IFEA

Announcing Our New Blog

2007-12-05T16:53:00.000-05:00

Some changes are afoot. The Washington Office is joining forces with other offices in our UUA "staff group," Congregational Advocacy and Witness and the Office of International Resources. We've got a new url and a new look and are brimming with new ideas. So please join us over at
uuasocialjustice.blogspot.com

Check out the video of Rev Sinkford at the World AIDS Day observance!

Best of Both Worlds

2007-11-13T13:25:00.000-05:00

The new addiction for the legislative assistants during lunch time breaks is Free Rice.

Using a very simple word building exercise, we are donating rice to the UN World Food Programme.

Every correct answer gives ten grains of rice to the program to be distributed among the hungriest, paid for by the advertisers on the site. As we build our vocabularies, we are feeding the hungry.

I make it a habit of playing for 1800 grains of rice a day, which is--according to our calculations--two servings of rice. I have also been tracking my progress and find myself accidentally using new words I have learned from the website.

With the growth of climate change, environmental depredation of wetlands and over consumption of resources, simple things like clean water and fresh food are increasingly more scarce. Doing your part to make sure that families will see their children survive and relieving the burden of the world's poor is crucial to the stability of our world. The good work supported by projects like the UN World Food Programme and even sites like free rice, help make the world a better place.

Feeding the hungry and building my vocabulary? Best of both worlds!

Nobel Peace Prize Part 2-- The Aftermath

2007-10-12T09:27:00.001-04:00

Well, that certainly was a surprise!

Yesterday, I posted about how certain I was Al Gore would *not* win the Nobel Peace Prize today.

*Insert foot in mouth*

So most folks are probably not surprised. I am only surprised to a certain degree. And that is tempered by the fact that he will be sharing it with the UN's International Panel on Climate Change.

The surprise is found in the fact that, with very few exceptions, the prize panel does not award to the trendy. Much like their their Norwegian counterparts, they usually award to a lifetime of work. Gore has only been actively working on it for the past six years. And as a housemate of mine said, "good for him, he has been able to convince a bunch of Americans what the rest of the world has already known."

Don't get me wrong, his work is good. But, it could be better. "An Inconvenient Truth" left me wanting more. It was the environmental equivalent of a slasher movie. All Gore and no substance. (yes, pun intended). Other than the quickly moving notes in the credits, there were no concrete ideas given the viewer of how to affect change.

So, Bravo Mr. Gore and the UNIPCC. Thank you telling us that we are all going to perish at the hands of a painful and terrifying fate. And thank you Nobel Peace Prize for driving the message home.

Nobel Peace Prize Part 1--Oscar Night

2007-10-11T10:15:00.000-04:00

The Nobel Peace Prize is to be announced tomorrow.

The kind of people I associate with, this is big news. It is like Oscar night news. People are hedging their bets and making predictions. Which is difficult since those Nobel folks are so very secretive. Its kind of like guessing the Oscar winners without knowing what movies came out this past year.

A lot of folks are thinking that the award will go to an environmentalist organization or advocate. The popular vote is going to Al Gore. Although, I don't see that happening this year. Other folks are clamoring for the Burmese monks. However, their most recent actions didn't happen until after the nomination process was over and Aung San Suu Kyi already won it. And the Nobel folks rarely look at the short run. Although there are a few exceptions--such as The Northern Ireland Peace Talks of '99. And the popular vote hardly every counts.

I on the other hand, have my lot casted in with Mercy Corps. But I've got an inside source. I am good friends with a laureate. And its their votes that counts.

Who will it be? We will just have wait to find out.

Big Things

2007-10-10T15:25:00.001-04:00

On Monday, half my house and I woke before dawn and shared a simple meal. As the sun began to rise, I knew this would be my only sustenance for twelve hours.

As I participated in this year's Interfaith Fast Day for Peace, I thought of all other people around the world with whom I was fasting in solidarity. I thought of students around the United States, Canada, the UK, Japan and Latin America I had met through Facebook.

I thought about the other UU's I knew who were fasting. And I was wondering what was sustaining them.

I thought of my Muslim friends who fast every day through the month of Ramadan. And the joy I shared with them at a recent Iftar.

I thought of the victims of genocide, famine and war. People who would be hungry today and tomorrow. And their constant fear of vigilante forces and occupying enemies.

I thought of the poor and hungry I help feed here in Washington DC, just feet from the White House. And how, often, the meal we give them may be their only meal of the day.

I thought of activists such as Alice Paul, Cesar Chavez and Mahatma Gandhi and their prolonged fasts for justice and peace. And I wondered how it was they could do this day in and day out for weeks at a time.

And while, at times, it was easier than I had expected; it was also so very difficult. And when we broke fast that night, with a simple meal, surrounded by friends and family, I was so happy and grateful.

But fasts weren't the only excitement this week. Today, Rev. Bill Sinkford, President of the UUA delivered to Congress today our Petition for Peace and Justice. Over 13,000 signatures of UU's were brought along with the over 60,000 signatures from the United Church of Christ. To see all the hard work and organizing that went into this success enlivens us all. We took this task on head on and came home champions.

While we did not reach our goal of 25,000 names--we did get a massive amount of people to support our cause (over 50%). The momentum and excitement of the project makes us want to work all the harder for all of you.

Thank you for all your support.

Free Burma!

2007-10-04T09:29:00.001-04:00

Today, international bloggers are uniting their message- Free Burma.

Support the non-violent protesters, Aung Sun Suu Kyi and their efforts to promote *true* democracy in Burma.

"Doh ayei! Doh ayei!"--Slogan of Burmese protesters in 1988 translated to "Its Our Task! Its Our Task!"

Petition for Peace

2007-10-03T15:44:00.000-04:00

Last week we launched our most ambitious action campaign - aiming to gather 25,000 signatures for peace. As the signatures mounted, and I began to read the comments left behind, I crafted and sent the emails below to those who had signed. I was quite moved by the comments folks left.

September 25, 2007

Dear Friends,

Over the course of the past week you have giving me hope, made me cheer, and brought tears to my eyes. Of the 2,750 people who have signed the UU Petition for Peace, like you, many have left comments that tap the roots that feed my soul.

Sonja Johnston, the Minister of Music at the Minnesota Valley UU Fellowship for 31 years, wrote, “Every Tuesday afternoon, I, and several other members of our fellowship, hold a peace vigil at a busy street in Bloomington. The response from those driving by is 75% positive. We must end this illegal, immoral, unnecessary war NOW.”

How many of you have stood vigil?

Kelly Hardin Derwood, from the River Road UU Congregation in Bethesda, Maryland, wrote, “As a fifteen-year-old Unitarian Universalist, I am proud to represent UU youth as I sign this petition.”

How many of your children have had to witness this war?

LeAnne Notabartolo, from the UU Congregation of Las Vegas, wrote, “As a military wife whose husband has NOT been deployed (thankfully), I say, ‘bring our Troops home NOW’.”

How many of you worry when your loved ones come home late?

While the news from Capital Hill and the White House has been less than inspiring, your actions have given me hope. I know we will continue to write letters, write op-eds, stand vigil, and vote. And I believe that we will end this war.

As I see the numbers of signatures rising each day and I read your encouragement, your prayers, your pain, and your hope, I am left with the simple comment shared by Jan Taddeo, a ministerial student at Meadville Lombard, “Amen”.

September 28, 2007

Dear Friends,

Of the 4,500 who have joined you in signing the UU Petition for Peace, there are some who know this war in a way that tears down the distance between our home soil and the battlefield; between us and them; between the headlines and the heartbeat.

Karl von der Heyde of the Skylands Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in New Jersey writes, “I am a veteran of the President's war. It is a disaster. Some things are worth fighting and dying for. The pride, hubris, cultural ignorance, cowardly invasion of a country with no ties to 9/11, and a nearly totally fraudulent 'Global War on Terror' of the current President of the United States are not among the things worth fighting and dying for.”

Veterans of war are in our congregations, singing the children off to class.

Carol and Al Lloyd, members of the First Unitarian Church of Cincinnati, wrote, “We have a very personal reason for wanting to stop the war - our son is scheduled to go [to Iraq] in late January/early February. It’s terrifying.”

Parents of soldiers are in our congregations, whispering prayers by our sides.

And a man from Texas left this message after signing the petition, “I am looking to join the UUA when I return from Iraq but I support your cause and the many people like you. Thank you so much.”

There are empty seats in our congregations, hopefully they will be filled.

On October 10th, Rev. Sinkford will be carrying this petition, and all of your comments, to the powerful decision-makers in Washington DC. To reach our goal of gathering 25,000 signatures, our most ambitious advocacy goal ever, we need signatures from every congregation in the United States.

Please download the petition here and bring it to your congregation this Sunday.

