The Words Have Historical Meaning
"This white woman is taking her lead from a
historical perspective in America that has condoned atrocities against
black males for
centuries. It is the tolerance of America's racist atmosphere -- which
is poisoned against black
males -- that allowed such a charge to be made."
--
Cornell Lewis, Men of Color Initiative
*****
When in Doubt, Blame Hartford and Black Men
"Don't look for the logic or even be consistent, like say, report on every single rape that occurs during the year. Just
explode the one that is most sensational…most sure to shake loose the safety that many working downtown feel, while
simultaneously unlocking all of that pent up racism they were sure wasn't there at all…I'm not a racist, but…."
-- Kerri
Provost, Hartford Undercurrent
*****
Police Now Seeking Charges in Rape Story
"Whether or not she's a rape victim, the story she told
did a lot of harm to a lot of people, and we can't ignore that."
--
Hartford Police Chief Daryl Roberts.
*****
Violence Begets Violence: A Statement Decrying Hartford Police Department Decision Not to Press Charges Against a Woman Who Falsely Claimed Her Rapist Was Black.
| Economic Justice |
-- Martin Luther King
Universal Health Care for CT
Press Conference & Briefing
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
10 AM -- Noon
Old Judiciary Room
Connecticut State Capitol
Sponsored by:
CT Center for a New Economy
Universal Health Care Foundation of CT
*****
A single-payer system would save everyone money, from
government to businesses to workers.
-- Lori Pelletier, AFL-CIO
*****
The Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition
for Equity and Justice Public Meeting
Rev. Dr. Barbara Headley: Keynote Speaker
Equal Opportunities in Education
Tax Reform
Health Care for All
Civil Rights for Immigrants
Safe Neighborhoods
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
House of Restoration
1665 Main Street, Hartford
Doors open at 6:00p.m. for Registration and Music
Event 7:00 - 9:00p.m.
Download flier
http://www.ghicej.org/
http://www.faithCT.org/icej23jan2007.pdf
*****
Enact a Connecticut Earned Income Tax Credit
Equal to 25% of the corresponding federal EITC in order for low-income working people to make ends meet.
More info & Download Petition:
http://www.faithCT.org/eitc.htm
| CT Independent Media |
A project of Hartford Independent Media Center: constantly updated enclave for alternative news and views from the
Hartford area.
*****
A project of the Hartford Independent Media Center:
Wednesdays @ noon on 91.3FM WWUH
Re-airs:
Tuesdays @ 1:00PM on 88.1 FM WESU
*****
A collaboration among students at Wesleyan University who believe that progressive ends must be realized
through free exchanges of ideas, opinions, and critiques that are then applied to action.
*****
Between The Lines Radio Newsmagazine
A half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues.
*****
Documentaries and interviews on justice and peace issues with a special interest in the Palestinian struggle for human rights.
*****
Justice and peace news -- local, national and international.
 |
We honor the words and works of Martin Luther King whose faith led him to engage the great social problems of his times.
His faith provided the lens through which he could view the hand of God working for the liberation of blacks, the working-class, and the poor. This work of course also involved the conversion and liberation of whites from a diabolical system of racism, materialism, and militarism. Ultimately King came to view his calling as part of God's plan for the redemption of the soul of America and its great democratic ideals.
King's faith allowed him to dream the Beloved Community, the commonwealth of God, a nation marked by the great secular and religious virtues of justice, peace, inclusion and compassion. For Christians, this commonwealth is simultaneously within, near and afar.
King's dream may seem quite distant when we consider current events in Connecticut:
urban youth, abandoned, alienated, without hope, murdering each other;
a white woman falsely accusing a black man of raping her;
a 29% graduation rate at Hartford high schools;
400,000 people without heath coverage;
immigrants arrested for the crime of seeking employment;
$171 million tax dollars from New Haven alone diverted towards war in the Middle East.
Yet as the people and movements on this page attest, God is still working among us. King would add, "the arc of the universe is long . . . but it bends towards justice."
