FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 18, 2006
Dolores Street Baptist Church recently adopted a statement voicing its concern over the direction in which the United States is currently being led. The statement that Dolores Street Baptist Church adopted with all members but one voting to adopt it, was first drafted by a west coast meeting held in Oakland of a national organization, the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America (www.BPFNA.org). The statement reads as follows:
We are compelled by our commitment to a God of justice, to express our grave concern that the United States is being led in a fascist direction. We see this in a number of ways (historically these have been traits of fascist governments):
1. MANIPULATION OF INTELLIGENCE to justify acts of invasion
2. VIOLATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS such as:
A. Freedom of speech
B. Protection from domestic wire tapping
3 . VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
A. State sanctioned assassinations
B. Refusal to abide by the Geneva Conventions of Torture
4. REDIRECTING THE ECONOMY to reward the rich
5. FOSTERING A CULTURE OF FEAR in which concern for security justifies surrendering fundamental freedoms
Dolores Street Baptist Church throughout its history has taken a stand for many of the marginalized of San Francisco. And now we feel again that we must take a stand for those who lie on the margins in our country and throughout the world. We are calling our leaders in government to act in a way that values all human life, regardless of race, religion, level of income, or any of the other ways that people might be categorized and discriminated against. We are praying that the United States government will leave behind its rhetoric of fear and hate and instead adopt language of love and respect. Lay down the weapons of destruction and killing and take up practices of dialogue and non-violence in order to achieve peace in this beautiful world that we believe God has created and calls us all to protect.
Contact Rev. Brain Dixon
415-826-2641
Dolores Street Baptist Church,
1268 Sanchez Street, San Francisco, CA 94131
www.baptistchurchsf.org.
Alan Beim, President
Herbert, Holden, Slater and Beim
986 Linda Mar Blvd
Pacifica, Ca 94044