On May 17, immigrant youth, along with allies across the country, will issue a “Declaration of DREAMS.” Through the Right to Dream campaign, United We Dream (UWD) is launching a nationwide call to President Obama for real and lasting relief for DREAMers and their communities.
Click here to find out how you can participate.
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Action Alerts, Immigration | Tagged: DREAM, Immigration, United We Dream | 
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Posted by Tammy Alexander
Jesse Epp-Fransen recently attended a Restorative Justice conference hosted by West Coast MCC.
Restorative justice works! This was the message of the Day of Justice held in Fresno, California, on March 16, 2012. The conference, put on by West Coast Mennonite Central Committee, featured members of local law enforcement, a judge, a leading advocate for the “three strikes” law in California, and members of the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) in Fresno.
The participants brought varied opinions and a range of perspectives on restorative justice. Restorative justice is a perspective on addressing crime that puts healing and community support at the heart of its action. While some speakers were cautious of giving full support to the restorative justice model, other panelists, such as Reedley Police Chief Joe Garza, expressed being confident that restorative justice was the direction law enforcement needed to move.
Read the entire reflection here.
Learn more about West Coast MCC here and the Washington Office’s work on restorative justice here.
Leave a Comment » | Articles, Crime and Justice, Issues | Tagged: restorative justice | Permalink
Posted by jesseeppfransen
Tammy Alexander reflects on the Supreme Court case addressing the Affordable Health Care Act in the latest Third Way Cafe.
Late last month, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about the constitutionality of the health care reform law, known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). On the first of three days of arguments, I stood with other faith-based advocates in front of the court as a public witness of our support for the law.
Read the whole article here.
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Posted by jesseeppfransen
At the Philadelphia Detention Center, MCC East Coast supports the work of a peace worker Ron Muse in this minimum- to medium-security prison. The majority of the prisoners here are awaiting hearings in lieu of bail for crimes such as driving under the influence or burglary. Muse walks with Henry Murray, an inmate, who often helps Muse with his duties. (MCC Photo/Silas Crews)
The High Cost of Incarceration
CBS News recently aired a story about the high cost of incarceration. The video helpfully outlines the rise in incarceration in the last 40 years and the current housing crisis.
The rising expense of mass incarceration has convinced many to think differently about how we approach justice as a nation. One fact that is particularly eye-opening in the video is that while African Americans do not use drugs at a higher rate than the national average, they are incarcerated at a much higher rate for drug crimes.
This is caused by biases in policing and prosecution. Drug use has been tracked across lines of race and class and has been found to be tied much more closely to age rather than other indicators. Yet when the prison population is surveyed, African American men are disproportionately serving sentences for crimes that white men are committing at the same rate.
Sen. Jim Webb, who appears in the video, has put forward a proposal to have a national commission that would take a top to bottom look at criminal justice in the United States and make non-binding recommendations to help reform the system to make it more just, less expensive, and make communities safer. The National Criminal Justice Commission Act is based of a Presidential commission from Pres. Johnson in 1965.
More resources from MCC Washington Office on Criminal Justice are available here.
Leave a Comment » | Crime and Justice, Issues | Tagged: crime and justice, mass incarceration | Permalink
Posted by jesseeppfransen
Photo: Doug Hostetter/MCC
Talks held between Iran and the P5+1 (U.S., U.K., Russia, France, China, Germany) on April 14 were described as “positive” and a subsequent round of discussions is set for late May in Baghdad.
This is a welcome step, as diplomacy is essential if the differences between the U.S. and Iranian governments are ever to be resolved. Congress’ actions can either undermine or support diplomatic talks. It is critical that they hear constituent support for diplomacy.
Read more and encourage your Members of Congress to support diplomacy with Iran and to oppose actions that would undermine diplomatic efforts.
Leave a Comment » | Action Alerts, Issues, Legislative Updates, Middle East, Militarism | Tagged: diplomacy, Iran, middle east | Permalink
Posted by Rachelle Lyndaker Schlabach
Tomorrow, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments regarding Arizona’s SB1070 immigration law. Have questions about the case? Check out the top link on our immigration page for resources on the law and the court case.
Leave a Comment » | Immigration | Tagged: Arizona, Immigration, SB1070, SCOTUS, Supreme Court | Permalink
Posted by Tammy Alexander
Today is the National Day of Action for Colombia. Join with thousands across the country in calling upon Congress to support policies that promote peace and justice in Colombia.
Displacement in Colombia continues to be an ongoing crisis that has forced over 5 million people from their homes. Colombia is currently the world’s leader in internally displaced peoples. The Colombian government has taken little action in curbing the violence or protecting those being forced from their homes.
The National Days of Prayer and Action for Peace in Colombia is a chance for congregations and groups across the US to ask our government to take action and pursue policies that promote protection for those at risk of displacement, seek to end all violence in Colombia, and cut off harmful military aid to Colombia.
Over the weekend President Obama was in Colombia for the Summit of the Americas. While he was there, President Obama announced that U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement, on hold for years due to serious labor and human rights concerns, will be implemented starting May 15. President Obama has chosen to continue ignoring the human rights violations occurring Colombia and implement the free-trade agreement.
Sign a petition to Congress calling for policies that promote life and dignity rather than death and violence.
Leave a Comment » | Latin America/Caribbean | Tagged: Colombia, Days of Prayer and Action, DOPA, peace | Permalink
Posted by Theo Sitther
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