Contents

Prophetic thought
Thanksgiving reflection
Update on the Huntington miners
Huntington memories
Spotlight: Craig and Amity Condie
Question of the month
News from local chapters
Upcoming events and observances
Call for submissions

The building of public sentiment begins with a few earnest voices. I am not one to advocate shouting defiantly or shaking fists and issuing threats in the faces of legislators. But I am one who believes that we should earnestly and sincerely and positively express our convictions to those given the heavy responsibility of making and enforcing our laws. . . .

Let our voices be heard. I hope they will not be shrill voices, but I hope we shall speak with such conviction that those to whom we speak shall know of the strength of our feeling and the sincerity of our effort. Remarkable consequences often flow from a well-written letter and a postage stamp. Remarkable results come of quiet conversation with those who carry heavy responsibilities.

Gordon B. Hinckley

Source: "In Opposition to Evil," Ensign, Sept. 2004

In my family, we did the "five kernels of corn" tradition just before each Thanksgiving dinner. You may know this tradition. It's based on a story which says that during the Pilgrims' first winter, things got so bad that at one point everyone's daily ration consisted of five kernels of corn. In my family, we used this story as a way of reflecting on our blessings before eating. Every person would have five kernels of corn on their plate (we used popcorn kernels). We'd go around the table five times, and every time you would hold up a kernel and name one thing for which you were grateful.

I think about those kernels of corn as I look around at everything that's going wrong in the world right now. The war in Iraq, the neverending mess in Palestine, the continuing radicalization of Islamic fundamentalists, global warming, deforestation, sweatshops, slums, famine, epidemics, multinational corporations making a few people obscenely rich while exacting enormous human and environmental costs, unbridled materialism among the world's haves while millions of people live in poverty, even in the world's richest countries. . . The list could go on, of course. It's depressing.

But there are still things for which I can be grateful. There are people and organizations who go on trying to make a difference--to raise funds, to keep programs going, to educate and change attitudes. Here at MESJ, we' re few in number, but those few do what they can to raise awareness, to get involved in our communities, to support the causes that we believe will promote justice and bless the lives of our sisters and brothers. My thanks to all of you for your efforts.

Chieko Okazaki has written: "Each person alive today has an amazing opportunity to shape the future of this planet by contributing love, goodwill, and service. Each kindly deed, each loving thought creates a small reality of goodness that becomes a pinpoint of light in the blackness of the despair and violence that seem to be smothering our society." Those pinpoints make a difference. A few kernels of corn aren't much, but they're still something. And I give thanks for them.

As always, I encourage folks to check out MESJ's Thanksgiving-themed family home evening ideas and electronic greeting cards (thumbnails below).

In November of last year, Salt Lake MESJ collected funds, food, and other goods for striking miners in Huntington, Utah. MESJ members made two trips to Huntington, once to deliver the items they'd collected and a second time to join the miners on the picket line. For photos from these trips, see MESJ's Photo Gallery. (You can also click the photos that accompany this story and Debora Wrathall's "Huntington Memories," below.)

For those who may not be familiar with the miners' situation, here's a brief history and update. (Information from Utah Jobs with Justice.)

On Sept. 23, 2003, some 75 miners were locked out and fired by the Co-Op, in Huntington, a company owned by the polygamous Kingston family. Co-Op workers, mostly Mexican immigrants, are paid only $5.25-$7 an hour while other miners working in the same canyon earn $18. The miners have no health insurance and work in dangerous conditions. The firings took place after a number of workers at the mine began organizing to bring in the Utah Mine Workers of America (UMWA).

The miners turned the lockout into a strike and picketed the mine. After nine-and-a-half months on the picket line, and with broad support from the labor movement throughout the West, the miners won their jobs back. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled in May that the miners had been fired illegally and ordered the Co-op to allow the miners to return. The NLRB also ordered that a union election be held between the UMWA and the so-called International Association of United Workers Union (IAUWU), which miners say is a company union. Co-op lawyers have argued that up to 100 people, many of whom are Kingston family members or close relatives, should be allowed to vote. The UMWA argues that such individuals are loyal to the company and have no right to vote in a union election. The NLRB has not issued a ruling yet on this matter nor has it set the date for the union election.

On September 24, attorneys for the Co-op filed a federal civil suit against the UMWA, its officers, and 17 current and former Co-Op miners. In all, 120 organizations and individuals are named in the 76-page suit, accused of “unlawful labor practices” and “defamation." The Co-Op miners continue to press their fight to be represented by the UMWA from inside the mine. They are supported by a number of labor organizations.

