Action Alert - Brethren Action Alert

Action Alert
Brethren Witness/Washington Office

Join Middle East peace advocates from across the country and a range of Christian churches in Washington, D.C. from May 6-8 to: learn about the current issues related to Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking and the sharing of Jerusalem; and lobby Congress with up-to-date, specific talking points designed to make your voice heard. At the Churches for Middle East Peace conference, "For the Peace of Jerusalem", church leaders, issue analysts, policy experts and government officials will provide important insights and updates and prepare conference participants to meet with elected officials. For registration information and the conference schedule go to www.cmep.org.

This Sunday is Earth Day, a time to make radically responsible decisions about how we are going to live on this planet – the miraculous work of God. Few human activities have as much impact on God’s Earth as the production and consumption of food. We hope you will join with the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program to ask your legislators to write a farm bill that sustains the land and the people that produce our food, just as our food sustains us.

The Farm Bill, up for reauthorization this year, has the capacity to create a more just food system – one that supports local food systems, treats the land with reverence and respect, shrinks economic inequalities, alleviates hunger at home and abroad, and enlivens rural America. Our current farm bill does not do nearly enough – about 60% of “safety net” payments go to the largest 10% of American farms; nearly 3 out of every 4 farmers that apply to participate in conservation programs are turned away because of a lack of funding; and recent studies have shown that those counties receiving the most farm payments are more likely to be losing jobs and losing population – this is not a picture of a farm policy that is revitalizing rural America. Our current policy is not serving the needs of small- and mid-sized farmers, of rural America, or of God’s creation.

Ask your legislator to take steps to sustain a healthy food system, just as our food sustains us. Ask your legislator to support policy changes that:

Please consider personalizing your letter to your members of Congress by including a story about your connections to farming, how important local foods are to you, or why you value environmental stewardship on farmlands. Your words do matter in Washington. Blessings as you speak out for the earth and for those who care for it.

On Wednesday, April 18, President Bush spoke at a press conference about Darfur. Unfortunately, although he finally offered some specifics about what "Plan B" will entail, he once again stopped short of enacting and enforcing the sanctions needed to make Sudan cooperate.

Instead of announcing the launch of "Plan B," which has already been delayed since its original January 1 deadline, President Bush agreed today to give Sudan one more "last chance" to cooperate with the international community.

According to U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan, Andrew Natsios, the new U.S. deadline for the Sudanese government to cooperate is the first week in May.

Tell the White House to stick to its new deadline and finally implement - and enforce - tough sanctions against Sudan if it has not begun to cooperate fully to end the genocide by the first week in May.

Young Adult Ecumenical Forum, is a grassroots annual event created by and for young adults of diverse Christian traditions. The theme of this year’s event is Environmental Justice, and will be held at Boston University, July 26-29, 2007. For more information go to www.yaef.net.

On March 29, Reps. McGovern (MA), McCollum (MN), and Issa (CA) introduced H.R. 1755, the "Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act of 2007." H.R. 1755 bans the use of cluster munitions in or near civilian populated areas, as well as the use, sale, and transfer of cluster munitions with a failure rate of more than one percent. It is the companion bill to S. 594, introduced in the Senate by Sens. Feinstein (CA) and Leahy (VT) in February.

Please write to your House and Senate representatives in support of H.R. 1755 and S. 594.

Many of our friends have heard the news about the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Organic Program ruling that appears to indicate an end to group organic certification of small farmer co-operatives. This is of course a concern for Equal Exchange because the core of our mission is partnering with small family farmers and supporting their organizations. Group organic certification has been key to our success - and the success of our farmer partners - over the years. In particular, it has made organic certification accessible to poor farmers in the developing world who would otherwise be unable to afford it.

Group certification is crucial to the organic movement as a whole. You can help. We are working with the National Organic Coalition to seek out co-signers for a letter that will be delivered to the USDA expressing our concern. The deadline to sign on is TUESDAY, APRIL 24th.

7. Especially for Brethren in Chicago Area: Jubilee USA Conference in Chicago June 15-17

Several times a year, Jubilee USA organizes opportunities for folks from around the country to gather together to advocate directly with decision makers and/or attend an educational and skill-building event related to debt and global economic justice. The next such opportunity will be Jubilee’s second annual grassroots conference which will be held in Chicago this coming June 15th – 17th. We would love to have you join us for three exciting days of workshops, speakers, music and dance performances, films and getting to know debt cancellation advocates from across the United States and around the world. Special guests this year will include Amy Goodman of Pacifica Radio’s Democracy Now!, hip hop performance ensemble Kuumba Lynx, Afro-Columbian performers Julio y Marta, and activists from Jubilee Liberia and Jubilee Ecuador. Other invitees include Kenyan political cartoonist Gado and Archbishop Ndugane of Capetown, South Africa. Registration is only $35. You can register for the grassroots conference on the Jubilee website at http://www.jubileeusa.org/get-active/special-events/grassroots-conference.html Need based scholarships are available.

If you have questions on these or other issues, contact the Brethren Witness/Washington Office at the address below. We would love to hear from you!

Brethren Witness/Washington Office Action Alerts are sent out as important issues arise. Forward this alert to others! To add an e-mail address to our list, contact us at:

Brethren Witness/Washington Office
337 North Carolina Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20003
Local Phone: 202-546-3202
Toll Free: 1-800-785-3246
Fax: 202-544-5852
E-mail: washington_office_gb@brethren.org

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