Cease-fire now, border walls, death penalty

Resources to inform and support your activism [afsc logo](   SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2024 Weekend Reading [5 people hold a black banner in front of the D.C. Capitol. It says ''End the occupation. Dismantle apartheid. Stop the genocide.'']( Over 250 protesters, including AFSC staff, took part in the “The People’s State of the Union," urging President Biden to call for a permanent cease-fire. [Read more in Common Dreams.]( Photo: AFSC Dear Friend, This week we invite you to join AFSC in signing a petition with Demand Progress. We’re demanding that Congress call for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza to end the killing and prevent a larger, regional war. Visit the Ceasefire Now! site to see where your representatives stand and [add your name today.]( Here are this week's picks to inform and support your activism: [Biden's Middle East policy trades humanitarian aid for endless warfare:]( Last month, the U.S. Senate passed a $95.3 billion supplemental funding package that will fund weapons and war in Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel. The bill would also further entrench the Biden administration’s decision to cut all funding for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, the main provider of aid in Gaza. These decisions will hamper UNRWA's ability to deliver life-saving aid. It will also perpetuate the cycle of violence, writes AFSC Board Member Walid S. Mosarsaa. (Common Dreams) [Support our Gaza emergency response:]( More than 90% of people in Gaza have been displaced from their homes. Your donation is urgently needed for humanitarian relief, advocacy, and more. Give now and an anonymous donor will match your gift up to $50,000! [Biden administration called out over perilous border wall:]( More migrants are dying and getting injured from falling from the U.S.-Mexico border wall. Recently, the Biden administration added an anti-climbing feature to part of the wall in California. That will further endanger lives. “It's shameful that President Biden's administration would rather spend money on border wall features that will certainly increase suffering instead of committing to respecting asylum processes and ensuring that people can safely present themselves at ports of entry,” says AFSC’s Pedro Rios. (Newsweek) [How Vermonters are mobilizing their community to cut ties with Israeli apartheid:]( In Burlington, grassroots activists advocated for a ballot initiative in support of Palestinian rights. They nearly succeeded. But these activists are not done campaigning yet. Read more from AFSC’s Zoe Jannuzi, who is supporting residents in their efforts. [Tell elected officials: Abolish the death penalty:]( Earlier this year, the state of Alabama executed a man using the untested method of nitrogen hypoxia. The execution was carried out despite U.N. experts warning that the method likely constituted torture. Killing anyone—by any method—is immoral and should be outlawed once and for all. Tell Congress and your governor to repeal the death penalty! [Women changemakers of AFSC:]( Crystal Bird Fauset worked to bridge racial divides in the 1920s. Graciela Martinez spent most of her life advocating for the rights of farmworkers. In honor of Women’s History Month, we look back at the impact of these and other women who worked with AFSC over the years. Special thanks to our monthly donors, our Partners for Peace, for their ongoing support to make all our work possible. [DONATE]( American Friends Service Committee 1501 Cherry Street Philadelphia, PA 19102 United States | [Donate]( [Facebook]( X ([Twitter)]( [Instagram |]( [News]( If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please [unsubscribe](. [Update your AFSC email preferences](