From Fremont, California

We are all children of God. We should honor the dignity of each person in our community. Family values and public education are important elements that can help unite a community. Voting rights restrictions should be illegal. Homelessness is a problem that often results from poverty, addiction and mental illness. Hostility. prejudice and poverty can lead to racial inequality. People have a right to food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, and security. Do unto others as you would have God do unto you.

Two of us raised our children in the Catholic faith and feel religion is a blueprint for how to live your life and can be very helpful in teaching children what is important. One member believes that if it helps you be a better person in life, religion is great, but please don’t force your beliefs on others.

Abuse, addiction, divorce, poverty and a culture that does not always value children or ethical behavior are pressures that affect family life.  Many times stay-at-home mothers are not given respect.

We all feel that all of us must take care of the environment by personal action and by supporting policies that consider the consequences of our actions on the environment.

We are all supportive of public education, but one of us believes too much money is spent on children that cannot be educated and that some of this money should be spent on the children’s other needs. Not everyone has the ability to succeed in college and she feels there must be alternate programs that will prepare these children to work and support themselves. We also feel it is very important to teach children compassion.

I believe that most voting rights restrictions are attempts to disenfranchise poor and minority populations.

Regarding issues with police and public safety, we had disagreements. One opinion is that if you are confronted by police, you should comply with whatever it is they are asking you to do and then you will not have a problem. While I know that most police officers are doing the right thing, not all of them are.  It is a complicated issue, but there is definitely racism and brutality in the administration of justice and it needs to be addressed. Citizens should be able to ask questions of police without fear when stopped.

Some of us strongly feel that we should first help the people in need in our own country before we help other countries. We have many poor and suffering in our own communities. I would like to see us help our needy more than we do, but I also think we must help others throughout the world. You have an obligation to help others if you have more than you need.

Some of us believe that war is never justified. I disagreed. Sometimes you must respond militarily, for example, to the aggression of Hitler and the axis powers in World War II.

We all agree that taking care of the environment is essential. I feel that we in the United States will have to change the way we do things as many of our practices are not sustainable. Personally I try to be aware of this, but it is a struggle to change your habits sometimes! If you can’t be a part of the solution, at least try not to be a part of the problem.