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Hiroshima/Nagasaki Days of Remembrance and
Action
announced for August 6-8, 2004
Posted 7-19-04
July 16, 2004
Dear MAP members,
For more than two decades, local volunteers have
organized an annual August 6th commemoration marking the U.S. atomic
bombings of Japan in 1945. The 2004 planning committee includes
representatives from about 10 Twin Cities groups. We are writing to
request your and your group's help with this year's commemoration.
The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki mark the only use
of nuclear weapons in an act of war. Since those fateful events in Japan,
people around the world have come together every year to remember the
victims, and to reflect on the need for the elimination of nuclear
weapons. The importance of this annual event is underscored by the threat
of nuclear war today, a threat as great as it has ever been.
As in the past, plans for this year include a morning
peace crane ceremony to be held on Friday, August 6, at the Lyndale Park
Peace Garden. New this year will be an evening Peace Concert, headlined by
singer Prudence Johnson, scheduled for 7:30 PM at the Lake Harriet band
shell. On Saturday and Sunday, August 7 and 8, Bruce Gagnon, director of
the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, will give
talks on the development of new nuclear weapons, the weaponization of
space, and the threat such undertakings pose to global peace.
Below is an announcement of these events, and we hope
you will help us publicize them in whatever ways are available to you.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Lisa Ledwidge and Leslie Reindl, on behalf of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki
Commemoration Planning Committee (JoAnn Blatchley, Bob Burns, Katie
Fournier, Jan Hively, Colin King, Jim Kunzman, Lisa Ledwidge, Sue
McDonald, Leslie Reindl, Lisa Shimmi, Chante Wolf, and Marj Wunder)
Hiroshima/Nagasaki
Days of Remembrance and Action
August 6-8, 2004
Friday, August 6
7:30AM
Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembrance
Music, poetry, readings, and Ceremony of Cranes
Lyndale Park Peace Garden in Minneapolis
(Roseway Road, across from the Rose Gardens)
Free.
8:15AM until 5PM
Peace Vigil
Lyndale Park Peace Garden. Free.
Friday, August 6
7:30PM
Concert for Peace
Featuring Prudence Johnson, Dan Chouinard, Gary Rue, and poet
Carol Connolly.
Lake Harriet Bandshell in Minneapolis, 4135 W. Lake Harriet Pkwy. at
42nd St. Free.
Saturday, August 7
7PM (6PM potluck with speaker; all welcome)
"Arming the Heavens: The Ultimate U.S. Takeover"
Public lecture and discussion by national expert, Bruce Gagnon of
Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space.
Macalester Plymouth United Church, 1658 Lincoln Ave., St. Paul
Offering will be taken.
Sunday, August 8
12:30 to 2PM
"Nuclear Weapons in Space: The Final Act of Terrorism"
Discussion with Bruce Gagnon
St. Joan of Arc, 4537 3rd Ave S., Minneapolis
(Mr. Gagnon will give the 9AM and 11AM homilies; all are welcome.)
The Hiroshima/Nagasaki Commemoration Committee coordinates these
events and offers them to the community. This is a time for reflection
on the past and hope for the future through action in the present. It
calls for the total abolition of nuclear weapons throughout the world
as one means of ensuring a just and lasting peace.
More information: 612-722-9700,
peacecrane2004@cs.com
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Posted 5/11/04
TO: Minnesota E-Mail Network, Churches for Middle East Peace
This update contains 5 items:
ONE. Events in rest of May
TWO. Action alert on Israeli policies affecting
Christian futures in Holy Land
THREE. Christian work continues in Gaza
FOUR. New website for reporting of Palestinian
stories
FIVE. Quartet calls for Roadmap revival
ONE. Area Events Through May.
A. Rabbi Arik Ascherman, director of Israel's
Rabbis for Human Rights, speaks at Temple Israel, 2324 Emerson Av. S.,
Minneapolis, tomorrow (11 May), 7:30 pm. Topic: "Sustaining the Moral Vision
of Israel." Co-sponsors: Brit Tzedek v'Shalom of Minnesota, Temple Israel,
Mt. Zion Synagogue, Shir Tikvah Congregation, U. of M. Center for Jewish
Studies, and Jewish Community Relations Council. Rabbi Ascherman is among
Israeli human-rights activists with whom Minnesota church visitors regularly
meet. Info: Barbara at 612.925.5277.
B. Alan Miller at Middle East Peace Now: "If
We Can't Trust the Media, Whom Can We Trust?" A journalist, educator, and
lawyer, Miller hosts "Access to Democracy," a cable TV show. He'll examine
"Al Horra," U.S.-sponsored network for Middle East news and opinion, and how
our government suppresses news coverage generally. Saturday 15 May, Point of
France commons room, 6566 France S., Edina. Coffee/treats at 9:30 am,
program at 10.
C. Barbara Rossing, author of The Rapture
Exposed, speaks Wednesday 19 May, 8 pm, at St. John Lutheran, 500 W. 3rd
St., in Northfield. Topic: "The Rapture and Middle East Politics." Watch
for a Star Trib article this Saturday on Barbara and her stunning
book.
D. Chuck Lutz speaks at St. John Lutheran (ELCA),
Northfield, Sunday 23 May, 9:45 am. Topic: "Faiths in the Holy Land:
Help or Hindrance to a Just Peace?"
TWO. Church Leaders appeal to President Bush for Christian futures in
Holy Land. This letter to President Bush from 50 leaders of evangelical
and mainline Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox churches and church- related
organizations focuses on the crisis confronting Christian Palestinians and
Christian institutions in the Holy Land, with an emphasis on the impact of
the separation barrier to all Palestinians. Below is the body of the letter.
The complete text of letter with signers is available on Churches for Middle
East Peace website at:
http://www.cmep.org/letters/BushLetter.pdf
The letter is being delivered to the offices of all Representatives and
Senators, with a cover memo from CMEP. All recipients of this alert are
urged to copy & send the letter
to your own Representative and two
Senators with a short personal note. This email alert is also posted on
CMEP website at:
http://www.cmep.org/Alerts/2004May7.htm (A related story, "New
constraints squeeze churches in Holy Land," is in the May 4
Christian
Science Monitor.)
----------------------------
The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House, Washington, DC 20500 [May 7, 2004]
Dear Mr. President:
We write to you about the situation and future of Christianity and
Christians in the Holy Land. We do not mean to minimize the suffering of
Muslims and Jews, but we believe it is important that you fully understand
the crisis in the Holy Land confronting Christian Palestinians, Christian
institutions, and those who wish to visit the birthplace of Christianity.
Individually and collectively, churches have directed their concerns to the
Israeli government, but to little avail. Those of us with religious
institutions in Israel and the Occupied Territories are no longer able to
function normally, and it is generally acknowledged that relations of the
churches and these institutions with the Israeli government may be the worst
they have ever been. Meetings with US embassy staff in Tel Aviv and with
appropriate State Department personnel in Washington, though appreciated,
have not produced satisfactory results. Therefore, we believe your
intervention is needed at this difficult time. Specifically:
Visas. The denial and delay of visas, by Israel, for clergy and
church personnel result in understaffed seminaries, churches, hospitals,
educational and other institutions, so that they have neither the spiritual
nor the professional staff that they need. (These are the very kind of
faith-based initiatives you have promoted in the United States.) For
example, the Catholic Church operates 151 institutions (including 33
parishes, 7 hospitals, 11 dispensaries, 8 orphanages, 5 homes for the
elderly, 7 homes for the handicapped, 70 schools, 5 theological seminaries,
and 5 institutions of higher learning). Protestant denominations have
similar institutions and many suffer from lack of sufficient personnel due
to visa problems. Members of secular institutes, commissioned lay staff
members, and even volunteers, without whom some institutions could not
operate, are sometimes refused a visa.
Taxation. A number of our church organizations--specifically,
Lutheran World Federation, Catholic Relief Services and Mennonite Central
Committee--have long-standing and broad tax exemption agreements with the
Israeli government. For more than 50 years, these organizations have
offered charitable services and development programs which contribute to the
wellbeing and security of both Palestinians and Israelis. In recent years
the Israeli taxation department has attempted to back out of these
tax-exemption agreements. These church organizations have worked
unsuccessfully with Israeli authorities for nearly six years attempting to
resolve this issue. The Israeli tax department decision, if upheld by the
Israeli courts, will create economic hardship for all the named
organizations and, most seriously, could lead to the closing of the Lutheran
World Federation's Augusta Victoria Hospital located on the Mount of Olives.
Separation Barrier. While we understand that there are Israelis who
sincerely believe this barrier will bring them relief from terrorizing acts,
we fear that it will in fact do quite the opposite by intensifying
Palestinian despair. A sobering reality check might be the violence
continuing within Gaza and emanating from Gaza despite its being totally
enclosed. It is impossible for those who have not seen the barrier to
comprehend fully its effect on the psychology of both Christian and Muslim
Palestinians of all ages. The separation barrier is damaging Christian
institutions and the daily livelihood of individual Christians. It
separates families from one another, students from their schools, workers
from their jobs, farmers from their land, doctors and patients from their
hospitals, and most symbolically, Bethlehem from Jerusalem. For Christians
worldwide, this structure is cutting off access to holy sites. Whether one
calls it a fence, a wall, or a barrier, "The consequences will be
devastating to the Christian community," said the Jerusalem Bishops and
Patriarchs in their statement of August 26, 2003.
We find it difficult to be assured by your description on April 14 of the
barrier as "temporary" in light of Israel's plans to extend the barrier far
beyond the 1967 Green Line, encompassing on the Israeli side those large
West Bank settlements that you implied would remain part of Israel. We
agree with the widely held view that the separation barrier, as it deviates
from the Green Line, is a tactic of Israel to claim land and water sources
in the West Bank and Jerusalem that are necessary for a viable Palestinian
state.
Mr. President, Christians in the Holy Land--and their schools, hospitals and
churches--have a unique role. Prime Minister Sharon has commented that his
unilateral initiative could delay negotiations and a Palestinian state for
another generation. But this is a time frame in which, under the pressure of
endless conflict, the endangered indigenous Christian population in the Holy
Land could well disappear. We need your help in convincing the Israeli
government that thriving Christian institutions are vital to all of our
interests and to the future of a secure Israel. Even more, your help is
needed as a force for peacemaking that builds bridges to a new and hopeful
future.
Sincerely,
THREE. Report on continuing Christian work in occupied Gaza. Ann Hafften,
ELCA Middle East networker, shares the following:
Mary Jensen, U.S. Lutheran pastor who's an assistant to Lutheran bishop in
Jerusalem, sends an article about Christian work in Gaza. It's from a branch
of the Middle East Council of Churches, of which the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Jerusalem is a member. Arne Jor is a Lutheran pastor from Norway.
