* Rejecting the notion of armed struggle with Iran and opposing any military blockade of Iran (universally understood as an act of war) would then give the Iranians a reason to attack, which in turn would provide the pretext for a war, either before or after the U.S. elections. You should publicly call on the Bush Administration to refrain from taking any such provocative actions that might lead to military conflict before the next Administration takes office.
*A commitment to sign a Presidential Order that forbids and criminalizes torture and the direct or indirect aiding or abetting of acts of torture on the part of the U.S. , directs the U.S. military to abandon Guantanamo prison and end the activities of the School of the Americas related to training people in South and Central America in the techniques of counter-insurgency and torture, and directs the next Attorney General to explore criminal charges against those who have violated US or international law in regard to torture.
* A commitment to make saving our global environment a top priority not only through encouraging individual and corporate environmental responsibility, but by alerting the American public to the full scientific evidence about the degree of threat to the survival of the planet that is likely unless we make major changes in the way use the resources of our planet, how we decide what products should be produced and how, and how we decide what items to consume. Tell the American people what the planet faces if the US and other countries including China don't make a huge global effort to reverse the patterns of destruction that are already endangering our planet.
* Affirming the need for an American health care system that is based on the principle that we have an obligation to care for each other, not on the need for the health care profiteers to make a good return on their investments.
* Affirming as a guiding principle for American society in the 21st century that we have an obligation to care for each other, and that this obligation requires a rethinking of many aspects of American law, American corporations, government programs, education, and personal life, and that you will use your time in office to encourage this new ethos.
* Calling on schools to actively engage in teaching students the skills of caring a. for each other; b. for those stuck in poverty or homelessness or hunger; c. the disabled; d. our senior citizens; e. for their own health and their bodies; and f. for the environment. This should include teaching about "non-violent communication" and positive negotiation skills, but also teach about the various religious and secular traditions that have made "caring for others" central to their teachings, or have made awe and wonder at the grandeur of creation part of their approach to protecting the environment.
We are firmly convinced, Senator Obama, that these are ways of thinking about what is needed in America that are unlikely to succeed unless you build a strong foundation of support for them during your campaign. By articulating this kind of thinking now, you will not only strengthen the possibility of mobilizing parts of the electorate who have given up on politics altogether, but you will also be serving God in a way that is necessary at this historical moment.
Your advisors may warn you of political dangers. We think the opposite. But as we say, our calling is not to be your political practitioners, but to provide you with the kind of ethical and prophetic voices that you need to hear.
Finally, if you are elected, as we very much hope you will be, and as we ourselves will try to help make happen by building support for you, we urge you to meet with us during your presidency to hear the voices not of religious cheerleaders, but of those who dare to speak truth to power even when that power, as your own, is mostly for the good and mostly in service of the God of the universe. It is precisely because we believe in you and your strong ethical and religious commitment that we are daring to write this to you, even though we know that its impact might be to make it less likely that your advisors will ever allow us to connect with you directly once you are elected.
With respect and blessings,
(all organizations listed for identification purposes and do not imply organizational endorsement of this letter)
Initiators of the Letter:
Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun and Chair, The Network of Spiritual Progressives and author of The Politics of Meaning and of The Left Hand of God
Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister, Executive Director of Benetvision: A Resource and Research Center for Contemporary Spirituality, and author of Welcome to the Wisdom of the World, and of The Gift of Years, and dozens of other books on Christian Theology
Rev. Tony Campolo, Chair, The Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education, and author of dozens of books including Red Letter Christians and The God of Intimacy and Action.
