Category: PJALS | Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane

Pentagon cuts could help all

Thursday, May 16, 2013 | 11:11am | Comment on this

PJALS member and disabled veteran Justin Ellenbecker placed this powerful Guest Editorial in the Spokesman-Review on Saturday, May 11.

The discussion over what to do with the budget has been blanketing newspapers and airwaves for quite some time now. Several plans are jockeying to see how much we can cut without amputating some large portion of the voting public. As a combat veteran, I’m aware of the difficulty in making triage decisions. This is why I now fight to make sure all veterans receive the lifelines they need. Preserving and strengthening Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and care for returning service members needs to be a top priority.

While serving in Iraq, I suffered injuries that forced me to leave the line of work I’d trained for. Since my return, I’ve worked with supportive networks to counsel returning service members who, like me, have physical and mental health issues. One of the chief concerns that veterans raise is the ability to care for themselves and their families now, and in the future.

Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress are pushing budgets that directly attack the programs that Americans’ lives depend on: Medicare and Medicaid. Now, the president wants to weaken Social Security. All of this is in the guise of deficit reduction.

There’s no need to slash these programs, which help drive our economy, generate jobs and deliver health care to millions, including tens of thousands of veterans. Read more »

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KYRS Local News Nov 2

Monday, Nov 5, 2012 | 9:09am | Comment on this

Highlights, history and analysis from Thursday’s news conference announcing the submission of a newly proposed Police Ombudsman Ordinance for the City of Spokane by the Center for Justice and the Peace & Justice Action League of Spokane. Includes and interview with Liz Moore, Director of PJALS.

Listen here: http://www.kyrs.org/mp3s/LocalNewsNov2final.mp3

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Interfaith Peacebuilders exposes people to struggles, efforts for peace

Tuesday, Oct 9, 2012 | 4:16pm | Comment on this

From the Fig Tree

When Myrta Ladich toured the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem last May, she saw a photo of family of her closest friend during college and her early years of marriage. The photo brought tears to her eyes.

Myrta has long been attuned to the suffering of Jews in the Holocaust.

Her friend came to Seattle at the age of 18, having fled communist rule in Hungary by walking to Vienna. She had survived the Holocaust as a child at the age of six. Most of her family were killed in Auschwitz.

Before joining the May 18 to 31 delegation of 30, visiting through Interfaith Peacebuilders, Myrta knew her Jewish friend, who now lives in California, is appalled at what Israel’s government does to Palestinians.

Read the whole article here