First Unitarian's Social Justice Blog

FCNL Update

2008-05-06T13:58:00.000-07:00

E-news: U.S. Bombing, Backroom Dealing, and More May 6, 2008Iraq: Isn't Bombing Cities Immoral? Iraq: House Votes This Week?FCNL in the News: Dan Smith in the Lake County News Chronicle (MN)Cluster Bomb Ban: May 12 Call-in DayGovernment Spying: Backroom Maneuvers in CongressNew Nukes: Religious Leaders Oppose New PlantFrom the Hill: Military Aid Must Come with Human Rights RestrictionsWar is Not the Answer Photo of the Week: MontanaYou can read this newsletter on our website at: http://action.fcnl.org/r/11829/45601/Iraq: Isn't Bombing Cities Immoral?
Credit: Rick McDowellIn an assault on globally accepted restrictions against attacking civilians, the Pentagon this week launched a bombing campaign against an eight-square-mile area in the middle of Baghdad. After constructing a wall around key portions of Sadr City, home to some 3 million people, the United States widened its bombing of the poorest and most densely populated part of Iraq's largest city.
Iraq: House Votes This Week? The House is preparing to vote Thursday to approve another $166 billion for the failed war strategies in Iraq and Afghanistan. This legislation paves the way for long-term U.S. presence in Iraq. Call your representative today and urge her or him to oppose these strategies. Find out more.
FCNL in the News: Dan Smith in the Lake County News Chronicle (MN)Writing in the Lake County News Chronicle (MN), FCNL's Dan Smith reacts to Gen. David Petraeus's testimony, as well as to the Defense Department's inability to define a permanent base: "it is, so to speak, not only "base-less" (lacking a physical location) but also baseless (lacking foundation) - exactly the state of the administration's Iraq strategy."
Cluster Bomb Ban: May 12 Call-in DayWhen more than 100 governments gather to negotiate a global treaty banning cluster bombs on May 19 in Dublin, Ireland, the United States won't be there. Help counter the image that the United States does not care about protecting civilians by calling your senators on May 12 and asking them to ban U.S. use and export of the deadly weapons. Government Spying: Backroom Maneuvers in CongressEarlier this year the House rejected the administration's request to permanently expand the government's ability to spy on people in the United States. Now FCNL has learned of a new backroom deal being negotiated in the House that would give the president sweeping authority to spy on individuals in the United States and provide immunity to phone companies that broke the law. New Nukes: Religious Leaders Oppose New PlantIn a letter to the Department of Energy organized by FCNL, more than 70 religious groups oppose plans for a new bomb facility. Catholics, Muslims, Lutherans, Presbyterians, United Methodists, and others call for a moratorium on the development and testing of new nuclear weapons, among other measures. Find out more about the plan to expand nuclear production.From the Hill: Military Aid Must Come with Human Rights RestrictionsThe Pentagon is asking Congress to waive all restrictions on military aid to corrupt and repressive governments. We at FCNL support such restrictions and oppose efforts to weaken them. Find out more. War is Not the Answer Photo of the Week: Montana
Members of Missoula Friends Meeting answer New Garden Friends Meeting's War is Not the Answer challenge. Order your own War is Not the Answer sign, and put yourself on the map.

Faith in Public Life

2008-05-05T15:41:00.001-07:00

Faith in Public Life Impact Report
April 2008

May 5, 2008

Dear Shawna,

Each month in our Impact Reports we pull together highlights of our work to amplify faith leaders’ public witness for justice and the common good.

This month is a special edition dedicated to the Compassion Forum, an unprecedented presidential discussion of pressing moral issues that are bridging ideological and religious divides in our nation.

Coordinating this event was a blessing and a true “coming of age” moment for our young organization and small staff of five. Having presidential candidates address poverty, global AIDS, climate change, torture, Darfur and abortion reduction as important faith and values issues at an event sponsored by the faith community is a huge affirmation for our movement.

Thank you to all of you who helped make this event happen--especially the faith leaders on the Compassion Forum Board, our partners at Messiah College, our sponsors the One Campaign and Oxfam America, and our broadcast partners CNN and CCN. We could not have done it without you.

Blessings,

Jennifer, Katie, Ron, Dan and Beth

P.S.--Be sure also to look at the Next Up section at the end of this message for a list of opportunities to plug into this new faith movement. A number of upcoming conferences present an opportunity to connecting your faith with public witness in the coming months.

More than a year ago, FPL’s Director of Communications Strategy, Katie Barge, conceived the idea of the Compassion Forum, an unprecedented bi-partisan presidential discussion of pressing moral issues that are bridging ideological divides in the faith community.

In the course of our work at FPL, we had observed a seismic shift in the American values debate. Now more than ever, Americans motivated by faith are bridging ideological divides to address domestic and international poverty, global AIDS, climate change, abortion, genocide in Darfur, and human rights and torture.

Katie envisioned a bi-partisan presidential forum that would bring much-needed attention to these moral concerns and mark just how far the religious community has come in putting aside divisions to work for the common good, as well as provide the opportunity for candidates to discuss how their faith and moral convictions bear on their positions on these important issues.

This April, that vision became a reality.

The Compassion Forum Board, an interfaith and ideologically diverse group of faith leaders, hosted the Compassion Forum on April 13, 2008 at Messiah College.

It was a truly amazing event. The months of hard work and relationship-building resulted in an incredible 90-minute conversation—broadcast live on CNN and CNN International—with Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. (Sen. McCain was invited but could not attend due a scheduling conflict).

