Social Justice Statements

Social Justice Statements Book This book is a complete listing of the social justice statements passed by the General Assembly and Board of Trustees from 1961 to the present (if updated annually). All these statements can be accessed and searched on-line at www.uua.org/socialjustice.

Compiled by the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations Washington Office for Advocacy

UPDATING THIS BOOK This Book is Current through General Assembly 2008 It Needs To Be Updated Annually! Each June the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations does business that adds to the content of this book. After review and approval by legal counsel, they are added to the Social Justice Statements Book and the UUA website. Following General Assembly each year, new materials for this collection become available, including:

 A New "Reminder" page  Any new Statements, and an updated table of contents page for the section in which the new statement is found;  A new chronological index; and  Any other new pages, such as process explanation, updated as a result of GA actions.

For the latest version of this collection, including advanced search tools, see:

http://www.uua.org/socialjustice. To order a hard copy, contact the UUA Office of Congregational Advocacy and Witness at (617) 948-4656, or [email protected]

TABLE OF CONTENTS Update Reminder Table of Contents Introduction and Process History Resolution Sections

Aging Children and Youth Civil Liberties Criminal Justice Economic Justice Election Reform and Voting Rights Environmental Justice Equal Opportunity Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons Health Immigration International Human Rights and Justice International Peace and Conflict Racial Justice Religious Liberty Reproductive Health and Population Unitarian Universalist Life Chronological Index

Table of Contents Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Table of Contents Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

INTRODUCTION About this Book Welcome to the latest collection of Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Statements. Unitarian and Universalist Social Justice work began when the faiths began—hundreds of years ago. It is both impossible and undesirable to separate Unitarian and Universalist history from the social and political movements of the years. When the Unitarians and the Universalists merged, the resulting Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations inherited a proud legacy of social justice activism. This book, if updated annually, contains all the social justice statements made by the Unitarian Universalist Association's General Assembly and Board of Trustees since the Association was formed in 1961. The on-line version will always be the most current, and offers advanced search tools such as sub-topics and keywords. It can be accessed at www.uua.org/socialjustice. The Organization of this Book The various positions are divided into 17 sections by subject. Many statements fall neatly into one category; those that fit under multiple categories appear under the most relevant heading. An abbreviation identifying the type of each statement can be found to the right of its title. The abbreviations and types are as follows: Abbreviation AIW* BD* BUS GEN RIW* RR* SOC

Type of Statement Action of Immediate Witness* Board of Trustees Resolution* Business Resolution General Resolution Resolution of Immediate Witness* Responsive Resolution* Statement of Conscience

Although not formally defined, the following four types of statements are considered to have less relative authority because they have not gone through a process of both congregational input and General Assembly approval:    

Action of Immediate Witness Board of Trustees Resolution Resolution of Immediate Witness Responsive Resolution

For more information on the current process for proposing and adopting statements, see www.uua.org/socialjustice.

Introduction and Process History Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Process History Since 1961, the process for taking positions of social witness has changed several times. For the period 1961-1986, the Association had General and Business Resolutions. General Resolutions became policy after a two-year process that included congregational review. The bulk of positions in this collection are General Resolutions. You will also find some Business Resolutions, for the business of the Association is inseparable from its social mission. From Resolutions of Immediate Witness to Actions of Immediate Witness In 1987, the Resolution of Immediate Witness (RIW) made its debut. Ten years later, in 1997, RIWs became AIWs—for Action of Immediate Witness, though the process remained essentially the same. Actions of Immediate Witness are proposed and voted on at the same General Assembly. As the name suggests, they deal with issues that are particularly time-sensitive. Since they are not subject to congregational review, they are not considered policy of the Association—just the viewpoint of the General Assembly itself. They must be passed by a two-thirds vote. From General Resolutions to Statements of Conscience Delegates at the 1996 General Assembly in Indianapolis, IN, approved changes in the process through which the UUA studies and takes positions on social justice issues. The Association adopted its last General Resolution in 1997. The UUA now takes social witness positions by passing a Statement of Conscience (SOC). The SOC process initially took three years. In 2006, delegates at General Assembly in St. Louis, MO, approved changes that expanded the process from two years to four. For a detailed explanation, see the Unitarian Universalists Speak Out! for Social Justice, at www.uua.org/csw/speakout.html. From Commission on General Resolutions to Commission on Social Witness (CSW) The 1984 General Assembly in Columbus, Ohio established the Commission on General Resolutions. The 1996 General Assembly in Indianapolis, Indiana changed the name to the Commission on Social Witness and approved other new terminology and procedures. For more information on the Commission on Social Witness and the current process for proposing and adopting statements, see www.uua.org/socialjustice, email [email protected], or call (617) 948-4656.

Introduction and Process History Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

AGING

1966 - Concern for Older Adults...................................................................................... 2 1973 - Senior Citizens’ Charter ....................................................................................... 2 1976 - Older Women....................................................................................................... 3 1979 - Aging .................................................................................................................... 4 1980 - Nursing Home Reform ......................................................................................... 4

See related resolutions under Economic Justice, Equal Opportunity, and Health.

Aging - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CONCERN FOR OLDER ADULTS — 1966

(GEN)

RESOLVED: That this Assembly recognize the acknowledgment of the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of the responsibility of the church for the well-being of older adults, and that it commend the Board for its appointment of a Committee on Aging; for providing the Committee with some part-time staff assistance (in cooperation with the Women’s Federation); for publishing the pamphlet “Living All Our Years”; and for encouraging the development of the Jefferson Center and other projects for the elderly; and FURTHER RESOLVED: That we urge the Unitarian Universalist Association to become increasingly aware of the problems and potentials of older adults within both the church and the community; and to become actively involved, both in meeting problems and developing potentials of older adults; and FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association increase its efforts to stimulate and assist societies and districts in carrying out meaningful programs for older adults.

SENIOR CITIZENS’ CHARTER — 1973

(GEN)

WHEREAS, today’s society appears to worship youth and neglect the talent and problems of its elderly citizens; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms the Senior Citizens’ Charter set forth at the White House Conference on Aging: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

The right to be useful; The right to obtain employment based on merit; The right to freedom from want in old age; The right to a fair share of the community’s recreational, educational, and medical resources; The right to obtain decent housing; The right to the moral and financial support of one’s family consistent with the best interests of the family; 7. The right to live independently as one chooses; 8. The right to live and die with dignity; and 9. The right to access to all knowledge as available on how to improve the later years of life. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY URGES: Societies of the Unitarian Universalist Association and individual members of those societies to support legislation and initiate programs at all levels to assure these rights. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly strongly urge that the Board of Trustees reestablish the Committee on Aging to be charged with the specific responsibility of recommending an ongoing program of education, information, and counseling supports to the member societies of the UUA, and to encourage the establishment of new models for dignified lifestyles in advanced years which retain and enhance a human reserve of valuable resources which are shamefully squandered in our present callous lack of concern; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That with the consent of the Office for Development and Fund Raising the Committee on Aging will be responsible for the financing of the first year’s expense of operation.

Aging - page 2 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

OLDER WOMEN — 1976

(BUS)

WHEREAS, women in the middle years and older are confronted by the double discrimination of ageism and sexism, and feel the negative effects of age discrimination at an earlier age than men, so there is a double standard of aging in our society; and WHEREAS, women live longer than men, and women greatly outnumber men in later years (1,000 elderly women to 724 elderly men) and the outlook is for a continuing widening of this discrepancy; and WHEREAS, the number of older females living in poverty is markedly greater than that of men; and WHEREAS, there are many single older women, including those who after many years of unpaid service as homemakers and mothers are now forced to support themselves because of the death of a spouse, divorce, or other economic necessity and are not eligible for health, retirement, and unemployment benefits; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1976 General Assembly of the UUA: 1. Endorse state, provincial and federal legislation for displaced homemakers to establish multipurpose service programs that will provide necessary training, counseling, and services for displaced homemakers so that they may enjoy the independence and economic security vital to a productive life; 2. Go on record as urging that women in middle years and older be included in existing job training programs available on the local level; i.e., the federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) in the USA and parallel programs in Canada; 3. Recognize that many older women have invested years of (non-paid) labor in marriage, with expectations of social and economic security in their futures, and the necessity to protect their interests as divorce laws and customs change; 4. Support equal opportunities in education for older women — as employees of educational institutions, as students, and in scholarships and fellowships. This is to include our own UU institutions; 5. Support legislation which seeks to obtain Social Security for the housewife in her own name; 6. Asks that the UUA exercise leadership in the recognition of volunteer work as valid preparation for paid employment; and 7. Strongly urges that our churches and denomination seek to raise the consciousness of its members to the problems of women and ageism and to value the devoted support that older women have given to our movement.

Aging - page 3 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

AGING — 1979

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the 12th Annual General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association meeting in Toronto, Canada in 1973 voted unanimously the reestablishment of the UUA Committee on Aging; and WHEREAS, in the United States an increasing number of people reach the age of sixty-five every day (estimated at 1,400); that by the year 2000, one-quarter of the population will be sixty-five or over; and that the fastest-growing age group is between eighty and eighty-five; and WHEREAS, few of our Unitarian Universalist churches and societies are aware of all the federal, state and local funds which are available with which Unitarian Universalists might help the elderly of their community who are unable to speak or act in their own behalf; and WHEREAS, the Committee on Aging is placing emphasis on hospice, in which Unitarian Universalists can have a great role in new legislation and the activating of the hospice philosophy as a continent-wide movement; is working on Education for Life Changes, as well as on Death and Dying, and the inevitable question of “What shall we do with our parents?”; and WHEREAS, its efforts and publications to date have received acclaim and wide support from other denominations, including local and national Jewish groups and mental health organizations; and WHEREAS, the Committee on Aging believes, from its experience, that it cannot operate effectively without an executive secretary who is fully trained and knowledgeable in the field of aging; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Board of Trustees to recommit itself to continuing the Committee on Aging, including professional assistance where sufficient funds are available; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Committee on Aging be charged to continue its ongoing program of education, information and counseling support to member Unitarian Universalist societies and continue to establish new models for dignified lifestyles which will help all of us retain and enhance our human potential and involvement as we age.

NURSING HOME REFORM — 1980

(GEN)

WHEREAS, Congressional and other investigations have established that the welfare of thousands of nursing home residents throughout the country is in jeopardy because of low wage scales, dangerous buildings, inhumane care and isolation of the elderly; and WHEREAS, this situation can be adequately addressed only by deep and widespread community involvement under strong leadership; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association is in an ideal position to provide such leadership through the Committee on Aging; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urge the Association to act to bring about true nursing home reform by: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Becoming an institutional member of the National Citizens’ Coalition for Nursing Home Reform; Publicizing the vital necessity for nursing home reform; Supplying societies with information and assistance in their community; Supporting adequate federal subsidy of alternative at-home service; Supporting greater consumer representation in all levels of regulation of nursing homes; and Supporting adequate state and federal subsidies for quality nursing home care.

Aging - page 4 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CHILDREN & YOUTH

1963 - Youth Welfare ...................................................................................................... 2 1971 - Alternatives in Education...................................................................................... 2 1971 - Child Care Centers............................................................................................... 3 1973 - Abolition of Corporal Punishment (“David Copperfield”)....................................... 3 1977 - Child Abuse and Neglect...................................................................................... 4 1979 - Care of Young Children........................................................................................ 4 1979 - In Support of Youth Programs.............................................................................. 5 1982 - Child Care ............................................................................................................ 6 1983 - Amerasian Children.............................................................................................. 6 1984 - On Children, Poverty and Violence ...................................................................... 7 1985 - Materials on Sexual Abuse .................................................................................. 7 1990 - Youth in Crisis ...................................................................................................... 8 1992 - Children Held by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service ........ 9 1995 - Oppose the Marketing of Violence ..................................................................... 10 1996 - Speak Out for Children....................................................................................... 11 1999 - A Moral Response to Youth Violence at Columbine........................................... 12 2003 - Americorps ......................................................................................................... 14

See related resolutions under Civil Liberties; Economic Justice; Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons; Racial Justice and Religious Liberty.

Children and Youth - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

YOUTH WELFARE — 1963

(GEN)

WHEREAS, it should be a serious and determined concern of all liberal religious people to provide every possible opportunity for the emotional health and well being of young people, to assist socially and culturally deprived youth, and to promote adequate educational, training and employment opportunities for youth; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association records its concern that increasing numbers of young people are not finding a satisfactory place in our society, and urges government and industry at all levels to find ways of lessening unemployment, which falls so heavily on youth; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association and its constituent members give support to movements involved in research, in prevention and treatment of youth problems, including guidance and counseling centers, group recreational programs and mental health clinics; and BE IT STILL FURTHER RESOLVED: That due to the national scope of the problem and the high cost to individual communities, the Association urges the governments of Canada and the United States, respectively, to give financial assistance to expand community facilities concerned with youth welfare; and BE IT STILL FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Association support, and its constituent societies be urged to support, at all levels, such proposals as a Youth Conservation Corps, Home Work Force, and other effective assistance and guidance programs, including training in remedial reading and needed tutoring services, counseling services for parents and child guidance clinics.

ALTERNATIVES IN EDUCATION — 1971

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: 1. That the Unitarian Universalist Association go on record as being disturbed by the inadequacies of current public education and supportive of new educational programs; 2. That local societies work to make available their physical facilities and moral support to persons interested in educational advancement; 3. That a copy of this resolution be sent to: a. All local societies; b. American Federation of Teachers (AFL-CIO); c. National Education Association; d. Parent Teacher Association; e. New Schools Exchange; f American Association of University Professors; g. National Teachers Association; h. National Association of University Women.

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CHILD CARE CENTERS — 1971

(GEN)

RECOGNIZING: That there is widespread need for child care centers, that millions of children in North America are receiving either substandard supervision or no supervision; AWARE: That growing numbers of mothers take jobs because of economic necessity, desire for job training and continuing education; that child care centers are needed for other reasons, such as illness in the family, special problems of handicapped children, or for other compelling causes; ACKNOWLEDGING: That the needs of children, our best resources for the future, must receive immediate and special attention; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the 1971 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Urges that highest priority be given in the United States and Canada at all levels of government to funding and activating quality, professional child care centers with effective standards, licensing, inspection, and enforcement; 2. Urges that funding be accomplished additionally through private grants and fees from parents where feasible; 3. Asks that member UU societies initiate study programs so that they can intelligently participate in the structuring of quality centers; 4. Asks that societies of this denomination consider use of their facilities for weekday child care centers.

ABOLITION OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT (“DAVID COPPERFIELD”) — 1973

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association opposes the corporal punishment of children in schools, juvenile detention facilities, and other public institutions where children are cared for or educated and urges that members of UUA societies work actively through school boards, legislatures, and courts to help arouse public opinion to bring an end to the practice.

Children and Youth - page 3 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT — 1977

(GEN)

WHEREAS, abuse and neglect of children is a family and societal problem of national significance; and WHEREAS, children are innocent and powerless victims of abuse and neglect; and WHEREAS, Congress passed the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974, created a National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect and an Advisory Board and authorized the Center to make grants to states, public and private agencies for programs in child abuse and neglect; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges all persons to support the National Center of Child Abuse and Neglect and state and local programs in child abuse and neglect, specifically by: 1. Reporting incidences of child abuse and neglect; 2. Publicizing, funding, and utilizing programs in child abuse and neglect; 3. Initiating and supporting medical, social, psychological, psychiatric, legal and other services to abusing and neglecting families; and 4. Promoting and supporting interagency coordination of services by courts, police, legal counsel, social rehabilitation agencies, medical screening facilities, foster family services and other agencies.

CARE OF YOUNG CHILDREN — 1979

(GEN)

WHEREAS, according to the Report of the Status of Children published in 1977 by the Office of Human Development of the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, there are 6.5 million children under the age of six with single working parents; and WHEREAS, between 1963 and 1976 the number of married mothers of children under the age of three joining the work force increased dramatically; and WHEREAS, this denomination has maintained a commitment to the rights and welfare of children; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms its commitment to the creation, support, and improvement of child care systems which are affordable to all people, to supporting the family unit, and to be beneficial to the intellectual, physical and emotional development of the children served.

Children and Youth - page 4 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

IN SUPPORT OF YOUTH PROGRAMS — 1979

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist bylaws state that our Association promotes “the full participation of persons in all of its and their activities and in the full range of human endeavor without regard to . . . age”; and WHEREAS, our denomination profits from participation from young people to enliven and sustain our Unitarian Universalist ideals; and WHEREAS, the 1978 General Assembly business resolution on youth recognized “the crucial import-ance of youth programs” and “urges that these programs be given a high priority in the formulation of UUA budgets in the immediate future so that they may receive funds sufficient to meet their legitimate needs and in fair proportion to the importance of young people to the denomination” and “calls on members of individual churches and fellowships to promote greater involvement of young people in their societies and districts” and “calls on the administration of the Association to work cooperatively with Liberal Religious Youth in developing energetic youth programs at the denominational level”; and WHEREAS, the Continental Youth/Adult Committee and Liberal Religious Youth, who are working to teach the goals of better youth programs and youth participation in our societies, need greater support from the UUA staff, districts, professionals and lay people within our denomination; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges that efforts to better youth participation and programs be specifically supported by: 1. Facilitating consultation, program development, resource sharing between youth and adults through interdistrict representatives, district youth/adult committees, continental district youth/adult committee conclaves, professional leaders and local society youth groups and youth programming; 2. The UUA Board of Trustees allocating youth program funds in the spirit of the March 1979 Majority Report of the Continental Youth Adult Committee — retaining the present LRY structure, and adding an at least one half-time adult professional staff person; and 3. Fostering of fellowship and a special sense of membership among youth and those of all ages in our denomination through intergenerational interaction and activities among all Unitarian Universalists.

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CHILD CARE — 1982

(BUS)

WHEREAS, in the spirit of inclusiveness without regard to age, family situation, or economic status; and WHEREAS, in the spirit of encouraging growth through participation of young adults in our movement; and WHEREAS, in the spirit of making ours an Association that provides religious opportunities for all our new members and friends of all ages; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1982 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association resolves that the Association shall at the daytime meetings, programs and events of all its General Assemblies provide safe, secure, reasonably-priced, Unitarian Universalist-oriented programs of care, where preregistration indicates participation, as appropriate to the age group, for children between birth and thirteen years of age; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That consideration be given, if desired, to housing families with children in such a way as to facilitate shared child-caring arrangements and that lists of reliable sitters be made available; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges the same policy be adopted by all organizations within and associated or affiliated with it, and all events, etc., being supported by the Unitarian Universalist Association through staffing, funding, supplies, or other support operate under the same policy; it being understood that the requirements of this resolution do not extend to meetings of governing or advising boards or committees.

AMERASIAN CHILDREN — 1983

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association is committed to furthering human rights and supports the principle of the importance and worth of each individual; and WHEREAS, there are many Amerasian children abandoned by their American fathers and rejected in their Asian homelands; and WHEREAS, we in the affluent West, especially in the United States, have a clear responsibility to these children; and WHEREAS, children grow rapidly and the years between birth and adulthood are few, dictating immediate action; and WHEREAS, the future of the world depends largely on the quality of life experienced by children; and WHEREAS, we would offer Amerasian children the hope of a better future; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1983 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Congress of the United States to provide funds immediately for the transportation and support of Amerasian petitioners for immigration and to facilitate the adoption of Amerasian children into American homes; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges member societies to offer support to families who adopt Amerasian children.

Children and Youth - page 6 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ON CHILDREN, POVERTY AND VIOLENCE — 1984

(GEN)

WHEREAS, over half of all United States and Canadian children under the age of eighteen in femaleheaded households live below the poverty level; and WHEREAS, growing numbers of children of all income groups and all family situations are harmed by abuse and neglect; and WHEREAS, we, as Unitarian Universalists, join with women, men and children everywhere in striving for universal dignity, equality, freedom and peace, to which all, including children, are entitled; and WHEREAS, poverty and violence prevent the achievement of these rights; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1984 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges each society and member to: 1. Advocate the strengthening of children’s programs and legislation on the federal, provincial, state and local levels, especially those that improve family income, provide affordable and healthful child care, and/or prevent abuse, and alleviate the effects of family violence, where it exists; and 2. Support concerned parents in their efforts to help each other and to advocate for their children; and 3. Cooperate with organizations whose views on these issues we share.

MATERIALS ON SEXUAL ABUSE — 1985

(BUS)

WHEREAS, sexual abuse and exploitation of children and youth are continental problems; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association is committed to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association holds that sexual abuse and exploitation of children and youth are contrary to the principles of Unitarian Universalism and mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually harmful as well as immoral and unethical; and WHEREAS, the effects of sexual abuse and exploitation are long-term, and healing is slow; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1985 General Assembly urges member congregations to explore the issues, causes, and treatments of the sexual abuse and exploitation of children and to encourage intergenerational programs which provide children with a positive, caring, open, and constructive relationship with adults; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges the Religious Education Section to make available materials for children and youth providing information on how to protect themselves from sexual abuse and exploitation plus resources to help them if they have been abused or exploited; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges the Board of Trustees of the Association to develop, using qualified, expert, and involved sources, a code of ethics for persons working with youth and children for use in all UUA sponsored programs and as a model for congregations and districts to adopt.

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YOUTH IN CRISIS — 1990

(GEN)

GUIDED: By our belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every human being; and RECOGNIZING: Our commitment and responsibility to provide youth with basic nurturing, support, encouragement, and protection; and WHEREAS, young people embody humanity’s hope for the future; and WHEREAS, a growing number of North American youth, especially but not exclusively in inner cities, suffer from problems including physical, sexual, and emotional violence and abuse, neglect, gangs, substance abuse, unemployment, unwanted pregnancies, lack of adequate housing and education, and a lack of loving familial and other support structures; and WHEREAS, the problems facing youth are symptomatic of the problems of the larger society; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) deplores the debilitating conditions of poverty, discrimination, or racism faced by growing numbers of youth, and affirms the urgent need for enhanced national, state, provincial, and local advocacy and action on behalf of youth; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA calls upon its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to work with youth to promote the establishment of, and to involve themselves in, programs that empower the voices of youth, especially those of the inner city, by: 1. Fostering school-based clinics and other health care facilities with special concerns for family planning services, effective parenting skills, AIDS, and other health needs pertinent to the young adult population; 2. Providing affordable daycare; 3. Supporting excellent education appropriate to the needs, abilities, and aspirations of youth, including alternative schools, high school equivalency programs, preparation for college as well as vocational and literacy training; 4. Providing adequate, low-cost housing that would permit families and independent youth to live in reasonable safety, comfort, and dignity; 5. Encouraging governmental and private agencies, unions and companies to investigate models of extensive employment and training options, such as apprenticeship and internship for young people; and 6. Establishing other locally determined services, as necessary; BE IF FINALLY RESOLVED: That the UUA calls upon its members to address the empowerment of youth in resolving these socioeconomic issues.

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CHILDREN HELD BY THE UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE — 1992

(GEN)

BECAUSE: The principles of Unitarian Universalism affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person and justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and BECAUSE: We are all impoverished when we or our government depart from these principles; and WHEREAS, the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) detains hundreds of immigrant and refugee children every year; and WHEREAS, although children of arrested United States citizens are normally released to responsible parties, the INS in some districts is now refusing to release children to persons other than relatives, even though accepted standards of justice and care require such release; and WHEREAS, the INS has no clear policy of proper care of detained children and some of its contract facilities fail to meet minimum child-welfare standards for dependent children; and WHEREAS, physical abuse of children at INS and contract facilities has been documented; and WHEREAS, long incarceration pressures families to return to dangerous or war-torn homelands; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the United States Congress and Administration to require that when the INS detains children they be held, whenever possible, with their families in accredited shelter care programs or facilities that are state licensed for dependent care or in INS facilities that meet state standards; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That when the protection of public welfare demands that parents be detained separately from their children, when the parents are not available or when the parents wishto have their children released, then the INS be urged to release detained children to responsible parties in this order of priority: a) Relatives; b) Caregivers who have been designated by a responsible family member; c) Licensed child-welfare facilities; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalist congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States be urged to make appropriate representation to Congress and the Administration and, especially in states with INS children’s detention centers, to investigate and monitor the practices, standards, and care at those facilities.

