November/December 2006
Welcome to UU Justice News! This monthly e-newsletter provides news about how Michigan UU’s and other activists are working together to influence policy makers on justice issues through the Michigan UU Social Justice Network (MUUSJN). Send information for this newsletter to Randy Block, Network Manager, at beelock47@comcast.net (248-549-5170) or Network Manager, Lynda Smith, at Lyndajs@earthlink.net (313-617-4615). Please duplicate this newsletter for others in your congregation.
IN THIS ISSUE:
- MUUSJN ACHIEVES MOST OF ITS UUA GRANT GOALS
- POVERTY TASK FORCE CALLS FOR UU CHURCH COMMUNITY SERVICE “RECIPIES”
- MUUSJN TASK FORCE WORKING FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE
- UUSC HOLIDAY CARDS AVAILABLE – Lucille McNaughton
- DECEMBER LAST MONTH FOR UUA TO MATCH NETWORK CONTRIBUTIONS
- DECEMBER 14th CALL TO KICK OFF 2007 LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE PLANNING
- VISIT THE UU FOR A JUST ECONOMIC COMMUNITY WEBSITE – Mary Lou Malone
- REFLECTIONS ON PASSAGE OF PROPOSAL 2 – Barbara Stevenson
- NETWORK SENDS ANTI-TERROR LETTERS TO SENATORS
- EMMY LOU CHOLAK RETURNS FROM COMPASSIONATE LISTENING IN MIDEAST VISIT
MUUSJN ACHIEVED MOST OF ITS UUA GRANT GOALS - Last Fall, the MUUSJN was awarded a $5,000 grant and a $5,000 matching grant from the UUA Social Responsibility Fund. (We requested $20,000.) Here’s how we did in achieving this grants’ goals:
- Expand the Network to include representation from 15-20 church. We now have 21.
- Recruit 100 additional members. We’ve increased from 214 to 340.
- Create an electronic legislative action list serve. We are using a simple list serve.
- Participate in at least one justice coalition to influence legislators. We joined three.
- Conduct advocacy training. We organized a conference attended by 80 UU’s.
- Do four press releases. We sent two press releases to 12 newspapers statewide.
- Create a website, distribute 1,000 Network brochures. Done
- Organize conference calls for UU activists. We’re doing this.
- Distribute UUA Study/Action issue information to Michigan churches. Done.
- Organize a Green Sanctuary workshop. Not yet done.
POVERTY TASK FORCE CALLS FOR UU CHURCH COMMUNITY SERVICE “RECIPES” The MUUSJN Poverty Task Force, headed by Rev. Kimi Riegel and Peter Ruark, agreed to invite Michigan UU churches to submit descriptions of their projects for helping low-income persons. These “recipes” will be organized in an “ANTI-POVERTY COOKBOOK – Recipes for Fighting Poverty on a small Scale” and distributed to all Michigan UU churches. Please submit YOUR church’s projects on the ATTACHED form. Participation in service projects can help us care more deeply about people in poverty and can move us to work for policy change.
MUUSJN TASK FORCE WORKING FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE – Conditions are improving for the establishment of universal health care in Michigan! Governor Granholm agreed to create a State Commission to study financing of health care in our State. This position was adopted by a wide range groups including MUUSJN. A State Health Insurance Access Advisory Council has been formed that includes key health stakeholders who agree on the need for universal health care. Bi-partisan federal legislation (Rep. Voinovich), expected to pass, could help finance a Michigan state health insurance experiment.
MUUSJN, a member of Michigan Universal Health Care Access Network (MichUHCAN), is coordinating with MOSES to plan strategies to encourage State legislative support for a strong health plan. We have begun planning a campaign to educate UU’s about this issue. Rep. John Conyers, Jr. plans to reintroduce his universal health care legislation (H.R. 676) in January. The Task Force, chaired by Lucille McNaughton, invites UU churches to visit the MichUHCAN website (www.michuhcan.com) for more information. Consider inviting a MichUHCAN speaker to give a presentation at YOUR church.
UUSC HOLIDAY CARDS AVAILABLE – Support the UU Service Committee by buying UUSC Christmas cards. There are three beautiful patterns to choose from: Be That Light; Peaceful Night; and Starlight. They are all lovely and cost $8 for 10. You can buy boxes for yourself by contacting the UUSC. The address is 130 Prospect Street, Cambridge, MA 02139. Phone: 617-868-6600 Fax: 617-668-7102. If you have a UUSC Local Representative, I’ve sent him/her a sample box including all three types. Call or e-mail me if you don’t know your representative: Lucille McNaughton, Michigan UUSC Local Representative (313-561-5692 or lucillerm@sbcglobal.net).
DECEMBER LAST MONTH FOR UUA TO MATCH NETWORK CONTRIBUTIONS Contributions to support the Network have been made by many individuals and by the Social Justice Committees of the UU Church of Flint and Peoples Church of Kalamazoo. First Church of Detroit plans to take a special offering this month on behalf of the Network. December is the last month you or your churches’ contribution will be matched by the UUA. Please write your tax-deductible check to the Birmingham Unitarian Church with “MUUSJN” in the memo line and mail it to Rev. Lynda Smith at 1703 Orleans, Detroit, MI 48207. Your support is needed and will be gratefully accepted.
DECEMBER 14th CALL TO KICK OFF 2007 LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE PLANNING The next MUUSJN Steering Committee will be held by conference call from 7-9 p.m. December 14th. Along with responding to current justice issues, we will start planning a Network spring legislative conference, scheduled for Saturday, April 21st at the UU Church of Great Lansing. Justice contacts (no more than two per church) may call: 1-800-371-8200. When requested, enter access code 584107. Call Randy Block at 248-549-5170 or Rev. Lynda Smith at 313-617-4615 for more information.
VISIT THE UU FOR A JUST ECONOMIC COMMUNITY WEBSITE – Mary Lou Malone, Chair of the MUUSJN Environmental Task Force, and Lynda Smith, Network Coordinator, both recommend that UU’s visit the UU’s For A Just Economic Community website: www.uujec.org The most recent edition of the UUJEC newsletter invites UU’s to join a Global Warming Virtual March (www.stopglobalwarming.org), calls for protesting the School of the Americas and encourages UU’s to attend a March 30-April 1st conference on “Navigating the Great Turning” in Columbus, Ohio. See the UUJEC website for more information.
REFLECTIONS ON PASSAGE OF PROPOSAL 2 – Barbara Stevenson, Chair of the MUUSJN Affirmative Action Task Force, shares her reflections on the troubling passage of Proposal 2 that now bans Affirmative Action in Michigan in the ATTACHED essay. Barbara reports that UU’s, through MUUSJN, were highly visible in their opposition to Proposal 2.
NETWORK SENDS ANTI-TERROR LETTERS TO SENATORS – Letters were sent to Michigan Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow calling for the repeal of the Military Commissions Act of 2006. This new law, signed by President Bush on October 17th, will undermine Americans’ Constitutional rights and legitimize use of torture by U.S. agents. For more information and/or to express your views, visit the UUSC Legislative Action Center: : http://capwiz.com/uusc/home/ This action was adopted unanimously at the November MUUSJN Steering Committee.
EMMY LOU CHOLAK RETURNS FROM COMPASSIONATE LISTENING IN MIDEAST VISIT – Emmy Lou, a MUUSJN justice contact person from the UU Church of Grand Traverse, returned the day after Thanksgiving from a trip of “Compassionate Listening” in the Middle East. She is willing to share with community groups her insights from talking with “real human beings” in the homes of Palestinians and Israeli’s. For more information, contact Emmy Lou at 231-943-7999.