The most inspiring moments came when the faith leaders asked their questions to the candidates directly. You can see video of these challenging questions, and the candidates’ responses, here:

We are so grateful to our hosts, Messiah College, for being so professional, warm and hospitable, and to our sponsors the One Campaign and Oxfam America, who have been vital partners through this whole process.

In addition, thank you to our broadcast partners, CNN, and CCN, the Church Communication Network, who helped us bring this event into the homes and congregations of millions of people around the world.

We at Faith in Public Life feel absolutely blessed to have been a part of this groundbreaking event, and we have been touched by the overwhelmingly positive response. Here are a few of our favorites from the media:

Faith in Public Life is setting an agenda and it is doing so with a “Big Tent” philosophy of letting different religious Americans bring their concerns to the fore. Last night a theologically diverse group of pre-selected clergy asked questions about euthanasia, environmental concerns, poverty, AIDS, the relation between science and faith, and so on. In so doing, they broadened the issue palette pertaining to religious politicking considerably. This is where Faith in Public Life is making a major contribution to national discourse. All of this was done--note this--without castigating or excluding secular Americans.

Jacques Berlinerblau, Washington Post “On Faith,”4/14/08

Ten years from now, political historians will mark Sunday night's Compassion Forum as a watershed moment in modern American political history.

Eric Sapp, The Guardian Unlimited, 4/14/08

Political candidates' fortunes aside, the forum likely served as a boon to both Faith in Public Life (FPL) and Messiah College. The former is a relatively new organization founded after the 2004 election that demonstrated that it can attract not just political candidates, but also religious leaders from a broad spectrum.

Christianity Today, 4/14/08

I think the other point, though, is not just how much the Democrats have changed, but how much the evangelicals in the audience, when you listen to the questions, have changed. Because there was abortion, but there were also questions on torture and the environment, which was a consistent theme, and HIV/AIDS and Africa and Darfur was mentioned. And I think you've seen a broadening of this social justice agenda among religious conservatives. That’s also an important point.

Michael Gerson, Former speechwriter for President Bush, CNN Post-Compassion Forum commentary, 4/13/08

A phenomenal conversation, and it should not be the last time the Democrats begin to deal with this, because it certainly gave me a much better understanding of both candidates and their views on issues facing America.

Roland Martin, CNN Contributor, CNN Post-Compassion Forum commentary, 4/13/08

The program went off without a hitch, the range of religious leaders of all faiths in attendance was incredibly impressive, the questions from the audience were probing, and the enthusiasm of the guests and students was high.

Harrisburg Patriot News, Editorial,4/15/08

On Sunday evening, the white flag really went up over the culture war's battlefield.

Daniel Heninger, Wall Street Journal, 4/17/08

Sunday night, the Compassion Forum aired on CNN. The concept of the forum was excellent. Its execution was flawless…a great TV event…The one encouraging thing for me was the fact that faith has become such a prominent aspect of this presidential race. –

Bishop Harry R. Jackson, Jr., “McCain: The Biggest Loser in the Compassion Forum,” Townhall.com, 4/17/08

The Compassion Forum is part of the vital conversation on faith and politics which is happening this election year—a conversation that needs to be continued.

Faith in Public Life looks forward to coordinating another Forum with Sen. McCain and the Democratic nominee later this year—as we learn more we will certainly share more with all of you.

Next Up:
Highlights from the Faith Community Calendar

May 4-6, Righteous Indignation Conference
Leading and emerging Jewish activists, intellectuals, and religious leaders gather from across the country to help strengthen the Jewish social justice and environmental movement, invigorate the growing progressive interfaith religious community, and lead our country in a more progressive direction.

June 8-10, Envision: The Gospel, Politics and the Future
Envision ‘08 is about the power of the gospel to transform the public square. It’s about Jesus and justice, evangelical history and heritage, and practiced theology. It’s about the next one hundred years of the church and its impact on the common good.

For three days, we’re bringing together Christian leaders, theologians, and activists who stand at the center of a rising justice movement. They will dialogue over questions that must be answered for the church to move forward.

The conference will create Envision the Future, a vision statement to guide Christian involvement in the public sphere. Creation of the document will begin with an online dialogue May 12-14, for all who want to help, even if you cannot attend the conference. Spend just two hours of your time to help change the world. Help us shape a new justice movement.

June 12, Assembly of People of Faith for the Common Good
We Believe Colorado will launch their vision and plan of action for transforming the Colorado values debate.

June 15-17, Pentecost 2008: Training for Change
In this pivotal election year, come and learn from experienced community organizers the skill you need to take back your local communities and congregations for social and economic justice. Early Bird registration ends May 7.

July 11-13, Convention for the Common Good
During the 2008 Election season, Catholic groups and other social justice organizations have come together to try to change the national conversation to include a substantive discussion of government for the common good. Catholics and people of faith across the country will gather together this summer for a historic meeting – The Convention for the Common Good. Come help chart a new vision for our country, one that is not based on narrow partisan agendas but a concern for the common good.