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OPPOSE THE MARKETING OF VIOLENCE — 1995

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists are committed to the goal of a peaceful world characterized by justice, equity, and compassion for all; and WHEREAS, play and media images are among the primary ways a child learns about the world;and WHEREAS, studies have demonstrated that exposure to media violence increases tolerance of actual violence, and can evoke copycat acts; and WHEREAS, childhood aggression, playful and nonplayful, is statistically associated, years later, with an increase in spousal abuse and other forms of violence; and WHEREAS, marketing of violence in toys, games and media frequently reinforces racist, sexist, and other stereotypes, increasing the risk of violence against members of stereotyped groups; WHEREAS, many television programs, motion pictures, video and computer games, and print media contain a high frequency of violent episodes presented as entertainment; and WHEREAS, marketing decisions are often based on profit rather than ethical considerations; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists — both children and adults — be urged to educate themselves about the relationships among media violence, children’s aggressive play, stereotypes, and the level of violence in our society; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalist congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists be urged to: 1. Monitor television programs, motion pictures, and toy advertisements in their communities; 2. Express approval of positive media, non-violent toys, and their sponsors; 3. Express disapproval of gratuitously violent images and aggression-based toys to television stations, theater owners, video arcade owners, toy manufacturers, retailers, and sponsors; 4. Support education in non-violent means of conflict resolution; and 5. Observe the annual International Days of Protest Against War Toys; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalist congregations be encouraged to enter into coalitions to boycott sponsors and purveyors of violent media images or aggression-based toys, and to educate adults and children about non-violent toys and alternative forms of entertainment.

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SPEAK OUT FOR CHILDREN — 1996

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person and the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; and WHEREAS, all children need love and support, including adequate nutrition and a nurturing environment, for sound growth and development; and WHEREAS, 80 million children live on the streets of the world’s cities and more than 38 thousand children die every day from lack of food, shelter, or basic health care; and WHEREAS, in the United States, a child is reported abused or neglected every eleven seconds and one child in four goes to bed hungry; and WHEREAS, the shortage of jobs with a living wage makes parents unable to improve the quality of life for their children; and WHEREAS, the worsening conditions for children require immediate intervention; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association shall act and urge its affiliates, member societies, and individual Unitarian Universalists to: 1. Support children in their rights to adequate food, shelter, health care, day care, public education, and a safe environment; 2. Assure children freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, and freedom of expression commensurate with their capacity to take responsibility for their actions; and 3. Support parents with education about child development and training in parenting skills; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association encourages its member societies and individual Unitarian Universalists to work with national organizations such as the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, the Children’s Defense Fund, and community groups to further these goals and to continue to address the fundamental social injustices that undermine the rights of children; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association encourages its member societies and individual Unitarian Universalists to support the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office in calling for the United States to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Children and Youth - page 11 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

A MORAL RESPONSE TO YOUTH VIOLENCE AT COLUMBINE — 1999

(AIW)

On April 20, 1999, at about 11:21 a.m., two students, heavily armed with firearms and pipe bombs, entered Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado. Over the next few horrifying hours, twelve students were killed, a teacher lay dying while protecting those students in his care, some twenty students were wounded, and the two ended their acts of terror with their own suicides. A shock wave spread across the Denver metropolitan area, across the state, and out over the nation, finally reaching every corner of the world. In a terrible list of school attacks, Columbine became almost instantly a symbol and a cause. Bills in the Colorado Legislature, easing the requirements for concealed weapons, disappeared. The United States Senate, reeling under public reaction, reversed its vote and passed a measure requiring background checks for all gun sales everywhere. Vice President and Mrs. Gore visited the emotional and spontaneous memorials in Clement Park, next to the school, and on May 20, President and Mrs. Clinton met with the families of the slain children, then spoke to the Columbine community. The copy cat violence in Taber, Alberta, heightened the shock. Now it is time for the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association to speak our truth as a community of justice and compassion in which the worth and dignity of all people are affirmed. There is no single cause for such a complex situation as the attack on innocent students at Columbine, but some factors in our society stand out as major contributors: a. The complacency and tacit approval of adults and peers who witness cruel and cynical behaviors toward others and take no action; b. The bullying and cliques in our schools which are a reflection of the society outside and give rise to violence, both mental and physical; c. The availability to our youth of hand guns and automatic rifles; d. The popularization of violent role models in television and film and the apparent celebration of gratuitous violence and death with casual indifference; and e. The video games that desensitize youth to the horrors of senseless violence. We note with sorrow and shame that the event which motivated public concern about youth violence is not the almost daily violence in our communities of poverty and communities of color. More of us must begin to address youth violence in all of its complexity. The rising numbers of suicides, acts of violence, and other antisocial behaviors in general demonstrate an increasing sense of hopelessness among our youth and in society. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1999 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Association and its member congregations: a. To communicate with national, regional, and local school authorities to call for the development of nonviolent conflict resolution training programs for K-12 education; b. To work for legislation in the United States and Canada to increase the legal age for possession of hand guns, and to prohibit the manufacture, import, and sale of all assault weapons, except for law enforcement and military use, and to require that parents be held responsible for weapons they know to be in the possession of minor children; and c. To communicate with major film and television studios and television networks, and to work in concert with other religious groups, to demand the reduction of violent images prevalent in our society. (continued on Children and Youth – 13) Children and Youth - page 12 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

A MORAL RESPONSE TO YOUTH VIOLENCE AT COLUMBINE (continued from Children and Youth – 12)

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1999 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges individual Unitarian Universalists: a. To work in their communities through such groups as parent-teacher associations and school boards, in concert with others from any religious denomination, to press for the introduction of conflict resolution training programs as a way to help bring about universal understanding and acceptance of the fundamental concept of respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every person; b. To preview videos and motion pictures to be viewed by their children, and to refuse to support entertainment based strictly on the excitement of violent images; c. To stop purchasing video games in which human or human-like figures are targets to be killed for higher scores, causing, however unwittingly, a gradual but certain reduction in feelings of revulsion or guilt in the act of discharging a deadly weapon toward a human being; d. To provide in our congregations youth programming and activities for member families and other youth in our communities; e. To provide youth advisor training within our congregations; f. to encourage our children to participate in organized youth programs and to be active participants in and supporters of those programs; g. To work in our wider communities to foster a positive image of hope for the future of civilization; and h. To commit to giving of our time and gifts to the young people in our communities whether these young people are members of our immediate families or congregations or members of the greater communities.

Children and Youth - page 13 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

AMERICORPS — 2003

(AIW)

Congress created AmeriCorps ten years ago. Since then, it has provided America’s youth with numerous opportunities for public service. Through a unique combination of federal monies and nearly $1 billion in matching private dollars, over 900 programs -- ranging from Teach for America to City Year -- have been created nationwide. More than 200,000 young Americans, including Unitarian Universalists, have worked in AmeriCorps programs:  Tutoring, mentoring, and providing safe, educational, and caring after-school programs for thousands of at-risk children;  Building urban playgrounds, restoring community centers, immunizing children, caring for senior citizens, and protecting our urban and rural environments; and  Organizing thousands of volunteers and inspiring a “can-do” civic spirit across the nation. This extraordinary public-private partnership is now in jeopardy. On June 16, 2003, the Corporation for National and Community Service announced dramatic cuts in funding--ranging from 50 percent to 95 percent in each state. Politicians have given AmeriCorps lip service. The President has called for all Americans to be "citizens," not just "spectators." In spite of these laudable sentiments, however, the federal budget has been stripped of the funds needed to make them a reality. As a result, AmeriCorps programs are closing all over the country. The number of volunteers is being slashed from 67,000 to 28,000. Communities, schools, and children are losing their mentors, tutors, teachers, and builders. American youth have lost this outlet for their idealism. The United States is at risk of losing the chance to instill public spiritedness in a new generation. The General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association therefore has a timely opportunity to put its weight behind this endangered program at a significant point in the decision-making process. Aware of the dynamism and talent of its own young members, this General Assembly is determined to see AmeriCorps survive and prosper. The 2003 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association therefore resolves to urge Unitarian Universalists individually and in their congregations to prevail upon the President and the Congress to take all action necessary to restore the funding for AmeriCorps, including the passage of an immediate appropriation of $200 million, and thereby enable the federal government to meet its obligation in the public-private partnership. This modest investment will pay dividends to all of us vastly in excess of the cost

Children and Youth - page 14 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CIVIL LIBERTIES

1961 - Abolition of the House Un-American Activities Committee and the Senate Internal Security Sub-Committee.......................................................................... 2 1962 - Academic Freedom .............................................................................................. 2 1963 - Civil Liberties........................................................................................................ 3 1965 - Freedom of Thought, Speech and Assembly ....................................................... 3 1967 - Freedom of Dissent .............................................................................................. 4 1969 - Campus Freedom and Responsibility .................................................................. 4 1970 - Police Repression ................................................................................................ 5 1971 - Civil Liberties........................................................................................................ 5 1972 - Beacon Press Investigation by Federal Government ........................................... 6 1972 - Commendation of Beacon Press.......................................................................... 6 1972 - Human Understanding Proposal .......................................................................... 6 1973 - Lobbying and Legislative Committees.................................................................. 7 1973 - Rights of Reporters and Historians ...................................................................... 7 1974 - Censorship and Obscenity Laws.......................................................................... 8 1974 - Freedom of Press................................................................................................. 8 1976 - Against Government Harassment ........................................................................ 9 1976 - FTC Funeral Regulations ..................................................................................... 9 1980 - FBI/CIA Charters................................................................................................ 10 1980 - Inteligence Charters ........................................................................................... 10 1980 - Repressive Legislation ....................................................................................... 11 1985 - Sanctuary and Government Surveillance........................................................... 12 1988 - Against Censorship in Public Schools ................................................................ 13 1989 - The Travel Rights of HIV-Infected People .......................................................... 14 1991 - Rights of Privacy and Free Speech.................................................................... 15 2004 - Civil Liberties...................................................................................................... 16 2005 - A Call for Support and a Fair Trial for Dr. Sami Al-Arian .................................... 19 2005 - Defending and Expanding Freedom of the Airwaves ......................................... 20

See related resolutions under Aging; Children and Youth; Criminal Justice; Economic Justice; Equal Opportunity; Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons; Health; International Human Rights and Justice; International Peace and Conflict; Racial Justice; and Religious Liberty.

Civil Liberties - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ABOLITION OF THE HOUSE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE AND THE SENATE INTERNAL SECURITY SUB-COMMITTEE — 1961

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the House Un-American Activities Committee and the Senate Internal Security SubCommittee have failed to accomplish the purposes for which they were established; and WHEREAS, over the years of their existence, the effect of these committees has too often been only to harass people who held unpopular opinions; and WHEREAS, the cause of national security has been used by these committees as an excuse to call into question longstanding individual freedoms granted under the Constitution of the United States; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Recommend to the Congress the abolition of these two committees; and 2. Urge all Unitarians and Universalists to call upon their representatives in the Senate and House of Representatives to vote against further appropriations for these committees.

ACADEMIC FREEDOM — 1962

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the principle of academic freedom is an intrinsic part of our civil liberties and basic to our democratic society; and WHEREAS, education is an ever more important thread in our democratic fabric and is now in transition and stress due to the cold war and increasing international tension; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association uphold the constitutional rights of teachers to hold their own political, social and economic ideals and to be judged on their professional merits.

Civil Liberties - page 2 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CIVIL LIBERTIES — 1963

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the United States is founded on the principles of individual rights and civil liberties, embodied in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution; and WHEREAS, for several years these individual rights and civil liberties have been under attack by various elements of our society, resulting in the need for continual vigilance and positive action; and WHEREAS, at this very moment violation of the traditional American right of the people to speak freely and peacefully to assemble and petition for the redress of grievances is gross and flagrant in many parts of the country, calling into question the reality of American freedom; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That this General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon the President, Attorney General and all of the duly constituted authorities to act decisively and at once to protect the Constitutionally guaranteed civil rights of American citizens throughout the United States, and to call to account those who violate these guaranteed civil rights; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Association reaffirms its devotion to the maintenance of the individual rights and civil liberties which are so essential to our democratic way of life, and calls upon all its members and affiliated organizations to bear witness to our belief in these basic tenets by organizing adult education classes on the guarantees of the Bill of Rights in their respective communities, by urging public and private schools to include such classes in their regular curricula, by supporting the work of such organizations as the American Civil Liberties Union and by constantly reminding our government officials, city, state, and federal, of their obligations in this regard.

FREEDOM OF THOUGHT, SPEECH AND ASSEMBLY — 1965

(GEN)

Freedom of thought, speech and assembly being particularly essential in colleges and universities where minds must be completely unfettered in their search for the truth; BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association asserts that there should be no curtailment of student and faculty thought, speech and assembly except for rules essential to the orderly conduct of academic work, and that to ban speech or assembly on the basis that it might lead to illegal activity constitutes unwarranted censorship.

Civil Liberties - page 3 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

FREEDOM OF DISSENT — 1967

(GEN)

WHEREAS, controversy over foreign policy and civil rights has been attended by violence, including physical assault and public abuse directed towards those expressing a controversial point of view; and WHEREAS, controversial spokesmen have at times been denied permission to speak in public places; and WHEREAS, those who remain silent while violence and abuse continue must share responsibility for the destruction of one of the most precious features of our heritage, the right to speak our conscience freely; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the 1967 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association recognizes and supports national and local leaders who have defended the right to give peaceful and public expression of dissent and urges all responsible national and local leaders to follow their example, and reaffirms the right of all persons to give peaceful and public expression of dissent from established policies and to ensure that such persons receive the protection to which they are entitled by law. We further urge that public facilities (including the facilities of the Unitarian and Universalist churches and fellowships) be made readily available for speakers with diverse viewpoints to express themselves publicly; and call upon the communications media to provide more equitable opportunity for presentation of dissent from majority points of view.

CAMPUS FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY — 1969

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1969 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association affirms its adherence to the following principles: 1. The unrestricted search for truth requires freedom to examine all questions, to seek ideas and evidence from all sources, to listen to any speaker for information or inspiration. 2. The university community has a responsibility and needs the freedom to function as a total social institution — including both itself and the world around it. 3. The university’s prime function is the education of the students. Education is a mutual responsibility of students and faculty and should involve participation of both groups in the decision-making process. 4. Freedom to speak includes the right to express dissent in diverse ways, but does not encompass action to prevent full, open, and orderly debate or to restrict or restrain the freedom of others to speak or to learn. On the contrary, such use of physical disruptions or force is destructive of the pursuit of learning and of a free society. 5. Use of oppression, repression, or blind force by institutions, administrations, faculties, or students, is not the answer to any move by students to gain their place in the educational community.

Civil Liberties - page 4 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

POLICE REPRESSION — 1970

(GEN)

SHARING: The fears of such authorities as Arthur Goldberg and Roy Wilkins, etc., regarding governmental terror campaigns against dissenting groups; ACKNOWLEDGING: The findings of the federal grand jury that local police and federal government agencies conspired to conceal evidence of an illegal police raid; CONCERNED: About the danger that present conspiracy statutes constitute a long step toward thought control and totalitarian government; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1970 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association condemns all attempts of the federal government and the local governmental units to suppress dissenting groups by the use of illegal force and by repressive legislation typified by the conspiracy statutes which intimidate people and weaken their determination to exercise their First Amendment rights. We urge all legislative bodies in the country to reject any such legislation and rescind any enacted in the past. We urge individual members and local parishes to give active support to all those affected by these repressive measures.

CIVIL LIBERTIES — 1971

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association opposes any kind of surveillance of private citizens or government employees; and WHEREAS, we feel that such surveillance leads to a potential for control and intimidation that is alien to our form of government and foreign to a society of free men and women; and WHEREAS, our society has progressively become more information-oriented, creating a potentiality for abuse and misuse of validly gathered information; and WHEREAS, the US Army Intelligence and others have had at least a few of our Unitarian Universalist churches under surveillance; BE IT RESOLVED: The Unitarian Universalist Association go on record as opposing any governmental abuse of surveillance whether by means of professional data gathering systems, census forms, federal questionnaires, interviews, Army investigations, wire tapping, or data banks; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges: 1. The President to exercise the moral leadership of his office as recommended by the Scranton Report on campus unrest; 2. Support of Congressional hearings to consider the total impact of data collection programs on the preservation of individual rights; 3. Congress to uphold the constitutional protection of individual rights to privacy and the right of an individual to remain silent about himself and herself; 4. That the federal government inform the recipients of these questionnaires of their rights with regard to these forms, including the fact that the forms are voluntary, and the reason for the collection of the information; 5. Citizens should have the right to examine any governmental files concerning themselves. The President and the Congress are urged to issue appropriate executive orders and to pass legislation to effectuate this objective; and 6. Urge our members to join and support the American Civil Liberties Union.

Civil Liberties - page 5 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

BEACON PRESS INVESTIGATION BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT — 1972

(BUS)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1972 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association endorses and supports the actions taken by President Robert West and the Board of Trustees in resisting the efforts of the federal government to subpoena the financial and other records of the Association and of Beacon Press, and in alerting the denomination and the nation to the serious threat to freedom of religion, of expression, and of association represented by the government’s actions.

COMMENDATION OF BEACON PRESS — 1972

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1972 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association commends the Beacon Press for its publication of The Pentagon Papers.

HUMAN UNDERSTANDING PROPOSAL — 1972

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the UUA has historically subscribed to the principle of oneness and equality of all human beings; and WHEREAS, the Association seeks to be guided by this principle in all its proceedings and programs; and WHEREAS, the new educational programs of the Department of Education and Social Concern dealing with the biological and cultural evolution of humankind and humankind’s relationship to all living beings should emphasize the oneness and equality of all humans (i.e., the human heritage curriculum series, the culture builder curriculum series, the human sexuality curriculum); BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the UUA continue its efforts to investigate and teach the nature of humanity, including the common traits, drives, etc., the relationship to other living beings, the evolutionary changes which have occurred throughout known history, the basis of the apparent “differences” and the place of human beings within the total natural order; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA implement this effort through the Department of Education and Social Concern and through other appropriate agencies of the Association in consultation with other concerned groups and individuals toward the end of promoting greater understanding, appreciation, adaptation, and programming among human beings.

Civil Liberties - page 6 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

LOBBYING AND LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES — 1973

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association was recently targeted for a repressive act by the United States federal government in the form of the invasion of the privacy of the Association and its members through the attempted seizure of the bank records of the Unitarian Universalist Association as part of the United States government’s effort to harass the Association for the publication of The Pentagon Papers; and WHEREAS, the branch of the United States federal government most capable of protecting the constitutional liberties of the citizens and institutions of the United States is the Congress; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges that the societies of the Unitarian Universalist Association in the United States, through its Department of Education and Social Concern and its joint Washington Office, undertake an active program of education and lobbying for the repeal of repressive laws such as the provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act which permits agents of government to probe into the private financial affairs of United States citizens, churches, and voluntary associations without even the formality of a subpoena; establish legislative committees to press for legislation protecting constitutional freedoms; and work with other groups toward the same ends.

RIGHTS OF REPORTERS AND HISTORIANS — 1973

(GEN)

WHEREAS, fewer than twenty states in the United States have enacted “shielding” legislation and there is no federal legislation of this kind at all in the United States; and WHEREAS, the courts, including the US Supreme Court, have denied reporters and historians the right to refuse to disclose sources of information; and WHEREAS, recently some persons have been jailed for refusal to disclose sources of information; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges that state and federal legislation be enacted in the United States to protect reporters, historians, medical doctors and clergy from prosecution for declining to disclose the sources of their information received in confidence.

Civil Liberties - page 7 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CENSORSHIP AND OBSCENITY LAWS — 1974

(GEN)

WHEREAS, US Supreme Court decisions announced on June 24, 1974 have returned the Supreme Court to a case-by-case determination of what is deemed obscene and have thereby reinstated a process which inevitably results in great uncertainty in that area; and WHEREAS, the Supreme Court on June 24 sanctioned the application by federal jurors of their own view of what the average person in the community deems to be obscene, with the result that written and visual material must now be tailored to the standard of the most repressive locality or run the risk of being banned or confiscated; and WHEREAS, in numerous states during the past three months there have been widespread introduction and consideration of repressive obscenity laws; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1974 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Expresses deep concern at the trend of the recent decisions of the US Supreme Court toward case-by-case determination; 2. Opposes the repressive trend in recent state censorship legislation; and 3. Strongly affirms the right of adults to decide what they should read, hear, and see free from official censorship, as has been recommended by the President’s Commission on Obscenity and Pornography.

FREEDOM OF PRESS — 1974

(BUS)

WHEREAS, it has been one of the strongest traditions of our Unitarian Universalist religious movement to honor freedom of the press; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist World is described in the 1974 Directory of the UUA as “intended to strengthen communication between individual UU’s, member societies, and the Association . . . and to present a positive representation of Unitarian Universalism including diversity and balance”; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That to insure and implement the concepts honored above, freedom of the press and diversity and balance, the 1974 General Assembly urges the Board of Trustees to reaffirm a policy of encouraging the Editor and staff of the UU World to seek and report criticisms, alternative opinions, and background information concerning current UUA matters.

Civil Liberties - page 8 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

AGAINST GOVERNMENT HARASSMENT — 1976

(GEN)

WHEREAS, it has become public knowledge, as a result of investigative journalism and of subsequent Congressional hearings, that government agencies including the CIA, the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the Internal Revenue Service have indulged in illegal activities or the misuse of otherwise legal functions for the purpose of suppressing dissent; WHEREAS, harassment, disruption, dissemination of false statements, and the use of anonymous letters and planted articles to defame dissenters have been employed extensively; WHEREAS, connections between those interfered with and any credible threat to the security of the United States have been non-existent or tenuous in many cases; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1976 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association condemns the use of government agencies including the CIA, FBI, and state and local police to engage in actions, whether or not legal, intended to harass, disrupt, and otherwise interfere with the activities of individuals or organizations expressing dissent by any means of peaceful demonstration. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1976 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon Congress to continue to investigate and publicize past acts so that the public may recognize the extent of such actions designed to suppress freedom of speech and assembly in contradiction of the principles of the First Amendment to the Constitution, and to institute such mandatory reporting by government agencies to, and oversight by, Congress as may be necessary to prevent such excesses in the future.

FTC FUNERAL REGULATIONS — 1976

(GEN)

Because of our concern for freedom of conscience and the respect which should be accorded all persons at time of death, and because of our belief that people should be able to choose under fair and informed circumstances funeral arrangements which are in accord with their own personal, financial, social, and spiritual needs; THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UUA URGES the adoption and implementation of proposed US Federal Trade Commission regulations which prohibit: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Requiring caskets for immediate cremations; Misrepresenting legal or public health necessities; Disparaging the customer’s concern about prices; Failing to display least expensive caskets; Obtaining custody of or embalming bodies without written or oral permission from a family member; 6. Interfering with the customer’s selection of offered items; 7. Failing to furnish a price list of all caskets available for purchase and failing to show the price prominently on each casket displayed; and 8. Failing to furnish prior to the customer’s decision an itemized price list of goods and services from which the customer is free to select only desired items.

Civil Liberties - page 9 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

FBI/CIA CHARTERS — 1980

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association and its member societies have a longstanding commitment to use their power self-consciously and explicitly in the interests of their ideas; and WHEREAS, we believe that escalated international turmoil and violence are moving our government toward increased repression of dissident opinion and groups; and WHEREAS, we further believe that the rights defined in the First Amendment guaranteeing freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and redress of grievances must be protected; and WHEREAS, Congress is considering new FBI and CIA charters which would dangerously increase their power and make the agencies far less accountable and more secretive; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association opposes passage of the FBI and CIA charters in a form which would represent any subversion of the Bill of Rights.

INTELIGENCE CHARTERS — 1980

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the US Congress is now considering proposals on a new charter for the federal intelligence community; and WHEREAS, US intelligence agencies have used American and foreign clergy and church workers for clandestine operations and information collection; and WHEREAS, the 1976 UUA General Assembly adopted a general resolution condemning harassment by the CIA, FBI, and other agencies of government; and WHEREAS, serious First Amendment questions are raised by the intelligence community's use of clergy, church workers and missionaries as informants; and WHEREAS, a prohibition against use of clergy by US intelligence gathering and law enforcement agencies has not been enacted into law and is not included in the proposals before Congress for charter revisions; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the UUA Board of Trustees urges the Congress to include in the charter of all US intelligence gathering and law enforcement agencies a specific prohibition against: 1. Recruiting or employing members of the clergy, church workers, and missionaries — US or foreign — as informants or agents in any capacity at home or overseas; 2. Impersonating clergy, church workers or missionaries; and 3. Establishing entities purporting to be churches, church agencies or religious organizations.

