wfn.org | Interfaith leaders ask candidates to address poverty

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

>Interfaith leaders call on candidates
>to make major statements on poverty

New York, August 4, 2008 - High ranking Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and
Protestant leaders have called on the presidential candidates of both
major parties to use their primetime slots at the nominating conventions
to offer plans for combating poverty.

"As people of faith, we believe that it is immoral to ignore our
nation's most vulnerable populations," the leaders said in letters to
Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona and Democratic Senator Barack
Obama of Illinois.

"As Americans," the leaders wrote, "we believe enduring poverty
undermines our country's economic strength and prosperity. Everyday,
faith organizations serve individuals in need within our communities.
But our efforts to sustain our brothers and sisters living in poverty
must be complemented with a serious plan from our political leaders to
reduce the number of needy."

The Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council
of Churches, is among the signers of the letter. The NCC has called
poverty a "scourge" that "enslaves and breaks the spirits of tens of
millions of Americans." The council's long-standing policy is to "look
toward a measurable reduction of poverty in America and a greater
potential for all persons to live the lives for which they were
created."

Other signers of the letter are Rabbi Steve Gutow, executive director of
the Jewish Council for Public Affairs; Rev. Richard Cizik, vice
president for government affairs of the National Association of
Evangelicals; Rabbi David Saperstein, director and counsel of the
Religion Action Center for Reform Judaism; Rev. David Beckmann,
president of Bread for the World; Rev. Jim Wallis, head of Sojourners;
Father Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA; Dr. Sayyid M.
Syeed, secretary general of the Islamic Society of America; and Dr. Eboo
Patel, executive director of Interfaith Youth Core.

"By making a commitment to help 'the least of us,'" the leaders told the
candidates, "you can help create an economy that enables all Americans
to move forward together. Giving a primetime speech at the 2008 national
convention is an important first step. We look forward to working with
you to make sure our nation's most fundamental values - a commitment to
shared prosperity and opportunity for all - are given the attention they
so desperately need and deserve."

>The full text of the letter follows:

As communities of faith, we are grounded in a shared tradition of
justice and compassion. We are called upon to hold ourselves and our
communities accountable to the moral standard of our faith tradition. We
speak together now to express concern about the plague of persistent
poverty in America.

As we look across our country today, we see a nation in which millions
of people lack the basic necessities of life.  During these tough
economic times too many Americans are only one job loss, health crisis,
or foreclosure away from poverty. More than 37 million Americans,
including nearly 13 million children, live in poverty today. Our common
faith teachings present a vision of shared responsibility that commands
that we leave the corners of our field for the poor and the stranger,
and mandates, "There Shall Be No Needy Among You" (Deuteronomy 15:4).

We are therefore asking each of our national political parties to
present a primetime speech at its 2008 convention that is solely
dedicated to proposing a comprehensive plan to address poverty and
opportunity in America over the next decade.  We believe that all
political parties have an important contribution to make on this issue.
Your party's willingness to present your vision on this topic in a
primetime address will send a clear message about your priorities to
tens of millions of concerned citizens.

As people of faith, we believe that it is immoral to ignore our nation's
most vulnerable populations. As Americans, we believe enduring poverty
undermines our country's economic strength and prosperity. Everyday,
faith organizations serve individuals in need within our communities.
But our efforts to sustain our brothers and sisters living in poverty
must be complemented with a serious plan from our political leaders to
reduce the number of needy.

We will mark the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on August 29,
2008, a date that falls between the Democratic and Republican national
conventions. The tragedy in the Gulf Coast temporarily unmasked the
depths of poverty that are too common in our country. In the weeks
leading up to the election, the interfaith community will be mobilizing
our networks and starting a national conversation in churches,
synagogues, and mosques--in the shelters and soup kitchens of our faith
based service providers, and among people of faith across our great
nation. We will be drawing from our shared scriptures and commitment to
our fellow beings, working to build the political and public will to
combat poverty in the United States. We hope you will do the same from
the podium at your party's convention this summer.

By making a commitment to help "the least of us," you can help create an
economy that enables all Americans to move forward together. Giving a
primetime speech at the 2008 national convention is an important first
step. We look forward to working with you to make sure our nation's most
fundamental values - a commitment to shared prosperity and opportunity
for all - are given the attention they so desperately need and deserve.

NCC News contact: Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228, NCCNews@ncccusa.org