September 11-12, A National Summit on Torture: Religious Faith, Torture and our National Soul
Evangelicals for Human Rights is hosting a national summit on torture in Atlanta, GA. This two day conference looks at how we have gotten where we are since September 11, 2001, and how we return to a rejection of torture without exceptions. This event will be infused with moral conviction drawn from religious faith, and conference speakers will reflect a variety of faith perspectives. Organized by the nation’s top thinkers and leaders in the anti-torture community, this conference is co-sponsored by an unprecedented group of organizations

Press Releases
Amplifying Faith Voices for Justice and the Common Good
VALUES DEBATE TRANSFORMED: THE COMPASSION FORUM BRIDGES IDEOLOGICAL AND RELIGIOUS DIVIDES
CNN to Air Live Broadcast of Presidential Candidates Forum on Faith Issues
Senator Obama Accepts Invitation to Bipartisan Presidential Compassion Forum

April’s MUST READS
Top Stories for Justice and the Common Good
How inclusive is the National Day of Prayer? (April 30, 2008, Christian Science Monitor)
Conservative Christianity wanes in a shift to the center (April 28, 2008, Philadelphia Inquirer)
It's About Religion as Much as Race (April 25, 2008, Washington Post)
Some young religious voters focus on social justice (April 25, 2008, Associated Press)
Taking Stock of the Catholic Votes (April 23, 2008, Wall Street Journal)
Survey: Are Churches Doing Enough to Help the Poor? (April 23, 2008, Christian Post)
Reflections on the Compassion Forum (April 21, 2008, Christian Post)
Compassionate Progressivism (April 15, 2008, The Guardian)
Religion and Politics can Mix (April 15, 2008, Washington Post, On Faith)
McCain: The Biggest Loser in the Compassion Forum (April 15, 2008, Townhall.com)
Commentary: Democrats finally getting religion on religion (April 9, 2008, CNN)
For McCain, Little Talk of a Controversial Endorsement (April 8, 2008, New York Times)
Obama Says Yes, McCain Says No to Faith Compassion Forum (April 4, 2008, The Brody File)
Dr. King, Forgotten Radical (April 4, 2008, American Prospect)

New Meeting Times

2008-05-04T14:54:00.001-07:00

We're now meeting at 5:45 on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at Godfathers. Hope to see you there!

FCNL Update

2008-02-12T13:01:00.000-08:00

Friends Committee on National Legislation

A Quaker Lobby in the Public Interest

E-News: 43 Percent of Tax Dollars Go to War, Torture by U.S., and More

February 12, 2008

Military Spending: 43 Percent of Your Tax Dollars Go to War

Quote of the Week: Yes, We Tortured, Says the U.S. Government

In the News: Zanesville, Ohio -- Peace is an option

From the Quakers' Colonel: George Bush's Gettysburg Address

Creating a Path to Peace in Kenya

Cluster Bomb Ban: Watch Dan Rather Reports Tonight

From the Hill: Senators Pledge Passage of Indian Health Care

War is Not the Answer Photo of the Week: Sacramento, CA

Read this newsletter on our web site: http://action.fcnl.org/r/5936/45601/

Military Spending: 43 Percent of Your Tax Dollars Go to War

Many of us are starting to prepare our 2007 taxes, but how many of us know what our tax dollars are actually paying for? FCNL calculates that 43 cents of every dollar you'll pay in taxes go to pay for current and past military activities.

Quote of the Week: Yes, We Tortured, Says the U.S. Government

"We do not torture," asserted President Bush on November 7, 2005. Last week CIA Director Michael Hayden acknowledged that administration has used a water torture first developed during the Spanish Inquisition: "Waterboarding has been used on only three detainees. We used it against these three high-value detainees because of the circumstances of the time." Help stop torture by asking all candidates for public office what they will do to prevent it.

In the News: Zanesville, Ohio -- Peace is an option

Beth Blagg's letter to the editor asks why the candidates running for election this year aren't talking more about funding diplomatic initiatives to prevent war. The campaign season provides an opportunity to ask questions, to listen, and to engage the public in a dialogue about policy issues. Write your own letter and make peace an election year issue.

From the Quakers' Colonel: George Bush's Gettysburg Address

" Two score and 17 months ago, I brought forth in the Persian Gulf a new conflict misconceived in secret and dedicated to the proposition that all oil belongs to Halliburton." Thus begins retired Col. Dan Smith's rewrite of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address a la the current administration. See the rest of the speech.

Creating a Path to Peace in Kenya

"It is imperative that we unravel the underlying causes of the violence and not paper over them as Kenyan leaders have in the past," wrote Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai in an article published by the Washington Post. As President Bush prepares to travel to Africa, stay up to date on Quakers in Kenya.

Cluster Bomb Ban: Watch Dan Rather Reports Tonight

Long after a ceasefire in the 2006 Israeli-Lebanese conflict, thousands of unexploded cluster munitions still cover the battlefields and are wounding ordinary people. Human Rights Watch went with Dan Rather to Lebanon and Israel to investigate the damage cluster bombs are causing. Watch the segment on Dan Rather Reports tonight at 8:00 pm Eastern on HDNET .

From the Hill: Senators Pledge Passage of Indian Health Care

Last Thursday, the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) joined a bipartisan group of senators in urging passage of legislation to reauthorize the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (S. 1200). Find out who spoke out in favor of passage.

War is Not the Answer Photo of the Week: Sacramento, CA

Sacramento, CA Friends Meeting, 2/10/08

Photo by Billie Hamilton

Order your own War is Not Answer sign and put yourself on the map.

Story of Stuff

2007-12-07T19:43:00.001-08:00

Tom Foster is sponsoring the simplicity circles at First Unitarian Church (and is also my husband). He came across this website which has a great big-picture video that is closer to the truth than many will admit - and worth your while. Click on the picture to go to the site!

Action: Iran- Stop the Yelling, Start to talk

2007-10-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

Take Action: Urge your representative to oppose military action against Iran.