Civil Liberties - page 10 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

REPRESSIVE LEGISLATION — 1980

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association and its member societies have a longstanding commitment to use their power self-consciously and explicitly in the interests of their ideas; and WHEREAS, we believe that escalated international turmoil and violence are moving our government toward increased repression of dissident opinions and groups; and WHEREAS, we further believe that the rights defined in the First Amendment guaranteeing freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and redress of grievances must be protected; and WHEREAS, the United States Congress in order to revise the criminal code is considering an omnibus bill know as S-1722 which includes dangerously oppressive features; and WHEREAS, it is practically impossible to revise or amend this omnibus bill to protect and guarantee First Amendment rights; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association oppose the omnibus approach to criminal code revision and urge such revision be accomplished by the increment method on a section-by-section basis with full debate and discussion of each and every provision.

Civil Liberties - page 11 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SANCTUARY AND GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE — 1985

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the 1984 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association commended the Sanctuary Movement to the churches and fellowships in our Association; and WHEREAS, the federal government of the United States has sent government agents and paid informers with tape recorders and wireless equipment to spy on church services where refugees have been in attendance and been ministered to, and has used the information thus gained to testify against those attending and the leaders of those church services, and has arrested and brought indictments against sixteen church workers including two priests, four nuns, a Protestant minister and several lay church workers, including Wendy LeWin, a Unitarian Universalist; and WHEREAS, this calculated invasion of the sanctity of the church has caused a serious disruption of the church life of the congregants and ministers in the churches so invaded; and WHEREAS, Dr. Eugene Pickett, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, acting on its behalf, has joined religious leaders representing other denominations in bringing suit against the federal government seeking a prohibition of such invasion of the churches by federal agents; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1985 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association commends Dr. Pickett for this timely leadership and commends the more than thirty Unitarian Universalist congregations and the many individual Unitarian Universalists involved in the Sanctuary Movement, including our sister, Wendy LeWin; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly reaches across the denominational lines that separate us to join with the inductees and to commend them for the special ministry to the refugees from Central America; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges the delegates here assembled to contribute generously to the legal defense of the indictees and Unitarian Universalist churches and fellowships to set aside September 15, 1985, the Sunday preceding the projected opening of the trial against those indicted (or another Sunday in September), as Sanctuary Sunday and as an occasion to bring to the members of each congregation the facts of the Sanctuary Movement, to celebrate the oneness of Unitarian Universalists with and support of the indictees, and to take up a special collection on that Sunday to be sent to Arizona Sanctuary Defense Fund, c/o UUA Social Responsibility Section, to help defray the legal expenses of those indicted.

Civil Liberties - page 12 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

AGAINST CENSORSHIP IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS — 1988

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists have historically affirmed the value of public education in a pluralistic society; and BECAUSE: We believe that free inquiry strengthens minds in the individual search for knowledge; and WHEREAS, recent history shows a continuing series of attacks on access to information and ideas in the classroom as well as attempts to promote sectarian ideology in public education at national, state, provincial, and school-district levels; and Strategies are being pursued to eliminate from public school curricula any material considered by some parents to be offensive to their own religious beliefs; and WHEREAS, a broad-based, multicultural public school system requires that teaching instruments, including textbooks, film, video, speakers, and student publications exhibit a varied and open exposition of historical, scientific, and cultural fact; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association, mindful of the roles played by religious movements throughout our history, encourages its members to affirm that educational excellence rather than the promotion of sectarian ideology is the proper business of public education and calls upon congregations and individual members: 1. To educate themselves and the public on censorship and sectarian interference in education; 2. To organize groups to monitor religious intrusions affecting public schools, especially curricula and educational materials; 3. To encourage teachers, parents, students, librarians, and other school officials and community residents to remain vigilant in the fact of censorship challenges; 4. To advocate laws, regulations, and policies in educational, legislative, and judicial arenas ensuring freedom from sectarian based censorship of curriculum and extra-curricular activities, which include student publications; 5. To oppose vigorously efforts to make public education conform to any group’s sectarian beliefs; and 6. To support the development of curricula designed to teach the historic and cultural influence of religious movements and religious motivation while excluding the teaching of specific sectarian doctrine.

Civil Liberties - page 13 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

THE TRAVEL RIGHTS OF HIV-INFECTED PEOPLE — 1989

(RIW)

WHEREAS, the 1989 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association has passed a resolution entitled AIDS/HIV CRISIS that condemns discrimination against people living with AIDS; WHEREAS, there is no evidence to prove that Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can be transmitted by casual contact, and a great deal of evidence to suggest that it cannot be so transmitted; WHEREAS, agencies of the United States government continue to harass people who are HIV-infected, specifically including: 1. The imprisonment and deportation of HIV-infected people attempting to travel through the United States in order to attend the Fifth International AIDS conference in Montreal; and 2. The imprisonment and deportation of HIV-infected people attempting to enter the United States for treatment or to participate in research programs; and WHEREAS, the Sixth International AIDS Conference is scheduled to be held in San Francisco in June 1990, and full participation of HIV-infected people is necessary for the advancement of scientific research on the treatment and causes of HIV infection; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1989 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association condemns such interference with the rights of HIV-infected people; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this 1989 General Assembly calls upon the president of the Association to communicate to the President of the United States, the Attorney General of the United States, and the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service our distress at this continued harassment, and to demand that enforcement of the Helms Amendment, under which these actions are being taken, be suspended to allow HIV-infected people to travel freely.

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RIGHTS OF PRIVACY AND FREE SPEECH — 1991

(RIW)

WHEREAS, the Supreme Court of the United States on May 23, l99l, upheld a Bush Administration regulation which withholds all funding provided under Title X of the Public Health Service Act from any family planning agency whose physicians and educators advise their clients or patients of their option to obtain an abortion; and WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists in the United States challenge any threat to the fundamental and constitutional right of free speech and the right to privacy established in the United States Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade; and WHEREAS, we believe in a woman’s right to discuss medical matters with her physician and other health care professionals; and WHEREAS, we believe in health care providers’ rights and obligations to advise their patients about problem pregnancy options, including abortion; and WHEREAS, we believe that, regardless of income, every person has the right to all reproductive health information and basic services; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the l99l General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses its outrage over the invasion of free speech and privacy as implemented by the Bush Administration’s withholding of Title X monies from family planning agencies which educate or advise their clients of the option of abortion; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the l99l General Assembly urges all Unitarian Universalist congregations in the United States and their members to immediately contact their Representatives and Senators and urge them to: 1. Enact legislation (presently SB323 and HR392) which will ensure that birth control information and counselling about problem pregnancy options, including abortion, be made available to women; and 2. Pass this legislation without restrictive amendments that would require parental notification or consent.

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CIVIL LIBERTIES — 2004

(SOC)

PREAMBLE Liberty is at the core of our Unitarian Universalist faith. Civil liberties are at the heart of our American experiment in democracy. Those civil liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, Amendments I through X to the Constitution of the United States of America, are as fundamental to our practice of democracy as freedom of conscience is to our actions of faith. Civil liberties carry a history of conflict and struggle between rights for all and privilege for some, between individual liberty and general security, between personal need and the common good, between the aspiration to reason and tolerance and the inclination to scapegoat and punish. Our democracy has the ability to balance these competing claims. Democratic process is at the heart of Unitarian Universalism. Our Unitarian Universalist Principles are grounded in freedom, reason, and tolerance. Ours is a tradition that has sought to uphold the sanctity of the individual voice. We have affirmed that human beings need not adhere to the same beliefs or draw upon the same sources of meaning to discern the common good. BACKGROUND As Unitarian Universalists, we look to American history, the history of our faith movement, and our shared Principles and Purposes to help us determine the appropriate balance between freedom and security. Prophetic people of all faiths have been instrumental in defending liberty throughout history. We stand on the shoulders of those who have fought to uphold civil liberties. Civil liberties are also essential to the free expression and practice of our faith tradition and to the diversity of faith traditions in America. They are further essential to our ability as citizens to fully engage the political process and hold our leaders accountable. Unitarian Universalists are gravely concerned with the current erosion of American civil liberties. Our criminal justice system has seen increases in police brutality, harsher sentencing, racial profiling, and a call by our leaders for quicker resort to the death penalty. The “War on Drugs” has given the United States the dubious distinction of having the highest incarceration rate among economically advanced nations. Federal funding for faith-based initiatives has threatened religious liberty by compromising the independence and equality of different religious groups. The attacks of September 11, 2001, created a climate of fear that has escalated these threats to our liberties and made possible an ill-defined “War on Terrorism.” The message from our government is that the United States cannot be both safe and free. Building on a pre-September 11 current of diminished civil liberties, the USA PATRIOT Act was signed into law on October 26, 2001. This Act permits the unlimited detention and deportation of foreign nationals on the basis of suspicion and without due process of law. It redefines the scope of terrorism law to include domestic associations, rendering citizen organizations, including communities of faith, subject to secret surveillance and investigation. It allows the FBI to investigate American citizens without probable cause if the agents consider it for “intelligence purposes.” It permits law enforcement agencies to conduct secret searches, including phone and Internet surveillance, and grants access to medical, banking, employment, library, and other personal records with fewer considerations of due process. Dissent has been branded as unpatriotic and tantamount to aiding and abetting terrorism. Emboldened by the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, the administration of President George W. Bush has interrogated thousands of Arab and South Asian immigrants, incarcerated hundreds in the United States on minor immigration charges or material witness claims, and detained over 1,200 foreign nationals in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, without due process or compliance with the Geneva Convention. (continued on Civil Liberties – 1 7)

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CIVIL LIBERTIES (continued from Civil Liberties – 16)

Military tribunals have been empowered to convict suspected terrorists on the basis of hearsay and secret evidence and without independent judicial review. Individuals have been denied the ability to travel by airplane because they are on a government no-fly list. All this has happened in an oppressive political climate in which Unitarian Universalists and others have too frequently failed to raise voices of reason and forbearance. This failure is evidenced by the hundreds of people who have been arrested and subjected to excessive force and the denial of due process for exercising their constitutionally protected freedoms through lawful protests, rallies, vigils, and signage. Because so many of our global neighbors look to the United States as a model of democracy, the erosion of American civil liberties gives permission to governments elsewhere to similarly erode civil liberties. Freedom sacrificed for safety is no longer freedom. Americans discovered this in the aftermath of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, the infamous Palmer raids of 1920, the internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s. We are discovering it today. CALL TO ACTION As people of faith, and as Americans, we are called to action. We are called to reclaim our heritage as Unitarian Universalists and become vigilant stewards of our democracy. We are called as individuals, as congregations, and as an association of congregations to let our leaders know that some current policies are unacceptable. Therefore:  We hold public officials accountable and insist that they refrain from supporting policies and legislation that further limit civil liberties.  We demand that Attorney General John Ashcroft be held fully accountable for his advocacy of policies that have eroded civil liberties, including the refusal to provide constitutionally guaranteed legal representation to detained individuals, American citizens and non-citizens alike.  We urge Congressional oversight committees publicly to monitor federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies, including the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, to ensure that the excesses of the past do not become the norms of the future.  We demand repeal of the USA PATRIOT Act and call upon local officials to adopt resolutions urging its repeal and declaring their intention not to enforce its onerous provisions.  We oppose the proposed Domestic Security Enhancement Act (PATRIOT II), whether proposed as a separate legislative act or as parts of other legislation.  We oppose implementation of the “total information awareness” data-mining program of the Department of Defense; efforts to revive the Terrorism Information and Prevention System (“TIPS”) program of the Department of Justice, which sought to recruit Americans to spy on other Americans; and profiling based on nationality, ethnicity, or religion.  We oppose nominees to the federal appeals courts or the Supreme Court whose records demonstrate insensitivity to the protection of civil liberties.  We affirm the right of foreign nationals to due process and the presumption of innocence, and we oppose unwarranted tracking and reporting requirements that abridge those rights.  We appeal to public officials and the media to support constitutional protections enshrined in the Bill of Rights. We encourage adult education classes focused on the guarantees of the Bill of Rights and urge public and private schools to include this focus in their regular curricula.

(continued on Civil Liberties – 18)

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CIVIL LIBERTIES (continued from Civil Liberties – 18)

 We support the civil liberties activity of such organizations as the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Amnesty International USA, Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Center for Public Integrity, The Electronic Frontier Foundation, Human Rights First, The Interfaith Alliance, People for the American Way, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, and the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office. CONCLUSION Nearly every generation faces grave challenges to the liberties for which so many men and women have fought—the liberties for which many of our ancestors placed themselves in peril so that future generations could live in freedom. Balancing freedom and security is our challenge. Let us heed the words of Benjamin Franklin engraved on the base of the Statue of Liberty, “They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” The ultimate test of democracy is the will to protect the rights of whomever we deem “the other.” It is what matters most in a nation struggling to realize the promise of liberty and justice for all. It is a matter of conscience and faith.

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A CALL FOR SUPPORT AND A FAIR TRIAL FOR DR. SAMI AL-ARIAN—2005 (AIW) WHEREAS, the United States government has harassed Dr. Sami Al-Arian and eventually arrested him on charges of supporting terrorism due to his activities on behalf of Palestine; and WHEREAS, while awaiting trial, he was placed in solitary confinement in a maximum-security federal penitentiary for nearly two years, denied basic privileges, allowed limited visitations and access to attorneys, and subjected to strip searches and the harshest conditions of confinement; and WHEREAS, Amnesty International has condemned these conditions; and WHEREAS, Dr. Al-Arian was subsequently, but prior to receiving due process, fired from his position on the faculty of the University of South Florida and that this firing was condemned by the American Association of University Professors; and WHEREAS, Dr. Al-Arian has been denied a change of venue in his case, despite providing strong evidence that ten years of biased, inflammatory media coverage by the Tampa Tribune have prejudiced potential jurors; and WHEREAS, the love of liberty, respect for the presumption of innocence, support for fair judicial proceedings, and commitment to the dignity and humane treatment of everyone, including prisoners, are at the core of our Unitarian Universalist faith; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the United States government’s prosecution of Dr. Sami Al-Arian violates the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Statements of Conscience of 2004 on Civil Liberties and of 2005 on Criminal Justice and Prison Reform; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 2005 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations urges members and congregations to: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Inform others about the case by organizing educational forums and fundraisers in their areas; Communicate their support to Dr. Sami Al-Arian; Donate to his defense through the National Liberty Fund c/o Dr. Sami Al-Arian Fund; Ask their representatives in Congress to investigate Dr. Al-Arian’s case, end his solitary confinement, and support his release on bond during his trial; 5. Stay informed about other United States abuses of civil liberties and work to eliminate those abuses; and 6. Contact congressional representatives to advocate that the USA PATRIOT Act be limited, not expanded, and to specifically repeal the use of secret evidence (Section 215).

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DEFENDING AND EXPANDING FREEDOM OF THE AIRWAVES—2005

(AIW)

Open and diverse broadcasting is essential to a functioning democracy. In early June 2005, the United States Supreme Court allowed a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit to stand that found proposed deregulation of ownership rules by the Federal Communications Commission to be neither reasonable nor in the public interest. The George W. Bush Administration has cast doubt on the widely acclaimed fairness of the Public Broadcasting System and supports stripping it of federal funding. Increasing concentration of private ownership of commercial media has reduced the objectivity and diversity of public information, and the reputation and credibility of the Public Broadcasting System have become more important in this context. Therefore, the delegates to the 2005 General Assembly call upon the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, their individual members and friends, and affiliate organizations to pledge themselves to protect the integrity and independence of our public airwaves by working to: 1. Immediately communicate support for full funding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to our congressional representatives in the United States Congress; 2. Urge Congress to enact a moratorium on the further selling of publicly owned airwaves; 3. Communicate support to the Federal Communications Commission for broadening the diversity of broadcast ownership and protection of the public interest as it redrafts media ownership rules following the June 2005 Federal Court rulings; 4.

Advocate for reserving a substantial portion of the broadcast spectrum for publicly financed and non-profit broadcasting, both private and public, accountable to locally and/or regionally elected public commissions; and

Support the constitutional legal challenge of the Media Legal Project of Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community toward restructuring the broadcasting system in keeping with the First Amendment (freedom of the press) and the Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection under the law).

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE

1961 - Capital Punishment .............................................................................................. 2 1962 - Model Penal Code................................................................................................ 2 1964 - Acts of Terrorism.................................................................................................. 3 1965 - Narcotics Legislation ............................................................................................ 3 1966 - Capital Punishment .............................................................................................. 4 1970 - Legalization of Marijuana ..................................................................................... 4 1971 - Penal Reform ....................................................................................................... 5 1972 - Gun Control.......................................................................................................... 5 1973 - Drugs ................................................................................................................... 6 1974 - Death Penalty....................................................................................................... 6 1974 - Reform of Courts and Penal System.................................................................... 7 1975 - Criminal Justice.................................................................................................... 8 1976 - Handguns............................................................................................................. 9 1976 - Rejection of Senate Bill No. 1............................................................................... 9 1976 - Support of The Philip L. Allen Defense Committee ............................................ 10 1978 - Community-Based Correctional Programs......................................................... 10 1979 - Capital Punishment ............................................................................................ 11 1985 - Resolution on Bernhard Goetz ........................................................................... 11 1989 - The Execution of Minors and Those Who are Mentally Retarded ...................... 12 1991 - Gun Control........................................................................................................ 13 1991 - Substance Abuse............................................................................................... 14 2000 - End the Death Penalty ....................................................................................... 15 2000 - Handgun Legislation .......................................................................................... 16 2002 - Alternatives to the War on Drugs ....................................................................... 17 2004 - Renew the Assault Weapons Ban...................................................................... 20 2005 - Criminal Justice and Prison Reform ................................................................... 21

See related resolutions under under Children and Youth, International Peace and Conflict, Economic Justice, and Racial Justice.

Criminal Justice - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT — 1961

(GEN)

WHEREAS, respect for the value of every human life must be incorporated into our laws if it is to be observed by our people; and WHEREAS, modern justice should concern itself with rehabilitation, not retribution; and WHEREAS, it has not been proved that fear of capital punishment is a deterrent to crime; and WHEREAS, human judgements are not infallible, and no penalty should be used which cannot be revoked in case of error; and WHEREAS, capital punishment has not always been used impartially among all economic and racial groups in America; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its churches and fellowships in the United States and Canada to exert all reasonable efforts toward the elimination of capital punishment; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That copies of this resolution be sent to the Governors of all states in which capital punishment has not yet been eliminated, and to the Canadian Minister of Justice.

MODEL PENAL CODE — 1962

(GEN)

WHEREAS, a modern approach to criminal law has been needed in this country for many years; and WHEREAS, Unitarians and Universalists have for many years supported more humanitarian dealings with persons charged and convicted of crime in this country; and WHEREAS, the American Law Institute, after many years of study and consideration, has on the 24th day of May, 1962, at its meeting in Washington, DC, adopted a model penal code to be presented to lawmakers in the various states and the Congress for consideration and action; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association congratulate the American Law Institute upon the adoption of this Model Penal Code and urges that the member churches and fellowships and their members be urged in their citizenship capacity to urge their elected State and National Representatives to explore this Model Penal Code and consider its adoption as rapidly as possible.

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ACTS OF TERRORISM — 1964

(GEN)

The rise of violence in the political and social conflicts of American life endangers freedom of speech and assembly essential to democratic society. These freedoms and, in general, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are, and have been, federal rights of all citizens since the founding of the Republic. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: 1. The Unitarian Universalist Association petition President Johnson to appoint a commission to investigate the collapse of law in such acts of terrorism and to make remedial recommendations wherever constitutional rights are denied; 2. Local societies should urge police to invite the assistance of the FBI in any such cases; 3. Congress be petitioned to consider any necessary legislation which will give the Department of Justice jurisdiction in any such cases.

NARCOTICS LEGISLATION — 1965

(GEN)

WHEREAS, federal, state and city narcotics laws declare the habitual use of narcotics to be a crime, while narcotics addiction is considered by the medical profession to be an illness and by many psychiatrists and social scientists to be a personality disorder rooted in psycho-social factors; and WHEREAS, narcotics addicts are forced by such laws to the illegal procurement of narcotics at exorbitant prices to ease their suffering, which leads to crime to make such procurement possible, and encourages and supports the illegal traffic in narcotics; and WHEREAS, the flourishing illegal traffic in narcotics depends on, and actively works to develop, new addicts to maintain and expand the market; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges changes in existing narcotics laws in order to provide for: 1. The establishment of intake-referral centers to which all addicts apprehended by law-enforcement agencies would be taken in order that they be placed in rehabilitation centers; 2. A choice between imprisonment or a rehabilitation center for the addicted “pusher,” the “pusher” to be on probation if he chooses rehabilitation; and 3. A severe sentence to imprisonment for non-addict “pushers” and accomplices. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Association be directed and its members urged to take action to support this resolution whenever possible and that there be further study by the Association on this subject.

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CAPITAL PUNISHMENT — 1966

(GEN)

RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the complete abolition of capital punishment in all United States and Canadian jurisdictions; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association seek to encourage the governors of the states and the Canadian cabinet to pursue a policy of commuting death sentences until such time as capital punishment is abolished throughout the United States and Canada; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its member churches and fellowships to work for the formation of state councils affiliated with the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment, or work with such state councils where they already exist and to support the Canadian Society for the Abolition of the Death Penalty.

LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA — 1970

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the present local, state or provincial and federal laws in the United States and Canada regarding the growing, sale, trade, possession and consumption of cannibus sativa (marijuana) are based largely on public hysteria and myth, rather than on any established data about the effects of marijuana on the user; and WHEREAS, the present laws are making criminals of and causing undue and unjust punishment to many persons who have no criminal intent in the use of marijuana; and WHEREAS, the laws relating to marijuana are not uniform or uniformly enforced, and are being used as political weapons against those people, especially the young, who dissent in politics or lifestyle from the accepted norms of the two countries; and WHEREAS, as yet, no reliable research on the effects of marijuana has shown its use to be as hazardous to the public or the individual user as the use of tobacco, alcohol or many other stimulants and depressants legally available to the public; and WHEREAS, the laws relating to marijuana encourage its use in ways both dangerous to the public and the individual user as did the laws on prohibition in the United States in the early parts of this century; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1970 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Urges that all local, state or provincial and federal laws in the United States and Canada making the growing, sale, trade and possession of marijuana a criminal offense be immediately repealed; 2. Urges that restrictions on the use of marijuana be made similar to those laws on the use of alcoholic beverages; 3. Urges that any effects of the consumption of marijuana that may be found injurious to the user be handled by the proper psychological and medical care and not by criminal law; 4. Urges that amnesty be given to all persons convicted under present laws relating to the growing, sale, trade, possession and consumption of marijuana and that charges be dropped against all persons presently under indictment for violation of such laws; and 5. Urges the federal government of both countries to expand existing research and to establish the machinery whereby all available findings, statistics, and observations may be gathered and evaluated to provide an effective study of the legal, social and medical questions arising from the use of marijuana.

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PENAL REFORM — 1971

(GEN)

RECOGNIZING: That the rapid increase of violent crime accompanies a vast public ignorance and prejudice about its causes and methods of correction as seen by modern experts; NOTING: That the majority of persons arrested are males between 10-30 years suffering such social injustices as poverty, racism, poor education; FURTHER NOTING: That public pressure for punishment has resulted in barbaric prison and jail systems productive of more crime; BE IT RESOLVED: The General Assembly urges its members and member societies undertake programs to: 1. Educate members and non-members on the failure and inhumanity of punishment and on existing local, state and federal detention facilities and prisons; 2. Stimulate reforms of the present systems of criminal law and justice, giving emphasis to all rehabilitative services; and 3. Reform practices of pre-trial justice, including bail bond programs or others where local efforts can have substantial effect.

GUN CONTROL — 1972

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1972 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association recommends uniform gun legislation as follows: 1. Licensing for the purchase and possession of all usable guns; 2. Gun registration-holding owners legally accountable for all their guns and registrars legally accountable for privacy of records; 3. Federal, state, provincial and local codes for responsible gun ownership regarding how they are kept, knowledge of proper use and to whom they may be transferred; 4. Sound standards for the responsible use of guns by law enforcement agencies; 5. Restriction of ownership and possession of concealable handguns to persons showing a specific need, such as law enforcement officers and security guards; and 6. Strong legislation forbidding use of “drop guns” by law enforcement officers.

