Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Meeting

January 2012 was declared ‘Poverty in America Awareness Month’. As you may recall, in my post on “Poverty Awareness Month”, I shared facts about the prevalence of poverty in America. The month of January and ‘Poverty in America Awareness Month’ is over.  Unfortunately, poverty in America is not—that is why I will continue to write about it and actions which can and should be taken to address it.

If poverty was not brought to an end in “Poverty Awareness Month” this gives rise to the question, why was the afore-referenced awareness month held?  The reason is that an awareness month is designed to prompt action and gain attention to a particular plight.  Awareness months serve to educate the public on the prevalence of societal ills which must be addressed and to highlight the need to take immediate action.  And through awareness raising efforts, we hope to prompt in someone a twinge, a feeling, an emotion, or a question that will create a ‘call to action’.  That call to action might be to advocate, volunteer your time, or to learn more. And now that “Poverty Awareness Month” is over, we, as a society and/or as individuals, have an obligation to help those people who heard the message to take decisive action.  Each of us must be the voice of the poor to those who choose to hear about their plight and to encourage them to take the requisite actions to address the problems of the poor.

Here’s an opportunity to be a voice for change: Today, Union and progressive activists are staging some unique events at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) meeting in Washington, D.C., the annual gathering of the Who’s Who of the 1 percent, including Mitt Romney, Scott Walker, Newt Gingrich, Paul Ryan, Ann Coulter and Grover Norquist. Actions are set for noon and 5 p.m. (EST). If you are in the D.C. area and want to join in, go to the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel (2600 Woodley Rd. at Connecticut Ave. N.W.).

Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art

Sources: AFL-CIO. St. Vincent de Paul Society.

 

Troy Davis’ Execution Sparks Recommitment to Abolishing the Death Penalty

After valiant efforts to stop the execution of Troy Davis for more than two decades, late last night, more than one million people from all around the globe bid him “goodbye”.

After the execution of Troy Davis, Laura Moye at Amnesty International wrote in her action alert sent to members, “…My heart is heavy. I am sad and angry. The state of Georgia has proven what we already know. Governments cannot be trusted with the awful power over life and death… Georgia didn’t just kill Troy Davis; they killed the faith and confidence that many Georgians, Americans, and Troy Davis supporters worldwide used to have in our criminal justice system.”

It has been reported that, Troy Davis stated repeatedly that his case was about so much more than him. As a result, Troy’s words give those involved in seeking justice in the Davis case fodder to carry on and stay committed to this fight and the larger fight to make sure there will be no more Troy Davis’ in this nation.

Because of this case, many people from both ends of the political spectrum have been made aware of the countless flaws in the criminal justice system.  As was stated in the action alert by Georgians For An Alternative to the Death Penalty, “…we need you to stay awake.”  As people are in the early stages of mourning the execution of Troy Davis, it has been reported that the State of Georgia has issued a warrant for another death row inmate with an execution date between October 5-October 12, 2011.  Opponents of the death penalty have recommitted themselves to fight against the relentless killing machine also known as the death penalty.

“As Troy Davis wrote in a letter when he was facing execution in 2008:

… no matter what happens in the days, weeks to come, this Movement to end the
death penalty, to seek true justice, to expose a system that fails to protect the innocent must be accelerated. There are so many more Troy Davis’. This fight to end the death penalty is not won or lost through me but through our strength to move forward and save every innocent person in captivity around the globe. We need to dismantle this unjust system city by city, state by state and country by country.”

Toward that goal, I am signing Amnesty International’s pledge to fight the death
penalty and donating to the Innocence Project. If you are seeking  a way to turn your disappointment over the outcome in the Troy Davis case into action, I hope that you will join me and countless others in signing the pledge and supporting the to free the staggering number of innocent people who are currently incarcerated. With that said, you can sign Amnesty International USA’s pledge here: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=264324&id=31297-18765278-GwkN2Yx&t=1. Further, you can donate to the Innocence Project, a nonprofit committed to fight to “free the staggering numbers of innocent people who remain incarcerated,” below: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=264322&id=31297-18765278-GwkN2Yx&t=2

Sources: Amnesty International. Georgians For An Alternative to the Death Penalty. Moveon.org.

Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art