Mary writes: "The article gives information about Gaza that we do not
usually hear, including the numbers of Christians there, and the work of
Near East Council of Churches (same as MECC) projects. Constantine Dabbaugh
has been running these projects for as long as I've been coming here--nearly
20 years. I think it's good to know about the efforts of the Christians in
Gaza--such a difficult place, and the most densely populated area on the
face of the earth."
"REFUGEE YOUTH & REFUGEE PARENTS--ON THEMSELVES, THEIR RIGHTS & FUTURE"
by Arne Jor, April 23, 2004
With the Israeli Occupation still brutal, Gaza remains a territory caught up
in the grip of fear--there is the daily struggle of living under occupation
and the constant fear of attacks. All over Gaza, from Rafah in the south to
Gaza City, the Middle East Council of Churches/Near East Council of
Churches (MECC-NECC) Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees (DSPR) is
active, working in relief and supporting those who most need help.
Many factors contribute to the sense of despair in Gaza. Overcrowding is a
tremendous problem; 1.3 million residents live within just 210 square
kilometers, making this narrow stretch of land the most densely populated
area in the world. Over fifty percent of the population is children of 15
years of age and below. Few of the roads are paved and due to inadequate
sewage and garbage disposal, untreated refuse and rotting food line most
streets.
"Gaza families are under tremendous tension. Unemployment is said to be at a
staggering 70%. More than 80% of the people live either on or below the
poverty line. The school dropout rate among teenagers is high. There are a
great many problems," says Constantine Dabbagh, Executive Secretary of Near
East Council of Churches. Dabbagh says that one of the Near East Council of
Churches' main tasks is to empower and strengthen vulnerable and
marginalized Palestinians. The organisation runs several clinics and
vocational projects aimed at promoting health and education among
Palestinians living in the region. "We employ both Muslims and Christians;
actually most of the employees are Muslims doing a tremendous job."
When you step in to the offices of the Near East Council of Churches in
Gaza, it is difficult to tell who is Muslim and who is Christian. This is
the real dialogue of life and it reflects a long tradition of good relations
between Muslims and Christians in Palestine. The total number of Christian
Palestinians in Gaza does not exceed 3,000, but they have always been an
integral part of Gaza society and communal fabric.
"Our goal is to help people become knowledgeable and self-sufficient, to the
best of their ability," Dabbagh says. "It's very important that the young
people here learn a trade. At least then they'll be able to earn a living
later. Sadly, today there is a state of emergency in Gaza. People here need
help simply to survive. The economy has been left in ruins with an estimated
loss of billions of US dollars and the incursions into
Palestinian-controlled villages and towns causing havoc and terrorizing the
whole population."
In Gaza City, the Near East Council of Churches vocational school trains
teenage boys in a variety of trades. Through the noise of the machines, you
can hear teachers shouting and young boys making jokes and laughing. "My
family encouraged me to learn a trade," says 17-year-old Fadi, "I picked
carpentry because I like working with wood. Fadi is realistic about the
future. "I expect only the worst. If any bad thing will happen to any
Palestinian it will happen to me."
Ahmad Erbay is a father of 8, suffering from diabetes and blood pressure.
They also live in the Beach Camp in a house built by UNRWA. "I used to work
in Israel in the building industry. But now, even if my health condition
would allow me to work, we are not allowed to cross the Eretz Checkpoint to
go to work. We survive on the food rations from UNRWA, which barely keep us
alive. The situation is very difficult. People will get tired if life
doesn't improve. There are no jobs, no money. It is all between the hands of
God. We hope that the situation gets better. We hope that God will allow us
to go back to Jaffa. I was born in 1948 as a refugee and we still have the
registration certificate of our land in Jaffa. Bush has no right to deny us
the right of return. But I would like to see the Israelis leave Gaza.
The 7,000 Israeli settlers today control 42% of Gaza, with 1.3 million
Palestinians living on the rest of the land. About 400,000 people call Gaza
City home, while thousands of people are crammed into the refugee camp in
the heart of the city. Trapped, is how the many of the more than 907,000
registered refugees in Gaza describe it, referring to a piece of land that
has been likened by countless people as the largest prison in the world.
Gaza Strip's total size is 365 square km; the Palestinian Authority is in
charge of 210 square km while Israeli settlers have control of the rest, as
well as valuable land and water resources.
FOUR. International Middle East Media Center announces new website.
The International Middle East Media Center (IMEMC) is launching its online
English language daily at www.imemc.org After two years of field
research, training, and preparations, IMEMC is--with the help of
Palestinian, Israeli and foreign journalists--seeking to establish itself as
one of the main liberal, non-partisan online news sources in the coverage of
the Israel/Palestine conflict.
Seeking to provide readers with fresh, non-partisan up to date accounts and
analysis from Israel/Palestine, IMEMC has established an online English
language daily. Covering the area and its political developments directly
from the field, IMEMC correspondents provide investigated field reports and
reliable accounts and developments, which has already developed into an
8-month news-archive. In cooperation with FOJO, IMEMC is training and
developing local journalists in international news standards and employing
them with the organization following training, such that they can more
freely publish and syndicate their work to a global audience.
As of now IMEMC news is open for contributions and cooperation as to provide
a deeper and more reliable coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict. To
contact IMEMC: opinion@imemc.org.
And Lutz adds: For another website devoted to telling Palestinian stories,
check out www.bethlehemmedia.net. This source is related to Christmas
Lutheran Church in Berthlehem.
FIVE. Israel-Palestine Message from the Quartet (UN, Russa, US, EU).
QUARTET COMMUNIQUÉ [04 May 04]:
Representatives of the Quartet--United
NationsSecretary-General Kofi Annan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov,
Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell,
High Representative for European Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier
Solana, and European Commissioner or External Relations Chris Patten--met
today [4 May] in New York.
The Quartet reaffirms its commitment to our common
vision of two states, Israel and a viable, democratic, sovereign and
contiguous Palestine, living side by side in peace and security; and calls
on both parties to take steps to fulfil their obligations under the roadmap
as called for in UN Security Council resolution 1515 and previous Quartet
statements, and to meet the commitments they made at the Red Sea Summits in
Aqaba and Sharm el Sheikh. In that context, the Quartet urges the Government
of Israel to implement its recent affirmation of its readiness to implement
certain obligations under the roadmap, including dismantling of outposts
erected since March 2001 and progress toward a freeze on settlement
activity, and urges the Israeli government to implement these commitments
and to fully meet its roadmap obligations.
The Quartet members reviewed developments since their
last meeting in New York on Sept. 26, 2003 and view with great concern the
situation in the Middle East. The Quartet condemns the continuing terror
attacks on Israel, and calls on the Palestinian Authority to take immediate
action against terrorist groups and individuals who plan and execute such
attacks. The Quartet members recognize Israel's legitimate right to
self-defense in the face of terrorist attacks against its citizens, within
the parameters of international humanitarian law, and the Quartet calls on
the Government of Israel to exert maximum efforts to avoid civilian
casualties. They also call on the Government of Israel to take all possible
steps now, consistent with Israel's legitimate security needs, to ease the
humanitarian and economic plight of the Palestinian people, including
increasing freedom of movement for people and goods both within and from the
West Bank and Gaza, removing checkpoints, and other steps to respect the
dignity of the Palestinian people and improve their quality of life.
Under the roadmap, the Government of Israel should
take no actions undermining trust, including deportations; attacks on
civilians; confiscation and/or demolition of Palestinian homes and property,
as a punitive measure or to facilitate Israeli construction; destruction of
Palestinian institutions and infrastructure; and other measures specified in
the Tenet work plan. The Quartet calls for renewed efforts to reach a
comprehensive ceasefire as a step towards dismantlement of terrorist
capabilities and infrastructure, and renewed progress towards peace through
the implementation of the roadmap.
The Quartet notes the Government of Israel's pledge
that the barrier being erected by Israel should be a security rather than
political barrier, and should be temporary rather than permanent. The
Quartet continues to note with great concern the actual and proposed route
of the barrier, particularly as it results in the confiscation of
Palestinian land, cuts off the movement of people and goods, and undermines
Palestinians' trust in the roadmap process as it appears to prejudge final
borders of a future Palestinian state.
The Quartet took positive note of the announced
intention of Israeli Prime Minister Sharon to withdraw from all Gaza
settlements and parts of the West Bank. The Quartet welcomes and encourages
such a step, which should provide a rare moment of opportunity in the search
for peace in the Middle East. This initiative, which must bring about a full
Israeli withdrawal and complete end of occupation in Gaza, can be a step
towards achieving the two-state vision; and has the possibility of
restarting progress on the roadmap. The Quartet further notes that any
unilateral initiatives by the Government of Israel should be undertaken in a
manner consistent with the roadmap and the two-state vision that underlies
the roadmap.
The Quartet reaffirms President Bush's June 24, 2002,
call for an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 through a
settlement negotiated between the parties. The Quartet also notes that no
party should take unilateral actions that seek to predetermine issues that
can only be resolved through negotiation and agreement between the two
parties. Any final settlement on issues such as borders and refugees must be
mutually agreed to by Israelis and Palestinians based on Security Council
resolutions 242, 338, 1397, 1515, the terms of reference of the Madrid peace
process, the principle of land for peace, previous agreements, and the
initiative of Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah endorsed by the Beirut Arab League
Summit; and be consistent with the roadmap.
The Quartet and the international community are
prepared to intensify their engagement with the Palestinians to restore
momentum on the roadmap, enhance Palestinian humanitarian and economic
conditions, build transparent and accountable Palestinian institutions,
ensure security and stability in Gaza and the West Bank from which Israel
withdraws, prevent all acts of terrorism, and ensure the dismantlement of
armed terrorist groups. In furtherance of these goals, the Quartet will
undertake the following steps, with appropriate mechanisms established to
monitor progress and performance by all sides:
The Quartet will act on an urgent basis, in
conjunction with the World Bank, UNSCO and the AHLC, on the basis of a World
Bank/UNSCO rapid-assessment study, to ensure Palestinian humanitarian needs
are met, Palestinian infrastructure is restored and developed, and economic
activity is reinvigorated. The Quartet welcomes the World Bank-established
Trust Fund as an accountable, transparent, and appropriately benchmarked
mechanism for receipt of international assistance.