Father John Dear, S.J. is a Jesuit priest and author of Jesus the Rebel and A Persistent Peace
Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Chair, The Shalom Center and author, Seasons of Our Joy and These Holy Sparks
Imam Zaid Shakir, Zeytuna Institute, California
Rev. Graylan S. Hagler, National President, Ministers for Racial, Social and Economic Justice of The United Church of Christ
Signatories:
Rev. Brian Adams Mt. Rainier Christian Church
Rev. Lynn Baird
Rev. Dr. Brian Baker Episcopal Priest
Rev. David Bartlett Columbia Theological Seminary
Rev. Ronald Bell Prebyterian Church (USA)
Father Richard Berg Macdonald Center
Minister of Visitation Edward Bloomfield First Congregational Church of Long Beach
Rev. Carrin Bowes Lansing
Harold C. Bradley Society of Jesuits. Asst. to the Vice President for Federal Relations. Marquette University
Episcopal priest Mary Bredlau
Rev. Richard Brendan
Monsignor Paul Byrnes Retired clergy from the Baltimore Roman Catholic Archdiocese
Rev. Dr. Jane Carlsson-Bull First Parish Unitarian Universalist - Cohasset, MA
Rev. Karen Carter Church of the Brethren
Rev. Nancy Chalfant-Walker Rector, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
Rev. and Professer Emeritus John Cobb Claremont School of Theology
Rev. Ernest Cockrell Diocese of El Camino Real
Retired Clergy Charles F. Cooley The United Methodist Church
Roman Catholic Priest Jeffrey Cooper Holy Cross Center
Rabbi Meryl M. Crean Elkins Park, PA
Fr. Bob Cushing St. Theresa Catholic Church
Rev. Richard Davis Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, Oregon
Rev. Canon Dr. Peter Davison
Rev. Charlene Dean
Rev. Yvonne Delk New Maceonia UCC, Norfolk, Virginia
Rev. Douglas Dirks Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
Rev. Christine Doucet Boston
Rev. John Dourley
Rev. Mary Drake Boston
Robert J. Egan Society of Jesuits. Religious Studies Department, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA.
Rev. Mary Elizabeth Pratt-Horsley St. Benedict's Episcopal Church
Senior Minister Susan EngPoole Unity of Louisville
Deacon Warren Eustace St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Minister Joan Evans Center of Light, Seattle
Rabbi Ted Falcon Bet Alef Synagogue, Seattle
Sister Jacinta Fernandes Emmanuel Monastery
Priest Francesca Foerunato Parish Community of St. John
Rev. Robert Forsberg High St Presbyterian Church
Rabbi Jeff Foust Spiritual Life Center, Bentley College
Rev. Beth Freeman United Methodist Church of Green Trails
President Dave Frenchak Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education
Al Fritsch Society of Jesuits. Public Interest, co-founder of the Center for Science in the Public Interest
Rev. Dr. John Gardiner Plymouth Congregational Church of Fort Wayne, Indiana
Rev. Rudolf Gelsey Unitarian Universalist Minister
Rev. Susan Gilbert Zencka Frame Memorial Presbyterian Church
Rabbi Gordon Gladstone
Rev. Mar Anne Glover St. James Christian Church (Disciples of christ), Wilson, North Carolina
Rev. Sala Nolan Gonzalez Minnister for Criminal Justice and Human Rights, UCC
Rev. Sandra Gourdet Global Ministries of the United Church of Christ
TR Haney Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
Rev. Ernest Harrelson St. Michael's Episcopal Church
Rev. Kieran Healy Saint Alberts Priory
Fr. Raymond Helmick S.J Department of Theology, Boston College
Rev. Rich Hendricks Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities
Retired Pastor Martin Hessell
Senior Pastor Luther Holland Congregational Church of Park Manor, Chicago
Rabbi Linda Holtzman Mishkan Shalom
Rev. Anne Homes Ptomoac Association, Little Revier UCC, Virginia
Rev. Margaret Howland South Presbyterian Church of Yonkers, NY
Rev. Douglas Hunt Network for Environmental & Economic Responsibility
Rev. C. Nozomi Ikuta Denison Ave. United Church of Christ, Cleveland
Rev. Dr. Rebecca Irelan
Rev. Dr. Bruce Irwin Emmanuel United Church of Christ
Rev. Bernice Powell Jackson Beech Memorial UCC, New Orleans
Rev. Dian Jackson President, Southern Conference, United Church of Christ
Rev. Harold Jacobson Grace Luther Church
Rev. and President Bill Jamieson Micah Institute
Rev. Sally Juarez
Rev. Dr. Sandra Kay Neal McCleary United Methodist Church
Rev. Dr. Patricia Keel Unity of Berkeley
Rev. Margaret Klapperich Milwaukee
Rev. and Director Johanna Knight New Haven, Connecticut Center of Light
Senior Minister Douglas C. B. Kraft Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento, CA
Rev. George Kuhn
Rev. Dn. Mark LaGory St. Luke's Episcopal Church
Rev Joachim Lally
Cantor Shoshana Lash
Rev. Simone Locke , Charlotte, NC.