October is Gender Violnce Awareness Month

2007-10-03T10:05:00.000-04:00

October is Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month in the United States. Survivors of gender violence are encouraged to wear purple ribbons and allies are encouraged to wear green. And in recognition of survivors as allies and allies as survivors, one may wear a green ribbon intertwined with purple.

While in my undergrad career at Earlham College, I was an advocate for survivors of sexual assault. I was trained to be an active listener for survivors and give them the safe space necessary for healing. I sat with folks of all genders and cried with them, breathed with them, and healed with them. Hearing how people could have such brutal disregard for the emotional and physical safety for people was haunting. This was the most worthwhile and wonderful experience of my college career. And I still hold their pain for them.

In recognition of Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month, I would like to share a few statistics from the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). These statistics are usually conservative numbers as they have been found from the 2005 National Crime Victimization Survey conducted by the US Department of Justice. Many scholars of the field believe the numbers are usually much higher then published due to the overwhelmingly low reporting of survivors.

• Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.
• One in six American women are victims of sexual assault, and one in 33 men.
• Approximately 60% of all cases of gender violence are not reported.
• 98% of all survivors know their attacker.
• 95% of all sexual assaults involve drugs or alcohol.

If you or some one you know needs help, please call for help. It is never too late. Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). It is free, confidential and always open.

Find a safe place. Go to a family or friend’s house. If you are unable to, please find a local shelter here.

And if you are an ally for a survivor, please find someone to share your feelings in a safe, confidential setting. 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) is open for allies and supporters of survivors. “Good Listeners need Good Listeners”.

We Shall Overcome!

2007-09-24T11:55:00.000-04:00

This is an auspicious time for people’s movements. Here at home, we saw the massive mobilization of people from all over the United States to march in protest of the inequalities in the overtly racist system of “justice” in Jena, Louisiana. This has brought the attention of the American people to the corrupt underpinnings of the judicial system. And with the 50th anniversary of the Little Rock Nine, we realize we have so much further to go.

Halfway across the planet, in the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar (Burma), we see the non-violent demonstrations of thousands led by Buddhist Monks and Noble Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

From the BBC:
“Five columns of monks, one reportedly stretching for more than 1km (0.6 miles), entered the city centre to cheers and applause from thousands of bystanders. Civilians who joined in pinned small pieces of monks' robes on to their clothing, some of them weeping, and turnout estimates range from 50,000 to 100,000.”

And now, the Myanamese military government is warning the protesters that they are now able to “take action” against the movement leaders—an ominous statement. The representatives have encouraged members of the military to put down their weapons and join the marches (an echoing of the 1999 Serbian military participating in non-violent anti-Milosevic protests).

And, less than an hour ago, thousands of General Motors workers walked out of the Bowling Green, KY factory on strike. Demanding increased job security and compensation, United Autoworkers have called a general strike.

The amount of faith and dedication in order to participate in a people’s movement is immense. Whether it is standing up to a Junta or an Oligarchy, to put your life and livelihood on the line for the sake of the community is one of the most difficult things one can do. We look to the dedication of those who come before us, just as the Little Rock Nine did, to give us the courage to continue in the struggle.

Our Biggest Action Ever!

2007-09-21T10:14:00.000-04:00

On October 10th, The Rev. Bill Sinkford--President of the Unitarian Universalist Association--will be walking the halls of congress with the Rev. John Thomas--President of the United Church of Christ--to lobby for peace in our time.

And they want to take you with them!

The UUA and the UCC are gathering signatures from their members to show to members of Congress.

The high, but reachable, goal the UUA has set for itself is 25,000 signatures. That is 10% of the entire UUA.

If you want to add your name to list of people who want Congress to end this war, please sign our petition.

It will only take a minute to know that you are among the thousands of faithful people who want to see an end to this war in Iraq. Let's show Congress what liberal, religious people can do together!

Baghdad 2007=Belfast 1987

2007-09-14T10:42:00.000-04:00

Last night, President Bush announced that he would follow the recommendations of Gen. David Patraeus and would allow a reduction of troops by more than thirty thousand. There is a lot of renewed energy in the office after this. Our celebration is hard earned. However, we know we still know there is a lot of hard work to do.

The thing that sticks out to me most is Bush’s claim that we need to stay in Iraq in order to end sectarian violence. In my experience, that is only setting us up for failure. Reconciliation cannot be completed at the end of a gun. It involves faith and trust. This is something I learned from my time in Northern Ireland.

While the issues in Iraq today differ from the issues of Northern Ireland in the 70’s and 80’s, not by much. The questions of self determinacy, leadership and equal rights under the law all remain the same. And Bush’s tactics of treating a sectarian civil war as an international conflict rather than a national security issue eerily resemble the Thatcher era of the 1980’s. When Thatcher was Prime Minister of the UK, she increased troop levels in the province and imprisoned massive amounts of paramilitary leaders on both sides. What we witnessed was increased violence and resentment. A look at sectarian killings and apathy toward the British and Irish governments were at an all-time high.

It was not until the success of the Labor Party in the early 1990’s and the withdrawal of British troops in Ulster that we saw the decrease of sectarian killings. Ultimately, it took the ending of a military occupation in order to have the Irish Republican Army and the Ulster Volunteer Force to permanently disarm, ten years after the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement of 1997. This has allowed home rule to return to Northern Ireland and a recommitment of its citizens to participate in voluntary reconciliation.

During my time in Northern Ireland, I worked with a NGO that focused on reconciliation among young people. I heard heart wrenching stories from folks who lived through the “Troubles” of the 1980’s. Stories in which their homes were raided in the middle of the night by British Troops and Police. Stories in which instead of fighting back, the parents would ask the troops if they would like a cup of tea or water. Stories of faith that those who were rummaging through their personal belongings were good people.

As long as the Iraqi—and in this case, actual Iraqis—people are fighting over who is in power, this is not our fight. This is a political issue, not a military one. We have a responsibility to aid the Iraqis find their self determinance. We must give the support to rebuild their infrastructure. We must find a way for us to love one another. But we cannot do it at the end of a M16 rifle. We must admit to ourselves that Jeffersonian Democracy is not a proper fit for the people of Iraq. And we must give them the room to find it for themselves.

The Return of the OPPP

2007-09-13T14:46:00.001-04:00

To the UU Peaceniks, my apologies for not keeping up with the “old style” posts. A series of Monday-less weeks and a discussion of what the Washington Office Blog will look like in the not-to-distant future has made it difficult to continue with the UU peacemaking blog posts.

They will return on Monday. Or will they?

I would like some feedback. Is the intro to Peace Theory interesting at all? Is it helpful? It seems the hits for those posts are very low. This makes me think that I am the only one enjoying the One Page Peace Posts. Fine if they are. I’ll stop. I can do more social commentary and storytelling.

But, if people are finding the posts helpful for their own discernment of peace in the UUA, then let me know. I’ll be happy to keep it up.

To quote Igor from “Young Frankenstein”: Suit yourself! I’m easy!

What all schoolchildren learn

2007-09-11T09:27:00.000-04:00

I was going to write about the anniversary today. But the UU Blogosphere is littered with them. And yet another post about where I was and how I felt and what I did and all the work that needs to be done is...well...redundant.

So I will let my favorite poet say what I feel in my heart. Because, the story remains the same. Whether it be six years or sixty-eight.

People are tired of war.

September 1, 1939
by W. H. Auden

I sit in one of the dives
On Fifty-second Street
Uncertain and afraid
As the clever hopes expire
Of a low dishonest decade:
Waves of anger and fear
Circulate over the bright
And darkened lands of the earth,
Obsessing our private lives;
The unmentionable odour of death
Offends the September night.

Accurate scholarship can
Unearth the whole offence
From Luther until now
That has driven a culture mad,
Find what occurred at Linz,
What huge imago made
A psychopathic god:
I and the public know
What all schoolchildren learn,
Those to whom evil is done
Do evil in return.

Exiled Thucydides knew
All that a speech can say
About Democracy,
And what dictators do,
The elderly rubbish they talk
To an apathetic grave;
Analysed all in his book,
The enlightenment driven away,
The habit-forming pain,
Mismanagement and grief:
We must suffer them all again.

Into this neutral air
Where blind skyscrapers use
Their full height to proclaim
The strength of Collective Man,
Each language pours its vain
Competitive excuse:
But who can live for long
In an euphoric dream;
Out of the mirror they stare,
Imperialism's face
And the international wrong.

Faces along the bar
Cling to their average day:
The lights must never go out,
The music must always play,
All the conventions conspire
To make this fort assume
The furniture of home;
Lest we should see where we are,
Lost in a haunted wood,
Children afraid of the night
Who have never been happy or good.

