| |
|
Justice Jottings October
2008 |
|
Adele Project Fundraising -
We Need Your Help!
There is still time to help us raise the matching funds we need for the Adele Social Justice Project matching grant. Anything you contribute will be doubled by the grant, up to $2500! But Oct. 20 is the deadline. Click here to make your donation online. | |
|
|
|
|
Reflect on immigrant issues: Hot Button Issue #7.
|
Learn about Voting for the Common Good and sign the Platform for the Common Good. Click here. | |
| Everyday
Justice
A Personal Experience on Death Row
by Elizabeth Kaigh
Many factors contributed to my decision to go to law school. I wanted to argue for a living, I wanted to be successful, but mostly, I wanted to change the world. I wanted to fight for a cause. I wanted to help those who couldn't help themselves. My undergraduate days at the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in government, were spent thinking about law school and wondering what kind of law I would want to go into.
I had never worked for or with an anti-death penalty organization until this summer. While I have always been committed to justice issues and have always been against the death penalty, never before had the two been combined in my life in any real way. When I was presented with the opportunity to intern at Texas Defender Service in Austin from June through August, 2008, I grew excited at the possibilities of exploring death penalty work and considered it a good potential learning experience.
What I did not expect was the impact this internship would have on me. . . . Click here to read more. | |
 Death Penalty
Internship Project, St. Mary University Law School,
San Antonio TX
Elizabeth Kaigh's internship was made possible by a grant from the Marianist Sharing Fund. By sponsoring this internship, the MSJC Death Penalty Issue Team, led by Grace Walle, hopes to connect law students in our Marianist sponsored law schools with agencies working to end the death penalty, to familiarize them with the mission of the issue team and engage them in the work of the team. As students in our Catholic law schools, they benefit from the funding since internships in these kinds of agencies are often unpaid. The team is working on additional sources to continue this internship funding. Shown: Grace Walle (left) with Elizabeth Kaigh, Intern.
Murder Rate Declines in Every Region, Except the South
In 2007 the South was the only region of the US that had a rise in its murder rate, according to the FBI report on Sept. 15. In response to the FBI report, the Death Penalty Information Center observed that "The South also leads the country in executions: 100% of the executions carried out in 2008 have been in the South and 86% of those carried out in 2007 were in this region."
D.A. in Texas to Re-Examine Convictions and Possibly Halt Executions
When the current Dallas County, Texas, District  Attorney, Craig Watkins, took office, he inherited nearly 40 death penalty convictions - cases awaiting execution -from his predecessor. Now he has announced that he will be reviewing all of those cases and at least temporarily suspending executions. Read more. |
 Anti-Racism
Hot Button Issue #7 Assertion: We need to deport all undocumented persons and seal the border in order to prevent terrorist attacks. Response: Click here for the facts.
|
| Alternatives to Violence
Click here to learn about five more ways (#16-20): Gratitude, Integrity, Freedom, Acceptance, Self-Forgiveness - to practice non-violence in October. |
|
Adele
Social Justice Project
New ASJP Newsletter!
The first issue of the new Adele Social Justice Project newsletter is now ready. Click here to read it. |
GLBT
Initiative
Some Reflections on Gays and the Church by
Beth Garascia
"When a faithful member of the Church has a difference
of opinion with the hierarchy, it's important to talk
about it. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a forum where
just such a dialog could occur between the hierarchy and
the people of God about the issue of the GLBT members
of our community?" Click
here to read the entire article.
Upcoming Presentations of "A Place at the Marianist Table"
The GLBT Team has scheduled three presentations
over the next two months: Oct. 7 for the staff
of Sr. Joseph Church in Eldersburg, MD; Oct. 26 for
the Marianist sisters in Dayton Oh; Nov. 9 or 23 for
the NJ/NYC Marianist Young Adult Group.
|
| Steering
Committee
The MSJC Steering Committee welcomes its newest member, Tara Poling, who wil be the Marianist Environmental Education Center (MEEC) rep on the committee. Tara is currently MEEC Program Coordinator. She also previously served MSJC on the former Environment and Ecology Issue Team.
Nominations for New Steering Committee Members
We are looking for two young adults (age 20-40) to become members of the MSJC Steering Committee. Know anyone we should consider? Click here to read the list of qualifications and expectations and to get a nomination form. |
| Resources
If a dog, a cat, and a rat can get along, can't people find a way?
Click here to view this amazing 2 minute video. As the commentator asks, if these natural enemies can get along this way, shouldn't people be able to do so also?
Connecting Catholic Social Thought and Economics - The True Wealth of Nations Project
The Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies, under the leadership of Fr. Jim Heft, has developed this intriguing project to promote dialogue between economists, Catholic theologians and Christian social ethicists. They are seeking ways, using Catholic Social Teaching, to reframe the traditional goal of economic activity-wealth creation-to a broader focus on prosperity for all, emphasizing all the conditions necessary for true human prospering. For more information on this project and the institute, click here.
Masters in Social Justice
The Masters of Arts in Social Justice at Loyola University Chicago offers a solid religious and theological grounding in social justice ministry. The program educates, credentials, and shapes career paths for those called to social justice practice and activism. It is designed for persons who are currently working or who intend to work as agents of leadership in social change, environmental advocacy, advocacy for marginalized or exploited persons, labor or community organizing in faith-based and not-for-profit organizations. Click here for more information or contact Ryan Hoffmann at 312-915-7484 or rhoffm4@luc.edu.
Election Resources for Educators
The US bishops Faithful Citizenship website has a wide range of ideas, lesson plans, videos, etc. for educators working with students anywhere from elementary school through adults. Click here. FactCheck.org has a special site for teachers called "Seeing Through the Spin." Click here to see all their resources.
|
Action for Advocates
ACT NOW - End Secret CIA Imprisonment
Click here to support the efforts of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture to require the CIA to allow access by the International Committee of the Red Cross to all detainees. |
| The Have Nots
From the Coalition on Human Needs - While the Economy Grew, So did Poverty
- Child poverty rose in 2007.
- More than one-third of all poor Americans are children.
- The poverty rate in 2007 was higher than in the recession year of 2001.
The rising tide lifted the ocean liners, but the rowboats got swamped.
- In 2001, 11.7 percent of all Americans were poor.
- In 2007, after 6 years of economic expansion, (that rising tide), 12.5 percent were poor. And child poverty rose from 16.3 percent to 18 percent.
- Poverty ususally does not rise when the economy is growing. Median household income rose during each growth cycle since 1969 - except during the decade we're in.
Maybe we're doing something wrong, like failing to invest in helping people to earn more and afford the necessities. Take a look at the budget chart for fiscal 2005. Poverty-focused development assistance amounted to less than 1% of the Federal budget.
For more information, connect to these other links:
A Quiz About Poverty in the US Click here to test your knowledge about the state of poverty in the United States. |
 A Thought to Ponder
The World Council of the Marianist Family encourages the entire Marianist Family to pray the Magnificat on Fridays as a sign of our commitment to justice in our world. Click here to pray and reflect on #7 of the Millenium Development Goals.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|