[Sac-news] Sinkford on Air America to Defeat Marriage Amendment! ( & GA News)

Thu Jun 1 18:42:45 EDT 2006

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

The UUA Washington Office for Advocacy reports that "We're down to the
wire on the marriage amendment vote, and our strong momentum continues."
That momentum includes an interview with Bill Sinkford on Air America on
Sunday, June 4th from 5-6 p.m. and a national call-in to Congress on
Monday, June 5th.  Details on the radio show and the advocacy day are
below and at http://www.uua.org/

GA NEWS!  I will be sending out a special GA Edition of SAC-News next
week but please note two MUST GO TO events I have posted at
http://www.uua.org/programs/justice/

*  A pre-GA Social Justice Gathering for Social Action and Racial
Justice Committees on Wed., June 21st. From 2-5 p.m. Please RSVP!!
(Details below & at
http://www.uua.org/programs/justice/06ga_SJ_gathering.pdf).

*  Special GA Featured Presentation:  FROM THE HEART: BUILDING A NEW
DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT! - with Linda Stout, Director of Spirit in Action,
Sat., June 24th, 2:15 p.m. (Includes a report on coalition efforts for a
just recovery in the Gulf. (Details below & at
http://www.uua.org/programs/justice/06ga_LindaStout_NOLA.pdf

Let's join together in our faith-based advocacy for same-sex marriage
and raise a religious voice denouncing discrimination and oppression.
Then onward to GA for further organizing, advocacy, and witness! --
Susan

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

(1) UUA President William G. Sinkford on Air America, June 4th,
5:00-6:00 pm
(2) National Call-In Day Against the Federal Marriage Amendment on
Monday, June 5
(3) Pre-GA Gathering for Social Action & Racial Justice Committee
Members, June 21
(4) GA Presentation:  From the Heart--Building a New Democracy Movement!
June 24

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(1) UUA PRESIDENT WILLIAM G. SINKFORD ON AIR AMERICA, JUNE 4TH,
5:00-6:00 PM

William G. Sinkford, UUA President, will be speaking on marriage
equality and the upcoming Senate vote on the federal marriage amendment
as a guest on Welton Gaddy's "State of Belief" radio show, airing
nationally Sunday, June 4 from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM EDT on Air America.

Rev. Gaddy, President of The Interfaith Alliance, will also hear from
grassroots religious leaders about the Federal Marriage Amendment.

The Federal Marriage Amendment, which is scheduled to go to the Senate
floor next week for debate and a vote, has been called a "partisan tool"
in election year politics as the Administration panders to its radical
religious right base.  Many people, including President Sinkford, have
said the amendment writes discrimination into the Constitution without
cause. Rev. Sinkford said, "[Same sex marriages] pose no threat to other
marriages and they pose no threat to the institution of marriage."

Three grassroots clergy will also speak about coming to Washington, D.C.
last week to talk to their senators about the amendment. Rev. Steve
Copley, Rabbi Eugene Levy and Rev. Betty McCollum (a Unitarian
Universalist minister) will talk about the reasons many clergy do not
support this amendment. (See uua.org's article on the interfaith clergy
fly-in at http://www.uua.org/news/freedomtomarry/060522_dc.html ).

For complete information on "State of Belief," visit
http://www.interfaithalliance.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=8dJIIWMCE&
b=490355&content_id=%7bC7C95798-0614-49E9-BD88-35022A03FD27%7d&notoc=1 .
"State of Belief" is broadcast on Air America from 5:00 to 6:00 PM EDT
each Sunday.  To see where and when "State of Belief" is broadcast in
your local area, go to www.airamericaradio.com/stations. You can also
listen to the program on XM Satellite Radio, channel 167, or online at
www.airamericaradio.com/listen.  To stream or podcast "State of Belief,"
go to www.StateofBelief.com .