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DRUGS — 1973

(GEN)

WHEREAS, heroin and other drug addictions have become a modern plague in which every victim becomes a source of contagion; and WHEREAS, heroin addiction is spreading rapidly today, especially among the younger generation and the poor; and WHEREAS, the effort to control heroin addiction by outlawry and strict law enforcement has not reduced heroin addiction, but, by making it extremely profitable, has increased it many times; and WHEREAS, this has led to a disastrous breakdown and corruption of our entire law enforcement and judicial process and to a vast increase in street violence and crime, jeopardizing the future existence of our metropolitan cities themselves; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the governments of the United States and Canada: 1. To give first priority to stopping the traffic in heroin and other addictive drugs at the source, rather than emphasizing the prosecution of drug users; 2. To give priority research into the underlying causes and possible cure of addiction to heroin and other addictive drugs in common use; 3. To place a major emphasis upon eliminating the social conditions like poverty, unemployment, and racial discrimination which may feed addiction; 4. To establish in every metropolitan area government-owned and operated clinics where addicts may register and receive free voluntary treatment with a wide range of services aimed at eliminating the addiction, including counseling, therapy, therapeutic communities, referral services, methadone maintenance, or where necessary, heroin maintenance, all under medical supervision; and 5. To mount appropriate international efforts to restrict the flow of addictive drugs at their source.

DEATH PENALTY — 1974

(GEN)

WHEREAS, at this time, even though there has been no execution in the United States for the past seven years, twenty-eight states have already passed legislation seeking to re-establish capital punishment; and WHEREAS, the act of execution of the death penalty by government sets an example of violence; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1974 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association continues to oppose the death penalty in the United States and Canada, and urges all Unitarian Universalists and their local churches and fellowships to oppose any attempts to restore or continue it in any form.

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REFORM OF COURTS AND PENAL SYSTEM — 1974

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the present court and penal systems have failed in their purpose of rehabilitation, have in fact damaged personalities and wholesome human values, and have resulted in a high rate of recidivism; and WHEREAS, we, who “affirm, defend, and promote the supreme worth of every human personality,” wish to give every individual a chance for fulfillment; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1974 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges and supports a massive reform of the various systems of criminal justice which will include but not be limited to: 1. Provisions allowing judges the time and resources necessary to make sound decisions without resort to procedural shortcuts which frequently jeopardize both the rights of the accused and the safety of society, these resources to include authority to order, where feasible, compensation to the victim by those directly responsible; 2. Reducing jail and other prison populations through provisions for community-based correctional programs and other alternatives to incarceration. Until such steps are taken a moratorium on the construction of new jails and prisons should be instituted by local, state, provincial and federal authorities; 3. Adoption and implementation by all correctional institutions, authorities and planning bodies, of a prisoner’s bill of rights for detainees as well as convicted prisoners; 4. Provision of a full range of mental health services, vocational training, basic education, rehabilitation, effective employment programs and other programs to enhance re-entry into the community for the voluntary participation of any persons under the full or partial control of the “criminal justice system.” Non-participation in such programs should not be prejudicial; 5. Reform of our criminal statutes to decriminalize all so-called “victimless crimes”; and 6. Elimination of indeterminate sentences. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the member churches and fellowships and the members of churches and fellowships concern themselves with these problems in their respective states, provinces and communities and take appropriate action.

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE — 1975

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the most effective and just basis for social change starts with empowerment of those people who suffer most grievously; and WHEREAS, instrumental control over the material and spiritual elements of life promotes autonomy and the opportunity for self-fulfillment; and WHEREAS, every life is indeed infinite in dignity and promise; and WHEREAS, the current prosecution, court and penal practices frequently translate political, social, and economic problems into personal and psychiatric problems, thus justifying increased control and repression; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1975 General Assembly of the UUA urges and supports the continuing involvement in specific action projects by member churches and fellowships which include, but are not limited to: 1. Seeking a coordinated community-based system of alternatives to incarceration, especially at the pre-trial stage, to increase the possibility that initial contact with the law will not result in arrest, trial, or conviction; 2. Monitoring ongoing and planned social service programs and facilities to insure the equitable distribution of resources between women and men offenders; 3. Seeking to abolish institutional consideration of homosexual behavior or orientation as evidence of criminality or illness; 4. Promoting the adoption of legislation to prohibit employment and housing discrimination against parolees, probationers, or former prisoners unless a logical and substantial relationship between the crime of conviction and the specific duties of a job are proved by the employer; 5. Promoting the establishment of minimum wages for work done by employed prisoners where employment is determined by facts indicating that the prisoner is regularly performing the type of work that non-prisoners perform in the institution and that his or her work is of consequential economic benefit to the institution; 6. Seeking the elimination of all therapeutic or experimental practices which are coercive in nature or which physically violate incarcerated persons (included in this category would be psychosurgery, most drug experimentation, aversion conditioning, pentothal interviews, electroshock, and behavior modification programs which employ the denial of basic prisoners’ rights); and 7. Seeking the restructuring of therapy programs whereby prisoners can contract voluntarily with independent, private therapists for services and professional monitoring of existing research facilities and programs in prison and jails with respect to minimum national standards for experimentation with human subjects and sound psychiatric methodology.

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HANDGUNS — 1976

(GEN)

WHEREAS, nearly three out of four murders are impulsively committed by previously law-abiding citizens during arguments with family members or their acquaintances; as WHEREAS, for every robber stopped by a homeowner with a handgun, four homeowners or members of their family are killed in gun accidents; as WHEREAS, the US Supreme Court has repeatedly held (most recently in 1939 upholding the 1938 National Firearms Act) that the Second Amendment to the US Constitution only prohibits Congress from restricting the right of each state to maintain an armed militia and does not create a right for individuals to own guns; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1976 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges upon the government of the United States the passage of legislation which would prohibit ownership or possession of all handguns, except for: law enforcement officers; members of the armed forces; guards and messengers while on duty; licensed pistol clubs for on-premise use; owners of permanently inoperable handguns; and manufacturers, wholesalers, and dealers as merchandise onl; and. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That such legislation provide for strict control of handgun ammunition and specify security measures to guard against theft or exempted handguns and ammunition, a six-month period wherein handguns may be surrendered in return for reasonable compensation, and that the unlawful possession of a handgun shall be made a felony.

REJECTION OF SENATE BILL NO. 1 — 1976

(GEN)

WHEREAS, Senate Bill #1, the Criminal Justice Reform Act of 1975, in attempting to reform the outdated US Criminal Code, has presented us with an unparalleled threat to individual liberties, especially in disregard of the First Amendment; and WHEREAS, the bill is a massive, complicated measure so pervasively flawed it is inherently unamendable; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1976 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon Congress to reject this legislation; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the member societies of the Unitarian Universalist Association and the members of the societies be urged to communicate their concern to Congress.

Criminal Justice - page 9 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORT OF THE PHILIP L. ALLEN DEFENSE COMMITTEE — 1976

(GEN)

WHEREAS, Philip L. Allen, an active member of the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles and a student at Los Angeles City College, has been convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputy; and WHEREAS, following Philip’s conviction Judge Rittenband revoked his bail because Philip continued to proclaim his innocence. The ACLU then entered the case and won reinstatement of Philip’s bail; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1976 General Assembly urges that the State of California begin an impartial investigation into the prosecution and trial of Philip Allen, and that Unitarian Universalists who believe in his innocence support the Philip L. Allen Defense Committee.

COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS — 1978

(GEN)

WHEREAS, community-based correctional programs (probation, parole, pretrial intervention, halfway houses, work releases, etc.) are approximately six times less expensive than incarceration in prisons; and WHEREAS, the rate of recidivism is very high for those let out of prison (80 percent of all felonies are committed by repeaters), and when offenders are placed in jobs, which is more likely under communitybased programs, their rate of recidivism is two to three times less than that of offenders who do not receive job assistance; and WHEREAS, many experts, including correction officials, say that only 20 to 30 percent of present inmates represent a danger to society and need to be securely confined; and WHEREAS, there are many examples of successful locally involved community-based programs (Saginaw Project, Michigan; California Probation Subsidy Programs; Sacramento and Stockton Community Treatment Project, etc.); and WHEREAS, community-based programs with community involvement provide a more humane approach to the problem and facilitate the reintegration of the offender into society; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly urges the Unitarian Universalist Association to support and encourage the use of community-based, community-involved correction programs as an alternative to incarceration in prison and urges that its member societies do the same; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges that descriptions of potential and existing community-based projects be submitted to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee where they will be available for review by member societies as a resource of alternatives to incarceration.

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CAPITAL PUNISHMENT — 1979

(GEN)

WHEREAS, General Assemblies of the Unitarian Universalist Association have opposed capital punishment by resolutions in 1961, 1966, and 1974; and WHEREAS, the aforementioned resolutions have urged complete abolition of capital punishment as inconsistent with respect for human life; for its retributive, discriminatory, and non-deterrent character; and opposed its restoration or continuance in any form; and WHEREAS, the State of Florida has declared its intent to proceed with the executions of those under the capital sentence in Florida prisons, numbering more than one hundred, and having begun with the execution of John Spenkelink on May 25, 1979; and WHEREAS, the Florida example may become precedent for a new wave of capital punishment in numerous other states; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Governor of the State of Florida to commute all existing death sentences; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly urges Governors of all other states similarly to commute death sentences and to prevent the restoration or continuance of capital punishment in any form.

RESOLUTION ON BERNHARD GOETZ — 1985

(BD)

VOTED: That the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association, gathered in Regular Session, has taken note of the Bernhard Goetz matter; and While not second guessing the New York Grand Jury's evaluation of the evidence in this situation, or minimizing either the many sociological factors bearing on and, perhaps, leading to the incident in question, or what many citizens in New York feel are serious failures in the preservation of public safety, the Board expresses its condemnation of: 1. What appears to be an excessive response to the bearer of an illegal handgun; 2. The widespread glorification of this action by the media and many individual citizens; and 3. The extent to which this public support of the taking of the law into his own hands by an individual undercuts our entire system of laws and the responsible maintenance of public order. The Board further wishes to express support of those public officials, television, radio and newspaper reporters and commentators, and ordinary citizens who have stood up for the values and benefits of civilized discipline, and against the encouragement of our basest instincts of retribution.

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THE EXECUTION OF MINORS AND THOSE WHO ARE MENTALLY RETARDED — 1989 (GEN) WHEREAS, President Schulz spoke in his report to the Assembly about the neglect of youth and the need for racial justice in our society; WHEREAS, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists have in the past voiced their opposition to the death penalty; and WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court on June 26, 1989 ruled that the execution of minors from 16 years of age as well as those persons who are determined to be mentally retarded is not a violation of the United States Constitution; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1989 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association express its opposition to this decision; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges Congress and state legislators to protect these classes of individuals.

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GUN CONTROL — 1991

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth of every human life; and BECAUSE: Safe coexistence within society requires reasonable compromise with the concept of absolute personal liberty; and WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association passed, in 1972, a resolution advocating mandatory licensing for the purchase and possession of all usable guns and, in 1976, a resolution urging the passage of legislation restricting the ownership or possession of handguns; and WHEREAS, in the United States legislation regarding firearms varies widely from state to state; and WHEREAS, according to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in a report covering the period 1986-1988: 1. Firearms are a leading cause of accidental death among children ages 14 and under in the United States; 2. An estimated 130 million firearms exist in the United States, one for every two households; and 3. Every year there are over 1 million “gun incidents,” including nearly 11,000 murders involving firearms, 15,000 suicides, 1,900 accidental deaths, 175,000 criminal assaults committed with firearms, 221,000 armed robberies, 90,000 forcible rapes, and over 200,000 gun-related injuries; and WHEREAS, many consumer products sold in North America are regulated to protect the public from hazards associated with their use; and WHEREAS, machine guns and semi-automatic and automatic assault weapons are highly powerful weapons designed for the efficient destruction of life; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association, its member congregations, and individual Unitarian Universalists be encouraged to petition legislators to enact and support laws such as: 1. The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1991 (HR7) in the United States, which is intended to place nationally uniform, effective limitations on individual possession of handguns, including waiting periods, licensing, and registration; 2. The “Mitchell Compromise”; and 3. Bill C-80 (1991) in Canada, which is intended to make the purchase of firearms more difficult; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association, its member congregations, and individual Unitarian Universalists be urged to petition legislators to include safety training programs as a mandatory condition that must be met before firearms can be owned and used; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association, its member congregations, and individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States be urged to petition legislators to enact and support laws banning private ownership or use of machine guns and semi-automatic and automatic assault weapons.

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SUBSTANCE ABUSE — 1991

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm the worth and dignity of every individual; and BECAUSE: We affirm justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, substance abuse is a prevalent response to economic, social, and psychological realities; and WHEREAS, substance abuse is hazardous to individuals and society; and WHEREAS, attempts to deal with substance abuse which do not address the underlying causes of abuse must ultimately fail; and WHEREAS, the United States’ “War on Drugs,” which emphasizes the interdiction of supply and criminalization of use, has: 1. Not been effective; 2. Fostered an illegal market with criminal side effects as harmful as the addictions themselves; 3. Resulted in violations of civil liberties; 4. Resulted in interference in the internal affairs of other countries; and 5. Wasted resources which could have been used for education, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation; and WHEREAS, decriminalization and legalization of controlled substances are subjects of debate in the United States; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association encourage its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States to call upon the United States government to change the emphasis of its “War on Drugs”; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association, its member congregations, and individual Unitarian Universalists be urged to call upon all people and governments to: 1. Address the underlying economic, social, and psychological conditions which give rise to substance abuse; 2. Increase education on the hazards of substance abuse; 3. Increase research on effective methods of prevention and treatment; 4. Increase funding for treatment and rehabilitation of substance abusers; and 5. Enable growers in source countries to replace drug crops with other economically rewarding crops; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association promote the examination of the ethical and social ramifications of decriminalization and legalization of controlled substances; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association, through its Departments of Social Justice and Religious Education, develop educational materials for all ages about substance abuse; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association, its member congregations, and individual Unitarian Universalists be encouraged to facilitate drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs and promote their formation in their communities, offering subsidized meeting rooms when possible.

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END THE DEATH PENALTY — 2000

(AIW)

As the 39th Annual General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association held its Opening Ceremony the evening of June 22, 2000, Gary Graham was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas, the 222nd person to be executed in Texas since that state reinstated the death penalty eighteen years ago, and the 135th person to be executed in that state in the past five years. Gary Graham, an African American, was convicted of murder nineteen years ago, as a teenager, on the testimony of a single witness. Multiple appeals were filed on his behalf at state and federal levels. They were repeatedly denied. Graham did not go gently to his death. Claiming innocence to the end, he fought legally, physically, spiritedly. Malcolm X was the inspiration for his final words: "There'll be one hundred more years of lynching unless we do something fast and by any means necessary." The State of Tennessee, on April 19, 2000, carried out the death penalty for the first time in forty years. There is reason to fear that, having broken this precedent, Tennessee will move forward rapidly in capital punishment cases. Since the death penalty was declared constitutional by the United States Supreme Court in 1976, the number of states exercising the death penalty and the number of prisoners executed have increased yearly. A similarly increasing number of religious and secular organizations, as well as public officials, have questioned the fairness of the death penalty. A moratorium on executions in Illinois was recently issued by the Governor of that state. Too many capital convictions had been overturned to permit his conscience to stay clear if one more person took that long walk. Holding capital punishment as inconsistent with human life on account of its retributive, discriminatory, and non-deterrent character, General Assemblies of the Unitarian Universalist Association have opposed capital punishment restoration or continuance in any form (1961, 1966, 1974, and 1979). How much longer will we, as a nation aspiring to democracy and fair play, condone capital punishment? How much longer will we, as a nation aspiring to liberty and justice for all, condone the ultimate loss of liberty for so many, whose numbers include a disproportionate percentage of persons of color? As a community of faith promoting justice, equity, and compassion in human relations, we call for an end to the death penalty. The 2000 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges: 1. 2. 3.

The Governor of the State of Tennessee to commute all existing death sentences; Governors of all other states to similarly commute death sentences and to prevent the restoration or continuance of capital punishment in any form; and Its member congregations to engage actively in efforts to eliminate the death penalty, to work with other organizations in this effort, and to increase efforts to persuade governors to forego capital punishment.

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HANDGUN LEGISLATION — 2000

(AIW)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists believe in the worth and dignity of everyone and have respect for all life; and WHEREAS, General Assemblies of the Unitarian Universalist Association have proposed national handgun legislation in past years (1972, 1976, 1991); and WHEREAS, handguns are too easily available in the United States through gun shows and second-party purchases; and WHEREAS, the number of deaths and injuries in the United States as a result of handguns, whether intentional or unintentional, is many times greater than in any other industrialized nation in the world; and WHEREAS, the number of suicides by handguns in the United States exceeds the number of other deaths involving handguns; and WHEREAS, handgun owners need to be held responsible for the possession of handguns and consequences of their use, which process will be facilitated by handgun registration; THEREFORE: The 2000 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its member congregations to demand federal legislation requiring registration and licensing of handguns and to urge the passing of legislation applicable to handguns such as H.R. 4066, a bill currently under consideration in the United States House of Representatives, the passing of which would result in improved oversight of current gun laws.

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ALTERNATIVES TO THE WAR ON DRUGS — 2002

(SOC)

OUR CALL TO END THE “WAR ON DRUGS” AS A MATTER OF CONSCIENCE For more than thirty years, American public policy has advanced an escalating “war on drugs” that seeks to eradicate illegal drugs from our society. It is increasingly clear that this effort has failed. Our current drug policy has consumed tens of billions of dollars and wrecked countless lives. The costs of this policy include the increasing breakdown of families and neighborhoods, endangerment of children, widespread violation of civil liberties, escalating rates of incarceration, political corruption, and the imposition of United States policy abroad. For United States taxpayers, the price tag on the drug offensive has soared from $66 million in 1968 to almost $20 billion in 2000, an increase of over 30,000 percent. In practice the drug war disproportionately targets people of color and people who are poverty-stricken. Coercive measures have not reduced drug use, but they have clogged our criminal justice system with non-violent offenders. It is time to explore alternative approaches and to end this costly war. The war on drugs has blurred the distinction between drug use and drug abuse. Drug use is erroneously perceived as behavior that is always out of control and harmful to others. Illegal drug use is thus portrayed as threatening to society. As a result, drug policy has been closed to study, discussion, and consideration of alternatives by legislative bodies. Yet many people who use both legal and illegal drugs live productive, functional lives and do no harm to society. As Unitarian Universalists committed to a free and responsible search for truth, we must protest the misguided policies that shape current practice. We cannot in good conscience remain quiet when it is becoming clear that we have been misled for decades about illegal drugs. United States government drug policy makers mislead the world about the purported success of the war on drugs. They tell the public that success is dependent upon even more laws restricting constitutional protections and the allocation of billions of dollars for drug law enforcement. They mislead the public about the extent of corruption and environmental degradation that the American war on drugs has left in its wake in other countries. As Unitarian Universalists committed to affirming the inherent worth and dignity of every person and to justice, equity, and compassion in human relations, we call for thoughtful consideration and implementation of alternatives that regard the reduction of harm as the appropriate standard by which to assess drug policies. We seek a compassionate reduction of harm associated with drugs, both legal and illegal, with special attention to the harm unleashed by policies established in the war on drugs. As Unitarian Universalists committed to respecting the interdependent web of existence of which we are a part, we find irresponsible and morally wrong the practices of scorching the earth and poisoning the soil and ground water in other countries to stop the production of drugs that are illegal in the United States. As a community of faith, Unitarian Universalists have both a moral imperative and a personal responsibility to ask the difficult questions that so many within our society are unable, unwilling, or too afraid to ask. In asking these questions and in weighing our findings, we are compelled to consider a different approach to national drug policy. A DIFFERENT APPROACH To conceive and develop a more just and compassionate drug policy, it is necessary to transform how we view drugs and particularly drug addiction. Drug use, drug abuse, and drug addiction are distinct from one another. Using a drug does not necessarily mean abusing the drug, much less becoming addicted to it. Drug abuse issues are essentially matters for medical attention. We do not believe that drug use should be considered criminal behavior. Advocates for harsh drug policies with severe penalties for drug use often cite violent crime as a direct result of drug use. Drugs alone do not cause crime. Legal prohibition of drugs leads to inflated street value, which in turn incites violent turf wars among distributors. The whole pattern is reminiscent of the proliferation of organized crime at the time of alcohol prohibition in the early twentieth century. (Continued on Criminal Justice – 18)

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ALTERNATIVES TO THE WAR ON DRUGS (Continued from Criminal Justice – 17)

That policy also failed. We believe that the vision of a drug-free America is unrealistic. Many programs for school children have misled participants and the public by teaching that all illicit drugs are equally harmful in spite of current scientific research to the contrary. “Just Say No” is not a viable policy. The consequences of the current drug war are cruel and counterproductive. At issue here are the health and well-being of our families and our communities, our society, and our global community. Alternatives exist. ALTERNATIVE GOALS Based on this perspective, we believe appropriate and achievable goals for reformed national drug policies include:  preventing consumption of drugs, including alcohol and nicotine, that are harmful to the health of children and adolescents;  reducing the likelihood that drug users will become drug abusers;  minimizing the harmful effects of drug use, such as disease contracted from the use of contaminated needles and overdoses resulting from the unwitting use of impure drugs;  increasing the availability and affordability of quality drug treatment and eliminating the stigma associated with accessing it;  significantly reducing violent and predatory drug-related crime;  minimizing the harmful consequences of current drug policy, such as racial profiling, property confiscation without conviction, and unnecessary incarceration; and  reducing the harm to our earth now caused by the practice of destroying crops intended for the production of drugs. ALTERNATIVE POLICIES Instead of the current war on drugs, we offer the following policies for study, debate, and implementation:  Shift budget priorities from spending for pursuit, prosecution, and imprisonment of drug law offenders to spending for education, treatment, and research.  Develop and implement age-appropriate drug education programs that are grounded in research and fact and that promote dialogue without fear of censure or reprisal.  Undertake research to assess the effects of currently illegal drugs. Ensure that findings and conclusions are publicly accessible, serving as a basis for responsible decision making by individuals and in arenas of public policy and practice.  Research the sociological factors that contribute to habitual, addictive, and destructive drug use, such as poverty, poor mental health, sexual or other physical abuse, and lack of education or medical treatment.  Research and expand a range of management and on-demand treatment programs for drug abuse and addiction. Examples include nutritional counseling, job training, psychiatric evaluation and treatment, psychological counseling, parent training and assistance, support groups, clean needle distribution and exchange, substitution of safer drugs (e.g. methadone or marijuana), medically administered drug maintenance, disease screening, and acupuncture and other alternative and complementary treatments. Publish the results of studies of these programs.  Require health insurance providers to cover in-patient and out-patient treatment for substance abuse on the same basis as treatment of other chronic health conditions.  Make all drugs legally available with a prescription by a licensed physician, subject to professional oversight. End the practice of punishing an individual for obtaining, possessing, or using an otherwise illegal substance to treat a medical condition. End the threat to impose sanctions on physicians who treat patients with opiates for alleviation of pain.  Prohibit civil liberties violations and other intrusive law enforcement practices. Violations of the right to privacy, such as urine testing, should be imposed only upon employees in safety-sensitive occupations. (Continued on Criminal Justice – 19)

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ALTERNATIVES TO THE WAR ON DRUGS (Continued from Criminal Justice – 18)

 Establish a legal, regulated, and taxed market for marijuana. Treat marijuana as we treat alcohol.  Modify civil forfeiture laws to require conviction before seizure of assets. Prohibit the eviction of family, friends, and co-habitants or the loss of government entitlements based on drug law violation.  Abolish mandatory minimum prison sentences for the use and distribution of currently illicit drugs. Legislation should specify only maximum prison sentences.  Remove criminal penalties for possession and use of currently illegal drugs, with drug abusers subject to arrest and imprisonment only if they commit actual crimes (e.g., assault, burglary, impaired driving, vandalism). End sentencing inequities driven by racial profiling.  Establish and make more accessible prison-based drug treatment, education, job training, and transition programs designed for inmates.  End the financing of anti-drug campaigns in Central and South America, which promote the widespread spraying of herbicides, contribute to the destruction of rainforests, and are responsible for uprooting peoples from their homelands. OUR CALL TO ACT AS A PEOPLE OF FAITH We must begin with ourselves. Our congregations can offer safe space for open and honest discussion among congregants about the complex issues of drug use, abuse, and addiction. Through acceptance of one another and the encouragement of spiritual growth, we should be able to acknowledge and address our own drug use without fear of censure or reprisal. We can recognize that drugs include not only currently illegal substances but also alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, over-the-counter pain relievers, and prescription drugs. We can learn to distinguish among use, abuse, and addiction. We can support one another in recognizing drug-related problems and seeking help. We can seek to understand those among us who use drugs for relief or escape. With compassion, we can cultivate reflection and analysis of drug policy. In the safe space of our own congregations, we can begin to prevent destructive relationships with drugs. We can lend necessary support to individuals and families when their loved ones need treatment for addiction problems. We can encourage our congregations to partner with and follow the lead of groups representing individuals whose lives are most severely undermined by current drug policy—people of color and people of low income. We can learn from health care professionals what the unique patterns of substance abuse are in our local areas. We can go beyond our walls and bring our perspective to the interfaith community, other nonprofit organizations, and elected officials. Our Unitarian Universalist history calls us to pursue a more just world. Our faith compels us to hold our leaders accountable for their policies. In calling for alternatives to the war on drugs, we are mindful of its victims. Drug use should be addressed solely as a public health problem, not as a criminal justice issue. Dependence upon any illegal drugs or inappropriate use of legal drugs may point to deep, unmet human needs. We have a moral obligation to advocate compassionate, harm-reducing policy. We believe that our nations have the imagination and capability to address effectively the complex issues of the demand for drugs, both legal and illegal. We reaffirm the spirit of our social witness positions taken on drugs in resolutions adopted from 1965 to 1991. Recognizing the right of conscience for all who differ, we denounce the war on drugs and recommend alternative goals and policies. Let neither fear nor any other barrier prevent us from advocating a more just, compassionate world.

