[Sac-news] Witness for Justice

Fri Apr 28 14:20:30 EDT 2006

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SOCIAL ACTION CHAIR (SAC) NEWS
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Dear SAC-News Readers:

Thank you for your enthusiastic responses to the UUA's social witness
for justice.  Having our position represented through our national
offices and from our congregations across the country amplifies our
voices and creates solidarity between us as well as the people we are
standing with. -- The people of Darfur and Iraq, immigrants in our own
country, and our glbt citizens being denied their equal rights.

This issue of SAC-News brings you the latest updates of opportunities
for your congregation to make a difference.

In Solidarity, Susan

TABLE OF CONTENTS
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(1) April 30th Rallies to Save Darfur & Last weekend to collect
postcards
(2) UUA Launches "Standing on the Side of Love 2006: No Discrimination
in the Constitution" Campaign
(3) UUA Washington Office Joins Interfaith Effort Opposing Arrests of
Immigrants
(4) Ending the War in Iraq - NYC Rallies & Interfaith Events
(5) Meeting at GA on June 21st in St. Louis

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(1) MILLION VOICES FOR DARFUR CAMPAIGN

SUNDAY, APRIL 30th RALLIES

With the genocide continuing in Darfur, the UUA, UUSC and other human
rights organizations are organizing major events to raise public
awareness of what the United Nations has described as the world's worst
humanitarian crisis. During the weekend of April 28-May 1, 2006, major
rallies to end genocide in Darfur will be held in Washington, D.C., San
Francisco, Chicago and other communities across the country.

The "Save Darfur: Rally to Stop Genocide" is organized by the Save
Darfur Coalition (www.SaveDarfur.org), an alliance of more than 150
faith-based, humanitarian and human rights organizations.  The UUA and
UUSC are co-sponsors and members of the Save Darfur Coalition.

UUA President Rev. William Sinkford will be speaking at the rally in
Washington, DC and UUSC President Dr. Charlie Clements will be speaking
in San Francisco.

At the Washington rally, UUSC is organizing a Rally Before the Rally
especially for Unitarian Universalists attending the main event on the
National Mall.  See http://www.uusc.org/darfur/rally.html.

SAVE DARFUR POSTCARDS

Even if you can't attend the rallies, you and your congregation can be
part of the Million Voices for Darfur Campaign by joining in the million
postcards campaign.

See http://www.uusc.org/darfur/index.html for details.

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(2) STANDING ON THE SIDE OF LOVE:  2006

Action Alert from the UUA Washington Office for Advocacy

UUA Launches "Standing on the Side of Love 2006: No Discrimination in
the Constitution" Campaign

Dear Readers,

In the coming months Congress will once again consider an amendment to
write discrimination into the US Constitution. S.J. Res 1, officially
misnamed the "Marriage Protection Amendment," would not only impose a
single, religiously biased definition on the nation, but it would also
override many state and local laws that extend benefits and protections
to same-sex couples and families! The Senate has scheduled a vote for
the week of June 5th. 

Since defeating this amendment is one of the UUA's highest advocacy
priorities for 2006, we've decided to make a campaign of it. We know
that many congregations have already done some work on marriage
equality. Indeed--individual UUs and UU congregations play leading roles
in virtually every state that has an organized effort for marriage
equality. Working together, we can help to ensure that the federal
marriage amendment is soundly defeated. 

Our campaign website has all the info you need to get started, from
background info and talking points to sample letters and lobbying
guides. We've even got a resource on "Framing" that gives advice on how
to approach talking about the issue. 

I hope you'll visit
http://www.uua.org/uuawo/new/article.php?list=type&type=142, our
campaign headquarters, and make plans to join. In particular, we're
asking activists to:

1. Send individual letters of opposition to their Senators 2. Rally your
congregations in May, ideally with a "Standing on the Side of Love
Sunday"
3. Consider organizing an in-district lobby visit for members of your
congregation during the week of May 29-June 2, while Congress is on
recess. This is the week preceding the Senate vote!!!

