Weekly Justice Highlights

Child Labor:  Millions of Indian children are slaving away in brutal conditions right now to pump out holiday presents and decorations for families around the world. But in days, we can help stop their suffering.  Sign the petition calling on Parliament to ban child labour and ensure that children are in school. (International Action available) 

Confronting Unjust Systems: Sign a petition to President Obama urging him to appoint a new Securities and Exchange Commission chair who is both willing and able to enforce the law and hold Wall Street accountable.  

Spirit of St. Vincent: Urge U.S. Representatives to sign the discharge petition (of Rep. Tim Walz) for an up-or-down vote to prevent an increase in taxes for 98 percent and end the extra breaks for the top 2% (H.R. 15 The Middle Class Tax Cut Act).  The Senate already voted to continue the lower rates for 98 percent of the population last summer and to let the tax cuts expire for the top 2%.

Nuclear Weapons: Individuals are invited to tell President Obama and Congress to actively and visibly support the Helsinki Conference for a Middle East zone free nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction.  (Organizational and individual signatures welcome)

Promoting Human Rights: Urge the Police Commissioner of South Africa to thoroughly investigate Noxolo’s death and bring her killer(s) to justice for a crime that is over a year old.  Noxolo was raped, beaten and stabbed because of her sexual orientation.  (International Action is available)

Urge the African division of Pepsi to release a statement opposing the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill and communicate this directly to Ugandan Members of Parliament.   (International Action is available)

Louisville:  On January 8 at 7 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, a screening of Sun Come Up will be shown.  Sun Come Up provokes discussion about climate change, displacement, and the rights of vulnerable communities around the globe. See the film's trailer here.

Israel and Palestine, an animated introduction to share with others is located here.

Enjoy the oceans as you may have never seen in 5 minutes by clicking here.

Know anyone taking a cruise this holiday season or in the upcoming year?  Friends of the Earth have just released a report card grading cruise lines and ships on their environmental impact. 

In preparation for January 11^th, Human Trafficking Awareness Day, the US Catholic Conference of Bishops Anti-Trafficking Program has launched some new efforts that include an anti-trafficking e-newsletter and a national weekend of prayer (January 11-13) with more information here.

Action Alert

December 2012 / January 2013

Human Rights Day is December 10

Each year on this day, individuals celebrate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that was adopted in 1948. This year the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) invites individuals and groups to shine a light during Christian Advent on where torture exists throughout our world. According to NRCAT, torture happens throughout the world and most countries want it to stop. Jails, prisons, mental health facilities, immigration detention centers, youth detention centers, Guantanamo and police stations are among the many places not overseen by independent monitors. Therefore, torture and abuse can occur.

The Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) was created to help nations ensure that torture does not take place in detention facilities. OPCAT sets up oversight bodies and other national mechanisms that prevent torture and abuse in any place of confinement. However, the U.S. was one of only four countries to vote against OPCAT in the 2002 UN General Assembly. Since its passage, the U.S. has neither signed nor ratified OPCAT. In the U.S., ratification of treaties first requires the president to sign it and then the U.S. Senate ratifies. To see if the nation you reside in has signed or ratified OPCAT, click here.    

It is imperative that nations sign the OPCAT. Torture anywhere violates the basic dignity of the human person and is morally intolerable. It degrades individuals who are victims, policy makers and the perpetrators. What do any of us say to others when torture is done in a country’s name or with tax money from citizens?

Additionally, the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee has conducted a three year investigation into CIA torture. The report is currently being finalized and the committee is expected to vote to adopt it yet this year.

