Dear Good Shepherd Advocates:

ELECTION 2008

This fall will mark one of the most momentous elections our nation has ever seen.  As we all know, the primaries have already generated a lot of energy around the elections, and we’re keeping that moving today!  Today is the launch of the Faithful Democracy Website .  Please take a moment right now to click on this link and check out the site.  NAC has been instrumental in the preparation of this website which is meant to be a clearinghouse for election resources specifically targeted at people for whom faith is central.  This non-partisan site calls upon the prophetic history of faith and its role in civic life: indeed one’s faith MUST be an inspiration to take action in the political arena.

NAC will be compiling resources for voter education in the coming months in order to ensure that our Good Shepherd People know the issues and where the candidates stand.  You can expect this information about the issues to be coming through the lens of the Good Shepherd spirit: the promotion of women and girls. 

Coming soon…

POVERTY: women disproportionately bear its weight.  Where do the candidates stand on education, housing, child support, and healthcare? 

IMMIGRATION: what do the candidates propose to do for people who are migrating? 

PEACE: as the number of Iraqi civilian deaths climbs frighteningly close to 100,000 people, more than 70 US female soldiers have died, and more than 160,000 have served in the Middle East since the war began in 2003. We ask where the candidates stand on the war.

TRAFFICKING – ACTION REQUEST!

The new omnibus bill that includes immigration provisions for the CNMI is going to be up for a vote in the Senate soon.  Go to our website

to print out and fax a letter requesting support from your Senators for the Human Trafficking victims of the CNMI!!  Remember, you can find your Senator’s fax numbers by scrolling to the bottom of the page where you enter your name and address.

If you live in New Mexico, Idaho, Wyoming, Alaska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Oregon, Oklahoma or Florida, your letters are particularly crucial.  Please E-mail or Fax them in ASAP!!

MOTHER’S DAY

One of our faith partners in action is Jewish Women International and they have a beautiful Mother’s Day project that has been running for 10 years.  The Flower Project sends a bouquet of flowers on Mother’s Day to over 150 domestic violence shelters nationwide.  To participate in the program, go to the JWI website and spend $25 to empower these survivors!  JWI will send a Mother’s Day card with an original piece of artwork by an Israeli woman, Betty Rubinstein, on it to the woman in your life who you would like to honor.