Swords into Plowshares

Stopping Torture, Congressional Visits, Executive Order

Volunteers are needed to organize local delegations to Congressional offices to ask our elected officials to encourage the next President to sign an Executive Order banning torture.

No2Torture, a grass roots Presbyterian group seeking to end the use of torture by the U.S., is working with the National Religious Campaign against Torture (NCRAT) to have the next President of our country ban torture by issuing an Executive Order. The 218th General Assembly (2008) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) took action supporting this ban. Other General Assemblies have also addressed the issue of torture.

No2Torture and NRCAT are looking for individuals or groups who will organize delegations to visit the offices of their congress people on November 12 to urge that the Representatives and Senators join this effort for an Executive Order banning torture. Delegations might be recruited in congregations, presbyteries, ecumenical or interfaith groups, and in the local community.

Contact Carol Wickersham of No2Torture for more information. Resources for organizing the delegation and the visit will be provided.

NRCAT, in alliance with Evangelicals for Human Rights and the Center for Victims of Torture, have launched an effort that calls upon the President to issue an executive order banning torture based on six core principles embodied in a Declaration of Principles.  The groups are calling this effort the “Campaign to Ban Torture.”

Both Presidential candidates have made statements in favor of banning torture. What is needed is action: an Executive Order; Congressional action in the form of legislation; and hearings to determine responsibility for the torture that has occurred. (In 2006, the 217th General Assembly called Congress to convene an investigative body to inquire into whether any official or officer of the United States government bears direct or command responsibility for having ordered or participated in violations of law in the mistreatment of persons detained by government of the United States.)

Stop the U.S.-India Nuclear Deal

President Bush’s Administration is encouraging Congress to pass a U.S. - India nuclear cooperation agreement. Because India’s civilian and military nuclear programs are not separated, the U.S. could be supplying India technology that directly allows India to produce weapons grade material. This is particularly possible because India has only agreed to have a portion of its nuclear reactors inspected.

At a time when efforts are being made to restrain Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, the U.S. is setting up a double standard.  It is rewarding India, who has detonated nuclear devices and who did not sign on to the Non-Proliferation Treaty with nuclear technology, while pressuring and threatening Iran, who did sign on to the treaty, not to develop its nuclear capability.  Many other aspiring nuclear powers will take note if this inconsistency and behave accordingly. In addition, it could create further tension between India and Pakistan and offer nonnuclear states an incentive to withdraw from the nonproliferation treaty.

This is a critical time for the U.S. to take leadership in the international community for reducing nuclear arsenals — including our own. Nuclear weapons are a threat to our national security, and to global security. This dangerous deal with India would do the exact opposite: violating international agreements and increasing India's capacity to produce new nuclear weapons.

Please contact your Representative and ask him/her to oppose the U.S.-India Nuclear deal.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has always stood firmly behind the Non-Proliferation Treaty.  Since 1946 Presbyterian Assemblies called for international disarmament and arms control measures (PDF) as a path toward long-term security. 

NOTE: This posting is based on an article in the September 22, 2008 issue of "Witness in Washington Weekly" (PDF) by the Presbyterian Washington Office.

International Day of Peace in Atlanta

How did you celebrate the International Day of Peace on Sunday? I had the privilege to worship twice in Atlanta.

The morning started at First Afrikan Presbyterian Church in Lithonia for the Sisterhood Celebration Worship Service. Through song and dance and drama and a sermon by the Rev. Bridget Piggue, we celebrated the gifts, witness, faith, and strength of women past, present, and still to come. Rev. Piggue used James 1:22-25 and "The Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson to challenge us to look at ourselves and see how we are, or are not, doing the word and how we might need God's grace to help us change.

Central Presbyterian Church came next. The service there included singing and a bell choir, liturgical dance and a sermon by the Rev. Caroline Kelly. The focus was the International Day of Peace.

A highlight included the unveiling of a mobile that included over 2,000 peace cranes (PDF). Congregational members had been making cranes for the better part of two years. Each crane bears prayers for peace. The prayers include each member of the congregation and concerns around the world.

Following the service, I had the honor of standing vigil for peace with congregation members. The congregation has held a vigil each Sunday since prior to the beginning of the war in Iraq.

The Momentum Builds - International Day of Peace

My colleagues at the Presbyterian United Nations Office forwarded me a letter from the folks at the United Nations who are working on the International Day of Peace - Sunday, 21 September! A couple interesting things:

CNN’s iReport, a news-oriented kind of youtube, just launched a special page for the International Day of Peace! Just get registered and put your calls for world leaders and personal peace stories in videos, photos and texts online to everyone to see. We would love to know about what YOU think of peace and do for peace! And if you are lucky your story may appear on CNN.

