People
of Faith Demanding 'Let Justice Roll!' Rally, Form
'Ring of Hope' in New York
September
1, 2004, New York City -- Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and
other people of faith -- all
carrying flashlights -- poured into the streets of
New York City on Tuesday evening (August
31) to "shine a light" on their demand for social justice and
an end to poverty.
More than 50 congregations throughout the city participated
in the "Ring of Hope," purposely held concurrent with the Republican
National Convention, to reclaim democracy for all Americans
-- including the poor, the sick, the unemployed and the disenfranchised.
The demonstration was organized by the Mobilization
2004 program of The Riverside Church, which joined
forces with the "Let
Justice Roll: Faith and Community Voices Against Poverty" national
campaign to co-sponsor an interfaith service that drew
between 1,200-1,400 people to the church Tuesday night and was broadcast
live on WBAI radio.
A similar service was held in Boston concurrent with
the Democratic National Convention.
After the service, congregants lined Broadway -- knowing
that other people of faith were lining up in other parts of the city
at the same time.
"
Let Justice Roll" is co-sponsored by the National Council of Churches
USA and the Center for Community Change, and the campaign's coordinator,
the Rev. Dr. Paul Sherry, said the goal is "to put the ugliness
of poverty on the nation's radar screen and to challenge
our nation even as we challenge ourselves, 'What will we do to end poverty?'"
"
Let Justice Roll," which by year's end will hold 17 to 20 events
in cities across the nation, is building an ongoing network of "thousands
of individuals and hundreds of organizations to address poverty and injustice
with strength," he said.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that in 2003, the percentage
of Americans in poverty and without health insurance grew for the third
straight year -- to 35.9 million people (one out of every eight people)
in poverty and 45 million (15.6 percent) without health insurance. The
official poverty threshold is $18,660 for a family of four.
Even those stark numbers don't tell the whole story,
said the Rev. Dr. Joseph C. Hough, Jr., President of
Union Theological Seminary, New York City. Of all Americans 55 years
of age and older,
61 percent have lived in or near poverty at some time
in their lives, and 68 percent of every American 65 years of age and
older "needs
public help at some time."
The faith perspective of "Let Justice Roll" and "Mobilization
2004" demands "good news for the poor," said the Rev.
Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr., Senior Minister of The Riverside Church, in
his message there Tuesday night. This is "an interfaith movement
dedicated to the elimination of poverty."
Dr. Forbes quoted former U.S. President Franklin Delano
Roosevelt, who recognized that to deny millions of
citizens the necessities of life is a challenge to our democracy. The
test of a great nation,
Dr. Forbes agreed, "is not whether we can add more abundance to
those who have too much, but whether we can be sure
those who have too little have enough."
"
If we believe God has given the world enough resources
to feed, educate and provide health care for everyone, then we know what
to do," he concluded.
The Riverside Church service included special music
by Peter Yarrow and others and prayers and litanies
led by leaders of a diversity of denominations and faiths. Declared the
Rev. Dr. C. Welton
Gaddy, President of The Interfaith Alliance, "All the religions
of this nation speak as with one voice and the subject
is justice."
Human rights activist Bianca Jagger asked all present
to search their souls as to which U.S. policies truly
represent the common good. "There is a lot of darkness in this country and despair throughout
the world," she said. "In your hands is the solution to poverty
and hunger."
Representatives of several community groups offered
their "Testimonies to the Reality We Face." Poverty is a human
rights violation, declared Ethel Long-Scott, Director of the Poor People's
Economics Human Rights Campaign. "The war on the poor is killing
our people," she said, calling on the United States to commit resources
to end the scourge of poverty.
Karen Washington, Vice President of the North West
Bronx Clergy Coalition, said, "The real war on terror isn't in Iraq
or Afghanistan, it is in our neighborhoods, which are
riddled by assault weapons, drive-by shootings, drugs and gang wars."
Community organizations are working hard to save their
neighborhoods, "but we need reinforcements," Washington said:
effective policing, a renewal of the federal ban on assault weapons,
paying jobs and "programs that educate, not incarcerate."
Wanda Imasuen described her struggle to survive after
she lost her job as a result of the September 11, 2001,
attacks -- and the strength she has found through her membership in Families
United
for Racial & Economic Equality. A member of the New York City AIDS
Housing Network told a similar story of struggle to
recover from drug use and incarceration and to get the care she needs
to live with HIV
infection.
More information about "Let Justice Roll" is available on
the Web at www.ncccusa.org,
and about Mobilization 2004 at www.mobilization2004.org. Besides
the Boston and New York events, the two campaigns have
collaborated with other partners on events in Seattle,
WA., Portland and Eugene, OR,
Rochester, NY, and Minneapolis, MN, with Dr. Forbes
preaching at all those events.
Dr. Forbes continues with his own cross-country speaking
engagements even as "Let Justice Roll" goes next to Milwaukee,
Wis.; Albuquerque, N.M., and Wilson, N.C. (all on Sept.
18); Philadelphia, Pa. (Sept. 23); Miami, Fla. (Sept. 25-26); Chicago,
Ill. (Oct. 9-10,
with Dr. Forbes); Columbus, Ohio (Oct. 11); Louden
County, Va. (Oct. 27), and to New Jersey, Colorado and Des Moines, Iowa
(dates TBA).
National Council of Churches USA
475 Riverside Dr, New York
New York 10115-0050
Media Contact: 212-870-2227
www.ncccusa.org