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NATIONAL AND REGIONAL FAITH LEADERS LAUNCH MAJOR INITIATIVE FOR A NUCLEAR FREE WORLD Urge Legislators to Reject the Administration’s Proposal FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2007 PRESS CONTACT: Reva Patwardhan, (o) 510.849.2272 x112 (c) 510.681.7075, rpatwardhan@peaceactionwest.org SACRAMENTO, CA: One week after Rep. Ellen Tauscher announced a funding cut for the administration’s proposed nuclear weapons build-up, a coalition of national and regional religious bodies launched a major initiative to zero-out funding for the production of new nuclear warheads. The initiative will be kicked off with a speech on Thursday, May 10 th by Rev. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches USA, on how people of faith can work toward a nuclear free world. The event will take place from 5:30-7:30 at San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church in Alamo. Co-sponsors include the National Council of Churches, the California Council of Churches, Peace Action West, Tri-Valley CAREs, and the National Religious Partnership on the Nuclear Weapons Danger, an interfaith coalition of denominations and national religious bodies dedicated to ending the nuclear weapons danger. “The administration’s proposal to build more nuclear warheads is not only immoral and unnecessary, but also dangerous,” stated Jessica Wilbanks, Coordinator of the National Religious Partnership, which counts the Episcopal Church, the Islamic Society of North America, and the Religious Action Center on Reform Judaism among its fourteen national partners. “If other nations follow suit, we could be caught up in another arms race.” Rev. Bob Edgar, a former Member of Congress, agrees. “We must ask ourselves why we would continue to spend billions constructing weapons that have the power to destroy us, rather than build systems and structures that will save lives and help all persons reach the potential for which God created them. If we have the power and the will to create something that could annihilate all of humankind, surely we can summon the will to provide adequate and affordable health care to every American.” The administration’s plan for the build-up of new nuclear warheads would command a minimum of $150 billion dollars in government resources. Rev. Rick Schlosser, Executive Director of the California Council of Churches, can see a better application of those funds in the State of California. “It is immoral for so much money to be directed into weapons development when so many human needs are going unmet. Here in California , people need quality, affordable health care—and instead the funds that could pay for it are going to an unnecessary expansion of our bloated nuclear arsenal.” In January, seventy-four religious bodies and denominations issued a statement opposing American plans for a nuclear weapons build-up. In particular they pointed out out the hypocrisy of the U.S. developing new nuclear weapons while insisting other countries not acquire them. The California Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, and the National Religious Partnership on the Nuclear Weapons Danger plan to spread the word about the nuclear weapons build-up over the next several months. “Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is part of the team that would design the new warheads, so people of California need to hear about this,” explained Rev. Rick Schlosser. “Last week, Rep. Tauscher stated that she was delaying funding for the nuclear weapons build-up to make room for a public discussion on the future of the nuclear weapons complex,” added Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action West. “Religious communities in the United States have already weighed in. If human life means anything to us, then there can be no future for the nuclear weapons complex.” For more information, please go to www.ncccusa.org, www.calchurches.org, www.peaceactionwest.org, www.trivalleycares.org, and www.faithfulsecurity.org. # # # |
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Complex Transformation
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The Bush administration's plan to restructure the U.S. nuclear weapons infrastructure must be stopped. You may remember from last year as "Complex 2030." |
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Resource
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The full-color packet contains a model resolution, sample sermons, organizing tips, prayers of different faiths, and much more! Download the PDF booklet. |
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Join Faithful Security
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As a member of the Faithful Security Network, you'll receive regular action alerts about ways that you can help to reduce and eliminate nuclear weapons. 
"When you drop
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"Choose life, so that you
and your children may live."
-Deuteronomy
30:19
National Religious Partnership on the Nuclear Weapons Danger/ 803 North Main Street, Goshen,
IN 46528 / 800-233-6786