Weekly Justice Highlights

In the Spirit of St. Vincent: Let U.S. Senators and Representatives know how disappointed you are that not only were they unable to find a just and smart alternative to sequestration, but that they created a piecemeal approach to help themselves and their wealthy donors by excluding the Federal Aviation Administration from the impacts of sequestration and did nothing to protect those living in poverty.   

Challenging Unjust Systems: Urge Walmart, Sears, JC Penney and major American brands to ensure basic safety and human rights of workers in Bangladesh who are supplier factories.  Urge them to work with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed’s government in Bangladesh to allow workers to form unions and improve safety and health inspections in their supply chains.   

At least 100 detainees have gone on a massive hunger strike in protest at Guantanamo.  Urge President Obama and Congress to support closing Guantanamo now.     

Urge the Environmental Protection Agency to protect children from premature death and respiratory illnesses by keeping strong vehicle emissions and fuel standards in an effort to reduce air pollution.   

Urge U.S. Representatives to support the Inclusive Prosperity Act (H.R. 1579), a financial transaction tax on Wall Street for large transactions (0.005% to 0.5% depending on type of transaction).  

Urge Congress to co-sponsor the Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act (H.R. 1554).   

Urge Morgan Freeman NOT to glorify those supporting abuses of Palestinian human rights when he accepts his award May 6 from Canadian Friends of Hebrew University, an institution complicit in Israeli apartheid.  

Louisville:  On May 9 at 6:30 p.m., Michael Dowd on “Beyond Sustainability: A Realistically Inspiring Vision” will be guest speaker at the annual KY Interfaith Power and Light Awards Dinner to be held at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Lousiville.  Reservations can be made here.   

KY:  The Catholic Conference of Kentucky will host two workshops on comprehensive immigration reform. With signs of Congress being ready to act, so must we.  Each day will begin at 9:30 am with registration. Presentations will start at 10:00 am and will conclude no later than 3:00 pm. Registration is ESSENTIAL because we are providing a free lunch.  THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2013-- Gather at St. James in Elizabethtown, 307 W. Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, Ky. 42701-1701. Here is a link to help you drive there. THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013--Gather at Pax Christi in Lexington, 4001 Victoria Way, Lexington, KY 40515. Here is a link to help you drive there.   Register easily online here.  If you prefer to register by phone you can call Karen in our office at 502.874.4345 to register.