Welcome to the e-Voices MONDAY MINUTE, your weekly email newsletter from New Mexico Voices for Children. Please take a minute to add your voice to the pressing issues of the day. Also, tell us what issues you'd like to know more about so we can tailor the MONDAY MINUTE to your interests. Thanks!

November 27, 2006

No Rest for the War-Torn

While Americans embrace Thanksgiving as a time to eat, relax, and enjoy the company of family and friends, this past weekend brought little to celebrate for much of the Iraqi population. On Thursday, a report by the United Nations cited a new high in the civilian death toll in Iraq (3,709 in October alone). On Friday, sectarian violence there erupted with even greater fury (killing some 200 civilians in one day). And on Saturday, the war in Iraq surpassed in duration our length of involvement in World War II (three years and a little more than eight months).

Today, the Iraq Study Group, led by James Baker and Lee Hamilton, is drawing up its first draft review of Iraq policy – which does not include a timetable for withdrawal, according to the New York Times. So will this study group offer the change of course seemingly mandated by voters in the midterm elections? The folks at the Center for American Progress don’t think so, and you can read their analysis, “Stay the Course v.2.0,” here: http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter2.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=917053

A different five-step strategy for Iraq is offered by Robert E. Hunter in “Grand Strategy for the Middle East,” an op ed that ran in the San Diego Union-Tribune earlier this month and is posted by the Rand Corporation here: http://www.rand.org/commentary/111906SDUT.html

The Toll on Tikes

The Iraq War has taken its toll here in America as well. While our servicemen and women are honored for their sacrifice, this piece in the Washington Post reminds us that it’s their children who often pay the highest price – particularly the children of the 16,000 single mothers who have served, and continue to serve, in Iraq and Afghanistan. Read the touching account of one such mother here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/23/AR2006112301236.html


Some Words for Thought

It seems that language has played a bigger – or at least more obvious – role in the current Administration than in its predecessors, particularly in regards to the Iraq War. From slogans like “Shock and Awe,” “Mission Accomplished” and “Bring it On,” to epithets like “Stay the Course” and “Cut and Run,” language has been used to shape public perception of this (choose your favorite noun) conflict/war/occupation.

Interestingly, this weekend, MSNBC and NBC News decided to begin referring to the civil war in Iraq as just that – a civil war. Also this weekend, the Binghamton, NY, Press & Sun Bulletin ran this opinion piece, “Euphemisms Die Hard within Iraq Discussion,” by David Rossie, posted here by Common Dreams: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1126-24.htm

Join us at the Hilton

Reading about world events is one thing – learning the most effective ways to press our policy and lawmakers for change is quite another. It can also be quite empowering. The team at NM Voices has long worked for positive changes in public policy, and now you can learn how we do it in our Legislative Advocacy Training. You’ll learn about the elements of effective policy, how state politics work, and how the state budget is divvied up. The NM Voices’ team will be joined by other community leaders for focus sessions on tax and budget policies, unemployment insurance and health-care reform, the minimum wage, and other issues.

Our Santa Fe event is pending.

Save the date:

If you can’t make our Albuquerque session, you may want to attend the League of Women Voters’ “Public Educational Forum on Citizen Lobbying.” It’s Saturday, Dec. 2, from 9:30am to 1pm at the Montezuma Lodge on Paseo de Peralta in Santa Fe. The forum is free, but limited to 50 participants. Contact Marilyn Morgan at 884-8441 or lilemor@nmia.com.

Winning the Wage War

We’ve asked for your help before with the minimum wage increase currently under consideration by the Bernalillo County Commission. We asked you to attend the hearing, which, we’re sorry to say, was then cancelled. It’s now been rescheduled for tomorrow, and again we urge you to go. The bill in question is identical to Albuquerque's ($7.50 an hour by Jan. 1, 2009), and should have the strong support of Alan Armijo (sponsor), Deanna Archuleta-Loeser, and Theresa Cordova.

What you can do:

  • Attend the hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 28th, at 5pm in the basement of Albuquerque’s City Hall (on the corner of 5th and Marquette).
  • Speak in favor of the bill (be there by 4:30 to sign up to speak).
  • Remind the commissioners that minimum wage raises passed in all six of the states that had it as ballot initiatives.
  • Read up on how higher minimum wages combined with state earned income tax credits (which we hope to see passed for New Mexico in the next legislative session), could make work pay for New Mexico’s lowest income earners and their families in this Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report: http://www.cbpp.org/7-12-06sfp.htm.

Call for Nominations

Know a young New Mexican who's made a difference in their community through community service or volunteerism? Nominate him or her for the 2007 Amy Biehl Youth Spirit Award. The award honors New Mexico youths in two age groups (13-18 and 19-26) for their work. Nominations are evaluated on evidence of the nominee's vision, initiative and dedication.

The deadline for nominations is 3pm, Friday, Feb. 9, 2007. If you'd like a nomination packet mailed to you call 505-244-9505, ext. 10. You can also download the forms here: www.nmvoices.org/abysa.htm. The awards ceremony will be Friday, April 20, 2007, in Albuquerque.

Your financial support is critical to our work. Please consider making a contribution today at http://www.nmvoices.org/donate.htm