Victims of domestic violence, including undocumented immigrants, now have some new programs available to protect them.

Here is a link to a page of frequently asked questions about U Visas.

Below are some additional resources with links.

Catholic Charities Immigration Services

Sonoma County YWCA

 US  Immigration Service

Anti-Muslim attitudes run so deep at Guantanamo Bay that even an American Army chaplain sent there to minister to the detainees in their own faith wound up imprisoned and abused.

Chaplain Yee says the response to his book and his speaking appearances has ranged from surprise to support, even among other military personnel.

 Chaplain James Yee was stationed at Guantanamo Bay. He stood up against the cruelty and was imprisoned for 76 days, later to be given an Honorable Discharge in 2005.

On October 16^th, Chaplain James Yee, author of For God and Country: Faith and Patriotism Under Fire, will be speaking in Santa Rosa about his fight to "Shut Down Guantanamo Bay." For more information about the event, click here .

 From dogs to pigs to chimpanzees, The Animal Legal Defense Fund represents an interesting and unusual array of interests.

Stephen Wells explains why roadside zoos are an area of interest to the ALDF, and how they found a way to sue one such zoo that did not treat its animals very well.

Issues involving animals are a growing area of American law, one where the Cotati-based Animal Legal Defense Fund is actively involved.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund, or ALDF, has worked to protect the rights of animals since 1979. Executive Director Steven Wells, has been working with the organization for 9 years. During that time, one of his priorities has been establishing  student ALDF  chapters at law schools nationwide. To view the ALDF website click here.

The Michael Vick dog-fighting case exposed a short-coming in the applicable law in Virginia, one that the ALDF helped the state legislature to address.