The Bush administration today took another step to undermine face-to-face diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Iran and effectively increase the likelihood of war.
By imposing sweeping new sanctions against more than half of the current members of the Iranian cabinet and nearly 30 percent of the parliament, the administration effectively blocked anyone in the U.S. from having contact with much of the political leadership in Iran. The sanctions could also limit U.S. contact with people in other countries who deal with these Iranian leaders. The sanctions apply to people who are or have been members of an elite part of the Iranian military.
The U.S. campaign to address disputes over Iran’s nuclear program through threats and sanctions has produced no results and, arguably, has made things worse. Instead of learning from these failures, the U.S. is continuing with this policy. The administration may intend nothing more than increased pressure on Iraq, but we at FCNL are increasingly worried that the confrontation between U.S. and Iran could get out of control and erupt into deadly violence.
Many current and former U.S. political and military leaders, the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, and FCNL agree that diplomatic negotiations, not more threats, are necessary to decrease the chances of a war between the U.S. and Iran. Yet the Bush administration is moving in the opposite direction. The new sanctions are part of an escalating pattern of confrontation between the U.S. and Iran. Three days ago, Vice President Dick Cheney threatened Iran with “serious consequences” for defying the U.S. Last week, President Bush warned that the confrontation could lead to “World War III.”
Iran is making progress in accounting for past uranium enrichment programs, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which sends inspectors every month to review Iran’s nuclear program. Israeli and U.S. intelligence agencies say that, even if Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, the country is years away from having the capacity to build them. Yet the Bush administration, with support from Congress, is ratcheting up a confrontation that could lead to war.
Take Action
Urge your representative to cosponsor legislation introduced by Representative Mark Udall (CO) and cosponsored by 16 other members of Congress (H.R. 3119) that would prohibit the use of any funds appropriated by Congress for military action against Iran.
Background
The Anatomy of the U.S.-Iran Dispute: Why War Is Not the Answer
Read a report on a religious leaders’ meeting with the Iranian president
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Contact Congress and the administration.
Find out more about FCNL.
Order FCNL publications and "War is Not the Answer" campaign bumper stickers and yard signs.
Contribute to FCNL.
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Friends Committee on National Legislation245 Second St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-5795fcnl@fcnl.org * http://www.fcnl.orgphone: (202)547-6000 * toll-free: (800)630-1330
We seek a world free of war and the threat of warWe seek a society with equity and justice for allWe seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilledWe seek an earth restored.

Quaker News

2007-10-23T16:57:00.001-07:00

Upcoming From the Hill: Senate to Vote on Native American Health Care

Your senators will be voting soon on whether Native Americans will get better access to health care this year. Urge your senators to vote on the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, which would update the health care available to 1.9 million rural and urban indigenous people in the United States and honor the federal government's trust obligation to tribes.

Report back: Congress Says No to Health Care for Poor Children

Congress missed an opportunity last week cut the number of poor children without health care when the House fell 12 votes short of overriding the president’s veto of the popular the State Child Health Insurance Program. Members of Congress from both major political parties have promised to work in the next two weeks to negotiate new legislation that could win sufficient support to become law. Read more and take Action.

Iraq: More Money for War

President Bush told Congress this week that he will need a total of $196 billion to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Washington Post estimates that at their current rate, war appropriations could exceed the cost of the Korean and Vietnam wars combined by the time Bush leaves office. Find out more.

Wish the United Nations a Happy Birthday!

Tomorrow, October 24, is the 62nd anniversary of the United Nations coming into existence. Remind your members of Congress that the U.S., one of the most powerful member states, needs to pay its dues and fully support the organization to make it effective at preventing war and responding to challenging global problems.

Action: Does Your Senator Agree the U.S. Should Not Bomb Civilians?

The U.S. has used cluster bombs in civilian populated areas of three countries in the last ten years. Congress is considering legislation that would ban the U.S. from using these dangerous weapons in civilian populated areas and ban most exports of these weapons. FCNL is organizing a national call-in day on November 5 to urge senators to co-sponsor S.594. Find out more.

Grassroots Action: North Dakota Clergy Oppose New Nukes

The United Methodist Bishop in Fargo joined Quaker, Lutheran, Anglican, Catholic, Episcopal, Unitarian, and United Church of Christ leaders from some 50 churches and meetings in North Dakota to ask Senator Byron Dorgan to block any funding for a new generation of nuclear weapons.. Read the letter.

Quote of the week: Ain’t That America (The New York Times)

“Name a distinguishing feature — skin color, religion, nationality, language — and it’s likely that people here have suffered unjustly for it, either through the freelance hatred of citizens or as a matter of official government policy. We are heading down this road again. The country needs to have a working immigration policy.”

~ The New York Times Editorial, 10/22/07

FCNL in the News: Joe Volk on American AM, Tampa, FL

Listen to an interview with FCNL Executive Secretary Joe Volk on the Tampa Bay, FL radio station WWPR 1490 AM. Joe discussed his trip to Iran, his most recent meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the ongoing need for dialogue between the U.S. and Iran.

War is Not the Answer Photo of the Week:

Kathy Guthrie with 92-year-old Margaret Anderson on her
farm in Coatesville, PA

Order a War is Not the Answer sign.

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Contact Congress and the Administration

Subscribe to other FCNL legislative, policy, and action alert lists.

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Friends Committee on National Legislation
245 Second St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-5795
fcnl@fcnl.org * http://www.fcnl.org
phone: (202)547-6000 * toll-free: (800)630-1330

We seek a world free of war and the threat of war
We seek a society with equity and justice for all
We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled
We seek an earth restored.

SAC News

2007-10-23T16:56:00.001-07:00

SOCIAL ACTION CHAIR (SAC) NEWS

Key Week for Actions on Peace & Justice!

Dear SAC-News Readers:

If ever there was a week to act for peace and justice this is it!

