Dear Friends of Justice,
Ordinarily we try to bring you a success story each week. This week we simply could not choose. After ten years, the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed into law. And over the weekend, UU congregations were well-represented in the largest ever call-to-action on global climate change. See below for details on both. Due to a couple of glitches, our new, revamped action alerts will debut next week instead of this week. In the meantime, Happy Halloween everybody!
In faith and for justice,
Orelia, Rowan, Rob, Kat, Audra, Susan, and Meg
Stand on the Side of Love for Employee Non-Discrimination!
Next week, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) will hold the first hearings on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) since 2002. If passed, ENDA would prohibit workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Standing on the Side of Love campaign has called on people to gather a total of 7,500 petition signatures, which will be delivered to the members of the Senate HELP committee on the eve of the hearings.
Please sign the petition for full equality now and help us pass ENDA!
And when you have signed, forward this request widely; we need your help to get 7,500 signatures by next Tuesday! You can sign online or download a PDF copy to gather signatures in your congregation or community, and fax it to the campaign office.
SUCCESS: Matthew Shepard Act Signed Into Law
It was over ten years in the making, but the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed by President Obama yesterday. Bias-motivated violence based on perceived race, color, religion, or national origin was already considered to be a hate crime. The new Hate Crimes Prevention Act extends that protection to gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability. For more on the UUA's reaction, see here.
SUCCESS: International Day of Climate Action
More than 115 congregations participated in the International Day of Climate Action, advocating for climate change legislation to work toward reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million (ppm). This is so energizing to hear, knowing that the future of our world depends on our ability to effectively curb climate change, and the future of our brothers and sisters all over the world depends on our ability to do this justly. Congregations all over the country catalyzed and supported interfaith and community-wide events. They rang their bells 350 times, facilitated conversations in their congregations and communities, wrote letters to governmental officials, watched movies, sang out, and rallied! This is not only a UU issue, but something that reminds us of the interdependent web of which we are all a part. Read more on our blog, Inspired Faith, Effective Action.
Standing on the Side of Love Friday Calls
Join our Friday 45 min. Standing on the Side of Love Organizing Webcast Calls - 1pm EDT (12pm Central; 11 am Mountain; 10 am Pacific)
Oct. 30th Call on Protect Marriage Equality/Domestic Partnerships in Maine & WA; ENDA Hearings & Full Equality Petition
This week features presentations from:
Rev. Becky Gunn, Minister, UU Society of Bangor, about hers and other congregation's SSL work to defend Marriage Equality in Maine with the Religious Coalition for Freedom to Marry
Carol McKinley, Director, Washington State UU Voices for Justice, about bringing the SSL message to the Washington Families Standing Together campaign to preserve Washington State's domestic partnership law.
Susan Leslie, Director, UUA Office for Congregational Advocacy & Witness, on SSL Full Equality Petition & ENDA Hearings
Get call-in information and RSVP by clicking on http://www.standingonthesideoflove.org/fridaycalls/.
To Join the Call: Dial 218-844-8230 entry code 593426#
Log onto the web-cast by opening this link: http://persony100.uua.org/?meeting=6336114.
