This drawing, gifted to FAN by artist Rev. Dan Erlander, is an early depiction of the kind of multi-faith movement for justice our founders envisioned. It is replicated on the certificate received by each faith community when they join our network. In this season calling for FAN’s public witness,
may we find courage and synergy together!
ReAwaken America Tour Comes to
Washington-Idaho Border
We want to let you know about an event next month on the Washington-Idaho border that is the 15th iteration of a national movement called the ReAwaken America Tour. It will be a Christian nationalist political rally at a raceway in Post Falls, Idaho, on September 16-17. Michael Flynn will be one of the featured speakers of the event, as well as other collaborators in the 2021 January 6th insurrection and members of the clergy. FAN joined a letter with our colleagues in New York and the National Council of Churches in opposition to the recent stop of the tour at a church in Batavia, NY.
Standing against Christian nationalism is part of the public witness we are called to at Faith Action Network. At the FAN board and staff retreat this summer, we renewed our commitment to stand in support of those who experience hate and discrimination, especially in the name of religion. As a multifaith movement, we commit ourselves to continue standing against antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, xenophobia, and anti-democratic movements. In our current climate, as Christian nationalism aligns with violence and anti-democracy movements, we raise our voices to say that this movement does not reflect FAN’s shared values of love, justice, inclusion, equity, and compassion. We commit ourselves to work within our traditions to root out injustice and exclusion.
We believe Christians especially, together with all people of faith and conscience, have an important role to play in standing against this event. A group of local Christian clergy and allies are providing leadership from Spokane, working with Faithful America. They are specifically not holding a counter demonstration at the Post Falls site, as that would further ReAwaken America’s agenda of promoting their message. They will be sharing a petition and other actions to uplift our shared values; we will pass them along for your sign-on as soon as they are ready.
For now, we are inviting your faith communities to consider a form of action in solidarity from wherever you are in the state of Washington during the weekend of September 16-18. This might be a prayer vigil or moment of awareness in your services that weekend; an educational forum to learn about Christian nationalism and white supremacy movements; or a collaboration with another faith community in your neighborhood. We encourage you to celebrate the liberative themes of your tradition that uphold justice, peace, love, and human dignity that weekend. These are our spiritual tools against hate and division.
Please let us know what your community might consider doing the weekend of Sept 16-18 by filling in this Google form. We will share your responses to support people of faith in Spokane, Post Falls, and beyond as they prepare their local response. While this is happening in Eastern Washington, the ripples affect all of us.
We will update you as plans and responses evolve. Thank you for your faithful witness!
We Stand for Migrants’ Religious Rights
FAN is proud to join the Sikh Coalition and more than 160 other organizations in asking the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to end border officials’ religious-freedom violations and their practice of trashing migrants’ personal belongings. Read the full text of the petition here.
Take Action
The state legislature passed Washington’s Clean Fuel Standard in 2021. Now the WA Department of Ecology is implementing that law, and we want to make sure it will be as strong as possible! A strong standard will help our transportation system become cleaner and more accessible. The draft rule issued by the Department of Ecology proposes an ambitious, rapid implementation plan.
Help ensure that the Clean Fuel Standard stays strong through to the finish line. Now through August 31, join with others in the multifaith community to support cleaner fuels and healthier communities by adding your comments to this letter campaign created by Earth Ministry/Washington and Interfaith Power & Light.
You can also voice your approval to the WA Department of Ecology for setting our clean fuels trajectory to be the strongest possible per the law. Help ensure that the final rule maintains the strong carbon intensity standards of a 20% reduction by 2034.
Events
Saturday, August 27, 10am, Town Hall, Seattle. The Alliance for Gun Responsibility Foundation’s Youth Summit will be a space for young activists (under 25) to learn more about how to effectively bring about change to keep our communities safe. Find out more and register here.
Thursday, September 1, 5pm-7:30pm, Lake Sammamish State Park, Issaquah. Community, Conservation, & Culture, a community event organized by Global Social Business Partners and the Lake Sammamish Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership. Learn more and RSVP here: https://bit.ly/GSBP-UWRP.
Sunday, September 11 to Saturday, October 22, online. Global Interfaith Compassion Challenge. Join people from many faith communities in exploring ways to bring the timeless virtue of compassion into our lives and work toward bringing about large-scale social change through compassion. Find out more here.
Saturday, September 17, 10am-5pm, Skagit Valley College, Mount Vernon. 2022 Labor & Immigration Summit hosted by the Washington State Labor Council and the AFL-CIO Labor & Immigration Committee. FAN is pleased to co-sponsor this year’s event with the theme “Immigrant and Refugee Workers Rising and The Future of the Labor Movement.” There will be workshops, a guest speakers’ breakfast, lunch, and free parking. Register here. For more information, email Dgutierrez@wslc.org.
Saturday, September 24, noon, Cal Anderson Park to the Federal Building. Seattle Rally and March for Nuclear Abolition, sponsored by Citizens for the Universal Abolition of Nuclear Weapons. Find out more here.
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