Mobilization for Peace – Call for Action

Our elected officials and the general public need to hear your questions , concerns and opposition to the actions taken and policies initiated by the US government since the terror attacks of September 11, 2001.

What are some of the key issues right now?

Ø    Millions of refugees in Afghanistan are at risk of starvation as a result of the continuing U.S. bombing million refugees.

Ø      As many as 7.5 million Afghani refugees are facing starvation this winter if the international community does not launch a massive relief effort. Continued U.S. military action, especially bombing, is blocking such an effort.

Ø      Call on the Bush administration and Congress to make humanitarian relief the priority in Afghanistan now that winter has begun and suspend all military actions which prevent such a relief effort.

Ø    The Bush Administration has initiated a massive attack on civil liberties and rights in the pursuit of the “war on terrorism and “homeland security”.

Ø      The USA Patriot Act (HR 3162), Bush’s executive order calling for Military Tribunals for suspected terrorists around the world, the Justice Department’s plan to question 5,000 men mostly from Middle Eastern countries and Attorney General John Ashcroft’s plan to loosen restrictions on FBI spying on religious and political organizations in the U.S – all of these actions threaten domestic and international human and civil rights

Ø      Call on our elected officials to reverse these actions and respect existing protections of civil and human rights and liberties even while pursuing justice for the September 11 terror attacks in this country.  

Ø    Congress will vote soon on an Economic Stimulus bill to help pull the U.S economy out of the current recession and assist those hurt by the recession.

Ø     The House of Representatives – backed by the White House – recently passed a stimulus package that gives billions of dollars of tax cuts for large corporations and the rich – representing 83% of the financial impact of the bill. The unemployed would receive 3.2% and the rest of us 13% of the benefits or financial resources in the bill.

Ø    Call on the Congress to extend unemployment benefits from 26 to 52 weeks, provide health care insurance to all unemployed, and fund economic, community and affordable housing development, and health and education programs that benefit those left out of even the economic boom of the last decade.

What You Can Do to Make a Difference:

• Call, fax or email a message or letter to the President, our Senators and Congressional Representatives – Contact information on back of flyer.

• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper (cc Congress members)

• Call in to talk radio shows

Letters to the Editor – Mail, fax or email letters addressed to “Letters to the Editor”:

For more info or to donate time or money, contact the Mobilization for Peace at:

Thomas Merton Center, 5125 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15224

Phone: 412-361-3022 ~ Website - www.thomasmertoncenter.org

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"I am against war, against violence, against violent revolution, for peaceful settlement of differences, for nonviolent but nevertheless radical changes. Change is needed, and violence will not really change anything: at most it will only transfer power from one set of bull-beaded authorities to another."  Thomas Merton
© Thomas Merton Center 2002