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RENEW THE ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN—2004

(AIW)

The 1994 Assault Weapons Ban Law expires on September 13, 2004. This law outlaws nineteen specific semi-automatic and other weapons. Some of these weapons can fire over 120 bullets per minute. These weapons can be spray-fired from the hip. They have high-capacity ammunition magazines and shooters can fire them over a wide area without aiming. These weapons have no practical use in sports such as hunting or target shooting. Their sole purpose is to assault and kill human beings. This law is not perfect in its present form. Existing assault weapons were grandfathered and the manufacturers’ practice of changing the names and identities of weapons to allow new ones has rendered the law ineffectual. Semi-automatic weapons have been used in several tragic multiple shootings, such as those at Columbine High School in 1999, sniper attacks in Washington, DC, in 2002, and shootings at Case Western Reserve University in 2003. Despite its imperfections, the existing ban on assault weapons has been shown to decrease the number of assault weapon-linked crimes by 67 percent compared to all gun-related crimes. If the Assault Weapons Ban is not renewed, AK-47s and Uzis will be legally manufactured and sold in the United States. President Ronald Reagan supported the original ban. Presidents Gerald R. Ford, Jimmy Carter, and William Jefferson Clinton all endorse banning assault weapons. President George W. Bush has expressed support for renewal of the Assault Weapons Ban but has yet to take any action. Seventy-seven percent of United States citizens and 66 percent of gun owners favor renewal of this ban. Many organizations and individuals have supported renewal, including the mayors and police chiefs of major cities, most law enforcement agencies, the National Council of Churches, the League of Women Voters, and Physicians for Social Responsibility. Unitarian Universalist Association General Assemblies have passed a number of resolutions supporting gun control in general and banning assault weapons, including those passed in 1972, 1976, and 1991. Based on these resolutions, the UUA Office for Advocacy and Witness has issued alerts on renewing the Assault Weapons Ban. Now more needs to be done. Congress has not yet acted. Time is growing short. Less than three weeks remain for legislative action. THEREFORE: The delegates to the 2004 General Assembly call upon the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, their individual members and friends, and affiliated organizations to immediately contact their representatives in Congress and demand that they introduce and pass legislation to renew and strengthen the Assault Weapons Ban.

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PRISON REFORM — 2005

(SOC) As Unitarian Universalists, we are committed to affirming the inherent goodness and worth o f each of us. As Americans, we take pride in our constitutional promise of liberty, equality, and justice for all, including those who have violated the law. Yet the incarceration rate in the United States is five- to tenfold that of other nations, even those without such a constitutional promise. Our corrections system is increasingly rife with inequitable sentencing, longer terms of d etention, racial and ethnic profiling, and deplorable jail and prison conditions and treatment . The magnitude of injustice and inequity in this system stands in stark contrast to the values that our nation—and our faith—proclaim. We are compelled to witness this dissonance between what America proclaims for criminal justice and what America practices. We offer an alternative moral vision of a justice system that operates in harmonious accord with our values as a community of faith. This vision includes the presumption of innocence, fair judicial p roceedings, the merciful restoration of those who have broken the law, the renunciation of torture and other abusive practices, and a fundamental commitment to the dignity and humane treatment of everyone in our society, including prisoners. THE CURRENT CRISIS In 2004, the United States incarcerated 2.2 million people in its prisons and jails. Among industrialized nations, the United States incarcerates the largest percentage of its population . There are also stark disparities in the racial composition of our nation's prisons, as African Americans account for fully half of the prison population and comprise only thirteen percent of the total population. Costs of imprisonment have increased due to state legislatures criminalizing an increasing number of activities, mandatory incarceration, and mandatory minimum sentencing. In response to these increased costs as well as lobbying by industry groups, state legislatures have increasingly privatized prisons, introducing profitability into the already conflicted structure of prison funding. Post-9/11 public fears have intensified the perceived need for retributive policies and have undermined those that are redemptive, rehabilitative, and restorative. Elected leaders and their constituents commonly conspire in this politics of fear. Although Americans take great pride in the freedoms we espouse, the American prison system violates basic human rights in many ways. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which the United States endorsed in 1948, states in Article 5, “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” American correctional practice often subjects inmates to abusive treatment, such as torture and rape, and neglects basic human needs such as health care and nutrition. Some suspects are detained without charge, legal counsel, or access to family. While indigent defendants have exactly the same rights to competent counsel as non-indigent defendants, in many states indigent defendants are not provided equality of representation. The American penchant for retribution squanders opportunities for redemption, rehabilitation, and restoration of the individual offender. Failures in the criminal justice system have created a disenfranchised, stigmatized class who are predominantly from lower-income backgrounds, poorly educated, or from racial and ethnic minorities. The punishment for crime is often simply separation from society, and the sentence one serves is the punishment. In our penal system, punishment often continues even after those convicted have completed their sentence. They are often stripped of voting rights, denied social services, and barred from many professions. If convicted of a drug crime, they become ineligible for federal student loans to attend college. Our criminal justice system makes it exceedingly difficult for anyone to reintegrate into society . People returning to their communities find that they lack opportunity, skills, and social services to fully function in society and hold down jobs, maintain families, or participate in their communities. Therefore, an unacceptable percentage of those released from our prisons and jails recidivate. Not all prisoners who enter the system leave. One of the most shameful aspects of our current criminal justice system is the death penalty. Many countries have abandoned the practice of capital punishment. Studies fail to demonstrate that the death penalty actually deters crime. While the United States Supreme Court has ruled against the execution of juvenile offenders, the death penalty is still legal in the United States. Experience shows that judges and juries wrongly convict defendants. (Continued on Criminal Justice – 22)

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PRISON REFORM (Continued from Criminal Justice – 21)

Given the number of death row inmates released on account of innocence, it is highly likely that we have executed innocent people and will do so again in the future unless we abolish the death penalty. TOWARD A NEW CORRECTIONS PHILOSOPHY The first two Principles of Unitarian Universalism address the inherent worth and dignity of every person and justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. Consistent with these fundamental principles, a new corrections policy must place a primary emphasis on community alternatives. Community alternatives should be developed in the context of redemptive, rehabilitative, and restorative justice. Redemptive justice recognizes justice as relational. Its purpose is to restore wholeness and rightness in the social order and in the disposition of the offender, not to exact revenge. Rehabilitative justice is a process of education, socialization, and empowerment of the person to the status whereby she or he may be able to contribute constructively and appreciably to society. Restorative justice is a process whereby the offender can reconcile with the victim through appropriate restitution, community service, and healing measures. A greatly expanded emphasis on community alternatives will provide substantial cost savings. These savings may and should be in community support services such as literacy education, vocational training, drug addiction treatment, viable employment, and affordable housing. The benefits of these services are in the quality of life for the offending person, the victim, the families of the offender and victim, and the increased safety and security of the community. Separation from society may well be a ppropriate punishment for many crimes, but society's responsibility does not end there. A corrections system driven by compassionate justice would prepare offenders for successful reentry into society. An overwhelming majority of those who are incarcerated return to their communities, yet only a small percentage receive meaningful rehabilitative programming while in prison. In the reformed system, they will receive substantial rehabilitative services, including mental health treatment, educational programs, and vocational training during incarceration and employment and transitional housing once released. Redemption, rehabilitation, and restoration are not only humanely forgiving of those who have fallen off the main societal track; they are more effective and less costly in addressing the criminal justice needs of our whole society. A CALL TO UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS Appalled by the gross injustices in our current criminal justice system, we the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association commit ourselves to working in our communities to reform the criminal justice and correctional sys tems and effect justice for both victims and violators. We act in the spirit that we are indeed our sisters' and our brothers' keepers. Love is our governing principle in all human relationships. Therefore, that we may speak with one voice in unity, though not uniformity, we commit ourselves, our congregations, and our Association to these congregational actions and advocacy goals. Congregational Actions  Form a study group within the congregation to learn about the local jail and state prison system, its budget, recidivism rates, rehabilitation programs (inside and outside the facilities), and opportunities for volunteers.  Network and collaborate with existing community outreach programs and advocacy groups for prisoners and their families.  Establish Unitarian Universalist prison ministries and encourage volunteers from the congregation to go into prisons and get involved with and/or begin peer-counseling and mentoring programs.  Address re-entry issues by engaging in supportive work with formerly incarcerated individuals to reduce recidivism and increase success in the probation and parole system.  Reach out and support congregational members who are personally affected by the criminal justice system. (Continued on Criminal Justice – 23)

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PRISON REFORM (Continued from Criminal Justice – 22)

Advocacy Goals  Legislation that strengthens gun control, ends the so-called “War on Drugs,” disallows mandatory minimum sentencing, provides for fair, equitable, anti-racist sentencing , and abolishes the death penalty.  Reforms of the judicial system to establish drug courts that prescribe treatment rather than imprisonment, provide affordable and competent counsel for all defendants, and empower citizen review boards.  Effective alternatives to incarceration such as arbitration, restorative justice programs, community service, in-house arrest, and mental health and substance abuse treatment.  Dismantling of the for-profit prison industry.  A publicly funded and managed system of correctional facilities accredited by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and by the American Correctional Association, ensuring that children and youth in custody are separated from adults in the penal system, providing appropriate facilities and services for prisoners with mental health and other health concerns, addressing the unique medical and psychological needs of female prisoners, stopping prisoner rape, and abolishing cruel detention and interrogation methods and the use of isolation for prolonged periods of time.  Termination of the relocation of prisoners out-of-state or out-of-country.  Support for families and family life by assigning prisoners to facilities near their homes, by providing facilities that are conducive to comfortable family visits, by maintaining parental rights as appropriate, and by allowing prison mothers to raise their infants.  Universal access to rehabilitation, education, and job training programs and restorative and recovery programs for non-religious as well as for religious prisoners.  A probation and parole system empowered and enabled to correct the excesses of past mandatory sentencing requirements, provide compassionate reprieves for the terminally ill and aged, support former prisoners as they reenter society, and allow for individual evaluation of technical parole violations.  Elimination of post-prison restrictions on civil rights and civil liberties, including voting rights. Through ongoing congregational education, advocacy, and action, we can make good on our Unitarian Universalist heritage and our American promise to be both compassionate and just to all in our society. Through our diligence and perseverance in realizing this promise, we can live the core values of our country and extend the values of our faith to the benefit of others.

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Criminal Justice - page 24 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ECONOMIC JUSTICE

1961 - Migratory Workers.................................................................................................. 3 1964 - Poverty ................................................................................................................... 4 1965 - Economic Opportunity............................................................................................ 4 1966 - Agricultural Employment ........................................................................................ 5 1967 - Eastman Kodak Dispute with FIGHT I.................................................................... 6 1967 - Eastman Kodak Dispute with FIGHT II................................................................... 6 1967 - Freedom Budget and Poverty ................................................................................ 7 1967 - Investment Policy................................................................................................... 7 1968 - Investment Committee ........................................................................................... 7 1968 - Poor People’s Campaign ....................................................................................... 8 1969 - Grape Boycott ........................................................................................................ 8 1971 - Rights of the Poor .................................................................................................. 9 1972 - Lettuce Boycott ...................................................................................................... 9 1972 - Social Responsibility in the Investment of Endowment Funds ............................... 9 1973 - Boycott of Safeway and A&P Stores ......................................................................10 1973 - Corporate Social Responsibility and UUA Investments.......................................... 10 1973 - Presidential Veto of Social Service Programs........................................................ 10 1974 - Support of UFW Boycott ........................................................................................ 11 1975 - Unitarian Universalist Migrant Ministry ................................................................... 11 1976 - Farm Worker Initiatives .......................................................................................... 12 1976 - Tax Reform ............................................................................................................ 12 1978 - End of Tobacco Price Support Program................................................................. 13 1981 - Economic Justice ................................................................................................... 13 1981 - Social Investment/Corporate Responsibility ................................................ 14 1983 - “A Call to the Nation”.............................................................................................. 14 1985 - Interfaith Action for Economic Justice .................................................................... 15 1985 - Poverty and Unemployment................................................................................... 15 1985 - Resolution Commending US Catholic Conference................................................. 16 1986 - Grape Boycott ........................................................................................................ 16 1986 - Shell Boycott .......................................................................................................... 16 1988 - Housing for the Homeless...................................................................................... 17 1995 - A Job, A Home, A Hope ......................................................................................... 18 1997 - Actions of Conscience to End Sweatshop Abuses................................................. 19 1997 - Working for a Just Economic Community .............................................................. 20 2000 - Economic Injustice, Poverty and Racism: We Can Make A Difference! ................. 22 2000 - Endorsing the Jubilee 2000 Campaign .................................................................. 24 2001 - Debt Relief for Poor Countries ............................................................................... 26

Economic Justice - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

2001 - Responsible Consumption Is Our Moral Imperative ........................................... 28 2003 - Economic Globalization...................................................................................... 30 2005 - Corporate Governance....................................................................................... 33 2005 - Support of the United Farm Workers’ Boycott of Gallo Wines............................ 33

See related resolutions under Aging; Children and Youth; Criminal Justice; Economic Justice; Environmental Justice; Equal Opportunity; Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons; Health; Hunger; International Peace and Conflict; Racial Justice; Religious Liberty; Reproductive Health and Population and Unitarian Universalist Life.

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MIGRATORY WORKERS — 1961

(GEN)

WHEREAS, migratory workers are the most disadvantaged group in our population with below-minimum wages, sub-standard health and housing, and restricted opportunities for their children; and WHEREAS, protections of social legislation established for the benefit of industrial workers are nonexistent for migratory workers, and such non-existence constitutes special discrimination against the agricultural worker and his family; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association send letters to Senator Harrison Williams, Jr., the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Agriculture and to the President’s Committee on Migratory Labor, urging them to recommend to Congress passage and vigorous enforcement of the legislative program that has been drawn up by the Senate Sub-Committee on Migratory Labor which will accomplish the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Provide for an agricultural minimum wage (Resolution S. 1122); Prohibit agricultural child labor (S. 1123); Provide for the education of migrant children (S. 1124); Provide for the education of migrant adults (S. 1125); Require the registration of agricultural labor contractors (S. 1126); Assist in the providing of housing for domestic farm labor (S. 1127); Make the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act applicable to agriculture (S. 1128); Provide for the stabilization of the farm work force (S. 1129); Supply improved health services for migrant families (S. 1130); Supply improved welfare services for migrant children (S. 1131); and Establish a Citizen’s Council on Migratory Labor (S. 1132).

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POVERTY — 1964

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the President of the United States has stated that one-fifth of all American families have resources inadequate to meet their basic needs and has announced a war on poverty in America and has called for a cooperative effort to deal with its causes and cures; and WHEREAS, the blight of poverty is most keenly felt by members of unskilled minority groups, workers displaced by automation, the aged, migrant workers, and the residents of chronically depressed areas; and WHEREAS, societies of the Unitarian Universalist Association have a compelling responsibility in this cooperative effort; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association declare poverty in the midst of plenty intolerable to the religious conscience and incompatible with our principles of economic justice; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urge the individual societies and their members to support the President’s proposed programs to: 1. Expand and improve programs for economic development in chronically depressed areas; 2. Provide adequate education and vocational training for youth and retraining for displaced workers; 3. Recognize and meet the needs of the aged; and 4. Appropriate special school aid funds to accelerate education for culturally deprived children; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalists individually be urged to enter into personto-person relationships with those who are economically, socially, politically and culturally deprived to the end that all citizens may fulfill their highest human potentialities; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That our churches and fellowships be urged to expand opportunities for the cultural advancement of the socially disadvantaged in their communities.

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY — 1965

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the 88th Congress of the United States enacted the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 in an effort to combat poverty; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association support adequate appropriations in the Congress and vigor in the activities of the administration to implement the act; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That constituent churches and fellowships be urged to participate in every appropriate way in the initiation, development and implementation of economic activity programs to alleviate and prevent poverty in their communities; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urge the Director of the Economic Opportunity Program to enforce vigorously the Act’s provision that the poor must have adequate and substantial representation on both the governing body and the policy advisory board of all community programs.

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AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT — 1966

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the United States has made consistent progress in the past decade in promoting the welfare of its people by passage of labor and social legislation, such as collective bargaining, minimum wage, social security, workmen’s compensation and child labor regulations, but has generally excluded certain categories of workers, including agricultural workers; and WHEREAS, the poverty of agricultural workers is well documented and among the most severe of any group deserving of aid in the national war against poverty; and WHEREAS, the degraded impoverishment of these “excepted” workers disgraces the richest of nations, drains welfare funds and impairs the economic and social health of the community; and WHEREAS, competitive disadvantages hinder each state from independently correcting this evil; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms its 1961 resolution on Migratory Workers asking for collective bargaining rights for agricultural workers, extension of the minimum wage and hours legislation to cover male and female agricultural workers, extension of the protection of child labor laws to children working in agriculture, and creation of a voluntary farm employment service under the United States Employment Service; and now further urges federal and state legislation to: 1. Broaden the coverage of farm workers under the Social Security insurance programs; 2. Extend and expand the Migrant Health Act; 3. Further restrict programs providing for the temporary importation of foreign contract farm workers and the so-called green card immigration system; and 4. Extend state unemployment insurance and workmen’s compensation laws to include agricultural workers, together with the establishment of an interstate system to maintain up-todate records of all payments made, and to pool contributions made by employers in different states.

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EASTMAN KODAK DISPUTE WITH FIGHT I — 1967

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association currently owns several thousand shares of stock in the Eastman Kodak Company (Kodak); and WHEREAS, under date of December 20, 1966, a written agreement was executed by Kodak and FIGHT concerning the hiring of unemployed people; and WHEREAS, on December 23, 1966, Kodak repudiated the written agreement dated December 20, 1966: THE SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION: 1. DEPLORES the December 23, 1966 action of Kodak in repudiating the December 20, 1966 agreement signed by its negotiating team chairman and the president of FIGHT. The distress and concern of the General Assembly is based on the negation of the religious principle of respect for the integrity and dignity of persons by this action of Kodak on December 23, 1966. The principles underlying this concern are stated in the purposes and objectives of the Association as set forth in its Constitution. The negative impact of this repudiation on Rochester’s growing Negro population was and is incalculable. It critically weakened the base of trust and confidence within the Rochester community. The moral issue raised by this action is far larger than the personalities and tactics of the two leaderships involved; 2. CALLS upon Kodak to honor the principles embodied in the December 20, 1966 agreement and to move directly towards their implementation, thus honoring the integrity and dignity of both Kodak and FIGHT representatives and moving directly to develop the trust and confidence so desperately necessary within American communities today; 3. RECOGNIZES and endorses the actions taken by the UUA Executive Committee on April 20, 1967, and the UUA Board of Trustees on May 1, 1967 in regard to this matter; 4. CALLS upon the UUA Board of Trustees to discharge its responsibility of exercising the voting power represented by the shares of Kodak stock owned by the Unitarian Universalist Association in support of the Association’s purposes and objectives; 5. CALLS upon the UUA Board of Trustees therefore to cooperate with FIGHT and with groups which share our concern with this matter, including other religious bodies; 6. CALLS upon the UUA Board of Trustees to keep our member societies and the public informed through appropriate announcements issued from time to time as to significant actions taken by the UUA in connection with this matter; and 7. CALLS upon the Moderator and the President of the UUA to seek an audience immediately with the chairman of the Board and the President of Kodak for an explanation of the company’s intentions in connection with this situation.

EASTMAN KODAK DISPUTE WITH FIGHT II — 1967

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1967 Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly commends the Unitarian Universalist churches of Rochester, New York, for their steadfastness on behalf of liberal religious principles and their courage in the face of intimidation in the Kodak-FIGHT controversy; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That UUA Freedom Fund money be used if necessary to assist our Rochester churches in carrying on their struggle on behalf of human dignity.

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FREEDOM BUDGET AND POVERTY — 1967

(GEN)

NOTING: That one-fifth of the population of the United States lives in poverty, which makes it difficult to live with dignity; NOTING: Also, that the United States has embarked upon an anti-poverty program which has had critical cutbacks in funds and faces possible further reductions; The Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Affirms that, in spite of the high cost of the Vietnam War, the country can afford effective measures to eliminate poverty and must increase its efforts so that the living conditions and aspirations of the poor will be raised; and 2. Proposes that a study be initiated by all member churches and fellowships of the A. Philip Randolph Institute’s blueprint, A Freedom Budget for All Americans, which proposes the expenditure of sufficient funds to eradicate poverty in the United States in the next decade.

INVESTMENT POLICY — 1967

(BUS)

THE SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION: REQUESTS: The Board of Trustees of the Association, with the aid of the Department of Social Responsibility, to exercise the power represented by the Association’s ownership of common stock as an effective instrument for promoting social justice by combating discriminatory business practices; and REQUESTS: The Board of Trustees of the Association and member societies to consider devoting, consistent with other program needs, a portion of their unrestricted funds, in relatively small amounts where this is legally necessary, to enterprises having clearly stated policies and practices of non-discrimination, including those which provide genuinely integrated housing in previously segregated areas, provided local legal requirements are complied with; and REQUESTS: The member societies to ask their individual members to do likewise; and REQUESTS: The Association to compile and keep active a list of enterprises genuinely working towards integrated housing in previously segregated areas and to make such list available upon request to member societies.

INVESTMENT COMMITTEE — 1968

(BUS)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY RECOMMENDS that the Investment Committee consider: 1. Some investment in viable open housing projects; and 2. That a subcommittee of the Investment Committee be appointed to concern itself with social implications of our corporate investments and that it consequently arrange to have our Association represented at annual meetings of such corporations.

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POOR PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN — 1968

(GEN)

THE SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION URGES support of the Poor People’s Campaign of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and endorses the following legislative goals sought by the Poor People’s Campaign: 1. Meaningful jobs at adequate pay scales in both public and private sectors for the unemployed and the under-employed, with the government to be employer of last resort, and effective enforcement of anti-discrimination statutes; 2. A system of income maintenance, including a guaranteed minimum income for all, and family allowances modeled after the Canadian program; 3. Welfare payments brought up to realistically defined minimum levels, with punitive and familydisruptive qualifications rescinded; 4. Redoubled efforts at school desegregation and provision of quality education for all Americans from kindergarten through college; 5. A massive program of building and renovation to provide decent housing, both for the poor and for those on minimum income; 6. Adequate medical and dental care for all Americans to be implemented by a program of national health insurance; 7. Reform of the law enforcement and judicial system to eliminate all forms of discrimination against minority-group persons and those in poverty; and 8. Eliminate subsidies to farmers for non-production of crops and increase government distribution of surplus food to the hungry.

