Pastor Allen's Letters To Public Officials
 

These letters, while personal letters from a private citizen, show how important it is for a person of faith to have a voice on matters of public policy.  It is critical for a pastor to exemplify the Way of Christ, and I believe central to Christ's mission was to bring about transformation, not only in the individual heart, but in society.

In Luke 4:16-21 we are reminded of Jesus' deep commitment to societal transformation,

When [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’

So, I offer the most recent of my letters to public officials, the most recent at the top, to inspire, challenge, and even convict others to "go and do likewise."

If you have questions or concerns about what this means for the so-called "separation of church and state," I recommend you go to this website from our United Church of Christ sisters and brothers for very helpful information:

http://www.ucc.org/ourfaithourvote/pdfs/guideline2pp.pdf

or you can get resources directly from the Internal Revenue Service website at:

http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=179432,00.html

Letter to the Editor of the Plain Dealer re: Health Care Reform:

September 7, 2009

Dear Editor,
Our country's health care and the health insurance necessary to provide that care for our citizens are in serious jeopardy. A myriad of circumstances and policies have brought us to a point of national crisis. Something significant needs to be done, and it will have to be immediate, dramatic, and challenging in order to have any measurable effect on the lives of individuals and families in our country and prevent generations of our citizens from being crippled with debilitating illnesses and staggering health care costs. The status quo, or even a mild tweaking of it, is unacceptable. Let me tell you why.

As the pastor of a diverse urban church here in Cleveland, I have personally been witness to the effects of the economic devastation of the last few years on members of my congregation. It has manifested itself in many ways, but none so unnerving as the loss or diminishing of their health insurance. Whether it is through youth losing their coverage from their parents' plans when they turn eighteen, persons who have been laid off from work due to “downsizing” or company's going out of business, or retirees whose pension plans are being renegotiated to “tighten up” their former employers' health care commitments, members of my church are hurting, and they are scared.

And this distress is in addition to the heartbreaking struggles of many within my community who do not have any health care insurance at all, and who must seek out uncertain health care with tedious prerequisites simply because they live in poverty.

America can do better. What this nation needs is an honest and thoughtful debate about how to get us out of this mess. And this debate must lead us to decisions. And these decisions must lead us to action. America's lively “can-do” spirit, our unswerving commitment to looking out for our neighbors in need, and our renown creativity will find a way to solve this problem. I believe that wholeheartedly.

What will not work are bitter infighting and careless catcalls, violent disruptions of the necessary deliberations that must happen on our public forums, nor an avalanche of self-serving, mean-spirited, and factually questionable advertising and pundit-driven sound-bytes. If our nation's citizens cannot rise up to denounce these politically motivated, selfish, and often hate-filled tactics quickly, in order to get on with the rigorous dialogue necessary to come up with a solution, then we are doomed.

As a person of faith, I come to the health-care dilemma with a deep sense of the sacredness of every human being's life and the incarnational nature of our God, who blessed our bodies from the beginning of time as good (Gen. 1:27-31). I follow a tradition, like many others, that see our bodies as holy “temples” of the divine (1 Cor. 6:9). I also believe that the well-being of all of sisters and brothers are necessary concerns for each and every individual. In Christian scripture, one of the first things the earliest “church” did was to gather their possessions in common in order to distribute them in such a way as the needs of all were fulfilled (Acts 2:44-45). This brought them the “goodwill of all the people.”

Because of my study of scripture and tradition, as well as my openness to the Spirit of God moving in the community in which I live and serve, I have some sense of what we need in health care reform. I am very much in favor of the “public option” for health care coverage. I feel it best provides for the care of all God's children and is grounded on the understanding that all of us have a vested interest (practically and, for many, spiritually) in the health and well-being of our neighbors, especially “the least of these,” for the common good (Matt. 25).

I am also in favor of many of the other elements of a health insurance and health care overhaul currently being discussed: removing pre-existing conditions as a reason to refuse health insurance coverage or charging excessive premiums; expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program and Medicaid; standardizing the minimum services to be covered by all health insurance, setting caps on out-of-pocket expenses, and giving tax credits to small businesses to help make premium costs for their workers insurance more affordable.

Do you agree with me? Do you disagree with me? Fine, for these, and other ideas, need to be discussed in a deliberate, thorough, and thoughtful way. That is how a representative democracy like the United States of America is supposed to work.

