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Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice decries Supreme Court decision on Muslim Ban

6/26/2018

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Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice, a state-wide interfaith education and advocacy organization, is dismayed and distressed at the Supreme Court’s decision today to uphold President Trump’s ban on travel from predominantly Muslim countries.
 
President Trump has consistently stated that his intent was to keep Muslims out of the United States. The Supreme Court abdicated its responsibility as the court of last resort when it decided to ignore these statements.  The Court, in today’s decision, stated that the president’s own words about the intent of this ban were immaterial and that the ban itself was ‘neutral on its face’.  Yet intent has always been taken into account when deciding the constitutionality of a law. 
 
Further, the Court accepted at face value the Trump Administration’s contention that national security was at risk. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in her dissent from the bench, rightly countered that the excuse of national security merely was a cover for an “openly discriminatory policy motivated by animus” to a religious minority.
​
As people of many different faiths, many of whom have ourselves faced discriminatory immigration policies throughout history, we decry this decision and proclaim solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters. We will continue to work for understanding and to build bridges among our various faith communities and to work against the forces of discrimination and hate.
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Madison Faith Leaders Find U.S. Attorney General’s Misuse of Scripture to Tear Children Away from Parents Offensive

6/26/2018

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As people of differing faith traditions in the United States, we find it offensive when the Attorney General misuses any religious tradition to justify separating children from their families. As people of faith we derive our commitment to social justice from the teachings of our respective faiths, but it is entirely inappropriate for a government official to invoke religion in promoting an inhumane policy.
 
Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently quoted Christian Scripture – Romans 13 – in defense of his policy of tearing children away from their parents when they arrive at our border, seeking asylum. These are people fleeing from civil war, gang violence, and domestic violence. Border officials often take the children away, some as young as 18 months, under false pretenses of taking them for a bath. The parents realize too late that their children are not coming back, and they have no way to find where they have been taken or contact them. These people are seeking safety and hospitality at our borders, and they are receiving the opposite.
 
The Scripture AG Sessions cited (Romans 13:1) does indeed read, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God,” but he ignores the context. The following verses explain not only that we are to obey the law, but also lay out an expectation that the laws are made for the benefit of all God’s people. The passage culminates in this admonition: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.’”
 
While we deplore the misuse of scripture to justify public policy, if our government officials are going to use religious text, there are many others we suggest: “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born, love them as yourself” from the Hebrew Bible (Lev. 19:33-34: 33). From Christian scripture: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:40).
 
From the Quran: "And do good unto your parents, and near of kin, and unto orphans, and the needy, and the neighbour from among your own people, and the neighbor who is a stranger… " (Quran: An-Nisa (4:36)). From the Baha'i: "Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive" (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh).
 
Faith traditions around the world teach versions of the Golden Rule. We encourage our elected representatives and government officials to look to that Golden Rule when making policies, for then our collective values of love, compassion, empathy, and generosity toward those who come seeking safety and peace will be reflected.
 

Reverend Susan Schneider
Trinity Lutheran Church
Madison, WI 53704
 
Rabbi Bonnie Margulis
President, Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
Madison, WI 53719

 
Organizations/Congregations

Community of Hope UCC Steering Committee
Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin
Madison-Area Urban Ministry
Wisconsin Council of Churches
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice

 
Signatories: (congregations/organizations for identification purposes only)
Rev. Anne Andert
ELCA (retired)
Janesville, WI
 
Alicia C. Armstrong
Immigration Attorney
Owner, Alicia C. Armstrong Law Office, LLC
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
 
Rev. Ann Beaty
Associate Minister
First Congregational UCC
Madison, WI 53726
 
Joanna Berke
Madison, WI
 
Rabbi Jonathan Biatch
Temple Beth El
Madison, WI 53719
 
The Reverend Jeffry G. Billerbeck
Chaplain (retired)
Blue Mounds. WI
 
Rev. Winton Boyd
Senior Pastor
Orchard Ridge UCC
Madison WI
 
Rev. Joe Brosius
Pastor of Outreach
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
5701 Raymond Road
Madison, WI 53711
 
