Segments
This weekend, tune in to State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, to hear what the government shutdown means for working Americans, to revisit a conversation about caring for the most vulnerable among us with Sister Simone Campbell and to learn about what one D.C. synagogue is doing to support federal employees who found themselves without a job to go to this week. Also, don’t miss this week’s episode to find out about a high-tech initiative to end violence stemming from religious bias. 
What the Shutdown Means for Working Americans
The federal government shut down earlier this week. Whether you see the shutdown that started Tuesday as a tantrum over the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, or a patriotic move to protect America, hundreds of thousands of government workers were told to stay home without pay, and a broad range of services were abruptly halted. Well-positioned to evaluate both the impact of the shutdown and what isn’t happening during this dangerous game of political one-upmanship is Simon Greer, president and CEO of the Nathan Cummings Foundation. Tune in to hear Mr. Greer, a long-time labor and community organizer, discuss with Welton what the shutdown means for working Americans.
Revisiting the Nuns on the Bus
After completing the “Nuns on the Bus Tour for Faith, Family and Fairness” last year, Sister Simone Campbell sat down with Welton to discuss the draconian budget cuts being promoted by Rep. Paul Ryan and his supporters. Because those cuts seem to be back in the form of the Continuing Resolution to fund the government (something that’s been overlooked in the shutdown talks), we’re revisiting that interview with Sister Campbell as a reminder of the very real toll that suspending social services takes on Americans and of the moral imperative to take care of the most vulnerable among us.
Peace Innovation Lab
A couple of weeks ago, a Columbia University professor was brutally attacked and beaten on an Upper Manhattan street by a mob of 25-30 men. The professor is a practicing Sikh who was mistaken for a Muslim because of his beard and turban. It’s not the first case of such a mistaken identity, and, obviously, religious bias-driven hate crimes are equally heinous regardless of which group is targeted. A new hopeful initiative to challenge the root causes of this kind of violence was recently launched at Stanford University in cooperation with the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education fund. The Peace Innovation Lab’s co-director Margarita Quihuis is on State of Belief this week to shed light on this high-tech initiative to end religious bias-based violence.
Shutdown Central
When hundreds of thousands of federal workers were furloughed on Tuesday, one historic synagogue in Washington, D.C. opened its doors to provide a place for those workers. In keeping with its long-standing tradition of local outreach and service, the team at the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue set-up “Shutdown Central.” Joining Welton on State of Belief from Sixth and I to talk about what’s happening at “Shutdown Central” is Rabbi Scott Perlow, associate director of Jewish Programming.
