Saturday, July 28, 2007

Thomas Merton Reflects: Work for Peace

"It is sometimes discouraging to see how small the Christian peace movement is, and especially here in America where it is most necessary. But we have to remember that this is the usual pattern, and the Bible has led us to expect it. Spiritual work is done with disproportionately small and feeble instruments. And now above all when everything is so utterly complex, and when people collapse under the burden of confusions and cease to think at all, it is natural that few may want to take on the burden of trying to effect something in the moral and spiritual way, in political action. Yet this is precisely what has to be done.
[T]he great danger is that under the pressure of anxiety and fear, the alternation of crisis and relaxation and new crisis, the people of the world will come to accept gradually the idea of war, the idea of submission to total power, and the abdication of reason, spirit and individual conscience. The great peril of the cold war is the progressive deadening of conscience.
[I] rely very much on your help and friendship. Send me anything you think will be of service to the cause of peace, and pray that in all things I may act wisely."

Thomas Merton. "Letter to Jean and Hildegard Goss-Mayer." The Hidden Ground of Love. Letters, Volume 1. William H. Shannon. editor. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1985: 325-326

Tell Fidelity to Divest and Help the People of Darfur



Fidelity is a major shareholder in PetroChina, whose parent, China National Petroleum Corporation, provides the Sudanese government with hundreds of millions of dollars in oil revenues that help fund genocide in Darfur.

Source: SaveDarfur.org

Toxic Trailers in New Orleans! -- Tell Congress NO!

From: Katrina Informatin Network

Greetings!

After nearly two years, little has changed for the communities hardest hit by the "perfect storm" of public neglect and private profiteering known as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Environmental damage. Children without schools or safe places to stay. Homes and neighborhoods in disrepair while contractors make millions. Yet, basic policies for survivors like victims compensation, restitution, rebuild support much less repair of the levees are still not in place. This is a tragedy and a travesty.

The Katrina Information Network (KIN) has re-launched in order to build a strong national base of people like you, people who care, to stand up for just recovery in the Gulf. Thousands are already involved in actions as simple as weekly emails to organizing selective contracting campaigns. We are asking you for just a few minutes of your time to take action for just recovery, right at your computer.

KIN ACTION OF THE WEEK: Tell FEMA and Congress, "Get Katrina Survivors Out of Toxic Trailers and into Safe, Sustainable Housing"

What's Going On:

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee announced last week that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided trailers to displaced Katrina survivors contaminated with formaldehyde and other toxins. Given FEMA's poor track record when it comes to protecting the health and welfare of Katrina survivors, their plan to address the toxic trailer issue with testing and investigation is woefully inadequate.

Please act today to let FEMA and Congress know that this is absolutely unacceptable. FEMA must act immediately to provide safe, sustainable housing to every current trailer resident. In addition, there should be a complete investigation of governmental programs and policies to identify other human rights violations and FEMA should present a complete plan to the public with a clear timeline and benchmarks for how it will implement just recovery in the Gulf in accordance with US and human rights law.

Act now to hold FEMA and Congress accountable!
About KIN

The Katrina Information Network (KIN) is a collaboration of groups in the Gulf and across the country to build power for change. Founded in September 2005, KIN uses e-advocacy, grassroots pressure, local actions, resolutions and selective buying, to build pressure for what’s right.

We Believe It’s Time to Draw the Line. Join us.