Dear Friends of Peace & Justice,

We hope all is well with you this holiday season!

There are two key dates this month worth noting: International Human Rights Day is December 10. In 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which affirmed the "dignity and worth of the human person." The other is International Migrants Day on December 18. Since 2000, this day has been set aside to recognize the large and increasing number of migrants in the world.

In this latest Update, there is information about fair trade and the logos used to identify fair trade products in the Global Solidarity section and in the Resources, there is an article that appeared recently in America magazine, A Memo to the Bishops A Call to Preach the Fullness of Catholic Doctrine, that asks the bishops to increase their teaching on social justice issues. There is also a list of "green" restaurants in the Chicago area. We also added a new section, Principles, that looks at the relationship of charity to justice.

As always we value your feedback. Please let us know if you have any ideas or suggestions.

Peace & good will to all of you!

Vic & Mary

LOCAL ACTIVITIES


A Just Harvest
A Just Harvest, formerly known as The Good News Community Soup Kitchen, serves hot meals to the hungry 365 days a year in Rogers Park. In June 2009 eight women from the St. Francis Xavier gym mass community began making sack lunches once a month for clients to take home. The group has now expanded to a core group of 14 with many others contributing fruit to include in the sacks. They began by making 150 lunches, but now make 200 because of the increasing numbers of people being served. By the end of this year they will have made 2,850 sack lunches. New volunteers are always welcome. Please contact Ellen Walker (847-256-3747) or Cinda Axley (847-251-4366) for more information. For more information about A Just Harvest, click here: www.ajustharvest.org/about/our-new-name/

Guaranteed Green Restaurants in Chicago
Did you know there are a few restaurants in the area that are guaranteed to be green? They have been independently certified by the Green Restaurant Association, the Green Seal to having achieved a substantial level of environmental sustainability in the areas of water and energy conservartion, food purchasing, disposable products sourcing, waste diversion, chemical use and pollution control. The restaurants are Big Jones, Bleeding Heart Bakery, Blind Faith Café, Frontera, Keefer's, Poag Mahone's, The Republican, Roti Mediterranean Grill, Sopraffina, Tratorria No. 10 & Uncommon Underground.

For more information, click here: buygreenchicago.com



American Citizenship Application Loans
Did you know it costs $680 to apply for American citizenship? For some people this fee is prohibitive so the Logan Square Association has made arrangements for American Citizens Loans from the State Bank of Countryside to help pay this fee. For information on click here: www.lsna.net/calendar/539  or call Marcelo Ferrer at 773 384-4370 ext. 11 or mferrer@lsna.net.



Did you know?
The Greater Chicago Food Depository is set to distribute more than 20,000 turkeys and more than 14,000 hams during the holidays.



Families Wait in Broadview for Chance to See Deportees
In the Monday Nov. 15 issue of The Chicago Tribune, there was an article on the on the Broadview Center – where undocumented people are held and transported out of the country. Every Friday, there is a vigil to pray for these people and their families. To read the article, click here: www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-red-deport-depot-20101114,0,7259576.story



Illinois Commission Questions Use of Millions for Death Penalty Prosecutions
The Illinois Capital Reform Study Committee, created by the state legislature in 2003 and headed by Thomas P. Sullivan, a former U.S. Attorney, recently issued its sixth and final report on the Illinois death penalty. The report found that taxpayers are spending tens of millions of dollars on the prosecution of a large number of death-penalty cases, even though relatively few result in actual death sentences. Since 2003, 18 people have been sentenced to death, even though 500 defendants had capital charges brought against them. The report found that prosecutors seek the penalty as a bargaining ploy in pursuit of a lesser guilty plea and sentence. Leigh B. Bienen, a senior lecturer at Northwestern University School of Law and a member of the study committee designed to help fix the state's system of capital punishment said, "It doesn't look too fixed to me."  Since 2000, she learned, $100 million in taxpayer money has been spent via the Capital Litigation Trust Fund. The money was meant to ensure defense counsel in capital cases, especially in places where public defender offices were inadequate for the task. But the fund is also used by prosecutors to pay for their considerable nonsalary expenses, including those for investigators.

To read more click here: www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/studies-illinois-commission-questions-use-millions-death-penalty-prosecutions



Outlaw Death Penalty to Save Lives and Cash
In an editorial in its November 8th issue, the Chicago Sun-Times supported the abolition of the death penalty in Illinois. The paper noted its past support for capital punishment:  "In the past, we've supported the death penalty as long as the legal system gives the accused a fair trial that results in a verdict of guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Sadly, in light of experiences in recent years, that goal seems unrealistic."  Among the reasons for favoring abolition, the paper wrote that, "The death penalty is arbitrary - handed down in some cases but not in others with similar facts. Even with the best safeguards in place, it's unreliable, with irreversible consequences. And it's costly," consuming $100 million in the past 7 years. As an alternative, the editorial noted that, "Like the death penalty, life without parole keeps heinous criminals off our streets, deters serious offenses and gives victims a sense that justice has been served."  Click here to read full editorial: www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/2873648,CST-EDT-edit08a.article



Give Hope, Spread Joy
Looking for a meaningful holiday gift for friends or family members this year? Honor them by giving a gift in their name to feed families facing hunger across America. They send customized cards directly to your loved ones or send you a pack of cards to personalize and send on your own. For more information, click here: http://help.feedingamerica.org/site/PageServer?pagename=2010store