The windiest militant trash
Important Persons shout
Is not so crude as our wish:
What mad Nijinsky wrote
About Diaghilev
Is true of the normal heart;
For the error bred in the bone
Of each woman and each man
Craves what it cannot have,
Not universal love
But to be loved alone.

From the conservative dark
Into the ethical life
The dense commuters come,
Repeating their morning vow;
"I will be true to the wife,
I'll concentrate more on my work,"
And helpless governors wake
To resume their compulsory game:
Who can release them now,
Who can reach the deaf,
Who can speak for the dumb?

All I have is a voice
To undo the folded lie,
The romantic lie in the brain
Of the sensual man-in-the-street
And the lie of Authority
Whose buildings grope the sky:
There is no such thing as the State
And no one exists alone;
Hunger allows no choice
To the citizen or the police;
We must love one another or die.

Defenceless under the night
Our world in stupor lies;
Yet, dotted everywhere,
Ironic points of light
Flash out wherever the Just
Exchange their messages:
May I, composed like them
Of Eros and of dust,
Beleaguered by the same
Negation and despair,
Show an affirming flame.

From Another Time by W. H. Auden, published by Random House. Copyright © 1940 W. H. Auden, renewed by The Estate of W. H. Auden. Used by permission of Curtis Brown, Ltd.

Interfaith Fast Day for Peace

2007-09-07T11:25:00.000-04:00

I would just like to take a moment to announce that tomorrow marks the the one month point until the Interfaith Fast Day for Peace.

I would like to personally invite you to join thousands of faithful activists all over the United States who will be putting their bodies and wills to the test in the name of peace and justice.

Keep posted for more information as it comes.

You can also find more information at http://interfaithfast.org

And check out our frappr map at http://www.frappr.com/?a=constellation_map&mapid=137440072690

You're doing a heck of a job, Brownie!

2007-08-27T11:28:00.000-04:00

Two Years ago this week, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. After watching it grow in the Bahamas and head west, I had a feeling this one would be different. It became a category 3 by the time it passed Florida. And it had grown to the size of entire Gulf of Mexico, becoming a category 5—the largest and strongest rating of a hurricane. Katrina slammed into Biloxi, Bridgeport, and New Orleans with 175 mph winds and massive storm surges. As trees, power lines and buildings were torn from their foundations, it was evident that a lot of damage was done. But reports got worse.

Reports came out that many in urban areas could not be evacuated on time. Thousands of people were forced to wait out the storm. But as the storm passed, we found the worst was not yet over. The shear force of the storm surges had caused the New Orleans Levees to crumble, flooding many low level areas including the notoriously under franchised 9th ward. Many scrambled for shelter. Thousands were put up in emergency housing in the Super Dome. Gas lines burst, causing the polluted waters of the Mississippi River to erupt into flames. People hit the flooded streets looking for whatever supplies they could find.

All the while, President Bush and his key advisers continued their vacation in Crawford, Texas. The National Guard began to react and FEMA moved in. Emergency rations were air dropped. Bodies began to surface in the waters. People, stranded on flooded houses were rescued by helicopters. Reports that National Guard Members were being shot at were given, then denied, then confirmed, then denied. No body knew what was going on. Then reports came out that public buses had been in storage during the evacuation procedures. Literally hundreds of thousands of citizens could have been rescued before the event if the appropriate actions could have been made.
The conditions in the Super Dome had been reduced to squalor only seen in war torn third world nations. Panic in the streets of New Orleans. Rescue crews had to fight fires in filthy, polluted water. Survivors were collecting the dead—over 1700 in all. It took President Bush and his advisers a week to finally get to the Gulf Coast—first to console Sen. Trent Lott on the loss of his historic plantation house, and then to the deadly waters of New Orleans.

Less then a month later, just as the waters began to drop, the unthinkable happened. Another category 5 hurricane--Rita—followed the almost exact route as Katrina, once again slamming into the gulf coast. I will never forget the sight of the entire 9th ward, once again flooded by the waters of the Mississippi. Original evacuees who had returned were forced to evacuate. Those living in the Super Dome and other emergency facilities were forced to ride the storm again.

I have been to the Gulf Coast since then. As have thousands of others. Many are working with little to no experience on how to rebuild a city. Millions of volunteer hours have been put into the reconstruction of the area. But it is slow and awkward. In Biloxi-Bridgeport, the storm ravaged coast line is still a ghost town, except for a bustling downtown of casinos. Casinos and no infrastructure. Trees still slant at an awkward 45 degree angle. Empty concrete slabs lie dormant with neon signs missing logos but still recognizable. That one was a Waffle House. That one was a Taco Bell. That one, a Texaco.

As for New Orleans, I have no doubt that it is the most visible and tangible recognition of race and class difference in the United States. The down town infrastructure has been completely on the mend. The lightly hit French Quarter—predominantly white and upper class-- is back to 100%. But the predominantly poor Upper and Lower Ninth Wards are still abandoned. Homes have been stripped to the studs. And volunteers work daily to tend empty plots of land. High grasses are prime spots for snakes, parasites and disease carrying vermin. Workers often don’t last more than a couple of weeks due to burnout and exhaustion. And the poisonous mold spores left over after the floods cause chronic coughing and fatigue. Homes still have the tell-tale graffiti left by the National Guard Search and Rescue crews. This house had poisonous water in it and was never searched. This one had an abandoned dog in it. This one had two bodies in it. This one burned down.
Two years later and recovery is still slow. People have been forced out of their homes and communities and have been scattered across the country. A Diaspora of Gulf Coast natives and a government slow to act.

In other news, did you see that Alberto Gonzales resigned on Friday? And it isn’t even my birthday.

Conflict at ConCentric

2007-08-20T14:10:00.001-04:00

Last week, there was no Monday Blog post. This was because I was in beautiful Honeywood, Ontario, Canada for the annual UU Young Adult Network (UUYAN) business meeting, ConCentric. This year’s event was relaxing and enjoyable; full of good people, amazing workshops, and lots of hard work. I enjoyed meeting such wonderful people who are so devoted to the cause of Unitarian Universalism, young adults, peace and justice.

However, it was not all smooth sailing. The UUYAN steering committee, with the blessings of the Young Adult/Campus Ministry Office, decided that UUYAN needed to take a year long hiatus from planning conferences so that the movement could reassess the goals and tactics for the Young Adult UU community. Therefore, the 2008 ConCentric and the spiritual retreat, OPUS, would be cancelled. As the initial shock wore off, tempers flared. While many agreed with the spirit of the announcement, the process of the decision was brought into question. What began as an agonizing, night long discussion and debate on behalf of the Steering Committee, soon became a “clandestine attempt of a few to usurp the deciding power of the community.”

Discussion was long and difficult. At times, it was extremely frustrating and painful. While some wanted to talk about oversight and accountability, others wanted to brainstorm how to foster grassroots organizing of Young Adult communities. Venting of emotions happened on both sides and constructive criticism was shared. But, it was often challenging. But, emotions never got out of hand.

Every evening, over dinner and worship, we were able to come together as a group. Given this healing time, the community gathered to look at the bigger picture. After one particularly moving worship service, an impromptu chant and spiral dance occurred. As the members of the community wrapped around each other, camps and divisions melted away. We realized that the passion that came out during the day was due to our love for the community we shared. This love fostered trust and understanding. And while the conflict did not disappear, we were able to learn, grow and stretch with each other.

And as we continued the business for the week, amazing new strategies, tactics and techniques were brought to the forefront. Goals and dreams had room to grow and flourish. And exciting new possibilities were formed. And while many were still scared about the future of OPUS and ConCentric, the excitement of bold new futures fostered our drive to continue.

This is why I feel so completely blessed and lucky to be working on peace with my faith community. When discussion gets heated and tense, there is always time for prayer and reflection. When one needs a sympathetic ear, there are chaplains, ministers, and lay listeners. And when goals shift, there are still core principles and values that we share. And love for our community leads us to finding more room for trust, understanding and growth. I couldn’t imagine being happier anywhere else right now. Once again, I am reminded of a quote from the Unitarian Minister, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding.”

Candidate Tracker

2007-08-07T14:51:00.000-04:00

With the primary season starting in just a mere four months, you might still be confused on whom to vote for.

Here is a fun survey that takes less than five minutes to help you narrow down your choices.

http://www.dehp.net/candidate/index.php

I found it rather accurate.

And if you are having a hard time on knowing exactly where candidates stand, check out Project Vote Smart.

Here is where the candidates fill out a very in depth survey on key points for the average American Voter.

Meredith's Top 10 and a Goodbye

2007-08-06T13:38:00.000-04:00

After 2 years as the Clara Barton Intern for Women's Issues, my term is up! I'm preparing to start a new job with Advocates for Youth after I take a much needed vacation out of hot, humid DC. The transition process has been interesting for me as I've been evaluating my life, what I've learned and experienced while working for the UUA and how I want to be and live in the future.