Don't forget to let us know about your lobbying activities!  We can help
you coordinate with other interested groups from your area by working
with our national coalition partners, like the HRC, Union for Reform
Judaism, and PFLAG.  Already going on a lobby visit against a
discriminatory amendment?  Remember to identify yourself as a person of
faith-and let us know how it went! Share your info with Elizabeth Bukey,
Legislative Assistant for Civil Rights and Religious Liberty, at
ebukey at uua.org or 202-296-4672 x22.

Last but certainly not least, we're also asking gay and lesbian UU
couples to share their stories of discrimination. Sharing personal
stories is probably the single best way to mobilize opposition to the
marriage amendment and support for marriage equality. Those who are
willing to share their stories can choose how much information about
them will be made public. If you're willing to share your story, please
visit http://www.uua.org/news/freedomtomarry/yourstory.html. Feel free
to email us if you have any questions about the form.    

In Faith,

Elizabeth, Meredith, and Rob in the UUA Washington Office

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(3) UUA SIGNS ON INTERFAITH LETTER TO MICHAEL CHERTOFF, HEAD OF HOMELAND
SECURITY OPPOSING RECENT ARRESTS OF UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS

LETTER TO MICHAEL CHERTOFF

Religious Statement Opposing Immigrant and Customs Enforcement Crackdown
on 
Undocumented Immigrants

As people of faith, we believe that all people are created in the image
of God and deserve basic human rights and human dignity. The book of
Leviticus is clear that we have a duty to welcome immigrants with love
and respect: "When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not
oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the
citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were
aliens in the land of Egypt (Leviticus 19: 33-34)."

In Matthew 25, Jesus, too, lifted up this value: "I was a stranger and
you welcomed me."

We are concerned that our nation is not living up to its sacred duty to
welcome the stranger. On April 19, 2006, Immigration and Customs
Enforcement officials apprehended over 1,100 immigrants as part of a
new, aggressive strategy to crack down on undocumented immigrants
announced by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on April 20.
This is an unjust and immoral attack on immigrant workers' rights. The
past weeks have witnessed a productive national dialogue on how to
address the immigration question, and immigrants' rights groups have
held a series of massive rallies with turnout of tens and even hundreds
of thousands in over a hundred cities. Immigrants rights groups are
planning another national day of action on May 1.

In that context, this new enforcement strategy looks like punishment for
immigrants who have come together to stand up for their rights and an
attempt to intimidate workers planning to attend rallies on May 1.

We call upon the Bush Administration to respect immigrants' rights and
stop this crackdown. America deserves a more just and democratic
immigration system that protects the interests of all workers, both
immigrant and U.S.-born. These interests are best served by a realistic
solution involving earned legalization for immigrant workers already in
this country, as well as labor law reforms that will better protect the
rights of all workers.

Note to Readers: See Interfaith Worker Justice at
http://www.iwj.org/actnow/imm/immigration.html for more information.

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(4) FROM THE BEYOND IRAQ COALITION & FAITH VOICES FOR THE COMMON GOOD

The Beyond Iraq declaration on peace, justice and democracy is complete!
Thank you to all who participated! 

We are pleased to announce that the leader selected by the Synanim
process -- Vicki Boatright of Ohio -- is traveling to New York City to
present the declaration herself. She will formally read the statement at
the United Nations on May 1 and before that at Middle Collegiate Church
on April 29 at the interfaith peace service from 7-9 pm. She will be at
these events: 

March for Peace, Justice and Democracy

March: starts at 10:30am, 22nd Street and Broadway to Foley Square

Grassroots festival: 1:00-6:00pm, Foley Square

The Beyond Iraq declaration is powerful, but its significance is that it
was written by so many! You can read it at
http://www.beyondiraq2006.org/ 

Help us raise its visibility beyond this weekend. Show your support with
a small donation and check the box stating that you wish to show your
support publicly on the Beyond Iraq web site. 

And thanks to the very many of you who already have and are listed now! 

Peace, 

Brian and Rita
Co-Directors, Faith Voices for the Common Good 

P.S. If you are in New York for the march and related events, look for
us with the banner that says, "They're the Right Wing, WE are the rest
of the bird," and join us!

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(5) SOCIAL JUSTICE & ANTI-RACISM COMMITTEES GATHERING AT GA

Hold the Date!!  Wed. June 21st. 2-5 p.m.

More details coming soon.  Invite your committee members.

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As always, keep sending your stories.

In faith, 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
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