Let us pay tribute to the life of Martin Luther King by continuing the revolution for which he fought and died:
"We have been in a reform movement. . . But after Selma and the voting rights bill, we moved into a new era, which must be the era of revolution. We must recognize that we can't solve our problems now until there is a radical redistribution of economic and political power. . . . We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are all tied together . . . you can't really get rid of one without getting rid of the others."
| Civil Liberties |
It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal,
it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority." -- Martin Luther King
YouTube Interview with Ken Krayeske
*****
New Haven Rally Targets Gitmo
The U.S., by holding hundreds of prisoners for up to five years with no charges, much less no trials, has been rendered
incompetent to serve now in any role to adjudicate the prisoners' cases. -- Henry Lowendorf
| Women's Rights |
Tuesday, January 16
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
This is an open call to women who want to be part of this powerful community production, directed by Julia B. Rosenblatt of
Hartbeat Ensemble. No experience necessary. All women are welcome.
Charter Oak Cultural Center
| Queer Rights |
Five parishes, out of 177 in the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, rebel against common sense actions of our national and diocesan conventions, and they are treated as if their bigoted opinions represented a significant portion of the Episcopal Church.
| Animal Rights |
The UConn Health Center has stopped a neuroscience project involving monkeys and reprimanded the researcher.
| Spirituality |
-- Martin Luther King
Jesus as the Image of a Nonviolent God
"Jesus reveals a God of perfect non-violent love. Throughout his life,
death, and resurrection, he manifested perfect love, compassion and
non-violence. Nothing changed on Calvary. Jesus was non-violent before,
during and after. After his death, he punished no one, condemned
no one, sought revenge against no one. His life rises to the ultimate
revelation of divine non-violence."
-- John Dear, SJ
Getting illegal guns off the streets will go a long way toward reducing gun violence. -- New Haven Police Chief Francisco Ortiz
| Criminal Justice Reform |
"Connecticut is raising a generation without hope." -- Elaine Zimmerman, CT Commission on Children
*****
"Most of these kids, all they need is a little attention, a little love and a little kick in the butt." -- Tracey Taylor, STAR Mentoring Services
*****
Winning Pardons for Ex-Offenders
"A
lot of people are now faced with the challenge that their background is coming
back to haunt them."
-- Dianne Daniels, CT Pardon Team
*****
Lawyers hope to prove that state prosecutors have "unbridled discretion" and capriciously pursue the death penalty.
| Peace |
"I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first
spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today -- my own government."
-- Martin Luther King
Jan. 27: March on Washington to Stop the War
CT Peace Bus to Washington
Download CTUP leaflet.
Download flyer for Palestine contingent:
US out of the Middle East
End Israeli Apartheid
Stop US Aid to Israel
Flyer your neighborhood, college: Call Sean: 914-471-1501
*****
Combatants for Peace Tour
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven
150 Derby Avenue, Orange
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Lunch and Learn with the Combatants for Peace Tour
Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven
360 Amity Road, Woodbridge
Sponsored by:
Brit Tzedek
v'Shalom
*****
Hold Sen. Lieberman Accountable
Lunchtime demonstration at Noon Thursday, Jan. 18th
Lieberman's Hartford
office
One Constitution
Plaza.
*****
"There is something strangely inconsistent about a nation and a press that would
praise you when you say, 'Be nonviolent toward Jim Clark,' but will
curse and damn you when you say, 'Be nonviolent toward little brown
Vietnamese
children!'"
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Israel and Apartheid:
In Defense of Jimmy Carter
"It's time Americans took a look at Palestinian life and history, and as any good person of faith or basic humanity would,
treat it as of equal value." -- Tony Karon
*****
Connecticut's share of the War in Iraq: $9.2 Billion
Cost of the War in Iraq for Connecticut Towns:
Hartford $137.4 Million
New Haven $171.7 Million
New London $ 42.4 Million
Instead of war, CT could have had:
1,158,020 children in Head Start;
151,518 public school teachers.
423,844 students in 4-yr colleges.
5,235,368 kids with health care.
*****
The truest way to honor the dead is by saying 'no more.'
*****
A Call For Action, Not Symbolism
"Democratic leaders in Congress cannot oppose the war and continue to fund the war,"
-- Peggy Gray, West Hartford
| In Congress |
Sen. Dodd voted AGAINST full public disclosure of all earmarks used by members of Congress to direct funds or tax breaks to pet projects and political allies.
| Submit an Op-Ed/Sermon |
Use the Contact Us Form to submit your idea.