Action Alert - Brethren Action Alert

Action Alert
Brethren Witness/Washington Office

Congress left for its summer recess this past weekend with a host of legislative issues still pending, among them the Feinstein/Lugar resolution on Israeli-Palestinian peace. The resolution has been updated to reflect recent events in Gaza and the appointment of Tony Blair as Quartet envoy and was "hotlined" August 2nd (scheduled for quick passage by unanimous consent). In the crowded, final legislative wrap-up, the resolution was not brought to the floor, but could still come up for passage in the fall, when Congress returns.

Whether or not the Feinstein/Lugar resolution passes, it has already had a significant impact in Congress. It's introduction alone and the support of 36 Senators, including members of key committees and Democratic and Republican party leadership, has sent an important message of Congressional support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and robust U.S. diplomacy to achieve it. Over the past few months we have seen more Members willing to go on the record in support of two states and U.S. leadership on peacemaking. In addition to the Feinstein/Lugar resolution, prominent Senators such as Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) have spoken in support of U.S. action on the peace process.

As a living peace church, the Church of the Brethren has the chance to support an initiative to work for peace in the Middle East. In 1980, Annual Conference wrote that, “Our concern for the self-determination of peoples and for relationships that foster justice and peace extend to all areas of the [Middle East]. These same concerns prompt us to raise our voices against the invasion of Afghanistan and the oppressive occupation and ‘settlements policy’ of Israel on the West Bank and Gaza. Both occupations endanger the peace of this area and of the world.” Continuing the theme of Middle East peace, in 1989 Annual Conference stated, “In the Middle East, we support an end to the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and a conditioning of all U.S. foreign aid to Israel on ending the occupation. We believe an international conference involving Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, as well as other regional and global participants, could help to achieve a settlement of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.” The chance to live out our calling as God’s people, and messengers of hope and peace cannot be passed by anymore now. It is important that our government officials know that the work of the church is the work of peace.

Your Representative and Senators are in their home districts and states from now until September 3rd. The Feinstein/Lugar resolution in the Senate and the Middle East Envoy resolution in the House have laid the foundation for constructive discussions with your Members. Thank them for their support or urge them to sign-on as co-sponsors. It is also important to express support for the fall Middle East peace summit that President Bush recently announced and to urge that the conference agenda include substantive political discussions that could concretely lead toward negotiations of a comprehensive peace agreement.

The central event of the 2007 Sabbath year will be the 40-day Cancel Debt Fast calling for debt cancellation and an end to global poverty.

Individuals, congregations, and local organizations can participate in the Cancel Debt Fast by committing to fast for a day or more and on the same day to contact or meet with their Member of Congress, asking the congressperson to support the JUBILEE Act as well as just trade and poverty-focused development assistance to fight global poverty. On any given day during the 40-day Cancel Debt Fast, debt cancellation advocates across the United States and around the world will be engaging in this powerful act of solidarity with those who are bound by the chains of unjust and oppressive debts.

You may contact Jubilee USA or visit our website to receive talking points, helpful advice, and assistance about talking to your member of Congress about the JUBILEE Act.

The fast will take place from September 6 to October 15 and will be organized in tandem with a public ministry of prayer and fasting led by the Rev. David Duncombe in support of the debt cancellation that is necessary to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

The Rev. Duncombe’s ministry will involve an open-ended fast, beginning on September 6, 2007. As he fasts, Rev. Duncombe will visit House and Senate offices key to the passage of debt cancellation legislation, talking specifically to the office staff and to the office holder whenever possible about how their faith relates to the objectives of debt cancellation and an end to global poverty and hunger.

Jubilee supporters are welcome to join with Rev. Duncombe in Washington, DC for part or all of the 40-day fast, but they can also offer support in their communities by registering to participate in the worldwide cancel debt fast and by spreading the word to others in their community.

In March of 1999, the Church of the Brethren General Board issued a statement reading, in part, “As many poorer nations struggle to repay enormous international debts, it is the poor citizens of those nations who pay much of the price for these repayments. Already inadequate social services are further reduced. Industries and agricultural land that might have provided commodities for domestic consumption are redirected to produce export crops and products. Environmental quality is degraded, as regulations are relaxed as an incentive to economic growth, and as marginal and untouched lands are forced into production to earn export revenues. Ironically, poor people have seen little of the benefit of the loans that have brought them great hardship. While some funds financed the construction of large infrastructure projects that may have marginally helped the poor, other monies went to military procurement or were siphoned off by corrupt politicians and businesses.” The statement went on to call for debt cancellation as part of the Jubilee 2000 campaign. It is time to renew that call.

As global warming rapidly intensifies, the prospect of much more extensive hunger worldwide becomes increasingly likely, especially in poor countries, due to drought, Katrina-like storms, glacial melting and sea level rise. These impacts will lead to crop failures and economic and social disruption on a massive scale.

To draw attention to this threat and its moral implications, we are calling on thousands of Americans to voluntarily give up food for one day on September 4th, 2007. Other participants will fast even longer beginning on that date, some for weeks. Our appeal to you is to consider joining us in this climate initiative called, "So Others Might Eat: The Climate Emergency Fast." Give up food for one day now to draw attention to the fact that others may have no food tomorrow unless we halt global warming.

September 4th is the day Congress returns from its summer recess. What better way to mark that day than with a small personal sacrifice meant to send an urgent message: it's time for our national leaders to take action to solve the climate threat!

Fasting is a simple yet profound way of combining the spiritual and the political. Mahatma Gandhi called it "the sincerest form of prayer." It communicates seriousness and urgency without violence, thereby focusing peoples' attention on the issues of the fast.

The overwhelming urgency of the climate situation is motivating this call. We don't think the climate movement can accept that there will be little of substance coming out of this Congress while President Bush is in office. We can't, in essence, let Congress off the hook for another two years. We must do as much as we can, we must push ourselves to do more than we're used to doing, to step it up now.

What will we be calling for? Three things: no new coal or coal-to-liquid plants; freeze greenhouse gas emissions and move quickly to reduce them; and a down payment of $25 billion for energy conservation, efficiency and renewable energy.

Our hope is that this fast will generate the kind of media coverage and grassroots response sufficient to pressure Congress to act quickly and decisively.

A 1991 Annual Conference statement entitled “Called to Care”, reads, “God’s promises are not mere pledges. They are covenants. And covenants are agreements between people and between people and God. The covenants with Noah and Abraham and the New Covenant mean that people of faith are responsible for their part in renewing and sustaining the creation. This statement helps us to see the degradation of the earth as sin, our sin.” And our sin since this statement has only continued. The 2007 United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report states, “Global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide have increased markedly as a result of human activities since 1750 […] The primary source of the increased atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide since the pre-industrial period results from fossil fuel use, with land use change providing another significant but smaller contribution”. Take this opportunity to care for God’s creation.

Each year, as part of the International Day of Prayer for Peace, more individuals, groups, churches and communities throughout the world are recognizing the significance of committing to One Day of Peace through prayer, meditation and other forms of spiritual observance.

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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