Passing the Peace - November 26

Have we learned anything?  Hopefully so.  What have we learned as we
have looked together at the issue of healthcare in our country over the
past few weeks?

**We know that about the 45 million of us in this country who are
without health insurance.
**We know that this has a significant impact on our health and the
healthcare we receive, causing us to live sicker and die quicker!
**We know that those of us who are without health insurance are often
people who are working or seeking work.
**We also know that those of us covered by employment-based health
insurance has decreased by 5 million people over the past 4 years while
the numbers of people under 65 needing such insurance rose by 10
million.
**We know that healthcare access can provide particular challenges for
the homeless and marginalized among us, as they are often unaware of
services offered or have difficulty accessing them consistently due to
being homeless.
**We know that countries who offer national healthcare actually pay
less for healthcare, even while more people receive it!
**We know that the government continues to cut health services for the
poor and marginalized, even while the wealthy receive record tax cuts!
**We know that prescription drug coverage which is desperately needed,
ends up being more of a benefit for prescription drug companies and a
P.R. campaign for politicians than the substantive help so needed!

So, where do we go from here?  Firstly, though we are in a struggle for
healthcare justice in this country, there are signs of hope!  There are
people doing great work on this issue all around.  One of our partners
in the Figueroa Corridor Coalition for Economic Justice is the
Coalition for Community Health.  They are a group that is involved in
addressing healthcare issues in our community.  Here is their mission
statement:
tact us
Coalition for Community Health offers a wide-range of services to
community members, including case management services, education on
health insurance for low-income people, and assistance with applying
for programs and navigating the confusing world of public and private
health care programs. CCH also provides referrals to other health and
social service agencies. On average, CCH serves over 2,000 people a
year through our direct service programs.

TAKING ACTION at UUC:
Though we aren't a health organization as such, there are also things
we can do at UUC to address healthcare justice.

1) The Peace Center is currently collecting signatures on a petition
that is a commitment and call to action on the issue of healthcare and
accessibility.  We will send the collected signatures to our
governmental representatives and to our denominational leadership.  If
you haven't yet signed, please do at church on Sunday or drop by the
office and sign the petition in my box.

2) We are also currently collecting information about health promotion
and wellness things classes and programs that we might do at the
church.  The survey is attached below.  If you haven't filled one out,
please take a few minutes to complete the brief survey and email it
back to me - stouffer@usc.edu.

3) Finally, we are looking for ideas about what other kinds of things we as a church might do to address this important life-or-death issue. If you have ideas for actions or innovative programs, or if you have skills you could contribute to this work, just send an email and let me know. Thanks for all your faithfulness as we work together for God's Kin-dom!

Shalom, Salaam, Peace, Paz,
Susan Stouffer
Peace with Justice Organizer ************************************************************************
Quote of the Week:

"I know you are asking today, 'How long will it take?' Someone is asking today, 'How long will prejudice blind the eyes of men?'....How long? Not long! Because the arch of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

************************************************************************
Words, Thoughts, Deeds, Prayers that Sustain Us:

From: People for the American Way (PFAW)

This has been a busy congressional session, bringing progressives both victories and defeats. The biggest victory, though, is the turning tide. Katrina The tide is turning in Congress when it comes to accountability. Both House and Senate leaders have released outlines of proposed legislation to address the disastrous response by the federal government to aide the devastated communities struck by Hurricane Katrina.

USA PATRIOT Act
The tide is turning on Capitol Hill when it comes to our rights and freedoms. By November 18, votes still had not been cast on a USA PATRIOT Act extension/reform compromise package. On that day, a bipartisan group of lawmakers from the House and Senate held a press conference opposing the conference report, which watered down protections enacted in the Houses - and a bipartisan group of 6 Senators discussed the potential for a filibuster! Action on the conference report has been delayed until at least December 12.

Torture
The tide is also turning when it comes to how Congress expects the United States to comport with global human rights standards and international treaties signed by the U.S. On Friday, November 4, Senator John McCain's detainee language was attached to the FY 2006 authorization bill for Department of Defense (DoD) appropriations. The bill passed the Senate on November 15 by a vote of 98-0. Unfortunately, this victory was tempered by an amendment pushed by Senator Lindsey Graham, which would strip detainees at Guantanamo of habeas corpus rights. While PFAW strongly supports the McCain detainee language, we are opposed to the habeas- stripping language in this amendment.

Budget and Taxes
For some time, right-wing congressional leaders have been unable to get the votes they needed to pass the House budget reconciliation package. Unfortunately, with arm twisting at a fever pitch and only minor tweaks to Food Stamp and Medicaid funding, they succeeded in passing this draconian proposal just after 1:30 am on Friday, November 18 by a vote of 217-215. But the tide is turning here too. The budget was passed only after immense pressure was brought to bear on a few moderate Republican members. Moreover, rebellion against the GOP leadership in the House killed a cruel Health and Human Services appropriations plan and similar rebellion in the Senate is wreaking havoc with Republican hopes to further slash taxes for the wealthy.