Rev. Canon J. Fletcher Lowe Jr. Episcopal Church
Retired Pastor James Lundeen Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Dr. and Interfaith Minister Cynthia Lynch
Dr. and Interfaith Minister Thomas Lynch
Rev. Lilton J. Marks Fellowship UCC, Chesapeake, Virginia
Rev. Thomas R. Mason Retired Minister of the United Church of Christ
Rev. David McClean The Interfaith Union for Progressive Religion
Rev. Melissa McClellan The Progressive Christian Alliance
Rev. Roger McClellan The Progressive Christian Alliance
Rev. Will McGarvey Community Presbyterian Church
Rev. and Dr. Dan Meyer Federation of Christian Ministries
Chaplain David Miller Union College
Rev. Lloyd Miller United Methodist Pastor
Rev. Martin Miller-Hessel
Rev. Donna Moderator, United Church of Chirsit General Synod 27
Rev. Paul Murray Visiting Assistant Professor of Religion & Catholic Chaplain, Bard College
Rev. Ned Nerdin
Rev. Frederick L. Nixon Community of Faith, UCC, Houston, Texas
Fr. Jacek Orzechowski St. Camillus Church
Rev. Jeffery Ott Order of Preachers; Chaplain, Xavier University of LA
Rev. Elizabeth Pankey-Warren
Pastor Stephen Penner First Mennonite Church in Reedley, California
Rev. Sharyl Peterson First Congregational United Church of Christ, CO
Father William Pickard
Rev. Vertie Powers Southern Conference, United Church of Christ
Rev. William Rader United Church of Christ.
Rev. David Randle
Deacon Christa Rathe
Rev. James Rauner Catholic Deacon, Watervliet, Michigan
Swami Salokyananda Walter Reece
Rev. G.T. Regan Marterra Foundation
Minister Deacon Myra Reichart Center of Light Boston
Rev. Bruce Robbins Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church
Rev. W. Hunter Roberts Swedenborgian Church (National Council of Churches)
Retired Pastor Renate Rose UCC
Rev. Dr. Hugh Sanborn
Field Outreach Minister Jill Sanders Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
Retired Minister Leland Scott United Methodist
Rev. Rpse Wright Scott Victory UCC, North Carolina
Rev. Paul Seeback Knox Presbyterian Church
Rev. Ron Serino The First Congregational Church of St. Louis
Rev. Cynthia Shepherd Atlanta
Episcopal Priest Jane Shipp
Rabbi and Past President David Shneyer Ohalah Rabbinic Association
Minister Deacon Samuel Shykofsky Chicago
Rev. Linda Silas
Rev. Dr. David Spence FESTAVIVA
Rabbi David Spitz Rabbis for Obama
Rev. Donald Steelberg Mennonite Church USA
Marcia Sterling
George Traub Society of Jesuits. Xavier University
Deacon Minister Linette Treehause
Rev. Paul Treehause
Rev. Mitchell Trigger First Presbyterian Church
Rev. Mack and Muriel Tully Jerusalem UCC
Dr. Jane Vie Mary Magdalene Apostle Catholic Community
Rev. Sara Vurek Fairfax Community Church, United Church of Christ
Rev. William Weiksnar St. Anthony of Padua Church
Rev. Edgar Welty United Church of Christ.
Rev. Meg Whitakergreen
Rev. Nancy Wiens
Rev. Douglas Wilson UU Rowe Camp and Conference Center
Rev. Otha Wimbush, Jr. Jerusalem UCC, Palmer Springs, Virginia
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