Here's my Top 10 list (in no particular order) from my past 2 years at the UUA:
1. Working with organizations and people with progressive visions for social change
2. Staying grounded through weekly theological reflections
3. Training and supporting young advocates as they lobby for comprehensive sex education
4. Being a part of the UUA and knowing that I've contributed to the visibility, growth and strength of our denomination
5. Being able, and encouraged to openly discuss identities and anti-racism/anti-oppression
6. Having supportive, passionate and fun coworkers
7. Seeing how small groups of UUs have organized to make change in their churches, communities and country
8. Interfaith organizing and dialogue!
9. Meeting Members of Congress
10. Talking about Our Whole Lives knowing that it's one of the best curriculums available

This internship provided me with an incredible opportunity to engage and challenge my faith, my UU community and the larger world. I've learned so much and I hope that I've passed on some of my knowledge and passion along the way.

I'm pleased to welcome Grace Garner as the 3rd Clara Barton Intern. She has a strong foundation to work from and I'm excited to see where her vision will take UUA justice and advocacy work on women's issues.

Top/Down, Bottom/Up

2007-08-06T10:37:00.000-04:00

Top/Down, Bottom/Up—

A while ago, I was challenged to name my peace heroes. This particular professor of mine in Northern Ireland asked us, “in a world so full of war heroes, who are your peace heroes?” There was only one stipulation; we could not name the usual suspects. No Gandhi, no King, no Parks. Immediately, one name came to my mind: Sharp.

As far as mainstream advocates for non-violence go, Gene Sharp is not extremely popular. He has never led a non-violent revolution. He has never toppled a dictator with words. He has never led millions to their destinies. At least not directly. In 1973, Sharp wroteThe Politics of Non-Violent Struggle. This 800 page, three part series lays out the historical and philosophical underpinnings of non-violent protest. It is arguable that every non-violent revolution since the early 1970’s has had Gene Sharp to thank. Otpur; the non-violent, youth led revolution that toppled Slobodan Milosevic’s government was directly trained by Sharp and his colleagues.

And while I am reserving the theories of non-violence for a later topic, I want to bring out one of Sharp’s theories. It is something I have been struggling with myself recently: the location of power and authority.

Sharp sees the modern power structure as a hierarchy. At the top, we have political elites, corporate executives, etc. In the middle, we see the bureaucrats, police officers and managers. And at the bottom are the citizen masses. You have your average voters and folks just trying to make a buck from day to day. (Graph 1)

In the traditional world-view of government structures, we see the power flowing down from the top to the bottom. Political and economic elites have made it to the top through some sort of merit. Their status at the top gives them the power to rule those at the bottom. (Graph 2)

However, Sharp turns it around. He knows that those at the top are there under the consent of those at the bottom—at least in a democratic society. He has turned power from a top/down relationship to a bottom/up. This is the basis of the American Revolution. Our Founding Fathers knew that government was a social contract between the governors and the governed. And when the needs of the people were not being met by the work of the governing elite, the governors were to be changed. (Graph 3)

This is my challenge to you. Stop waiting for your leadership. You are the leadership. Let our peacemaking be our own. And let the leadership for it be bottom/up rather than top/down. I am encouraging and empowering you to live your passions for peace.

"Heroes are not giant statues framed against a red sky. They are people who say: This is my community, and it is my responsibility to make it better. Interweave all these communities and you really have an America that is back on its feet again. I really think we are gonna have to reassess what constitutes a 'hero'."
-- Studs Terkel

Working Toward Peace

2007-07-30T11:18:00.000-04:00

Working Toward Peace.

What is it about peace theorists and the number three? We have three levels to violence and three levels to society. And today, I bring you the three levels of peacework.

Yes folks, peace and conflict theorists have created a working model for peacework that has gained such recognition, it has been adopted by the United Nations for its own efforts toward peace. This three step approach recognizes the immediate need for conflict de-escalation followed by long term conflict transformation and resolution. This system goes by many names but the way I like to define it is as follows: Peacekeeping, Peacemaking, Peacebuilding. In other ideological circles it is called: Disarmament, Peace, Security.

Peacekeeping/Disarmament: In this action, we see the physical intervention to a violent conflict. Images of UN Peacekeepers, with their shiny powder blue helmets and guns, are a familiar sight from such conflicts as Rwanda, Kosovo and Cyprus. Peacekeepers are in no means pacifists. They are there to enforce the peace. They participate in negative peace. The conflict is not resolved by their presence, it is merely transformed by their presence. Peacekeepers are given a mandate to participate in their actions. They operate in a power-over relationship with those in conflict.

Peacemaking/Peace: In this action, we see the attempt to change the conflict that is erupting into violence. This is usually through outside forces. Organizations such as Oxfam International, Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) all intervene on conflicts with a non-violent approach. Through their sharing of resources—monetary, physical, or spiritual—they try to alter the situations that are leading to the violence.

Peacebuilding/Security: In this action, we see efforts to change the institutions that encourage the conflicts to arise so that future conflicts will be healthy and open. These efforts are often from within the communities themselves utilizing the resources of the peacemaking organizations. These efforts from the Peacebuilders are what we classify as positive peace. They work in a power-under relationship. Those who are most affected by conflict work to transform it. Here we see women’s cooperatives that teach about domestic violence. We see community gardens that keep kids off the streets and teach them business skills. We see churches give sanctuary to the victims of war and conflict.

As we look at each step individually, we see that this is not a formula. It is not necessary for each step to be taken in order. Indeed, one may find it all but impossible to participate in Peacekeeping without Peacebuilding. However, in our own worldview, we find it appropriate to intervene physically before spiritually.

In our traditional Power-Over, Top/Down approach to conflict resolution, we see it necessary to send the military to intervene before we send humanitarian aid. And, sometimes, this is true. However, not all conflicts can be solved with a strong arm and a firm resolve. We must also acknowledge the needs of those who are most affected by the conflict and allow them to form the peace they desire. To quote the educator, Maria Montesorri, “Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.”

Midterm Review: What is peace studies?

2007-07-25T10:19:00.001-04:00

Midterm Review: What is Peace Studies?

Thus far, we have investigated many different theories in traditional peace theory. What have we learned? Let’s look again.

Peace theorists recognize that conflict is inevitable. We will never successfully rid the world of conflict. In fact, we do not seek to do so. Conflict can be a source for growth and an opportunity for learning. Thus we welcome life’s moments of conflict and study how to transform these moments of tension into moments of growth.

Conflict can be resolved or escalated. Escalation of conflict can often result in violence. Violence is simply defined as anything that inhibits basic needs. Violence can be on physical, emotional, economic, institutional, or cultural levels. It is a display of power.

Peace theorists have identified three forms of violence. Physical violence inhibits the attainment of human needs by harming the person or their environment. Structural violence inhibits the attainment of human needs by creating unfair structures that people live and operate in. Cultural violence inhibits the attainment of human needs through expectations, mores and societal mythos.

So why study peace? Since conflict is inevitable, we must study techniques for peaceful resolutions to conflict. As we remember, recall and recreate peaceful institutions, we are working toward a more peaceful future.

A peaceful response to violent conflict can come generally in two forms. The first form is known as negative peace. This is simply the ending of the violence. The second is known as positive peace. This not only ends the violent conflict, it also crates new structures that encourage healthy, peaceful conflict.

Peace studies in this way becomes more than just ending the violence of our world, but rather, a new way to look at the world. We work on interpersonal (micro), institutional (meso), and international (macro) conflicts. Peace becomes more than just an absence of conflict, but rather, a loving and responsible response to conflict.

As Unitarian Universalists, we use our theology and history to question the power structures in our lives. Not only do we seek the ending of physical violence by calling for a reduction of wars, we also challenge the invisible violence in our lives. Programs such as Journey Toward Wholeness and Welcoming Congregations help us question our own personal biases toward race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality. These efforts help us learn new skills in our path to recognize the “inherent worth and dignity of every person”. The movement for “green sanctuaries” and environmental practices help us enter into right relations with our Earth and the “interdependent web of all existence of which we are all a part.”

“A free and responsible search for truth and meaning” will not be without conflict. We will find paths cross and divert—even within ourselves. “Justice, equity and compassion” is necessary for our work toward peace. But we also need our peace work to have the justice we seek.

The paradox I find in studying peace is this: the more I learn about peace work, the more daunting it feels, and yet, it also seems more attainable. I am reminded of a quote by the anarchist suffragette, Helen Keller, “I do not want the peace which passeth understanding, I want the understanding which bringeth peace.”

Conflict!