The Senate will be voting this week on the DREAM Act. This act will create a path to citizenship for undocumented minors who have lived in the US for 5 years and have a high school diploma or GED. Our Washington Office has faxed a letter to all US Senators asking them to support this bill that addresses part of our broken immigration system. Immigrant rights groups across the country are supporting it and asking everyone to call their Senators. Word about the vote is getting out on anti-immigrant website and talk shows and senate staff report that they are hearing from people who are against the bill. They need to hear from people of faith who support keeping immigrant families together. We have posted below the action alert from our allies at the National Immigrant Justice Center and the UUA's letter.

The UUA is also asking the Senate to support an amendment that will include gender identity in the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) being voted on this week as well.

Lastly, Win Without War (of which the UUA is an active member), has endorsed the United for Peace National Mobilization on Saturday, Oct. 27th. Please send us digital photos and a report on your congregation's participation. It is time to stand up and be counted to put an end to this war.

In faith, Susan & Audra

In this Issue:

Support the DREAM Act & Immigrant Rights
Including Gender Identity in ENDA
Witness to Stop the War - Oct. 27th

1) Support the DREAM Act & Immigrant Rights

National Immigrant Justice Center
Action Alert
October 23, 2007

Immigrant students brought to the United States as children deserve the opportunity to contribute to America and realize their dreams

This week, the United States Senate will vote on the DREAM Act.

WHAT IS THE DREAM ACT? The DREAM Act would provide a path to legal status starting after high school graduation for undocumented individuals brought to the U.S. as children more than 5 years ago. To qualify for legal status, these youth would be required to demonstrate good moral character and within a 6-year period either graduate from community college, complete two years towards a four-year degree, or serve at least two years in the U.S. military.

WHY THIS BILL IS IMPORTANT: Over 65,000 undocumented immigrant students graduate from high school each year. These students have been raised in the United States and their families pay taxes, but they do not have a legal mechanism to remain here. The DREAM Act will enable them to adjust their immigration status and contribute their education to the nation's benefit.

WHAT YOU CAN DO :

CALL BOTH OF YOUR SENATORS AND TELL THEM:

"PLEASE VOTE FOR THE DREAM ACT SO THAT IMMIGRANT STUDENTS BROUGHT HERE AS CHILDREN CAN REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL"

Your Senators' phone numbers are online here OR CALL THE SENATE SWITCHBOARD 202-224-3121

To send an e-mail message to your Senators please go here.

What else you can do:

Forward this message to every listserv and everyone you know
Post it on blogs, MySpace, Facebook, or other on-line networking tools
Call in to C-SPAN or other radio or television shows where there is some hope of a sympathetic audience (not anti-immigrant propaganda sites)

The DREAM Act in Brief:

The DREAM Act is narrowly tailored

It would apply only to individuals brought to the U.S. at least 5 years ago as children, who have grown up here (but are still under 30 years old), and who have remained in school and out of trouble. They could get a green card 6 years after graduating from high school if during that time they continue on to college or serve in the military.

The DREAM Act is not a "mini-amnesty"

At its core, amnesty is forgiveness for wrongdoing. That does not apply to DREAM Act students who were all brought here years ago as children. The DREAM Act rewards them for staying in school or serving our country.

The DREAM Act would benefit taxpayers

The DREAM Act would provide hope to immigrant students and lead many more of them to remain in school. As an example of the fiscal benefits of this, a RAND study showed that a 30-year-old Mexican immigrant woman who graduates from college will pay $5,300 more in taxes and cost $3,900 less in government expenses each year than if she had dropped out of high school. This amounts to an annual fiscal benefit of over $9,000 per person every year, money that can be used to pay for the education of other children. State and local taxpayers have already invested in the education of these children in elementary and secondary school and deserve to get a return on their investment

You can find more information about the DREAM Act here UUA Washington Office for Advocacy Letter to US Senate RE: DREAM Act

Support the DREAM Act
October 23, 2007
Dear Senator,

On behalf of the more than 1,000 congregations in the Unitarian Universalist Association, I urge you to support the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act). The DREAM Act would provide a path to citizenship for 65,000 immigrant young adults yearly who have demonstrated good moral character and academic achievement.

The Unitarian Universalist Association has long supported the rights of immigrants, honoring our religious conviction in the inherent worth and dignity of every person. In 1963, we passed a General Resolution in support of "eliminating obstacles to the admissions of persons who possess talents and skills urgently needed in this country." With a drive to succeed and a rich multicultural background, DREAM students would enhance our country's capability to flourish in an increasingly globalized world. In 1968, the UUA passed a resolution in support of quality education for all Americans from kindergarten through college. Our 2006 General Assembly adopted policy supporting just and comprehensive immigration reform.

The DREAM Act would offer undocumented young adults the opportunity to earn American citizenship by graduating from high school, demonstrating good moral character, and completing at least two years of higher education or military service. The bill would not provide an incentive for additional undocumented individuals to bring their children to the United States, since the bill would not benefit anyone who is not already residing in the U.S. when it becomes law. Moreover, an individual must have been brought to the U.S. as a child at least five years before the time of the bill's enactment. The DREAM Act strikes a healthy balance between not encouraging additional undocumented immigration and compassionately recognizing that children should not be penalized for their parents' choices.

By supporting the DREAM Act, you can affirm the American dream for hundreds of thousands of deserving young people who have much to contribute to our nation. I urge you to do so.

In Faith,
Robert C. Keithan, Director

For more information, contact Lisa Swanson, Legislative Assistant for Economic and Racial Justice, at lswanson@uua.org; or call (202) 296-4672 x 22.

2) Including Gender Identity in ENDA

We at the UUA Washington Office have been very grateful for your support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) through the ups and downs of the legislative process. We are writing now to ask for one final push in support of a transgender inclusive ENDA.