The Supreme Court
Finally, the tide is turning on the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. Despite President Bush's claims that Alito is a mainstream nominee, the public and the press are beginning to understand that's not true. To keep this momentum going, PFAW has released a new ad recounting some of Alito's troubling rulings and legal positions, including his voting to uphold the strip search of a 10-year-old girl without a valid warrant, his unsuccessful effort as an appeals court judge to declare a law regulating machine guns unconstitutional, and his declaration while in the Justice Department that the Constitution does not protect a woman's right to choose an abortion.

There is plenty to be thankful for this holiday season. While rancor still exercises influence over peace and justice, there are signs that America is moving in the right direction again. Take any opportunity you can to push it along that way!

************************************************************************

ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TODAY:
1) Urge Your Senators to Not to Develop new Landmines (or any such weapons by other names)
2) Help Close the School of the Americas
3) Urge Your Congresspeople to Prohibit Torture
4) Support Higher Gas Mileage Standards
5) Urge Congress to Support Increase in Minimum Wage

************************************************************************

1) Urge Your Senators to Not to Develop new Landmines (or any such weapons by other names)

From: Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Bush administration is making plans to begin production of a new generation of antipersonnel mines. This initiative would erase many of the positive steps the United States has taken in the past toward banning antipersonnel mines. The United States government will decide by December 2005 whether to begin production of a new generation of antipersonnel mine system called "Spider." The Pentagon has also requested a total of $1.3 billion for development and production of yet another new antipersonnel mine called the "Intelligent Munitions System," with a full production decision expected in 2008. Tell your senators you are disappointed that the U.S. is contemplating new production of landmines. Tell them that the vision of a world free of the scourge of landmines will remain out of reach as long as the U.S. continues to reserve the right to produce these indiscriminate weapons. The U.S. should halt production of all victim-activated weapons, whether the government calls it a landmine or not.

2) Help Close the School of the Americas

From: Sojourners

The School of the Americas (SOA) - renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation in 2001 - is a combat training school for Latin American soldiers located at Fort Benning, Georgia. During its 56 years of existence, the SOA has used U.S. tax dollars to train more than 60,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation tactics. These graduates have consistently used their skills to wage war against their own countries' civilians. Among those targeted by SOA graduates are educators, union organizers, religious workers, student leaders, and others who work for the rights of the poor. Hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans have been tortured, raped, assassinated, "disappeared," massacred, and forced into exile by those trained at this "School of Assassins." This violence isn't ancient history, either. As recently as 2002, an SOA graduate was arrested for the murder of Colombian archbishop, Isaias Duarte. In 2003, several soldiers received training at the SOA even though they were known to have past records of human rights abuses. Please use the letter below to contact your congressperson and urge them to support HR 1217, a bill to close, investigate, and prevent another cosmetic remake of the SOA. Take Action: http://go.sojo.net/campaign/05_close_the_SOA/8ug3ix245bnjk3?


3) Urge Your Congresspeople to Prohibit Torture

From: Amnesty USA

The Senate recently voted on two important bills: the Defense Appropriations bill and the Defense Authorization bill. Both bills have amendments attached to them that need your urgent attention. Call your Members of Congress and urge them to stand in favor of the absolute prohibition on torture and ill-treatment by supporting the Anti-torture amendment attached to both bills, and in defense of core principles of justice and due process by opposing the Graham amendment attached to the Defense Authorization bill. Take Action Now: http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=12392


4) Support Higher Gas Mileage Standards

From: Environment California

Earlier this month we had a momentous victory when the U.S. House of Representatives decided to protect California's coastline from offshore oil drilling by removing a dangerous drilling provision from the federal Budget Reconciliation bill. Now it's time for Congress to take another step to break our dependence on oil by making cars go farther on a gallon of gas. If we simply raise gas mileage standards to 40 miles per gallon, we could save more than five million barrels of oil per day. The National Academy of Sciences has said that automakers already have the technology they need to be able to do this and that cars would maintain current safety standards. It's up to Congress to act. Please take a moment to ask your U.S. Representative to support legislation that would raise gas mileage standards to 40 mpg. Then ask your family and friends to help by forwarding this email to them. To take action, click on this link or paste it into your web browser: http://environmentcalifornia.org/envirocalifenergy.asp?id=127&id4=ES


