In this Issue:

The Texas Primary is Tuesday
Wage Peace! this Weekend
Dr. Maya Angelou to be Keynote Speaker at “Voices of Peace”
NEW from H4PJ: Liberating Word
H4PJ Online Action Center: Make a Difference Today!

The Texas Primary is Tuesday

For the first time in many, many election cycles, the Texas primary, to be held this Tuesday, March 4, actually will help decide who will be on the ballot in November for the presidential election. This is your chance to make your voice heard and your opinion count! Because Texas has an open primary, you do not have to “register” with either party in order to vote on Tuesday. All registered voters are free to cast a ballot in either the Republican or Democratic primary.

However, if you vote for a Democrat, you are only three-quarters of the way there! Texas has a New Hampshire-style primary AND an Iowa-style caucus. This means that everyone must take two steps to make your vote complete. On voting day, Tuesday, March 4, return to your precinct no later than 7:15 p.m. for the precinct convention and sign in for your candidate. (If you voted early, be sure to go to your PRECINCT, which is not necessarily where you voted.) Here's why you want to do this: Only three-fourths of the total Texas delegation (126 delegates) will be based on the primary returns. The other one-fourth (42 delegates) will be distributed based on the number of people attending the precinct convention. To “attend” you need only sign in (at which point you indicate your candidate) and then you can leave. Those who stay for the precinct convention will select delegates to represent them at the county/senatorial convention, as well as vote on resolutions to be presented at the state convention. Those county/senatorial delegates will then go on to the state convention. While your vote in the primary will count regardless, signing in for your candidate at the precinct convention can make a real difference.

The Republican Party allocates delegates solely through the primary process. If you vote for a Republican candidate, there is no need to return to your precinct on Election Day, though, like the Democrats, it is at the precinct convention that resolutions will be voted on to be presented at the state convention.

Wage Peace! this Weekend

Most everyone is for peace, but few know what to do about it, how to create it or how to overcome conflict in their own lives. Sponsored by Hope for Peace & Justice and Every Church a Peace Church, Wage Peace! not only will give participants insights on why we seem to turn to violence as a first recourse for conflict resolution, it also will provide tools that can be used immediately in life, community, church, temple or mosque to be a Peace Practitioner. This exciting program features nationally recognized speakers and facilitators Rev. Michael S. Piazza, President of Hope for Peace & Justice, Dr. Lucille Hare (Sis) Levin, the founder of an international educational institute focused on violence prevention, John Carmody, the Director of the Center for Christian Nonviolence, and Rev. Kevin Higgs, the pastor of the Church of the Reconciler, the unique interfaith mission church focused on peace-building in Birmingham, Alabama.

Dr. Maya Angelou to be Keynote Speaker at “Voices of Peace”
Saturday, March 1, 2 p.m.

Few voices in history have made a greater impact for peace and justice in our world than that of the incredible Dr. Maya Angelou. Hope for Peace & Justice is thrilled to honor her as our first “Voice of Peace” recipient. In addition to an inspiring speech by Dr. Angelou, Art for Peace & Justice Director, Dr. Tim Seelig, will conduct the Voices of Peace Chorus, orchestra, Meyerson organ and 2,000 voices in singing “Dona Nobis Pacem” (Give Us Peace) as we hope and pray for peace in our world and in our lifetime. The exciting event will kick off a worldwide effort on behalf of the international organization, Song of Peace. They are organizing one million voices around the world to sing “Dona Nobis Pacem,” during the month of March, marking the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq.

A few tickets remain. Get Yours Now!

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NEW from H4PJ
Liberating Word

Changing the world is a daily struggle. In part, it is a struggle to keep the world and the dominant culture from changing us. While they do not reflect the faith of the majority of Americans, fundamentalists have succeeded in commandeering the public discourse. The result is that they have become the ones to define orthodoxy and, to a large extent, faith itself.

“Liberating Word” is designed to be daily nourishment to strengthen progressive people of faith. For the world to be transformed into a place of peace and justice, WE must enter the fray. It is tempting to duck our heads and just let things pass. It is easy to become so overwhelmed by life itself that we simply don’t have the energy to challenge what is said and done. However, if we do not, then who will?

These are not devotions, but are designed to evoke our devotion to the principles of justice and peace rooted in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. If you don’t find at least one a week with which you disagree then this project has failed. Its purpose is not to answer your questions but to strengthen your questioning. My hope is not that you will agree, but that you will consider your faith in a whole new way.

A liberating word will be sent to you every day (Monday-Friday) as a support service from Hope for Peace & Justice. Please forward them to your family and friends and encourage them to subscribe. We must be as deliberate and devoted as any fundamentalist.

Read TODAY'S Liberating Word NOW!

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H4PJ Online Action Center
Make a Difference Today!

To better equip our supporters to work for peace and justice in their communities, Hope for Peace & Justice launched the H4PJ Online Action Center to help you and thousands of others to contact your elected officials and the media about important issues and legislation.

With the H4PJ Online Action Center you can:

• stay up-to-date on current legislation and votes
• find who represents you at the Local, State and Federal level
• know how your representatives are voting
• email your representatives
• contact local, state and national media organizations
• Sign up for updates on important legislation

The Online Action Center gives you the ability to quickly and effectively cause change. You can easily find out information about important legislation and send alerts to your friends and family. You have been faithful in taking action with the H4PJ Action Alerts and we know you'll continue to help now as well via the Online Action Center.

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