"... And we ask ourselves this question, ‘Why do they hate us? Why do they hate us so much?’

Ladies and gentlemen, the answer to that is because we’re a Christian nation, because our foundation and our roots are Judeo-Christian. Did I say Judeo-Christian? Yes. Judeo-Christian..."

"...I’m a warrior. One day I’m going to take off this uniform and I’m still going to be a warrior. And what I’m here to do today is to recruit you to be warriors of God’s kingdom."
                                                                    Lt. Gen. William G. “Jerry” Boykin,
                                                                    First Baptist Church
                                                                    Broken Arrow, Okla., June 30, 2002
                                                                    [recently promoted Three Star General]

Action! from:
Civil Liberties Defense Coalition (CLDC)

Call to Faith Communities
Throughout Southern California
October 24 –26 2003

Sunday, October 26, marks the second anniversary of the signing of the Patriot Act, a law purported to be one of the first lines of defense in the “war on terrorism.”

Instead, it has become a tool of the administration to stifle dissent, strip away human and civil rights, and roll back advances made in the area of civil liberties over the past 150 years.

The Civil Liberties Defense Coalition is a group of unions, community groups, politicians, faith communities, and individuals who have joined to express our concerns about this act and its erosion of our liberties. Currently we are supporting a resolution proposed by LA City Council member Jan Perry , which calls for the repeal of unconstitutional provisions of the Patriot Act.

We are calling on all communities of faith, as well as on other non-sectarian groups within the Southern California region to use the weekend of October 24 – 26 as a time of education, action and reflection about the Patriot Act.

See http://icujp.org/speakOut.shtml#patriot for details.
Sign the online petition at the CLDC website.

Action! from:
ICUJP

Defend Democratic Elections
in El Salvador

At the ICUJP Monday Night Forum on October 13 with guest Schafik Handal, we were alerted to the need to be vigilant as elections in El Salvador approach (in March, 2004) – vigilant against the real threat posed to democracy by actions of the U.S. gov't or its agents which may seek to destabilize and otherwise influence the outcome of these elections. The precedents for this kind of unethical and anti-democratic behavior on the part of the U.S. are numerous and most recently include plots against the President and constitutional gov't of Venzuela and also not-to-subtle pressures brought to bear on the outcome of elections in Nicaragua.

ICUJP urges you to send the letter provided on our website to Secretary of State Colin Powell asking him to provide assurances that the U.S. will not in any way act as an anti-democratic force in this or any other election.

See http://icujp.org/speakOut.shtml#elSalvador for details.

Tuesday October 28, 2003
5:00 pm

Where did our schools and hospitals go?
Protest Bechtel Corporation:
War Profiteers Prosper - Working People Suffer

Bechtel Corporation's LA Offices
707 Wilshire Blvd (at Hope St)
Downtown Los Angeles

Mark this Halloween by protesting truly scary Bechtel Corporation

Bechtel, along with Halliburton, recieves billions to implement US control over Iraq's resources.

Their efforts to privatize water in many countries was, in Bolivia, defeated by a grassroots rebellion.

Women, hardest hit by their policies, are central to the fight against Bechtel, starting with grandmothers from Big Mountain who fought displacement.

Bechtel oversees the nuclear dumpsite at Yucca Mountain.

Former Secretary of State George Shultz is currently on the board of the Bechtel Corporation. Shultz is California Gov.-elect Schwartzeneger's economic advisor.

Last April, the Bush administration gave Bechtel the first big Iraqi reconstruction contract, a prized $680 million deal over 18 months.

Join women and men in this anti-military/anti-corporate protest.
COSTUMES WELCOME.

For more information call (323) 292-7405, or e-mail la@crossroadswomen.net

Called by the Global Women's Strike, co-sponsored by ANSWER and others .

Sunday November 16, 2003
ICUJP Fall Conference at USC:
Confronting Extremism in Our Religious Traditions:
The Impact on the Public Square

Keynote Speaker
Chip Berlet
Senior Analyst, Political Research Associates
co–author, with Matthew N. Lyons
'Right-Wing Populism in America: Too Close for Comfort'

Religious Leaders Speak Out on Issues of Religious Extremism:
Dr. Maher Hathout
Islamic Center of Southern California & Author of 'Jihad Versus Terrorism'

Rabbi Haim Dov Beliak
Executive Director, HaMifgash

Reverend Zelda Kennedy
All Saints Church, Pasadena

USC's Mark Taper Hall
3501 Trousdale Pkwy
Los Angeles

for more information, see:
http://icujp.org/calendar.shtml#nov16

more information about the Religious Right from Political Research Associates:
http://www.publiceye.org/main.htm

Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace (ICUJP) c/o the Regas Institute, 215 North Marengo, Third Floor Pasadena, CA 91101 USA tel.: (626) 683-9004 • fax: (626) 683-9485 http://icujp.org email: icujp@pacbell.net (coordinator) webmanager@icujp.org (web and email)