Sisters of St Dominic of Amityville, New York

CALLTO JUSTICE: 2006-2007

FRAMEWORK

Care of Creation is the framework upon which we built!
as Dominican Justice Promoters.

As Dominicans we:

study the interrelatedness of all;
challenge systems that dominate and oppress our world;
encourage a life style that fosters equality and mutuality;
preach truth that liberates all;
pray to sustain hope;
enhance life for Earth community.

We believe Earth is in crisis. We are called to live simply and to practice
sustainability. Therefore we will work on the following:

GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming is unraveling life on planet Earth. We pledge to:

Educate about global warming and international agreements concerning
global warming;
Network with Dominican Ecological Centers, and collaborate with
environmental groups;
Lobby legislators to sponsor bills limiting pollution and greenhouse
gasses;
Foster investments in environmentally sound companies and consider
refusing to patronize the worse offenders;
Encourage our congregations/provinces to conduct an energy audit and
implement the recommendations;
Encourage local alternative sources of energy, i.e. solar panels,
windmills, geothermal;
Examine transportation alternatives, e.g. hybrid cars, public
transportation, car pooling; utilize conference calls and other
technologies, when appropriate.
Re-emphasize our commitment to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

		We believe that peace is wholeness created by right relationship with God, self, others, and creation. We respond to the call from our Dominican family and the people they accompany in times of injustice. Therefore, we will work on the following:

		Death Penalty Everyone is created in the image of God, and our respect for all life is at the root of our opposition to the death penalty. We pledge to:
		Work for abolition of the death penalty; Participate in the campaign For Whom The Bells Toll: Participate in state wide anti-death penalty campaigns; Encourage congregations/provinces to create a corporate stance on the death penalty.

	$Disarmament\$	Disarmament Our country and our world will be safer by the reduction and eventual elimination of all weapons including nuclear, chemical, biological, and conventional. We pledge to:
		Call upon the U.S. government to support the global abolition of nuclar weapons, all weapons of mass distruction and small arms as well as honor the international agreements they have signed; Use the Nuclear Disarmanet Packet 2008 of the Federation Committee and adopt the Corporate Stance; Urge Legislators to oppose trade of conventional weapons.

		Iraq The invasion of Iraq by the U.S.-led coalitions was unjust and immoral and we call for the U.S. government to honor their commitment to humanitarian aid and reconstruction. We pledge to:
		Encourage the Iraq Coordinating Committee (ICC) to continue the development of activities and to implement strategies for the Dominican family in North America; Encourage the Dominicn family to participate in the annual International Day of Peace on September 21, with a special focus on Iraq; Endorse the ICC's January 2006 statement on Iraq and connecting with national and international organizations forcused on peace in Iraq.

		Israel/Palestine The economic, humanitarian and violent crisis in the Middle East continues to prevent peace in a region where peoples have been longing for peace. We will stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the region and call for international efforts to bring peace. We pledge to:
		Incorporate the Israel/Palestine conflict in the Iraq Coordinating Committee's work; Develop background and advocacy resources; Continue to support the Palestinaian solidarity project.

		Africa Vilence has shattered countries of Africa, their peoples and their lands. This violence has caused the destruction of resources and has led to famine, disease (HIV/AIDS), and genocide. We pledge to:
		Give a voice to the experiences and needs of our Dominican family in Africa; Foster responsible investment in Africa which promotes peace and welfare of peoples and the land; Maintain a link with the Dominican Alliance Africa Committee to disseminate resources to the rest of the family.

		Colombia Colombia continues to suffer the consequences of an armed conflict that has lasted more than 50-years. We stand in solidarity with more than 3,000 Dominicans living and ministering in Colombia. We pledge to:
		Raise awareness of U.S. military policies and their consequences on the people of Colombia; Lobby Legislators to increase humanitarian aid, eliminate U.S. military aid, and stop aerial fumigation; Urge the Colombian government to fulfill the recommendations of the 2006 report on the High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding the situation in Colombia; Support demonstrations against the School of the Americas/Western Hemispheric Institute for Security Cooperation (SOA/WHINSEC) that are held in the U.S. and Latin America; Review our investments and encourage shareholder adovcacy in corporations.

We believe that another world is possible,one built on global solidarity in which all peoples have the right to be fully human. Therefore we work on the following:

	Migration/Immigration We recognize that the conditions that compel people to leave their homes out of desperation and lack of opportunities to provide for themselves and their families, must be addressed if an effective and comprehensive response to migration is to be achieved. We pledge to:
	Support and utilize the Justice for Immigrants Campaign of USCCB; Encourage us to respond to the Peoples on the Move Call from Franjeaux; Affirm the work of the Dominican Immigration Committee; Collaborate with other organizations and Dominican groups from North and South America.

	Human Trafficking The trafficking of persons for sexual exploitation or forced labor is a grevous violation of the dignity of the human person and is a form of modern day slavery. We pledge to:
	Utilise and encourage the work of the Dominican Coordinating Committee to end Human Trafficking; Develop and encourage local educational workshops on trafficking; Continue to work to create and pass state legislation on trafficking: Connect with national and international organizations.

	United Nations Dominican Family is present in Geneva and New York. We pledge to:
	Encourage participation of Dominicans in the UN and connect with our representatives in Geneva and New York; Participate in UN activities and educational opportunities; Encourage the U.S. to honor its international agreements and cooperate in the international community.

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