My hope is that the regular and careful coverage of this debate by responsible news outlets, such as the Plain Dealer, will be seriously considered by the citizens of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County as a valid and useful resource for making decisions in the coming days and weeks. I also hope that all citizens, and most certainly those of us who are people of faith, will have the wisdom and courage to call down those vitriolic and deafening voices that seek to silence the debate. And finally, I invite us all to ponder the options being presented to us, to carefully discern what we believe to be the best way, and then let our legislators and the President know our thoughts, and the reasons behind them. And I pray most of all that Congress may have the will to act, so that the impending catastrophe will be diverted.

Rev. Allen V. Harris
Sr. Pastor, Franklin Circle Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)


 

April 4, 2009

E-Mail to Representative Michael Skindell

Re: Support for high speed rail service in Ohio

Dear Representative Skindell,
I write to show my complete support for HB-2 and any efforts to improve the rail service offered to the citizens of Ohio. I am especially thankful for the 3-C Corridor project. Having lived in New York City for ten years, I became dedicated to quality rail line service traveling with ease between NYC and Boston and Washington, DC frequently. I *would* be one of those happy Ohioans to use the 3-C rail service!
Also, as a pastor of a dynamic urban congregation, I am aware of the need for more options for persons who are on limited income in traveling throughout the state. I believe the 3-C Corridors project is also an issue of justice and equality providing more affordable options for more of Ohio's citizens.
Knowing you, I am assuming that you have supported this legislation. I eagerly await news of what happened in the Conference Committee and the General Assembly.

Gratefully Yours,
Allen Harris


 

December 5, 2008

E-Mail To Cleveland City Council Members

Dear Cleveland City Councilmember,

I am a pastor of a vibrant urban church here in Cleveland (166 years young!) and a resident of Cleveland. I write to express my full support for the Domestic Partnership Registry currently under consideration by the Council.

As a pastor with parishioners who would be eligible for this registry, I commend it to you as the simplest and most bare-bones means of supporting stability and permanence in their relationships. I recognize that the registry confers absolutely no benefits, but it certainly can be used to leverage existing benefits from other public and private institutions. One such institution is the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) whose Pension Fund offers Domestic Partner Health Care benefits. This document would quickly and easily allow domestic partners to access those benefits.

As a clergyperson who performs dozens of weddings every year, it is crystal clear to me that this registry has nothing, at all, to do with marriage. It is a nuts and bolts registration that will simply show respect to those straight and gay couples who have committed themselves to live with each other. In fact, it is so basic I’ve joked with folks that this registry probably has more in common with a dog license than a marriage certificate!

I would imagine married persons might actually take offense at those who are likening the registry to marriage, for surely they think their marriage certificate actually has substance that confers benefits and demands responsibilities! This registry does not.

There is no need to table nor defer this decision. This legislation does not threaten any aspect of society, and, in fact, would send a resounding (and desperately needed) message to the world that our city is world class, and is a safe and nurturing place for creative and urbane employees, businesspeople, and tourists! THAT would help my congregation thrive in the city of Cleveland right away!

Please withstand the misinformation being passed around in the name of “religion” to discredit this legislation. I urge you to vote in favor of the Domestic Partnership Registry when it comes up for a vote next Monday.

Sincerely,
Rev. Allen V. Harris

P.S. I likewise fully and heartily support the addition of “gender identity” as a protected status in city code.
 

July 29, 2008
To RTA Director Calabrese

Re: opposing reduction and elimination of bus routes

Joseph A. Calabrese
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
1240 W. 6th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44113-1331

Dear Mr. Calabrese,

I write to you to urge you to not reduce and eliminate RTA bus routes as you have announced in the press recently. In particular, I ask you not to eliminate the Circulator bus routes. These Circulator busses are lifeblood for many of us, predominantly our lower income and elderly citizens.

I can personally speak of one route, the 807 Tremont Circulator, which is particularly critical for many of the daily tasks of members of my congregation who live at Lakeview High Rise Apartments. If it were not for this bus route, many of these persons would be isolated and experience extreme hardships getting to and from the grocery store, doctor’s appointments, and even our church.

The proposed fare increases, while understandable in this day when gasoline prices have become extremely high, would put our urban citizens at risk on long walks and in bad weather. I beg you to explore other ways to manage this dilemma without raising the fares (or at least as much as proposed) and without cutting bus routes.

