A wise friend suggested that today I share the links I already did on Facebook so that I can get out of writing a new blog, heh. So please check out Alex's Lemonade Stand and In Memory of Ofc. John Pawlowski. Both of these are Facebook-specific links (they'll go to the right place if you're logged into Facebook), although you can also reach Alex's Lemonade here.

I know this is not breaking news, but I find Facebook to be a great resource for a lot of things. Please, if you're not my Facebook friend already I'd love to have you.

On Facebook I share, write about and post pictures about the only things more important to me than Citizen Hunter - type content. You will also find there evidence of the greatest thing about me -- my fabulous, smart, fun, supportive, cool friends and family.

Please take a look at these three links and join the group if you agree with me that they're worth supporting, and let me know if there are any groups or causes I should join!

I was going to let you guys know about this great group, You2Gov, and then realized, one of its founders was a Facebook friend (and one in real life too). So I figured he would do a better job -- Alan Silberberg, take it away!

When I started You2Gov with the co-founder last April, America was still getting over the possibility that “Super Delegates” might decide the Democratic side of the race. This was the catalyst for the original creation of the site.  The idea that a “chosen few” would decide such a momentous thing was just too much. It went against everything we have been taught about our democratic process.

But when we started to think about what kind of Country the Founding Fathers had envisioned, it became clear that there was a much larger question: How do normal, everyday people communicate in a real way with their Elected Officials? To many of us this seems like an abstraction. 

Most Americans have never met any of their politicians. Some have seen them in a crowded room with lots of other people. But how many of us can honestly state that we communicate with our leaders, and that they hear us and respond?

By analyzing over a thousand websites, it became clear that in order for people to take more control of their civic lives through online advocacy, tools were needed to  make that as easy as online banking, online dating or using Craigslist to sell something.  I felt that by building a social network like Facebook, but devoted to the political process and civic life; more people would find themselves enabled to take control over their civic lives, maybe for the first time in their life.

When the Founding Fathers met in Philadelphia all those years ago at Independence Hall, all sides were heard from. There was honest debate, interaction. What came out of that hot July Summer were the universal frameworks for Constitutions and Declarations of Independence since copied worldwide.  What has happened since? The U.S. Political System has become more and more closed off to the regular folks, the families, the taxpayers who foot the ever increasing bills. If you are a big donor – skip this sentence. But to the majority of Americans, our Government seems more and more distant. Not anymore.

Technology allows us to bring our political system back to a place where the power flows from the people, to the people, by the people as was intended.  By using cutting edge social networking tools, You2Gov is now able to offer secure communications in a spam-free environment with your elected officials at the State, and Federal levels, including State House, Governors, State Constitutional Officers, Congress, The Senate and White House. Technology also allows us to bring together Legislative Tracking, C ongressional Committee Reports, other Government documents all in the same place as our Contact Your Representative custom made engine.

What has happened over the past few months? We have witnessed a massive upheaval in our Banking, Political and Business systems throughout the Country.  How much of this happened because the People were not actively involved in the oversight process, thus allowing these massive failures under our collective noses.  Don’t let your Government run things without your knowledge. After all, we are all shareholders of the United States. Register for free on You2Gov and become a self-empowered citizen. Let your Government hear from you. Often.

Alan W. Silberberg   
CEO, YOU2GOV.com

I reached out to my dear friend Lt. Col Michael Zachea, who has written for Citizen Hunter before, to give us a little more insight on the topic of Iraqi translators. He brought one of his translators to America and had him live in his home -- what an angel. Unfortunatly the reason he felt compelled to do was that he had lost others.

In Arabic, the word for interpreter is "mutarjim." But in Iraq, Iraqis use another word "murtad." It means "collaborator."

Iraqi interpreters work with coalition forces at tremendous personal risk, not just to themselves, but their entire extended family.

Neither Shia nor Sunni insurgents shy from victimizing, brutalizing, torturing, or murdering innocents to cow or coerce interpreters.

The Iraqi govt is rife with Shia and Sunni sympathizers and agents.

The government wants the list of Iraqi interpreters not for the pittance of taxes it would receive, but because the information itself is far far more valuable. Insurgents will pay huge amounts of money for that information, far more than the gov't would get in tax receipts.

The linguist companies can certainly pay Iraqi taxes without turning over the identifies of its interpreters. The entire thing is a farce anyway - the Iraqi government is sitting on a 60-billion-dollar nest egg that it doesn't spend on civil services or infrastructure, and it is getting billions of dollars from the US in aid and supplies and services.

This tax issue is a canard. They want the information to instigate a pogrom against Iraqi interpreters.

Late last week, evangelicals and political progressives took a significant step towards ending the polarizing “culture wars.”  Without setting aside their principles, these leaders found common ground on tough political questions: from immigration reform to gay rights to abortion.

This collaboration between unlikely allies demonstrates a model for finding a way forward on difficult political questions.  We as citizens can learn a lot from this ethos of bridge-building; it’s certainly a productive way to engage with the political process.  The agenda this coalition has rallied around—and which they’ve already started lobbying for—will have significant political implications.

Say yes to working together and realizing our shared values.  Sign on as a supporter of a common ground approach to abortion by joining the Real Abortion Solutions Facebook group.  This approach calls for increased access to adoption, the prevention of unintended pregnancies, support for women and families, and better pre- and post-natal healthcare.  Also, become a Facebook fan of the common values governing agenda at “Come Let us Reason Together.”

Larry Stier of the PA Horticultural Society speaks at the 2008 Sustainability Awards

Businesses are into it. Students too. Non-profits can’t talk about it enough. Even government is getting in on it.

It affects where we live and work, what we eat, and how we play.

Is it the economy? Of course. Is it the environment? Naturally!  But more than that - it’s sustainability.

