706 - Peace & Life: Cop City/Nukes/Euthanasia by Poverty - May 10, 2024
Referendums - Militarized Police & Abortion
While war policies are a major focus in national legislation (in most nations), it’s uncommon for it to be covered by U.S. state and local referendums. This year, there’s one that definitely fits the bill: petition signatures have been turned in for a city-wide referendum in Atlanta, Georgia to stop the construction of the euphemistically-named “Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.” Its more common name is “Cop City.”
Plans include military-grade training facilities, dozens of shooting ranges, and to be sure we aren’t exaggerating by relating this to war, a mock city designed to practice “urban warfare.”
Using violence to solve problems is not only wrong, but those problems are more effectively solved by the nonviolent approach of community policing.
This training center also connects to poverty and racism, since those who suffer from those also suffer disproportionately from a military approach to policing. Preborn children have also been killed by police brutality and by tear gas.
On abortion, there are several states with petition drives to put on their ballots a pro-abortion state constitutional amendment. Unfortunately, they’ve now turned in enough signatures in Missouri and South Dakota that these will likely be on the ballot this year.
Online Talk on Nuclear Threat on May 29
Our friends at the Back from the Brink Campaign are hosting an online talk by Annie Jacobsen on her new book Nuclear War: A Scenario on May 29 at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT.
Jacobsen’s book examines the terrifying possibility of how a nuclear war might unfold, highlighting the urgent need to address the threat from nuclear weapons. Joining her will be long-time peace activist Dr. Ira Helfand and Eddie Laiche of Students for Nuclear Disarmament.
You can register online for free. If you are part of an organization, you can co-sponsor the event, as we are doing. Co-sponsorship is also free, although donations are appreciated.
CLN Peace Vigil in Washington, D.C.
Saturday, May 18th
Our next peace vigil to protest nuclear weapons will be on Saturday, May 18th, from 10 am to 12 pm ET. We will be on the roadway in front of the White House.
The American Solidarity Party of Maryland and DC, Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore, and Rehumanize International are co-sponsoring and other groups are welcome to join us. For more information, contact John Whitehead.
Our Latest Blog Posts
John Whitehead strikes an optimistic note in Are We Finally Waking Up? Signs of New Awareness of the Nuclear Threat.
Sarah Terzo shows the real-life damage of Canada’s “Medical Aid in Dying” Policy: Euthanasia by Poverty: Stories from Canada.
Quotation of the Week
John L. Carr
“The Consistent Life Ethic: A Look Back, a Look Around, A Look Ahead”
Symposium: Can the Seamless Garment be Sewn? The Future of Pro-Life Progressivism
University of St. Thomas Law Journal, Spring 2005, Vol. 2, No. 2, p. 268
We need to change the culture – the way our society thinks about human life. We need to persuade, not just proclaim. I am personally convinced we will not prevail on abortion and euthanasia, we will not make progress on the death penalty or embryonic stem cells, we will not reshape the debate on war and peace, until we address together the lack of underlying respect for human life in our culture. When human beings are regarded as things, as collateral damage, as burdens on parents or society, then we should not be surprised the defense of life is “politically incorrect” or the work of “extremists.”