazardous wastewater, which can contain radioactive substances as well as toxic chemicals, making disposal difficult and dangerous.
  • Fracking requires millions of gallons of water, which can deplete local water supplies.
  • Fracking can cause natural gas to migrate into drinking water sources, which can cause houses and wells to explode [and tap water to burn].
  • There have been more than 1,000 documented cases of water contamination near drilling sites around the country.
  • People who live in areas where fracking occurs experience contaminated water, reduced property value, increased truck traffic, loud noise, explosions and even illness.

You can side with the Californians Against Fracking, and common sense, and speak out to protect California from fracking at http://tinyurl.com/lynusdc 

Sign the Petition to let Governor Brown know that you want to BAN FRACKING NOW!