Reflections/Actions:

• Determine if the country you reside in has signed and ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture at the link above. If it has not, contact your Prime Minister/President/ Head of Country to ask if the process has been started and to urge them to do so if they have not begun this process.
• U.S. citizens are invited to urge President Obama to sign the OPCAT document here.
• Make sure that U.S. - sponsored torture never happens again by writing to President Obama thanking him for his efforts and to encourage him to make public the full report on their investigation here or here.     
• Show the video Preventing Torture Everywhere found here.     
• A discussion guide for Preventing Torture Everywhere is located here.   
• Video Testimonies of torture survivors are located here.   
• A prayer for Human Rights Day is located here. 
• Integrate Human Rights Day into Christian Advent with the resources located here.
• More information and actions can be found here.    

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Challenging Governments to Sustainable Development

Despite rhetoric underscoring the severity of climate change and its impact on Earth’s ecosystems, and the realization that sustainable development must incorporate the economic, social and environmental dimensions of development, world leaders did not make any binding international commitments at the Rio+20 Conference held in Brazil this past June. Members of Civil Society were disappointed with the outcome of the Rio+20 conference, but resolved to continue working on sustainable development issues at local, regional, national, and at the international level.

Mayors are in the forefront of sustainability issues and a number of them have shown tremendous initiative in addressing issues at the local level. A key concern of municipalities in Canada and the United States is that their respective federal governments cannot be regarded as sources of leadership on climate change. The former Mayor of Toronto, David Miller, is one of several municipal leaders in Canada to espouse this position: “I feel strongly that since the federal government has abdicated its responsibility on climate change, it’s up to cities to lead. If the federal government is not going to act on climate change, it has an obligation at the very least to enable cities to do so.”

Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York City, offers a similar assessment of federal leadership in the U.S.A.: “We can't wait for the Federal Government to take action when it comes to our environment…Cities are leading the way and making a real difference in cutting greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change.”

Each of us is invited to ask local leaders (face-to-face/letter/letter to editor in local newspaper) the following questions which are derived from the areas of sustainability that are used to determine “Greenest Cities”: carbon dioxide emissions, energy, land use, buildings, transport, water, waste, air quality, environmental governance.

Questions:

• In the U.S., is the Mayor a member of the U.S. Mayors for Climate Protection?
• In Canada, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, in partnership with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives [ICLEI], established the ‘Partners for Climate Protection’ [PCP] program. The PCP program is a network of Canadian municipalities committed to reducing greenhouse gases and acting on climate change. Has your local leader signed this agreement? (For more information: www.fcm.ca)
• Does the city have a mandatory recycling program?
• How many buildings in the city are certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDS)?
• What are the criteria for new building construction?
• What portion of the electricity in the city is from renewable energy sources?
• What plans does the city have to reduce dependence on fossil fuels?
• How many miles of bikeways does the city have?
• How many green roofs do city buildings have?
• What plan does the city have to reduce greenhouse gases?
• Does the city have an Office of Sustainability?
• How efficient is public transportation or does public transportation exist?
• Does the city have hybrid buses?
• How much green space does the city have?
• Does the city have a plan with target dates to reduce energy consumption?
• Does the city ban the use of plastic bags?
• Does the city have a climate action plan?

Please let the NGO office (cjwilliengo@gmail.com) if you take action. The results will be shared with the members of the Sisters of Charity Federation.

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Alternative Gift Giving

The Sisters of Charity Federation invites individuals to consider making a gift to victims of Hurricane Sandy in the United States. The Sisters of Charity are ministering in the affected areas of New York and New Jersey to help with the damage, destruction and grief. Any contribution made will be donated to a fund for rebuilding efforts set up by the Federation office this upcoming holiday season. Sisters Jane Iannucelli of the Sisters of Charity of New York and Rosemary Monahan of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth of New Jersey will take responsibility for distribution of funds to the agencies and programs most in need. No gift is too small and a card will be sent to the person in whose name you send the donation. Please include their name and address of any person to whom you wish a card to be sent.

