News from the Wider UU World

Rev. Grace H. Simons

I probably should have seen it coming. But I didn't. With 20/20 hindsight, plenty of signs pointed the way, but when I set the topic for this morning, I thought I would be telling you an updated but familiar story. You know, it would be this year's version of what happened at the UU General Assembly and what our members found most valuable. Then I thought I'd add some news about how the Partner Church people are promoting partnerships with congregations in the Philippines and other unexpected places. Maybe something about the re-organization in progress at 25 Beacon Street. Stuff like that.

I planned to tell you that Leroy went to several workshops on humanistic theology and one on designing creative and meaningful worship services. Dave Tucker spent most of his time on social justice issues and went to the mini- assemblies that helped craft the final version of the Statement called "Creating Peace" (which passed) and one on the wars we're conducting (which didn't get the 2/3 vote it needed.) Pat Egenberger didn't feel well for part of the Assembly, but she connected with UUs from other places and was struck by both our commonalities and the fact that UUs seem to be connected by a lot fewer than "six degrees of separation." She also advises bringing a jacket, as the AC overachieves.

I attended some sessions on ways that church governance can be effective and can reduce the barriers that often face newcomers, especially those with cultures or identities different from most of our members. I also went to two of the Rev Dr Rebecca Parker's talks and you will be hearing more about them as the year unfolds. David Simons went to presentations on global climate change and immigration, but was probably most engaged by a session on global economic justice. It advocated the possibility of holding corporations responsible for more than their bottom lines by changing the requirements of their charters. This is no easy task, but he is excited about the idea. Five of us attended, and each had a different favorite. If you are interested in any of these topics, you now know who to talk to.

In addition, the large events were, as usual, quite wonderful. The Ware Lecture was given by Winona LaDuke, the Native American activist and Harvard graduate who was Ralph Nader's running mate in 1996 and 2000. She displayed a wide ranging knowledge of issues facing America today and, at times using humor and irony, reminded us that many victories have been won by progressive activists. She urged us to be hopeful and never stop believing in our ability to make a difference. The Service of the Living Tradition honored ministers who died in the course of the past year and congratulated those who were retiring from full time ministry. Ministers entering Final or Preliminary Fellowship were welcomed, as were UUs earning certificates as Religious Educators and Musicians. Other worship services inspired and challenged us.

And, of course, nearly 4,000 UUs sing awfully well, and plenty of connections and conversations spring up. Far flung UUs who need to connect in person meet to talk about their common interests and problems. Old friends reconnect. And GA is a great opportunity to browse UU merchandise of all sorts - and to actually scan books from Beacon Press and Skinner House rather than ordering them based on a 25 word description - plus, there are no shipping costs! I want you to know that I was very restrained this year, buying only 5 or 6 books. That's because I haven't read all the ones I bought a year ago!

But much of the work during General Assembly is the official work of the Association and the GA delegate body. We had more business to conduct than usual, some of it highly charged with emotion. I've already mentioned the Statement of Conscience titled "Creating Peace," which had not passed last year and was reworked to address issues raised then. It was successful this year, and Dave Tucker will tell you why he thinks this version was much improved. Delegates changed the service of the UUA President and Moderator to a single 6-year term (they now serve 4 yr terms and can be re-elected once) and added a Search Committee system to the petition option for candidacy. This pattern will go into effect sometime after the current officers are termed out. Actions of Immediate Witness were adopted supporting a strong energy bill and Gulf Coast environmental and economic justice, but others on the Israeli/Palestinian conflicts and our current wars did not get the required 2/3 majority.

At the same time, there were signs that one issue would become dominant among UUs this summer. That issue is immigration. Of course, we've seen off-and-on urgency about immigration reform for decades. I thought the proposal to adopt immigration as the new Study/Action focus was nothing especially new. But there was that thing about Arizona bill 1070. A number of UUs had joined a protest in Phoenix shortly after it was signed. Calls had gone out urging us to move the 2012 GA away from Phoenix in protest of the bill. I thought that wasn't our best choice given the long time frame, pending court cases and changing political situation. I was interested in the debate and decision, but thought it might be quickly dispatched. It seemed that nearly everyone opposed the Arizona law, with its potential for aggressive racial profiling. Buttons reading "I Could Be Illegal," like the one Dave Tucker is wearing this morning, were everywhere.

As it turned out, I was naive. The question of whether to take GA to Phoenix proved to be passionately argued. Part of that intensity was because going to Phoenix would mean that every UU of Latino/Latina descent or appearance risks being harassed in Arizona. Some white proponents of a boycott underestimated the threat felt by those likely to be targeted. Our Arizona congregations urged us to come; to be a moral force for justice. Some proponents argued that only a boycott would catch the attention of the press and thus the politicians. The Rev Susan Frederick-Gray, minister of our Phoenix church and a life-long Unitarian Universalist, called for UUs to come and take the risk to stand for justice, saying that immigration is the "Civil Rights issue of our time." This was clearly not a routine matter.

No decision could be made at the general session and negotiations were continued with a group of advocates on both sides. Apparently they continued into the early morning hours, just as passionate as they started. A proposal to keep the 2012 Assembly in Phoenix, but to alter the programming to make it a "Justice GA" was finally drafted. It came to the plenary session the next day.

