[JTWNews] Organizing for Justice - Resources & Inspiration

[Susan Leslie]

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JOURNEY TOWARD WHOLENESS (JTW) NEWS
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Dear JTW-News Readers:

This issue of JTW-News contains:

(1) SRI Teleconference Workshops Reminder. Community Investing on Feb.
4th.
(2) Reminders & information for important March 1st & 15th deadlines for
UUA social 
    justice-related awards and resources.
(3) An Invitation to a Social Justice Gathering at GA--June 21st--Mark
Your Calendars!
(4) A Statement from the UUA Director of the Washington Office for
Advocacy on the
    Confirmation of Samuel Alito

Let us hold the memory and legacy of Coretta Scott King in our hearts --
a woman who truly worked for justice for all and did not let personal
despair and loss silence her voice or intimidate her spirit.  Much will
be written and said but you may want to listen to the NPR Report that
included words from Maya Angelou
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5180768. 

In Faith, Susan  


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(1) FREE 2006 Teleconference Workshops on Feb. 4, Feb. 18, and March 4

Socially Responsible Investing - Making a Difference with Ideals,
Impact, and Involvement

Saturday, February 4th, 1pm EST -- Impact - Community Investing

You've heard about the fringe banking community - payday lenders,
check-cashing centers, etc. There's another sector of financial
institutions serving low-income and marginalized communities by creating
wealth rather than stripping it -- community development financial
institutions (CDFIs). CDFIs include banks, credit unions, and loan
funds. Your congregation can invest in these and thereby support fairly
priced capital access that creates jobs, finances affordable housing,
and fosters microenterprise development. Join this call to learn what
you can do and how the UUA can match your investment.  Call from the
comfort of your home or gather a group in your congregation around a
speaker phone.

See http://www.uua.org/finance/sri/SRI-TeleConference-Flyer.pdf for
details on how to participate.

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(2) MARCH 1 & 15 DEADLINES FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARDS, COMMENTS, FUNDS,
RESOURCES

SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARDS

March 1st Deadline:

*Nominations for UUA Social Justice Awards for congregations,
individuals, and sermons are due March 1st.  These awards provide an
opportunity for recognition, cash prizes, and publicity that shares best
practices.  

See http://www.uua.org/programs/justice/awards.html for details on:

Bennett Award for Congregational Action on Human Justice and Social
Action 
Holmes-Weatherly Award 
Skinner Sermon Award
Social Witness Sermon Contest
Wilton Peace Prize 

SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMENTS

*Comments from your congregation on the Study Action Issues on Global
Warming and Moral Values for a Pluralistic Society are due March 1st.
See http://www.uua.org/csw/ for more information and the new On-Line
Comment Form.

UU FUNDING PANEL

March 15th Deadline:

The UU Funding Panel is accepting grant proposals for congregational
social justice efforts and projects.  See http://www.uua.org/uufp/ for
more information and forms.

SOCIAL JUSTICE EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOPS

We are now accepting applications for Fall/Winter 2006 and Winter/Spring
2007 congregational Social Justice Empowerment Workshops.  

See http://www.uua.org/programs/justice/ep/ for information about the
program and application form.

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(3)  SOCIAL JUSTICE GATHERING AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Please Mark Your Calendars for a Social Justice Gathering at General
Assembly on Wednesday, June 21st, from 2-5 p.m. (Room TBA).

You and members of your social action committee, JTW or anti-racism or
diversity committee are invited to a gathering where we will explore
best practices and resources for congregational advocacy, organizing,
and public witness.  We will also examine how to do this work in a way
that is accountable to and in partnership with marginalized groups.
Join UUA Washington Office Director Rob Keithan, me, and other guest
speakers.  More details will follow.

