[JTWNews] Sharing Good News

Fri Nov 4 14:20:36 EST 2005

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JOURNEY TOWARD WHOLENSS (JTW) NEWS

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Dear JTW-News Readers:

I returned to the UUA yesterday from 5 days in the Cascade Mountains
where I met with a group of people from different faiths and spirit
traditions, various disciplines, diverse racially, culturally, and
economically, and working on many issues -- housing, environment,
economic justice, racism, freedom to marry and more. The group was
starting-up several Circles of Change, a program of Spirit in Action, in
the Seattle area. I attended with the UUA's consultant for the JUUST
Change program www.uua.org/programs/justice/antiracism/consultancy.html
<outbind://251/www.uua.org/programs/justice/antiracism/consultancy.html>
, Paula Cole Jones, to share stratgies for building an anti-oppressive
movement for social change. It was five days of how the world could be
-- occupying non-judgmental space, reaching across divides, and working
for a common vision. You may want to consider joining or starting a
Circle of Change in your areas. See www.spiritinaction.net
<outbind://251/www.spiritinaction.net>  for more information.

So because I've been away I apologize that I'm writing to you on a
Friday but I do want to share some wonderful news with you that happened
last week about work the UUA and UU congregations have been doing for
racial and economic justice and ending the war.

When I left work yesterday there were 2,037 combat boots lined up in
rows on the Boston Common. People were reading the names of the dead. 

In faith, Susan 

ps - I know that DRUUMM and White Allies are Meeting this weekend.
Please send us news from your joint and separate gatherings and we will
post it here.  Thank you for your efforts in building our beloved
community. 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1) UUA President Marches for Civil Rights

2) UUA Hosts Press Conference for Cindy Sheehan

3) UU Congregations Hosting Wal-Mart Film Screenings

4) UUA Washington Office for Advocacy Statement on Alito Nomination

5) Request for Congregational Stories on AIDs work for UU World

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1)UUA PRESIDENT MARCHES FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

On Sunday, October 30th, UUA President William G. Sinkford joined
Georgia congressman John Lewis, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, and over
2,000 participants as they marched from Roxbury's First Church (UU) to
the Boston Common in support of voting rights. The Massachusetts
Foundation for the Humanities helped to present the Retracing the
Struggle for Voting Rights Act March which re-enacted the march from
Selma to Montgomery that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The 2.5
mile march stepped off from Dudley Square and ended with speeches on the
Boston Common, including remarks from Sinkford. 

Sinkford, who marched with a large UU contingent behind the banner of
the UU Urban Ministry, spoke of the legacy of civil rights heroine Rosa
Parks, who died last week, and Unitarian Universalist minister Rev.
James Reeb, who was attacked in Selma in March, 1965, and died from his
injuries. Sinkford called on the crowd to remember Parks and Reeb not as
individual agents, but rather as members of a larger community dedicated
to justice and equal rights. He called on those gathered to form a new
"community of resistance" in support of civil rights in the United
States. 

The "Retracing the Struggle" weekend was co-sponsored by organizations
including the Unitarian Universalist Association, the UU Urban Ministry,
and Kings Chapel. 

See http://www.uua.org/president/051030_voting.html
<http://www.uua.org/president/051030_voting.html>  for more.

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2) UUA HOSTS PRESS CONFERENCE FOR CINDY SHEEHAN

October 30, 2005) On October 29th the UUA hosted a press conference for
peace activist Cindy Sheehan, who was in Boston to lead a major anti-war
rally and march. Sheehan is the "Gold Star Mom" who gained the national
spotlight last August when she camped outside of President George Bush's
ranch in Crawford, Texas. The press conference, held in the UUA's Eliot
Hall, was designed to focus attention on the mounting death toll in Iraq
where more than 2,000 US service men and women have died since the start
of the war.

Speaking to more than a dozen reporters from the pulpit once used by
William Ellery Channing, the soft-spoken Sheehan calmly stated, "Not one
person should have died for this mistake. We demand an end to the
occupation of Iraq. We demand that our troops come home as soon as
possible."

When asked about the significance of the US death toll climbing above
2,000 last week, Sheehan responded, "My son was 615, but to us they are
not numbers. Two thousand might be an arbitrary tipping point that
knocked some folks off the fence. The people who are joining us now come
from Middle America. They are grandmas and grandpas and people pushing
baby carriages."

See http://www.uua.org/news/2003/iraq/051029_sheehan.html
<http://www.uua.org/news/2003/iraq/051029_sheehan.html>  for full
coverage.

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3) MORE UU CONGREGATIONS ARE SIGNING UP TO HOST FILM ON WAL-MART

HOST A SCREENING OF THE NEW WAL-MART MOVIE!

