| For Whom the Bells Toll |
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For Whom the Bells Toll
A Program of People of Faith Against the Death Penalty For Whom the Bells Toll is a program coordinated by People of Faith Against the Death Penalty to encourage congregations to ring their bells at 6:00 pm for two minutes on the day of an execution in the United States. To view a current schedule of upcoming executions, please click here. If bells are not available, a banner can instead be displayed on the day of an execution. We encourage faith communities to share the meaning of tolling their bells in an effort to educate members of their faith community and local media. Participants in For Whom the Bells Toll join an email list and will receive regular updates about approaching executions in the United States. PFADP can assist with ways to inform the congregation’s broader community about the purpose of the bell ringing. How to get involved: If you would like more information about For Whom the Bells Toll please contact Amanda Lattanzio at amanda (at) pfadp (dot) org or 919.933.7567. Or you can sign-up directly by following this link: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1576/signUp.jsp?key=5043 The history of the program: The idea of ringing bells on the day of an execution was developed when Bishop Walter Sullivan of Richmond, Virginia heard about Jaime Cardinal Sin of the Philippines encouraging Catholic churches in the Philippines to toll their bells in response to the execution of a Filipino citizen. Starting on November 9, 1999, Bishop Sullivan encouraged all churches in his diocese to toll their bells on the evening of every execution until the death penalty was abolished in the United States. Sister Dorothy (Dot) Briggs founded the national program that we know today and PFADP assumed responsibility of the program in 2009. Before PFADP adopted the program, For Whom the Bells Toll was a program of Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE). The history of tolling bells: The tolling bells will be a reminder to all who hear them that all of us are diminished by continuing acts of state-sponsored murder. The churches, monasteries, abbeys, temples and synagogues that join in this effort will go a long way toward stopping the death penalty in this country. The campaign will continue until the death penalty is abolished in this country. Throughout history, bells have been used to warn people of dangers such as marauders or approaching storms. They have been used to celebrate happy occasions such as weddings and to mark sorrowful occasions such as deaths. Bells have been tolled to gather village residents for meetings. In 1945, many church bells tolled to announce the end of World War II. How to help: If your place of worship has a bell: • On the date of an execution, toll the bells at 6:00 p.m. for 2 minutes. If your place of worship does not have a bell: • Hang a black drape outside the doors of the building on the day of the execution.*Banners will be coming soon. Whether there is a bell or not: • Include information in your bulletin.If you need help or advice with anything, do not hesitate to contact us. You can email Amanda Lattanzio at amanda (at) pfadp (dot) org or call 919.933.7567. If you have not signed up yet to join For Whom the Bells Toll, please do so by following this link: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1576/signUp.jsp?key=5043 The current execution schedule is as follows: Please note the scheduled executions in the state of Pennsylvania. These dates are not considered to be serious and stays of execution will most likely result. We have included the dates in the schedule but have noted that stays are likely. If an execution in the state of Pennsylvania is considered to be serious, we will let you know. There is also a petition calling for Teresa Lewis, who is scheduled to be killed by the people of Virginia on September 23, to have her sentence commuted to life in prison without parole. Please visit the following page to sign the petition, http://www.saveteresalewis.org/petition.html SEPTEMBER 9 - Alabama Holly Wood is scheduled to be killed by the people of for the murder of Ruby Lois Gosha. 10 - Washington Cal Brown is scheduled to be killed by the people of Washington for the murder of Holly Washa. 14 - Pennsylvania* Anthony Dick is scheduled to be killed by the people of Pennsylvania for the murders of Creed Vincent and James Dick. *Stay likely 16 - Pennsylvania* Brentt Sherwood is scheduled to be killed by the people of Pennsylvania for the murder of Marlee Rose Reed. *Stay likely 16 - Kentucky Gregory Wilson is scheduled to be killed by the people of Kentucky for the murder of Deborah Pooley. 23 - Virginia** Teresa Lewis is scheduled to be killed by the people of Virginia for the murders of Julian Clifton, Lewis Junio and Charles J. Lewis. **Sign Ms. Lewis' petition here, http://www.saveteresalewis.org/petition.html 29 - California Albert Brown is scheduled to be killed by the people of California for the murder of Susan Louise Jordan. OCTOBER 6- Ohio 10:00 AM EDT Michael Benge is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murder of Judith Gabbard. 