I first met the Co-op miners in early November of last year. MESJ members had donated food and clothes and diapers and money, which a group of us took to Huntington to deliver in person. The local Catholic church had donated kitchen and recreation space to the cause so that donated food and clothes could be divided and distributed to the families of the striking miners. John-Charles brought some cheer to those waiting for the distribution by leading us in Spanish-language songs.

It was here that we met an LDS mineworker who had driven from Colorado to show his support and to bring a large donation that local union members had decided to donate in lieu of what they would have spent on their yearly holiday banquet. Food was donated by a local grocer and through a food drive organized by the grocer, and food was also obtained at cost by a local distributor with donated money.

A month later, another group returned to stand with the miners and their supporters, who were keeping a 24-hour a day picket at the entrance to the mine in crude trailers. In solidarity, a large group of supporters joined them outside on this day. Spririts were high, although it wasn't long before our toes and ears started to sting from the cold wind whipping down the canyon. It was a beautiful setting, with lovely people and prayers and songs. The Catholic Dioscese in Salt Lake had sent warm messages of support, too, along with representatives from the Peace and Social Justice committee.

In such a place with Mormon history and a small-town-in-Utah feel that harks back to a century gone by, I couldn't help but think about my Mormon ancestors who had forged strong community bonds through common action and in aiding those in need. I remember reading in my great-great-grandfather's journal that when his barn had burned to the ground while stocked with all the year's fresh harvest of hay, his neighbors had pitched in with hay and lumber, even helping him to rebuild the barn.

My heart was warmed to see this charity in action. I was impressed that the community embraced the miners as they did and supported so fully their stand for better working conditions and pay--asking for respect for their dangerous and hard work in the mine. My husband reminds me that solidarity is a spritual concept, and it is true: our hearts were close to each other's. I was grateful that we could bring aid and cheer as LDS members together, as organized through MESJ. Despite the language barrier (in my case), love was spoken in hugs, handshakes and head nods and warm, smiling eyes.

Craig and Amity Condie were both raised in active LDS families. They met at the University of Utah, where they were each directing a student volunteer project for the Lowell Bennion Community Service Center. They dated, went on hiatus while Amity served a mission (California San Fernando, Spanish-speaking), and were married in March 2003.

Craig is a graduate of the University of Utah's law school; Amity has a degree in Community Psychology, a course of study she put together herself focusing on social change and community improvement. The couple now live in Alaska, where Craig clerks for a state trial court judge and Amity works as a substitute teacher in the local school teacher. Those who know their love of the outdoors will not be surprised that Craig and Amity hope to remain in Alaska. (We look forward to the formation of MESJ's Alaska chapter.)


How did you encounter MESJ, and why does the organization appeal to you?

Craig: I first heard about MESJ from an email that someone forwarded to me from James Tobler, putting forward the idea of forming a Mormon social activist group. I attended the first meeting and was pleased that the other people present were interested in attacking social justice issues from a Mormon perspective, not attacking the Mormon Church from an activist perspective. I believe MESJ has provided a much needed counterpoint to the perspective that the Mormon faith is inherently conservative politically.

Amity: Craig wrote to me about MESJ at the end of my mission. I was excited to join because my community involvement and desire for social change are so deeply rooted in my faith. I had been involved in community service since high school and was studying community and environmental change in college. I thought MESJ would be the perfect place to articulate my spiritual motivation to help solve social problems. There is little room for discussion of spiritual matters in school or in the community at large, and even less for political or social issues in church. MESJ provided a forum where I didn’t have to dissect and separate my spiritual social perspectives.

What are the social justices that most concern you?

Amity: Most social problems directly relate to poverty, and yet as a society we seldom discuss ways to decrease the gap between the rich and poor. Poverty is an overwhelming issue. Most people consider it to be too pervasive to warrant any serious notice. Yet I believe that if we join with the poor, we can effect social change on a local and national level. My involvement with MESJ and the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign has reinforced my desire to serve. We need to be willing to share all that we have--food, money, clothing, spiritual and temporal knowledge--with those whose supply is insufficient.

Craig: My activist background lies mostly in environmental issues, although in recent years my work on the environment has repeatedly led me into poverty issues. I have come to see that environmental problems consistently fall hardest on the poor. The gospel is about love, and in particular love for the unfortunate. I think developing this love is part of becoming more Christ-like, and as I develop a love for people and the environment, it becomes difficult to see people, or the earth, suffer. In my mind, I have a hard time justifying this suffering as simply part of uncontrollable, distant economic forces. So I do not believe my role in helping the poor, and protecting the environment, ends with a fast offering.

