WNPJ Action Alerts - Week of July 12

Submitted by staff on Mon, 07/12/2010 - 8:31am

Action Alert 1: National campaign seeks local resolutions for a "Change in national priorities"
Action Alert 2: Neighborhood "meetups" on Afghanistan war planned for July
Action Alert 3: Plan an in-district meeting to urge action on climate change
Action Alert 4: Arizona immigrant racial-profiling law goes into effect July 29, national response planned
Action Alert 5 - Milwaukee: Milwaukee County Board considering "Boycott Arizona" resolution
Action Alert 6: Call Milwaukee School Board to support "Boycott Arizona" vote
Action Alert 7: Become a host family to an international student


Action Alert 1: National campaign seeks local resolutions for a "Change in National Priorities"
Background: As the economic crisis continues to worsen and state and local governments face even greater cuts and layoffs, this is an especially urgent (and opportune) moment to encourage local school boards, city councils, unions, churches and other civic institutions to speak out about the vast resources wasted on war and the need to change our national priorities. US Labor Against the War has drafted a sample resolution that notes that "58 cents of every tax dollar spent by the Federal Government on discretionary appropriations pays for past, present and future wars and military operations," and "between FY 2001 and FY 2008, federal spending on the military increased at a rate two and one-half times the rate of increase in federal grants to state and local governments," among other facts. Copy of the resolution (.pdf) here...
Take Action: Share the resolution with local elected officials and the members of any civic or faith organization to which you belong. Contrast budget cuts to local schools and social services with your community's share of the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. USLAW offers two videos, here and here, that help compare our government's no-limit war spending with greater and greater cuts at home.
Contact for more info: Michael Eisenscher, US Labor Against the War, m_eisenscher@uslaboragainstwar.org

Action Alert 2: Neighborhood "meetups" on Afghanistan war planned for July
Background: With U.S.-NATO forces killed in Afghanistan topping 100 in June, the highest monthly toll of the Afghan war and a casualty rate approaching the deadliest months of the Iraq war, Brave New Foundation, the producers of the documentary Rethink Afghanistan, encourage you to get together with friends and neighbors to view the documentary and start a discussion about Afghanistan and the question of withdrawal. The cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars recently passed the $1 trillion mark, adding urgency to the need to consider the money spent on war and how it could be better used to address urgent needs here at home.
Take Action: Click here to find if there is a Rethink Afghanistan meetup already scheduled for your area (nearly 200 are already planned nationwide for the month of July) or to start a meetup of your own. You can get a copy of the Rethink Afghanistan video here...  A copy of Rethink Afghanistan is also available at the WNPJ office in Madison for loan  to WNPJ members - please call 608-250-9240 to borrow our copy.
Contact for more info: Brave New Foundation, 310-204-0448, info@bravenewfoundation.org

Action Alert 3: Plan an in-district meeting to urge action on climate change
Background: WNPJ member group 1Sky is encouraging concerned citizens to take advantage of the upcoming August Congressional recess to arrange in-district meetings between members of Congress and constituents who want strong action in response to the global threat of climate change.
Take Action: Contact 1Sky (below) and you will receive a personal call back from a 1Sky organizer to make plans to take a climate-action message to your Representative. 1Sky organizers are already in touch with Congressional and Senate offices, compiling information on where Senators and Members of Congress will be over the recess. You can also contact your Representative directly (contact info here...) to arrange a meeting. You can learn more about 1Sky's "Get Local" campaign and even sign up as a Climate Precinct Captain here...
Contact for more info: 1Sky National office: (301) 270-4550 x223, local@1sky.org, In Wisconsin: Katy Walter, 414-852-3680, kwalter@cleanwisconsin.org

Action Alert 4: Arizona immigrant racial-profiling law goes into effect July 29, national response planned
Background: SB 1070, a bill recently passed by the Arizona legislature that requires police to stop and question any person if they have "a resonable suspicion" the person may be an undocumented immigrant, will go into effect on July 29, and many immigrant-rights organizations are planning actions for that week, including protests in Arizona and around the country.
Take Action: Interfaith Worker Justice is organizing a National Weekend for Prayer and Action for July 29-August 1 and encourages you to plan a prayer vigil or other dynamic action in your community during this time. Contact IWJ organizer Kristin Kumpf (kkumpf@iwj.org) for information and to receive an Action Tool Kit. IWJ has also drafted an open letter from people of faith and conscience calling for comprehensive immigration reform (click here to sign the letter). Arizona Interfaith Alliance for Worker Justice is also encouraging people to join "Freedom Summer" and spend a week on the ground fighting racism in Arizona this summer. Contact Trina Zelle (trina@azworkerjustice.com) to coordinate your visit.
Contact for more info: Interfaith Worker Justice, 773-728-8400, Arizona Interfaith Alliance for Worker Justice, 602-254-5452

Action Alert 5 - Milwaukee: Milwaukee County Board considering Boycott Arizona resolution
Background: Responding to Arizona's harsh anti-immigrant legislation SB1070 (see above) WNPJ member group Voces de la Frontera has submitted an Arizona boycott resolution to the Milwaukee County Board to prohibit county employees from traveling to meetings and conferences in Arizona and boycotting the purchase of goods and services from the state. County Board Supervisors have now voted to send the proposal to committee to allow more time for consideration. Milwaukee radio DJ Mark Belling, who was suspended in 2004 for calling Milwaukee's Hispanic voters "wetbacks", has launched a campaign against the resolution.
Take Action: If you are a Milwaukee County resident, please call your County Supervisor today to support the Arizona boycott resolution. You can also call the general phone number for County Supervisors: 414-278-4222.
Contact for more info: Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Voces de la Frontera, 414-736-2835

Action Alert 6: Call Milwaukee School Board to support "Boycott Arizona" vote
Background: Last week, the Milwaukee Public School Board voted to condemn Arizona's racial profiling legislation, SB1070, along with HB2281, a law which bans ethnic studies classes in all Arizona public schools. The MPS Board also voted to join the nationwide boycott of Arizona-based businesses until these laws are repealed.
Take Action: MPS Board members report hostile calls from around the country in response to their vote. Please send a message of support to the Board by calling the Office of Board Governance, 414-475-8282, or emailing: governance@milwaukee.k12.wi.us Calls from Milwaukee residents are especially appreciated.
Contact for more info: Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Voces de la Frontera, 414-736-2835

Action Alert 7: Become a host family to an international student
Background: AFS is a worldwide, nonprofit organization that has been leading international high school student exchange for more than 60 years.  AFS-USA welcomes 2,500 international high school students who come to study in US high schools and live with host families, many in Wisconsin.  AFS-USA has opportunities to host, be a liaison, and volunteer throughout Wisconsin.  
Take Action: If you are interested or know someone who would make a great host family, please pass this information on and/or contact the AFS-USA Hosting Department (below).
Contact for more info: AFS-USA Hosting Department: 1-800-876-2377, hosting@afs.org
 

WNPJ posts these weekly alerts from member organizations, individual members and national affiliates. If you are a WNPJ member and have an alert you would like posted in this weekly WNPJ Action Alert e-bulletin, please send it for review to Steve Burns, WNPJ Program Director at: outreach@wnpj.org.