Opinion Articles on Social Justice topics
David Shilton, Environmental Action Team Convenor The EPA Announces Phase Out of HFCs The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced proposed rules to phase out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) over the next 15 years. HFCs are powerful greenhouse gases that are used in most refrigerators and air conditioners, and they tend to leak out into the atmosphere over … Continue reading Good News for Stopping Climate Change
Join in Widening the Circle of Concern By Rev. Karen Lee Scrivo I was familiar with the highlights of Widening the Circle of Concern, but it wasn’t until I joined some Unitarian Universalist ministers recently that I really delved into the UUA Commission on Institutional Change’s nearly 200-page report. As you may know, the commission’s … Continue reading Join in Widening the Circle of Concern
The UUSJ Environmental Action Team has adopted priorities for 2021 that call for bold action to address the full scope of the climate crisis. The priorities point to the need for Congress and the Executive Branch to take needed steps to limit greenhouse gas emissions to 1.5 degrees Celsius and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. … Continue reading Environmental & Climate 2021 Priorities
The Democracy Action Team is working on advocacy plans for 2021. After meetings with Senate staffers last month, the Team agreed on its priorities for this year as well as the groups it hopes to partner with. (Find the team’s complete report HERE.) The Team’s priorities focus on: Ensuring fair elections Enabling voters’ participation and … Continue reading Democracy 2021 Priorities
Immigration Justice, New Administration, New Bills With President Biden proposing a bold immigration bill that includes pathways to citizenship, the Immigration Action Team is focusing on the House and Senate committees considering the legislation. The Administration’s proposal includes – among other things – citizenship pathways for all 11 million immigrants here without full legal status. … Continue reading Immigration Justice, New Administration, New Bills
Rev. Ashley Horan is the Organizing Strategy Director of the Unitarian Universalist Association, where she works with a team of faithful organizers and movement builders to ensure the justice work of Unitarian Universalism is spiritually grounded and politically effective. Her charge came at the end of last month’s UUSJ’s 20th Anniversary Celebration. See the story … Continue reading Rev. Ashley Horan Charges UUs to “Make Good Trouble”
Although much has occurred in the past three weeks and there are ongoing issues, it’s worth celebrating some important democracy successes. More people voted in the 2020 elections than have ever voted before. This was the direct result of tireless efforts by many, many different and diverse groups around the country, including UU churches and … Continue reading Fred Van Deusen – Reflections on 2020
UUSJ’s Immigration Task Group is analyzing priorities for the next two years under the incoming Biden Administration. It will call for immediate steps to reverse and/or rescind the many anti-immigrant executive actions and rule changes of the past four years. These include reinstating the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and the TPS (Temporary Protected … Continue reading Immigration Task Group Sees Opportunities for Effective Advocacy
You and your passion for social justice, systems change, and dismantling the interlocking injustices of federal policy has kept me going. Especially when the tragedy of this pandemic and the travesty of police violence and racial injustice have put me on my back, psychically, spiritually. Thank you. Just this week I had another one of … Continue reading Throughout 2020, you have buoyed my spirits when life and politics got me low.
Our fundamental UU principles of acceptance of one another; justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and the use of the democratic process in our society, are under attack, and we must defend them. In doing so we UUs, working together with the assistance of UUSJ and many other groups, can help address the intolerable … Continue reading Our Most Basic UU Principles Are Under Attack
