24 Aug 2008 Issue - Christian Vegetarian Association Update Newsletters


	Update Newsletters

Update Newsletters
24 Aug 2008 Issue

1. This Week’s Sermon
2. This Week’s Quotation
3. Grass-Roots Christian Ministries
4. Upcoming Leafleting Opportunities
5. Opposition to AETA

1. This Week’s Sermon

Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman’s sermon offering:

What Button Do We Push to Have True Fulfillment?

http://www.all-creatures.org/sermons97/s18aug91.html

2. This Week’s Quotation

“The guiding principle for all our interactions with animals should stress that it is a privilege to share our lives with other animals; we should respect their interests and lives at all times, and the animals’ own views of the world must be given serious consideration.” Marc Bekoff, Ph.D.

3. Grass-Roots Christian Ministries

Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman write: We have started a Directory of Grass-Roots Christian Ministries that are vegetarian (vegan) and minister to animals and the humans who care about them at
http://www.all-creatures.org/church/grmindir.html .

If any of you are interested in the services of these ministries, or would like to become a part of them, please contact them.

If your are part of an existing ministry, and would like to have it listed, or you would like to start one in your area of the world, please contact us.

And, please pass this email on to anyone else who may be interested.

In the Love of the Lord,
Frank and Mary
Visit our web site www.all-creatures.org
If we REALLY want God to bless America and the earth, GO VEGAN!

4. Upcoming Leafleting Opportunities

9/2 TN Johnson City ShoutFest Christian Rock Festival

9/3 KY Somerset ShoutFest Christian Rock Festival

9/5-6 OH Cleveland Promise Keepers Men’s Conference

9/5 FL Lake Buena Vista Rebecca St. james Night of Joy

9/12-13 WV Charleston Promise Keepers Men’s Conference

9/13 TX Fort Worth Steven Curtis Chapman & more Christian Concert

9/15 NM Santa Fe Salvaldor Christian Rock Concert

9/19-21 SC Charleston Franklin Graham Low Country Festival

9/26-27 FL Ft. Lauderdale Promise Keepers Men’s Conference

9/26 WA Tacoma Salvaldor Christian Rock Concert

To find out about all upcoming leafleting and tabling opportunities in your area, join the CVA Calendar Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/christian_vegetarian/. Read the home page, and then join. You will then be able to log in anytime to identify upcoming events in your region. Contact Paris at christian_vegetarian@yahoo.com if you might be able to help.

5. Opposition to AETA

Angela writes: Please send letters to Abolish AETA as a presidential proposal

Candidate contacts:

Senator Barack Obama
Obama for America
P.O. Box 8102
Chicago, IL 60680
Phone: 866-675-2008
Online Contact: http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/contact2
Website: www.barackobama.com

Senator John McCain
John McCain 2008
P.O. Box 16118
Arlington, VA 22215
Phone: 703-418-2008
Online Contact: http://www.johnmccain.com/Contact
Website: www.JohnMcCain.com

sample letter

Dear _____________

As a constituent and a registered voter, I am very concerned about the trend to eradicate fundamental civil liberties that, historically, have made this country a beacon of hope around the world. I am respectfully appealing to you as my representative to consider this issue.

On November 27, 2006, S. 3880 [109th]: Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (a bill to provide the Department of Justice the necessary authority to apprehend, prosecute, and convict individuals committing animal enterprise terror) became Public Law No: 109-374. While there is no room in our society for any actions that threaten public safety, I find it extremely worrisome that “terror” is increasingly being interpreted to include peaceful demonstrations --a cornerstone of American freedom.

While this Act explicitly protects any expressive conduct (including peaceful picketing or other peaceful demonstration) from prosecution as terrorism, the interpretation of this subject has been a point of debate since the law’s inception.

On October 30, 2006, the National Lawyers Guild released a statement strongly opposing the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, saying that "if enacted into law, the Act could define as a terrorist act any activity causing a business classified as an "animal enterprise" to suffer a profit loss – even if such financial decline is caused by peaceful protests, boycotts, media campaigns or leafleting." Guild President, Marjorie Cohn said, "The AETA could lead to the prosecution of undercover investigators, whistle-blowers and other activists as 'terrorists.'"

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) was the sole voice opposing the legislation when it passed by voice vote on November 13, 2006. He warned that passage of S. 3880 would endanger First Amendment protections, "I am not for anyone abusing their rights by damaging another person's property or person, but I am for protecting the First Amendment and not creating a special class of violations for a specific type of protest."

"Animal enterprise terror" is a vague term, but it seems under the Act to include anything which in any way interferes with the conduct of any commerce whatsoever, be it legal or illegal, involving animals or animal products.

This Act has been expanded to encompass activity with the intent to cause physical alterations for the purpose of damaging or impairing a company using animals. In this case, “alteration” means any activity that results in losses of $10,000+ due to peaceful protests, consumer boycotts, or the advocacy of reforms of harmful practices. As a committed animal advocate who from time to time participates in peaceful protests or other peaceful campaigns to educate the public, I find the implications of the current trend to restrict my rights by prosecution frightening.

As we look toward the election of a new president and the prospect of a restoration to a country where freedom is a basic right rather than an elusive concept, I am confident that you will give serious consideration to the dire implications of continuing along this path.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this important issue.

Sincerely,

Petition on line against AETA, S. 1926 and H.R. 4239

http://www.petitiononline.com/Stop4239/petition.html .

Your question and comments are welcome

This site is hosted and maintained by
The Mary T. and Frank L. Hoffman Family Foundation.

Since