GRAPE BOYCOTT — 1969

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1969 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Supports the rights of farm workers to organize and bargain collectively, without fear of discharge, intimidation, or coercion for their involvement in union activity; 2. Urges Unitarian Universalists throughout the continent to boycott all American table grapes and request their local store managers to remove them from their shelves; and 3. Affirms the right of dignity and justice for all men, and supports Mexican-Americans, Chicanos, and Spanish-speaking Americans in their fight to secure their inalienable human rights.

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RIGHTS OF THE POOR — 1971

(GEN)

BELIEVING: That the rights of human beings include the rights to minimum income, adequate housing and legal services and dignity in old age; and BELIEVING: That it is the responsibility of government to secure, protect and defend these rights, and to provide appropriate services to implement them; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The 1971 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges that the United States Government and the Government of Canada: 1. Provide family income through a program of income maintenance adequate to meet needs for food, clothing and housing; and 2. Commit whatever resources are necessary to provide a decent home for every American and Canadian family; and 3. Enact legislation to achieve equity in tenant-landlord relationships, protecting the rights of both tenants and landlords; and 4. Enlarge legal services for the poor and disenfranchised throughout the United States and Canada, with appropriate funding, without political harassment, manipulation and intimidation.

LETTUCE BOYCOTT — 1972

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1972 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association ask member churches, fellowships, and constituencies in North America and abroad to refrain from purchasing, serving, and eating iceberg lettuce unless it is clearly marked with the Black Eagle label of the United Farm Workers; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this cessation in purchasing, serving, and eating of iceberg lettuce by churches, fellowships and constituencies continue until such time as meaningful contracts are entered into between growers and the United Farm Workers’ Union; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly send a delegation to Phoenix, Arizona, to meet with Cesar Chavez and express our concern over his health in fasting, and our concern for justice for farm workers.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE INVESTMENT OF ENDOWMENT FUNDS — 1972 (BUS) RESOLVED: That the General Assembly recommends that the Board of Trustees: 1. Cooperate with other religious, educational and charitable organizations in the development of programs to foster social responsibility in the investment of endowment funds and in the corporate management of companies in whose securities they invest; 2. Support such efforts financially from the budget of the Department of Education and Social Concern; 3. Designate as a principal priority the development of a program concerned with the role of American industry in the continuing exploitation and oppression of Blacks in Southern Africa, by means of an intensive program of education conducted by the UUA through the Department of Education and Social Concern and affiliated members; and 4. Such efforts be undertaken with special attention to the activities of corporations in matters relating to war and peace, environmental protection and racial justice. Economic Justice - page 9 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

BOYCOTT OF SAFEWAY AND A&P STORES — 1973

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the 1972 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association adopted a resolution asking member churches, fellowships, and constituencies to refrain from purchasing, serving, and eating iceberg (head) lettuce unless it is clearly marked with the Black Eagle label of the United Farm Workers’ Union; and WHEREAS, the Safeway and A&P chains set the pace of selling non-farm worker union iceberg lettuce in the retail industry; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the member societies and the members of societies of the Unitarian Universalist Association and all others of good will to refrain from patronizing Safeway and A&P stores until all iceberg (head) lettuce sold in those stores is produced by growers under contract with the United Farm Workers’ Union and is marked with the Black Eagle label.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND UUA INVESTMENTS — 1973

(GEN)

DESIRING: To promote better corporate social policies and practices in areas such as equal employment opportunity for women and minorities, environmental protection, consumerism, foreign investment and military production; and KNOWING: That other denominations participating ecumenically with the UUA have responded by developing a broad set of principles for action in this area; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the UUA Department of Education and Social Concern be commended for their activity with the Interfaith Committee on Social Responsibility in Investments, which they are urged to continue and expand; and FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Investment Committee be urged to invest the endowment funds of the UUA in accordance with socially responsible criteria which should be developed in consultation with the Department of Education and Social Concern, the UUA Board, the Interfaith Committee on Social Responsibility in Investments, and others.

PRESIDENTIAL VETO OF SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS — 1973

(GEN)

WHEREAS, many of the humanitarian programs initiated in the public interest in the United States over the last decade and more are in danger of curtailment or termination because of executive impoundment of funds voted by elected representatives of the people; and WHEREAS, the loss of the programs would jeopardize the possibility for a higher quality of life for many citizens of the United States; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association deplores the impoundment of appropriated funds and urges that the President and/or the Congress of the United States act to restore impounded funds for programs for public health, environmental protection, day care centers, housing, urban development, community action, emergency employment assistance, research, education, libraries and all welfare services. Economic Justice - page 10 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORT OF UFW BOYCOTT — 1974

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the 1972 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association adopted a resolution asking member churches, fellowships, and constituencies to refrain from purchasing, serving, and eating iceberg (head) lettuce unless it is clearly marked with the Black Eagle label of the United Farm Workers’ Union; and WHEREAS, table grape growers and many wineries are now without contracts with the United Farm Workers’ Union for their migrant and seasonal field hands; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1974 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association in the United States and Canada urges member societies and members of societies to refrain from purchasing, serving, and eating table grapes as well as iceberg (head) lettuce, unless these products are clearly marked with the Black Eagle label of the United Farm Workers’ Union; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That member societies and members of societies purchase only those continental wines certified by the UU Migrant Minister; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1974 General Assembly urges a free secret plebiscite of the Gallo workers, both employed and unemployed, and that the Gallo wineries, the Teamsters, and the United Farm Workers accept impartial arbitration; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1974 General Assembly calls upon the Congress to pass the legislation providing that migrant and other farm workers are assured of the right to organize collectively and the right to select representatives by secret ballot, on the same basis as other workers.

UU MIGRANT MINISTRY — 1975

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the work of the UU Migrant Ministry has been the subject of many favorable resolutions at the General Assemblies for at least 10 years; and WHEREAS, this is the critical year for the work of the UU Migrant Ministry; and WHEREAS, the Fund for Racial Justice from which monies for this work have been allocated in the past has not been placed in a position to be funded this year; BE IT RESOLVED: That the UUA Board be urged to include in the Grants Section of the 1975-76 UUA Budget an item of $14,500 for the UU Migrant Ministry. This item is requested to be included as the final item in the Group I division of the Grants Section, below the item “District Programs”; it is further requested that there be a reduction of the item “Sharing in Growth Program” by $4,500 and a reduction of the item “Publicity and Television/Radio” by $10,000.

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FARM WORKER INITIATIVES — 1976

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has supported the right of farm workers to organize into a union for the purposes of collective bargaining with their employers, and has specifically supported the nonviolent efforts of the United Farm Workers of America; and WHEREAS, the ten-year struggle of farm workers in California has led to a major legislative breakthrough that guarantees seasonal and year-round farm workers an opportunity to vote in a secret ballot election for the union of their choice, and the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act is not holding elections in California at this item because a minority of legislators allied with the growers and Teamsters has successfully blocked refunding of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board; and WHEREAS, the United Farm Workers have gathered 719,000 signatures on an initiative petition which will put the Agricultural Labor Relations Act on the general election ballot in California in November in order to ensure the continuation and funding of the law; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association in General Assembly encourages its friends and constituents in California to lend support to the farm worker initiative which will be voted on by all the people of California, November 2, 1976; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association calls on its constituents to support California-type collective bargaining legislation for farm workers in Florida and other states where the United Farm Workers have begun an organizing drive and are seeking support for such labor legislation; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges all persons of good will in North America to seek out and purchase United Farm Worker label grapes and head lettuce to affirm those growers who have bargained in good faith and as an incentive to growers who are procrastinating in negotiations.

TAX REFORM — 1976

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the current tax structure in the United States is both unfair and inequitable, favoring the rich (and especially the “Super-Rich”) at the expense of the working class, the poor, the unemployed, and the elderly (especially those on fixed incomes); and WHEREAS, our major cities, and some state governments, have been wavering on the brink of bankruptcy, while taxes have been steadily increasing and the services these tax revenues are supposed to provide have been drastically cut or in some cases eliminated altogether; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1976 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Congress to create a nonpartisan commission of professional tax experts, with appropriate funding, to make a major study of the total structure of taxes—federal, state and local— with a view to: 1. Elimination of inequities and loopholes; 2. Promoting incentive and economic growth; and 3. Formulating a unified and equitable tax structure encompassing the three levels of governmentfederal, state and local.

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END OF TOBACCO PRICE SUPPORT PROGRAM — 1978

(GEN)

WHEREAS, tobacco smoking is harmful to human health; and WHEREAS, the world needs more food crops grown on the limited areas of fertile land; and WHEREAS, the United States Department of Agriculture spends many millions of dollars each year to support tobacco production; and WHEREAS, such tax money should be used for more constructive purposes, not for the encouragement of farming practices that are ultimately detrimental to consumers; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the United States Congress to terminate all price support programs for tobacco, beginning with the 1980 crop of tobacco, and to establish a program funded over a four-year period by part of the money thus saved to assist small farmers to convert from tobacco to the production of other commodities.

ECONOMIC JUSTICE — 1981

(BUS)

WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists share a religious mandate for a worldwide social order which promotes the supreme worth and dignity of every human personality; and WHEREAS, we are challenged by the contradictions in ourselves and in our societies today which prevent the implementation of the ideal; and WHEREAS, we are cognizant of economic injustices as major threats to individual and collective security and survival; and WHEREAS, we deplore the human costs of systemic poverty; and WHEREAS, current proposals by the federal government, and by many states and localities, would deprive our less fortunate citizens of essential public benefits, or greatly reduce them, while at the same time increasing the military budget and granting substantial tax concessions to corporations and high income persons; and WHEREAS, we seek to build upon our Unitarian Universalist heritage of justice and caring community; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Association to develop suitable materials to promote discussion of the statement: “Having historically promoted political democracy, Unitarian Universalists should promote economic justice as well.”

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SOCIAL INVESTMENT/ CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY — 1981

(BUS)

WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists share a commitment to translating religious principles into practical action; and WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalist societies feel a responsibility for extending spiritual insights of the free pulpit, of congregational decisions, educational group programs, and social concerns of committees and church organizations into the wider community; and WHEREAS, large corporations, by reason of their size, have substantial economic power and with it the potential for good or ill; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association is a member of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Commends to its continental member societies the crucial importance of corporate responsibility; 2. Urges the UUA Section on Social Responsibility to develop and disseminate appropriate educational resource materials that will assist community investigation of corporate policies and will provide guidelines for investment and consumer action; 3. Urges churches and fellowships and affiliated organizations to examine their financial portfolios, including holdings of stocks and bonds, with reference to ethical and societal considerations, including levels of employment, and to direct their resources to those corporations which reflect Unitarian Universalist values; and 4. Encourages individuals and families to apply similar considerations in banking, shopping, and investing and, as stockholders, to introduce socially responsible items to the annual meeting agendas of corporations whose managements need prodding.

“A CALL TO THE NATION” — APRIL 1983

(BD)

WHEREAS, more than 250,000 people participated in the historic March on Washington for jobs and freedom on August 28, 1963; and WHEREAS, the dream of jobs and freedom, peace and justice, has not materialized; and WHEREAS, in commemoration of the historic March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, a new Coalition of Conscience for Jobs, Peace and Freedom has called for a massive March on Washington on August 27, 1983 as a recommitment to the justice tasks ahead; BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees endorses “A Call to the Nation” and calls upon districts and local societies to : 1. Join with the Association in endorsement of “A Call to the Nation” in support of the new Coalition for Conscience for Jobs, Peace and Freedom and the August 27, 1983 March on Washington; 2. Mobilize UUs to join in the broad non-partisan March on Washington on August 27; 3. Join with the state and local civil rights, human rights and peace coalition efforts to ensure that economic exigencies do not prevent anyone from participating in the March; and 4. Work for passage on federal, state and local legislation for jobs, peace and freedom which protect the economic well-being of all people, particularly those who suffer racial discrimination.

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INTERFAITH ACTION FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE — 1985

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association has repeatedly declared its dedication to social and economic justice as a basic tenet of our common faith; and WHEREAS, our dedication to economic justice has deep roots not only in philosophy and historic stands of Universalist and Unitarian religious bodies, but also in the conviction of other faiths; and WHEREAS, seventeen faith groups, which also share these deep roots, are banded together as Interfaith Action for Economic Justice which for nearly two years has been producing a flow of information; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1985 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the President and the Board of Trustees of the Association to: 1. Consider promptly the denomination’s potential benefit from stronger participation in the work of Interfaith Action for Economic Justice in enriching our understanding of economic justice issues and increasing the effectiveness of our existing programs; 2. Specifically appoint a high-ranking official representative to Interfaith Action; and 3. Allocate financial support to Interfaith Action as an effective means of implementing our dedication to economic justice.

POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT — 1985

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the United States Constitution mandates the government to establish justice and promote the general welfare; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association affirms the inherent worth and dignity of every person; and WHEREAS, the issues of poverty and unemployment are also of great concern to Canadians; and WHEREAS, the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops’ draft pastoral letter states that, “Society has a moral obligation to take the necessary steps to ensure that no one among us is hungry, homeless, unemployed, or otherwise denied what is necessary to live with dignity”; and WHEREAS, other religious and secular organizations have expressed similar concerns; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1985 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association asks our governments to create programs to reduce poverty and unemployment, provide job training, and aid hungry and homeless persons; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That moneys be taken from the military budget and instead be allocated for the purpose of eliminating poverty and hunger in North America; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly endorses the principle that every person has an inherent and moral right to work at a meaningful wage, food, clothing and shelter.

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RESOLUTION COMMENDING U.S. CATHOLIC CONFERENCE — JANUARY 1985

(BD)

VOTED: That the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association commends the US Conference of Catholic Bishops for generating a new level of public discourse on ethical norms for economic life by its release on November 12, 1984, of the first draft of a Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the US Economy. As a religious association, we join the Bishops in efforts to generate a more just economic system which promotes the supreme worth and dignity of every human person, and pledge to urge our members to utilize the draft as a basis for reflection, discussion and action.

GRAPE BOYCOTT — OCTOBER 1986

(BD)

WHEREAS, the real and potential worth, dignity, and health of farm workers is currently threatened by practices in agricultural communities which threaten the entire eco-system; and WHEREAS, it has been documented by the National Farm Worker Ministry and others that grape growers are now using deadly pesticides that poison farm workers, and cause cancer and birth defects in infants; and WHEREAS, it is reported that over 300,000 farm workers are poisoned each year by pesticides (World Resources Institute); and WHEREAS, the United Farm Workers of America have developed a “Wrath of Grapes” campaign to alert consumers about pesticides which are used on grapes, about the pesticide residue which remains on the grapes which consumers buy, and about the ways in which these pesticides harm farm workers; and WHEREAS, the “Wrath of Grapes” boycott of fresh table grapes has been endorsed by the national Farm Worker Ministry, and experienced interfaith organization with 66 years of service with and to farm workers and now providing ministry to pesticide victims; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association endorses and supports the boycott of fresh table grapes and urges its member societies and individual Unitarian Universalists to observe the boycott, educate themselves and speak publicly about the pesticide dangers, and consider donations to the National Farm Worker Ministry, 111-A Fairmont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611, for their advocacy of farm worker justice and serve to pesticide victims; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly Planning Committee and other continental gathering committees be urged to convey to conference site personnel that Unitarian Universalists wish to observe the existing fresh table grape boycott.

SHELL BOYCOTT — JUNE 1986

(BD)

VOTED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association endorse the international Royal Dutch Shell Boycott campaign.

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HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS — 1988

(GEN)

Recognizing the inherent worth and dignity of every human being, we as Unitarian Universalists hold that access to affordable, habitable housing is a fundamental right in a just society. WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of people are homeless and living in the streets; and WHEREAS, current U.S. governmental policies restrict and eliminate funding that has assisted local governments and communities in developing low-cost housing; and WHEREAS, public and private policies, such as withdrawal of funds for maintenance, upscaling of lowrent dwellings, and exclusionary zoning, are causing deterioration of affordable housing; and WHEREAS, making needed shelter available can best be achieved by combined efforts between government and the private sector; and WHEREAS, solutions for long-term homelessness must alleviate the growing scarcity of housing for the impoverished; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association affirms access to affordable, habitable housing as a just and achievable goal and calls upon its member societies: 1. To work to establish, strengthen, and fund programs to assist low-income individuals, families, and the homeless on local, state, provincial, and national levels; 2. To identify and support cooperative community efforts that offer creative approaches in developing housing for the impoverished in economically integrated settings; 3. To encourage the provision of appropriate community-based housing for disabled and chronically mentally ill persons; 4. To work to provide not only long-term housing but also transitional housing with social services for families and individuals, as well as emergency short-term shelter that will assure safety, privacy, and dignity for persons in need; 5. To explore and support preventive approaches to the problems of homelessness among families, the de-institutionalized, the unemployed, the disabled, the elderly, runaways, and victims of abuse; and 6. To advocate legislation and funding at national, provincial, state, and local levels which will alleviate the immediate misery of homelessness and stem the tide of homelessness by addressing the permanent housing needs of low-income individuals and families.

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A JOB, A HOME, A HOPE — 1995

(GEN)

The necessaries of life...may, accurately enough, be distributed under the several heads of Food, Shelter, Clothing, Fuel; for not till we have secured these are we prepared to entertain the true problems of life with freedom and a prospect of success... —from Walden, by Henry David Thoreau, 1854 BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person; and BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, Homelessness in North America is at a crisis level and continues to grow among youth, children, and adults; and WHEREAS, if large numbers of people cannot earn enough to provide “the necessaries of life,” the tragedy of homelessness will increase; and WHEREAS, many people are unable to provide basic shelter for themselves and their families because of poor educational preparation, inadequate job skills, low wages, scarcity of affordable day care, and the epidemic of domestic violence, a lack of safe, decent, affordable housing, or denial of access to quality health care; and WHEREAS, physical illness, physical disability, mental illness, or addiction to drugs or alcohol prevent some members of our society from living independently, or seeking or holding jobs; and WHEREAS, the present economic system does not offer a path to stable employment and decent housing for large segments of our society; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to work in coalition with community activists to ensure that every member of our society has the opportunity for: 1. A job: creation of more jobs paying living wages and more effective job-training programs; 2. A home: development of more safe, decent, affordable housing; and 3. A hope: support of private and public programs that empower people of all ages who are homeless to improve their own lives, that reduce dependency, and that address the root causes of homelessness.

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ACTIONS OF CONSCIENCE TO END SWEATSHOP ABUSES — 1997

(AIW)

Over the next eight months (through the holidays), we will have the opportunity to unite all the current campaigns pressing for greater corporate accountability for human rights. On Saturday, October 4, 1997, a Day of Conscience to End Sweatshop Abuses will be co-sponsored by the National Labor Committee, the People of Faith Network, the United Methodist Church Women’s Division, and the Union of Needle Trade Industrial & Textile Employees (UNITE). There will be vigils, actions, street theater, and community education to call attention to the plight of sweatshop workers in the United States and abroad. The Day of Conscience to End Sweatshop Abuses is part of a larger campaign to push the newly-created Presidential Task Force on Sweatshops toward developing an accord requiring companies to: (1) pay their workers a living wage; and (2) allow independent monitoring of their working conditions. With the Presidential Task Force in place, a coalition of interfaith and diverse grassroots and union groups can exert an influence which can actually help to improve the lives of poor working people. During the crucial holiday season, concerned consumers can support the companies which have signed the accord and withhold support from those which have not. The 1997 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls on Unitarian Universalists in congregations and in coalitions with other denominations, grassroots community, and workers’ advocacy organizations to: 1. Urge the Presidential Task Force on Sweatshops to develop an accord whereby companies commit to a living wage for their workers and to independent monitoring of working conditions; 2. Participate in the Day of Conscience to End Sweatshop Abuses on October 4, 1997; and 3. Participate in the Holiday Season of Conscience by using our economic power to support companies willing to pay and treat workers fairly and to withdraw our support from those companies which are not willing to do so.

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WORKING FOR A JUST ECONOMIC COMMUNITY — 1997

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm and promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, current global economic, social, and political developments have brought about greater concentration of wealth and economic power in the hands of major corporations and wealthy individuals while resulting in a lower standard of living and growing lack of opportunity for many people; and WHEREAS, in the United States there is increasing disparity between the wealthiest ten percent and the remainder of the population; and WHEREAS, democracy is at risk as wealthy individuals and corporations continue to dominate the United States political process; and WHEREAS, many corporations benefit from preferential treatment in the form of grants, subsidies, and tax deductions, frequently referred to as “corporate welfare,” while increasingly neglecting their moral obligation to the welfare of their employees, communities, and the global ecosystem; and WHEREAS, government funding for social programs is declining while spending for penal institutions is escalating; and WHEREAS, access to legal recourse has been reduced and restricted at the same time that public assistance is being administered through state block grants with the likelihood that such funds will be reduced or diverted to other uses; and WHEREAS, we now see massive numbers of people who are homeless, children who are impoverished, people working for below poverty-level pay, environmental degradation, lack of adequate health care, and erosion of workers’ rights; and WHEREAS, the poor, immigrants, racial minorities, unemployed, and aged are unjustly blamed for the perceived decline in the quality of life of upper and middle income groups; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States to work in cooperation with Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community, other public-spirited organizations, and individuals in support of a more just economic community, and toward that objective to implement practices in our own congregations which are congruent with the intent of this resolution, and to work specifically in favor of mechanisms such as: 1. A true single minimum wage, applicable to all workers, that provides an adequate standard of living; 2. A full employment policy, utilizing public works, if necessary, to supplement employment levels achieved by private enterprise; 3. Government restrictions and consumer boycotts, where appropriate, on the import of goods produced under substandard conditions, forced labor, child labor, very low wages, or conditions that contribute to environment degradation; 4. A more equitable federal tax system, including more progressive income tax rates, with fewer preferential provisions for high income corporations and individuals, greater earned income credits for low wage earners, and fair exemptions for middle income taxpayers; 5. More effective limits on the concentration of ownership of major businesses, particularly in the fields of banking, insurance, utilities, communications, pharmaceuticals, and health organizations, accompanied by effective price controls where no substantial competition exists; 6. A universal health plan, covering the basic needs of all individuals, with adequate freedom of choice, and with a “single payer” system to reduce administrative costs and inequities in treatment; (Continued on Economic Justice – 21)

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WORKING FOR A JUST ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (Continued from Economic Justice – 20 )

7. Reform of labor legislation and employment standards to provide greater protection for workers, including the right to organize and bargain collectively, protection from unsafe working conditions, and protection from unjust dismissal; 8. Reform of labor legislation and employment standards to provide greater protection for workers, including “workfare” recipients and prison inmates; 9. Periodic review, renewal, or, if necessary, revocation of corporate charters, depending on assessment of performance consistent with the public interest; 10. Fair access to fully funded legal aid for the poor; and 11. Equitable funding of public education, without regard to local economic conditions.

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ECONOMIC INJUSTICE, POVERTY AND RACISM: WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! — 2000 (SOC) We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, hereby rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of economic justice, an end to racism, and an end to poverty. We recognize that racism is a major contributor toward economic injustice. We pledge ourselves to strive to understand how racism and classism perpetuate poverty and to work for the systemic changes needed to promote a more just economy and compassionate society. Together, we can make a difference. Economic injustice persists in spite of the longest period of economic prosperity in our history. The gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen. Tens of millions, particularly children, women, and the elderly live in poverty, a disproportionate share of whom are ethnic and racial minorities. Working for a just society is central to our Unitarian Universalist faith. An economically just society is one in which 1) government and private institutions promote the common economic good and are held accountable; 2) all people have equal opportunity to care for themselves and their families; and 3) individuals take responsibility for the effects of their actions on their own and others' lives. Conversely, racism encourages people to perpetuate a system of privileges and economic rewards that opens the door of opportunity much wider for some than for others. This should not be tolerated. We must look both inward and outward as we organize ourselves for action within our congregations and beyond. Looking inward, the 1997 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urged Unitarian Universalists to examine carefully our own conscious and unconscious racism and to work toward our transformation to an anti-racist, multi-cultural institution. The Unitarian Universalist community has only begun its soul-searching toward the goal of becoming more inclusive and affirming. We acknowledge the lack of racial and economic diversity within most of our congregations. However, having diverse congregations is not the only way to understand injustice in our society. Looking outward, our 1997 General Assembly also called upon Unitarian Universalists to work for a more just economic community. We can learn much and accomplish much by joining and creating community organizations in which diverse groups of people work together on economic justice issues, hold community leaders accountable, and monitor those leaders' efforts toward achieving systemic improvements. Our work for economic justice must include 1. Support for fair wages and benefits; 2. Access to adequate housing, social services, child care, adult daycare, education, health care, legal services, financial services, and transportation; 3. The removal of environmental and occupational hazards that disproportionately affect lowincome people; 4. Respect for treaty rights of First Nations and Native American Tribes; 5. Government and corporate policies that promote economic investment in the urban core and rural communities; 6. A more equitable criminal justice system; 7. Tax systems that prevent affluent individuals and corporations from sheltering assets and income at the expense of those less privileged; and 8. Campaign reforms that ensure equal access to the electoral process regardless of wealth. As Unitarian Universalists, we have a religious and moral obligation to challenge complacency in ourselves and in our communities. We commit to fighting injustice wherever we find it. We acknowledge that this may disturb our own comfort and require us to broaden our interest to include the greater good of an economically just and compassionate community. We will learn much as we do this work. (Continued on Economic Justice – 23)

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ECONOMIC INJUSTICE, POVERTY AND RACISM: WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! (continued from Economic Justice – 22)

Historically, Unitarians and Universalists have often been in the forefront of social reform. Our history teaches that social change does not come easily and is not without risk. Nevertheless, at the beginning of this new century, let us recommit to justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. Let us embrace our responsibility to help create a more just world. Let us continue to reflect and organize for action within our congregations and beyond our doors. Let us not concede that economic injustice, poverty, and racism are tolerable.

