The Acts of Convention
| Resolution Number: | 2012-A079 |
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| Title: | Urge Defense of Human Rights and Communities Unduly Affected |
| Legislative Action Taken: | Concurred as Substituted |
| Final Text: | |
Resolved, That the 77th General Convention urge each congregation in The Episcopal Church to become a model for peacemaking in our society by encouraging its members to commit themselves to nonviolent and peaceable behavior in their relationships with others and to express concern about attacks on human rights, including attacks on the right to dissent from U.S. government policy; and be it further
Resolved, That the General Convention express its concern through its Office of Government Relations that use of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, the Patriot Act, and the Supreme Court decision in Holder vs. Humanitarian Law Project have a chilling effect on God's call to peacemaking and unduly impact the Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim communities in the United States; and be it further
Resolved, That the General Convention commend Episcopal congregations for their work in interfaith bridge building, including between Christian, Muslim, and Jewish communities.
| Citation: | General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of...The Episcopal Church, Indianapolis, 2012 (New York: General Convention, 2012), pp. 281-282. |
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Legislative History
| Author: | Standing Commission on Social Justice and Public Policy |
|---|---|
| Originating House: | House of Deputies |
| Originating Committee: | National and International Concerns |
House of Deputies
The House of Deputies Committee on National and International Concerns presented its Report #23 on Resolution A079 (American Civil Liberties) and moved adoption of a substitute.
Original Text of Resolution
(A079)
Resolved, That the House of Bishops concurring, That the 77th General Convention, in light of its call to "promote a culture of nonviolence which values love, compassion, and justice, and rejects violence as a means of solving problems" (General Convention Resolution 2000-D022, "Support the UN’s Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence") and its call "That each congregation of the Episcopal Church become a model for peacemaking in our violent society by encouraging its members to commit themselves to nonviolent and peaceable behavior in their relationships with others" (General Convention Resolution 2000-A058, "Encourage Congregations to Adopt a ‘Pledge of Nonviolence’"), express its concern about recent attacks on public, peaceful political activists and their organizations who speak out on human rights issues which may conflict with foreign policy of the United States government; and be it further
Resolved, That the General Convention express its concern of the use of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (1996), the Patriot Act, and the Supreme Court decision, "Holder vs. Humanitarian Law Project" (June 2010), which allowed the FBI to issue Grand Jury subpoenas to twenty-three peace and anti-war activists in the Fall of 2010 by citing federal law that they provided material support or resources to designated foreign terrorist organizations; and be it further
Resolved, That the General Convention express its concern that these FBI Grand Jury subpoenas have a chilling effect on God’s call to peacemaking; and be it further
Resolved, That the General Convention express its concern that these FBI Grand Jury subpoenas have unduly impacted the Arab, Palestinian and Muslim communities of the United States; and be it further
Resolved, That the General Convention commend those Episcopal congregations for their work on interfaith bridge building, especially between Christian and Muslim communities; and be it further
Resolved, that the Secretary of General Convention send this resolution to President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder.
Committee Substitute
Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 77th General Convention urge each congregation in The Episcopal Church to become a model for peacemaking in our society by encouraging its members to commit themselves to nonviolent and peaceable behavior in their relationships with others and to express concern about attacks on human rights, including attacks on the right to dissent from U.S. government policy; and be it further
Resolved, That the General Convention express its concern through its Office of Government Relations that use of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, the Patriot Act, and the Supreme Court decision in Holder vs. Humanitarian Law Project have a chilling effect on God's call to peacemaking and unduly impact the Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim communities in the United States; and be it further
Resolved, That General Convention commend Episcopal congregations for their work in interfaith bridge building, including between Christian, Muslim, and Jewish communities.
Motion carried
Substitute resolution adopted
(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #178)
House of Bishops
The House of Bishops Committee on National and International Concerns presented its Report #23 on HD Message #178 on Resolution A079 (American Civil Liberties) and moved concurrence.
Motion carried
The House concurred
(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #226)
Resolution Concurred by Both Houses, July 11.
| Report Reference: | Standing Commission on Social Justice and Public Policy, Reports to the 77th General Convention, 2012, pp. 516-527. |
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| Abstract: | The 77th General Convention expresses concern about the potential impact of U.S. anti-terrorism laws on Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim communities; commends interfaith bridge building; and urges congregations to defend the right of dissent against US government policy. |
| Notes: | "The Patriot Act" referred to in the Final Text is an abbreviation of "The USA Patriot Act," which is an acronym for “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism” Act of 2001. |