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(4) STATEMENT ON THE CONFIRMATION OF SAMUEL ALITO TO THE US SUPREME
COURT

For HTML version
http://www.uua.org/news/2005/051212_alito/060201_confirmation.html
 
The Supreme Court of the United States  
Robert Keithan, 
Director, UUA Washington Office for Advocacy 
February 1, 2006

Tuesday, January 31, marked two milestones in US history: the
confirmation of Samuel Alito to the US Supreme Court, and the
announcement of the death of civil rights legend Coretta Scott King. As
we remember and celebrate the life of Mrs. King, we are reminded that
too many dreams remain unfulfilled. As Bruce S. Gordon, President of the
NAACP said, the passing of Coretta Scott King "is a deep loss not only
to the civil rights community, but to all who cared about human rights."


The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations opposed the
confirmation of Judge Alito, based on a 2004 General Assembly statement
on civil liberties that called us to oppose nominees "whose records
demonstrate insensitivity to the protection of civil liberties."

Although Judge Alito was ultimately confirmed, I believe that there are
many small victories to claim in the 58-42 vote-the slimmest
confirmation margin since the confirmation of Judge Clarence Thomas in
1991. Through the hearings and other public means, the UUA and our
coalition partners helped elevate the importance of serious legal issues
surrounding this nomination. The national dialogue that resulted asked
very timely questions regarding the scope of presidential authority and
individual civil liberties. Perhaps most significantly, we made it clear
that a wide coalition of groups, including the Union of Reform Judaism
as well as the UUA, were willing to put a great deal of effort into
defending civil rights and liberties. I strongly believe that the
ability to form effective partnerships is among the most critical
factors in successful long-term social change, and I fully expect these
partnerships to continue in the coming years. Many thanks to all
Unitarian Universalists who spoke out against the confirmation of Judge
Alito.

Another important reason for doing this kind of work is accountability:
listening to the people and groups most affected by an issue and working
to implement the solutions they identify. In this case, Judge Alito's
confirmation was opposed by virtually every group working for bisexual,
gay, lesbian, and transgender rights; civil liberties; racial justice
and civil rights; disability rights; worker's rights, and women's
rights.

A Zogby poll released on Sunday, January 29, found that 100% of African
Americans surveyed opposed the confirmation of Samuel Alito. Striving
for accountability and demonstrating, by our action and our word, our
belief that all people are equal is one concrete way Unitarian
Universalists can make a belief in the inherent worth and dignity of
every person not only a religious principle but a religious practice. UU
minister the Rev. Richard Gilbert wrote in The Prophetic Imperative, "We
are in the process of learning that church social action is not a small
band of marginal activists in the church decrying church inaction or
seeking to represent the whole church.  Rather, it is a congregational
process of coming to terms with the mission of the religious community
in a society that sometimes confuses the separation of church and state
with the divorce of religion and public policy." 

Clearly, we still have much work to do before all public decisions
reflect values of justice and equality for all people. I am grateful to
be part of a faith tradition that has and will continue to speak out for
these values. In my work for the Association, I will continue to spread
the message that we are first and foremost a religious community-not a
political one-and that we must take care in how we express our position
on controversial issues. We must seek a balance between the value (both
in theological growth and potential effectiveness) of taking collective
action and the importance of respecting the diversity of opinions within
our congregations and movement. I believe the key lies in focusing our
efforts on those issues where we have unique grounding, fit, and
opportunity, and recognizing that (1) we need to provide a space for
dissenting voices to be heard; and (2) we will not-and should not-speak
out on every issue. For us the process of taking action should be at
least as important as the action itself. When done well, collective
action for justice can build relationships between people and
organizations, deepen personal and religious understanding, energize a
congregation or community, and effectively change culture and policy.

Extensive social justice resources for your congregation are available
at www.uua.org/programs/justice. To participate in the Association's
Social Witness process-comments from congregations and districts are due
March 1st on "Moral Values for Pluralistic Society" and "Global
Warming"-see www.uua.org/csw.

In a 2003 speech to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Coretta
Scott King said, "We are all tied together in a single garment of
destiny...an inescapable network of mutuality... I can never be what I
ought to be until you are allowed to be what you ought to be."

May it be so. 

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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
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