Update - All Charges Against Ehud Halevi Have Been Dropped

I recently wrote about this incident and am so thankful to learn that all charges against homeless man Ehud Halevi have been dropped. Thanks was issued to over 100,000 people that signed the Change.org petition from Rabbi Moishe Feiglin.

NYPD Brutally Attack and Beat Homeless Man Ehud Halevi In Synagogue

The NYPD is under fire again - guess why...

You can see in this video that the violence and the extent of the violence was completely uncalled for. They need to be fired after all of the charges are dropped. Watch the video and if this pisses you off as much as me, be sure to read and sign the Change.org petition below.

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Sign The Petition

On October 8, 21-year-old Ehud Halevi was sleeping in a youth center run by the New York synagogue where he's a member. Ehud is homeless, so his Rabbi -- who runs programs for at-risk youth like Ehud -- had told him back in September he could sleep there.

In a video that's now gone viral on the internet, two New York police officers are shown waking Ehud in the early morning. Even though Ehud explains to them that he has permission to sleep at the center, they try to arrest him. Then, the officers beat Ehud for almost 5 minutes straight -- even after Ehud can be seen lying down.

And despite the NYPD's beating, it's Ehud who's being charged with assault, and he faces 5 years in prison.

Rabbi Moishe Feiglin feels terrible. This happened at his synagogue’s center and to one of his congregants -- and he just wants Ehud's nightmare to end. Rabbi Feiglin started a petition on Change.org calling for the Brooklyn District Attorney to drop all charges against Ehud.



So far, the NYPD officer who was most involved in Ehud's beating has only been minimally disciplined -- his gun has been taken away and he's been placed on desk duty -- but the other officer hasn't been disciplined at all. Rabbi Feiglin says this is unacceptable. Ehud was eventually arrested and charged with trespassing and assaulting an officer, even though the video shows he didn't fight back.

In the past several months, several tapes of NYPD officers engaged in disproportional and violent exchanges have drawn heat to the department. With pressure rising, Rabbi Feiglin thinks that the support of thousands of people behind Ehud now can get the charges against him dropped.

Click here to sign Rabbi Feiglin's petition calling on the Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes to drop charges against homeless youth Ehud Halevi, who wasbeaten by police.

Thanks for being a change-maker,

- Emilia and the Change.org team

Meryl Streep Draws the Line

Deadline to Mail Voter Registration Form

Today is the last day to mail your voter registration form here in Georgia!!! If you have not mailed yours already, do it now!!!

It is your duty as an American to make your voice heard (and keep Mitt Romney from becoming the next President of the United States of America).

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  United States Presidential Election: 2012
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  I Love Barack Obama T-Shirt
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  Romney Condom 2 Pk

Gay Nightclub Bans Straight Bachelorette Parties until Same-Sex Marriage Legalized

The Abbey, a gay nightclub in West Hollywood, California, has taken an interesting stance in the name of gay rights. They have chosen to ban straight bachelorette parties until same-sex marriage is legalized in the state of California.

The Abbey has always welcomed everyone, straight or gay, and normally hosts several straight bachelorette parties at night, but owner David Cooley says that the parties are over until marriage is fair for all in the state of California:

“We love our straight girlfriends coming in to celebrate one of the happiest days of their life, but it’s also a slap in the face to my customers and my life that we can’t have that same celebration.”

The stance taken by the gay night club has received mixed reviews from within the gay community and people all across the nation. Some relate to the fact that gay couples cannot be married and others have pointed out that it is a way of taking away rights of others, which is an unfair way to make a point.

I think it is a great idea and something that many people could support, but in the end I think it will cause the nightclub to lose a little money. How long do they plan to ban a major source of revenue? Gay marriage is still an issue that is heavily fought against by all the people who forgot about the separation of church and state, so I am guessing that they will have to be holding out for a while…

Sign the Petition to the Federal Trade Commission to Ban Direct-To-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising

Direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising is big business in the United States. Countless dollars are spent annually to psychologically promote loyalty to pharmaceutical brands and medications directly to American citizens, who are not legally allowed to buy the pharmaceuticals advertised without the recommendation of a licensed medical professional.

These advertisements use the same psychological mechanisms - scientifically proven effective - as other types of modern advertising. As Americans, we should not stand for this type of influence when it comes to our personal health care. We deserve to have an open, unbiased conversation with our medical doctors whom should be able to make recommendations based on our unique circumstances.

Just image what could be done if that cash flow in the direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising market was redirected to say the FDA or a different area of pharmaceutical research? The financial aspect is not really what is most important to me, but it is an interesting thought.

We Can Work Together to Ban Direct-To-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising!

We are currently working to gather enough signatures from citizens within the United States to petition the Federal Trade Commission to ban all direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising! That means you have the opportunity to voice your opinion and be heard by the Federal Trade Commission and effectively put an end to direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising in the United States!

Change.org|Free Online Petitions

Click Here to Sign the Petition to the Federal Trade Commission to Ban Direct-To-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising

Get Active – Spread the Word on the Petition to the Federal Trade Commission to Ban Direct-To-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising

If you feel strongly about the petition to ban direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising, help us spread the word:

Write letters to friends, businesses, and associations that you are affiliated with asking them to view and sign the petition to the Federal Trade Commission to ban direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising, and to help spread the word, too!