Weekly Justice Highlights

In the Spirit of St. Vincent: FY 2012 (Rep Paul Ryan’s Budget) passed the U.S. House late last week. This budget cuts Medicare, Medicaid and other programs that support low and moderate income families. It also includes tax breaks to millionaires and corporations. See “How to Talk about the Budget." More on NETWORK’s response to the budget can also be found here

Death Penalty: The Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center’s Families That Matter program is working with the family of Shawn Hawkins. He is scheduled for execution on June 14th in Ohio. He has a very credible innocence claim yet because no usable DNA was found the Innocence Project is not involved. His family is working to collect a minimum of 5000 signatures on a petition to Governor Kasich asking for clemency for Shawn. Visit the center (click on death penalty program and look for “Upcoming executions and petitions” on the left side. It is not necessary to be an Ohio resident to sign the petition.

Immigration: Test your Immigration IQ with the Immigration Myths and Realities Quiz.

Abolishing Slavery: An application is available for smart phones and droids that grades products to be purchased. Once the application is downloaded, individuals are able to scan the store item that provides information to consumers on company evaluation in an effort to work toward abolishing slavery.

Other Potential Actions:
Contact U.S. Senators and Representatives urging them to speak out against the Columbian Fair Trade Agreement. (please adapt message)

Adapt a message urging Congress to pass legislation that will rebuild a sustainable gulf coast a year after the BP oil spill.

Methyl Iodide- a known human carcinogen that can disrupt the thyroid is too dangerous to be used in our fields and farms. Urge the Environmental Protection Agency to ban methyl iodide.

Louisville: Paula Gonzales will speak at Kentucky Interfaith Power and Light Annual Awards Dinner at 6:30 p.m. on May 13 (First Unitarian Church, 807 South Fourth Street). Tickets are $25/each and include an organic meal. She will present a workshop Climate Change and Faith on May 14 from 9:30 to 4 p.m. (Fourth Avenue United Methodist Church, 318 W St. Catherine St.) Tickets are $45. For additional information or tickets contact 502.210.8920