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Hello Folks!
Last week I was in Washington, D.C., with 19 other Conference Ministers under the theme “Love Knows No Borders” as we advocated for our legislators to sign onto or support a few pieces of legislation. Our 4 day event was designed by the UCC Office of Public Policy, which set up training sessions, time to meet DC area clergy, meetings with allied organizations (like Church World Service--CWS), and meetings with legislative staff.
Local clergy told us about their members’ being affected by DOGE and the current shut- down; one USAID executive had to fire more than 1000 people as offices were shut down around the world; other federal workers are picking up Uber or Door Dash shifts to help bring in income. One pastor related a story of someone being arrested waiting in line at a food bank. A mid-level executive at the Smithsonian Museum of African American History is watching the history of chattel slavery be “white washed” for the country’s 250 anniversary celebration next year. A Haitian immigrant, long time naturalized citizen in the US who retired from USAID, cannot find her papers and is scared every time she leaves her house. The clergy told us that DC is a canary in a coal mine for other large cities. They said that ICE detentions are up 400% in Virginia and
200% in Maryland, with food pantries serving more than 5000% of the people served previously.
During our day of advocacy, I was paired with two other Conference Ministers and two CWS staffers, who shepherded us to the various congressional office buildings. Together we met with policy staff for Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Steve Daines, and Rep. Troy Downing. Earlier in the day, the Montana delegation hosted a meet-and-greet coffee, where I met Sens. Sheehy and Daines directly, and met with one of Sen. Sheehy’s staff. We were advocating for three immigration-related pieces of legislation: the NO BAN Act, which would limit the administration’s ability to ban entry of religious groups; the VISIBILE Act, which would require immigration enforcement officers to display visible identification during arrests; and the Protect Sensitive Locations Act,
which limits arrests to more than 1000 feet from medical, school, child care, emergency response, and religious facilities. Protecting Sensitive Locations got the most traction from the staff we talked with, all of whom were working without pay due to the federal government shut down.
Washington, D.C., was busy, even with the shut-down. We saw more police lights, large military-style guns, and military personnel than any of us had remembered from previous visits. We also saw other groups there for advocacy. Two highlights for me were seeing the Alexander Caldwell Mountains and Clouds sculpture in the atrium of the Hart Senate Building, and seeing Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Reagan National Airport on my way home.
We closed our time together hearing about Media Justice, and I particularly was
interested in rural issues of improving internet and cell phone coverage and the effects of de-funding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting on rural areas. The funding that was set aside by the last administration for broadband expansion across rural areas has been halted by this current administration, leaving many of us wondering whether we might ever get connectivity like our urban siblings have.
The UCC has a long history of working for media justice, beginning with Rev. Everett C. Parker advocating for fair coverage by TV stations of the Civil Rights actions in the south. A short documentary on the history of the Office of Communication Inc (predecessor to UCC Media Justice Ministries), available on YouTube, is a good place to start to learn more. Currently the Media Justice Ministries work for affordable communication, diverse and accountable broadcast media, social media accountability, and net neutrality from a faith-based perspective. I continue to be grateful for the UCC’s presence and witness in issues of justice.
As always, I am happy to talk about any of these things.
Peace, Pastor Tony.
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