I had never been much of an activist, but the past eight years have taught me that complacency is not an option—and UUSJ has helped me to act. I have always been well-read and attuned to politics and the critical issues facing this country, but I only became deeply involved in trying to be part … Continue reading Acting on my convictions
Meleah Houseknecht Fresh off of the inspiring and energizing events of the UU Climate Justice Revival, with its message of hope and reimagined possibility for our relationships with the earth and with each other, I can’t help but think about what it means to ground our relationships at all scales in love, equity, and justice. … Continue reading Theological Grounding for UU Commitment to Democracy
A note from Dale Anderson, 2024-2025 UUSJ Board Chair The ultra-conservative assault on our constitutional democracy and the clear intent of Project 2025 to create an authoritarian state at the federal level represents the greatest threat to our union since the Civil War. In the introduction to his book, Rebellion, author Robert Kagan states, … Continue reading The Greatest Threat to Our Union Since the Civil War
When I visit UU websites, when I attend UU services, and when I participate in UU conversations, I see evidence of deep concern, compassion, and love. For democracy. For the environment. For our global siblings in the Middle East. In Eastern Europe. For people seeking refuge and opportunity in our country. For people seeking to … Continue reading An Oblique Gaze, Commentary by Kim Rebecca-Murray
As we look forward to this year’s federal elections, I want to spotlight one of the fundamental values of our American democracy. Our founders established a political system in which no single person or an elite group, such as a king or an aristocracy, could gain control of the decision-making processes. James Madison laid out … Continue reading A Democracy If You Can Keep It, by Kenneth Mitchell
Sean McCarthy Member of the UUSJ Immigration Action Team Maryland I am a semi-retired attorney helping a few migrants apply for immigration benefits on a volunteer basis. My wife is a native of Colombia who came to the United States many years ago to study and work. We later adopted two beautiful children from … Continue reading Immigration Turmoil on the Hill and the Way Forward for UUSJ
It is because of my Jewish heritage and my family’s history in pogroms, ghettos, and concentration camps that I am speaking out against Israeli treatment of Palestinians, most especially the nightmare being visited on the people of Gaza right now. It is because I was told the stories of my people, because of the losses, … Continue reading I Side with the People – They Do Not Have to Be My People
Faith organizations urge bipartisan agreement to avoid government shutdown For Immediate Release: September 27, 2023 WASHINGTON, DC – On September 26, 53 organizations representing people of faith across religious traditions and denominations delivered a letter to the U.S. Congress urging bipartisan action to keep the government operational or risk severe consequences on the most vulnerable members … Continue reading Multifaith Coalition Calls on Congress To Avoid Shutdown
By Jean Pierce, Trustee The U.S. Supreme Court handed down decisions that challenge our polity and have inspired me to fight that much harder to preserve our democracy. I was glad that the Independent State Legislature Theory gained no traction in Moore v. Harper. Like so many, I’ve been concerned with the ethics of the … Continue reading Urgency on Voting Rights
By Dan Schneider, Trustee When many of my ancestors came to Ohio from Germany in the nineteenth century, there were no federal restrictions on immigration. Compared to today, entering the United States was relatively easy. While many of us like to say we’re a nation of immigrants and their descendants, that statement makes invisible the … Continue reading Living In Hope For Immigration Justice
