In May, 1999 , Machar sent a letter to Daniel M. Snyder who had just purchased the Washington D.C.-area National Football League franchise. In this letter we urged Mr. Snyder to change the name of the team, which is a racial slur directed at Native Americans.

On August 7, 1999 , members of Machar participated with the Machar banner in a rally at the Lincoln Memorial to "Stand up for Pluralism and Respect and Oppose Neo-Nazi Hatred." This event was coordinated primarily by the American Jewish Committee because of a neo-Nazi march scheduled in Washington, D.C. on that same day. Presumably the neo-Nazis had heard about the counter-demonstration and were scared off, because none of them showed up at the long-anticipated event.

In March, 2000, Machar adopted a position of supporting the efforts of Local 27 of the Parking and Service Workers Union to organize parking workers in the Washington, DC area. Local parking workers, most of whom are Ethiopian, were among the most exploited, working at or near minimum wage, often without health insurance or any retirement benefits prior to the initiation of this organizing campaign. Local 27 has, over the past few years, organized about 45% of the parking workers in this area and has won for them scheduled annual pay increases, health insurance and retirement benefits, guaranteed overtime, and job security. Machar is committed to doing whatever we can to help local 27 reach its goal of full unionization. We are enormously proud that one of our members, Roxie Herbekian, is the elected president of Local 27.

At its April, 2000 meeting, the Machar Board passed a resolution in support of comprehensive Living Wage legislation in Montgomery County, Maryland. Machar sent a letter to all members of the Montgomery County Council and is working as a member of the Living Wage Coalition to press for this legislation.

In September 2001, following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Machar sent the following letter, written by Rabbi Ben Biber and David Wittenberg, to several Arab-American and Muslim organizations.

"In the aftermath of one of the darkest days in American history, we, the members of Machar, Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism, express our concern and sympathy for all those grieving the loss of loved ones, as well as for the survivors of the attacks, their families and their communities.

We are also moved to express our support for the American Arab and Muslim communities who are suffering the injustice of harassment, threats or attacks. As Jews, we know what it is to face prejudice, and pernicious charges of divided loyalty in particular. As Humanists, we feel that it is necessary to extend comfort to any group of human beings who face unjust blanket condemnation for the crimes committed by individuals who happen to share their ethnicity or faith.

As Humanistic Jews who embrace peace and social justice, we reach out in sympathy to all of our fellow Americans at this time of trial. As Americans upholding democracy and pluralism, we call on all who live in this great country to respect each other's dignity, as well as the right of everyone to equal protection under the law."

Here are two responses we received to this note.

"The American Arab Anti Discrimination Committee thanks you for your kind comments and encouragement. In the midst of the angry, vengeful and harsh messages we receive, your charitable words of support are deeply valued.

We thank you and hope, as you do, for all Americans, regardless of ethnicity, to help one another through this great tragedy."

"Thank you for your kind words. It is good and encouraging to know that there are such thoughtful people as you in the world.

Warmest regards,
Al-Hewar Center for Arab Culture and Dialogue"

In September, 2003, Machar endorsed the Justice for Janitors campaign of the
Service Employees' International Union (SEIU;
www.seiu.org/building/janitors/about_justice_for_janitors).
One of the two areas in the United States in which union membership is increasing is among low-wage workers (the other such area being government employees). The SEIU has been one of the leading unions in this effort with its well-known "Justice for Janitors" campaign in a number of cities, including Washington, DC. Janitors and other low-wage workers, whose numbers include many recent immigrants, routinely lack job security, health insurance, retirement, or other benefits that have become essential to life in the United States. SEIU/Justice for Janitors has is working to improve working conditions, benefits, and job security for these workers.