WHO WE ARE
We are a new organization of North Carolina Quakers. We want to help you advocate for North Carolina legislation and good government practices that embody the Quaker testimonies of peace, simplicity, equality, community, integrity and stewardship.
WHAT WE DO
You’ll see us setting PRIORITIES FOR OUR ADVOCACY and sending out ACTION ALERTS to launch our network of participants into action, and offering resources and training on how to influence NC legislation. SIGN UP for our ALERTS.
IMPORTANT NEWS
ACTION ALERT
TAKE ACTION TO ENSURE ELECTION INTEGRITY IS RESPECTED
FCNCL Policy Statement: We support electoral reform, led by the Religious Society of Friends’ (Quaker) testimonies of Equality and Integrity and in support of our FCNCL minute on anti-racism.
Free and fair elections are the bulwark of democracy. This election will require more than just casting our ballots. To protect the integrity of this election we need to consider taking actions that will ensure a peaceful transfer of power.
1. Have a plan for voting and have a backup plan.
2. Get involved (e.g., act to increase turn-out, be a poll watcher).
3. Understand what you need to know to prepare for non-violent civil disobedience in the event that the integrity of the elections is not respected. Several Quakers have helped put together a project called Choose Democracy, which is organizing individuals to commit to vote, to not to accept the results of an election until all votes are counted, and to train for non-violent civil disobedience in the event that the legitimacy of the elections is not respected. We urge you to visit https://choosedemocracy.us/prepare/ – .X3y1B5NKhTY and go to: https://holdthelineguide.com
4. Insist that all votes be counted before declaring a winner and that we maintain the integrity of our election.
5. Contact your NC state legislators and ask them to pledge to support counting all votes and to resist any other actions that would compromise the integrity of the election.
6. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper urging your representatives by name to pledge to respect counting every vote and to defend the integrity of our election; also to your state representatives and senators (https://www.ncleg.gov/FindYourLegislators); to the State Board of Elections (elections.sboe@ncsbe.gov); and to your County Board of Elections urging them to respect the need to count every vote and defend the integrity of our election.
You can find a PDF version of this alert HERE, and an accompanying FACT SHEET HERE.
To find your state representative and senator, use this link: https://www.ncleg.gov/FindYourLegislators
We would like to receive feedback about any action you may take in response to this email. To let us know, or if you have any questions, please contact info@fcncl.org
Friends Committee on North Carolina Legislation Minute on Antiracism
(approved at FCNCL General Committee Meeting October 5, 2019)
Responding to and inspired by Friends General Conference’s report (1) on racism, Friends Committee on North Carolina Legislation (FCNCL) commits to becoming an antiracist faith organization. In making this decision we are acknowledging that systemic racism is a long standing and continuing problem in American society. As part of that society, we recognize that as individuals and Quakers we have too often been blind to our own failings and to the part we play in perpetuating structural and institutional racism.
In committing to the work of becoming antiracist, we know that confronting our failures will be difficult and painful. Guided by faith and grace, we are willing to accept this challenge and to do the necessary work. We see this work as essential if we are truly to live our Quaker testimonies and recognize that of God in everyone.
As part of the work of becoming an antiracist organization, FCNCL will ask committees and business meetings to use the query, “How does this decision support FCNCL in its goal to transform into an actively antiracist faith community and in supporting anti-racism policies and regulations in state government?” whenever we make a decision.
- To read what other Quakers are saying in response to recent events, see this statement and compilation of resources from New England Yearly Meeting.
- To see what some Quakers of Color are saying about race issues, visit this compilation of videos at the Quaker Speak website
REVIEW FCNCL’s 2020 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
FCNCL uses a corporate discernment process to set our lobbying agenda for North Carolina General Assembly deliberations. These excerpts are from the full statement on 2020 Priorities approved in January 2020, and they are consistent with our Quaker testimonies of Equality & Social Justice, Peace, and Integrity, and with our FCNCL Minute on Antiracism:
- ELECTORAL REFORM – We support:
- Creating an independent non-partisan commission to redraw fair maps
- Legislation that ensures fair and free elections and upholds voting rights.
- Measures promoting strong government ethics
- ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTHCARE – We support:
- Medicaid Expansion
- Reproductive Rights
- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MEASURES – We support:
- Preserving natural areas, air and water quality
- Environmental justice
- Preventing coal ash and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) pollution
- Mitigating climate change, especially through clean energy and ceasing environmental policy rollbacks
- CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS – We support:
- Ending Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids
- Abolishing the death penalty
FCNCL is grateful to Jane Ashley of Flower of Life Press for our logo design
