Download December - Michigan UU Social Justice Network

UU Justice News – December 2007
www.uujustice.org
" No social advance rolls on the wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and
persistent work of dedicated individuals."
- Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader
UU Justice News: information your congregation can use to make justice. To submit articles for
this newsletter, contact Randy Block, Network Manager, at [email protected] or call 248549-5170. Please duplicate the attached copy of this newsletter for others.
IN THIS ISSUE:
1. NETWORK CELEBRATES ITS 5TH BIRTHDAY!
2. JUSTICE SUMMIT DRAWS 60; UU’S EXCHANGE IDEAS AND MAKE COMMITMENTS
3. OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED WITH UU JUSTICE TASK FORCES
4. MUUSJN NETWORK COORDINATOR JOB POSTING
5. CONGREGATIONS INVITED TO NOMINATE PEOPLE TO MUUSJN STEERING COMMITTEE
6. YOUR HELP NEEDED TO COLLECT SIGNATURES ON MICHIGAN UNIVERSAL HEALTH
CARE PETITION
7. UU CONGREGATIONS URGED TO SUPPORT NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT RESOLUTION
BEFORE FEBRUARY 1ST
8. HOUSE & SENATE PASS FOOD STAMP IMPROVEMENTS – STILL A WAY TO GO
1. NETWORK CELEBRATES ITS 5TH BIRTHDAY! On December 10, 2002, 33 people from eight
Southeast Michigan UU congregations met at Northwest UU Church in Southfield. They agreed
to form a “network or coalition of Social Justice Committees from various congregations to
work together on common issues” and agreed to have “continued regular meetings”. For five
years, we have met monthly, worked together for justice and expanded statewide. Thanks to
the all who have worked for justice through our Network. Thanks to the UU Service Committee
and the UU Fund for Social Responsibility for providing grants and other support to
strengthen our efforts!
2. JUSTICE SUMMIT DRAWS 60; UU’S EXCHANGE IDEAS AND MAKE COMMITMENTS Over 60
people from 17 congregations, including representation from the Marquette UU Congregation
and the First Unitarian Church of Toledo, attended MUUSJN’s first Michigan Justice Summit at
the UU Church in Flint on November 10, 2007. Participants shared ideas about why justice
was important to them; described justice activities that worked in their congregations’ signed
up for current and proposed Task Forces; and brainstormed goals and Task Force goals and
strategies. A short article about the Summit is attached. Please include in your congregation’s
newsletter. To request a comprehensive report with Summit findings, contact Randy Block at
248-549-5170 or [email protected].
3. OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED WITH UU JUSTICE TASK FORCES – During November,
after at least five people signed up at the Justice Summit and UU’s offered to take leadership,
the Network voted to establish two new justice Task Forces: a “Prison Reform” Task Force
chaired by Kate Warner (First UU Congregation of Ann Arbor, 734-662-1820) and a “Justice in
the Middle East” Task Force chaired by Sarah Redmond (Paint Creek UU Congregation, 248752-0388). These groups plan to hold their first conference call meetings in January, 2008.
Also, the Network’s Environment Task Force was reactivated with new leadership: Barbara
Stevenson (Northwest UU Church, 313-863-6891) and Heather Cleland-Host (UU Church of
Midland, 989-633-3769). Additional people signed up to participate on Network Poverty Task
Force chaired by Peter Ruark (517-627-8416) and the Universal Health Task Force co-chaired
by Dr. Rayna Bick (UU Church of Flint, 810-919-4755) and Lucille McNaughton (Birmingham
Unitarian Church, 313-561-5692). Task Forces meet via conference calls. To get involved, call a
Task Force chairperson.
4. MUUSJN NETWORK COORDINATOR JOB POSTING - There is an opening for a “Justice
Network Coordinator” to help implement the dynamic goals and activities of MUUSJN’s
statewide justice network. This independent contractor will be paid $20 per hour, for up to 32
hours a month, plus mileage. See attached Job Description. For more information, contact
Randy Block at 248-549-5170 or [email protected]
5. CONGREGATIONS INVITED TO NOMINATE PEOPLE TO MUUSJN STEERING COMMITTEE – In
November, Michigan UU Congregations’ Board Chairpersons were mailed invitations to
nominate one or two people to serve on the MUUSJN Steering Committee. Participation on the
Steering Committee is an opportunity for congregations to be represented in our statewide UU
justice movement and to exchange ideas about ways of doing justice within our communities.
For more information, contact Randy Block
6. YOUR HELP NEEDED TO COLLECT SIGNATURES ON MICHIGAN UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE
PETITIONS – Lucille McNaughton and Rayna Bick, Co-Chairs of the MUUSJN Universal Health
Task Force, encourage UU’s to help bring information on universal health care to their
congregation, to get training as health advocates and to collect signatures to put a universal
health care proposal on Michigan’s 2008 ballot. Campaign press events (so far) have been
scheduled for January 15th in the following Michigan communities: Detroit, Macomb County,
Port Huron, Royal Oak, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Flint, Saginaw, Bay City, Ann
Arbor, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Traverse City, Marquette, and Escanaba. Please
have someone from your social justice committee attend an event near your congregation.
Official copies of the ballot petitions will be available as soon as January 12 th. Call Valerie
Pyzywara, staff with the Michigan Universal Health Care Access Network (MichUHCAN), at 734812-0664 or e-mail her at [email protected] for more details on the press events, to
request petitions or to request a universal health care presentation at your congregation. A
copy of a recent Detroit Free Press article about the campaign is attached for your
information.
7. UU CONGREGATIONS URGED TO SUPPORT NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT RESOLUTION
BEFORE FEBRUARY 1, 2008. Today, the United States and Russia still maintain inventories of
over 25,000 nuclear weapons, more than 2,000 of which are on hair-trigger alert, allowing 12
minutes or less to decide whether to launch a nuclear holocaust strike. A position calling for
reduction of nuclear weapons is highly consistent with UU principles. First Unitarian
Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor, with support from MUUSJN, sponsored a Nuclear
Disarmament Congregational Study/Action Issue (CSAI) proposal that was APPROVED by the
UUA Commission on Social Witness. There are just two CSAI proposal’s on this year’s ballot,
BOTH are assured of being presented at GA IF THEY RECEIVE SUFFICIENT “YES” VOTES
from 25% of all UU certified congregations (250). Urge your congregation to vote YES before
the February 1st deadline by going to the following website: http://dyn.uua.org/congregation
To view the Nuclear Disarmament Study/Action proposal, developed as an act of conscience
of late Richard Brown, visit: www.uua.org/socialjustice/issuesprocess/currentissues In honor
of Dick Brown and out of respect for our own survival, please urge your congregation to vote
YES today!
8. HOUSE & SENATE PASS FOOD STAMP IMPROVEMENTS: STILL A WAY TO GO - The Food
Stamp Program is the largest anti-hunger program in Michigan. In August, MUUSJN was a
signatory to a letter sent to Senators Levin and Stabenow calling for strengthening of the Food
Stamp program as part of a larger “Farm Bill”. On December 14th, the Senate voted 79-14 to
approve the “Farm, Nutrition and Bio-energy Act of 2007” with our desired Food Stamp
provisions. The House already had adopted similar legislation. Improvements included:
increasing program funding; expanding standard deductions and minimum benefits; and
expanding fresh fruits and vegetables in schools. However, the House version makes these
changes permanent while the Senate provisions expire in five years. The differences within
the Farm Bill still remain to be worked out in conference committee in early 2008. We’ve come
a long way toward address hunger but we’re not there yet! For more information, see:
www.chn.org/humanneeds/071221d.html