The TXT 4 PEACE campaign is getting bigger and bigger. Several hundred messages have come in so far!

Please keep sending your text messages to world leaders with the word ‘PEACE’ and then your message to 69866! The goal is 10.000 text messages by Sunday, 21 September! Help spread the word.

By sending a message you give permission to the United Nations to publish it in any media.

A Peace Vigil--In Iran

The Fellowship of Reconciliation reports that the Tehran Peace Museum and the Society for Chemical Weapons Victims Support are planning a candlelight vigil at 19:00 local time (10:30 EST) on September 21 to commemorate the UN-designated International Day of Peace. The organized event is a historic first in Iran, where tensions with the United States are causing serious anxiety.

This presents a unique opportunity to vigil or pray with Iranians during our observances of the International Day of Peace.

Other ideas include:

• urge your Representative to oppose legislation (H. Con. Res. 362) that in effect calls for a blockade of Iran
• invite Iranians in your community to participate in events on the International Day of Peace
• announce the Tehran ceremony at your International Day of Peace events
• sending a message of support now to the lead international organizer in Tehran, Dr. Shahriar Khateri, at khateri@scwvs.org

Text for Peace - The Graphic Version

 

Texting for Peace

Send a text for peace.

The United Nations Department of Public Information invites folks in the United States to send a text for peace to help raise visibility to the International Day of Peace - September 21.

Cell phone users are urged to compose a 160-character message on peace beginning with the word “PEACE” and to send the message to number 69866.

The UN Department of Public Information will gather the messages, publish them online, and deliver them to world leaders gathered at the UN General Assembly on 23 September.

The UN General Assembly established the Day in 1981, for “commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace…”. Twenty years later, the General Assembly declared 21 September as the date to observe annually a “day of global ceasefire and non-violence.”

Tents of Hope - Petaluma

Tents of Hope Petaluma will hold an event for refugees in Darfur on the steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento on Saturday, November 8 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. This tent will be supported by First Presbyterian Church in Petaluma and Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sacramento.  Free parking is available behind Westminster Presbyterian Church.  Painted tents will be displayed and all are invited to hear African drumming and music to aid Darfur refugees. Visit Tents of Hope Petaluma for more information.

Check out the national Tents of Hope page to learn about other locations where tents of hope will be created.

Learn about Presbyterians at work in Sudan.

Observe the International Day of Peace

Sunday, September 21 is the International Day of Peace.

The United Nations General Assembly has set September 21 of each year as the International Day of Peace — a day of global ceasefire and non-violence when all nations and people are encouraged to honor a cessation of hostilities. In 2008, the World Council of Churches invites congregations worldwide to pray for peace on September 21.

Other ideas for observing the International Day of Peace include:

• Use the bulletin insert (PDF) from the Presbyterian United Nations Office
• Use prayers from the Pacific region assembled by the Decade to Overcome Violence initiative
• Use the brochure (PDF) created by the Decade to Overcome Violence initiative
• Ring a bell during the worship service
• Light a candle for peace during the worship service
• Include songs of peace in the worship service
• Organize a 24-hour prayer vigil
• Hold an ecumenical or interfaith service
• Invite intergenerational groups to create pictures, banners or other artwork portraying a vision of or prayer for peace and to share the art during worship
• Write a letter to the editor of your paper inviting others to observe this day

Sunday, September 21 is the International Day of Peace.

The United Nations General Assembly has set September 21 of each year as the International Day of Peace — a day of global ceasefire and non-violence when all nations and people are encouraged to honor a cessation of hostilities. In 2008, the World Council of Churches invites congregations worldwide to pray for peace on September 21.

Other ideas for observing the International Day of Peace include:

• Use the bulletin insert (PDF) from the Presbyterian United Nations Office
• Use prayers from the Pacific region assembled by the Decade to Overcome Violence initiative
• Use the brochure (PDF) created by the Decade to Overcome Violence initiative
• Ring a bell during the worship service
• Light a candle for peace during the worship service
• Include songs of peace in the worship service
• Organize a 24-hour prayer vigil
• Hold an ecumenical or interfaith service
• Invite intergenerational groups to create pictures, banners or other artwork portraying a vision of or prayer for peace and to share the art during worship
• Write a letter to the editor of your paper inviting others to observe this day

Quiz on the United Nations

I just took a quiz on the United Nations. I'm not saying how I did, but I definitely know more than I did before! It's from the Friends Committee on National Legislation. Check it out.