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ACTIVE NONVIOLENCE & PEACEMAKING
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 TAKE ACTION: How to Divest from the War Machine
Companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman make hundreds of billions of dollars a year on their arms sales. Many mutual funds include shares of gun manufacturers, gun retailers and other weapon companies. Weapon Free Funds is a new tool that enables you to find out if your money is being used to finance weapon manufacturers, and to find alternative options that avoid weapon investments. TAKE ACTION
War-Weary Afghans March for Peace
A recent grassroots peace movement in Afghanistan began in late March 2018 as a series of sit-ins and a hunger strike in Helmand province demanding that both the government and Taliban implement a cease-fire. Similar sit-ins began across the country in solidarity, and in May, citizens from Helmand province began marching to Kabul to advocate for peace.
MORE
Why Unarmed Civilian Protection Is the Best Path to Sustainable Peace
 There are over 90,000 armed UN peacekeepers working around the world today. They engage from the outside, with soldiers often patrolling in vehicles and retreating at the end of the day. There is, however, another model for peacekeeping called unarmed civilian protection, or UCP. It works from the inside and has been proven to save lives, empower communities and can secure strong and lasting peace in areas plagued by violent conflict. MORE
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NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
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Poll: Europeans Reject US Nuclear Weapons on Own Soil
US nuclear weapons are currently stationed in Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. Citizens from these four countries were asked, "Do you think US nuclear weapons should be removed from your country's territory, or should they stay?" In each country, an overwhelming majority of people surveyed were in favor of removing the weapons from their soil, and for their countries to sign the treaty that bans them outright. MORE
Understanding Nuclear Weapon Terms
 Most people are familiar with the basics of nuclear weapons, but the details of how these devices are made, delivered, and controlled can be confusing and complex. As the US continues talks with North Korea over its nuclear weapons program - an effort which could take years to pan out and is guaranteed to get very, very complicated- this guide defines some of the most important (and misunderstood) words, phrases, and acronyms. MORE
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IMMIGRATION
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US
Will Reunite and Release Over 50 Immigrant Children
More than 50 immigrant children under age 5 will be reunited with their parents by the court-ordered deadline for action by Trump administration. That's only about half of the 100 or so infants and toddlers covered by the order. A Justice Department lawyer acknowledged the government wouldn't meet the deadline for all the children, citing a variety of reasons, including that the parents of some of the youngsters have already been deported. MORE
US Army Quietly Discharging Immigrant Recruits
Some immigrant U.S. Army reservists and recruits who enlisted in the military with a promised path to citizenship are being abruptly discharged. More than 5,000 immigrants were recruited into the program in 2016, and an estimated 10,000 are currently serving.
Trump Re-Ups 'Infestation' Rhetoric in Immigration Debate
 President Donald Trump last week again invoked the imagery of undocumented immigrants as sub-human, again warning against the influx of gang members into the US. Trump, who has often cited the dangers of the MS-13 gang to argue for tougher immigration laws, said there is an "infestation" of gangs in pockets of America. In reality, MS-13 remains a small fraction of the overall gang problem in the US, according to FBI statistics. MORE
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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & SEXUAL ASSAULT
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DEATH PENALTY
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Scheduled
Christopher Young is scheduled to be executed on July 17 by the state of Texas for the murder of Hasmukh Patel. Please hold Scott, Hasmukh, their families, and the people of Texas in prayer.
TAKE ACTION
Robert Van Hook is scheduled to be executed on July 18 by the state of Ohio for the murder of David Self. Please
hold Scott, David, their families, and the people of Ohio in prayer. TAKE ACTION
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| CORPORATE PUBLIC STANDS |
The Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton Iowa have taken the following corporate stands:
Death Penalty Nuclear Weapons Immigration Reform Human Trafficking |
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS
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Contacting your elected officials is one of the most effective ways to bring about positive change. You can find the names and contact information of your local members of congress by entering your zip code at:
Here are phone numbers for elected officials for Clinton, Iowa:
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President
Donald Trump
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(202) 456-1414
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Senators - Iowa
Chuck Grassley
Joni Ernst
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(202) 224-3744
(202) 224-3254
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US Representative
Clinton area District 2
Dave Loebsack
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(202) 225-6576 |
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Governor - Iowa
Kim Reynolds
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(515) 281-5211
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The main switchboard for Congress is: (202) 224-3121
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The Ocean Heroes Bootcamp in New Orleans brought together nearly 1,000 youth activists ages 11 to 18 in early June. The camp gave attendees tools and knowledge to build new campaigns aimed at reducing plastic. Youth and mentors led workshops and activities to build skills in things like clear and confident communication and how to pitch a campaign. 
Under safe harbor legislation in all states - trafficking survivors have the right to request that criminal charges accrued while a victim of human trafficking be expunged from the public record. Yet anti-trafficking advocates across the US are warning that a sudden decision by the Trump administration to cut all funding for legal representation for survivors will prevent many victims from getting their expungement cases into a courtroom. 
A 64-year-old man in Oregon has been sentenced to more than 30 years in prison after a sexual assault kit linking him to a 2011 rape emerged from the backlog. Curtis Clint Williams was found guilty of raping a 19-year old woman after police and prosecutors started working on clearing the backlog of thousands of untested sexual assault kits. 
The transformation of a Virginia shopping mall into a homeless shelter is representative of a new way of thinking that is bringing together three economic phenomena: the collapse of the brick-and-mortar retail industry, the disappearance of affordable housing in America's boom towns, and the struggle to reduce homelessness.