Petition Tag - tolerate

July 14, 2006

To ask that the sentences for sex offences both of adult and children be made more severve.

The way sentences are handed out in these cases are a travesty. The inept sentences serve only to re-victimise the victim and make it easy for offenders to continue to offend.

I am asking that the sentences for first offence be no less than 5 years Australia wide and that if a convicted offender re-offends post release that there be put in place a zero tolerance no second chance law that sentences them to life with no opportunity for parole How many more times do rapists and child molesters need to some that they are unremorseful for their acts and will continue to re-offend at every opportunity.

U people in parliament have the power with in ur hands to change this it's time we screamed NO loudly and put the message across that we as a society will not tolerate sexual predators FULL STOP.

When you read this thing of poor Sofia before you just dismiss my words and do your job speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, make the sentences just not unjust.

Think of innocence (of a child) then attempt to put a value on it, then think how long these sexual predators should rot behind bars.

Please stand up and fix the problem now.

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We, the undersigned, are shocked and disgusted by the sheer audacity of manufacturer Disguise in releasing their new "Kung-Fool" costume for Halloween.

The costume consists of a black and white (Japanese) kimono, belt, vinyl half-cap, and rubber mask -- a buck-toothed, squinty-eyed caricature donning a headband with the Chinese character for "loser" inscribed. Until yesterday, the company's website ran the following description for the costume: Hiiiiiiiyaaaaa! Become a master of martial arts over night, or… well… maybe not, but have fun wearing the Disguise Kung Fool costume!

Certainly, this type of overt racism, passed off half-heartingly as "humor," is familiar to many Asians. Six months ago, clothing manufacturer Abercrombie and Fitch tried to push their "Wong Brothers Laundry Service" onto young adults and teens, claiming the shirts were "cheeky, irreverent, funny." Unfortunately, they actively chose to overlook that such depictions are blantantly offensive to many who've had to endure them, and indeed, have been used consistently and historically to marginalize an entire community.

More insidious this time, however, is the current attempt to perpetuate racist thought amongst children. While many of Disguise's costumes offer model cartoon heros, fictional characters and even infamous celebrities, no other costume singles out for ridicule a community like "Kung-Fool."

Therefore, we have formed this petition to articulate our growing frustration and impatience with corporate America's persistence in capitalizing on racism; to communicate unequivocally that Asian customers will not tolerate the spread of intolerant thought to children; and finally, to demand that Disguise issue an official apology and remove the Kung-Fool costume immediately from it's 20,000 retailers nationwide.

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