NWCTU 2021-2022 Resolutions

“The God of heaven, he will prosper us.

Therefore, we his servants will arise and build:” Nehemiah 2:20

The Resolutions Committee of the 148th Convention of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union has considered the state of both our nation and our organization. We conclude that we must “arise and build”. The following resolutions are for your consideration and action.

BUILD MEMBERSHIP

WHEREAS, declaring that the WCTU is God ordained and inspired, and

WHEREAS, emphasizing the WCTU offers a “total family” approach to participation, and

WHEREAS, mindful that the WCTU offers areas of service for women, men, youth and children, and

WHEREAS, realizing that every area of membership must increase:

RESOLVED, that members concur the need to “arise and build”, and

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED, that members commit to securing workers for this great cause.

BUILD WALLS OF PROTECTION

WHEREAS, recognizing that “organized Mother love” is a synonym for WCTU, and

WHEREAS, WCTU is confident that life begins at conception, and

WHEREAS, emphasizing that the WCTU purposes to protect life from conception, and

WHEREAS, alarmed that since 1973, 62,502,904 abortions have been performed in America (www.nationalrighttolifenews.org), and

WHEREAS, realizing that tax dollars fund the dehumanization of the unborn acquiescing to the “abortion-for-any-reason or no-reason ” proponents:

RESOLVED, members endorse the following bills:

No taxpayer funding for abortion (HR-18);

Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HR-1080; S-61);

Born Alive Abortion Survivors Act (HR-619; S-123);

Conscience Protection Act of 2021 (S-401) protecting medical professionals from coercion to perform abortions;

Protecting Life and Integrity in Research Act of 2021 (HR-563).

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED, members oppose the following bills:

“For the People Act of 2021” that restricts free speech; restricts organizations from lobbying on behalf of right to life;

Equality Act (HR-5) weakens conscience protection for health care workers; increases taxpayer funding of abortions.

BUILD WCTU IMPACT

WHEREAS, WCTU actively continues to educate, legislate, and agitate to promote healthy lifestyles, and

WHEREAS, declaring the WCTU’s mission remains relevant, and

WHEREAS, confident that eighteen organized states have resources to enlarge both their influence and impact on communities, and

WHEREAS, declaring the NWCTU has resources including the WCTU Local Historic District properties in Evanston, IL to enlarge her sphere of influence thereby impacting young adults, and

WHEREAS, the Administration Building situated in the Historic District campus requires minimal improvement to create space to positively impact both the community and the WCTU treasury, and

WHEREAS, expecting the estimate of $1500.00 to basically restore each office space:

RESOLVED, members unify behind the effort to “arise and build” through the NWCTU’s ongoing Administration Building restoration project;

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED, state WCTU’s “adopt” office space/spaces to restore thereby achieving more quickly the goal to “arise and build”.

BUILD CHURCH/WCTU RELATIONSHIPS

WHEREAS, acknowledging that the WCTU is founded upon the core Christian principles of the triune God; redemption through Christ’s blood; the infallible Word of God, and

WHEREAS, realizing a partnership between the WCTU and a church would strengthen the influence and outreach of both, and

WHEREAS, Frances E. Willard said “the liquor traffic would destroy the church if it could; the Church could destroy the liquor traffic if it would”:

RESOLVED, members commit to “arise and build” strong relationships with churches by offering to supply “Pastor’s Packets” and Signal Press materials.

BUILD SCHOOL/WCTU RELATIONSHIPS

WHEREAS, declaring that drug education is a focus of WCTU;

WHEREAS, mindful that drug education is key to youth making wise decisions regarding drug use;

WHEREAS, alarmed that alcohol interferes with brain development, yet 25% of surveyed 12th graders reported having an alcoholic drink by 8th grade; (http://drugfree.org/drugs/alcohol)

WHEREAS, concerned that alcohol kills more youths than all other drugs combined; (http://drugabusestatistics.org/teen)

WHEREAS, concerned that 95% of smokers try the first cigarette before age 21; (www.lung.org)

WHEREAS, alarmed that marijuana use poses serious cognitive impairment risks, yet 38% of high school students report having used it (www.cdc.gov), and

WHEREAS, recognizing prescription drug misuse is America’s fastest growing drug problem (http://drugabusestatistics.org/teen), and

WHEREAS, convinced that WCTU educational contests provide opportunities to research, form and express a pro- abstinence message:

RESOLVED, local unions “arise and build” strong relationships with Boards of Education (public, private or parochial) seeking an open door policy for Signal Press materials and educational contests.

BUILD COMMUNITY/WCTU RELATIONSHIPS

WHEREAS, recognizing affiliation with like-minded organizations lends “strength in numbers” to targeted efforts, and

WHEREAS, emphasizing steadfast adherence to “total abstinence”, and

WHEREAS, endorsing the WCTU practice that WCTU funds are for WCTU work:

RESOLVED, WCTUs seize opportunities to partner and participate in community activities.

BUILD ATTITUDES OF LOVE AND RESPECT FOR AMERICA

WHEREAS, declaring all human beings are born with certain God given “inalienable rights”; and

WHEREAS, declaring America’s foundational principles of equality and justice were set forth in 1776, both emanating from the Word of God, and

WHEREAS, emphasizing that Christianity is inconsistent with Identity Politics, Critical Race Theory and Marxist ideologies, and

WHEREAS, deploring that these ideologies undermine America’s foundation by dividing people into groups of oppressed and oppressors, and

WHEREAS, confident that Christianity guides us to value and embrace the family unit, the innocence of children, sexual purity, the institution of the church, the importance of our God given gender to our life's calling, the institutions ofgovernment and governing authority, the supreme importance of individual character and virtue, and

WHEREAS, observing in America a general movement to remove all vestiges of our shared history:

RESOLVED, WCTU members are called upon to educate themselves, exercise their right to engage in civil discourse about dangerous ideologies, advocate for the protection of the home, promote love and respect for America and endorse the safe guarding of America’s heritage.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen E. Johnson, NWCTU VICE PRESIDENT, chair

Susan Kerber, California North President

Bunny Galladora, Maryland President