2007-07-16T16:34:00.000-04:00

How wonderful! An experience with our blog has led me to discuss conflict. Conflict has such negative connotations in our American Culture that people go well out of their ways in order to avoid it. Neuroses are formed around the fear of conflict. And people, incorrectly assume that students of peace want to completely do away with conflict in all its forms. Not so!

Peace theorists do not believe that conflict is bad. Conflict gives us the opportunity to stretch and grow. Conflict allows us to test our ideas and remove the proverbial wheat from the proverbial chaff. Rather, it is how we respond to conflict that can be the problem. There are two main choices when it comes to conflict response; to escalate or transform. Each is a choice we make when we come in contact with conflict.

Escalation of the conflict is a dangerous—but all too common—choice taken by people. Here, we see emotions winning over. We see the Other as the Enemy rather than Teacher. We see the ultimate goal as the extermination of the other options. Each step into the escalation process makes it even more difficult to step out of the conflict. Often, during the escalation process, violent actions and language gets used. Sometimes, when the conflict gets bigger than the people involved, it is necessary to bring in a (semi)neutral third party to help mediate. A skilled mediator will help the parties involved navigate around the emotions that have been tied up in the conflict.

Conflict Transformation is another tactic one can use. Sometimes, it takes the use of a mediator such as before, or sometimes it takes the skillful use of non-violent communication. After recognizing that one has entered a conflict, a member can attempt to take a step back and use it as a learning experience. Recognizing that not all conflicts can be resolved, efforts to transform the conflict from a violent one to an educational one can allow the escalation process to slow down and move in a different direction.

Conflict Transformation is not always easy. The cultural violence of our world honors escalation over transformation. To back down can be seen as weak. But to recognize the growing points that each party shares is a great way to change the course of the conflict. But please remember, the best way to change the conflict is to actually address the conflict at hand. I would like to thank EB and CC for their wonderful example of conflict. And hopefully we can learn from their experience. With their actions, let us remember the quote by American Psychoanalyst M. Esther Harding, “Conflict is the beginning of consciousness.”

"Intolerant and Ridiculous"

2007-07-16T14:56:00.000-04:00

A couple of posters have called me on my use of language in my most recent post, pointing out that sweeping generalizations such as “the religious right is ridiculous” are counterproductive. I couldn’t agree more. I thank the posters for pointing this out and thereby allowing me the opportunity to be more clear: I find the actions of the individuals who interrupted the Senate session last week to be intolerant and their assertion that only Christian prayer is acceptable in Senate of a “Christian nation” to be highly offensive. While I do not mean to target the sincere beliefs of people of faith, I am offended when individuals show such disrespect both of others’ religious practices and the principle of religious liberty in this country. And I find it deeply ironic that protestors who use the language of religious freedom to oppose the hate crimes bill are in turn so disrespectful of others’ religious freedom.

Finally, I should have been more precise with my words. I did not intend to imply that the right, monolithically, is ridiculous. More precisely, I believe that organizations who exploit the sincere religious faith of others solely for the purpose of furthering discriminating against gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgender people are deceitful, dangerous and immoral.

I would welcome a sincere debate about the hate crimes bill, but that is not what such organizations are doing. Instead, they disguise opinions as facts and stir up irrational fears about religious liberty to defeat a bill that is, I believe, an important step in addressing violence against women, people with disabilities, and gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgender people. Just last week, a hate crime survivor committed suicide. Every year too many people—especially young people, and especially young people of color who don’t conform to gender norms—die because of bias-motivated violence. It’s time for some legislation to address this, and the highly offensive, blatantly false arguments coming from this bill’s policy opponents are both “intolerant and ridiculous”.

You can't make this stuff up

2007-07-13T13:27:00.001-04:00

Just when you think the "religious right" can't get any more intolerant and ridiculous...then they do. This week, those of us in Washington have had the dubious pleasure of hosting a lot of folks protesting against the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This is "the hate crimes bill," which would add disability, gender, gender identity and sexual orientation to the list of protected classes covered by federal hate crimes laws, and would provide resources for local and state law enforcement to prevent and prosecute hate crimes.

Apparently a few people are upset about this bill, believing (erroneously) that this would criminalize religious statements against homosexuality. They are very upset about pastors being "silenced" and argue that the bill is a "serious threat to religious liberties".

In an incident which makes it abundantly clear whose religious liberties they're concerned about, some of these folks disrupted yesterday's Senate opening prayer. Apparently the individuals had decided to visit the Senate gallery while they were in town, and they coincidentally picked the day a Hindu clergyman offered the first Hindu opening prayer at the Senate (usually this prayer is led by the Senate Chaplain, a Christian cleric, although it has been led by Jewish and Muslim leaders in the past).

I really can't understand how people like this can so misunderstand the fundamental principles of religious liberty on which this country is based! Have they just missed ever reading the Constitution? For the Senate to have opened its sessions with Christian, Jewish, Muslim—and yes, Hindu—prayers is an acknowledgement of America's diverse faith traditions, and the religious liberty that distinguishes us from so many countries. This liberty is one of our true strengths, one which we should appreciate.

The best part of this story is, as one of my friends put it, "it’s about how people who came to DC to protest the hate crimes bill for muzzling clergy ended up… silencing clergy!!!! You can’t make this stuff up". No, we can't.

Once upon a time, Unitarian clergyman Rev. Edward E. Hale, then Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, was asked if he ever prayed for the Senators. “No,” he responded, “I look at the Senators and then I pray for the nation!” We should all pray for our nation when, in incidents like this one, we are shown the ugly intolerance which is all too widespread among us.

Surgeon General? Seriously?

2007-07-12T15:16:00.000-04:00

So, in its infinite wisdom, the Administration has managed to locate one of the few remaining medical professionals who would publically characterize homosexuality as a "disease". And not only has it located him, it's nominated him for Surgeon General! Even if Holsinger were to publicly repudiate these views, there is every indication that whoever fills the position of Surgeon General will be heavily influenced in their efforts by the Bush "don't tell anyone about sex and maybe they won't figure it out" Administration.

I'm trying to come up with some theological basis for my comments today, but let's skip the "he doesn't accept the inherent worth and dignity of all persons" argument for now and go right to a discussion of morality (a topic in which Dr. Holsinger seems interested). Sorry, I'm not going to go into the morality of homosexuality; let's talk about the morality of lying to people about their health. It's immoral to nominate a candidate who will not repudiate lurid, outdated and medically innaccurate statements. It's immoral--in the face of an HIV/AIDS crisis affecting people of all sexual orientations--to push innaccurate, fear-based and misleading abstinence-only-until-marriage "sex ed" programs, programs based in an alternate reality where 70% of Americans don't have sex by the time they turn 19. It's immoral for our nation's top health educator not to look out for the health of all our nation's people. In a political climate where everyone talks so much about morality, you'd think we could do better.

2007-07-09T14:59:00.001-04:00

Our anonymous poster has made a very interesting and fair point about the difficulty of peace making. Namely, violence is present on multiple levels. Peace Scholar Johann Galtung defines “violence as an impairment of human needs”. This is an overly simplified definition on purpose. It does not limit an act of violence to mere physical violence. It also incorporates emotional, economic, psychological and medical acts of violence. It becomes a litmus test for possible violent actions.

So, is all violence equal? Of course not. This definition only assesses whether or not something is violent. It does not, however, describe what kind of violence it is and how it affects people. Galtung then gives us three subcategories for violence. These describe how an action impairs human needs. These categories are as follows: Direct, Structural and Cultural. Without going into great detail this week—let us briefly define Direct, Structural and Cultural Violence.

Direct Violence: The most visible form. Here we see violence in a physical sense. Jane Punches Sue. Dirk Shoots John. Francis Steals from The Church. This is the overt expression of power from one party to another in a very immediate and tangible way.

Structural Violence: This is a more invisible form. Here, the structures of culture or society create levels of inequity. While one may not be physically held back from achieving their needs, basic human needs are still being withheld. Here a family cannot receive adequate medical attention. A child feels like completion of school is not a viable option. A woman is passed up on another promotion. Sometimes, this structural violence is a catalyst toward direct violence.

Cultural Violence: This is by far the most ephemeral form of violence. This is the invisible violence that pervades our society and gives the cultural basis for Structural and Direct Violence to continue. A woman is dehumanized by the media. Fast cars and reckless driving are honored as prestige. Nationalism is equated with superiority. The invisibility of Cultural Violence is made all the more dangerous with the personal privilege and bias one may hold. White Privilege blocks one from seeing racism. Male Privilege blocks one from seeing sexism. So, in many real ways, it is Cultural Violence that gives Structural and Direct Violence the foundations to stand upon.