The Quartet is prepared to engage with a responsible
and accountable Palestinian leadership, committed to reform and security
performance. The Quartet, through an empowered Prime Minister and cabinet,
the Task Force on Palestinian Reform, and in connection with the major
donors working through the AHLC and LACC, will engage the Palestinians to
reinvigorate the reform agenda of the roadmap, including a well-prepared and
appropriately-timed electoral process, paying particular attention to areas
from which Israel has withdrawn. In this regard, the Quartet members will
undertake to oversee and monitor progress on these fronts.
The Quartet will seek to ensure that arrangements are
put in place to ensure security for Palestinians and Israelis as well as
freedom of movement and greater mobility and access for Palestinians. The
Quartet underscores the need for agreed, transparent arrangements with all
sides on access, mobility and safety for international organizations and
bilateral donors and their personnel. As Israel withdraws, custody of
Israeli-built infrastructure and land evacuated by
Israel should transfer through an appropriate mechanism to a reorganized
Palestinian Authority in coordination with representatives of Palestinian
civil society, the Quartet, and other representatives of the international
community to determine equitable and transparent arrangements for the
ultimate disposition of these areas as quickly as possible.
Effective security arrangements continue to be
critical to any possibility of progress. In coordination with, and under the
auspices of, an oversight committee led by the U.S., and in coordination
with the empowered Prime Minister and cabinet, Palestinian security services
should be restructured and retrained, consistent with the roadmap, to
provide law and order and security to the Palestinians, to end terror
attacks against Israel and Israelis, and to dismantle
terrorist capabilities and infrastructure. The Quartet welcomes in
particular the Government of Egypt's engagement on security issues,
including efforts to achieve a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire as a step
towards this goal.
The Quartet reaffirms its commitment to a just,
comprehensive, and lasting settlement to the Arab- Israeli conflict based
upon Resolutions 242 & 338; and reminds all parties of the need to take into
account long-term consequences of their actions and of the obligation for
all parties to make rapid progress toward resumption of a political
dialogue. The Quartet will remain engaged with Israelis, Palestinians, and
all other parties--including through presence of its envoys on the
ground--to ensure appropriate follow-up to the steps outlined above. An
appropriate coordinating and oversight mechanism under the aegis of the
Quartet will be established. The Quartet also calls on all states in the
region to exert every effort to promote peace and to combat terrorism, and
to prevent terrorist groups from making use of their territory to plan,
prepare, or launch terrorist attacks.
___________
We welcome new folks to this e-mail network, including those from Risen
Christ Lutheran, Stillwater. To add a name (or remove one) at any time,
please notify me. Thanks!
Chuck Lutz, MN coordinator, CMEP, 612.861.6648 or <chlutz@usinternet.com>.
Posted 5/7/04
(submitted
by Joyce Bonafield)
Europe
leaves the U.S. behind
By Steven Hill
Spain's new left-leaning government attracted the ire of the Bush
administration recently when it withdrew its troops from Iraq. Prime
Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero fulfilled a campaign pledge when he
announced the withdrawal, aligning the Spanish government with the
overwhelming sentiment of the Spanish people, as well as with most
governments and peoples of Europe.
Receiving less attention than the troop withdrawal, in his speech Zapatero
announced other priorities that further separated his government from the
White House. Zapatero pledged greater spending on education and affordable
housing for low- and middle-income families. He also pledged a crackdown
on violence against women -- a scourge he called Spain's "greatest
national disgrace" -- and recognition of gay marriage. The last one no
doubt will be dismaying to religious fundamentalists in both the Bush
administration and the Taliban.
From inside the White House, Zapatero must look like a flaming leftie and
certainly no ally. But actually he is quite within the mainstream of
European politics, both on foreign policy and domestic matters. The fact
is, even the conservative parties of Europe are to the left of the
Democratic Party in the U.S. The European political center is where the
American left would love to be. Europe's famously generous social state
is still alive and mostly well, though under attack by globalization and
corporate opportunists who would like to bury it and render Europe more
like -- the United States.
But the differences between Europe and the U.S. are growing, registering
like a series of small quakes on the Richter scale. Trade disputes over
agriculture, steel, and genetically modified foods; broken treaties and
promises on global warming, sustainability, nuclear test bans, and the
international court; sharply differing opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, and on the use of militarism vs. diplomacy to resolve disputes;
eastward expansion of the European Union into traditional NATO areas;
multilateralism vs. unilateralism, the list is long and growing. European
corporations are expanding around the globe, challenging their U.S.
counterparts. A rising Euro now is competing with the dollar as a global
currency. The Europeans are closer to putting their John Hancocks on a new
Constitution that will bind them closer as a continent.
Moreover, in numerous ways average Americans are falling behind our
European counterparts in this age of globalization. Even with recent
cutbacks, still Europeans have
free health care for all, cradle to grave;
free education through university level;
generous retirement for their elderly;
an average of five weeks paid vacation, more sick leave, and parental
leave.
Social spending in Europe runs some 50 percent above that in the United
States.
Alternate energy development (wind, hydro, tidal and hydrogen cell power),
food safety, organic and anti-GM laws, and labor laws are the envy of
activists in the U.S.
For those pro-Iraqi war American workers who patriotically joined in the
dumping of French wines and the renaming of French fries to "freedom
fries," they might want to consider that they now work a full day longer
per week - about seven weeks longer per year -- than French workers.
Even the specter of higher unemployment, usually the American rebuttal to
European superiority in so many other categories, turns out to be not so
clear cut, with many European countries by 2003 having lower unemployment
rates than the U.S., once the stock market bubble of the 1990s had burst.
And yet the American media is not reporting much of this. The typical
American depiction of "old Europe" usually is fraught with stereotypical
extremes, either colorful vacation adverts about castles on the Rhine or
goose-stepping neo-Nazi parties. One headline in an American daily
newspaper, in contemplating the apparent superior standing of average
Europeans, blared the ridiculous question "Do European Workers Have It Too
Good?" As if workers can have it too good -- obviously we know who owns
that newspaper. The row at the United Nations last year over whether to go
to war in Iraq seemingly burst from nowhere, but if the American media
hadn't been so asleep at the wheel, they would have seen it coming.
Why are Europeans outpacing Americans on so many social, political and
economic fronts? The answers are complex but basically they boil down to
the fact that, for the last 60 years in the post-WWII period, Europeans
have been incubating markedly different "fulcrum institutions" -- the key
institutions and practices on which everything else pivots. In particular,
three fulcrum institutions form the foundation for the rest -- the
political, economic, and media institutions. These three play an
Archidemean role in deciding ever-evolving policies that affect people's
lives, on matters ranging from health care, education, housing,
transportation, the environment and taxes to the energy régime, corporate
structure, immigration, foreign policy and national security.
In the political realm, Europe utilizes full representation electoral
systems that give representation to voters across the political spectrum,
public financing of elections that fosters debate, universal voter
registration, voting on a weekend or on a holiday, and national electoral
commissions that establish nationwide standards and practices. Women and
third parties have far greater representation at all levels of government.
In the U.S., we are still stuck with our 18th-century winner-take-all
system, privately financed elections, poor voter participation,
poll-tested sound bites aimed at undecided swing voters, voting on a busy
work day, and haywire decentralized election administration left to over
3000 counties scattered across the country.
In the media realm, Europe boasts a robust public broadcasting sector
(radio and TV) and subsidized daily newspapers, leading to more media
pluralism, a better-informed citizenry, more people reading newspapers,
and a higher level of what political scientist Henry Milner calls "civic
literacy."
In the U.S., we are still stuck with corporate media gatekeepers, media
monopolies, an astonishing loss of political ideas and a poorly informed
citizenry.
In the economic realm, Europeans have developed practices such as
"codetermination," which provides meaningful worker representation on
corporate boards of directors, and powerful works councils in the
workplaces. There is more of a legal balance of stockholder and
stakeholder rights, forcing business leaders to confer more extensively
with their workers and labor unions. There also are continent wide minimum
labor and environmental standards, including more union-friendly laws.
Taken together, these fulcrum institutions work coherently to form the
basis of a "European Way" that is distinctly different from the "American
Way." This provides a rough blueprint of where institutional development
in the United States needs to go in the 21st century. Those who care
about the future of our country should take their cues from Europe.
Steven Hill is senior analyst for the Center for Voting and Democracy
(www.fairvote.org) and author of "Fixing Elections: The Failure of
America's Winner Take All Politics" (www.FixingElections.com).
Posted 5/4/04
TO: Minnesota E-Mail Network, Churches for Middle East Peace
This update contains 6 items:
ONE. The month's upcoming events
TWO. Letters on Bush-Sharon from U.S. church leaders
THREE. "Tikkun" and Sharon's withdrawal strategy
FOUR. Gila Svirsky on "Soul Anarchy" in Israel
FIVE. UN Nuclear-Weapons monitor to visit
Israel
SIX. Online discussion of Lutheran voices
from Palestine
ONE. Events of interest in east-central Minnesota during the rest of
May. All are free and open to public.
A. Chuck Lutz, Churches for Middle East Peace
coordinator in Minnesota, speaks at Risen Christ Lutheran (Mo. Synod),
9050 60th St. N., Stillwater, Wednesday 5 May, 6:30 pm, on "Seeking a Just
Peace in the Holy Land: Special Call to Christians."
B. Don Christensen, UCC minister and ecumenical
accompanier with Palestinians last fall at West Bank security wall,
speaks Wednesday 5 May, 7 pm, Macalester Plymouth United Church, 1658
Lincoln Av., St. Paul. Sponsor: Minnesota Fellowship of Reconciliation.
Topic: "Vigil at the Wall--Witness to Palestinian Resistance to Occupation."
C. Rabbi Arik Ascherman, director of Israel's
Rabbis for Human Rights, speaks at Temple Israel, 2324 Emerson Av. S.,
Minneapolis, Tuesday 11 May, 7:30 pm. Topic: "Sustaining the Moral Vision of
Israel." Co-sponsors: Brit Tzedek v'Shalom of Minnesota, Temple Israel, Mt.
Zion Synagogue, Shir Tikvah Congregation, U. of M. Center for Jewish
Studies, and Jewish Community Relations Council. Rabbi Ascherman is among
Israeli human-rights activists with whom Minnesota church visitors regularly
meet. Info: Barbara at 612.925.5277.
D. Alan Miller at Middle East Peace Now: "If
We Can't Trust the Media, Whom Can We Trust?" Miller is a journalist,
educator, and lawyer who hosts "Access to Democracy," a cable TV show. He'll
examine "Al Horra," U.S. network for Middle East news and opinion, and how
our government suppresses news coverage generally. Saturday 15 May, Point of
France commons room, 6566 France S., Edina. Coffee/treats at 9:30 am,
program at 10.