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ENDORSING THE JUBILEE 2000 CAMPAIGN TO CANCEL THE CRUSHING INTERNATIONAL DEBT OF IMPOVERISHED COUNTRIES —2000 (BD) WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations is a proponent of peace, liberty, and justice for all people; and WHEREAS, millions of poor people in highly indebted countries are prevented from enjoying an equitable share in the fruits of the earth and cannot live in dignity nor meet their family's basic needs because debt repayment has stifled economic development; and WHEREAS, high levels of debt divert scarce resources from health care, education, clean water and other socially beneficial programs to make debt service payments, and the poorest in these indebted societies are most hurt by this diversion of their governments' resources; and WHEREAS, increased need for foreign currency in poor countries to repay international debt encourages export of cash crops that results in heavy overuse of the land and destruction of the environment; and WHEREAS, much of the debt results from borrowing that has benefited primarily the rich while the burden of repaying the debt falls heavily on poor people, and can not be paid without causing great social and environmental harm to the most impoverished members of society; and WHEREAS, advocates worldwide for action to address the crushing international debt crises of poor countries recall the biblical concept of Jubilee, a time when slaves are set free, debts are canceled, and a new beginning is created for people whose lives have been degraded by indebtedness; and WHEREAS, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have introduced the highly indebted poor countries initiative (HIPC) to comprehensively address the debt of poor countries, but the initiative is limited and will not sufficiently lift the crushing burden on the poor; and WHEREAS, Jubilee 2000, a worldwide grassroots movement, calls for the cancellation of the poorest st countries' debt in the year 2000 in order to create a debt free start to the 21 Century for a billion people; and WHEREAS, religious groups form the core of Jubilee 2000/USA's grassroots action and education campaign, including: African Methodist Episcopal Church, American Jewish World Service, Catholic Relief Services, Church of the Brethren, Church Women United, Church World Service—National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, The Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran World Relief, Muslim Public Affairs Council, NETWORK—A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, Presbyterian Church/USA, Sojourners, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, United Church of Christ/Office of Church and Society, United Methodist Church—Board of Global Ministries, and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations has affirmed in numerous statements, beginning in 1964, that "poverty in the midst of plenty [is] intolerable to the religious conscience and incompatible with our principles of economic justice"; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations reaffirms its commitment to ending poverty and economic injustice; and ENDORSES: Jubilee 2000/USA's call for a time of Jubilee and debt cancellation that benefits ordinary people and facilitates their participation in determining the scope, timing and conditions of debt relief as well as the future direction and priorities of their national and local economies; and (Continued on Economic Justice – 25)

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ENDORSING THE JUBILEE 2000 CAMPAIGN (Continued from Economic Justice – 24)

URGES: The United States government to use its leadership in the international community to support and promote a program of debt cancellation for impoverished countries that reduces poverty, and restores economic and environmental justice for people who have borne the major burden of their countries' indebtedness; and REQUESTS: That the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations Washington Office for Faith in Action join interfaith partnerships to advocate for cancellation of the unsustainable debt of impoverished countries; and CALLS: On its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to join this worldwide movement for economic justice by educating their constituencies about the global problem of debt and by engaging in the Jubilee 2000 Campaign.

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DEBT RELIEF FOR POOR COUNTRIES — 2001

(AIW)

WHEREAS, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) make loans to developing nations to help stabilize their currencies and to develop their resources such as transportation, hydroelectricity, and water supply; and WHEREAS, many projects did not increase productive capacity enough to repay the debts and the world’s poorer countries now owe over $2 trillion to international lending agencies and to rich nations; and WHEREAS, these heavily indebted countries have been further impoverished by debt service they must continually pay to the World Bank, IMF, wealthy lending nations, and other international lending institutions, which, in the poorest countries, exceeds national expenditures on health care and education; and WHEREAS, the amount needed in Africa for treatment and prevention of AIDS is $15 billion per year, while interest on debt in Africa to international lending agencies is $13 billion annually; and WHEREAS, the Structural Adjustment Programs imposed on poor countries as conditions of their loans often include requirements that they cut back on health care services and charge user fees for health care and education; and WHEREAS, major religious groups, including the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees at its May 2000 meeting, Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community, and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, supported the Jubilee 2000 coalition calling for cancellation of debt of the poor nations; and WHEREAS, Jubilee 2000 made a start, but much more burdensome debt remains to be cancelled in the world's poorest nations; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the 2001 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to:  Support the coalition known as Drop the Debt;  Ask the leaders of the G-7 nations meeting in Genoa, Italy, in July 2001 to immediately cancel bilateral debt owed by poor countries and to authorize cancellation of debt by international lending agencies;  Support the World Bank Bonds Boycott campaign seeking to persuade concerned investors to reject World Bank Bonds, which provide 80 percent of the Bank's capital, and through this boycott, to exert moral and financial pressure for major changes;  Call on international lending organizations to encourage, through their lending policies, anticorruption efforts in their client countries and to suspend lending to countries that fail to meet standards of transparency in the management of loans;  Support the Mobilization for Global Justice coalition gathering in Washington, DC, September 28 through October 4, 2001, or similar local assemblies, to demand from the World Bank and IMF immediate debt cancellation and an end to Structural Adjustment Programs that result in user fees for and privatization of human services; (Continued on Economic Justice – 27)

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DEBT RELIEF FOR POOR COUNTRIES (Continued from Economic Justice – 26)

 Call on United States Congressional representatives and Canadian Members of Parliament to allocate ample money for debt cancellation and to legislate requirements that international agencies stop the proliferation of irresponsible debt and end policies resulting in harmful Structural Adjustment Programs; and  Study within congregations and affiliates and advocate through coalitions more equitable alternative policies and practices for social, economic, and political development toward the goal of world economic justice and democracy.

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RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION IS OUR MORAL IMPERATIVE — 2001

(SOC)

Preface Material comforts that we enjoy in the United States and Canada come at a greater cost than we often realize. Our two countries, together with other industrial nations, consume a disproportionately large share of the natural resource base that sustains life on earth. While the United States and Canada alone account for only 6 percent of the world's population, we consume over 40 percent of the world's resources. Some of us feel entitled to live lives of material comfort. Our pursuit of happiness puts us on a treadmill of material acquisition and conspicuous consumption. Advertising, marketing, and peer pressure keep the treadmill turning. Perhaps our sense of entitlement comes from a spiritual emptiness; we hope that material acquisitions will feed our hunger for deeper meaning. The Cost of Consumption The price we pay individually for the goods and services we consume does not reflect their ultimate cost. The hidden cost of irresponsible consumption is often far removed from the point of purchase or use. It is often difficult to document. The ultimate cost includes the price we pay up-front and the hidden price paid by present and future generations when our actions increase human suffering and lead to the extinction of species, degradation of the environment, and depletion of natural resources. Our planet’s natural resources are finite. We are depleting those resources at a rate that far exceeds the living system’s natural capacity to replenish, cleanse, and sustain life. We have a responsibility to the earth and all of its creatures. We need to raise to consciousness the moral imperative of responsible consumption habits at home, at work, and in our religious communities. Our goal should be sustainability—a balance between the human impact on the natural world and the world’s ability to support life indefinitely. A great deal of good work is being done by economists, businesses, and others to implement sustainability concepts, from which we can learn to change our thinking, habits, and practices. Individuals, groups, private interests, and government all need to change. Sustainability is possible when there is a dynamic balance of the economy, the environment, and the social system in a given community. An Ethic of Responsible Consumption The emerging ecological ethic values conservation, demands frugality, encourages saving, and emphasizes connectedness and community. Embracing this ethic makes socially responsible consumption more achievable. Individuals consume according to their need, ability, and taste; nonetheless, this consumption can, and should, be tempered by a collective ethic valuing the interests of the greater community as much as the entitlements of each individual. Moral values about responsible consumption can no longer be drawn from an ethic that assumes that our planet is available for us to exploit to fulfill our needs and pleasures. Our global dominion is limited, and we have already begun to encounter its limits. By continuing to follow an obsolete ethic, we are likely to cause irreparable harm to our ecosystem. We must cast away this ethic and begin to replenish what we take. We must work to restore and preserve what the interdependent web of life will need to sustain itself indefinitely. Unitarian Universalism Calls Upon Us Our Unitarian Universalist faith calls upon us to approach the ethic of responsible consumption with a passion for seeking truth, a thirst for making justice, a vision of interdependence, and a willingness to reexamine our individual actions and beliefs. Becoming responsible consumers means putting into action our religious Principles of the inherent worth and dignity of all people and the interdependent web of existence of which we are a part. (Continued on Economic Justice – 29)

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RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION IS OUR MORAL IMPERATIVE (Continued from Economic Justice – 28)

We each begin a personal journey toward responsible consumption from a different place. Wherever we start, we must be mindful of our behavior, attentive to the voices and needs of others, and conscious of the natural rhythms of the world. Our journey continues through education. Through secular and religious education programs, we must challenge ourselves to rethink the underlying assumptions that guide our choices. Through dialogue in small groups, we nurture each other’s environmental consciousness and examine competing claims of what individual responsibility actually means. Our journey is fulfilled through activism. We will work together for legislative changes that will reduce over-consumption, environmental degradation, and the unjust distribution of resources. This journey will change our lives. As we talk with our children about advertising and peer pressure, we will discover with them innovative ways to adjust our consumption levels, to conserve the earth's finite resources, and to simplify our lives. We will learn more about the hidden costs of the foods we choose to eat and the clothing we choose to wear. We will stretch the lifespans of our appliances, computers, and cars. Before buying, we will ask ourselves if we really need to make the purchase. When purchasing something new, we will buy the most energy-efficient model. We will extend the recycling circle by buying items already made of recycled materials. We will avoid purchasing products that are wastefully packaged or produced through the exploitation of animals or human labor. We will consider living closer to work or to public transportation. We will ensure that our individual and congregational pension funds are invested in socially responsible enterprises. We will pursue designation of our congregations as "green sanctuaries." As more of us become responsible consumers, we pave the way for systemic change. Individual actions are not enough to reverse the relentless tide of reckless societal consumption. Government efforts are needed to ensure the equitable balance of private interest with the public good. Recycling, environmental and fair labor standards, reduction of suburban sprawl, accessible and affordable mass transportation, and reduction of the causes of global warming—all these require the cooperation of public and private authorities. We need to acknowledge the discomfort of accepting limitations on individual freedom—whether voluntary or statutory. A responsible consumption ethic requires personal as well as collective sacrifices. Many people have already simplified their lives. They confirm that it has been a liberating process, that their lives are more intentional, more meaningful, and happier. Prices, subsidies, and incentives may change as a consequence of this ethic. Entire industries may develop to utilize alternative natural resources such as wind energy, geothermal power, and solar power. We need to lobby government officials to end subsidies that promote the conversion of open spaces to housing subdivisions and to increase funding to rejuvenate inner-city neighborhoods. We need to advocate zoning that promotes a mix of retail business and residential land use. By modeling the change in behavior that we wish to see in other people, we not only reinforce our own enduring commitment to this ethic but also help others to see the value of thinking and acting together. People can learn to relish simplicity. They can learn to rely less on possessions for filling the void in their lives. They can come to understand that socially responsible consumption depends upon hearts, minds, and hands. The Unitarian Universalist Association hereby urges member congregations, affiliate organizations, individual Unitarian Universalists, and the wider communities in which we live to embark on this noble journey. We are called to act courageously and to tread more lightly upon the earth.

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ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION — 2003

(SOC)

Summary of the Statement of Conscience While economic globalization has helped some people attain higher standards of living, it has marginalized and impoverished many others and has resulted in environmental degradation and the depletion of natural resources. The benefits of economic globalization have been inequitably distributed and have not reached many people around the world. Our vision of the world as an interconnected web challenges us to turn from self-serving individualism toward a relational sense of ourselves in a global community, and toward practices that help create economic structures designed to serve the common good. We are called to bring our Unitarian Universalist Principles to our understanding of economic globalization and to help mitigate its adverse effects. Economic Globalization and Its Consequences Economic globalization, broadly understood, is the growing global integration not only of markets but also of systems of finance, commerce, communication, technology, and law that bypass traditional national, cultural, ethnic, and social boundaries. Proponents of economic globalization argue that it leads to more efficient division of labor, greater specialization, increased productivity, higher standards of living and wealth, and ultimately the end of poverty. Proponents also argue that recent economic growth has greatly contributed to the high standard of living enjoyed by many within the developed world and raised living standards of many people formerly living in abject poverty. Many others have not made such gains. Opponents argue that economic globalization detaches markets from essential regulations meant to protect national sovereignty, the democratic process, human rights, labor rights, and the environment. Opponents also argue that the policies and practices of industrialized countries and transnational corporations drive the market forces of economic globalization. There is no effective global regulatory system controlling economic globalization. The rules governing economic globalization have been created through trade agreements, international law, and institutions dominated by industrialized countries. These rules favor those with access to capital, legitimizing measures such as dropping tariffs, eliminating capital controls, enforcing intellectual property rights, privatizing public services, and weakening regulations that protect labor, health and safety, and the environment. Economic globalization is increasingly perceived by the rest of the world as American economic imperialism. Many Americans, accustomed to an individualistic and competitive culture, are insensitive to the realities of abject poverty, cultural erosion, and environmental degradation. As a result, systematic exploitation of labor and the environment goes unnoticed as do coercive monopolistic pricing of goods and services, criminal evasion of local legal controls, growing debt among developing countries, widening economic disparities, and devastation of traditional cultures. Unitarian Universalists are concerned about the concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a corporate elite who are dictating the terms of major economic and social parameters throughout the world. Together these factors generate profound anger and despair that fuel ideological and religious fundamentalism, increasing violence, and international terror. A Unitarian Universalist Response to Economic Globalization As people of faith, we are challenged to find ways to promote global economic fairness while maintaining the dynamism of the marketplace. As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm and promote:  The acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth, and a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We are called to better understand the complexities of economic globalization, mindful that deeper global awareness enriches our individual and communal spirituality. We must resist the arrogance of supposing that our own experience of truth is universal. (Continued on Economic Justice – 31)

Economic Justice - page 30 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION (Continued from Economic Justice – 30)

We affirm the value of congregational study groups devoted to a cyclical process of study, action, and reflection that includes monitoring our investments, the products and services we consume, the ways we consume them, the costs we bear to secure them, and the burdens we place on others in so doing. We must commit ourselves to actions that support and assist rural cultures that provide sustainable livelihoods adapted to the possibilities and limitations of the natural resource base. We must resist those who push unwanted globalization, industrial farming, or commodity agreements on nations and communities that wish to safeguard sustainable rural livelihoods and traditions.  The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all, and justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. Wealthy countries need to open their markets to agricultural goods, textiles, and other products from developing countries. We must become more effective advocates for increased funding of international economic, environmental, and humanitarian assistance as well as the expansion of educational opportunity. Existing debt of the poorest nations should be forgiven as part of a strategy under which such countries become selfsustaining. Certain public goods like water and education should remain under the protection of the state for the benefit of all citizens. We need to work to ensure that intellectual property provisions in international trade agreements take into account the rights of all people to medications, seed, fertilizer, and pest control.  The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within society at large. We must commit to participate in local, state, and national affairs regarding economic globalization, and to partner with other progressive community organizations to advocate for just economic policies and laws. We need to hold our political and corporate leaders accountable for their policies and actions. We advocate the increased use of socially screened investment policies and participation in shareholder accountability initiatives. Trade agreements, such as NAFTA (The North American Free Trade Agreement) and the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas), should safeguard democratically decided public policies, statutes, and regulations that protect children, labor, and the environment of all parties. The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the World Trade Organization, and other international financial and trade institutions must become transparent and democratic and support self-determination for communities and countries.  The inherent worth and dignity of every person. We are called to participate in the work of organizations that advocate for human rights, fair employment standards, and environmental justice. Countries are responsible for requiring foreign and domestic companies to pay fair taxes, ensure their workers a locally defined living wage, provide a healthy and safe work environment, and respect the right of their workers to bargain collectively in independent labor unions and to engage in strikes and other job actions when necessary. The standards of the International Labour Organization of the United Nations should be incorporated in all trade agreements. We advocate measuring the success of an economy not only by fiscal performance but also by quality-of-life indicators such as child mortality rates and literacy and education l evels. We recognize that developed nations, such as ours, need to reduce consumption of resources.  Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. We open our minds and hearts to the ideas, ideals, and dreams of others pursuing a more equitable, sustainable, and environmentally sound global community. We advocate for trade agreements and other international accords that safeguard the environment, and we must monitor their enforcement. We need to hold corporations, as well as governments, accountable for the damage they do to the environment by their policies and practices. We need to guide our investments and consumption toward companies that produce, provide, and purchase goods and services that are in accord with environmental, health and safety, and fair wage standards. We acknowledge our own responsibility to refrain from disproportionately consuming natural resources or transforming resources into waste and pollution. (Continued on Economic Justice – 30)

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ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION (Continued from Economic Justice – 29)

Conclusion We are challenged by the reality that many of us work for the very institutions driving economic globalization. We acknowledge our fears and resistance to change as we benefit from the global economic processes that foster inequity. The transformation we experience as we move from ignorance to knowledge and from speech to action is not easy. Nonetheless, we are called to become competent advocates. Seeing the world as an interconnected web challenges us to turn from selfserving individualism toward a relational sense of ourselves in a global community, and toward practices that help create economic structures designed to serve the common good.

Economic Justice - page 32 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE — 2005

(RR)

To further the connection between our investment strategies and UU values, the Unitarian Universalist Association affirms ethical corporate governance principles which include (a) performance-based executive compensation that considers a company's impact on all stakeholders, and (b) full disclosure of charitable giving and political activities.

SUPPORT OF THE UNITED FARM WORKERS’ BOYCOTT OF GALLO WINES — 2005

(AIW)

In solidarity with people struggling against oppression everywhere, Unitarian Universalist member congregations are urged to participate with the National Farm Worker Ministry, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, in support of a boycott of E. & J. Gallo wines that began on June 14, 2005. Grounded in our stance for justice, equity, and compassion in human relations, we ally ourselves with the National Farm Worker Ministry and its efforts with the United Farm Workers to provide fair and respectful working conditions for the Gallo farm workers. The Unitarian Universalist Association can be among the first religious assemblies to stand with the farm workers on this issue at this immediate time. Because Gallo refused to provide health benefits to those employees hired through farm labor contractors, workers voted overwhelmingly in a 1994 state-conducted election to join the union. It took five years for Gallo of Sonoma, a Gallo subsidiary, to sign a United Farm Workers contract. On November 1, 2003, the United Farm Workers contract with Gallo of Sonoma expired. Since then, the number of Gallo of Sonoma employees hired through labor contractors has grown to seventy-five percent. The company still refuses to provide health coverage for its workers. We call on our congregations to boycott Gallo wines until the management of Gallo of Sonoma negotiates a new contract with the United Farm Workers providing for fair wages, just working conditions, and health benefits for all of its farm workers. Support for this boycott will also encourage and inspire other farm workers in communities across the West, Midwest, South, and Northeast. Gallo wines sell under the following brand names: Anapamu, Andre, Ballatore Spumante, Bartles & Jaymes Coolers, Bella Sera, Black Swan, Boone's Farm, Bridlewood Winery, Burlwood, Carlo Rossi, Cask & Cream Caramel Temptation, Cask & Cream Chocolate Temptation, Copperidge, Da Vinci, E & J Gallo Twin Valley, E & J Cognac, E & J Gallo Vineyards, E & J VS Brandy, E & J VSOP Brandy, Ecco Domani, Ernest & Julio Gallo Twin Valley Vineyards, Frei Brother, Frei Brothers Reserve, Gallo Estate, Gallo Fairbanks, Gallo Livingston Cellars, Gallo of Sonoma, Gallo of Sonoma County Series, Gallo of Sonoma Estate Series, Gallo of Sonoma Single Vineyard, Gallo Sheffield Cellars, Gallo Vermouth, Gossamer Bay, Indigo Hills, Indigo Hills Blanc de Blancs, Liberty Creek, Livingston Cellars, Louis M. Martini, MacMurray Ranch, Marcelina, McWilliams Hanwood Estate, Mirassou, Napa Valley Vineyards, Peter Vella, Rancho Zabaco, Rancho Zabaco Winery, Red Bicyclette, Redwood Creek, Tott's, Turning Leaf, Turning Leaf Coastal Reserve, Whitehaven, Wild Vines, and William Wycliff. More information is available at www.nfwm.org and www.ufw.org. This proposed Action of Immediate Witness builds upon several actions adopted by previous General Assemblies: Migratory Workers (1961-General), Agricultural Employment (1966-General), Grape Boycott (1969-General), Lettuce Boycott (1972-General), Boycott of Safeway and A&P Stores (1973-General), Support of UFW Boycott (1974-General), UU Migrant Ministry (1975-Business), Farm Worker Initiatives (1976-General). Editor’s Note: This boycott officially ended in September 2005.

Economic Justice - page 33 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

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Economic Justice - page 34 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ELECTION REFORM AND VOTING RIGHTS

1962 - Self-Government for the District of Columbia ....................................................... 2 1964 - Revision of Congressional Procedures ................................................................ 2 1967 - Reform of Congressional Operation ..................................................................... 2 1970 - Representation in Congress and Self-Government for the District of Columbia ............................................................................................................. 3 1974 - Federal Campaign and Election Reform .............................................................. 3 1998 - Political Campaign Finance Reform ..................................................................... 4 2000 - Campaign Finance Reform .................................................................................. 5 2004 - Electronic Voting .................................................................................................. 6

See related resolutions under under Civil Liberties, Criminal Justice, and Racial Justice.

Election Reform and Voting Rights - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SELF-GOVERNMENT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA — 1962

(GEN)

WHEREAS, democracy is the system of government established in the United States; and WHEREAS, the residents of the District of Columbia live under colonial status with appointed rather than elected city officials; and WHEREAS, the residents of the District of Columbia have previously experienced self-government for a period of seventy years; and WHEREAS, the Senate of the United States has passed on five separate occasions by large majority selfgovernment measures for DC; and WHEREAS, the present colonial status is unfair to District residents, and embarrassing to the United States government; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urge the Congress to return self-government to the Capitol of the nation.

REVISION OF CONGRESSIONAL PROCEDURES — 1964

(GEN)

WHEREAS, persistent delays in the legislative process of the Congress of the United States result from certain of its traditions, precedents, rules and procedures; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association favors the revision of procedures in both Houses of the Congress to the end that legislation having majority support may be considered and acted upon without delays imposed by a minority; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the members of the constituent bodies of the Association call upon their Representatives and Senators to support measures appropriate to this objective; and BE IT STILL FURTHER RESOLVED: That copies of this resolution be sent to members of the 88th Congress.