So, as our friend pointed out earlier, peacemaking becomes empty without challenging the power structures that create the initial violence. Truly transformative change does not grow out of manipulations, but rather, out of the challenges of recognizing one’s own visible and invisible violent actions. How we do that is challenging. And I hope we can work on that together.

Without struggling to recognize and change all forms of violence, we run the risk of recreating the violence. Negative Peace does not ensure future peace. And we run the risk of allowing future acts of violence to be perpetuated and/or ignored. I end today with a reminder of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s prophetic words, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

U(U)'s on "Teaching Baby Paranoia"

2007-07-06T15:31:00.000-04:00

One of the most entertaining webcomics, in my humble opinion is "Teaching Baby Paranoia" by Bryant Paul Johnson.

This week's entry has a very entertaining--although historically incorrect--fictional account of Unitarian History and conflict.

One may observe it here.

Please note that I have already informed the author of the historical oversight and I am hoping that he remedies it soon.

What is peace? Two definitions

2007-07-02T14:49:00.001-04:00

In my previous entries, I have explored with you why we should study peace and the many forms of peace. But what exactly is peace? The most common idea we think of when we think of peace is: the absence of war or violence. This definition is problematic for two main reasons. We will explore these reasons next and then name a different, if not better, definition for peace.

The first reason for this re-definition is simple. This is not an inherently desirable form of peace. The ancient Romans called this absentia belli--the absence of war. It is also known as Pax Romani or Roman Peace. Often, this peace was achieved by the sword. Those who stood in the way of public peace were punished either by imprisonment or death. This included political dissidents and heretics along side murderers, rapists and thieves. Jesus of Nazareth is one such example of the ancient Roman peacekeeping process. Peace theorists have come to call this “negative peace. It is the negation of violence—sometimes through the application of violence. While this may be the easiest form of peace, it is not lasting. Peace by the sword quickly can deteriorate into tyranny, fascism and authoritarianism.

The second reason for a new definition of peace is that is based on the negation of another phenomenon. Peace becomes in direct opposition to violence. They become like two similarly charged magnets. They are constantly pushing against one another until they slip. There is no room for re-imagining the dominant paradigms and power structures. Instead, peacekeeping becomes an endless uphill climb against conflict. We become like Sisyphus, forced to push the boulder up the hill, only to have it roll back over us.

Just as in the micro, meso and macro entry, we see that best peacemaking happens within interpersonal relations and in the questioning of structural violence. Roman absentia belli leaves no questioning of the status quo. In fact, it only reaffirms the status quo.

So if we want a peacemaking that questions and reconstructs power structures, we need a new definition for peace. Rather than “an absence of violence”, peace must be the production of justice. We cannot merely pit peace against violence, but use peace as a tool for ending violence—a subtle and yet important distinction.

If war is the violent resolution of conflict,

then peace is not the absence of conflict,

but rather,

the ability to resolve conflict without violence.

— C.T. Lawrence Butler, advocate for formal consensus work

Keep on top of things

2007-06-28T15:31:00.000-04:00

Did you know that your web browser can let you know if we have updated the blog?

Its true!

With Firefox or Safari its easy!

Using Firefox, just look at the URL bar in your browser and click on the little orange button with three arches.

In Safari, click on the blue "RSS" button.

That will create an RSS feed in your bookmark bar. Then, whenever you want, click on the RSS bookmark and see if we have updated.

Its that easy.

Honor Your Work: A Study in Micro, Meso and Macro Peacemaking

2007-06-28T11:30:00.000-04:00

I have returned from Portland, OR for the 2007 General Assembly. I would like to express how wonderful it was to see what UU Congregations are doing out there to promote peace and justice. I met lots of amazing people who are performing excellent work on all levels of peacemaking. I also met a lot of people who did not realize how much peacemaking they are doing right now.

Many people I have met over the past week would tell me something like, “I want to get involved, but I don’t know where to start.” Or they would say, “My congregation wants to talk about peace but we are apprehensive about being vocal around the war.” I decided that when I met people who say things like that, I would ask them a question: What are you doing right now to promote peace? It is an easy enough question to answer. After some coaxing, I finally would reveal the good work they were already doing.

I heard stories about Welcoming Congregations working to promote dialog around Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender/sexual, and Queer issues. I found groups working on Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression work. There are churches that work with local homeless shelters. There are fellowships with community gardens. These are all peace issues. While they may not seem like much in the scale of global conflict, it is doing a lot on an interpersonal level.

Let’s take a moment to investigate the multifaceted aspects of peace. I am sure we will look at this again sometime. Peace theorists and researchers look to peace, conflict and violence on a three fold level: micro, meso, and macro. Each of these levels has certain characteristics. Without working on one level, the efforts on another can be lost.

Micro relations are interpersonal. For conflict, this could come in the form of an argument or fight. Micro level peace work focuses on giving individuals the skills for resolving conflicts without resorting to violence. This could be as small as tutoring a student or as large as conflict resolution training and nonviolent communication skills.

Meso relations are community wide. This is the level where power structures can really take form. We see meso relations in terms of family structures, churches and religious institutions, and school systems. Here we can even go as broad as global institutions such as the media or political systems. Meso level violence can be as small scale and apparent as localized crime to as ambient as racism and sexism. Meso level peacemaking works with the communities in order to challenge those power structures. They could include community gardens, interfaith/cultural dialog, or prison ministries. A good word to remember the meso level is “institutions”. A good image to remember it is this: where the micro and macro overlap.

The final level of relations is Macro. Macro relations are not only international, they are also intercultural. Here we see the globalized manifestation of violence, conflict and peace. It, in many ways, is the global manifestation of meso level relations. War, environmental degradation and global racism are all macro level forms of violence. Macro peacemaking works in coalitions to challenge the regimes of cultural and institutionalized violence. Here is the international/intercultural level of relations.

When we begin to look at peace, conflict and violence on micro, meso and macro levels, all work for justice becomes work for peace. To challenge the power structures that promote violent conflict through education, community building and global understanding is a work for peace. So be proud of the work you and your congregations are doing. It is up to you to find the spaces that need to be mended. It is impossible to be working on all levels at the same time, but on all levels we must work. While one group is working on ending the war in Iraq, another is working on feeding the homeless and the hungry. While one group is tutoring children at a struggling school in a rough neighborhood, another is fighting oppression in their homes.

There is so much work to be done. Honor your work. Honor the work of others. Celebrate victories. Each individual victory for justice is a collective victory for peace. And, the most difficult recognition of all, recognize that people are doing what they are doing because they can do nothing else. Individual paths take us in individual directions. Coalitions bring different goals and tactics together. And while it may bring conflict, it also brings diversity. Recognize your micro, meso and macro conflicts and work on your micro, meso and macro peacemaking. Find what calls you and follow your passions. Because as Henry Louis Mencken said, “If you want peace, work for justice.”

Why Study Peace?

2007-06-18T10:14:00.000-04:00

The UUA is currently beginning its second year of a four year process known as the Congregational Study Action Issue (CSAI). Within this period, UU congregations and communities will be studying the topic of Peacemaking with the hopes of creating and passing a Statement of Conscience in 2010. It is the intention of this process that the UUA will be able to make a comprehensive statement on the role of the Church in Peacemaking and the role of Peacemaking in the Church. And while many questions arise in this process, it seems to me that the most important and first question is: Why study peace at all?

There is of course, the immediate answer: Peace is preferable over war or violence. The ability to resolve or transform conflict without the use of violence—whether it is physical, economic, or psychological—is a goal that many strive to achieve. However, there is more to it than that, I believe. There must be much more to studying peace than simply being “more desirable”.

The President of my college once said: “The university system is bad business. Every year, we take a quarter of our institution; the ones with the most knowledge of how things work here and we send them away, only to replace them with people who have absolutely no institutional knowledge.” In many ways, that is how the world works. Everyday the most educated, experienced, and knowledgeable people in our world leave; only to be replaced by blank slates. The people with the most institutional knowledge of life leave us—never to return. And it is up to those who are currently in the process of gaining that knowledge to teach those who have none. We must teach the newcomers about things like cucumbers and the Pythagorean Theorem and the horrors of genocide. It is up to us to shape the young—and maybe not so young—minds of what it means to be human in this world.

And to think about all that brain drain. Within thirty years, a whole generation’s worth of knowledge can be forgotten. Within one generation, society’s expectations and desires can be completely reformed. To study peace is not merely to improve our own current situations. To study peace is laying the ground work for a new world future. Teaching a child to use their words instead of their fists on the playground not only changes conflicts today or next week, it also changes conflicts twenty years from now.

To study peace is more than just anti-war rallies and conflict resolution trainings; it is modeling the world we want to have. Peacemaking is not merely a means to an end; it is the constant cycle of work. It is like an infinite row of dominoes, each touching another. Each act of peace work is not taking away from the mountain of violence, it is adding to the stack of peace. This is why we must study peace.