E. Chuck Lutz speaks at St. John Lutheran (ELCA),
500 W. 3rd St., Northfield, Sunday 23 May, 9:45 am. Topic: "Faiths
in the Holy Land: Help or Hindrance to a Just Peace?"
TWO. Here are letters from leaders of the U.S. Episcopal, Presbyterian,
and Roman Catholic Churches to President Bush on his recent agreement with
Israeli P.M. Sharon. They are shared, with welcome, by Churches for Middle
East Peace.
A. Letter from the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, April
21, 2004
Dear Mr. President:
The Episcopal Church has a long record of support for
a just peace that guarantees Israel's security and Palestinian aspirations
for a viable sovereign state with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both
Israel and Palestine. We have been strong advocates of your "Road Map" for
peace and been disappointed that more efforts were not made to support that
important initiative. We fervently agree with your commitment to Israel's
security in a Jewish state, "including secure, defensible borders" and your
description of a future Palestinian state that is "viable, contiguous,
sovereign, and independent."
However, it is with grave concern that I have read
your letter of April 14 to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. While there are
important points on which the Episcopal Church would agree with this letter,
we are deeply distressed by a number of other points, most significantly the
unilateral nature of these actions.
I firmly believe that there will be no just or
lasting peace for either Palestine or Israel without the engagement of both
parties in that process. Your endorsement of Prime Minister Sharon's
unilateral disengagement plan and support for his positions on the vital
issues of borders, settlements and refugees outside of the context of
negotiations is a serious departure from America's traditional view that a
resolution of these issues must be negotiated. I fear that your commitment
threatens the renewal of negotiations in which Israelis and Palestinians can
accommodate each others' vital interests without coercion or imposition.
Turning away from meaningful negotiations will undermine hope, discourage
moderate Palestinian voices, and threaten further violence. A retreat from
strong, even-handed American diplomacy in this conflict also jeopardizes
America's struggle against terrorism.
I believe the security barrier under construction, in
part on occupied territory, will not provide the security Israel needs and
is an impediment to a comprehensive negotiated settlement. It is impossible
for those who have not seen the barrier to fully comprehend its disruptive
effect on the institutions and daily lives of Palestinians of all ages. It
is separating families from one another, students from their schools,
workers from their jobs, farmers from their land. Its current route
threatens to preempt negotiation on borders and settlements. I therefore
appreciate your stating that this barrier "should be temporary rather than
permanent."
I condemn the ongoing cycle of violence and
terrorism. This weekend's assassination will, I fear, only lead to more
attacks of the very nature it is said to be meant to deter. I know there can
be no end to the cycle if the root causes are not dealt with fairly. I pray
for the day when Palestinians and Israelis alike can go about their daily
lives without fear of attack and can live freely and safely within secure,
recognized borders. Achieving this goal demands full engagement of both
Israelis and Palestinians. It also requires strong and just American
support. I urge that you oppose further unilateral or imposed efforts, and
that you dedicate our government to an early return to Israeli-Palestinian
negotiations as the only way toward a lasting resolution of this tragic
conflict.
Please be assured, Mr. President, of my prayers for
you in these complex and difficult times.
Yours sincerely,
The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold
Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church, USA
-----------------------------
B. Letter from the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of PCUSA,
April 19, 2004
Dear President Bush:
I write to share with you the deep concern of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), growing out of our long partnership with and
work for the well-being of Christians and people of other faiths in the
Middle East.
On April 14, you announced a departure from former
U.S. international policy and a reversal of long-held and current
international policies toward Israel and Palestine. This departure continues
a dangerous trend toward unilateral interventionism that inflames
anti-American sentiment and nurtures militant religious fanaticism around
the world. Your remarks seem instead to constitute a disengagement from the
peacemaking process and an endorsement of a course of action that can only
lead to more desperate violence and the prolonging of conflict in the
region.
In 2003, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) adopted a comprehensive policy statement addressing the
Israel-Palestine conflict. "This policy:
o "strongly urges the United States to take seriously
its leadership role to begin a peace initiative that will end Israel's
occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem and fulfill the stated
goal of a two-state settlement based upon the pre-1967 boundaries as
directed by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 242;
o "emphasizes the need to listen carefully to the
legitimate needs of both the Israelis and the Palestinians, and to require
both to adhere to the same standards of nonaggression;
o "urges the Israeli and Palestinian leadership to
reach an understanding that includes the right of return of Palestinian
exiles to the region. By departing from long-held U.S. and international
policy, the United States is failing to take a leadership role in
establishing a lasting peace for the common good of the two peoples and
three faiths that are deeply rooted in Palestinian and Israeli lands. We
fear that you may be undermining a future peace and putting our own security
at risk."
With deep commitment to the constructive role that
the United States can play in the Middle East, the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.) urges you to reconsider giving your support to ill-considered
policies advocated by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. We urge you to
reclaim your role as a leader capable of using the influence of the United
States to pressure Palestinian and Israeli leaders to turn from violence and
re-engage in the hard work of moving toward a just peace.
Sincerely,
Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
-------------------------------------------------
C. Statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, April 26,
2004
President Bush's recent announcement of support for
the unilateral Israeli policy toward Gaza and the West Bank is deeply
troubling. The President's acquiescence in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's
unilateral approach risks undermining the Roadmap for Peace and prospects
for a negotiated settlement of this conflict.
Under other circumstances, the closing of the Gaza
settlements and the withdrawal of Israeli troops would be regarded as
serious steps toward peace. It is difficult to see, however, how
endorsement of this withdrawal in the context of tacit support for key
elements of one party's position on such core issues as West Bank
settlements and the right of return will not block the path to peace for
years to come.
In accepting Israeli-created "facts-on-the-ground,"
which were established in defiance of long-standing US policy regarding
Israeli settlements and the right of return, the United States has set a
worrying precedent that will make it extremely difficult to create a viable,
independent Palestinian state, especially if the West Bank settlements are
enlarged and the security wall proceeds as planned. The combined pressures
of expanding settlements, prolonged occupation, the security wall, and
general insecurity could lead in time to de facto "transfer" of much of the
Palestinian population. For those who remain, it will yield a life of
desperation; and for many it will feed the fires of resistance.
Moreover, U.S. leadership is put at risk if it
accepts the view of Prime Minister Sharon that unilateral actions will delay
negotiating an Israeli-Palestinian peace for a generation. A just peace
cannot be imposed by one side; it can only come from mutual dialogue and
negotiation by Israelis and Palestinians.
We urge the Bush administration to return to the
traditional U.S. role of "honest broker" by working with the international
community and Palestinians and Israelis to develop trust- building measures
and to pursue peaceful means to negotiate their differences, in accord with
international law and existing UN Resolutions. In that way, they can build
together a culture of peace that respects the rights of all. The United
States must press both sides for an end to the current violence and
repression, suicide bombings, extra-judicial killings and other aggressive
responses that only fuel more violence and delay the day of peace.
We pray that God will hasten the time when both
peoples, in the words of the Psalmist, may call Zion mother, "for all shall
be her children."
Bishop Wilton D. Gregory, Bishop of Belleville
President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
THREE. "Tikkun" magazine, May-June 2004 issue, has these
commentaries on Israeli Prime Minister Sharon's announced plan for
withdrawal from Gaza:
A. Rabbi Michael Lerner writes in an editorial:
"The withdrawal has little to do with trying to make
peace with Palestinians and everything to do with Israel's propaganda war in
the West. Countin on the distractions of the Presidential campaign...Sharon
hopes that his lapdogs in Congress, his AIPAC-mobilized troops in the
American Jewish community, and his Christian Zionist allies in the
Evangelical world will be able to portray this unilateral withdrawal a a
major move for peace, proof that Israel is the righteous force and that
Palestinians are the irrational and hateful obstacles to a lasting solution.
"Here is the pictureof the Middle East Sharon hopes
to create: a strong Israelis state that has de facto incorporated
approximately half of the West Bank; a weak Palestinian state composed
primarily of the Palestinian cities in the West Bank linked by small
corridors, and surrounded by Israeli troops on all sides--essentially a tiny
and powerless entity whose residents are ciut off from the rest of the
Palestinian people inside Israel and Gaza; and a semi-independent Gaza which
is ruled by Islamic fundamentalists who are almost as antagonistic to this
phony Palestinian state as they are to Israel. And the continuing
frutstration of the Palestinian people will ensure terror for generations to
come--thus fulfilling the predictions of the Israeli right that 'nothing
will ever satisfy these people.' "
B. Jessica Montell, executive director of B'Tselem, the Israeli
Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, in an
article "Disengaging from Gaza":
"Evacuation of Gaza settlements will result in a
tremendous improvement in the daily lives of Palestinians: freeing up lands,
halting the massive destructive of agricultural land and some of the house
demolitions, enabling free movement, and reducing flashpoints of violence.
Given this reality, and the fact that settlements are a violation of
international humanitarian law, human rights advocates must embrace the Gaza
disengagement plan. At the same time, we must remain vigilant regarding the
effects of the Gaza disengagement on the West Bank, and on Gaza itself both
before and after disengagement.
"We must applaud any level of disengagement, but at
the same time we must work to make sure that Israel disengages in a way that
enables Gazans to rebuild their homes, their economy, and their shattered
lives."
FOUR. Gila Svirsky, of the Joint Coalition of Women for a Just Peace,
sees attacks on peace activists by Israel's Occupation Forces as evidence
that the Occupation is corrupting Israel's soul. Minnesota church folks
visiting the Holy Land typically meet with Gila.
ANARCHY IN OUR SOULS by Gila Svirsky, Jerusalem, sent: Sunday,
April 25, 2004
Friends: I just spoke to Molly Malekar on her way to Sha'arei Tzedek
Hospital in Jerusalem, and here is what she reported:
"We were about 60 women, only women: roughly 1/3 Israeli, 1/3 Palestinian,
1/3 internationals. We gathered at Bidu to protest the construction of the
wall in this village. It was a quiet march, with women carrying signs and
walking toward the area where soldiers were guarding the construction of the
fence. At a distance of about 10 meters from them, we stopped walking
because the soldiers turned to point their rifles directly at us. I called
out to them in Hebrew, 'Don't shoot, we're not armed--this is a nonviolent
demonstration.'
"Suddenly there was an onslaught of teargas and stun grenades, falling all
around us, completely out of proportion to the quiet, nonprovocative nature
of our action. The grenades fell right there at our feet and we were
choking, unable to breathe. Most dispersed and ran back. Soldiers charged
toward us and fell upon the women, grabbing some whom they arrested. By
then, there was no demonstration at all, nothing to disperse. Most of the
women had run back, trying to recover from the teargas, but I remained as I
wanted to talk to the soldiers to prevent the arrest of the four women.
