TAKE ACTION: Speak Out for Conscientious Objectors in Ukraine and Russia

Nobody should be forced to fight and kill against their conscience. But since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, conscientious objectors in both countries have faced political repression, arrest, and detention for their refusal to join the armed forces and participate in the war. The American Friends Service Committee urges us to tell the Biden administration to support the right to conscientious objection in Ukraine, Russia, and around the world and push for a diplomatic end to the war in Ukraine. TAKE ACTION

The Power of Contact in the Rehumanization Process

The power of contact — direct and indirect — is proven to decrease prejudice and cultivate tolerance and social cohesion within diverse and potentially antagonized groups. University of Ghent Professor Jasper Van Assche explains how ‘contact theory’ has been shown to lead to harmony and an enlarged sense of a common good. This kind of contact can be difficult to realize, especially where there is long-entrenched prejudice and little or no institutional support to bring it about. However, contact itself is simple and readily available to all of us. MORE

Three Months Later, Still No U.S. Arms Control Proposal to Russia

The U.S. has not yet presented a formal arms control proposal to Russia, despite National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's announced intent last June. Russian officials say they are aware of Sullivan’s speech but haven't received a written proposal, accusing the U.S. of a sporadic approach to arms control. In July, Russia expressed reluctance to engage in dialogue based on American proposals that ignore crucial points. Moscow insists that nuclear arms control must consider broader issues affecting strategic stability, including the conflict in Ukraine.  MORE

Kings Bay Nuclear Submarine Hub Dodged a Bullet Named Hurricane Idalia

Last month, Hurricane Idalia slammed parts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. It also threatened to devastate one of only two U.S. bases that host nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is a hub of the U.S. nuclear submarine fleet. It’s tasked with maintaining and servicing these billion-dollar systems and their nuclear missiles, which the United States relies on to assure its capacity to launch a nuclear strike “anywhere, anytime.” Hurricane Idalia put this key nuclear mission at risk. MORE

Immigrant Advocates, Faith Leaders Call on Congress to Act After Judge Declares DACA Illegal

Dozens of faith organizations and migrant advocacy groups spoke out last week calling on Congress to act after a federal judge in South Texas declared Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to be illegal. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said he is ready to work with Congress to keep DACA running. He asserts that "DHS believes that DACA is legal and constitutional," and that recipients need permanent protection. MORE

The Kids on the Night Shift

At 14, Marcos was maimed while working the overnight cleaning shift at a Perdue slaughterhouse in rural Virginia. He is one of thousands of migrant children living far from their parents and working dangerous jobs. In towns like Marcos’s, the practice is an open secret that everyone lives with. For Marcos — and thousands of other migrant children — working dangerous jobs that violate child-labor laws is the only American dream there is.   MORE

Climate Protesters March on New York, Calling for End to Fossil Fuels

Tens of thousands of people, young and old, filled the streets of Midtown Manhattan under blazing sunshine on Sunday to demand that world leaders quickly pivot away from fossil fuels dangerously heating the Earth. Their ire was sharply directed at President Biden, who arrived in New York Sunday night for several fund-raisers this week and to speak before the United Nations General Assembly session that began this week. MORE

California Sues Giant Oil Companies, Citing Decades of Deception

The state of California announced it is suing several of the world’s biggest oil companies, claiming their actions have caused tens of billions of dollars in damage and that they deceived the public by downplaying the risks posed by fossil fuels. According to the Union for Concerned Scientists this “marks the most significant climate suit brought against the industry so far.” MORE

Keeping Your Cool in A Warming World: 8 Steps to Help Manage Eco-Anxiety

In a world facing environmental challenges unprecedented in human history, it’s no surprise that eco-anxiety – a pervasive worry about the current and future state of our planet – has become an increasingly prevalent mental health issue. As people witness the devastating impacts of climate change, deforestation , and loss of biodiversity, it’s only natural to feel overwhelmed and disheartened. A therapist shares advice for harnessing your stress over climate change and other environmental harms and putting it to work. MORE

TAKE ACTION: Call For Genuine Anti-Trafficking Immigration Policies

Around the world, a lack of safe migration routes combined with punitive immigration policies has contributed to increasing vulnerabilities to human trafficking for migrants. Despite claims that tighter border controls will prevent human trafficking, the opposite is true. When people crossing borders are forced to take irregular routes, they are at greater risk of exploitation. Freedom United asks us to tell lawmakers to pass immigration legislation that addresses human rights standards and prevents trafficking by providing safe migration routes. TAKE ACTION