Action: Make checks payable to the Sisters of Charity Federation and indicate it is for the alternative gift giving program. Send donations to: The Sisters of Charity Federation NGO Office, 211 East 43^rd Street, Suite 504, New York, New York 10017

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Resources

Two documents entitled, “Nurturing the Global Citizen Within” and "What Price, A Girl's Life" has recently been published by the Partnership for Global Justice. These booklets are available from Dierdre Mullan, RSM at Dierdremullanun@aol.com at The Partnership for Global Justice (211 East 43rd Street #710, New York, NY 10017) The cost is $3(U.S.) plus postage.

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U.S. Legislative Update

A number of issues still remain unresolved as U.S. citizens near the end of the 2012. Congress needs to make a deal on spending and taxes before the end of the year. In solidarity with St. Vincent’s work with those living in poverty, the desire is a budget that does not hurt people living in poverty and continue expanding income inequality. Therefore, safety-net programs must be protected, Pentagon spending should be cut and tax cuts for the top 2% should not be extended. The needs of people must be placed over the needs of the Pentagon.

 

Reflection and Action:

• Read and reflect upon the Faithful Budget as a model for the federal budget. This document is located here.  
• The Violence Against Women Act and Farm Bill may be incorporated into legislation or delayed until January 2013. Continue to watch weekly justice highlights or the SCN Family website under the Global Ministries tab.
• U.S. citizens are invited to contact their Representative and Senators urging them to create a deal that would create good jobs; expand the child Tax Credit; Earned Income Tax Credit benefits and Unemployment Insurance; make significant cuts to the Pentagon budget; create an alternative minimum tax that would affect only those who can afford to give a little more; support a financial transaction tax, also known as the Robin Hood Tax that would place a tax on transactions over $200,000; protect mandated programs from cuts for those most vulnerable such as SNAP (food stamps), Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security; and allow the Bush Tax Cuts (2001 and 2003) for the wealthiest 2% of our community members to expire. A letter with all of these items is located at this site.  
• Send an edited email to speak of the needs in your geographic area to your legislators.

Legislative Accomplishments July to November 2012

In July, the U.S. Senate voted to allow the Bush tax cuts on households earning over $250,000 to expire yet the House has failed to pass the legislation. 

In late August, the Securities and Exchange Commission voted on the final rules necessary to implement the Cardin-Lugar Amendment, a vital move that allows citizens, especially in developing nations, access to information to hold their governments accountable and fight corruption.  This means that the SEC will be required to disclose any and all payments to the US and foreign governments, country-by-country, every year thus empowering citizens to greater services from their government. 

In late summer, Nicaragua bécame the 6th country to withdraw troops from the School of the America’s (SOA/WHINSEC).

In mid-September, CWA and IBEW members successfully reached a tentative agreement with Verizon after slashed health benefits, pension elimination, outsourcing of jobs and undermining collective bargaining for its workers. 

In late September, an SOA Watch delegation went to Ecuador and met with President Correa. In conjunction with granting Julian Asange asylum, Correa agreed to no longer send his troops to the SOA/ WHINSEC.

In late September, Damon Thibodeaux was exonerated in Louisiana and freed from death row. 

In late September, the International Monetary Fund Executive Board approved the final 2.7 billion dollars from gold sale profits to support the world's poorest - we have now moved the total gold sales windfall, nearly 4 billion dollars to benefit the most vulnerable.  Advocacy efforts pushed the IMF to approve the first 1.1 billion dollar distribution AND the second 2.7 billion dollar distribution to support concessional lending in the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) and extend a 0% interest rate that will make this trust available for future generations beyond 2014.

In early October, the EPA agreed to reconsider its polyvinyl chloride rule and put it out for public comment. 

In early October, Hershey announced that it would move its chocolate to 100% certification by 2020, though the company remains vague on which certifications, and on incremental benchmarks.

In early October, Chipotle agreed to join the Fair Food program and signed the agreement with members of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.  The agreement will improve wages and working conditions for farmworkers in Florida who pick tomatoes. 