What are your hopes for MESJ? What would you like to see the organization do or do more of?

Craig: I hope MESJ becomes a more active part of the communities where we have chapters. I hope social and environmental activists become familiar with MESJ members, and reach out more often to include us in whatever campaigns they are involved with that are consistent with MESJ’s principles. I hope more Mormons will pause to think about how social and environmental justice issues relate to their faith.

Amity: I agree. I would also like to increase exposure for MESJ among groups like seminary, institute, etc. When we sponsor forums or participate in actions, we should try to promote these more within the church where possible.

We posed this question in last month's newsletter. Here's how some readers responded:

I want a president who will work well with leaders of other countries. In today's global-everything world, it's not enough to worry about whether our leaders will be good for us Americans. Will they make decisions that are good for the rest of the world too (for example, the environment)?

Kim Greene, Columbus OH

In deciding who to vote for, I consider the issues that are most important to me: building strong alliances with our foreign allies, immigration, poverty, abortion. I try to weigh each candidate on how I think their actions in office will line up with my feelings on these issues. When we have choices like Bush and Kerry, I just find myself perplexed.

Suzette Smith, Salt Lake City UT

I have decided to vote for the person who does not want to amend the Constitution to include hate and discrimination.

Chris Lowe, Bakersfield CA

Looking at our state's gubernatorial candidates, I ask myself: What does this person know about the struggles of the average working family? Has he ever even balanced a checkbook? Do we trust him to be able to balance the state budget?

Annette Daley, Taylorsville UT

NEXT MONTH'S QUESTION What concrete action would you like to see taken to work for "peace on earth"?

Is there a particular place in the world that weighs heavy on your mind as you look ahead to Christmas talk of "peace on earth"? Iraq? Palestine? Sudan? Chechnya? Chiapas? Someplace closer to home? What concrete action--by governments, by citizens--would make a difference?

Send your responses by November 25 to jcduffy@hotmail.com. Please put "Anxiously Engaged" in the subject line. Include your name and your city. Responses may be edited for space, tone, and clarity.

Las Vegas: On October 15, members of the Las Vegas chapter attended the annual social held for US senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada). Reid, who is himself LDS, was presented with a file printed from MESJ's website; he seemed pleasantly surprised to find out about MESJ and even offered to come speak at one of the group's meetings. Flyers with the MESJ Mission Statement were distributed among the more than 100 Latter-day Saints attending the social, in an effort to raise awareness about MESJ among local Church members.

Salt Lake: As summer ended, members of Salt Lake MESJ attended a Networking BBQ with members of other local peace-and-justice organizations, including People for Peace and Justice, NOW, and Ten Thousand Villages. On the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the chapter co-sponsored a presentation about the controversial wall being constructed around the state of Israel. Co-sponsoring organizations Occupation NO!, People for Peace and Justice, the Wasatch Coalition for Peace and Justice, and Utahns for a Just Peace in the Holy Land.

Utah County: After a summer lull, the Utah County chapter is back in action. The group has held three meetings on BYU campus and is making connections with like-minded groups in the area. The chapter was recently invited to participate in a peace rally being organized in connection with Michael Moore's October 20 visit to Utah Valley State College. Though the chapter did not officially sponsor the rally, individuals connected with the chapter attended to make their voices heard.

Check the News Archive at the MESJ website for more details about events mentioned above.

Nov. 2	Election Day
Nov. 6	International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
Nov. 11	Armistice Day (Veterans Day)
Nov. 13	SALT LAKE: People's Summit on Poverty
Nov. 16	International Day for Tolerance
Nov. 20	Africa Industrialization Day
Nov. 20	Universal Children's Day
Nov. 21	SALT LAKE: NCCJ Interfaith Service
Nov. 21	World Television Day
Nov. 25	International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
Nov. 25	Thanksgiving Day  (family home evening ideas, greeting cards)
Nov. 29	International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
Nov. 29	LAS VEGAS: Handel's "Messiah"
Dec. 1	World AIDS Day

Anxiously Engaged welcomes submissions! Here are some things we'd be especially interested in hearing about:

• What are your thoughts in response to the Question of the Month?
• What have you been doing, as a concerned citizen, to promote social justice?
• Have you seen or heard about something inspiring--something that shows people can make a difference in working for a better society?

Send submissions to Media Director John-Charles Duffy at jcduffy@hotmail.com. Please include "Anxiously Engaged" in the subject line.