If you don’t know what it means to be sustainable, then the best advice I can offer you is to head over to the Flower Show on Monday, March 2nd, where the 12 finalists of the third-annual Philadelphia Sustainability Awards will be celebrated.

Conceived by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, the Philadelphia Sustainability Awards honor the region’s progress towards becoming the most sustainable city in America. 

Selected from nearly 70 nominees by a group of sustainability experts, the 12 finalists are nationally recognized green builders, innovative farmers, visionary organizers, and renowned businesses.

And yes, they’re all from the Philadelphia region.

According to the recent SustainLane City Rankings, Philadelphia ranks eighth among large cities, with high scores for commuter and metro transit and local food options.  To get to the top spot, Philadelphia needs more green buildings, better air quality and higher recycling rates.  The Philadelphia Sustainability Awards honor those who raise the bar in Philadelphia, and inspire others to do likewise and join the path to sustainability.

With the support of regional organizations including the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, PennFuture, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, The Reinvestment Fund, Delaware Valley Green Building Council and the City of Philadelphia’s Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, the awards have increased awareness of sustainability issues. 

Finalists are role models who demonstrate how to achieve sustainability in areas such as business practices, home energy and water use, transportation and recreation.  Many finalists have products or services to help us in the region live more sustainably.

This year’s finalists are a diverse and impressive group including: green builder Onion Flats, the Next Great City Coalition; Habitat for Humanity’s LEED pilot program; PECO; Drexel Green; the Civic Vision for the Central Delaware; Bob Pierson for Farm to City; Energy Coordinating Agency; GREENandSAVE; Mill Creek Farm; the Philadelphia Eagles Go Green program; and the Schuylkill Banks Greenway.

I’ll be there to see who takes home the honors.

You can go too! The event is free and open to the public.  Whether you’re the sustainability guru in your office or didn’t hear the word until today, you’ll be inspired by the leaders and innovators in the region. You might even learn a thing or two!

Registration is required by visiting www.philadelphiasustainabilityawards.org. Details on the finalists can also be found there.

William T. Coleman

I hope Citizenhunters will allow me to be a proud granddaughter for a moment. I wanted to share the remarks my Grandad, William T. Coleman Jr., delivered (they're after the jump) at a wonderful event that the great Senator from PA Bob Casey hosted in honor of his legacy to celebrate African American History month. 

Casey's remarks in the Senate were beautiful and heartfelt and they are on the Congressional record and you can also view them along with a video at Casey's website.  This is the second year the Senator has hosted this event and I was deeply touched that he saw fit to honor one of my greatest heroes as the American Hero he is. 

Senator Arlen Specter from Pennsylvania also made some lovely remarks and those remarks are on the record. I just wanted to take the time today to thank Senator Casey publicly for his longstanding commitment to the people of Pennsylvania and to the many values I hold dear.  My family and I are honored by his service and were honored by  selection of Wililam T. Coleman Jr. for this tremendous honor.

»  More Coleman's remarks at Casey event

It is just the time of year when The Fresh Air Fund begins preparing for the summer full of summer camps filled with happy faces and lots and lots of kids from the cities who get to spend their summer vacation out of the city and in the country. It is also a very important time for finding and hiring camp counselors for the summer as well as locating, vetting, and securing host families as well.  All of this information is collected on a little informational web site you can check out, but I will excerpt some of this below.

Fresh Air Fund Needs Counselors for Summer 2009!

You love working with children, and that's probably what we like most about you. Running across the ball field, washing off the glitter glue, or swimming in the lake - with your cabin group laughing around you - you'll be in your element.

Are you going to be the counselor the children learn to paint with? The one they play soccer with? The one they want to hang out with? Or perhaps the one they read a bed-time story with? Whatever your role becomes, you'll thrive on the challenge and commit yourself to the cause.

You've got to be 18 or over by June 20th to apply, and you'll usually have completed at least one year of college by the summer. Any previous work with children should always be included on your application.

The experience you're about to apply for will be like no other, and it's going t o take patience, flexibility, creativity, and a whole lot of self-motivation. But the rewards will be great... overcoming challenges, meeting new friends, playing games in the sun, jumping into the cool lake, painting face masks, hitting a home run, telling stories around a camp fire... ...and then seeing that smile brighten a child's face.

We're looking for counselors and program staff for all five of our summer camps - but places fill fast, so get your application in today.

We are now accepting applications for the 2009 season.

What I think the fine people at Fresh Air Fund are looking for is Camp Counselors right now, so if you're interested in applying to become a Fresh Air Fund camp counselor, please apply here. And, if you are on the fence, be sure to check out this video, seen through the eyes of some Fresh Air Fund counselors.

Last week a group of interfaith and political leaders called on President Obama and the new Congress to make comprehensive, humane immigration reform a top priority.  With the country abuzz about the economy, stimulus, and bailout money, it seems too easy to forget about the families that are being split up and the lives dismantled due to our flawed immigration policies.

People of faith are stepping up to remind us that we shouldn’t forget these families, and that we need to make sure we fix this broken system.  Hundreds of immigration prayer vigils are taking place and a new initiative, supported by over 500 congregations, was launched.  While religious and Congressional leaders spoke out about the importance of acting now on immigration, they also announced this new initiative, the “Prayer, Renewal and Action on Immigration” campaign.

The campaign is designed to engage and educate congregations and people of faith on the immigration reform debate and will include as its first set of actions over one hundred prayer vigils across the country.  It’s an unprecedented effort at the grassroots level on this issue.

Rep. Gutierrez (D-IL) summed it up well: “It is time for this Congress to heed the cries of millions of citizens—people from all faiths and backgrounds—who cannot wait any longer for fair and just immigration reform."