|
Nuclear Weapons and Militarism
PSR Sacramento works for the elimination of nuclear weapons, the
elimination of war as a means of conflict resolution, and the prevention
of diversion of vital resources toward war and preparation for war.
We decry the concept of "pre-emptive war" and the unjust
and unnecessary attack launched on Iraq by the U.S. led coalition,
and we mourn for the innocent victims on all sides of this conflict.
We believe working through the United Nations and the International
Criminal Court are the appropriate ways to address terrorism and
humans rights abuses.
Environmental Work
We believe that global climate change, the pollution of our air,
water, and soil, and the extinction of other species resulting from
the encroachment on their habitats by human society present a critical
threat to our planet's ecosystem. We promote safe, renewable forms
of energy that reduce pollution and our dependence on oil. We support
family planning and maintenance of human population at levels which
do not threaten other life on our planet. We work to reduce toxic
hazards in our communities, our schools, and our workplaces, including
the medical care setting. And we support sustainable agriculture,
without use of harmful pesticides and other chemicals. We believe
that we have a responsibility to future generations to leave the
planet in a better condition than we found it.
Gun Violence Prevention
Gun violence is at epidemic levels in our state and our country.
Every year, approximately 30,000 U.S. civilians, including about
3,000 Californians, are killed by firearms. The rate of firearm-related
deaths for children ages 15 and under is almost 12 times higher
in the U.S. than the rate in the other leading 25 industrialized
countries of the world. Handguns, in particular, account for about
80% of all firearm-related deaths, but only a third of firearms
owned. While many people keep guns in their home for "protection,"
there is overwhelming evidence in the medical and law enforcement
literature showing that guns in the home are much more likely to
be used to kill, injure, or intimidate a household member than to
protect against an intruder. PSR Sacramento works to reduce gun
violence by educating policy makers and the general public concerning
the risks of guns in our communities and in our homes, and by supporting
sensible firearm regulations.
Universal Health Care
PSR/Sacramento endorses the principle that access to timely, high quality, necessary health care, without regard to one's income or ability to pay, is a basic human right. We believe that it is deplorable that the United States is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not provide some form of health care coverage for all of its citizens, yet spends two to three times more per capita than other developed countries on health care expenditures, and ranks lower than most other developed countries in global measures of health care quality. We believe that if our state and our country were to adopt an efficient, not for profit, universal health care system, it should be possible to provide excellent health care coverage for every resident of our country for the same total expenditure that is now leaving 15-20% of our residents uninsured and many more under-insured.
|
