Action Alerts

Stop the next disaster, before it happens.

Tell Congress to pass chemical security legislation.

Dear James,

The Bayer corporation is trying to conceal details of a deadly chemical plant accident at their factory in Institute, West Virginia. The accident killed two employees and forced a state of emergency where thousands of residents were advised to take shelter in their homes1.

Now Congress is considering a law -- once co-sponsored by Barack Obama -- that would require companies like Bayer to use safer procedures and tell the community about the risk their facility poses. But Bayer and their allies are trying to use the threat of terrorism to hide the truth from the public and oppose tighter rules.
Tell Congress not to listen to the chemical industry -- pass tough chemical security legislation.
http://act.truemajorityaction.org/p/7002/bayercropscience
Believe it or not, the accident could have been a lot worse. Bayer's facility stores tons of a deadly chemical called methyl isocyanate. In 1984 a similar accident killed thousands of people in Bhopal, India when 42 tons of this chemical was released. Bayer's facility in West Virginia had more than 200 tons stored in tanks less than 100 feet from where the explosion happened2.

Zimbabwe is gradually, precariously, beginning to stabilize. The cholera epidemic is slowing and teachers have ended a year long strike, reopening schools across the country. But the country still hangs by a thread. The improvements are fragile, and Zimbabwe needs strong support from the African Union (AU) to keep things moving forward.

In a few weeks, we’ll deliver our petition with signatures from more than 86,000 ONE members calling on the AU to support the new Zimbabwean government. Before we do, will you help us reach the goal of 100,000 signatures on this petition by adding your name

http://www.one.org/zimbabweandtheau/o.pl?id=859-3689617-k3GFKXx&t=2

The petition reads:

Please ensure that the African Union executes its role as guarantor of the new Zimbabwe unity government.
This petition won’t be the end of the line for our work on Zimbabwe, there will be much more to do, but it is a critical first step. Zimbabwe is on the verge of being able to function again and with strong AU support, there is a chance that things could get back on track for people who have been through extraordinarily tough times.

Thank you for making a difference,

David Lane, ONE.org

Subject: Tell Attorney General Holder: Karl Rove must testify.

Dear Friend,

On February 23, Karl Rove was supposed to testify before the House Judiciary Committee in accordance with a Congressional subpoena. But Rove didn't show up. Again.

Rove didn't show up last year when he was ordered to testify, because his old friend President Bush said that Rove's testimony was protected by executive privilege. Now that Bush is no longer in office, we may finally have an opportunity to learn the truth about his alleged misdeeds, from authorizing voter suppression tactics to orchestrating the arrest of Alabama Governor Don Siegelman.

But even though we have a new president, Karl Rove is still acting like he's entitled to all the privileges that came with his old job.

I just took action to tell Attorney General Eric Holder to compel Karl Rove to comply with the subpoena. I hope you will, too.

Please have a look and take action.

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/rove_testify/?r_by=-1919273-pxKZ6Zx&...

Thanks!

Originally posted at Talk to Action.

It has now been over one month since President Obama was inaugurated. As someone who stands to benefit from the proper federal funding and oversight of embryonic stem cell research, I want to know why the President has yet to rescind the Bush administration restrictions of August 9, 2001 that were one of his signature appeasments to the Religious Right.

In the 2008 New York Presidential Primary I voted for Hillary Clinton. One of the deciding factors for me was her promise to rescind the Bush administration's onerous restrictions on the federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. At the time, then-candidate Obama was barely giving lip-service to the issue.

Although Obama eventually won the nomination, I soon became comfortable with his position on embryonic stem cell research. I was confident that shortly after his inauguration - perhaps within minutes -- that the August 9, 2001 restrictions would be history.

Or, so I thought.

TORTURE IS A MORAL ISSUE

Dear Friends:

Please join NRCAT in encouraging the Obama Administration to fulfill its pledge to move toward greater transparency and accountability.

An important legal case being argued in a United States Court of Appeals concerns allegations of torture by five victims of the Bush Administration's extraordinary rendition program. Unfortunately, last week, the Department of Justice affirmed the "state secrets" argument used by the previous Administration to bar crucial evidence from the courtroom.

You can read more about the case in this Andrew Sullivan piece and this commentary by legal scholar Scott Horton, who will be a panelist at a NRCAT event on March 14 in Arlington, VA.

A major focus of our work this coming year will be securing an independent Commission of Inquiry to uncover all the facts surrounding the use of torture by the United States. The success of such an investigation will rest on the willingness of our government to quit hiding evidence of abusive practices behind a cloak of secrecy.

Please join NRCAT in expressing our concerns by contacting President Obama and Attorney General Holder.

Please click here to access a form e-mail that you can use.

Thank you for your help!

Sincerely,

Linda Gustitus, President, NRCAT
Rev. Richard Killmer, Executive Director, NRCAT

Hi All,

Just a reminder...if you were looking for a last minute gift for someone, why not give the gift of Progressive Christianity. I serve as a board member and occasional writer for the The Progressive Christian. I would really encourage people to get a subscription for yourself, your minister, a family member or friend.

Faith Leader Letter to Congress
Action: Sign and promote the Faith Leader Letter to Congress for $10 in 2010 federal minimum wage.
Our 2007 letter to Congress, signed by faith leaders across the country, helped win the first minimum wage increase in a decade. With your support, our new letter to Congress will have thousands of signatures, representing every congressional district. Please promote the Faith Leader Letter to Congress through your networks.
http://www.letjusticeroll.org/faithletter.html

Please interpret faith leader broadly to include Reverend, Rabbi, Imam, Director of faith-based program, Religious Social Action Committee Chair, and so on.

General Public Sign On for $10 in 2010
Action: If you are not a faith leader, please sign here to support $10 in 2010.
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2139/t/4561/signUp.jsp?key=3525

If you have any questions or want to help promote the letter to Congress, please contact Karen Spradlin, kspradlin@letjusticeroll.org or phone 405-213-3282.

The is groundbreaking Catholic organization seeking the ordination of women to the priesthood. As a favor to this courageous group I am posting the following help wanted request:

WOC seeks Executive Director

~ please forward widely. Job announcement online at http://www.womensordination.org/content/view/9/35/ ~

Position Title: Executive Director Reports to: Board of Directors

Organizational Description: Women's Ordination Conference is a national non-profit organization that works to ordain women as priests, deacons, and bishops into an inclusive Catholic church.

Position Summary: To give direction and leadership toward the achievement of the organization's philosophy, mission, strategy, and its annual goals and objectives.

Major Functions:
Program and Service Delivery - Oversees design, performance, implementation and quality of programs and services to members and other interested organizations.

Media and Public Relations - Assures the organization and its mission, programs and services are consistently presented in strong, positive image to relevant stakeholders

TORTURE IS A MORAL ISSUE

Dear Friend:

In less than three years NRCAT has become an important organization in the effort to end U.S.-sponsored torture. That would not have been possible except for the work of people like you.

NRCAT has more than 38,000 people of faith across the country who participate in its work, more than 240 religious organizations that are NRCAT members, and an office on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. with six staff members who are assisted by interns and volunteers. With all of us working together, we are very proud of what we've been able to do. Highlights of NRCAT's work can be found below our names.

The 2008 election has provided a crucial opportunity to make our goals a reality:
A Presidential Executive Order banning torture;
The codification of the elements of an Executive Order into law;
A Select Committee of Congress or a commission to investigate torture policies and practices since 9/11;
Growing the moral consensus that torture is always wrong.