Suddenly out of nowhere four horses charged, with border police mounted on
them. I started to run away, but one of them ridden by a girl soldier caught
up with me and she struck me on my head with a baton. I fell, and then a
second horse charged toward me and I felt more blows on my head and back.
There was no provocation whatsoever at any point while this was happening."
Molly is director of Bat Shalom, the women's peace organization that forms
the Israeli side of The Jerusalem Link: A Women's Joint Venture for Peace
(the Palestinian side is called the Jerusalem Center for Women). Molly is
the most wonderfully serious and thoughtful woman you would ever want to
have at the head of your organization. Anyone who has ever met Molly knows
that she has never engaged in provocation, but has only been cautious and
respectful. I asked her by cell phone, on her way to the hospital, how she
feels and she said, "A horrible headache, my ears hurt, and aching from the
blows. But let's think about how to wake people up to what's happening out
there. We have to wake people up."
Wake up, world! Hear, O Israel, wake up! Israeli soldiers have made
brutality a way of life against Palestinians, then turned their weapons and
death upon international peace activists, and now they brutalize Israelis
who express disapproval of their ways. Who will be the first one killed?
Writes US woman activist Starhawk, who participated in some of these, "The
Israelis who are involved in the day-to-day resistance...said to me that
they know it is only a matter of time before there is an Israeli
'shaheed'--a martyr of the Occupation. Being Israeli is no longer a
protection
against the violence of the military."
What's worse: nonviolence is no longer protection against the brutality of
the military, regardless of whether you are Israeli, Palestinian or
international. No one should be assaulted for peacefully demonstrating, and
yet that has become the norm. Today, any single demonstration that takes
place in the territories--whether by Palestinians or Israelis, women or men,
nonviolent or violent--is treated to the same brutal behavior of guns, stun
grenades, and clubs. And no one investigates the incidents in a serious,
unbiased manner; the soldiers learn that they can be more and more cruel,
and no one gives a damn.
What has happened? The Occupation has happened. The Occupation has corrupted
the soul of Israel. A situation of "Ein din v'ein dayan," as the Bible
says: "No law and no one standing in judgment." There is anarchy in the
soul of Israel today, and it won't be gone until we uproot the Occupation
from our land and from our hearts.
FIVE. UN Nuclear Watchdog Chief Will Visit Israel in July
[April 29, 2004]
UN nuclear watchdog Chief Mohamed ElBaradei, who
earlier called Israel to dismantle its nuclear arsenal, is expected to visit
the country in July, Israeli officials said on Wednesday.
"This is a routine visit that has been in the works
for months. We expect Mr. ElBaradei to visit Israel in the summer, probably
early July," said Gabriella Gafni, Israel's representative to the
International Atomic Energy Agency.
ElBaradei would naturally use such a trip to promote
nonproliferation and a nuclear weapon-free zone in the Middle East.
ElBaradei, who visits Israel for the first time in six years, is expected to
meet top Israeli officials, but is not expected to be allowed to visit the
Dimona nuclear reactor. [It was his sharing of information from the Dimona
facility with British media in the mid-1980s that landed Mordechai Vanunu in
an Israeli prison for nearly 18 years.]
ElBaradei said in November that Israel should sign
the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and open its atomic sites to
international inspections. Israel has never signed the NPT and under a
policy of "strategic ambiguity" neither confirms nor denies pursuing weapons
of mass destruction.
SIX. Ann Hafften, ELCA Middle East Network coordinator, reports an
online discussion of "Water from the Rock--Lutheran Voices from Palestine,"
during the month of May. Ann writes:
Augsburg Fortress and the ELCA Department for
Communication have initiated an online discussion of "Water from the
Rock--Lutheran Voices from Palestine." As contributing
editor, I'll be leading the conversation. Click on this link to get directly
to the meeting:
http://lutherlink.ecunet.org/topic/water_from_the_rock
"Water from the Rock: Lutheran Voices from
Palestine," provides articles, commentary and stories from Lutherans living
in the land of Palestine. It explores what it means to be a faithful witness
to the Gospel in the midst of ongoing religious and social conflict. Listen
for voices of hope and justice. You can order the book online at
www.augsburgfortress.org for $9.99. Discussion begins May 3 and continues
throughout the month.
________________
Star Trib reporter Graydon Royce is preparing a feature article on
Barbara Rossing and her critique of Christian Zionism. He has read her new
book, "The Rapture Exposed," and attended her 24 April presentation at
Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer, Minneapolis. He tells me the article
will likely appear in early May. Watch for it.
We welcome new folks to this e-mail network. To add a name (or remove
one) at any time, please notify me. Thanks!
Chuck Lutz, MN coordinator, CMEP, 612.861.6648 or
<chlutz@usinternet.com>.
Posted 4/28/04
Dear MoveOn Member,
On May 8th, hundreds of grassroots groups and tens of thousands of us will
join forces in the biggest one-day voter mobilization effort in American
history. Together, we will contact over 1 million voters, and register over
250,000 folks to vote. We'll also prove to Republicans and the media that while
President Bush may have more money, we have the people-power to win.
This effort builds on the more than 7 million hours MoveOn members pledged
and our "50 for the Future" fundraising campaign. But to pull this off, we'll
need your help.
In your area we'll kick off our effort this Sunday, May 2, at 7 pm, with a
community meeting to talk about ideas for spreading our message this year. If
you've been looking for something you can do to help with the election, we hope
you'll come then. Sign up now:
http://action.moveon.org/may8/
You'll meet other MoveOn members, hear about our plans for the day of action
and for this year, and share your own ideas about how to turn people out to
vote. Then, on Saturday, May 8, we'll spend the day reaching out to voters.
We'll have a brief kickoff event where you'll hear from progressive champions,
and then we'll head out to do voter registration for a couple hours.
For too long, campaigns and political parties have simply sent voters a few
brochures in the weeks before the election.
This year is different. An unprecedented coalition of like-minded groups,
including Sierra Club, Emily's List, and the AFL-CIO, has started months ahead
of time. Rather than relying on direct mail, we'll be conducting a genuine
dialogue with voters about issues like better jobs, affordable health care, a
clean environment, and safeguarding our civil liberties.
But the success of that effort will depend on how many of us can pitch
in. Can you help? Sign up now at:
http://action.moveon.org/may8/
We look forward to seeing you there.
Sincerely,
--Adam, Carrie, Eli, James, Joan, Laura, and Wes
The MoveOn PAC Team
April 28, 2004
Posted 4/27/04
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2004 2:48 PM
Subject: [CIVILANDWOMEN] FYI-Women's rights groups oppose
negative Constitutional Amendment-FMA
April 21, 2004
Dear Member of Congress:
We, the undersigned groups that advocate for women's rights,
reproductive rights, and/or poverty reduction write to express our concern
regarding recent proposals to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban marriage
for same-sex couples. We wish to state our opposition not only to the
"Federal Marriage Amendment," (H.J. Res. 56, S.J. Res. 26), but also
to any subsequent attempts to use the U.S. Constitution as a vehicle for
enshrining discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and
trans-gender persons.
Although we have differing perspectives on the issue of marriage between
same-sex partners, we share a common view that the U.S. Constitution, which
has been amended only 27 times since its ratification in 1789, should not
be used to abridge the civil or human rights of any particular group, or to
deny any such group equal protection of the law.
As advocates for women, and /or the poor, many of whom are youth and/or
people of color, we represent a vast group of people whose relegation to
second-class status the Constitution has been expanded over time to
abolish:
The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments abolished slavery, made slaves
citizens, and gave them the right to vote;
The 14th Amendment also granted equal protection under the law regardless
of gender or race;
The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote;
The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18;
The 24th Amendment removed impediments to voting encountered by many
African Americans by abolishing the poll tax.
In our view, any proposal for using the Constitution to deny rather than
confer rights upon an identifiable group of people runs contrary to both
the history and spirit of this great document, and should be strongly
opposed by all members of Congress. We are opposed to any federal law that
seeks to abridge the rights of some while elevating the rights of others.
Moreover, we are troubled that the FMA is not only an attempt by Congress
to legislate in an area that is best left to the decisions of state
government, but also that it, along with other initiatives, represents an
inappropriate level of intrusion into fundamentally private and personal
areas of individuals' lives. Both the issues of marriage promotion,
which is enmeshed in the welfare debate, and the proposals to ban marriage
for same sex-couples under discussion in this letter, represent such
intrusions.
A Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life opinion poll indicates that there is
broad opposition to government programs aimed at encouraging marriage, and
that nearly eight in ten Americans (79 percent) want the government to stay
out of this area. Yet, in the welfare reauthorization legislation, the
Congress has proposed marriage promotion provisions that intrude into a
fundamentally personal area while putting at risk many poor women who are
at high risk for domestic violence.
The U.S. Supreme Court has long recognized that an individual's
decisions about marriage, having and raising children, and basic family
relationships are protected by the Constitution. Last year in Lawrence v.
Texas, the Supreme Court reaffirmed these constitutional protections, and
struck down a Texas law that made it a crime for individuals of the same
sex to engage in certain intimate conduct. In so doing, the court relied
on Griswold v. Connecticut, Eisenstadt v. Baird, and Roe v. Wade. These
cases stand for the proposition that government should not interfere with
individuals' rights when they fall within the constitutionally recognized
zone of privacy. Thus, we think that it is wrong for the U.S. Congress to
seek to amend the Constitution to ban marriage for same-sex partners, and
thereby weaken these privacy protections.
Finally, we are concerned about the recent dangerous characterizations
being made by President Bush of the U.S. Courts. Denouncing the judicial
system as "activist courts" run by "activist judges" making
"arbitrary court decisions" simply because of disagreement with
recent decisions on marriage and other social issues is misleading.
Moreover, taking the drastic step of seeking to amend the U.S. Constitution
in order to overturn state court rulings with which the President disagrees
undermines the integrity and independence of the judicial branch.
For these reasons, we urge you to oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment,
and any subsequent attempts to use the U.S. Constitution tobar marriage for
same-sex couples.
Sincerely,
Alternatives to Marriage Project
American Association of University Women
American Friends Service Committee
Americans for Democratic Action
Center for Women Policy Studies
Coalition of Labor Union Women
Feminist Majority Fund
Gender Public Advocacy Coalition
Jewish Women's Coalition
Legal Momentum formerly NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund
Minerva Project, Inc.
National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum
National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health
National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence
National Center on Women and Aging
National Council of Jewish Women
National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association
National Partnership for Women and Families
National Women's Alliance
National Women's Law Center
Older Women's League (OWL)
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
Unitarian Universalist Society, Stamford
Wider Opportunities for Women
Wisconsin Council on Children and Families
Women Empowered Against Violence, Inc.
