Opinion Articles on Social Justice topics
Step by slimy step, President Trump has made us numb to his crudeness and cruelty. On Air Force One recently, Trump cut off Catherine Lucey, a Bloomberg News journalist, pressing him about the release of Epstein files that could further implicate Trump in the lurid mess. Stabbing his finger at her face, the President of … Continue reading Feel Better — Make a Difference
Photo: April 21, 2025 Rally at First Parish in Concord My name is Fred Van Deusen, and I have the honor of being both the Leader of the Reclaim Our Democracy group at First Parish in Concord, MA, and a member of the UUSJ Democracy Action Team. The UUSJ Democracy Action Team comprises a … Continue reading Let’s Reclaim Our Democracy, In Ernest
The President’s Memorandum, Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence, attempts to exploit recent political violence, to threaten civil rights and nonprofit organizations, the modern backbone of civil society. Our faith tradition is rooted in love. We forsake political violence. We denounce sectarian violence. Our experiment of the American republic is an effort to move … Continue reading The Newest Iteration of the Reprisal Ethos, the “Daddy State”
Dale Anderson, Board Chair, UUSJ As we embark on a new program year, I extend heartfelt thanks to our volunteers and supporters. Your contributions sustain our mission and strengthen our Unitarian Universalist voice, which is crucial in these challenging times. In a faith tradition that values radical inclusion and welcome, we recognize that our democracy … Continue reading Let our Fellowship and Covenants Light the Way
The July 9th, 2025, NY Times front page story announced the historic post-session US Supreme court decision, overturning the lower court decision, upholding the president’s request for the downgrading and restructuring of federal agencies including 11 (-1) cabinet departments and 19 (-1) independent and regulatory agencies, and allows for mass firing of associated federal career … Continue reading Fierce Action Now Awaits Federal Agencies and Career Service Employees, by Kenneth Mitchell
Don Chery was one of the first people I met at River Road when I began coming in 1990. I was aware that he was part of the Central American Task Force…and he learned that I had worked and lived in Central America. I soon found myself part of River Road’s support of the Salvadoran … Continue reading Leading from Behind: Don Chery Celebration of Life
Beloved UUs, This plea is a lengthy one, and it comes from my heart at a crucial moment, as the administration’s first 100 days near completion. In Texas, a ground zero in the fight against injustice, we are now past the halfway mark in our state legislative session. Summary: Marginalized communities are doing the heavy … Continue reading Why Showing Up as Allies Matters Right Now
It is now true that our political system is quite broken in many unsettling ways. Getting to unbroken from our present condition is a complex matter. Paradoxically to the actions of the current administration, we won’t get far without a competent strong administrative state, i.e. Federal agencies. The seeds of our current discord are rooted … Continue reading Addressing the Perils of a Weakened Administrative State
So, they are firing federal workers. Who cares, you might think? Well, I do. I receive Social Security and a federal pension through my husband. I know some of these folks: I go to church or live near them; I hear their stories about their federal civil service. I work with UUSJ because what is … Continue reading If the Trump impact hasn’t touched you, it will soon!
by Steve Eckstrand, co-convener, UUSJ Immigration Team As a great-grandchild of immigrants on my mother’s side of the family and a grandchild of immigrants on my father’s side of the family, I heard the stories of how my ancestors fled from poverty or political instability in their homelands and made the journey to Ellis Island … Continue reading The Long Path Forward on Immigration
