NT-NL Giving Public Witness to Peace and Justice: September 2012

Friday, September 14, 2012

Hearing on an ELCA Draft of a Social Statement on Criminal Justice

Join the Public Witness Team and others from our mission area for discussion at the NT-NL Hearing on the ELCA Draft Social Statement on Criminal Justice. We will welcome Sue Berry, an attorney and member of the ELCA Task Force that developed the draft social statement. It's Saturday, September 15, 10:00 a.m. - Noon, at Shepherd of Life Lutheran Church, 715 E. Lamar Blvd, Arlington. There will be an optional light lunch following the hearing. Sorry, no live streaming. Click this link for more information.

ELCA and immigration reform in support of families

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) continues to advocate for comprehensive federal immigration reform as the Senate Judiciary Committee holds hearings on legislation that calls for reform. A bipartisan group of senators introduced a reform bill April 17.

[Read the full story at this link]

In anticipation of the Senate’s bill, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service sponsored a leadership summit April 14-16 that brought together 40 Lutheran leaders from across the country to Capitol Hill to support the new legislation.

“I’m proud that Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service could convene so many skilled and respected leaders at such a critical time at this year’s Lutheran Immigration Leadership Summit, as the Senate rolls out history-making immigration legislation. There’s never been a more important time for us, as Lutherans and Americans, to make our voices heard,” said Linda Hartke, president and CEO of the service.

Listen: Drug Laws That Changed How We Punish

Sharing this link in preparation for NT-NL's upcoming workshop, The New Jim Crow in Texas. Listen to NPR's news report on how US drug laws changed the way we imprison citizens.

"The United States puts more people behind bars than any other country, five times as many per capita compared with Britain or Spain.It wasn't always like this. Half a century ago, relatively few people were locked up, and those inmates generally served short sentences. But 40 years ago, New York passed strict sentencing guidelines known as the "Rockefeller drug laws" — after their champion, Gov. Nelson Rockefeller — that put even low-level criminals behind bars for decades.Those tough-on-crime policies became the new normal across the country. But a new debate is under way over the effectiveness of tough sentencing laws."