Women of Color Resource Center
Women's Committee of 100
Women's Environment and Development Organization
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, U.S. Section
YWCA, USA
Rev. Elenora Giddings Ivory
Director, Washington Office
Presbyterian Church (USA)
202-543-1126
110 Maryland Avenue, NE, Suite 104
Washington, DC 20002
For more information, contact:
Elenora Giddings Ivory,
PC(U.S.A) Washington Office
110 Maryland Avenue, NE #104,
Washington, DC 20002.
202-543-1126, fax 202-543-7755
Email
eivory@ctr.pcusa.org
Posted 4/20/04Living Green Expo
May 1-May 2, 2004
10:00am - 6:00pm
State Fairgrounds in St. Paul Free!
www.livinggreenexpo.org
Benefit from a healthy, more sustainable life!
The Living Green Expo provides information and products to enable those in
and around the Twin Cities to reduce the environmental impact of their
day-to-day living. The Expo features 200+ product, service and information
exhibitors. It includes 90+ workshops and presentations on a variety of
sustainability and living green topics; music, art, food, demonstrations;
and activities for youth and children.
Please visit the Living Green Expo web site
www.livinggreenexpo.org for detailed descriptions of workshops that
will be offered at the Expo by local resource people on green buildings,
alternative energy, transportation, household practices, yard care,
gardening, sustainability education and sustainable lifestyles. This year's
expo will also feature wonderful family, children's and youth entertainment
a rich variety folk, acoustic, blues and international music on the outdoor
and indoor stages. Our 200 green business, nonprofit and government
exhibitors are listed on the web site by topic area. An immigrant forum,
Saturday at 11am and related workshops will share resources for families to
keep their kids safe and healthy while saving money and building community.
Featured presentations include: Kim Carlson, the EarthSmart Consumer Finding
Hope in a Time of Hopelessness - Anna Lappe, co-author Hope's Edge: The Next
Diet for a Small Planet, Greening Your Home - Robyn Griggs Lawrence, Natural
Home Magazine and Eco-municipalities: The Next Swedish Export - Torbjorn
Lahti & Sarah James, Sustainable Sweden Association.
Free Blue Sky Guides, which contain over $5,000 in discounts for products
and services from local businesses (retail value of $20), will be given to
the first 200 attendees each day (limit one per family), compliments of
Great River Energy
Please help spread the word about the Expo. Posters, sample announcements
and flyers are available on our web site under "Help spread the word."
Please consider biking, car pooling or taking the bus to the event. Parking
is free, secure bike storage is available, and attendees who ride the bus
will get a free ride home. Map and directions.
The Living Green Expo is sponsored by a coalition of nonprofits, businesses
and state and local government agencies.
For more information, contact:
From: Joan Blades, MoveOn.org [mailto:moveon-help@list.moveon.org]
Sent: Friday, April 16, 2004 3:19 PM
To: bonafield, joy
Subject: You're invited to a MoveOn bookstore event
Dear MoveOn member,
As you know, we've recently published MoveOn's 50 Ways to Love
Your
Country. The book will debut on the New York Times' how-to
bestseller
list next Sunday at #6. Let's make it #1 at bookstores
everywhere!
Next week, there will be two bookstore events in your area.
The events
will provide a town meeting-style opportunity for discussion,
ideas
for political engagement, voter registration, and a chance to
meet
fellow MoveOn members.
WHEN: Thursday, April 22, 7:00 PM
WHERE:
River City Books
306 Division St.
Northfield, MN
Tel: 507.646.7754
WHEN: Thursday, April 22, 7:00 PM
WHERE:
Bound to be Read
870 Grand Avenue
St Paul, MN 55105
Tel: 651.298.0378
If you would like to know more about the book, you can click
here to
see some excerpts on our site:
http://www.moveon.org/book/
We encourage you to attend and bring a friend! Thanks, as
always,
for all you do.
Sincerely,
--Joan Blades
MoveOn.org
April 16th, 2004
P.S. Here's an excerpt from an article in Publishers Weekly
(March 22)
about some of the events:
On April 15, Fact & Fiction in Missoula, Mont., is
sponsoring
"MoveOn Day," focusing on the Constitution and citizens' voting
rights. Co-sponsoring groups include Montana PRIDE, the League of
Women Voters, the University of Montana's Law School and the
Montana
ACLU.
Left Bank Books in St. Louis is piggybacking its April 22
event
onto radio journalist and Democracy Now host Amy Goodman's book
tour
promoting The Exception to the Ruler. The event also will be a
fundraiser for a local grassroots community radio station, KDHX.
It
has been moved offsite to the 800-seat Sheldon Concert Hall to
accommodate the expected crowd. The evening will begin with a
reception, followed by presentations by a local MoveOn.org
volunteer
and by Goodman. The evening will include a short film and a
book-signing by Goodman.
"This is the type of organic community-based event I like
to do
best," said Left Bank Books co-owner Kris Kleindienst, who is
also a
member of MoveOn.org. "We'll be selling books, yes, but we're
also
calling attention to MoveOn. I think what MoveOn is doing is so
important. I like that they understand that independent
bookstores fit
their democratic model. I'm thrilled to be part of this. This is
what
we're here for; this is what we should be doing as independent
bookstores in a democracy."
Posted 4/1/04
This update to MN e-mail network, Churches for Middle East Peace,
contains four items.
ONE. The Month's Upcoming Events
TWO. CMEP Analysis & Action Alert
THREE. Holy Week Prayers from Jerusalem
FOUR. Resources Available
ONE. Upcoming Metro Area Events.
A. A conference on Palestine, Occupation, Dissent
is scheduled at the U. of Minnesota Friday April 23. Sponsored by the U's
Humanities Institute, Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global
Change, and Institute for Global Studies, the full-day event (9 am-9 pm) is
set for the Presidents Room, 3rd Floor, Coffman Union, east bank of
Minneapolis campus. It will look at such questions as "Does 'Roadmap' talk
fit within new definitions of internationalism?", "Can international human
rights law be used for measuring the conduct of nation states?" and "Has the
term 'anti-Semitism' been used to shape dissent and to what extent is it
nevertheless still a viable problem?" No charge. More information:
612.624.7032.
B. Life and Politics in the Middle East, 13th
annual Middle East Studies symposium at Hamline University, St. Paul, is set
for 23-24 April. Sessions will be held Friday 1-3:30 pm, Saturday 9:30-noon
and 1:30-4 pm. Focus on U.S. policy, with various voices from the region. Go
to Rm. 106, University Conference Center (near Pascal & Englewood). No
charge. Details: 651.523.2800.
C. Barbara Rossing, New Testament scholar and
author of The Rapture Exposed, will speak and sign books at three
Twin Cities venues in late April (all no charge). Her book sees "Left
Behind" theology and Christian Zionism as false biblically and destructive
politically.
* Friday April 23rd., 8 pm. Reading from the
book at St. Martin's Table, 2001 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis.
* Saturday 24th, 7 pm. Speaking on "Holy
Land--Whose Land? Why Can't Christians Agree?" at Lutheran Church of Christ
the Redeemer, 55th & Penn Avenue S., Minneapolis. Frank Wright, professional
journalist and consultant to media center in Bethlehem, Palestine, will be a
co-presenter.
* Sunday 25th. Preaching at three forenoon
worship services (8, 9:30, 11), Elim Lutheran Church, 3978 W. Broadway,
Robbinsdale.
TWO. ANALYSIS of stalled peace process & ACTION ALERT from CMEP.
ELUSIVE PEACEMAKING COMPELS CONCRETE ACTION
March, 2004 By Corinne Whitlatch, Executive
Director
From the vantage point of Americans, it would seem that Israelis and
Palestinians must be exhausted by the violence, the stress and the
deprivation of the last three years. Surely, there should come a point when
the utter failure of tit-for-tat violence is undeniable. Instead, it seems
that both Israeli-Jews and Palestinians are convinced that their very
existence is at risk. Fearful of appearing weak to the enemy, each feels
compelled to take revenge against the other.
The inequalities between the state of Israel and the Palestinian people
living under occupation could hardly be more pronounced. Israel's vaunted
military, which has secured the tiny state from attack by armies, is used
against civilians and the militant fighters in their midst. Weak by every
measure, Palestinians have assumed the mythic proportions of monsters by the
horrendous acts of suicide bombers. Meanwhile, both Israeli and Palestinian
children are traumatized by what they see and hear, their young men and
women are stripped of compassion, those who can, leave and tourists are
nowhere to be seen.
As the conflict rages, their political leaders and our political leaders
seem to be inadequate for the task of peacemaking and unwilling to take the
necessary risks. The time-out afforded US politicians because it is a
presidential election year is a frustrating yet unavoidable reality. Into
this political vacuum have flowed a number of proposals and initiatives.
Following a review and assessment of these peace plans is guidance for
advocacy in opposition to Israel's building of a separation barrier on
Palestinian land.
DEAD END FOR THE ROAD MAP? The Bush Administration insists that the
United States is fully committed to the Road Map even though the Phase 1
steps remain undone and the target date for creating an independent
Palestinian state passed with little notice in December. This plan, formally
released on May 1, 2003 after US delays, was developed in 2002 by the U.S.,
the Russian Federation, the European Union and the United Nations and
endorsed in March 2002 by the UN Security Council (UNSC Res. 1397). It lays
out a three year timeline toward a final and comprehensive settlement by
2005.
The onus remains on the Palestinians. "We have been waiting for the Abu Ala
government [of the Palestinian Authority] to take definitive steps with
respect to condemnation of terror," Sec. of State Powell said. "If they do,
then they'll see us fully engaged. If they don't, then I think the situation
will just continue to drift and not improve." Yet, Martin Indyk, the former
US ambassador to Israel, said that "The Palestinian Authority does not have
the capability to act against terrorist groups."
Lacking progress on the Road Map, other initiatives are gaining attention:
the Geneva Accord, the Peoples' Voice petition, the possibility of an
updated resolution initiative from the Arab League, and Israel's unilateral
disengagement from Gaza.
GENEVA ACCORD. This is an unofficial "virtual" agreement negotiated
under the auspices of the Swiss government by high-profile Israelis and
Palestinians acting as private citizens. Many were also involved in the Oslo
peace process. The Palestinians are considered to be representatives of the
Palestinian Authority, while their Israeli partners are generally in the
political opposition. The 25-page document puts on paper many of the
agreements reached at the Camp David Summit of July 2000 and the Taba
negotiations of January 2001.