Now, I want to take a moment to talk about the ways all this was handled. Remember that passions were running high. Strongly opposed positions sometimes seemed like accusations. Delegates of color were hurt when others seemed to discount the level of threat they felt so ominously. Echoes of our culture's racism arose for them. Proponents of a boycott saw it as the only principled choice.

The five of us from this congregation were not directly engaged in the debate. Yet as part of the Assembly, we could not help but be impressed by the compassion and skill of our Moderator, Gini Courter, who presided during all these sessions. Both her words and her demeanor communicated her determination that the issue would be addressed with respect and empathy for each person, even while keeping within the rules of procedure and time constraints of a packed schedule. She was amazing. We came away proud to be part of a religious community that could handle such passionate advocacy in a multi-racial and multi-cultural group with so much sensitivity, compassion and effectiveness. It was a great day to be a Unitarian Universalist!

In the end, the delegates adopted the proposal to hold a "Justice GA" in Phoenix in 2012. That is also the next time our annual assembly will be at all near Modesto, so you might start thinking about participating.

The next sign I misread was an invitation to go to Phoenix to protest Arizona 1070 on July 29th, the day the law became effective. It seemed like just another protest, but I did consider going. The timing was a problem, since I was scheduled to be here in our pulpit today. But more important was the fact that I don't handle high temperatures very well and having a minister collapse with heatstroke just wouldn't be helpful

Well, a fairly large number of UUs - over 200 - did decide to go. They worked with a local organization called "Puente" that's been partnering with our Phoenix church as part of the Standing On The Side of Love effort. I am wearing the trademark SSL t-shirt this morning. You probably know from news reports that the district court judge blocked some of the key provisions of the bill, notably the one requiring Arizona police and sheriff's officers to demand that anyone they stop produce documents showing legal status. Phoenix's Sheriff Joe Arpaio announced that he would start making sweeps anyway. Governor Jan Brewer filed an immediate appeal.

Puente, with its gathered supporters, including Unitarian Universalists, organized a protest march. It was beyond ordinary. You may have seen coverage on the national news. If so, our saffron shirts may have been apparent. I've been on the web trying to piece together just what happened. Sequencing is difficult, but there was a protest at the sheriff's office. You can see video clips on the UUA website by following the links from the story on the home page. A number of UUs offer comments in the clips, including UUA President Peter Morales and Rev Federickson-Gray, who said, "We stand on the side of love, not hate or fear. We stand with love." At some point, sheriff deputies ordered the crowd to disperse. They refused, remaining peacefully in their places. According to on-line accounts, 83 people were arrested, including 25 UU ministers and lay members. Both Morales and Frederickson-Gray were among those detained. Eventually, the deputies withdrew back into the building. A vigil was held waiting for people to be arraigned and released, a process that continued through the night and into Friday.

I understand that the sheriff's office was so busy that they postponed the planned sweeps. I also read posts reporting that UUs wearing their saffron shirts were later thanked for their support by Arizona residents they had never seen before. And while I didn't catch any, we've apparently been on FOX, NPR and the New York Times.

I'm convinced that this story is far from over. I don't know what the next chapters will be - so many factors are involved! As I mentioned, Arizona has already appealed the District Court decision. A number of other cases have been filed. Sheriff Joe and some other Arizona law officers have said they will act on the law's provisions. The activists are committed to continuing their opposition.

Furthermore, the new UU Study/Action Issue is "Immigration As A Moral Issue". Its premise is that immigration is a moral as well as legal concern and that laws should be constructed with an eye to humane and compassionate provisions for immigrants, wherever they are and whatever the cause of their migration. It takes both a global and a national perspective. We get so caught up in our own immigration issues that we forget the thousands of people in refugee camps across the globe. Materials are already available, including discussion questions, suggestions for reading and possible congregational activities. The UUA is a member of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition and has signed the Interfaith Statement in Support of Comprehensive Immigration Reform, which was developed during the second Bush administration. Topics in the statement include ways to regularize the status of undocumented immigrants, reformation of the family-based immigration system, legal avenues for workers and their families and establishment of humane border practices.

All this is a large order and it's no secret that immigration is considered a no-win topic for politicians. America seems unable to deal with the issue. Yet all the time we delay and avoid is time that immigrants and their families are subject to multiple abuses. And some 15 or more states are considering measures that follow Arizona's lead.

We don't know what will happen next. But let's be sure that we remember this statement from Standing on the Side of Love: "Right now, both love and fear are rising up in our nation. We stand on the side of love. We want to harness love's power to stop oppression, exclusion and violence ... We are called to love our neighbors and welcome the stranger."

This morning's sermon turned out to include quite a bit more news than I anticipated. All of it is worthwhile; some offers more excitement, some more challenge, some more local connection. But whether the topic is theology, social justice, global climate change, economic disparity, congregational governance and openness or immigration, we must remember to Stand on the Side of Love. My colleague and friend the Rev Bryan Jessup, who serves our congregation in Fresno, likes to say that UUs are called to be "the love and justice folks." I like that! Let's live up to it!

August 1, 2010

Rev. Grace Simons left us a collection of her sermons when she retired in October, 2011. We have a brief biography of Rev. Grace, and the last edition of Grace Notes, a column she wrote for our newsletter.
We also have sermons by Rev. Joe Cherry, our Interim Minister.
Our Guests, who include visiting clergy, lay people and one rocket scientist.