For the next three years, individuals, communities, districts, and the denomination in its whole will be questioning what peace is and what we can do to promote it. This will not be any easy process. We have given ourselves a Herculean task. Conflicts are bound to arise. Indeed, some have already. But it is a task that we must take on in order to achieve greatness. And when General Assembly comes in 2010, it is the hope of many—including myself—that we will be able to stand as one, diverse voice and speak to the importance of peace in all its complicated forms. So, in a spirit of love and openness, let us work together by listening and stretching. Let us, to quote the Mahatma Gandhi, “be the peace [we] want to see.”

ICE: Out to Get You

2007-06-13T10:01:00.000-04:00

Great. Big Brother is definitely watching you, especially if you’re an immigrant.

I had heard that undocumented immigrants were now sometimes arrested when they came to police attention for other reasons, but I didn’t realize that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was utilizing a giant criminal database to make this happen systematically! (See Database is Tool in Deporting Fugitives, today's Washington Post) What kind of country do I live in when burglary victims are afraid to go to the police because they fear deportation? What kind of country do I live in when a person gets pulled over for speeding and ends up deported, away from his wife and small children? What kind of country do I live in when single mother goes in to her police station for a street vendor permit, and ends up arrested and detained for three months, while her daughter arrives home from school, wondering what happened to her mother? What kind of country do I live in when Immigration conducts raids designed to punish communities which welcome immigrants? (See: "Immigrants raided days after ID card OK," New York Daily Star)

It’s a country in which “Immigration and Naturalization Services” changes its name to “Immigration and Customs Enforcement” because, clearly, we’re no longer interested in naturalizing people, just deporting them. It's a country in which I wonder how welcome my great-grandparents would be if they were immigrating today instead of 90 years ago, and it's a country in which I am increasingly, desperately disappointed.

Introducing Alex

2007-06-13T09:29:00.000-04:00

I would like to take a quick moment to introduce myself.

My name is Alex Winnett and I am the new Program Associate for Peacemaking in the office.

I am a life long Unitarian Universalist from Orange County, California. My family and I were very active with our home congregation, Orange Coast UU Church in Costa Mesa.

I recently graduated from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana with a degree in Peace and Global Studies with an emphasis in Interfaith Dialogue.

While in the office, I will be working with congregations all over the country as a resource for peacemaking opportunities.

Here are some fast facts:

I was a boy scout but left due to "political reasons".

While at Earlham, I was co-convener or an interpretative dance troupe that used humor to investigate the role of gender and sexuality in society.

I am a trained active listener specializing in helping survivors of sexual violence and assault.

I studied in Northern Ireland for a semester working with an NGO and the largest non-sectarian party in the Nation.

My senior thesis was on the role of myth and legend in peacemaking.

My favorite color is green.

And my favorite food is "burritos the size of my head".

I look forward to working with the office and all of you.

A Thaw in the Ice or Hot Air?

2007-06-01T09:23:00.000-04:00

Despite campaign promises to reduce carbon emissions, in 2001 the Bush administration reversed U.S. policy under Clinton/Gore and pulled us out of the Kyoto accords, claiming that the requirements to reduce greenhouse emissions would be too costly. The Kyoto Protocol was a substantive amendment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was the first international agreement to fight global warming/climate change. It has been signed by 162 nations to date, but without participation from the biggest contributor to greenhouse emissions. Our absence was glaring. For over six years, the Bush administration has resisted all calls to respond to the growing global warming/climate change crisis, even disputing the overwhelming science by saying that more studies needed to be done before we could conclude that human activity is responsible for the climate change we see.

Yet yesterday the headlines of all the major news organizations blared: "Bush Calls For Global Emissions Goals." And Bush is quoted as saying "The United States takes this issue seriously." For a brief moment I thought that perhaps our president had had a sincere change of heart. Then I read what he was actually proposing. Ignoring the existence of the Kyoto Agreement, President Bush is calling on the world's 15 greatest polluters to meet in order to discuss agreeing to their own standards. Ignoring the existence of an agreement signed by 162 nations, Bush wants us to start the discussion from scratch, in order to come up with our own standards, while still insisting that mandatory emissions reductions are too costly.

Given that the G8 summit is next week in Germany where global warming/climate change will once again be the top priority, one can't help but think that Thursday's announcement was designed to deflate the expected show-down between the U.S. and the rest of the world, while not providing anything of substance. The good news is that the Bush administration is now on record admitting that green house emissions are a serious problem and the U.S. must take a lead in addressing this problem. The bad news is that we aren't doing so and time is running out.

Another Summer of War

2007-05-25T12:30:00.000-04:00

This spring held much promise for all who call themselves lovers of peace. That promise has now been broken. The new Congress, largely elected to change the course of the Iraq war, failed to stand up to the Administration’s surge in troops, failed to build a majority large enough to override a presidential veto, and now they have chosen to relinquish their power of the purse and fully fund the war through the entirety of the summer. This funding comes without any timeline requiring a withdrawal of troops.

When this spring began, Rev. Bill Sinkford, President of the UUA, sent a Moral Balance Sheet to Congress asking them to weigh the moral implications of continuing to fund the Iraq war. He said:

Because citizens of all faiths and political persuasions are being asked to pay to prolong the violence, it is our moral obligation to reckon the true cost of the war before we agree to continue it. To give a true reckoning, we must honestly confront what we have done in Iraq, and we also must acknowledge the many vital needs we have left unfunded because we chose to put our money toward war.

With our schools still needing support, our environment crumbling before our eyes, and our brothers and sisters from the Gulf Coast still scattered across the nation pulling together the pieces of broken lives, it is evident that a true reckoning of our moral obligations has been sacrificed at the alter of war.

This summer, my prayers will be with the Americans and Iraqis who can not escape the violence anymore than the hot desert sun. And in the Fall, when the promise of change returns, I will pray for a true reckoning and for a fulfillment of that promise.

40th Anniversary of the Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion

2007-05-21T09:06:00.000-04:00

May 21, 2007, marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion, a network initially formed by 21 ministers and rabbis to assist women seeking safe, secure, and low-cost abortions and to provide advice on such alternatives as adoption and parenting. The service eventually grew to include about 1,400 clergy across the nation, who referred thousands of women to doctors in the U.S. and abroad, and became the forerunner of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.

These ministers and rabbis risked public censure and criminal prosecution to provide compassionate counseling and spiritual support to women. These clergy became a nucleus of support for legal reform and a symbol of the power of religion to effect positive social change. Some of the UU clergy involved in this ministry were the Reverends Farley Wheelright, Richard Gilbert, John Nichols, (the late) Peter Raible, (the late) Nick Cardell, Ralph Mero, and David Johnson.

In the Pacific Northwest area, Ralph Mero recalls working with a registered nurse in Tacoma, Washington and a nurse who would provide abortions upon referral in Vancouver, British Columbia. Ministers in the Pacific Northwest would help women acquire the funds to pay for the abortion (some of which came out of the minister's discretionary account) and transport the women across the border. Many Unitarian Universalist clergy and lay leaders were involved in the CCAS and have continued to be instrumental in the reproductive justice movement.

The New Sanctuary Movement

2007-05-14T10:37:00.000-04:00

As most of you know, the Bush administration has somehow tied the attacks on 9/11 to illegal immigration coming from Central and South America. Citing "security risks" they are building a wall along the Texas/Mexico border and cracking down on illegal immigrants in cities across this country in the most unnecessarily harsh and inhumane ways. Of particular concern is the administration's propensity to break-up families, arresting and deporting parents while their American-born (ie- citizen) children are in school. These hypocritical measures fail to recognize that these immigrants of questionable legal status are the backbone of our economy, doing jobs that the rest of us do not want to do for wages that we would not deem acceptable. In times of uncertainty, let us scapegoat those who least have the power to defend themselves.

In response to this brutality, several cities across the country have declared themselves "sanctuaries" - openly defying the administration's demands that local law enforcement help to identify illegals. And now, several houses of worship - congregations of faith - have stepped up beyond even that, offering physical sanctuary and legal aid to those threatened with deportation. In reference to the Sanctuary movement of the 1980s, they are calling this the New Sanctuary Movement. Last Wednesday, May 9th, they officially launched with announcements in Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, and New York City. Several UU congregations - First Unitarian Church of LA, First UU Church of San Diego, UU Church of Long Beach, and First Unitarian Church of Chicago - are on the front lines of this movement. And more than that, although congregations from 14 different faith traditions are involved (God bless them!), the UUA is the first religious organization as a whole to officially endorse the movement.

