Excerpt: “I began asking after the processes that brought each item to my door: what people had worked where, for slave wages and with deadly pesticides; what places had been deforested; what species were being driven extinct for my cup of coffee or banana bread. It doesn’t taste so good when you think about what died going into it.” Continue Reading »

Last week, we had an unexpected chance at offering an amendment about the SOA/ WHINSEC to the Defense Authorization bill. Even though the Rules Committee didn’t allow our amendment, two very influential Members of Congress – including the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee – set the stage for our June vote by speaking on the floor about the importance of allowing debate on the SOA issue!

This is thanks to your hard work and perseverance! Let’s keep the pressure on as we look towards a vote in early to mid-June.

Read more about last week’s happenings, send an email to your Member of Congress and find out more about the legislative campaign: www.soaw.org/legislative

Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) has moved to the top of the President’s and the Senate’s agenda.  Not only is U.S. immigration law criticized for problems such as backlogs in family-based immigration and cuts in social services to immigrants, the problem of illegal immigration is becoming increasingly acute.  There are approximately eight to twelve million individuals currently living in the U.S. without legal status, and unauthorized crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border have led to a record number of deaths in the past year.  In addition to the humanitarian issues these problems create, domestic security is undermined when such a large number of residents are living in the shadows of society.

In emails, faxes, and phone calls, please contact your Senator and urge him or her to support comprehensive immigration reform that offers real solutions to our nation’s immigration problems. The Capitol Switchboard can be reached at 202.224.3121.

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An Israeli rocket killed Hadeel Rhabin, 7, on Monday, April 10, as she sat in her home watching TV with her family. A cement beam spared her baby sister’s life by protecting her from the blast. Twelve neighbors and other family members were injured. The blast demolished their home. Such incidents have been occurring regularly since Israel decreased the “safety range” allowed for shelling near inhabited areas, endangering Palestinians seeking refuge in their homes. Continue Reading »

This Saturday, join the Huron Valley Chapter of Gray Panthers as they present the 2005-2006 Ann Bonar Award for Gray Activism.

Several ICPJ members are among this year’s recipients of the awards or have been named nominees of exceptional.

Please join us as we celebrate their efforts to build a better world.

2:00-4:00 p.m. at Church of the Good Shepherd, 2145 Independence.

Due in part to your unprecedented opposition to anti-Palestinian legislation, the House leadership has unexpectedly removed HR4681, the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006, from Tuesday’s list of scheduled votes!

Meanwhile, the House Judiciary Committee has asserted its jurisdiction over the bill and will hold a “mark-up” session today, Wed., May 10, to discuss possible amendments to it. The Judiciary Committee has jurisdiction over the important section of the resolution that deals with visas. Continue Reading »