The Geneva approach is the reverse of Oslo's confidence building during
interim phases that culminate in final status negotiations to resolve the
toughest issues - Jerusalem, settlements, borders and refugees. By contrast,
in the Geneva Accord, solutions to the final status issues are laid out in
considerable detail that were met with considerable criticism as well as
praise. Regardless of the specifics, the Accords restored some hope that
there was a partner for negotiations and that it is not impossible for
agreed compromises to be reached. Clearly, it's healthy and necessary for
those tough issues to be openly and broadly debated.
THE PEOPLES' VOICE. With an approach similar to those involved with
the Geneva Accords, Sari Nusseibeh, a Palestinian luminary, and Ami Ayalon,
former chief of Israel's Shin Bet security service, lay out a vision of what
a final-status agreement could be, including solutions for Jerusalem,
borders, refugees, security and settlements. The two-page Statement of
Principles is formulated as a petition that Israelis and Palestinians are
asked to sign. Confronting the situation that both leaderships lack the
power and/or will to move forward, this effort focuses on building a
grassroots movement that pressures their leaders and the international
community. Neglecting to build public support is considered to be one of
shortcomings of the Oslo process. As of March 9, the petitions have been
signed by 169,500 Israelis and 120,000 Palestinians. By going first to the
Israeli and Palestinian publics, Nusseibeh and Ayalon strive to pave the way
for "a historic compromise based on the principle of two sovereign and
viable states existing side by side."
ARAB LEAGUE RELAUNCHING INITIATIVE.The Associated Press reported on
March 2 that the draft Arab League document calls for "relaunching the Arab
peace initiative adopted in the Beirut summit of March 2002, which entails a
comprehensive settlement to the Palestinian and Israeli conflict and makes
use of unofficial, popular initiatives (confirmed to be the Geneva
statement) offered along with other official peace initiatives, including
the Road Map and Pres. George W. Bush's vision."
When the Geneva Accord was launched last year, Egypt and Jordan welcomed it
as an effort to revive stalled peace talks, while Syria said it made too
many concessions and other Arab commentators denounced it, especially for
its position on Palestinian refugees. The 2002 Arab League document
reaffirms Israel's "legal, political and moral responsibilities for the
creation of the Palestinian refugee problem," but does not insist the
refugees return to their homeland. Former Palestinian Information Minister
Yasser Abed Rabbo, who led the Palestinian side of the Geneva talks, has
recently visited several Arab countries trying to convince them to back the
document with a 2004 Arab League summit resolution.
SHARON'S UNILATERAL PLAN. While high-minded people conceive and
promote peace initiatives, and while Israel's soldiers and settlers and
Palestinian militants continue to terrorize each other, Israel's Prime
Minister Sharon sidestepped hints from U.S. diplomats that he stop
settlement building and start evacuating settlement "outposts" as required
by the Road Map. Turning the tables, Sharon announced in February that he
might unilaterally withdraw Israeli settlements from Gaza. At this writing
in mid-March, U.S. envoys are scurrying to bring a Gaza withdrawal under the
framework of the Road Map and are dealing with Israel's requests for U.S.
funding the withdrawal and for U.S. approval for keeping major West Bank
settlement blocks.
The objective of PM Sharon's plan is widely believed to be to create a
Palestinian entity on about half the territory predetermined for a
Palestinian state, composed of Gaza and disconnected population centers of
the West Bank. The New York Times editorial on February 4 asserted
that "This [truncated entity] will not do. For a Palestinian state to be
viable, it will have to be made up of the entire West Bank and Gaza, with
small adjustments." Taking a similar position, The Washington Post
editorialized on February 7, "Mr. Sharon's Gaza withdrawal is merely the tip
of a far broader and still secret plan for unilateral action he is
preparing, one that could fundamentally change the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict in the coming months - and not necessarily for the better."
Yet, Dr. Ziad Asali, President of the American Task Force on Palestine,
advised in the Arab News (UAE) on March 12, that "All concerned
parties must not be intimidated by the accusations that this is an Israeli
trap." Further, he writes "The Palestinian political establishment has to
take its responsibilities seriously in putting its own agenda on the table.
It can begin planning, within the framework of the road map, to administer
Gaza according to acceptable standards of law and order, with both
accountability and transparency."
The current unilateral action by PM Sharon is the building of a foreboding
separation barrier that seemingly annexes large parts of the West Bank and
settlements to Israel and severs the West Bank population and economy from
Jerusalem.
FENCE OR WALL? SECURITY OR LAND GRAB? Both the terminology and the
intent are disputed, but Israel's construction of this twisting complex of
roads, fences, walls and ditches is foremost in the minds of Israelis,
Palestinians and the international community. Advocacy by congregations and
churchmembers must continue. The separation barrier has much support on
Capitol Hill. It is essential your message not become bogged down in a
debate on whether it is a fence or a wall. Using the term "separation
barrier" is recommended.
The barrier is destroying Palestinian civil society, farming, economic and
family life, education, health care, governance, and infrastructure - and
making everyday life for some nearly unbearable. However, it is also
important to remember that Israel's security is the primary lens through
which most members of Congress view this issue.
Therefore, an effective argument must be cast in terms of security: Not only
is the barrier hurting the Palestinian people, it is destroying the
prospects for developing long-term security and peace for Israel as well.
Many Palestinians are now talking about giving up on a two-state solution;
the formula for a just and durable peace solution that is supported by
international law, U.S. policy and the member churches of Churches for
Middle East Peace. The barrier is destroying trust among Palestinians that
Israel will ever be a fair partner in negotiations; thus, Palestinians are
finding less reason to negotiate a solution and make peace with Israel.
Barriers may prevent particular attacks (as do other methods that
governments take), but this barrier is building intense resentment toward
Israel that will lead to more violence against it. It is not in the
long-term security interests of Israel to build this barrier.
A second point involves where the barrier is being built. Whether or not we
believe that barriers should ever be constructed between nations and
peoples, Israel does have a right to construct it, but only on
land recognized as its own. Much of this barrier is purposely built on
Palestinian land in the West Bank and represents a land- and water-grab, a
provocation that no nation (or people) would ever tolerate on its own land.
Further, the separation barrier in and around Jerusalem effectively isolates
East Jerusalem from the West Bank, preventing it from being the capital of a
Palestinian state and the hub of Palestinian life and economy. We reiterate
the churches' and international community's call for Jerusalem to be a city
shared by two peoples and three faiths.
The barrier as it is being constructed is effectively dividing the West Bank
into several non- contiguous geographical areas - reminiscent of the U.S.'
own reservations for native Americans. The barrier around Bethlehem, for
instance, has a particularly devastating effect on the Christian community.
The manner in which Palestinian communities are being isolated is rendering
impossible the existence of a viable Palestinian state. Unless Israel were
to build solely on land recognized by the international community to be its
own (on or within the Green Line), the Israeli government must be persuaded
to cease construction and dismantle the separation barrier.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Congressional legislative efforts to endorse current construction of the
barrier must be resisted. Congress should instead find legislative means to
encourage a halt to the construction, and, at a minimum, ensure that U.S.
funds are not used for these purposes. Call your Representative and two
Senators' offices. You can be connected to them via the Capitol
switchboard, 202-224-3121. Ask to speak with the staff who handles Middle
East issues. Tell them your name, where you live, and your church
affiliation. State that you are calling about this issue because of your
religious conviction that peace in the Middle East must be found and that
Israelis and Palestinians can and must live side-by-side in secure nations
at peace with one another.
Additional to your advocacy with Members of Congress, consider engaging your
congregation, adult education program or peace and justice committee.
Educational resources on the separation barrier, including a compilation of
quotes from various church leaders, are posted on CMEP's website along with
the December newsletter "The Holy Land Needs Bridges, Not Walls." Letters on
congregational letterheads to the respective Representative and Senators
would be effective communications. (Because this action is not directed
toward a specific piece of legislation, it is not officially considered
"advocacy.")
State that:
1) We firmly support a negotiated two-state solution
to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that ends the occupation, establishes a
viable Palestinian state and a secure Israel, paving the way for a
comprehensive peace and a mutually-secure region. .
2) The separation barrier being built by Israel on
Palestinian land is destroying the possibility of peace.
3) Israel has a legitimate right to protect its
citizens, particularly from horrendous suicide bombings.
4) However, the barrier ultimately hurts:
o Long-term security for
Israel;
o Land, livelihood, and
governance for the Palestinians;
o Trust between the parties;
and
o The possibility for
a negotiated, two-state solution in the future.
5) Ask the Representative or Senator to encourage
efforts by the U.S. government to persuade the Israeli government to end
construction of the separation barrier, unless it is built solely on
Israeli land.
[Churches for Middle East Peace website,
www.cmep.org,
in the Documents & Resources section, includes the following documents:
Geneva Accords, UNSC Resolution 1397, the Road Map, Arab League Statement,
The Peoples' Voice petition and transcript of a briefing sponsored by the
Foundation for Middle East Peace.]
THREE. Prayers from Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan of Jerusalem for Use in
Our Congregations on Good Friday or Other Days in Holy Week
O Lord, I am standing today in front of a 25-foot, eight-meter high concrete
wall in Abu Dis, on the Mount of Olives. As I look at it, I see how small I
am and how powerless I am. I raise my face toward the blue skies and ask,
"Does the Holy Land need a wall?"
When you, Lord, were crucified on the cross in Jerusalem, weren't you
disturbed by the sins of animosity that were well-established in the hearts
of human beings?
When at the peak of your suffering on that Friday, and an earthquake took
place at the time of your death, the only thing you tore away was the wall
that divided people from God and from each other.
We thank you, our Crucified Lord, that your death on the cross gave us hope,
showing us that no walls are needed, either between you and us or between us
and our neighbors. Instead, we need to find the humanity of others and
accept it. And so I pray:
"Lord, forgive us because we are building walls.
Lord, forgive us for the walls of hate and animosity which human beings so
easily create. Lord, forgive us for being deaf to your Holy Word and help us
to remember that you came to reconcile us to yourself, taking down all
barriers. Lord, forgive us for misusing your precious and sacrificial blood
by reaching out only to our friends and dear ones, and not to our enemies.
"Lord, I feel powerless, angry and discouraged in
front of this concrete, grey barrier of separation. Please do not let hatred
penetrate my heart. Do not allow fear to paralyze me in all my difficulties,
in my powerlessness.
"I pray that the walls may disappear and that . . .
. . . animosity will be exchanged
for neighborliness,
. . . hatred will be exchanged for
love,
. . . death will be exchanged for life,
. . . despair will be exchanged for hope, and
. . . war will be exchanged
for reconciliation.