The 2007 UUA General Assembly passed a statement calling "upon all member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists" to "support passage of employment non-discrimination legislation at all municipal, county and state levels;" and "oppose attempts to remove sexual orientation and/or gender identity to any proposed employment non-discrimination legislation."

Unfortunately, a version of ENDA which does NOT include gender identity--H.R. 3685?is expected to come up for a vote in the House on Wednesday, October 24th. Based on the 2007 General Assembly resolution, and the opposition of more than 300 groups from the bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender community, the UUA opposes the non-inclusive ENDA. We must stand together in support of an all-inclusive ENDA.

Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) plans to introduce an amendment which would restore the original gender identity protections. The UUA strongly supports this amendment. If it fails, the Association will oppose the overall bill. Individuals and congregations are encouraged to do the same.

It is imperative that we work as hard as we can to increase support for the Baldwin amendment. Please take the time to encourage your family, friends and congregation to act now in support of a transgender inclusive ENDA. Print a call-in flyer to distribute to your church, send an email to your representative or visit our take action page for other options. Take action! Show your support for the entire BGLT community and call for an inclusive ENDA! Your call or email to your representative could be the difference in a yes or no vote for transgender inclusion!

Thank you for taking the time to support a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Your actions are not unheard.

In Faith,

Adam, Alex, Lisa, Grace, Kat, and Rob

Rob Keithan
Director
rkeithan@uua.org, x15

Kat Liu
Assistant Director
kliu@uua.org, x12

Grace Garner
Legislative Assistant for Women's Issues
UU Women's Federation Clara Barton Intern
ggarner@uua.org, x13

Adam Gerhardstein
Legislative Assistant for International Issues
agerhardstein@uua.org, x21

Lisa Swanson
Legislative Assistant for Economic & Racial Justice
lswanson@uua.org, x22

Alex Winnett
Program Associate for Peacemaking
Mary Bonner Memorial Intern
awinnett@uua.org, x20

3) Witness to Stop the War - Oct. 27th

Let's continue to witness to stop this war. United for Peace and Justice is coordinating events in 11 cities on Oct. 27th. Please send delegations from your congregations with banners, ask your minister to offer to speak or give a blessing, encourage families to attend. The UUA is supporting these events. For more information see United for Peace & Justice.

Wayne Smith of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee will be joining Howard Zinn and others at Boston's New England Mobilization to End the War in Iraq - Rally at 12:00 Noon, Boston Common, Followed by a March at 2:00 PM.

Send Us Your Reports!!

Please send us reports of your congregation's participation so that we can include them on www.uua.org, UU-World.org, and our lists after the demonstration! Send us digital photos that show your congregation's banner and/or signs, along with a caption, and the name of the photographer so that we can credit her/him. Please also include a few sentences about who attended (minister, social action committee, youth group etc.), how many people came, and any 'color' you would like to add. This does not need to be long - just let us know you were there and witnessing. Write to Susan Leslie at sleslie@uua.org. Thanks!

Action Alert

2007-10-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

(1) Introduction
Dear Friends,

Thank you for all your hard work. Together, we UUs collected over 13,000 signatures in just the last three weeks. The fax machine was running non-stop (we need a new one), and Adam and crew stayed into the wee hours of the night, energized by your response. On Wednesday, UUA President Bill Sinkford, along with Adam, Rob and others, presented 13,006 signatures to congressional leaders. Together with Rev. John Thomas and the delegation from our partners at the United Church of Christ (UCC), over 60,000 signatures were presented. It truly was our biggest action ever, and we thank you for making UU history with us. We have used our religious voices to witness for peace. Let us pray that Congress will respond.

And let us not stop here but continue to witness to stop this war. United for Peace and Justice is coordinating events in 11 cities on Oct. 27th. The UUA is supporting these events. Please send delegations from your congregations with banners, and be a visible witness for peace. For more information see United for Peace & Justice.

Lastly, we would like to give a nod to former Vice President Al Gore and the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Together they were awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace today, in recognition of their work in raising awareness of global warming/climate change. As you all know, the UUA addressed the Threat of Global Warming/Climate Change as our Statement of Conscience in 2006.

Shalom. Salaam. Peace.

In faith,
Adam, Grace, Alex, Lisa, Kat, and Rob

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"This petition may not end the war, but by bringing our candles together, they certainly grow brighter. As I see that light growing, I pray for a rebirth of hope."
- Rev. William Sinkford, president of the UUA

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(2) Petition for Peace: Delivered with Hope
What else can we say? Thank you! Adam is taking a much needed break. The full story is online at http://www.uua.org/news/newssubmissions/48231.shtml.

Just some stats:
We received signatures from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
We received faxes from hundreds of UU congregations.
And as people signed the online petition and also signed up to receive Advocacy News, our readership has increased by well over 50%. We had never done anything like this before and it was a huge success because of you. Together, we can become more and more effective in future advocacy campaigns.

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(3) Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)
Currently, two versions of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act are in place; the original H.R. 2015, which includes gender identity protections and the other version which does not.

This would not only deny protections to transgender people, but also fail to protect lesbian, gay and bisexual people who do not conform to other people's expectations (such as "effeminate" men and "masculine" women).

Action on the bills was postponed on October 1st, but only for a short time. Now is the time to get moving and get congress on board with a gender identity inclusive ENDA.

Please call or email your Representative TODAY at (202) 224-3121 and ask them to SUPPORT the Employment Non-Discrimination Act H.R. 2015 with full gender identity inclusion and OPPOSE any efforts to strip gender identity from the bill.

