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Upcoming Events   

Click HERE to read about Upcoming Events from the Franciscan Peace Center   

 

Contacting Your Legislators  

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March 15, 2017
IMMIGRATION REFORM
ENVIRONMENT
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
DEATH PENALTY


Season for Nonviolence: Jan. 30-April 4
Each day throughout the Season for Nonviolence, listen to a new message from the Clinton Franciscans.
Click HERE to listen to the latest message.
ACTIVE NONVIOLENCE & PEACEMAKING
  TAKE passACTION: Pass Gun Violence Restraining Order Legislation
Gun violence restraining orders allow judges to temporarily keep guns out of the hands of those who have shown warning signs of gun violence. Several states are considering legislation that would enact these lifesaving laws. Sandy Hook Promise invites us to sign on to tell our state legislators to pass restraining order legislation. TAKE ACTION

syrianSyrian Children Suffer Staggering Levels of Trauma and Distress
Children in Syria are suffering from toxic stress, a severe form of psychological trauma that can cause life-long damage, according to a study that charts a rise in self-harm and suicide attempts among children as young as 12. A report by Save the Children paints a harrowing picture of the country's children, 5.8 million of whom are in need of aid, after a war which reaches its sixth year next week.  MORE

lessonsLessons in Resistance from MLK, the Conservative Militant
Many Americans look to Martin Luther King for an example of how to resist against injustice. Though King was a democratic socialist, Nonviolent Conflict News refers to him as a "conservative militant, making arguments and using tactics that won over moderates and appealing to American patriotism. By accepting their own role as militant conservatives" defending the nations norms and ideals, modern activists are more likely to resist effectively. MORE
IMMIGRATION
educatorsEducators Prepare for Immigration Agents at the Schoolhouse
Anxiety is growing among the nation's undocumented communities as deportation efforts are expanding.     People fear raids on their homes, schools, and places of work to arrest, detain, and deport them.   Consequently, school districts, particularly those with large numbers of immigrants, are providing guidance to administrators, faculty, and parents on how to respond if ICE officers arrive at their schools.    MORE

undocumentedUndocumented Immigrants in the US Contribute Billions in Local and State Taxes
Undocumented residents in the United States pay an estimated $11.74 billion annually in state and local taxes, an amount that would increase significantly if these immigrants were given a pathway to citizenship, according to a new report.  On average, the nation's estimated 11 million undocumented residents pay about 8 percent of their incomes in state and local taxes every year.   MORE
 
con_artistsCon Artists Prey On Immigrants Fearing a Trump Crackdown
The call came from what looked like a government number. When an immigrant in New York City answered, the voice on the other end told him he was in the U.S. illegally and would have to pay $1,550 to stay.  It was a scam, carried out by one of a number of con artists who have been exploiting immigrants' heightened fears of deportation by posing as federal agents and demanding money.   MORE  
ENVIRONMENT
action alert small
TAKE stop_congressACTION: Stop Congress from Overturning Important Climate Regulations
Currently, President Trump and some in Congress are trying to overturn important safeguards to reduce methane pollution from the oil and gas industry. The Bureau of Land Management only recently finalized these critical protections to public lands. The Sierra Club urges us to tell Congress to stop any rollbacks on our environmental and public health safety measures. TAKE ACTION

epaEPA Head Pruitt Denies the Basic Science of Climate Change
Newly appointed Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt declared last week that he does not believe carbon dioxide is a primary contributor to global warming. The statement contradicts a firmly established tenet of climate change science. This position contradicts the agency's key science finding that obligates it to regulate carbon dioxide pollution from the burning of fossil fuels. MORE

nativeNative Americans March to the White House In Spiritual Battle Against Pipeline
On a cold rainy morning, members of the American Indian tribes shouted "Water is sacred" and "Keep it in the soil; can't drink oil" as they marched toward the White House. The March 10 protest against the Dakota Access pipeline included hundreds of Native Americans, some dressed in traditional feather headbands and ponchos.  MORE
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
lawsuitLawsuit Accuses Philadelphia Hotel of Accommodating Sex Trafficking
A Northeast Philadelphia motel that prosecutors have called the city ' s " epicenter of human trafficking " was sued last week under a recent state law for permitting the pimping of a teenage girl in one of its rooms for two years.  The suit was the first under a 2014 state law that allows victims of sex traffickers to sue hotels and motels where abuse occurs.   MORE
 
indianIndian Anti-Trafficking Advocates Use Comics to Raise Awareness
Thousands of school children in rural northeastern India have pored over an illustrated story of how two young girls were lured by a man who told them of the good life they could lead in a big city, home to swanky buildings and flashy cars.  The comic in the local language aims to raise awareness among children about trafficking rings that lure children with the promise of good jobs.   MORE

