Good Faith

I wrote here that we should have some faith-based action against the "National Day of Prayer" set up by Prez Bush for Friday 9/16. Though it isn't the same day, this press conference this afternoon is a really good thing. I didn't know anything about these folks, and while I'm sure that there are more progressive churches and other faith-based institutions throughout the nation, this one seems closer to radical. Right on!

MINISTERS FOR RACIAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE CALL ON CONGRESS TO OFFICIALLY REPRIMAND AND/OR CENSURE PRESIDENT BUSH

Press Conference
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
National Press Club, Zinger Room
2:00pm

Ministers for Racial, Social and Economic Justice joined a broad
coalition of activists calling for Congress to bring charges to
reprimand and/or censure United States President George W.
Bush for the handling of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. At a
press conference on Wednesday, September 14 at the National
Press Club, the coalition will outline President Bush’s
incompetent and ineptitude leadership that has resulted in
hundreds of deaths and unbelievable human suffering of United
States’ citizens...

“More and more lives are being lost –both in body and mind--in
the aftermath of the insensitive, racist, and incompetent way
the Bush Administration has handled the devastation of
Hurricane Katrina. This is, to say the least, criminal negligence
to the highest degree. The president in his negligence of old,
poor and Black American people in the Gulf Coast has
committed a serious breach of official duties as head of state
and it begs the question whether he should continue to lead this
country”, says national president of the group, the Rev.
Graylan S. Hagler.

Last week members of Congress said they were outraged by
and ashamed of the government’s response to the Hurricane
Katrina disaster. The coalition of ministers and social justice
activists say that Congress should formally reprimand and
censure the president.

The ministers also charged the Bush administration with overt
racism. “Many of those suffering are black and poor and we
cannot deny that race played a factor in the slow,
uncoordinated and incompetent response of the government,”
says Rev. Luther Holland of Chicago’s Congregational Church
of Park Manor.

About Ministers for Racial, Social and Economic Justice
The Ministers for Racial, Social and Economic Justice is a
historic organization of the United Church of Christ that
encompasses other clergy from other denominations and
movements. Our purpose is still to address racial justice,
within the structure of the church and within the world, to focus
on economic justice, noting that economic denial is one facet of
racism, and to give voice and power to the many social issues
where people are denied justice. MRSEJ, standing upon rich
history will utilize that history to reach from our past into the
future. MRSEJ will continue to grow and reflect the diversity
within the church and society with an eye, voice and action
toward affecting change that will bring into being racial justice,
social wholeness, and economic equality.

[click here for more information about MRSEJ]