An interfaith coalition consisting of the the Islamic Society of North America, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, and the National Council of Churches, among others, has launched a new campaign to encourage our leaders to find a budget solution that does not cut programs which protect the poor, the sick, the old, and hungry children.
More below the fold.
The program involves over 25 religious organizations and kicked off earlier this week.
To kick-off the campaign, the religious leaders sent urgent letters this week to President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) stating that "People who are served by government programs -- those who are poor, sick, and hungry, older adults, children, and people with disabilities -- should not bear the brunt of the budget-cutting burden."
The sad thing is that we have to actually tell Democrats like the President, Sen. Reid, and Leader Pelosi such things. It used to be a fundamental Democratic belief that we, as a society, have a duty to look after the "poor, sick, and hungry, older adults, children, and people with disabilities". They continued:
"We share our grave concern and dismay that the ongoing conversations and negotiations regarding our nation's budget may yield an outcome that places individuals and families struggling with poverty at risk of even further hardship while shielding the wealthiest in our nation from any additional sacrifice."
Exactly. The Republican proposals are Robin Hood in reverse...stealing from the poor to give to the rich. I used to ask myself how they lived with themselves. Then I remembered: they live in gated communities, where they never see starving kids, or the elderly people who can't get medical care. The ruling class, and here I mean both parties, has blinders on.
During the briefing, Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed, the National Director for the Office for Interfaith and Community Alliances at the Islamic Society of North America, spoke first about our responsibility to stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves.
He said, "It is our religious duty as part of the faith communities to convey our concerns about the problems of the budget cuts that will directly impact low income individuals and the dispossessed. We are asking for a budget that should be just and equitable. It is our Islamic duty because this is one of the pillars of Islam."
Well said. Helping the poor amongst us is one of the tenets shared by all major faiths. This coalition is a good example of how the faith community in America can and should work together on the various problems facing the nation.
In addition to letter writing and meetings with public officials, the coalition is holding daily prayer vigils in Washington D.C. on the lawn of the United Methodist Church. Each day, a different religious organization is holding the vigil.
I urge all Kossacks to add their own letters to those sent by coalition members. Write to your Senators and Representative. Write to the President. And for Kossacks of faith, I ask you to join me in adding our prayers to those of the coalition, that God...by whatever name your faith calls Him...intercedes on behalf of the poor and destitute of this nation.