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(4) Upcoming Dates and Deadlines
Oct 14: Association Sunday

Oct 19-21:Amnesty International's National Weekend of Faith in Action on the Death Penalty (NWFA)

Oct 21: United Nations Sunday

Oct 24: Take Back Your Time Day

Oct 27: National Mobilization to End the War in Iraq

Nov 11: Armistice/Veteran's Day

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Contact Us:

Rob Keithan
Director
rkeithan@uua.org, x15

Kat Liu
Assistant Director
kliu@uua.org, x12

Grace Garner
Legislative Assistant for Women's Issues
UU Women's Federation Clara Barton Intern
ggarner@uua.org, x13

Adam Gerhardstein
Legislative Assistant for International Issues
agerhardstein@uua.org, x21

Lisa Swanson
Legislative Assistant for Economic & Racial Justice
lswanson@uua.org, x22

Alex Winnett
Program Associate for Peacemaking
Mary Bonner Memorial Intern
awinnett@uua.org, x20

2007-10-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

SOCIAL ACTION CHAIR (SAC) NEWS

Witness for Peace, Celebrate National Coming Out Day!
Dear SAC-News Readers:

On Wednesday a delegation of clergy from the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) and the United Church of Christ (UCC) delivered a combined total of more than 73,000 signed petitions for peace to Congressional leaders. Rev. John Thomas, General Minister and President of the United Church for Christ presented the 60,000 signatures gathered over the last few months. Rev. William Sinkford, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, presented the 13,006 signatures gathered by the UUA's Washington Office for Advocacy over the last three weeks. See here for photos and report of President Sinkford's visit to Congress.

Let's continue to witness to stop this war. United for Peace and Justice is coordinating events in 11 cities on Oct. 27th. Please send delegations from your congregations with banners, ask your minister to offer to speak or give a blessing, encourage families to attend. The UUA is supporting these events. For more information see United for Peace & Justice.

Also in this issue, read about the UU People's Church in Ludington MI's efforts to create a movement to stop the war and how they use the Where Is the Rage Peace Package that the UUA & UUSC sent to all congregations on Memorial Day.

And, a message from the Peacemaking Steering Committee of the UUA Commission on Social Witness with plans for action and resources for getting education.

Lastly, today is National Coming Out Day and the UUA Office for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Concerns has put together resources for this Sunday and future use. See below for more information.

Note: The Immigration reform DREAM Act has been stalled in the Senate and is expected to come up on Nov. 16th. We will keep you posted. Meanwhile please let us know about your congregation's efforts for immigrant justice.

Thanks to you all for your leadership for justice. -- Susan & Audra

In this Issue:

UUA President Sinkford Delivers Petitions for Peace
United for Peace National Mobilization - 11 Massive Demonstrations for Peace - Oct. 27
People's Church, Ludington MI asks "Where is the Rage?" and answers it!
UUA Commission on Social Witness Resources & Actions for Peacemaking
National Coming Out Day Oct. 11th -- UU Congregations 'Come Out' as Welcoming

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1) UUA President Sinkford Delivers Petitions for Peace

Just after 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 10 2007, a delegation of clergy from the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) and the United Church of Christ (UCC) delivered a combined total of more than 73,000 signed petitions for peace to Congressional leaders. The United Church of Christ, represented by Rev. John Thomas, General Minister and President, and Rev. Linda Jaramillo, Executive Minister for Justice Ministries, presented the 60,000 signatures they gathered over the last few months. Rev. William Sinkford, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, presented the 13,006 signatures gathered by the UUA's Washington Office for Advocacy over the last three weeks. You can read the entire story here.

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2) United for Peace National Mobilization - 11 Massive Demonstrations for Peace - Oct. 27

Let's continue to witness to stop this war. United for Peace and Justice is coordinating events in 11 cities on Oct. 27th. Please send delegations from your congregations with banners, ask your minister to offer to speak or give a blessing, encourage families to attend. The UUA is supporting these events. For more information see United for Peace & Justice.

Wayne Smith of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee will be joining Howard Zinn and others at Boston's New England Mobilization to End the War in Iraq - Rally at 12:00 Noon, Boston Common, Followed by a March at 2:00 PM.

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3) One Congregation's Story: People's Church in Ludington MI asks Where is the Rage? and answers it.

The UUA & the UUSC partnered with Veterans for Peace to send out a Where is the Rage? Peace Packet to all congregations on Memorial Day. Here's one congregation's report.

From Brenda Reeber [bgreeber@verizon.net], Social Action Committee Member
People's Church - West Shore UU Congregation

In response to Pat Scanlon, a UU and national leader of Veterans for Peace:

Dear Pat - Thought you would like to know about what we are doing to promote the "Where is the Rage?" Project. This is a copy of an email that was sent out to about 50 peace contacts locally. The Social Action Committee also sent a copy of the Peace Package to every member family of People's Church. We ran a quarter page ad (see attachment) in the Ludington Daily News twice. We were also on a morning talk show on a local radio station The host played the" Where is the Rage" CD and discussed with us the activities planned to promote the project in Ludington. We are planning to contact several West Michigan radio stations to promote regular air time for the CD. Our minister a People's Church is going to preach a month of sermons in October with Peace action themes. The email I cut and pasted below tells 'the rest of the story.'

Thanks for all you've done to stop this war that never should have been ...and for inspiring and re-energizing us to work for Peace.

Brenda Reeber, Social Action Committee Member
People's Church - West Shore UU Congregation

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The Social Action Committee of People's Church in Ludington, is spearheading a series of peace activities in support of the "Where is the Rage?" Project. The Unitarian Universalist Association and several major Peace organizations have partnered with Veterans for Peace to launch a national outreach project, Where is the Rage? to stimulate and intensify opposition to the War in Iraq.