U.S. Anti-Child Trafficking Activist Resigns After Sexual Harassment Allegations

The anti-child slavery activist Tim Ballard, whose work was dramatized in the movie Sound of Freedom, resigned from the Operation Underground Railroad (Our) organization he founded amid allegations he sexually harassed colleagues. Ballard resigned abruptly from the group in June for then-unknown reasons. But new reports reveal the ultra-conservative figure, an alleged QAnon conspiracy theorist, resigned after Our launched a sexual misconduct investigation against him involving at least seven women. MORE

Women Lured by Promise of Jobs, Sold as Brides

Female Rohingya refugees and Indian women from impoverished parts of the country often fall victim to bride trafficking. Sold for as little as 50,000 Indian rupees ($605 US) girls and young women are lured by the promise of good jobs in places like Kashmir. But, instead of getting a job, they are sold to men who find it hard to find brides within their communities. Such grooms often include aged, physically challenged, and men with mental health issues. MORE

8 In 10 Back Federal Law Blocking Domestic Abusers from Buying Guns

A new poll found that 82 percent of Americans would back a law that would bar those who are convicted of domestic violence from buying a gun. This includes 91 percent of Democrats and 81 percent of Republicans. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence also states the risk of homicide goes up 500 percent when there is the presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation. MORE

How Common Is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is the broad term for behavior designed to manipulate, control, belittle, or otherwise harm. The relationship between the perpetrator and the survivor is usually romantic, sexual, familial, or otherwise intimate. Some data suggests domestic violence affects approximately 10 million people in the U.S. annually. However, experts believe that statistics are deceptively low due to roadblocks to reporting. Survivors who belong to historically marginalized groups, such as undocumented immigrants, may be especially reluctant to report. MORE

Advocates Plan to Use Bail Reform to Protect Victims of Domestic, Sexual Violence

Advocates say bail reform that goes into effect in Illinois this week should make victims of domestic and sexual violence safer — if prosecutors and judges take full advantage of the law. Under the Pretrial Fairness Act, judges will no longer be able to require people to post money in order to be released ahead of trial. But the law allows people to be jailed, possibly until their trial, if they are charged with violent crimes like sexual assault and domestic attacks. MORE

TAKE ACTION: Tell Congress to Avoid Shutdown and Pass a Clean Continuing Resolution

Congress has until the end of the month to pass legislation to fund the government or risk shutdown. A government shutdown would not only harm our nation’s economy but would also threaten the financial security of over a million workers and interrupt crucial public services. The United Church of Christ urges us to tell Congress to pass a clean bipartisan continuing resolution that includes funding to support a range of domestic needs, and that does not contain any of the harmful policy riders embedded in the 12 House spending bills. TAKE ACTION

Shelters Can Help Unhoused People by Providing Quiet and Privacy, Not Just a Bunk and a Meal

Homeless centers must conform to architectural standards for emergency shelter. These standards have historically been influenced by institutional building design, which prioritizes attaining minimum conditions needed to keep people alive. Nearly two-thirds of homeless women and almost half of homeless men reported that they were unhoused because of trauma. Shelter design can affect people’s ability to recover from past trauma and to battle addiction and other mental health issues that perpetuate cycles of homelessness. MORE

UAW Members Are Striking Against Corporate Power — and Americans Overwhelmingly Back Them

For the first time in its nearly ninety-year history, the United Auto Workers (UAW) commenced a strike at all three of America’s largest automakers. Among the UAW’s demands are an end to discriminatory wage tiers, improved health care and retirement benefits, and a 40 percent pay increase. According to a Gallup poll conducted just before Labor Day, some 75 percent of Americans said they back the autoworkers. MORE

Anthony Sanchez is scheduled to be executed on September 21 by the state of Oklahoma for the murder of Juli Busken. Please hold Anthony, Juli, their families, and the people of Oklahoma in prayer. TAKE ACTION

Michael Zack is scheduled to be executed on October 3 by the state of Florida for the murders of Laurie Russillo and Ravonne Smith. Please hold Michael, Laurie, Ravonne, their families, and the people of Florida in prayer. TAKE ACTION