You can really change some things by signing a petition, like I did. Her "horrible crime" was the following: "Kelley Williams-Bolar, a single African-American mother jailed and convicted of a felony earlier this year for enrolling her children in a school district in which she did not live." DID YOU KNOW that USA has the largest percent of INCARCERATION of its population in the world? Meanwhile, the filthy rich masterminds of the economic crisis are enjoying themselves at our expense. NOT ONE is in prison for that! Also, I don't have (yet) a maxicard with African-American schoolchildren, so I show you one with "African-African" schoolchildren from BOPHUTHATSWANA (not Botswana, but the ex-bantustan from the REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA)

"Dear Dorin,

184,000 Change.org members believe Kelley Williams-Bolar is a loving mother who wants to provide the best future for her children -- not a felon for sending her kids to a safer school district. Ohio Governor John Kasich agrees, and yesterday reduced Kelley’s felony convictions to misdemeanors, a life-changing and rare move that you made happen.

We don't need to tell you that it feels good to win -- to have contributed to a positive change in someone’s life through this campaign (or say, through the campaign 122,000 Change.org members just won to pause a foreclosure on PFC Aaron Collette's "safe zone" -- his father's house -- while he's on leave from Iraq). But what's it like to be at the helm?  To be the creator of your own campaign to change your world? 

Start your own petition at Change.org and see how easy it is to make change happen.

Kelley's campaign was started by Caitlin Lord, a Change.org member and a single mom like Kelley, in Massachusetts. She had never met Kelley but heard her story and wanted to help. She found tips, tools and other support at Change.org to build a mini-movement behind Kelley. A movement of 184,000 Change.org members who also wanted to help, and signed Caitlin’s petition and teamed up with our friends at ColorOfChange.org to flood Gov. Kasich's office with phone calls. 

In the end, Gov. Kasich said "the penalty was excessive for the offense" -- exactly your message to him all along. Today, Kelley is again free to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher and to be with her two daughters. Her world has changed.  

What will you change in your world? Start a petition today at Change.org. 

Thanks for being a change-maker,

Patrick and the Change.org team"

================== What was this all about?

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   People

   SEP · 2011

   Kelley Williams-Bolar Granted Clemency by Ohio Gov. John Kasich

   Ohio Gov. John Kasich on September 7 reduced the charges against Kelley Williams-Bolar, a single African-American mother jailed and convicted of a felony earlier this year for enrolling her children in a school district in which she did not live.

   The news came after more than 184,000 Change.org members emailed Kasich’s office in support of Williams-Bolar since January of this year, when her conviction sparked a viral campaign on Change.org created by Massachusetts resident Caitlin Lord (read Lord's account of why she started the petition).

   Alongside African-American citizen coalition ColorOfChange.org, Change.org members from around the country called Kasich’s office on Tuesday, September 6, urging him to pardon Williams-Bolar. Ohio’s Parole Board had recommended that Williams-Bolar not receive a reduction in sentencing.

   "Kelley is overjoyed by the Governor's decision," said David Singleton, executive director of the Ohio Justice and Policy Center and Williams-Bolar's attorney. "She would like to thank all of her supporters who were called to action through Change.org and ColorOfChange.org."

   Started by: C. Lord in Criminal Justice

   Targeting The OH State Senate and 4 others

http://www.change.org/victories

 I don't have (yet) a maxicard with African-American schoolchildren, so I show you one with "African-African" schoolchildren from BOPHUTHATSWANA (not Botswana, but the ex-bantustan from the REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA)

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Serious crime is not "a different school for your children".

Serious crime is to kill people, like on 9/11.

See my soon-to-be-postmarked maximum cards:

http://s289.photobucket.com/albums/ll201/dorincard/

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Happy PFF (Postcard Friendship Friday)!

Please visit: http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/ (wait until Beth posts the today's Linky tool for the meme, then make your entry, if you want to join).