Pat Scanlon, a national leader of Veterans for Peace, wrote and sings the two very moving and meaningful anti-war songs recorded on a CD titled "Where is the Rage?" The CD is the centerpiece of a Peace Package containing valuable information about the various Peace organizations who have partnered in the "Where is the Rage?" Project. If you would like to receive a copy of the Peace Package call People's Church 231. 845.6493. You can also download a free copy of the song "Where is the Rage?" at www.PatScanlon.com.

We plan to organize a sizeable delegation from West Michigan to participate in the National Mobilization To End The War in Iraq sponsored by United for Peace and Justice on Oct 27. On that day there will be 11 massive demonstrations for peace in cities across the country, including a rally in Chicago. See more info at United For Peace & Justice. Group transportation to Chicago for Michigan participants is being organized, but whatever the means of travel you may choose, we plan to have a designated gathering place in Chicago so we can march together under a "Where is the Rage?" banner identifying us as a representatives from West Michigan.

United for Peace and Justice is also promoting a Petition to Congress to Stop Funding the War that we will gather signatures for locally. The Social Action Committee has printed a large supply of the petitions that can be used to gather signatures from your friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. A copy of the petition is also attached to this email that you can print and use to gather signatures. We would like to amass as many signatures as possible by the end of October and plan to mail copies to UFPJ national office and to hand deliver copies to the local offices of Rep. Hoekstra, Sen. Levin and Sen. Stabenow to underscore our demand that Congress stop funding the Iraq War. We also hope to organize simultaneous petition canvassing efforts on October 27 in the downtown areas of towns along the Lakeshore to demonstrate local support for the Mobilization in Chicago on that same day.

Free bumper stickers which proclaim either Blessed are the Peacemakers or Wage Peace are being distributed by the Social Action Committee at People's Church to demonstrate the widespread support in our community for bringing an end to this war. Please call People's Church 231.845.6493 to obtain bumper stickers.

We hope you will actively participate in the "Where is the Rage?" Project. We encourage you to forward this email to your personal network of friends and family and/or to reprint it in your church newsletter. Your feedback and input are always welcome. If you want to speak personally with a Social Action Committee member please call People's Church 231.845.6493 and you will be connected with a committee member.

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4) From the UUA Commission on Social Witness Peacemaking Steering Committee Resources and Actions

Peacemaking Congregational Study/Action Issue - 2007-08
Involving Your Congregation!

Here's how you can involve your congregation in the Peacemaking Congregational Study/Action Issue (CSAI). The CSAI calls for us all to increase our effectiveness as peacemakers and to participate in building a consensus on the Statement of Conscience to be voted on at the 2009 General Assembly.

Congregational PEACE Teams: Congregations are invited to create PEACE Teams, to organize peacemaking programs. Ideally, these would include representatives from Social Action, Denominational Affairs, Religious Education, UUSC, and UU-UNO Committees, as well as others interested. Teams would:

organize peacemaking educational and action programs during the next three years of the Peacemaking CSAI process (and beyond), developing their own programs or using resources provided by the national Peacemaking CSAI Core Team, available at www.uua.org/csai.
designate one or two contact persons to be liaisons with the CSAI network, and report on the effectiveness of peacemaking programs used (send contact information to Alex Winnett, awinnett@uua.org).
Congregational Learning Process: An annotated list of educational resources for congregations has been developed by a group of volunteers, the Peacemaking Curriculum Working Group. Entitled Peacemaking in Congregations: A Guide to Learning Opportunities for All Ages, the document can be accessed at www.uure.org, and soon at www.uua.org/csai. Feedback and additional suggestions are welcomed! In addition, a Peacemaking Resource Guide listing numerous publications, films and other resources, and a number of small group discussion guides are available at www.uua.org/csai for creating study and discussion programs. A Peacemakers Book Discussion Program has been started, with recommended books for October 2007 through May 2008. Information on this program can also be found at www.uua.org/csai.
CSAI Input: March 1, 2008 is the deadline for formal comments to the Commission on Social Witness (CSW) on the CSAI and what topics should be included in the draft Statement of Conscience. The comment form is at the CSW website,www.uua.org/csai. Other mechanisms for congregational input are being explored.

Peacemaking Networking: Anyone interested in ongoing discussions about the CSAI is encouraged to join the Peacemaking-Network listserv at www.uua.org/lists. Because of high interest in the "Nonviolent Communications (NVC)" approach, a listserv with that focus has been created, UU-SpeakingPeace, to share information about UU NVC programs.

Volunteers needed! The national Peacemaking CSAI Core Team is looking for volunteers in several national working groups and to assist with developing a website and other networking efforts. This would involve working together through conference calls and email. If interested please contact John Hooper (jhooper@optonline.net) or Judy Morgan (judymorgan711@yahoo.com).

You can keep up with the latest Peacemaking CSAI developments by joining Peacemaking-Network at www.uua.org/lists or checking the CSW website at www.uua.org/csai!

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5) From the UUA Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian & Transgender Concerns on National Coming Out Day

National Coming Out Day Resources

National Coming Out Day is a celebration of authenticity, integrity, and wholeness. Since 1988, people have been celebrating National Coming Out Day by coming out to someone at home, at work, or friends. Our congregations have been one of the places that have been most welcoming. Many congregations now celebrate the day as part of their being and becoming a Welcoming Congregation. We now have resources for congregations which include a sample candle lighting, reading, sample sermons, and other resources to help in celebrating the day, which is officially October 11th, but often our congregations celebrate this on the Sunday closest to the October 11th--this Sunday.