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(2) NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY AGAINST THE FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT ON
MONDAY, JUNE 5

The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations has opposed
discrimination against gay, lesbian, and bisexual people since 1970. In
1996, the General Assembly specifically endorsed the right of same-sex
couples to marry. The federal marriage amendment-officially numbered
S.J. Res. 1- would write a discriminatory, religiously-biased definition
of marriage in to the US Constitution, thus permanently denying
thousands of families and children access to the more than 1,000 federal
benefits of marriage-including health care coverage, hospital visitation
rights, and family medical leave.

The US Senate is likely to vote on the amendment the week of June 5, so
Monday, June 5th, has been declared a national call-in day. Many Senate
offices are hearing a great deal from religious people who support the
amendment, so calls from Unitarian Universalists and other people of
faith are particularly important!

How to Participate in the Call-In Day

On Monday, June 5th, call the Senate switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and
ask for your Senators by name. When connected to the office, we suggest
that you identify yourself as a constituent and a religious person who's
calling to ask that the Senator oppose the federal marriage amendment.
Ask for the Senator's position.

+ If the Senator opposes the amendment, thank them and say how much
their support means.

+ If the Senator supports the amendment or won't say, consider saying a
sentence or two about some people you know who will be hurt by it, and
let them know how much you oppose (from a religious/ethical standpoint)
playing politics with the lives of real people who you care about.

The UUA Washington Office has prepared a flyer (in PDF format) that can
easily be used as a bulletin insert; see
http://www.uua.org/uuawo/pdf/FMACallInsert.pdf. You can access the UUA's
"Standing on the Side of Love 2006: No Discrimination in the
Constitution" Campaign headquarters at
http://www.uua.org/uuawo/new/article.php?list=type&type=142.

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(3) PRE-GA SOCIAL JUSTICE GATHERING FOR SOCIAL ACTION & RACIAL JUSTICE
COMMITTEES

For the first time, a pre-GA social justice gathering for social action
and racial justice committee members to share our understandings,
resources, and best practices on developing effective and accountable
(anti-oppressive/anti-racist) social justice. 

Wed., June 21st, 2-5 p.m., Renaissance Grand Hotel, 800 Washington
Avenue,
Hawthorne Room, 21st Floor
http://www.uua.org/programs/justice/06ga_SJ_gathering.pdf

The gathering will include:

* An overview panel on UUA & interfaith social justice initiatives and
resources
* A session on accountable (anti-racist, anti-oppressive) social justice
a
* Breakout and large group dialogues on congregational best practices,
identifying  obstacles and needed resources and next steps for creating
accountable social justice programs.

Please RSVP to Audra Friend at afriend at uua.org and let us know who is
coming from your congregation!

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(4) FROM THE HEART:  BUILDING A NEW DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT!

How do we create a social justice movement in the U.S. that incorporates
spirit, sustainability, anti-racism, anti-oppression, collective
visioning, positive messaging, strategic framing, sustainable action and
broad participation?

Come Hear a GA Featured Presentation co-sponsored by the UUA, UUSC, and
UU Community Ministries (also a first ever!) --  FROM THE HEART:
BUILDING A NEW DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT with Linda Stout, Executive Director
of Sprit in Action http://www.spiritinaction.net/ezpublish/index.php
(and author of Bridging the Class Divide, Beacon Press) on how to build
a successful movement that incorporates faith and spirit, healing
divisions [across race, class, sexual orientation, gender, abilities,
and issue focus!], collective visioning and messaging, and deep and
sustainable action for change.  Linda will also be reporting on
coalition efforts for a just recovery in the Gulf Coast.
http://www.uua.org/programs/justice/06ga_LindaStout_NOLA.pdf.

UU Responders at the program:

Paula Cole Jones, UUA Lead Consultant for JUUST Change Anti-Oppression
Consultancy
http://www.uua.org/programs/justice/antiracism/consultancy.html

Rev. Jeanne Lloyd, President of UU Society for Community Ministries
http://www.uuscm.org/

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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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