domesticDomestic Workers Face Rise in Human Trafficking Under Trump
Recent policies threatening to deport millions of undocumented immigrants have a grave impact on domestic workers who are victims of human trafficking.  A new report found that 78 percent of survivors were threatened with deportation if they reported abuse, which included withholding payments, the seizure of passports and IDs and emotional or verbal abuse by their employer, including physical and sexual abuse.  MORE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & SEXUAL ASSAULT
UNU.N. Unveils Strategy to Reduce Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has unveiled a strategy aimed at curbing instances of rape, sexual violence, exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers and providing assistance for victims of such crimes. "We will not let anyone cover up these crimes with the UN flag," he said.   MORE
 
texasTexas Lawmaker Proposes Crowdfunding to Tackle Backlog of Rape Kits
Thousands of rape investigations    are bogged down in Texas   because of untested evidence, but a lawmaker there has proposed a bill that would use public crowdfunding to help pay for testing and fix the backlog.  The legislation would allow the solicitation of donations of $1 or more from people when they renew or apply for driver ' s licenses. If adopted, it could generate an estimated $1 million a year.   MORE
POVERTY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
action alert small
   TAKEstop_congress_from ACTION: Stop Congress from Gutting Health Care and Medicaid
House committees have approved the extreme bill that will deny health coverage to millions of people, and make additional millions pay thousands of dollars more for their insurance - more than many will be able to pay.   Moreover, the bill provides tax cuts of at least $600 billion to the rich and to insurance, drug, and other health industry corporations.   The Coalition on Human Needs urges us to tell our representatives to oppose the health care repeal legislation.   TAKE ACTION
 
trumpsTrump ' s Child Care Proposal Provides Most Benefits to Higher-Income Families
High-quality child care is fundamental to the economic security of women and families, but for too many families, it is out of reach. President Trump ' s child care tax proposal would do little to help families meet the costs of child care, and would give the most financial support to higher-earning families who need the least help paying for child care.  MORE
DEATH PENALTY
executionsScheduled Executions
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Paul Story is scheduled to be executed on April 12 by the state of Texas for the murder of Jonas Cherry.  Please hold Paul, Jonas, their families and the people of Texas in prayer.
 
Bruce Ward is scheduled to be executed on April 17 by the state of Arkansas for the murder of Rebecca Doss.   Please hold Bruce, Rebecca, their families and the people of Arkansas in prayer.
 
Don Davis is scheduled to be executed on April 17 by the state of Arkansas for the murder of Jane Daniels.  Please hold Don, Jane, their families and the people of Arkansas in prayer.
 
Stacey Johnson is scheduled to be executed on April 20 by the state of Arkansas for the murder of Carol Heath.  Please hold Stacey, Carol, their families and the people of Arkansas in prayer.
 
Ledell Lee is scheduled to be executed on April 20 by the state of Arkansas for the murder of Debra Reese.  Please hold Ladell, Debra, their families and the people of Arkansas in prayer.
 
Jack Jones is scheduled to be executed on April 24 by the state of Arkansas for the murder of Mary Phillips.  Please hold Jack, Mary, their families and the people of Arkansas in prayer.
 
Ivan Teleguz is scheduled to be executed on April 25 by the state of Arkansas for the murder of Stephanie Sipe.  Please hold Ivan, Stephanie, their families and the people of Arkansas in  prayer.
 
Kenneth Williams is scheduled to be executed on April 27 by the state of Arkansas for the murder of Edward Miller.  Please hold Kenneth, Edward, their families and the people of Arkansas in prayer.
 
Jason McGehee is scheduled to be executed on April 27 by the state of Arkansas for the murder of John Melbourne Jr.   Please hold Jason, John, their families and the people of Arkansas in prayer.

CORPORATE PUBLIC STANDS 

 corporate_standsThe Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton Iowa have taken the following corporate stands:

Death Penalty

Nuclear Weapons

Immigration Reform

Human Trafficking 

 

  
phone HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS
phone
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:

 

President

Donald Trump                                                              (202) 456-1414

 

Iowa Senators

Chuck Grassley                                                             (202) 224-3744

Joni Ernst                                                                       (202) 224-3254

 

Clinton area District 2 

US Representative

Dave Loebsack                                                                (202) 225-6576

 

Governor (Iowa)

Terry Branstad                                                                 (515) 281-5211

 

  

The main switchboard for Congress is: (202) 224-3121

              
TED TALKS  ON TUESDAY
The Franciscan Peace Center holds Ted Talk discussions
every Tuesday on a variety of Ted Talks
on the Sisters of St. Francis Facebook page.
 
Our next discussion will be: 

March 21- Aicha el-Wafi and Phyllis Rodriguez: The Mothers who found forgiveness, friendship
Aicha el-Wafi and Phyllis Rodriguez met around a shared tragedy - and their friendship has become a powerful symbol for forgiveness and dialogue.  Rodriguez' son was killed in the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001; el-Wafi's son Zacarias Moussaoui was convicted of a role in those attacks and is serving a life sentence. In hoping to find peace, these two moms have come to understand and respect one another. http://bit.ly/2m1JYX5



Click on the link above to watch the TED Talk, then join our discussion that will take place on Tuesday on the Sisters 
 of St. Francis Facebook page at 11 a.m.
 
Click HERE to visit us on Facebook.