If you would like to speak with me further about this, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
Rev. Allen V. Harris
E-Mail: AHarrisCLE@aol.com

cc. Councilman Joe Cimperman
Mayor Frank Jackson
 

_________________________
May 16, 2008

Dear President Bush,

The JEM rebel attacks in Khartoum and the Sudanese government's heavy-handed response demand your immediate attention. All parties must understand that there can be no violent solution to this revolving cycle of conflict.

The Sudanese government has a long history of using such attacks as an excuse for the indiscriminant killing of civilians in Darfur. These heinous new attacks - which took place not in Darfur but within Sudan's capital city - could give the Sudanese government all the excuse it needs to unleash its forces against Darfuri civilians living in Khartoum as well as in Darfur.

The Save Darfur Coalition is already receiving reports that the Sudanese government is conducting arbitrary detentions, torture and killings in and around Khartoum, and that its proxy janjaweed militias are mobilizing and have begun to attack the town of Tawila in North Darfur. While the Sudanese regime has the right to defend itself, its indiscriminant targeting of civilians must not be allowed to go unanswered.

Mr. President, you and your fellow world leaders must immediately demand that the Sudanese government end all targeting of innocent Darfuri civilians in the wake of these attacks.

I therefore urge you to work at the U.N. Security Council to demand the protection of civilians throughout Sudan, and enact strong U.N. sanctions upon individuals responsible for any attacks upon civilians.

I further urge you to take urgent steps to speed up the deployment of the UNAMID peacekeeping force for Darfur by organizing a high-level UNAMID donor conference to secure contributions of all necessary funding and equipment, and by working with Secretary-General Ban to ensure that all preparations for UNAMID's deployment are being made as swiftly as possible.

Sincerely,
Rev. Allen V. Harris

_________________________

May 12, 2008

Dear Representative Skindell,
I am writing you today to urge you to co-sponsor Representative Dan Stewart's Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies bill, which he will formally introduce on Wednesday. This critical bill ensures that sexual assault victims have access to emergency contraception and preventative treatment for sexually transmitted infections following the assault.

Rep. Skindell, you know me to be an advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, and for the homeless and marginalized. This issue is just as important to me, and I urge you to make this a priority.

Last year NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio Foundation released a report that showed that 17% of hospital emergency rooms that were surveyed did not guarantee access to emergency contraception (aka the "morning after" pill) to all sexual assault victims in their emergency room. A sexual assault victim deserves comprehensive medical treatment following their assault. Please contact Representative Dan Stewart's office today to sign on as a co-sponsor of this important legislation and show your support for the survivors of sexual assault in this state. The deadline for signing on is 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 14.

Sincerely,
Rev. Allen V. Harris

_________________________

May 4, 2008

U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear Attorney General Mukasey,

I write to express my utter horror and profound anger that you and officials in the U.S. Department of Justice continue to support methods of interrogation of individuals detained by our military that include inhumane techniques, cruel and unusual punishment, and outright torture. In addition, you, your staff, and the Administration of President George Bush have created a toxic national environment that presumes and propagates that such illegal and immoral techniques are necessary to the causes of democracy and freedom. They are not necessary and you are, in fact, destroying the foundations of justice, decency, and the rule of law upon which this great nation was founded.

To engage in a policy of torture is a weak policy. Because ultimately:
- It encourages the terrorists. They are emboldened by America’s failure to respect its own proclaimed principles of human rights and democratic values.
- It undermines our own values. Our soldiers and intelligence officials are dragged down to a degrading level of animal brutality.
- It corrupts our system. Individuals and groups whose morality is damaged by promoting torture are far more likely to commit crimes and other corrupt acts.
- It doesn't get good intelligence. Evidence shows confessions given during testimony is at best unreliable and at worst, dangerously misguided.

I urge you to return our nation to its greatest ideals of life and liberty and refuse to allow any act of torture or abuse to happen in the name of the United States of America.

Sincerely,



Rev. Allen V. Harris

cc. Sen. Sherrod Brown, Sen. George Voinovich, Pres. George Bush


 

Copyright 2008 -- The Rev. Allen V. Harris

Franklin Circle Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

1688 Fulton Rd., Cleveland, OH 44113-3096