Dear Commissioner: I strongly urge your support toward the adoption of the Great Streets Facilities Plan as a Rank 2 Plan. I'm one of many residents in Albuquerque who is concerned with safe travel choices on our streets. The plan would provide needed implementation of many of the city's comprehensive plan goals. Street and sidewalk standards are needed in a Great Streets plan to address the need and demand for safe travel choices on our streets. To walk. Bike. Take transit. And drive responsibly. For these reasons, I hope you will support the adoption of the Great Streets Facilities Plan as a Rank 2 Plan.

Dear President Bacow: I remember that Tufts is a university that rightfully prides itself on active citizenship. I can be a better steward for the university if I know that our janitors, the stewards of our buildings, are getting a fair wage and decent health care. As respected members of the Tufts community, they deserve nothing less. I ask that you actively and visibly support the janitors in labor negotiations to raise them to the Tufts Standard. Take an active role in the bargaining process to make sure that no one is left behind. I hope to hear good news soon. I look forward to being able to continue to support Tufts.

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Dear Member of Congress, While the public is generally familiar with the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, they are less aware that over 2,200 Japanese men, women, and children from Latin America were interned as well. The U.S. government orchestrated their removal from their homes in 13 Latin American countries and detained them in camps in the United States. Over 800 of these individuals were used for prisoner exchanges with Japan, despite the fact that many were born in Latin America and had never set foot in the land of their ancestors. Previous efforts in Congress have neglected the Japanese from Latin America. They were investigated in only a very limited way by the 1981 Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. They were not included in the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which provided an apology and redress to interned Japanese Americans. An act currently before congress, entitled the “Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Latin Americans of Japanese Descent Act,” would begin to close this gap. Introduced by Senator Daniel Inouye (HI) and Representative Xavier Becerra (CA), [S.381/H.R. 662] would establish a nine-member commission to investigate the World War II-era relocation, internment, and deportation of Latin Americans of Japanese Descent and recommend appropriate remedies. We, the undersigned scholars, write to express our support for this bill. Establishing a commission to investigate these injustices is commensurate with the goals of scholarship, which include free inquiry into the past and educating the public. The capture and detention of civilians residing in other countries on the basis of ethnicity was not only wrong in itself, but set a most dangerous precedent. Passage of [S. 381/H.R. 662] would help to assure that this kind of action will not be taken again, and demonstrate a national commitment to honor human dignity and international human rights.

Dear President Shirley Strum Kenny, In a recent vote of the University Senate they passed what is essentially a de facto smoking ban at Stony Brook. By a vote of 22-21, Senators narrowly passed a proposal to ban smoking cigarettes within 20 feet of all buildings and 50 feet of all building entrances on Stony Brook campus. A ban like this has been opposed by students for two years and failed to pass the University Senate last year. Members of the Senate have continued to push their agenda despite student opposition going so far as refusing to allow student senators in the University Senate ability to speak at the meeting, essentially censoring them. I am asking you as a student at Stony Brook and future alumni to reject the University Senate's proposal and keep the smoking policy as it is. The barely passed proposal ignores student input, is unenforceable, and ultimately unfair to the student body. Sincerely

Senator Bonacic, Rep. Cahill, Chairman Donaldson, and Commissioner Glynn: I join with the Kingston Branch of the American Association of University Women in requesting your assistance to our community. We urge you to support the installation of a traffic light at the intersection of Route 28 and Hurley Mountain Road. The intersection has a history of fatalities, the most recent – AAUW member Richard Hlavsa in 2007. The speed and density of traffic on Route 28 has increased substantially over the past few years and will continue to grow with the development of Route 28 and Belleayre. Without your intervention, this request will move very slowly. We understand that the process to install the last traffic light in Ulster County took twelve years to complete. As our elected representatives, please request that DOT Commissioner Glynn assess the benefits of a light at this intersection NOW and report back to you and to us. Thank you for your support.

Thanks for supporting Barter America. We will be updating our members over the next few weeks. Stay tuned! Thanks again for helping. Androka

Dear Chef, I am deeply concerned about the welfare of the ducks used in foie gras production, and ask that you please consider removing this item from your menus.

As people of faith, our consciences are deeply troubled by recent revelations that decisions to torture prisoners were made at the highest level of government. No matter what political afilliation, people of faith must speak out against these violations of international human rights and our own sense of decency as a nation. Mr. Huckabee, as a man of faith who just launched a PAC to support the values of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, we ask you these two simple questions: 1. Will you affirm the Christian faith and the American principles of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness by signing the Evangelical Declaration Against Torture? 2. Will you require the candidates supported by your PAC to take a stand against torture?

Dear Members of the City of Los Angeles City Council: As resident of the "undisputed creative capitol of the United States," I write to encourage you to allocate the necessary resources that will enable the great City of Los Angeles to live up to that role. Currently, Los Angeles falls short of providing the basic level of funding for a city of this size. In fact, arts funding fall wells below regional averages.