Friday Justice Notes
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Friday Justice Notes, compiled by Associate Diana Oleskevich, justice coordinator, highlight current and pressing issues, linking you to the places you can learn more and take action!
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Justice News Notes January 27, 2012
THRU THE LENS OF JUSTICE:
We are Sisters and Associates of St.Joseph transforming structures that promote violence.
"Perhaps peace is not, after all, something you work for, or ‘fight for.’ …Peace is something you have or do not have. If you are yourself at peace, then there is at least some peace in the world. Then share your peace with everyone, and everyone will be at peace." – Thomas Merton
Super Bowl in Indianapolis-Human Trafficking
The 2012 Super Bowl will be hosted in Indianapolis on February 5, 2012, just weeks away. Indiana Attorney General, Greg Zoller, says, “There are enormous economic benefits of hosting large sporting events such as the Super Bowl, but the disturbing reality is that such gatherings in other states have drawn criminal rings that traffic young women and children into the commercial sex trade. Learn what Indiana is doing and what you can do to help.
Locking up Kids for Life
The U.S. is the only country in the world that pursues life imprisonment without parole against children, even as young as 11. Christi Cheramie of Louisiana was one of these children. At age 16, Christi Cheramie was sentenced in 1994 to life in prison without parole. Now 33, she has spent more than half of her life in prison. It’s a violation of international law to sentence anyone to life in prison without the possibility of parole who was under the age of 18 at the time of the crime. Christi's warden says she's "worthy of a second chance." This month a decision will be made which could change her life -- and she needs your help. Take action!
Love, Truth, and Prayer: A Catholic Critique of American Political Life
Reflection by Christopher Hale from Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good
“For the past five months, I had the honor of serving the President of the United States as a White House intern in the Office of Legislative Affairs. Every morning as I walked into the gates of the White House, I knew I was entering sacred ground: the halls where Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy, and Reagan walked. This glorious and mysterious house has—for better or worse—stood as a buttress of hope for the American People since the earliest years of the Republic.” Continue reading.
Iran: Diplomacy is the Answer, NOT War!
The escalating rhetoric and confrontational actions between the U.S. and Iran are alarming for everyone who wants to create a more peaceful world. Last month, a former Pentagon advisor published an article titled “Time to Attack Iran.” That piece has been followed by a flurry of articles, commentaries and statements all suggesting that military action with Iran is somehow inevitable. Military action is not inevitable and the actions Congress takes make a difference. Please ask your senators to speak out in favor of diplomacy with Iran.
Justice Notes: A Collaborative Work of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet St. Louis Province and Baden, PA
