Unitarian Universalist Response to Prop 8

[lilithu]

In light of the passage of Proposition 8 in California and similar measures in three other states on election day that restrict the rights of bisexual, gay, lesbian, queer, and transgender people, the Unitarian Universalist Association has produced a video which makes clear that there are people of faith who support marriage equality.

The video uses images, gathered from Unitarian Universalists across North America, who have advocated for marriage equality, been joined in same-sex marriage, and/or had their marriage officiated by UU clergy.

YouTube - People of Faith, Standing on the Side of Love


Watch this thread for updates on UUA action for full marriage equality.

 

[Green Gaia]

OK this is just scary... sometimes I think we really do share a brain! I was just about to post this, you beat me to it! Thank you! :rainbow1: :chalice:

 

[lilithu]

I was just about to post this, you beat me to it!

Stick around. I can't announce things until the mother ship announces them but we have something big in the works.

And btw,

 

[TurkeyOnRye]

Come on, America! Remove the stick already!

 

[Green Gaia]

Ohh... I'm all :jiggy: now!!!

 

[texan1]

Yay for UU!!

 

[Scruffitude]

This would be a great article for my school newspaper... :yes:

... if we hadn't already passed deadline and sent the darn thing to the publisher already.

My point is a lot of people (at least at my school) are pointing their fingers at religion in general, saying that Churches are at fault. I personally had no idea about UUs until I joined this board, nor did I know their stance on this issue. It'd be great if people knew the whole picture.

 

[Green Gaia]

This would be a great article for my school newspaper... :yes:

... if we hadn't already passed deadline and sent the darn thing to the publisher already.

My point is a lot of people (at least at my school) are pointing their fingers at religion in general, saying that Churches are at fault. I personally had no idea about UUs until I joined this board, nor did I know their stance on this issue. It'd be great if people knew the whole picture.

If you need any additional information, just ask!

 

[lilithu]

I promised there would be more.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Today, the California Council of Churches and other religious leaders and faith organizations representing millions of members filed a petition with the California Supreme Court asking the Court to invalidate Proposition 8. The petition argues that Proposition 8 poses a severe threat to the guarantee of equal protection for all and was not enacted through the constitutionally required process for such a dramatic change to the California Constitution.

The petition is filed on behalf of the California Council of Churches, the General Synod of the United Church of Christ, two Episcopal Bishops (of California and Los Angeles), the Progressive Jewish Alliance, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations and the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of California, and the Northern and Southern California Nevada Conferences of the United Church of Christ.

http://www.calchurches.org/publication_pdfs/081117pressrelease.pdf

http://www.calchurches.org/publication_pdfs/PetitionWritMandate.pdf

Makes me want to cry... in a good way.

 

[lunamoth]

Good to see the Episcopal Bishops listed there.

 

[Green Gaia]

Sweet!!! :jiggy:

 

[lilithu]

Sweet!!! :jiggy:

My favorite part is where it says that Prop 8 violates the First Amendment rights of religious liberals who believe in equality as a principle of faith. :angel2:

 

[lilithu]

Aw man, how could I have missed this?
MySpaceTV Videos: Rev. Lindi Ramsden at the Capitol Marriage Equality Rally by Equality. Action. Now.

Rev. Lindi is awesome! :yes:

We've been told that she basically single-handedly represented the faith community that was against prop 8 in Cali, because (and I wish I were surprised by this) the secular 'No on 8' groups didn't want anything to do with religious groups against 8. (Thereby perpetuating the notion that religion only belongs to conservatives.) In a vote as close as it was, might not it have made a difference to see people of faith working side by side with BGLT activists? (Of course, amongst UUs, they're often the same people. )

 

[Green Gaia]

That's great, Lil!

You know, i posted the Standing on the Side of Love video on my Facebook page and you would not believe (or probably you would) some of the negative comments I got about it. All from people I knew in high school, which is making me rethink reconnecting with most of them, lol.

 

[lamplighter]

Nice to see some religious organizations try to spread some love and understanding instead of the usual hate and fear mongering I see all too often.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

We've been told that she basically single-handedly represented the faith community that was against prop 8 in Cali, because (and I wish I were surprised by this) the secular 'No on 8' groups didn't want anything to do with religious groups against 8.

Idiots! Imagine if the Civil Rights Movement had adopted such a course ...

 

[madcap]

What do UUs make of the strategy to target Prop 8 as a national issue?

I'm curious, for example, why people from other states are protesting a California law rather than working to make or change legislation in their own states. I recognize that the California situation is unique in that same-sex marriage was legal for awhile, and voters chose to take it away. So that's worth fighting, but ultimately no same-sex marriage is no same-sex marriage whether it's California or Nebraska or Florida.

Is it just that California has the largest gay population? Or the most high-wattage support for same-sex marriage because of the entertainment industry? I guess I'm asking, where is the outrage about all those other states that banned same-sex marriage in 2004? What makes California special?

 

[lamplighter]

Because if it is not appealed and same sex marriage made legal in California where it once was, the chances of same sex marriage being made legal in other states are greatly diminished. However if enough outside pressure is put on California it could very well become legal again, and it could sway other states to pass there own laws permitting same sex rights like civil union or marriage.

 

[lilithu]

What do UUs make of the strategy to target Prop 8 as a national issue?

I'm curious, for example, why people from other states are protesting a California law rather than working to make or change legislation in their own states. I recognize that the California situation is unique in that same-sex marriage was legal for awhile, and voters chose to take it away. So that's worth fighting, but ultimately no same-sex marriage is no same-sex marriage whether it's California or Nebraska or Florida.

Is it just that California has the largest gay population? Or the most high-wattage support for same-sex marriage because of the entertainment industry? I guess I'm asking, where is the outrage about all those other states that banned same-sex marriage in 2004? What makes California special?

I can only speak for myself. I was too devastated to be outraged in 2004. Outrage for me requires at least a modicum of sense of power. In 2004, between Bush's re-election and the numerous state propositions against BGLT, I felt like a powerless minority in my country.... fringe.

In 2008 I feel empowered, and the contrast between Obama's election and the passing of prop 8 is all the more acute. Yet despite the loss in Cali, I have no doubt that we will prevail. That's the kind of situation that makes me (and others I think) go out and protest *peacefully* yet forcefully, because we believe it can make a difference this time.

I think the more fair question that you could ask is why all the attention on prop 8 and not on Florida, Arkansas, and Arizona?

 

[madcap]

I think the more fair question that you could ask is why all the attention on prop 8 and not on Florida, Arkansas, and Arizona?

Oh, I hope it didn't sound like I was questioning the need for protest. I was actually going to include the question, "Why isn't anyone protesting the law in Ohio?" Although it's likely that people are, and I just don't know about it.