In mid-November, an SOA Watch delegation met with Denis McDonough, President Obama's Deputy National Security Advisor.  McDonough promised to look into the release of the names of those killed by graduates of the SOA.         

11 States, 24 Senators, and 73 US Representatives have called for an amendment to overturn Citizens United

Weekly Justice Highlights

Challenging Unjust Systems:  Urge WalMart to join an independent fire safety inspection program to prevent tragedies such as the November 24 massive fire in a Bangladesh textile factory that killed 112 workers due to locked emergency exits.

Immigrants: Urge U.S. Representatives to OPPOSE the STEMS Job Act of 2012 (H.R. 6429) that would eliminate the diversity immigrant program in order to provide visas to immigrants with advanced degrees.  

Challenging Unjust Systems: Urge U.S. Senators to co-sponsor Senator Brown’s 21^st Century Trade Agreements Act (S.3347) that would place trade negotiations in the public eye, protect American jobs, and ban imports of food that doesn’t meet our safety standards.   Additionally, Senator Al Franken has drafted a letter to President Obama demanding that the TPP Free Trade Agreement include enforceable obligations to protect fundamental labor rights and safeguard against investment and service sector rules that provide incentives for offshoring.  Action urging Senators to sign Senator Franken’s TPP letter. (Currently the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement is being made in secret)

Help educate girls in Pakistan by watching this slide show.  

Urge U.S. Senators and Representatives to eliminate the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts to the wealthiest 2% in America, and fund social safety net programs that allow people who need them to live in dignity.

Urge U.S. Senators and Representatives to seriously consider extending Unemployment Insurance benefits to the two million Americans who are long-term unemployed and whose benefits expire December 31.  

Call (1.202.244.3121; charges apply) and urge U.S. Representatives to sign on to a bipartisan letter (Sponsored by Reps. Barbara Lee and Walter Jones) to the president calling for “an accelerated withdrawal to bring to an end the decade-long war as soon as can safely and responsibly be accomplished.

Sign a petition for incoming Senator Elizabeth Warren to oversee activities of the financial sector and serve on the Senate Banking Committee.

Urge U.S.Senators to honor the legacy of protecting the human rights of the disabled by ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Urge President Obama NOT to accept corporate money for his inauguration.

Organizations Only: In the coming weeks, the School of America’s Watch will deliver a letter to Congress urging them to include the School of America in their mandatory budget cuts.  Organizations are invited to sign on to the SOA Watch Congressional letter by clicking here.  

KY Residents: On November 28, several Faith Leaders from throughout Kentucky  including representatives from Asbury Theological Seminary, the Kentucky Council or Churches and the Presbyterian Church will travel to Washington DC to meet with Senator Mitch McConnell’s senior staff around the Circle of Protection Campaign as congress debates the budget and  negotiates the fiscal cliff.  I invite all KY citizens to be in solidarity and prayer with those traveling to Washington by calling Senator McConnell’s DC office (1.800.826.3688 – ask for Senator McConnell’s office; NO charges apply).  After you have shared your name, share a message similar to: “Senator McConnell, As a Kentuckian , I urge you to work with your colleagues to develop a bipartisan plan to address our deficits AND clearly protects programs for hungry and poor people including SNAP, WIC, the EITC and poverty-focused international assistance.  Please form a Circle of Protection around the programs that serve poor and hungry people. Thank you.” (Act by end of November 30) 

 

Weekly Justice Highlights

Promoting Peace: Urge President Obama to exert diplomatic pressure on Israel for an immediate cease-fire and initiate an investigation into Israel’s misuse of U.S. weapons.

Immigration: Urge President Obama and Speaker Boehner to follow through on promises to put immigration reform at the top of their agenda.  

In the Spirit of St. Vincent: With 40% of the world’s population living on less than $2/day, urge U.S. legislators to oppose any budget cuts to foreign aid.  

Care of Earth: Thank Heroes of Proposition 37 (CA proposition to label GMO food) who helped increase awareness of GMO in food.  