5) Urge Congress to Support Increase in Minimum Wage

From: AFL-CIO Working Families

Let’s talk about priorities. Congress has not increased the minimum wage since 1997, meaning the real earnings of workers at the bottom of the pay scale have dropped dramatically. So what is Congress doing to address this crisis? Giving themselves a pay raise. Again. Since the last minimum wage increase, members of Congress have increased their own pay several times, for a total increase of $31,600 per year. That’s an increase of $31,600. Meanwhile, workers in minimum wage jobs earn a total of just $10,700 a year. Does that sound like a Congress that has its priorities straight? It’s time to take action. Congress has headed home for the Thanksgiving holiday, but you can still tell your representative and senators what you think. Call your members of Congress today. Ask them if they support an increase in the minimum wage, and if so, what they’re doing about it. The congressional pay raise is just the beginning. The House recently pushed through a budget that cuts $50 billion from programs that help working families, including Medicaid, student loans and food stamps. At the same time, congressional leaders are trying to pass $70 billion in new breaks mostly for the very wealthiest Americans. Big pay raises for themselves, but no increase in the minimum wage. Big spending cuts aimed directly at working families and even bigger tax breaks for the wealthy. These are not the priorities of America’s working families, and they shouldn’t be the priorities in Congress. Call your members of Congress today at their local offices so they get the message. Call CALL THE CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD toll free 1-800-426-8073 or 202-224-3121.


************************************************************************ ******
UPCOMING ACTIONS TO TAKE:


1) Attend Discussion about the Future of King/Drew Medical Center

From: Progressive Jewish Alliance

For RSVP - email office@pjalliance.org

HTML Attachment [ Download File | Save to Yahoo! Briefcase ]

Event Speakers: Sylvia Drew Ivie, Project Director of the Steering Committee on the Future of King/Drew Medical Center Rabbi Haim Beliak, PJA Board Member

Please join us for a conversation about how to save and transform one of the most important healthcare institutions in Los Angeles. DATE: Monday, November 28 TIME: 7:30PM LOCATION: Workmen's Circle, 1525 S. Robertson Ave. Los Angeles 90035 COST: Non-members $5, members free (Non-members can join PJA at the door and receive free admission) RSVP now by clicking here

2) Attend Major Prophetic Event on Iraq - April 2-4, 2006

From: The Shalom Center

A REVOLUTION OF VALUES: Organizing for the future of the faiths. On those dates in April, Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq will hold a national conference that includes spiritually rooted prophetic action in the tradition of King and Heschel. Late afternoon or evening on April 2, there will be an interfaith tent revival on the National Mall to reclaim the spirit of democracy in this dark hour. April 3 will serve as an all-day organizing conference, which will provide the interfaith religious community the skill, tools, and theology to build a strong witness for peace in their local community. April 4 will continue with organizing workshops and then with a pre-Passover Freedom Seder and a march, with palms waving, to the White House. There some will choose to assert their First Amendment rights even if the police decide to arrest them. Others will act as support groups, not risking arrest. Equally as a part of the CALC-I event will be a gathering of 40 religious leaders under forty, who are working on peace and justice issues around the country. This Future of the Faiths gathering of young religious leader will be interfaith and serve to strength a new generation of prophetic witnesses. We have chosen these days because of their deep significance in traditions of peace, justice, and spirituality. April 4 is the yohrzeit (death-anniversary) of Martin Luther King, and the anniversary of his great Riverside Church speech in 1967 against the three great dangers to America: militarism, racism, and materialism. ("A Revolution in Values" is a phrase from Dr. King's Riverside speech.) April 9 is Palm Sunday, recalling the moment when a nonviolent Jewish demonstration, led by a charismatic young rabbi, confronted the Roman Empire in its local sub-capitol, Jerusalem. April 12 is the first night of Passover, remembering when a band of runaway slaves, with God's help, faced and overcame the might of Pharaoh. The CALC-I National Organizing Conference welcomes all religiously committed opponents of the present US governmental policy of making endless war, torturing prisoners, starving the poor, impoverishing the middle class, and poisoning the earth while enriching the super-wealthy; And since being "OPponents" is not enough, CALC-I welcomes those "PROponents" who draw on the prophetic traditions and visions of the Biblical, Quranic, Buddhist, Hindu, earth-centered, and other spiritual teachings: harmony between the human race and the earth, the nonviolent resolution and transformation of conflict, compassion for the afflicted, empowerment of the poor and the weak. 3) Attend Presbyterian Peacemaking Conference 2006 - July 22-27 From: Presbyterian Peacemaking Program Update 2006 Peacemaking Conference * Unmasking Power: Seeking the Faces of Peace - July 22-27, 2006, YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park, C0 http://pcusa.org/peacemaking/conferences/2006.htm

************************************************************************

For more information, to ask questions, make comments, or to send suggestions about Passing the Peace or peace opportunities at UUC and in LA, or to be removed from this list, contact Susan Stouffer - stouffer@usc.edu