One Week from Today!

Join us in making one more push for signatures. Invite your church members, friends and family to sign today!

One week from today, on the morning of October 10, I will be visiting the leadership offices of the U.S. House and Senate to share with them the UCC’s Pastoral Letter on the Iraq War, along with the thousands of petitions we’ve gathered in support of our statement.

I will be joined by the Rev. Linda Jaramillo, executive minister of the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries. Together, we will convey the hopes and prayers of UCC members and supporters that a diplomatic end to the war in Iraq must become both a priority and a reality.

After our meetings on Capitol Hill, we also will attempt to bring our message to President Bush at the White House.

We will be carrying with us the names of 32,112 people – as of today – who have added their endorsement to the Pastoral Letter. These signatures represent the largest number of people to ever participate in an online UCC advocacy campaign. Of this fact, we can be proud.

However, we’re still hoping the number of signatures will grow substantially in the next six days. While it may not be possible to reach the 100,000 that we’d initially hoped for, I do believe that the momentum is behind us to reach more than 50,000 before the week is up.

Will you give this effort one final, big push? Will you join me in seeking an additional 18,000 signers before we arrive in Washington, D.C., next Wednesday? Take a moment and invite your church members, friends and family members to add their names.

Thanks for all you are doing!

Sincerely,

The Rev. John H. Thomas
General Minister and President
United Church of Christ

P.S. If you are planning to gather more signatures this Sunday, October 7, you can fax your completed petitions to 216-736-3703. Download the printable petition here.

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Inside the H4PJ Blog

Irving, Texas & Immigration Maybe you've heard about Irving. We've been in the news lately about our "Criminal Alien Removal Program". Every person who comes through our jail is screened by the jail personnel and if there is a question about their immigration status, ICE does an over the phone interview. If the person is undocumented, then they are released to ICE and some have been deported. MORE...

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President of H4PJ Takes Stand Against Gun Advertising

Bill board companies are averse to advertising controversial subject matter.  We need them to understand that we consider gun show advertising to be obscene and a contributor to the rising gun violence in our city. 

You responded to our request for billboard locations in Dallas that allow the advertising of gun shows on their signs.  Now we want to insist that this sort of advertising be removed.

Below is a copy of the letter that the President of Hope for Peace & Justice, Rev. Mike Piazza wrote to the General Manager of Dallas area Clear Channel Outdoor.  We have provided you with the ability to send your own letters of concern through this Action Alert. There is line item text for you to choose from and you can add your own thoughts as well.  You can choose to either email the letter or print it out and send it directly.

Your help in this matter is crucial. 

Dear Mr. Jake Smith,

I am writing to ask you to please decline business from gun shows in Dallas.

Driving my daughters to school, I pass through some of the poorest neighborhoods in America. They also are among the most violent. I noted your billboard along Kiest Ave. (3500 block) yesterday, and I thought about how frightening it would be should my car break down in that part of town with just me and my teenaged daughter.

Because of a loophole in the law, criminals, and even terrorists, are able to purchase as many guns as they wish from unlicensed dealers at gun shows. There are no background checks or waiting. They can buy a gun in the morning and murder someone that very evening. What American thinks this makes us more safe and secure?

A report by the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives summarizes the problem:

Gun shows provide a large market where criminals can shop for firearms anonymously. Unlicensed sellers have no way of knowing whether they are selling to a violent felon or someone who intends to illegally traffic guns on the streets to juveniles or gangs. Further, unscrupulous gun dealers can use these free-flowing markets to hide their off-the-book sales. While most gun show sellers are honest and law-abiding, it only takes a few to transfer large numbers of firearms into dangerous hands.

While I support the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, I do not believe it is the intent of that article to arm criminals and terrorists. Yet the National Rifle Association’s knee-jerk resistance to ALL gun regulation has had that very effect. I am asking Clear Channel, as a good citizen, to decline advertisements from gun shows until Congress closes the loopholes that allow those events to arm criminals and terrorists.

There already have been several major instances where campus violence and mass murder have been committed with arms acquired at gun shows. I believe the next step in combating this will be to hold accountable those who profit from promoting these events. I do not believe you would want to be associated with the publicity that may result.

Thank you for being good citizens and good neighbors.

Sincerely,

Rev. Michael S. Piazza
President

Click HERE to Make a Difference!

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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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