People of Faith Speak Out for Water at 2011 New Mexico Legislature
To voice their concerns for water, clean air and local communities, about fifty people from diverse faith communities gathered at the New Mexico Legislature in Santa Fe, February 3, 2011. The annual Legislative Day for People of Faith began with prayer and theological reflection to learn and act for responsible stewardship of the water, air and communities in New Mexico. As participants shared their reflections, an underlying theme was the importance of including moral, ethical and environmental justice perspectives in advocacy for the care of God’s Creation. “Caring for our air and water is perhaps the most important gift we can offer to express our gratitude for all that we are given.”
Preparation for the day included advocacy training for ordinary citizens, and an overview of water and air concerns and related bills in the legislature, led by Ariel Bickel for Conservation Voters New Mexico. The practical how-to presentation walked participants through steps of how a bill beomes a law, the importance of grassroots constituents’ direct interaction with legislators, ways to hold elected officials accountable, the importance of preparation, steps in defining the issues presented, visits to legislators and tracking legislation on line.
At noon group participants gathered in front of the Round House, joined by many interested people, for an Interfaith Prayer Service, ”Sending out an S.O.S. – Our Water, Our Voice at the State Capitol.” Prayer leaders included Stephen Miller, New Mexico Conference of Churches, Allen Sanchez, New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops, Deacon Jan Bales, Episcopal Church, and Rev. Chester Topple, Presbyterian Church.
Two speakers gave testimonies about the impacts of contaminated water in their communities.
Following the service, participants were invited to write out their concerns in an S.O.S. message to their legislators. Each slip of paper carried a basic appeal: “Water nourishes our families, our communities, and our farms. Our water is our future. We can’t afford to let our most precious resource – our water – be threatened. That’s why New Mexico has common sense and balanced protections in place – such as dairy regulations, climate policy, and the pit rule, among others – that ensure that our families and our communities have clean water for generations to come. Don’t take them away.” All collected S.O.S. messages were then placed in large glass bottles, labeled for each legislator that would be visited.
Bearing large labeled bottles stuffed to the brim with S.O.S. messages from their constituents, each group spent the afternoon visiting the offices of their senators and representatives, bringing them the clear message that we face serious threats from diminishing water reserves in New Mexico, the United States and around the world. Our Creator’s precious gift of water is a sacred commons that sustains all life on Earth.
We called upon legislators to protect our water and communities by actively promoting water policies and legislation that uphold equity and human dignity, sustainability of all life and meaningful community participation.
What we do to water, we do to ourselves, our children and all future life on Earth.
Sr. Rose Marie Cecchini, MM
April 11, 2011