Challenging Unjust Systems: Urge U.S. legislators to support legislative measures for responsible lending and borrowing at the IMF, World Bank and other International Financial Institutions. 

Urge U.S. legislators to renew the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program before December 31^st (when over 2 million workers benefits will be cut off). 

Urge President Obama to sign the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture that sets up mechanisms that prevent torture and abuse in any place of confinement including jails, prisons, detention centers, police stations, mental health facilities and more. 

Urge Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to prioritize ending mountaintop removal coal mining over the next four years.  

Urge BP to stop stalling, take responsibility and pay the maximum Clean Water fines for the Gulf oil spill which they are liable.

Sign a petition urging Congress to protect Social Security and Medicare. 

Louisville:  The Metropolitan Housing Coalition invites residents to send a postcard to their Metro Councilperson to support changes to the Land Development Code that increases opportunities for multi-family housing and smaller lot sizes and that allow increased density in residential use of land.

Weekly Justice Highlights

Human Trafficking: The November 2012 issue of StopTrafficking Newsletter co-sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.

Challenging Unjust Systems: Urge President Obama to support and advance human rights through the closing of Guantanamo, stopping the unlawful killing with drones, and ensuring the UN adopts a strong Arms Trade Treaty.  (International action available)

Care of Earth: Urge the Prime Minister of South Korea to stop the needless slaughter of whales through opposition to the reinstatement of commercial whaling. (International action available and act by December 3)

Care of Earth:  Urge President Obama to protect clean air standards and move toward a clean energy future in holding polluters accountable for the life-threatening pollutants put into our air every day. 

Offer Congratulations to President Obama and urge PresidentObama to set a goal and work with Congress to enact a plan to end hunger. 

Urge U.S. legislators (888.497.9539; no charges apply) to end the Bush tax cuts for the richest 2% or those earning over $250,000/year. 

The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia have a prayer service available in solidarity with those participating in the School of Americas Vigil in Fort Benning, GA on the weekend of November 16-18. 

On November 19, the 83rd Texas LegislativeSession is ready to vote in anti-immigration legislation.  Urge those politicians in favor of this legislation to stand on the right side of history. 

Weekly Justice Highlights

Challenging Unjust Systems: Urge U.S. Senators to oppose the Independent Agency Regulatory Analysis Act (S. 3468) that would undermine the ability of independent federal agencies to carry out the work they were created to do.  Individuals may call (202.224.3121) or edit a message here (scroll down the page for the action)

Promoting Peace: Urge President Obama to cancel next week’s Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile launch and work to decommission these dangerous, destabilizing missiles.

Immigration: Urge U.S.legislators to support the DREAM Act (S. 952 and H.B. 1842). 

Urge U.S.legislators to take current policy with regard to the “drug war” in Honduras in a positive direction that reflects a commitment to human rights.  

Urge U.S.legislators to support a fair and balanced approach to reigning in the debt, one that requires the Pentagon to cut at least $1 trillion from its budge over the next 10 years.  

The World Health Organization and World Meteorological Organization unveiled the Atlas of Health and Climate, a joint project intended to assist governments in managing ecosystems and responding to health threats related to climate change. 

A discussion guide to the world book on sustainability is located here (scroll down the page to look for the guide). 

Resilience.org is both an information clearinghouse and a network of action-oriented groups. Our focus is on building community resilience in a world of multiple emerging challenges: the decline of cheap energy, the depletion of critical resources like water, complex environmental crises like climate change and biodiversity loss, and the social and economic issues which are linked to these. We like to think of the site as a community library with space to read and think, but also as a vibrant café in which to meet people, discuss ideas and projects, and pick up and share tips on how to build the resilience of your community, your household, or yourself.

Oxfam is working with various international organizations taking a closer look at classroom practices related to educating for global citizenship.  View a variety of educator resources here.