Action: the death of Ethan Saylor, and war with Syria.

First things first: 26-year-old Ethan Saylor, who had Down's Syndrome, died at the hands of three Maryland police officers in a movie theatre earlier this year, after finishing Zero Dark Thirty and staying in his seat, wanting to see it again. Though Mr. Saylor's aide told the officers that Ethan would calm down as soon as he processed what they were telling him (i.e., that he had to leave) and that touching him would only upset him further, the officers pulled Mr. Saylor out of his seat and wrestled him to the ground -- at which point he had a heart attack and died. The Frederick County Sheriff's Department cleared the officers involved of any wrongdoing; while I don't think the cops were spoiling for a fight, the fight they were apparently told how to avoid resulted in a death over a $12 movie ticket, and hence Mr. Saylor's sister has started a petition on change.org which helps you ask the Governor and Attorney General of Maryland to investigate Mr. Saylor's death. If nothing else, we can save someone else from Mr. Saylor's fate.

Meanwhile, just after Mr. Obama said he'd get authorization to attack Syria from Congress -- I wonder why he didn't think of that before! -- he submitted an Authorization to Use Military Force (or AUMF) that rather exceeds his stated purpose, to conduct limited missile strikes in Syria. While the Senate Foreign Relations Committee narrowed the focus (and the duration) of Mr. Obama's AUMF in its 10-7 vote on Wednesday, don't be complacent: the Friends Committee on National Legislation helps you call your Congressfolk and tell them to oppose Mr. Obama's AUMF, while both MoveOn and Roots Action help you write your Congressfolk about the same. And just in case you're still on the fence about this, both the liberal Dave Lindorff and the conservative Daniel Larison may be able to convince you that attacking Syria's a terrible idea. Bipartisanship!

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