From Diane Swords, Upstate NY Hub (/Syracuse Action)
How many times have you asked your representative to support H. Res. 317, the Back from the Brink resolution?
We in central NY have been spurred to increasing activity because of the rising nuclear danger, but in spite of positive meetings with our congressman’s local staff, as well as petitions, phone calls, and a very successful campaign to get the BftB open letter signed by local legislators, our Congressman (Rep. John Mannion, NY-22) was not responding to our entreaties to cosponsor the resolution.
Then, on April 8, four local constituents plus Danny Hall, Back from the Brink’s Lead Capitol Hill Representative & Faith Community Outreach Coordinator, met with Rep. Mannion’s DC staff person, who told us (before we said a word) that Rep. Mannion had just agreed to sign on as a cosponsor! His cosponsorship is dated the next day – April 9!
Our conclusion: stick with it! It is hard to tell when one more voice will make the difference.
We are working on building those voices for the next steps in this effort: encouraging our Congressman to take more leadership and working with our Upstate NY Hub to get more representatives around upstate NY to co-sponsor.
Our immediate strategy in NY-22 is to put some focus on faith communities leading up to Hiroshima Day events (in Syracuse we have a solemn procession with giant puppets).
We are working to renew the endorsements of congregations that have already endorsed the campaign (we currently have six local congregations and the Episcopal diocese), to deepen our relationships and find more activists from within these congregations, and to develop new faith community endorsers.
To this end, we have circulated David Cortright’s article entitled “People of Faith Helped Stop Nukes Once: Let’s Do it Again.” We plan to expand this effort to regional faith communities in our Upstate NY Hub. We also hope to follow up on Danny Hall’s offer to speak to faith groups in upstate NY, and to connect with the Catholic Bishops who went to Hiroshima last August and are visiting NY this coming fall.
When this work seems discouraging, it is so hopeful to realize that we are part of a very powerful network! We’re glad to be in this work with you!