"Help me, Lord, as a powerless Palestinian Christian, to
experience and share with the world the sacrificial love and forgiveness I
receive every day through your death on the cross. In the name of Jesus,
Amen."
FOUR. Resources Available.
* I'm often asked if the Jewish Community
Relations Council (of MN-Dakotas) Israel- Palestine program, aggressively
promoted to churches in our region, has value. My answer: it's good to hear
JCRC's viewpoint. But be aware that (1) it's essentially a down-the-line
defense of Israeli government behavior; (2) it surely does not speak for all
Jews in our area; (3) it's "fair & balanced" that we counter JCRC's
viewpoint with other ones. Such are available from many Minnesota voices,
both Jewish-American and Palestinian-American--as well as speakers
representing Churches for Middle East Peace. Tell me if I may steer your
parish to such voices.
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has a
website at www/elca.org/middleast, with helpful resources for
congregations and individuals. (You need not be Lutheran to use it.)
* Another group visit by Minnesota church folks to
the Holy Land is being organized for 18-29 October. Let me know if you'd
like detailed information.
________________
We welcome new names to this e-mail network, including many from recent
gatherings at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. To add a name (or remove an
address) at any time, please contact me by phone or e-mail. Thanks!
Chuck Lutz, MN coordinator, CMEP, 612.861.6648 or <chlutz@usinternet.com>.
Posted 3/10/04
www.unityminnesota.org
For Immediate Release
Contact: Rev. Kate Peppler (651) 770-9700; Rev. Allen Liles (763)
521-4793
JOHN SHELBY SPONG TO SPEAK IN TWIN
CITIES MARCH 28
John Shelby Spong, the former Episcopal
bishop known for his provocative call for a new reformation of Christianity,
will speak at 2 p.m. March 28 at Unity Christ Church in Golden Valley. Bishop
Spong’s appearance is being sponsored by
www.unityminnesota.org, a cooperative effort by the six Unity churches
located in the Twin Cities area.
In his Minnesota lecture, Bishop Spong
will reveal a new theology that expands his vision of a radically reformed
approach to traditional Christian Beliefs. In his latest book, A New
Christianity For a New World, Bishop Spong proclaims a God beyond creeds and
a Christ beyond incarnation. He challenges all Christian churches to update
their God image to a gracious, creative source of life, love and being and to
understand Jesus as a model of love who empowers humanity rather than as a
divine rescuer or sacrificial lamb.
Bishop Spong was the Episcopal Bishop of
Newark for 24 years before his retirement in 2000. He has authored 15 books and
numerous articles on the need to reexamine traditional Christian theology. His
best selling book, Why Christianity Must Change or Die”, published in
1998, established Bishop Spong as a leading spokesperson for liberal
Christianity.
Tickets for Bishop Spong’s
appearance are $35 in advance or $40 at the door. More information is available
on the
www.unityminnesota.org website or by contacting one of the participating
Unity churches at :Unity North, Coon Rapids (763-754-6489); Unity East,
Woodbury, (651-731-5330); Unity of the Valley, Savage (952-895-0745); Unity
Christ Church, Golden Valley (763-521-4793); and Sanctuary of the Heart, St.
Paul (952-922-7500), or call Kate Peppler, student at United, 651-770-9700,
for her to bring tickets to school.
Posted 3/10/04
Neighbors for Peace to Mark First Anniversary of Iraq War with Weekend Vigils,
Marches in St. Paul
Iraq One Year Later: 11,000 Dead…At What Cost?
Friday, March 19, 2004
4:30-6:00 p.m.
Snelling Avenue overpass at Interstate 94 in St. Paul
Join neighbors from throughout the Twin Cities in a silent vigil to remember the
lives lost and the resources squandered during the past year in Iraq.
Bring a sign to honor one of the victims (no Minnesotans' names, please), or to
represent other human suffering caused by the war and its price tag. Names of
coalition fatalities and Iraqi civilian victims can be found on these web sites:
Iraq Body Count
Information on civilian victims of the Iraq War
http://www.iraqbodycount.net/
Iraq Coalition Casualty Count
Information on coalition casualties in the Iraq War
http://lunaville.org/warcasualties/Summary.aspx
Sponsored by Merriam Park Neighbors for Peace.
For more information, contact Anne Benson at info@mppeace.org or (651) 647-0580,
or visit the Merriam Park Neighbors for Peace web site at
http://www.mppeace.org.
Global Day of Protest: The World STILL Says NO to War!
Twin Cities Area March and Rally
Saturday, March 20, 2004
1:30 p.m.: Assemble at Hallie Q. Brown/MLK Community Center Plaza, 270 North
Kent Street (at Iglehart), St. Paul
2:15 p.m.: March to State Capitol (approximately 1.5 miles)
3:00 p.m.: Rally on the State Capitol front steps, 75 Constitution Avenue, St.
Paul
The March 20th Global Day of Action for Peace and Justice marks the first
anniversary of the Iraq War. We have planned a local event to coincide with
others that will occur around the world. It is our chance to join in solidarity
with the world community that opposes war and occupation. Please bring your
family and friends, signs, banners, and hope…for an end to war and occupation,
an end to the Bush administration, and a better world for all.
We will assemble at the Hallie Q. Brown/MLK Community Center Plaza in St. Paul.
Our march will offer a diversity of opportunities to show your opposition to the
war and support for peace and justice. The front of the march will include
organized chanting, followed by a section of In the Heart of the Beast puppets.
Those who prefer a more quiet, solemn, or singing atmosphere will come together
behind the puppets. Of course, you may move from one section of the march to
another, as you like.
We will arrive on the Capitol steps for a rally, with speakers, music, and a few
moments of silence in honor of those who have died and suffered in the Iraq War.
Our speakers will include Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, University of St. Thomas,
Justice and Peace Studies Department; Phil Steger, Friends for a Non-Violent
World; Chante Wolf, Veterans for Peace; and more.
Sponsored by the March 20th Coalition. Endorsed by Act Against War Minnesota,
Anti-War Committee, Bryant Neighbors for Peace, Communist Party,
Counter-Propaganda Coalition, Crocus Hill/West 7th Neighbors for Peace, Friends
for a Non-Violent World, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Green Party -
Minneapolis/5th Congressional District, Grandmothers for Peace, Hamline-Midway
Neighbors for Peace, International A.N.S.W.E.R, Macalester-Groveland Neighbors
for Peace, Mayday Books, Merriam Park Neighbors for Peace, Military Families
Speak Out, Minnesota Cuba Committee, Minnesotans for Kucinich, Northeast
Neighbors for Peace, Pax Christi - Twin Cities, Phillip Berrigan Depleted
Uranium Coalition, St. Croix Valley Neighbors for Peace, St. Joan of Arc/WAMM
Peacemakers, Socialist Alternative, Students for Justice in Palestine (U of M),
Students United for a Democratic and Sustainable Society, Twin Cities Peace
Campaign - Focus on Iraq, United for Peace & Justice, Veterans for Peace -
Chapter 27, Welfare Rights Committee, White Bear Lake Neighbors for Peace, White
Bear Unitarian Universalist Church Social Action Committee, Women Against
Military Madness (WAMM), Women's International League for Peace and Freedom -
Minnesota Metro Branch, Women's Political Alliance, and more.
For more information, please contact:
Anti-War Committee
(612) 379-3899
http://www.antiwarcommittee.org
Women Against Military Madness (WAMM)
(612) 827-5364
http://www.worldwidewamm.org
Twin Cities Peace Campaign - Focus on Iraq
(612) 522-1861
Veterans for Peace - Chapter 27
(612) 821-9141
Minnesota Neighbors for Peace
http://www.mnneighbors4peace.org
info@mnneighbors4peace.org
Posted 12/11/03
December 9, 2003
Church bells ring in boycott
Some religious leaders say efforts to ease the plight of
migrant workers is akin to Jesus reaching out to the downtrodden
by Sharon Tubbs
St. Petersburg Times
Reprinted with permission
DUNEDIN, FL - It's a five?minute walk to Taco Bell from Mitch
Webb's home in Dunedin. He used to eat there a few times a month. But he stopped
going to America's version of Mexican fast food 21/2 years ago, when he joined
the boycott.
Many of Taco Bell's
diced tomatoes are picked by farmworkers in Immokalee who activists say are paid
substandard wages. People like Webb turned to Taco Bell, a major buyer of the
tomatoes with a big name and a big interest in public image.
According to U.S.
Census Bureau statistics, the median income for farmworkers in 2001 was about
$10,000. (Some statistics put it lower, at about $7,500.) The workers have no
health benefits, overtime pay or vacation time.
Webb and his
pastor, the Rev. Joe Carey, explained this recently inside their church, Faith
Presbyterian Church in Dunedin. They pointed to bumper stickers and posters on
display in the sanctuary, a few feet from a communion table draped in white
tablecloth.
"Let Freedom Ring," the poster read. "Boycott
the Bell!"
The Presbyterian
Church (USA) adopted the boycott last year, encouraging its 2.5?million members
to join in. The United Church of Christ, with 1.4?million members, has signed
on, along with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) with 800,000 members.
Last month, the
Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, with 39,000 members from Brooksville to
Marco Island, called on its members to boycott. The National Council of
Churches, an ecumenical group of 36 Protestant, Anglican and Orthodox member
denominations, also joined the boycott. The council will encourage its
50?million affiliates, including Lutherans, United Methodists and Episcopalians,
to boycott.
The Taco Bell
boycott has garnered more religious support than perhaps any social activist
cause in recent years.
Social action is
gaining steam in religious circles as believers embrace a theology that says
Jesus was a peaceful activist who fought for the downtrodden.
Some churches have
preached "Boycott the Bell" alongside the Gospel. A church in
Minnesota took members to Immokalee for a mission trip this summer. A class of
fifth? and sixth?graders in New York studied the farmworkers' plight. Churches
in California joined farmworkers in a hunger strike and rallied at Taco Bell
headquarters in Irvine.
At Eckerd College
in St. Petersburg, students learned about the boycott recently when a group from
the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, the organization that represents tomato
pickers, gave a presentation on campus. Students have since written letters to
Yum Brands Inc., the company that owns Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Long John
Silver's and A&W All American Food. Brian MacHarg, director of service
ministry for the college, is organizing a spring break trip to Immokalee. And he
has resisted his favorite Taco Bell burritos and beans.
MacHarg said he was
keeping up with the different religious groups supporting the boycott. "It
shows that the leadership of the churches are concerned about this issue,"
he said.
In the Gospels, you
find Jesus mingling with society's outcasts, the lepers, the despised tax
collectors, the shunned woman with "the issue of blood.&q
