Muusja Mailing List: E-EVENT UPDATE FOR MAY 25, 2007

[Lauren Culbert (lculbert]

MUUSJA E-EVENT UPDATE FOR MAY 25, 2007
 
Minnesota UU Social  Justice Alliance--Bringing  together UUs to work
collectively for social change.
 
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This  update includes announcements about: 

A. Local Social Justice News
B. National UU Advocacy
C. Social Justice Links

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A. LOCAL SOCIAL JUSTICE NEWS

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1.
SUNDAY, JUNE 24TH
11:00 AM
HENNEPIN AVENUE AT THIRD STREET TO LORING PARK

THE TWIN CITIES 35TH ANNIVERSARY PRIDE PARADE IS SUNDAY, JUNE 24TH! "The
Evolution of Equality" is the 2007 Pride theme and represents how society's
definition of equality has changed over the years.  In 1969, GLBT people
were fighting simply for the right to exist, socialize and to not be
harassed by the authorities.  Today we are working towards a future of true
equality for the GLBT community.  The parade site will take place along
Minneapolis' Hennepin Avenue from Third Street to Loring Park, site of the
Twin Cities GLBT Pride Festival.  The parade will kick-off promptly at 11:00
a.m.  If you would like to march with other UU's, please contact Doug
Federhart at White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church at (651) 426-2369 to
register with the group.

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C. NATIONAL UU ADVOCACY

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1.
Tonight on the eve of Memorial Day, as Congress votes to continue funding
the Iraq War with no deadlines for troop withdrawal, my family and I will be
joining Boston area UUs and peace activists for a "Peace Packaging Party" at
the UU Congregation in Andover MA sponsored by the Where is the Rage? Peace
Project to assemble Peace Packages that will be mailed on Friday to all UU
congregations, along with 1800 peace groups and Quaker Societies, and 500
community and college radio stations. Please ask your congregation's
administrator to watch for the package next week. 

http://www.patscanlon.com/

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2.
The Committee on Committees of the UUA Board of Trustees is now accepting
applications to fill the following vacancies:  
1. General Assembly Planning Committee: One board-appointed position, for a
two-year term beginning June 25, 2007.  Qualities desired include:
experience with meeting or event planning, some technical expertise and
dedication to creating an inclusive anti-racist, anti-oppressive,
multicultural gathering of UU leaders.
 
2. Commission on Appraisal: One vacancy, beginning June 25, 2007, to be
appointed to complete the last two-years of a current elected term. The
Commission is in the midst of an intensive project so any applicant should
be willing and able to participate as fully and quickly as possible.
Experience with vibrant UU communities, particularly as a minister, would be
helpful for the Commission, as would diverse age (under 50), ethnic or
racial perspectives.  Following completion of the current term, the
appointee would be encouraged to apply for election to a complete six year
term. 
 
3. Committee on Socially Responsible Investing: One vacancy, beginning
immediately.  Applicants should have competence and experience with
professional socially responsible investing, an awareness of social justice
initiatives within our Association and a commitment to deeper understanding
of the work of anti-racism, anti-oppression and multi-culturalism."
 
As we strive to live out our values and reflect who we are as a community,
the Board is intentionally looking for applicants from various  ages, races,
ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations.
Applications are available at:
http://www.uua.org/aboutus/governance/boardtrustees/committees/committee/ind
ex.shtml

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3.
Darfur activists gain important ground as Fidelity and China heed the
drumbeat  
 
Thanks to relentless action by advocates like you, the drumbeat for Darfur
is being heard loud and clear. In May, the movement for peace and justice
for Darfur realized two important successes.

Fidelity feels the pressure, and acts!
On May 15, Fidelity Investments divested 91 percent of its New York Stock
Exchange holdings in PetroChina. While it still maintains its PetroChina
shares on the Hong Kong stock exchange, which represent more than half of
the investing firm's global holdings in the Chinese oil company, this is a
significant testament to the power of grassroots activism. 

Eric Cohen, cofounder of the Fidelity out of Sudan campaign affirms,
"Fidelity appears to be listening to the concerns of American investors who
do not want their money tied to investments that help support the genocide."

However, Cohen urges us to keep up the pressure: "Since Fidelity has made no
statement or commitment regarding divestment from PetroChina, investors
entrusting their money to Fidelity mutual funds continue to risk
inadvertently investing in PetroChina and other companies helping to fund
the genocide in Darfur."

What happens when Mia Farrow, Steven Spielberg, and 196 U.S. leaders speak
out?
On March 28, actress Mia Farrow, a tireless advocate for Darfur, published a
candid Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, targeting China for its continued
support of the government of Sudan. 

In the article, she raised the issue of the 2008 "Genocide Olympics" in
Beijing. She criticized corporate sponsors and director Steven Spielberg for
supporting the Olympics, calling on them to use their positions to pressure
China to take positive action for Darfur.

On April 2, Spielberg responded with a letter to Chinese President Hu Jintao
asking China to change its policy towards Sudan.

On April 30, Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware led 96 senators in calling on
China to use its influence to help end the violence in Darfur. On May 9,
more than 100 members of the House of Representatives sent a similar letter.

And on May 10, China took the critical step of appointing a special envoy to
Sudan. Why? Foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu explained, "Since the
situation in Darfur has drawn significant international attention, the work
of the special representative will focus on the Darfur issue." 

