Prayer
We are all praying for those in the path of Hurricane Helene. Many more mountain communities were devastated that are not in the news. Many of these are areas where people were already struggling to get by. Jesuit Resource has a webpage filled with prayers for those facing a natural disaster. Maybe you will find one to use in your prayers.
On October 8, at 7:00 PM ET the Franciscan Action Network invites you to join an exploration of urban eco-spirituality with Dr. Rachel Wheeler. Click here for event description and to register.
Advocacy and Action
Our partners at Beyond Plastic are participating in a focused advocacy campaign and are asking us to join them. The focus is on Starbucks and their Bring Your Own Cup policy. The petition asks them to properly promote their BYO policy and to encourage customers to use reusable cups if they are staying in the store to drink their beverage. It also asks Starbucks to properly train their baristas. Often the barista will make a drink in a plastic cup before pouring it into the reusable. This, of course, makes it pointless to have a BYO policy. Click here to sign the petition.
The EPA has opened a public comment period concerning vinyl chlorides and other “forever chemicals” that are known human carcinogens. Last December, the EPA finally started the in-depth, multi-year process required to limit or ban vinyl chloride under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The EPA needs to hear from the public. It is part of the decision process built into the system. Comments are used in the legislation process. Can you submit your comment/request to ban vinyl chloride? Click the blue COMMENT button at the top of the page. Keep your comment simple. Then, you need to click the “Individual” box in the “tell us about yourself” section and just provide your name. The other fields are optional. The deadline is October 23, 2024.
The World Day Against the Death Penalty is October 10. It is the unifying movement for global death penalty abolition. This year, the theme: the death penalty protects no one, challenges the misconception that the death penalty makes communities safer. If you would like to engage in these events and the advocacy calls, please see their webpage.
Despite knowing that the death penalty does not deter crime we continue to utilize it. States that have the death penalty have similar murder rates to states that do not have the death penalty. Creating safe communities starts with prevention. By providing people with the resources they need, not only survive but to thrive, we are cultivating freedom and security. Locally, Ignite Peace is engaging with this by inviting you to record a video answering the question: “What does true community safety mean to me?”
Education and Information
Update on Resources to learn about Issue 1 in Ohio. The Ohio Sisters Justice Network held a webinar last week. Sr. Pat Wittberg, SC, explained beautifully how the process for a citizen lead commission would be set up to draw our electoral maps in Ohio. The webinar also explains how the ballot language you will see on the ballot is alarming and misleading. You can view the webinar here.
Have you seen this news? The California Attorney General has brought a suit against Exxon Mobile for their plastic pollution and their false claims about the ability of plastics to be recycled. This is an unprecedented lawsuit and will hopefully lead to more truth in plastics recycling. You can read more about it here.
Democracy Watch and Resources
The last day to register to vote in Ohio is this coming Monday, October 7. You can check your state’s last day to register at Vote.Org
Ohio Residents: There is a lot of confusion around Ohio Issue 1 on the ballot this November. Issue 1 is an attempt to correct Ohio’s badly gerrymandered districts. To make things worse, the ballot language that has been crafted by Secretary of State Larose is purposefully confusing. So much so that the language was taken to the Ohio Supreme Court. Sadly, the bias in the court means the language was not required to change. In her dissent, Democratic Justice Jennifer Brunner wrote, "We should be requiring a nearly complete redrafting of what is perhaps the most stunningly stilted ballot language that Ohio voters will have ever seen."
When people read this misleading language, it will alarm them enough to vote in the way the writers wish. Gerrymandering is harmful regardless of which party is in power while drawing the maps. Politicians have a vested interest in retaining the ability to draw maps for themselves. Regardless of how the ballot reads, please be aware of what your “yes” vote or “no” vote means. Please see the attached explainer culled from various Ohio newspaper articles. And keep watch for last night’s recording from the Ohio Sisters Justice Network. It will be available soon. If you are still unclear, I am happy to speak to anyone about this issue.
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