Marlene Buechel
Verona, WI
 
The Rev. Mark M. Clinger
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Madison
Madison, WI
 
Catherine Coberly
2580 Lalor Road
Oregon WI 53575
 
Merle Cohen
Madison, WI
 
Kia Conrad
Madison, WI 53704
 
Tim Coughlin
Middleton Community United Church of Christ
Middleton, WI
 
Rev. David C. Couper
Madison Chief of Police (Ret) and St Peter’s Episcopal Church
North Lake, WI
 
Reverend Cindy Crane
Director
Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin
Madison, WI 53719
 
Rev. Kirsten Curtis
Christ Lutheran Church
Spring Green, WI 53588
 
Rev. Timothy Dean
Senior Pastor
McFarland Lutheran Church
McFarland, WI 53558
 
Ruby Dow
Mauston, WI
 
Rev. Mark Elsdon, M.Div, MBA
Executive Director/Campus Pastor
Pres House at UW Madison
Madison, WI 53703
 
Rev. JoAnne Fabie
ELCA (retired)
Waunakee, WI
 
Rev. Dr. Jerry Folk
ELCA (retired)
Madison, WI
 
Reverend Jeff Fox-Kline
Minister of word and sacrament
Covenant Presbyterian Church
Madison, WI
 
Rev. Kristin Gorton
Memorial United Church of Christ
Fitchburg, WI 53712
 
The Rev'd Dr. D. Jonathan Grieser
Rector
Grace Episcopal Church
Madison, WI 53703
 
Reverend David Hart
Sherman Avenue United Methodist Church
Madison, WI 53704
 
Rev. Phil Haslanger
United Church of Christ (retired)
Fitchburg WI 53711
 
The Reverend Dr. Miranda Hassett
Rector
St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church
Madison, WI 53705
 
Rev. Heather Hayward
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church
Middleton, WI
 
Reverend Eldonna Hazen
First Congregational United Church of Christ
Madison, WI 53726
 
Nathan Houston
Madison, WI
 
Rev Breanna Illéné,
Pastor
Trinity & First United Methodist Church
Madison, WI
 
Reverend Sonja Ingebritsen
Community of Hope United Church of Christ
Madison, WI 53717
 
Rev. Peder Johanson
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Broadhead, WI
 
The Rev.  Andy Jones
Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church
Madison, WI  53716
 
Barbara Katz
Madison, WI
 
Linda Ketcham
Executive Director
Madison-area Urban Ministry
Madison, WI 53713
 
Rev. Robb Kosky
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Waterloo, WI
 
Reverend Tina Lang
First United Methodist Church
Madison, WI
 
Reverend Lex Liberatore
Lake Edge United Church of Christ
Madison, WI 53716
 
Ellen Lindgren
Middleton WI
 
Rev. Erica Liu
Campus Pastor
Pres House
Madison, WI 5370
 
Rev. Doug Locken
Pastor
Peace Lutheran Church
Waunakee, WI
 
Rev. Karen Locken
Lead Pastor
Peace Lutheran Church
Waunakee, WI
 
Rev. Jason M Mack
First Baptist Church
Madison WI
 
Bill and Bobbie Malone
Madison, WI
 
Maureen McDonnell, O.P.
Madison, WI  53711
 
Rev. Dr. Paul J. Melrose ( ret )
United Methodist Church
Michigan Conference
Madison, WI
 
The Rev. Jonathan Melton
St. Francis House Episcopal Student Center
Madison, WI 53715
 
Rev. Lisa Nelson
Faith Lutheran Church
Columbus, WI
 
Rev. Katya Ouchakof
Lake Edge Lutheran Church (ELCA)
Madison WI 53716
 
Rev. Kathleen Cook Owens
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
Oregon, WI 53575
 