Read Mia Farrow's Op-Ed.
http://maloof.wordpress.com/2007/04/01/the-genocide-olympics-by-ronan-and-mi
a-farrow/

Read the letter by U.S. senators.
http://biden.senate.gov/newsroom/details.cfm?id=273363

Read the letter by U.S. representatives.
http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/press_display.asp?id=345

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4.
TO: Ministers and lay leaders of UUA congregations
 
FROM: The UUA's Commission on Appraisal
 
RE: Review of the Principles & Purposes
 
As many of you are no doubt aware, the UUA's Commission on Appraisal is in
the midst of a review of Article II of the Association's Bylaws
-- better known as the Principles and Purposes. This article contains some
of the most important and widely quoted texts in our movement, posted on
many of our church walls and reprinted on many of our orders of service. The
Bylaws require that this article is reviewed on a periodic basis so that it
remains a living document that still "works"
for the Association.
 
As a critical part of this review, in mid-January the Commission distributed
to every UUA congregation a packet of materials providing guidelines and a
response form for congregational workshops examining the Principles and
Purposes. We asked that every congregation in the Association hold at least
a one-session adult workshop (or, better still, a longer adult workshop,
youth workshop, and/or children's
class) and provide feedback to us by completing the form on paper or
on-line.
 
To date, only 13 congregations have provided feedback. We understand that a
number of congregations have workshops scheduled, which is wonderful (and if
yours is one of those, thank you very much and we happily await your
feedback). However, we are concerned that awareness of the potential
importance of this review may be lacking.  
While it is by no means a foregone conclusion that the texts of the
Principles and Purposes will be revised, it is certainly a possibility.
Those congregations that add their voice to this conversation by holding
workshops and providing responses will have a greater say in the process
-- an opportunity that congregations choosing not to hold workshops will
forfeit.
 
Ideally, we would like to get a response from every single UUA congregation.
Realistically, we want to hear from as many congregations as possible,
across dimensions of size and geography.
 
Here is our request to every congregation from whom we have not yet
heard:
 
If you have scheduled a workshop but not yet conducted it, please send an
email to coa [at] uua.org containing the name of your congregation and the
date(s) for the workshop(s) so that we will know to expect feedback from
your group.
 
If you have not yet scheduled a workshop, please look at your congregational
calendar and find a time to do so -- optimally by early October (to have the
response in prior to the Commission's fall
meeting) but definitely by the end of the 2007 calendar year.
 
If you are not sure what happened to your congregation's January mailing,
please visit the Commission's website at www.uua.org/coa/ where you can
download all of the materials, as well as review the list of those
congregations that have already participated.
 
If you have more questions about the review process in general or the
workshop plan in particular, drop us an email or stop by our GA exhibit hall
booth.
 
In faith,
Dr. Jim Casebolt, Chair
UUA Commission on Appraisal

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5.
UUWorld article, "'The future we hope to see' Congregations respond to the
General Assembly's challenge to examine race and class, embracing a
multicultural future." 
http://www.uuworld.org/news/articles/23513.shtml
 
I though I'd also tell you about our workshop, which is also about
"embracing a multicultural future" and present: #2071 Thursday, June 21,
10:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Oregon Convention Center, room F150 (from the
program with added emphasis for this list's purpose):
Breakthrough Congregation: Davies Memorial UU Church UUA Staff Hear both lay
and professional leaders of this dynamic congregation describe their
successful efforts to build an intentionally multicultural religious
community.
Davies Memorial UU Church is one of
four congregations of various sizes designated as a "Breakthrough
Congregation"
by the UUA's Growth Team.
Rev. John Crestwell
Dawn Star Borchelt
 
D. SOCIAL JUSTICE LINKS
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To find out about other local and national social justice events, check out
these websites.  

UU SOCIAL JUSTICE AND OTHER UU LINKS:
Unitarian Universalist Association:  http://www.uua.org/

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee:  http://www.uusc.org/

UUA Washington Office for Advocacy http://www.uua.org/uuawo/new/

UUA Congregational Advocacy and Witness:
http://www.uua.org/programs/justice/

Minnesota UU Social Justice Alliance (MUUSJA):  http://www.muusja.org/

Prairie Star  District: http://www.psduua.org/

FOR UU SOCIAL ACTON CHAIRS, sign up for regular e-news from the UUA, called
Sac-news www.uua.org/mailman/listinfo
 
UU Ministry for Earth http://uuministryforearth.org/index.shtml

UUs for a Just Economic Community http://www.uujec.net/

UU Committee for Socially Responsible Investing
http://www.uua.org/finance/sri/ 

UU Gulf Coast Advocacy http://www.uua.org/news/gulfcoastrelief/advocacy.html

OTHER SOCIAL JUSTICE LINKS: 
*note: if you are  member of a group who would like us to list your web
site, send it to muusja-editor [at] muusja.org

Alliance for Sustainability www.afors.org
 
Minnesota  Alliance of Peacemakers  http://www.mapm.org/
 
Women Against Military Madness at  www.worldwidewamm.org
 
Progressive Calendar subscribe by emailing  shove001 [at] tc.umn.edu.
  
Planned Parenthood of Minnesota:   www.ppmns.org
 
NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota:   www.prochoiceminnesota.org

Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing (MICAH):
http://www.micah.org/
 
Code Pink: www.codepink4peace.org

Center for Victims of Torture: http://www.cvt.org/main.php

Network of Spiritual Progressives: http://www.spiritualprogressives.org/

Network of Spiritual Progressives, local chapter http://www.nspmn.org/

Congregations Caring for Creation http://www.c3mn.net/

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