Over 80 UU congregations in 26 states from Maine to California have
signed on to host a screening of the new Robert Greenwald film,
Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. This action launches UUJEC's
"Unmasking Wal-Mart and other Big Box Retailers '05-'06 Action Campaign.

The Young Adult and Campus Ministry Office reports that they have
organized over 100 showings on campuses as well!

The UUA will be showing the film on Wed. to Nov. 16th to staff and
invited guests.

UUs for a Just Economic Community, the UUA & the UU Service Committee
are official sponsors of the week-long movie launch that starts November
13th with movie screenings and discussions organized by religious
communities across the country.

Our intention is to hold Wal-Mart accountable for unjust practices that
impoverish workers and threaten communities. We want UU congregations to
show the movie and let our communities know that Unitarian Universalists
stand up for justice! Screenings can occur at your congregation, in
homes, public places, whatever makes sense. Make it a party! This is a
great way to get youth and young adults involved in social justice.

Follow these steps to sign up and order the DVD Screening Kit ($10 cost
includes promotion materials and a discussion guide. 

SIGN UP to HOST a screening at

http://www.walmartmovie.com/host.php?track=uujec
<http://www.walmartmovie.com/host.php?track=uujec>  

PRE-ORDER the DVD at http://www.walmartmovie.com/watch.php?track=uujec
<http://www.walmartmovie.com/watch.php?track=uujec> 

LIST your screening date and location at
http://www.walmartmovie.com/host2.php
<http://www.walmartmovie.com/host2.php> . In the next month, millions of
people will be going online to find a movie place and time that works
for them. You can open your event to the public or limit it to a
particular audience (private screening). You can identify your preferred
option on the website form. No matter which option you choose, please
fill out the form so you get everything you need to make your screening

a success. 

LET UUJEC KNOW that you signed up to host and a few details about your
plans. 

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4)UUA's WASHINTON OFFICE FOR ADVOCACY DIRECTOR RESPONDS TO ALITO
NOMINATION

November 2, 2005, Washington, DC-In response to the nomination of Judge
Samuel Alito to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the US Supreme Court,
Unitarian Universalist Association Washington Office for Advocacy
Director Rob Keithan issued the following statement:

By nominating Judge Samuel Alito to replace Sandra Day O'Connor,
President Bush has demonstrated a disappointing lack of commitment to
ensuring diversity on the nation's highest court. Upon initial
inspection, Judge Alito's record raises grave concerns about his
commitment to ensuring constitutionally-protected civil rights and
liberties. The Unitarian Universalist Association will be reviewing
Judge Alito's extensive judicial record with a particular concern for
evidence of commitment to religious liberty, freedom of speech and of
expression, and the right to privacy. The Unitarian Universalist
Association believes that that nation's judiciary should protect the
rights of all people, regardless of gender, religion, class, sexual
orientation, immigration status, or other factors.

The Unitarian Universalist Association and our allies will continue to
challenge conservative religious fundamentalists and others who claim to
speak for all people of faith. There is not one single religious
perspective on this or any other social issue. We hope that all parties
involved in the nominations process, including advocacy groups and
elected officials, will refrain from using religion as a political
weapon. There should be no litmus test for judicial nominees, nor
McCarthy-style tactics that mislabel appropriate questions and concerns
as "attacking" a nominee's faith. 

Our office will continue to monitor the use of religion in the
nominations process. We look forward to a thorough and candid
examination of Judge Alito's qualifications and record in the coming
weeks. 

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5) STORIES ON CONGREGATIONAL WORK ON AIDS

Dec. 1st is World Aids Day www.uua.org/uuawo/new/article.php?id=593
<outbind://251/www.uua.org/uuawo/new/article.php?id=593> . Please send
me your stories about how your congregation is raising awareness about
AIDS, working for prevention, and assisting people with AIDS
domestically and internationally. We want to share all the ways we can
work together to provide healing, compassion, and an end to AIDs.

--Susan

Susan Leslie

Director for Congregational Advocacy and Witness

Unitarian Universalist Association

25 Beacon Street, Boston MA 02108

(617) 948-4607; sleslie at uua.org

www.uua.org/justice <outbind://251/www.uua.org/justice> 

Subscribe to SAC-News, Advocacy-News & SRI-News at
www.uua.org/mailman/listinfo
<outbind://251/www.uua.org/mailman/listinfo> 

Susan Leslie
Director for Congregational Advocacy and Witness
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street, Boston MA  02108
(617) 948-4607; sleslie at uua.org
www.uua.org/justice
Subscribe to SAC-News, Advocacy-News & SRI-News at
www.uua.org/mailman/listinfo