14 - Texas 7:00 PM EDT Gayland Bradford is scheduled to be killed by the people of Texas for the murder of Brian Williams. 14 - Oklahoma Donald Wackerly II is scheduled to be killed by the people of Oklahoma for the murder of Pan Sayakhoummane. 16 - Oklahoma Jeffrey Matthews is scheduled to be killed by the people of Oklahoma for the murder of Otis Earl Short. 19 - Pennsylvania* Kenneth Hairston is scheduled to be killed by the people of Pennsylvania for the murders of Katherine and Sean Hairston. *Stay likely 20 - Pennsylvania* Cletus Rivera is scheduled to be executed by the state of Pennsylvania for the murder of Officer Scott Wertz. *Stay likely 20 - Missouri Roderick Nunley is scheduled to be killed by the people of Missouri for the murder of Ann Harrison. 21 - Pennsylvania* Jerry Chambers is scheduled to be killed by the people of Pennsylvania for the murder of Porchia Bennett. *Stay likely 21 - Texas 7:00 PM EDT Larry Wooten is scheduled to be killed by the people of Texas for the murders of Grady and Bessie Alexander. NOVEMBER 4 - Alabama Phillip Hallford is scheduled to be killed by the people of Alabama for the murder of Charles Eddie Shannon. 9 - Tennessee Stephen West is scheduled to be killed by the people of Tennessee for the murders of Wanda and Sheila Romines. 16 - Ohio 10:00 AM EDT Sidney Cornwell is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murder of Jessica Ballew. DECEMBER 7 - Tennessee Billy Ray Irick is scheduled to be killed by the people of Tennessee for the murder of Paula Dyer. 2011 FEBRUARY 17 - Ohio 10:00 AM EDT Frank Spisak is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murders of Rev. Horace Rickerson, Brian Warford and Timothy Sheehan. MARCH 10 - Ohio 10:00 AM EDT Johnnie Baston is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murder of Chong Mah. CONTACT: ALABAMA Governor Bob Riley State Capitol 600 Dexter Avenue Montgomery, AL 36130 Phone: (334) 242-7100 Fax: (334) 353-0004 Email at: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Web form: http://governor.alabama.gov/contact/contact_form.aspx CALIFORNIA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger State Capitol Building Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 445-2841 Fax: (916) 558-3160 Email at: http://gov.ca.gov/interact#email KENTUCKY Governor Steve Beshear 700 Capitol Avenue, Suite 100 Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 Phone: (502) 564-2611 Fax: (502) 564-2517 TDD: (502) 564-9551 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) Email at: http://governor.ky.gov/contact/contact.htm MISSOURI Governor Jay Nixon P.O. Box 720 Jefferson City, MO 65102 Phone: (573) 751-3222 Email at: http://governor.mo.gov/contact/ OHIO Governor Ted Strickland Governor's Office Riffe Center, 30th Floor 77 South High Street Columbus, OH 43215-6108 Phone/General Info: (614) 466-3555 Fax: (614) 466-9354 Email at: http://governor.ohio.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=150 OKLAHOMA Governor Brad Henry State Capitol Building 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 212 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 Telephone: (405) 521-2342 Fax: (405) 521-3353 Email at: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Web form: http://www.gov.ok.gov/message.php PENNSYLVANIA: Governor Edward G. Rendell 225 Main Capitol Building Harrisburg, PA 17120 Phone: (717) 787-2500 Fax: (717) 772-8284 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Web form: http://www.governor.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/contact/2998/e-mail_the_governor%27s_office/465341 TENNESSEE: Governor Phil Bredesen Governor's Office Tennessee State Capitol Nashville, TN 37243-0001 Phone: (615) 741-2001 Fax: (615) 532-9711 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it TEXAS: Governor Rick Perry Office of the Governor P.O. Box 12428 Austin, TX 78711-2428 Phone: Citizen's Opinion Hotline: 1 (800) 252-9600 [for Texas callers] Information and Referral and Opinion Hotline: (512) 463-1782 [for Austin, Texas and out-of-state callers] Office of the Governor Main Switchboard: (512) 463-2000 [office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST] Fax: (512) 463-1849 Email at: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Web form: http://www2.governor.state.tx.us/contact/assistance.aspx VIRGINIA Governor Bob McDonnell Office of the Governor Patrick Henry Building, 3rd Floor 1111 East Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 Phone: (804) 786-2211 Fax: (804) 371-6351 Email at: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm WASHINGTON Governor Chris Gregoire Office of the Governor PO Box 40002 Olympia, WA 98504-0002 Phone: (360) 902-4111 Fax: (360) 753-4110 Email at: http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/ |
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