wfn.org | Religious Leaders, in Detroit Nov. 20, to Demand Cleaner Cars

["Nat'l Council of Churches" <nccc_usa@ncccusa.org>]

National Council of Churches
EMBARGO UNTIL 10:30 AM, EST, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2002
Contact: Michelle Mulkey, Lisa Chen, Parker Blackman, 415-901-0111

Senior Religious Leaders Make Pilgrimage to Detroit to Demand Cleaner Cars
from Big Three Automakers; Evangelical Christians Announce TV & Print
Campaign
"What Would Jesus Drive?"

Detroit, MI (November 20, 2002) - As American cars continue to get fewer
miles per gallon, a delegation of American religious leaders - carrying an
open letter from over 100 heads of denominations and senior religious
leaders from 21 states to automobile executives - will travel to Detroit on
November 20 to launch a major national effort to get Ford, GM, and Chrysler
to build cleaner, more efficient cars.

Against a backdrop of controversy about Chevrolet's sponsorship of a
Christian music tour, evangelical Christians will be announcing a new, "What
Would Jesus Drive?" advertising and outreach campaign. The delegation will
meet with auto executives and leadership at the United Auto Workers.

The interfaith campaign, which began in pews in 20 states on November 10th,
represents an unprecedented effort in the religious community to push
automakers to manufacture cleaner cars and members of tens of thousands of
congregations to buy them. The campaign and open letter argue that polluting
cars are "warming the planet, contributing to causes of war, and increasing
the burden on the poorBecause automobiles are having such extraordinary
global impact, choices about what cars to build raise fundamental moral
issues."

WHAT: Press conference

WHO: Speakers include:
Bob Edgar, National Council of Churches of Christ
David Saperstein, Director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Ron Sider, Evangelical Environmental Network
Paul Gorman, National Religious Partnership for the Environment
Sister Nancy Sylvester, Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

WHEN: 10:30 am EST, Wednesday, November 20, 2002

WHERE: Live attendance: Renaissance Center Marriott, Greco Room, 4th Floor
Detroit, MI
To participate outside of Detroit, call (800) 233-2795 Conference ID:
Detroit

VISUALS: At 10:30 am, speakers will arrive in front of General Motors
headquarters in downtown Detroit riding in a convoy of fuel-efficient
vehicles owned and driven by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart
of Mary from Monroe, MI. Written on the hood, back, top and sides of each of
the electric-hybrid cars will be one word in the phrase, "What Would Jesus
Drive?" publicizing the Evangelical campaign.

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