At our best, Unitarian Universalists stand up for those who are most marginalized, who least have the ability to protect themselves. At our best, Unitarian Universalists see the connections between us, instead of dividing between "us" and "them," and how working for the benefit of one group benefits us all. I am always proud to be a UU, but even more so now.

Divestment from Sudan

2007-05-11T10:42:00.000-04:00

The Unitarian Universalist Assocation and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee have been witnessing and advocating against the genocide in Darfur since it began. Along with many other organizations we have begun pursuing a divestment strategy to hold companies accountable that have major investments in Sudan, propping up a murderous regime. The following article from Joan Vennochi in the Boston Globe speaks to the tensions between making money and making justice in the world.

Fidelity Investments is staring down an advertising campaign that urges its money managers to "stop investing in companies that fund genocide in Darfur." Major media outlets are also on the spot.

The mutual funds giant said it recently convinced CNN and Newsweek to change their minds about running ads sponsored by The Save Darfur Coalition. The group endorses divestment from certain foreign companies doing business in Sudan, to push the Sudanese government into ending the brutal conflict and humanitarian
crisis in Darfur... MORE

Federal Abortion Ban

2007-05-07T17:27:00.002-04:00

On November 5th 2003 President Bush sight the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act into law with these words "Thank you very much. Good afternoon. I'm pleased that all of you have joined us as the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 becomes the law of the land. (Applause.) For years, a terrible form of violence has been directed against children who are inches from birth, while the law looked the other way. Today, at last, the American people and our government have confronted the violence and come to the defense of the innocent child. (Applause)

...America stands for liberty, for the pursuit of happiness and for the unalienable right of life. And the most basic duty of government is to defend the life of the innocent. Every person, however frail or vulnerable, has a place and a purpose in this world. Every person has a special dignity. This right to life cannot be granted or denied by government, because it does not come from government, it comes from the Creator of life. (Applause.)

In the debate about the rights of the unborn, we are asked to broaden the circle of our moral concern. We're asked to live out our calling as Americans. We're asked to honor our own standards, announced on the day of our founding in the Declaration of Independence. We're asked by our convictions and tradition and compassion to build a culture of life, and make this a more just and welcoming society. And today, we welcome vulnerable children into the care and protection of Americans. (Applause.)

This signing was attended by these men:

Now on April 18th 2007, President Bush again gathered with these white men to celebrate the Supreme Court decision upholding the Ban and endangering women's health, lives and our right to access abortion in the United States.

The Federal Abortion Ban:

Bans safe and effective abortions as early as 12-15 weeks, which impermissibly burdens the right to obtain an abortion before viability.
Fails to make any exception to the ban when a woman's health is at stake, which violates established constitutional protections that have been in place for 30 years.
Uses broad language subject to wildly different interpretations that cover steps doctors routinely take in performing abortions in the second trimester, thus making it impossible for doctors to understand exactly what is prohibited.

Decisions involving pregnancy and medical care should be left to women and their doctors, not politicians. The Supreme Court decision has a chilling effect on me as a young woman especially when I reflect on who is in power making these decisions about my body. Decisions that affect women, young women, women of color, poor women, all women, families, marriages and relationships.

The Supreme Court Decision is disempowering and sends a poweful message to this country and women reasserting dominance over our personal decisions and choices. Unplanned and planned pregnancies take on a whole new level and risk with these restrictions adding a layer of emotional stress and uncertaintly.

I'm still caught in a state of disbelief. I've heard the stories of women who faced unplanned pregnancies pre-Roe and I've heard the struggles of women now who face the same situation but have limited access to abortion services. Roe was always the protection but I've lost faith in the sanity of our govenment and our Judicial system.

As President Bush said, "Every person, however frail or vulnerable, has a place and a purpose in this world. Every person has a special dignity. This right to life cannot be granted or denied by government, because it does not come from government, it comes from the Creator of life."

Well this decision certainly made me vulnerable and my "special dignity" is not being respected. Let me make my own decisions in consultation with my doctor and my Creator.

Randall Tobias' Prostitution Pledge

2007-05-04T15:32:00.000-04:00

This blog post by Jodi Jacobson, Director of the Center for Health and Gender Equity, sort of knocks the wind out of you and replaces it with a ball of fire... a former US Global AIDS Coordinator (under Bush), champion of abstinence-until-marriage programs and the prostitution pledge, just resigned when found to be frequently utilizing a call-girl service (yes this is true)...

In the final moments of the Washington work day last Friday evening, emails began shooting across my screen announcing the immediate resignation of Randall Tobias as Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and Administrator of the US Agency for International Development(USAID). The official press release cited "personal reasons," and this was clearly important news, so I passed it on to colleagues right away. One immediately wrote back asking for the "back story," on suspicion that a late-Friday release always means something fishy. I offered that Mr. Tobias might have a family emergency, and while I've long been a critic of the policies over which he has presided both as Global AIDS Coordinator and in his current capacity, I nonetheless felt compassion for him in what appeared to be a serious personal matter.
Boy was I wrong...

Randall Tobias and his former boss.

Evil

2006-12-13T15:05:00.000-05:00

Today in theological reflection we discussed The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout, who contends that 1 in 20 people are simply born without a conscience. We reflected on a couple of chapters from this book, and considered the implications for liberal theology in the face of a population—albeit a small one—which could be considered “evil” and unchangeably so. What does our assumption that people have inherent worth and dignity, or that, given the proper nurture, everyone has the capacity for good do with the existence of people who are “outlandish and gratuitously mean” (77)? In TR, no matter what topic we start with—civil liberties, war, racism—we always come around to the question of evil, and we rarely, if ever, have any idea what to do with it...
I’m beginning to think that this may just be a “stuckness” or a tension that we’re going to have to live with, for now. And as much as I’m not sure I like that, I realize also that liberal theology was never about easy answers.
Note: This post originally appeared on Elizabeth's blog, No One Shall Compel Them.

What Torture's Taught Me

2006-12-04T15:05:00.000-05:00

I just read “What Torture’s Taught Me,” by Rev. Bill Schulz, who used to be the President of the UUA, and, more recently, the Executive Director of Amnesty International USA.

“…no God worthy of the name is present in a torture chamber…I have talked to dozens of survivors of torture, read hundreds of others’ accounts, and I have rarely, if ever, come across a testimony that it was faith in God that saw them through the night. For when the needle slips under the fingernails and the pliers rip them off, that pain obliterates the very face of God” (Berry St. Essay, 2006)

Whew. Schulz, here, is arguing that the liberal theology that “God is everywhere” is completely inadequate in the face of such profound evil as torture, and that we must be able to account for God’s absence if our faith is to be real and powerful.

If the first question is about the nature of God, the second (related) question asked in Schulz’s essay is about the nature of humankind. The question is, “…can we defend the notion that a torturer is a person of “inherent worth and dignity”. And he concludes that no, that there is nothing about being human that really gives a person inherent worth and dignity, only that we must give each person inherent worth and dignity to maintain ours.

He argues that “…inherency is a political construct…designed to cover up the fact that we are all sinners and that we are not always certain which sins (and hence which sinners) are worse than others”.

If there are people—torturers—who do not have inherent worth and dignity, then “everyone” does not have inherent worth and dignity. And does the opposite hold true? In the end, no one has inherent worth and dignity, and objectively, no one’s life is sacred? In order to explain, or at least recognize the existence of torture, do I need to believe that I do not have inherent worth and dignity? Whew! That’s so close to original sin that I feel the cold breath of the fundamentalist upbringing that soured my mother on theistic religion. And I don’t like it.

If it is neither true that “everyone” has inherent worth, or that “no one” does, we’re left with a sticky “some people do, and no one can tell who”. This seems to be where Schulz is going when he says, “I oppose the death penalty not because I believe that every one of those lives carries inherent worth. In some cases their deaths would be no loss at all to anyone. I oppose the death penalty because I can’t be sure which of them falls into which category…” In other words, who are we to judge? And frankly, that’s also why I oppose the death penalty.

Schulz goes on, “…the use of executions by the state diminishes my own dignity and that of every other citizen in whose name it is enforced. I need, in other words, to assign the occupants of death row worth and dignity in order to preserve my own” (10). He argues that in order to maintain a just society—or any society at all—we have to behave as if everyone has inherent worth: otherwise we’ll destroy ourselves.

I suppose this makes sense, but if the liberal “God is everywhere” theology is too idealistic to stand up to the reality of human cruelty, Schulz’s intentional assignment of worth to each person seems coldheartedly pragmatic. Maybe the world is coldly pragmatic, and this is a reality we all need to face in order to survive and engage with the real world. (Rev. Rob Hardies, in his sermon on “Resilience” argued that optimism and idealism are not only false but dangerous, and that it is “courageous realism” that allows us to persevere.) But, yikes.