Rev. Kerri Parker
Executive Director
Wisconsin Council of Churches
Sun Prairie, WI

Leila Pine
Madison, WI
 
Rev. Matthew Ploeger
Spiritual Care Coordinator
Heartland Hospice
Madison, WI
 
Rev. Lori Powell
Pastor
St. Mark's Lutheran Church
Madison, WI
 
Reverend Michael Rehak
Director, Institute for Congregational Identity
Cambridge, WI 53523-9401
 
The Rev. Oscar A. Rozo
Priest in charge
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Beaver Dam, WI 53916
 
Rev. Dick Runge
Retired UCC Pastor
Member of Memorial UCC
Fitchburg
 
Janet Ruszala-Coughlin
Middleton Community United Church of Christ
Middleton, WI

Mary Sanderson
De Forest, WI
 
Reverend Leslie Schenk
Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ
Madison, WI 53704
 
Erica Serlin Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Co-Chair Temple Beth El Immigrant Action Team
Madison WI
 
Reverend Larry Sexe
Deerfield Lutheran Church
Deerfield, WI 53531
 
Janice Cittasubha Sheppard
Lay Buddhist Minister
Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery, and
Madison Insight Meditation Group Tuesday night weekly sitting
 
Pastor Pat Siegler
Zion Faith Community
Madison WI
​
Myrna Solganick
Madison, WI
 
Laura Stalder
Immigration Group Plymouth UCC
Madison Wisconsin
 
Rev. Nick Upthall
Advent Lutheran Church
Madison, WI 53717
 
Reverend Brad Van Fossen
Monona United Methodist Church
Monona, WI 53716
 
Rae Vogeler
Oregon, WI
 
Donna Vukelich-Selva
Madison, WI
 
Wendy Ward
Madison, WI 53704
 
Rev. Joe Wilkinson
Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church
Sussex, WI
 
Reverend Cynthia M. Wunder
Lodi First Presbyterian Church
Lodi WI 53555
 
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women vote -  wisconsin wins!

6/5/2018

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44% of Wisconsin women who could vote, didn’t vote in the last midterm election.
Because voters trust information from people they know, we want to equip, engage, and empower people like you to help turn out more Wisconsin women voters. Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice is proud to partner with the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health in this project.

If you’re interested in helping to get more Wisconsin women to the polls this year, we invite you to participate in the Relational Voter Program (RVP).  By encouraging 5 to 10 of your friends, neighbors or family members to get out and vote in 2018, you can make an enormous difference!

How does it work?  It’s easy, and you can do it at your own pace!

Step 1: Decide to give the relational voter program a try
Agree to participate and help turn out family, friends, and neighbors to vote this year!

Step 2: Identify 5 – 10 people you know and can contact to help get to the polls in 2018
Make a physical list of 5 to 10 people that you agree to work with through November 6th.  Ideally, select people who trust you, who respect you, and who would welcome your help to get them to the polls.  Once you have your list, enter it online at http://bit.ly/wiwomenvotervp.

Step 3: Have an initial conversation with each of your list of contacts
  • Do they plan to vote?
  • Are they registered to vote?
  • Do they know they can register at the polls?
  • Do they know where their polling place is?
  • Do they have the voter ID they need to vote?
  • What issues does the voter care about?
  • Do they know who their representatives are?
 
Step 4: Follow up conversations (inform, persuade, and assist)
Have at least one follow-up conversation with each of your voters one or two weeks before the election.  All RVP leaders will be provided with additional information and resources that you can use for these conversations, but essentially, it will be a casual conversation reminding them about the upcoming elections.
 
Step 5: Get Out the Vote
Make an election day plan and follow up with your contacts to ensure they have voted.  You can even go with others to the polls or arrange to vote early as a group.
​
For more information, visit: http://www.asklearnvote.org/relational-voter-program.html
We are indebted to the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health for their leadership in this project! 
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Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice | Moving from Charity to Justice
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