REFORM OF CONGRESSIONAL OPERATION — 1967

(GEN)

AFFIRMING: That a strong legislative branch of federal government is a necessary component of the United States constitutional system and that independence, intelligence and integrity are qualities essential to lawmaking bodies in a democracy; and OBSERVING: That respect for and confidence in the United States Congress has been diminished by the improper exercise of power by some committee chairmen; THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION URGES: That the United States Congress adopt a code of ethics for all its members, with penalties for violations; and RECOMMENDS: That Congress choose committee chairmen on the basis of qualification not limited to seniority. Election Reform and Voting Rights - page 2 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS AND SELF-GOVERNMENT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA — 1970

(GEN)

OBSERVING: That for seventy years the citizens of the District of Columbia enjoyed local home rule, then in the troubled period following the Civil War, Congress abolished the elected local government and since that time has exercised detailed control of the District’s affairs; and NOTING: That the District of Columbia is governed by a Mayor-Commissioner and a City Council, all appointed by the President of the United States and the only elected branch of city government is the school committee; the powers of the Mayor-Commissioner and City Council are extremely limited, being far less than those customarily exercised by similar bodies in municipalities elsewhere in the United States; and FURTHER NOTING: That Congress continues to act as a super-city council for the District, a function for which it is not well suited, which serves only to divert its attention from broader national and international problems, and which has resulted in a government unresponsive to the needs and desires of the Dis trict; and AFFIRMING: That the District remains unrepresented in Congress itself, that the citizens of the District— virtually alone among the peoples under the American flag—are denied a voice in choosing the members of the legislative bodies who rule over them, in determining the national and local policies which affect their lives, and in deciding how the federal and local taxes they pay are levied and spent;and BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1970 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Congress of the United States to propose, and the States to ratify, an Amendment to the Constitution of the United State to provide for full voting representation in Congress for the citizens of the District of Columbia. The General Assembly further reaffirms its 1962 resolution urging the Congress to reinstitute democratic self-government in the District of Columbia.

FEDERAL CAMPAIGN AND ELECTION REFORM — 1974

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the interaction of human and technological forces has become increasingly complex and has resulted in awesome power and vulnerability; and WHEREAS, there is a need greater than at any other time in our history for objective study of issues and competent decision-making by our elected officials; and WHEREAS, the corrupting influence of financial power in the political process must be curtailed; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1974 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association supports the enactment of legislation that will, by means of an independent enforcement agency, ensure full disclosure of and limit the size of campaign contributions and expenditures, provide incentives for small individual contributions, provide for partial public financing of federal election campaigns, and limit the length of those campaigns.

Election Reform and Voting Rights - page 3 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

POLITICAL CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM — 1998

(AIW)

Among the issues of national and state political importance in the United States, none is of more vital and immediate concern to the healthy functioning of an informed electorate than reform of political campaign financing. It is elemental that persons, businesses, and associations with large purses can, do, and will influence the positions of candidates to whom large contributions are made, using "soft money," which is not subject to existing state and federal regulation. At the national level, the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 1998, generally known as the ShaysMeehan Bill, H.R. 3526, is pending in the United States Congress. This legislation prohibits national political parties, federal candidates, and officials from raising, spending, or directing "soft money" and prohibits state parties from spending "soft money" for activities that affect federal elections. Sanctimony has marked much of the talk in both houses of the United States Congress, but attempts to avoid commitment have marked the legislative process. Receivers of large contributions like to receive large contributions. Such receivers have offered disabling amendments, and more are threatened, to destroy the clean and clear thrust of the Shays-Meehan Bill. At the state and local level, campaign finance reform is being proposed via referendum and other measures. For example, Massachusetts will have a referendum on the ballot in November of 1998. Because the use of the democratic process is a cherished fundamental of Unitarian Universalism, the 1998 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges: 1. Individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States to inform their Representatives and Senators of their strong support of an unamended Shays-Meehan Bill (H.R. 3526), and to support state and local legislation with similar objectives; and 2. Unitarian Universalist congregations in the United States to encourage, support, and facilitate such action by their individual members.

Election Reform and Voting Rights - page 4 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM — 2000

(AIW)

The health and integrity of the American democracy at the national, state, and local levels depends, in large measure, on fair and open elections that command public confidence and encourage full citizen participation. Currently, the costs of campaigns for public office and the system of financing these campaigns give disproportionate influence to wealthy individuals and narrowly focused interest groups. Average citizens are so disadvantaged in this process that the resulting cynicism and alienation have led to severely diminished levels of voter participation and confidence in governmental institutions. Unless the current system for financing political campaigns is significantly reformed, the future of American democracy is in severe jeopardy. Access to political power will increasingly be concentrated in the hands of fewer people, and government will lose the support of the majority of its citizens. The more that access to elected officials is linked to wealth, the greater the likelihood that the civil rights of the poor and minorities will be eroded. Without major campaign finance reforms (i.e., clean money reforms that provide public financing of elections), the prospects for future public policies that support social and economic justice are extremely limited. Four states (Arizona, Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts) have already passed campaign finance reform laws that provide for voluntary public financing of state and local elections. Immediate support is needed to pass similar laws that will be on the ballots this fall in Oregon and Missouri. This state-by-state strategy may be the single best hope for stimulating meaningful change at both the state and federal levels. At the federal level little progress has been made to date. However, two bills entitled "Clean Money, Clean Elections" are being sponsored in the United States Senate by Senators Paul Wellstone and John Kerry and in the United States House of Representatives by Congressman John Tierney. These bills would, among other things, provide for voluntary public financing of national election campaigns much like the provisions of the state laws. Because the use of the democratic process is a cherished fundamental of Unitarian Universalism, the 2000 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges: 1. Individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States to inform their representatives and senators of their strong support for the "Clean Money, Clean Elections" bills (S. 982 in the Senate and H.R. 1739 in the House); 2. Individual Unitarian Universalists in Oregon and Missouri to support voluntary financing of state and local elections and individuals in other states to promote similar reforms; 3. The Unitarian Universalist Washington Office for Faith in Action to support and encourage those working for clean money campaign finance reform at both the state and federal levels and, in particular, to seek free television and radio time for candidates on the ballot; and 4. Unitarian Universalist congregations in the United States to encourage, support, and facilitate such actions by their individual members.

Election Reform and Voting Rights - page 5 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ELECTRONIC VOTING — 2004

(AIW)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association’s fifth Principle affirms the use of the democratic process in society at large; and WHEREAS, democracy depends on fairly counted votes and public confidence that votes have been fairly counted; and WHEREAS, an estimated thirty percent of those voting in November 2004 will use the new Direct Recording Electronic voting machines (DREs) that remove ballot recording and vote counting from public oversight, contrary to democratic principles; and WHEREAS, state and local boards of election often have neither the means to independently audit the computer systems they use nor the financial or technical resources for doing so; and WHEREAS, lack of an independent audit means that voters must accept election tallies for which there can be no independent recount, even after malfunction, crash, lost ballots, highly suspicious results, or machines that will not register votes for some candidates or that fail to show some contests; and WHEREAS, smaller manufacturers are offering certified voting systems that produce voter-verifiable paper ballots, and certified, free, open-source software for voting systems is expected to be available by 2005; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: By the 2004 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association that Unitarian Universalists should work for state and federal laws that require electronic voting systems to produce a voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT). A VVPAT is an unalterable paper record of each ballot that the voter can verify before leaving the booth. It is kept in a secure ballot box and used only for conducting independent audits and recounts; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 2004 General Assembly endorses the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2003, introduced in the United States Senate by Sen. Bob Graham (S. 1980) and in the United States House of Representatives by Rep. Rush Holt (H.R. 2239). This bill would require VVPAT and accessibility for persons with disabilities and would ban electronic voting systems that employ wireless technology; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists should work for additional state and federal laws that require voting machines and verification mechanisms to be accessible to persons with physical disabilities; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalist congregations are encouraged to inform legislators and state and local election officials about the problems associated with electronic voting systems and about accessible and more secure alternatives; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the UUA Office for Advocacy and Witness should keep congregations informed on this issue and legislation addressing it so that Unitarian Universalists may share their concerns with their elected officials.

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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

1966 - Natural Resources ............................................................................................... 2 1969 - Environment ......................................................................................................... 2 1971 - Environment ......................................................................................................... 3 1973 - Safer Alternatives to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline ................................................... 3 1976 - Cancer-Causing Substances in Air and Water..................................................... 4 1976 - Nuclear Power...................................................................................................... 5 1977 - Energy.................................................................................................................. 6 1977 - Problem of Environmental Policy ......................................................................... 7 1979 - Solar Heating ....................................................................................................... 7 1981 - Alternate Sources and Conservation of Energy ................................................... 8 1982 - Law of the Sea Treaty .......................................................................................... 9 1984 - Toxic Substances and Hazardous Waste .......................................................... 10 1989 - Protecting the Biosphere.................................................................................... 11 1992 - Safer Sources of Energy .................................................................................... 12 1994 - Environmental Justice ........................................................................................ 13 1994 - United Nations and Earth Day Celebrations....................................................... 14 1997 - Earth, Air, Water, and Fire ................................................................................. 15 2002 - Endorse the Earth Charter ................................................................................. 16 2006 - End Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining ............................................................. 17 2006 - Global Warming/Threat of Climate Change ....................................................... 18

See related resolutions under Economic Justice, Health, International Human Rights and Justice and Reproductive Health and Population.

Environmental Justice - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

NATURAL RESOURCES— 1966

(GEN)

RESOLVED: The Unitarian Universalist Association approves the concern of the United States Congress with an important natural resource as evidenced by the Wilderness Act of 1964, the Clean Air Act of 1964, the Clean Air Act Amendments, the Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965, and the Water Quality Act of 1965, and recommends further legislation and administrative action providing adequate appropriations to deal with forest and wilderness area preservation, air, water and land pollution, spoliation and the disposal of sewage and industrial wastes; and FURTHER RESOLVED: That member organizations of the Unitarian Universalist Association encourage research, public education, and legislation at local, state and provincial levels, with adequate enforcement to preserve our forests and wilderness areas and curb pollution and spoliation of air, water and land by urban growth and industrialization. The grounds for this resolution are: 1. Pure water, pure air, open spaces and wilderness areas are precious natural resources belonging to all the people; 2. These resources, and the health of the public, are threatened by pollution, contamination and exploitation caused by industrial and other interests in disregard of the rights of the people; and 3. Effective correction and control require government action at all levels.

ENVIRONMENT — 1969

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1969 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association promote environmental quality control by supporting at every level applicable, and encouraging members to support, programs and legislation that would: 1. Protect natural vegetative cover on land through government purchase of land and acquisition of easements on a greatly expanded scale, particularly in river basin watersheds; ensure effective soil conservation laws in areas already under development; require complete restoration of land that has been subjected to stripping for coal mining or any other purpose; establish a tax structure that would encourage the preservation of open space; 2. Implement recent federal legislation by establishing stringent standards and enforceable regulations at state and federal levels to prevent contamination of all water — atmospheric, surface, and subsurface (thermal pollution must be considered a contaminant in this context); 3. Amend the Air Pollution Act of 1967 to include effective federal air shed standards; strengthen local and regional air pollution regulations; further the study and implementation of ways to circumvent mass use of the internal combustion engine; 4. Create standards for use of pesticides and defoliating chemicals, reducing their use to amounts deemed safe by latest scientific findings, banning their use entirely where ecological control methods can be established; 5. Create standards for disposal of useless bulk wastes; 6. Broaden and intensify studies of the effects of population congestion in terms of what noise, confusion, and ugliness may do to the human spirit; prepare to act on the result of these studies in ways that could include rebuilding existing cities and creating new planned ones; planning highway and transportation systems with concern for beauty and utility; setting restrictions on airport locations and on the types of planes that may be flown; and 7. Stop the manufacture, transport, and testing of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons and their use against human beings.

Environmental Justice - page 2 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ENVIRONMENT — 1971

(GEN)

IN VIEW OF: The widespread and serious problem of pollution of our land, air and water; IN VIEW OF: The rapid depletion of many of our non-renewable natural resources and the dangerous exploitation of our renewable resources; and IN VIEW OF: The declining quality of life in our towns and cities with ever increasing noise, crowding, and crime rates; BE IT RESOLVED: The delegates at the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association gathered in Washington, DC: 1. Urge all Unitarian Universalists individually and collectively to inform themselves about the hazards of overpopulation and pollution and to act in their personal and public lives to counteract those hazards in every way possible, and to influence others to act in the same manner; 2. Urge all Unitarian Universalist societies which have not already done so to establish and sustain environmental protection committees, including political action groups to influence public officials and others to act in environmentally responsible ways; and 3. Urge all Unitarian Universalists as individuals, as members of groups and as a continental denomination to press for legislation at all levels to diminish the level of pollution and to ameliorate the population problem in the hope that we may bequeath to the next generation a world ecologically stable and ethically sane.

SAFER ALTERNATIVES TO THE TRANS-ALASKA PIPELINE — 1973

(GEN)

WHEREAS, there are strong indications that the proposed Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline would endanger the existence of much Arctic wildlife, including the migratory caribou upon which many of the inhabitants rely for food; and WHEREAS, there are also strong indications that the resulting tanker traffic along the western coast of North America would endanger the salmon and other forms of sea life upon which a large and valuable food-fishing industry now depends; and WHEREAS, several alternative means of transporting oil and gas from the shores of the Arctic Ocean to localities where it is needed have been proposed; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the governments of the United States and Canada to adopt and enforce regulations governing the transportation of this oil and gas which will assure that the risks of damage to the environment will be reduced to as low a level as is at all practicable.

Environmental Justice - page 3 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CANCER-CAUSING SUBSTANCES IN AIR AND WATER — 1976

(GEN)

WHEREAS, safe air to breathe and safe water to drink are essential to life; BE IT RESOLVED: 1. That the 1976 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association strongly urges that the federal Environmental Protection Agency adopt promptly standards and regulations that will minimize the discharge of cancer-causing substances into our air and water; and 2. That this resolution be conveyed to the appropriate agencies in Canada, the President of the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Chairmen of the Environment Committees of the Senate and the House of the US Congress; and 3. That individual societies and their members contact their Senators and Representatives as well as state and local health and environmental departments and their local water and sewer authorities; and 4. That the Canadian Unitarian Council be requested to make similar representations to appropriate government levels in Canada.

Environmental Justice - page 4 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

NUCLEAR POWER — 1976

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the electric power industry in the US and Canada has proposed a huge program of constructing nuclear power plants as an answer to the problems caused by the growing shortage of petroleum and the pollution caused by old-fashioned coal-burning plants; and WHEREAS, scientific hopes that nuclear energy would provide a safe, nonpolluting source of power have been frustrated (at least temporarily) by the discovery of many unforeseen dangers to human life and health such as: 1. The high probability that many people would be exposed to low-level radiation, an eventuality which is known to cause birth defects and to result in deaths from cancer, usually after time delays of years; 2. The highly probable exposure of future generations to the lethal effects of the long-lived radioactive waste products inevitably produced by nuclear power plants; and 3. Uncertainty in regard to the likelihood of catastrophic release of radioactive materials into the environment, because estimates of “nuclear safety” published by the nuclear power industry and its government sponsors neglect the dangers resulting from defects in construction and the lack of an adequate program for training nuclear power plant inspectors and operators; and WHEREAS, the ambitious plans for the construction of additional nuclear power plants involve a serious dilemma: either use up known reserves of uranium within a few decades, or convert to the still undeveloped breeder reactor, which is highly dangerous because it depends upon the production of plutonium in the reactor, and existing proposals for safeguarding the plutonium against theft or diversion for use by terrorists appear to require special pervasive security apparatus incompatible with American and Canadian traditions of freedom; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the 1976 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association regards it as essential to health and safety of the population of North America that construction of additional nuclear power plants be prohibited unless and until adequate means for overcoming all serious threats to life shall have been provided; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That government support of development of breeder reactors should be suspended unless there are provided adequate funds for expediting research and development in the following areas: 1. Provision of safe storage facilities for existing stocks of radioactive wastes whether military or civilian in origin, and for any such wastes produced in the future; 2. Provision of means for overcoming the other dangers associated with nuclear power plants and the fuel processing and reprocessing plants upon which the power plants depend; 3. Completion of the development of safer and less polluting methods for mining and utilizing coal; and 4. Acceleration of the development of more beneficent sources of power, such as solar power, wind power, tidal power, and seawave power. BE IT ALSO FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1976 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the American and Canadian governments to require the nuclear power plants now in existence to release to the public all information concerning their operation and radioactive waste disposal; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That to aid in the attainment of a safer and less polluting energy economy, the members of the Unitarian Universalist Association are hereby urged to petition their respective governments to issue appropriate regulations and to join in promoting comprehensive programs to eliminate wasteful and extravagant uses of energy.

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ENERGY — 1977

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the availability of adequate supplies of energy at a reasonable cost is essential to the welfare and future of all peoples of the world, both in developed and undeveloped countries; and WHEREAS, current energy production is dependent upon finite resources; and WHEREAS, unlimited growth is leading to the depletion of all natural resources, including possible sources of energy, at an unprecedented rate, the projected consequences of which will be disastrous for the world society; and WHEREAS, all conventional processes of energy production and consumption have some environmental effects; and WHEREAS, at present and projected use rates world supplies of petroleum and natural gas will be virtually depleted within 50 years; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association regards it as essential: 1. That balanced consideration be given to the development of all alternative sources of energy and that environmental and social effects, risks, and benefits of each source be investigated by careful research and technological assessments, and the results be fully considered; 2. That the use of oil and natural gas to generate electric energy be curtailed in order to conserve these fuels for other vital needs; and 3. That a program of energy conservation and education is necessary; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That to aid attainment of a safer and less polluting energy economy, the member societies of the Unitarian Universalist Association are hereby urged to petition their respective governments to issue appropriate regulations and to join in promoting comprehensive programs to eliminate wasteful and extravagant uses of energy; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That all Unitarian Universalist societies are urged to take those actions possible within their own budget resources to realize energy conservation within their own buildings.

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PROBLEM OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY — 1977

(GEN)

WHEREAS, we recognize the integrity of our environment, both physical and social, and our need to respect the interdependence of ecological spheres and social activities; and WHEREAS, the continued pollution of our environment, the continued depletion of our natural resources, and the continued decay of our rural and urban societies, all increase with an insufficient public policy; and WHEREAS, economic groups are using the issues of our “recession” to pressure government to lessen already weak environmental controls to stimulate the economy; and WHEREAS, government on all levels must help solve our long-term environmental problems; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges: 1. Government on all levels to continue to support the needs of a healthy environment as the fundamental prerequisite to a healthy society which can provide itself with a healthy balanced economy; 2. Unitarian Universalist congregations to establish and sustain environmental action committees, to monitor the effective implementation of public policy and to balance the lobbying power of large special interest groups by supporting organizations and individuals whose environmental records warrant such support; and 3. Each of us as individuals to become responsible members of our ecological niche by making ourselves aware of the crises that threaten our survival as a species and to support environmental awareness by the examples of our lives and our stimulation of others both individually and within the group to which we belong.

SOLAR HEATING — 1979

(GEN)

WHEREAS, solar space and hot water heating is practical and cost effective; and WHEREAS, government research, development, promotional efforts and tax credits have stressed complex and expensive active systems and underemphasized more reliable, cost effective passive and simple active systems; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon the US Department of Energy to shift its emphasis from complex active to passive and simple active solar heating systems; and upon the US Internal Revenue Service to amend tax subsidy guidelines that discriminate against passive solar construction; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges Unitarian Universalists to communicate their feelings on this subject to the appropriate government agencies.

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ALTERNATE SOURCES AND CONSERVATION OF ENERGY — 1981 (GEN) WHEREAS, the United States must, out of economic, ecological, and political necessity, develop alternate sources of energy and means of conserving energy; and WHEREAS, the United States cannot continue to be dependent on oil, especially oil produced by OPEC; and WHEREAS, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and other national groups, out of alarm over the dangers implicit in the use of nuclear energy, urge the development of solar energy; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges all churches, fellowships and individuals to request their United States Representatives and Senators to legislate: 1. Greater financial commitment to long-range basic research and development of solar and other alternate renewable sources of energy and means of conserving energy; 2. The institution and support of educational programs at all levels in schools throughout the United States on alternate renewable sources of energy and means of conserving energy; and 3. Greater financial incentives in the form of larger tax rebates to persons who adopt alternate sources of energy and/or means of conserving energy.

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LAW OF THE SEA TREATY — 1982

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the oceans of the world cover 70% of its surface; and WHEREAS, there is no international, oceanic policy; the United States has no such policy and recent incidents have shown the extreme dangers of competing national oceanic interests; and WHEREAS, the Law of the Sea Treaty is an international United Nations treaty, drafted by 151 nations, affirming that the resources of the sea belong to all people and embodying negotiated arrangements for sharing and controlling these resources; and WHEREAS, after United States bipartisan support and leadership under four successive Presidential administrations, the United States cast one of only four negative votes on April 30, 1982 against the Law of the Sea Treaty; and WHEREAS, continued United States political and financial support and technological participation are vital to the Treaty's stature, to effective implementation of its provisions, and to its success; and WHEREAS, the present negative position of the United States can and should be reversed before final treaty signing in December, 1982; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1982 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Affirms that the Law of the Sea Treaty is unparalleled as a practical opportunity for the world to move toward becoming truly a world community; 2. Urges the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office to continue to encourage creation of a comprehensive oceanic policy for the United States and Canada based on the Law of the Sea, and to work for signature of the Treaty by the United States; 3. Urges the Association's Office of Social Responsibility and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee to develop education and action programs and materials for understanding every aspect of the global sea's influence on humankind's physical and social environment and for understanding the Law of the Sea Treaty; 4. Urges Association societies, fellowships, and individuals to formulate immediate action plans and to work closely with other groups for support of the Law of the Sea Treaty; and 5. Urges the Board of Trustees, officers, and staff of the Association to provide leadership and assistance to the denomination in these efforts.

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TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND HAZARDOUS WASTE — 1984

(GEN)

WHEREAS, every person has the right to a safe and healthful environment; and WHEREAS, as the problems created by toxic substances and hazardous wastes affect our health and that of future generations, it is our responsibility to insure a safe and healthful environment; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1984 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges all Unitarian Universalists to inform themselves, educate others, and involve themselves and others in solving the problems caused by improper disposal of hazardous waste and toxic materials into our land, water and air; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges members of the Unitarian Universalist Association in Canada and the United States to work with their governments in enforcing laws designed to: 1. Insure that industry and government assume their responsibilities for past mistakes and work to prevent future errors by adhering to both the letter and intent of related law; and 2. Control the sale and use of toxic substances both at home and abroad; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges members of the Unitarian Universalist Association to work for additional legislation, as needed, to ensure that hazardous waste materials are disposed of in the safest possible way and to support the full implementation, without diminishment of laws already on the books, insofar as they serve to maintain a safe and healthful environment.

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PROTECTING THE BIOSPHERE — 1989

(GEN)

Guided by our respect for the sanctity of all life and for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part; Recognizing the stress placed upon the biosphere through excessive demands upon resources, and mismanagement of those resources for industrial, commercial, and personal objectives; and Acknowledging that we are responsible for the survival of life on our planet; and WHEREAS, industrialized countries consume a disproportionate share of the earth’s finite resources and generate a disproportionate quantity of waste and pollution; and WHEREAS, the disposal of environmentally dangerous wastes in the form of plastics, chemicals, metals, and synthetic and radioactive materials has proven to contaminate our air, water, and land with carcinogens and toxins; and WHEREAS, we are increasingly polluting our environment by human-error; and WHEREAS, acid rain has damaged and destroyed forests and lakes throughout the northern latitudes; and destruction of tropical rain forests by corporations, governments, and internationally-sponsored projects is resulting in one-third of the annual increase in global carbon dioxide levels, which have been rising since the late 19th century, threatening life on earth with an unprecedented warming trend; and WHEREAS, the polar ozone layers have decreased significantly in the past decade, threatening life on earth with an increased level of ultraviolet radiation; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon its congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to examine their attitudes and to practice responsibility as consumers, affirming the need to support and participate in community conservation and recycling programs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That Unitarian Universalists inform and petition their legislators to enact legislation: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Encouraging safe waste management and the conservation and recycling of natural resources; Advocating environmentally sound controls and practices in the manufacture, use, and disposal of environmentally dangerous materials; Promoting international action against polluted air masses and water flow across political boundaries; Developing efficient means to prevent, where possible, and to respond swiftly and effectively to environmentally threatening accidents; and Rejecting environmentally damaging aid and development projects, such as those causing the destruction of tropical rain forests;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalist congregations and their members inform themselves of the global issues of environment and quality of life as addressed in the United Nations Brundtland report, “Our Common Future”; discontinue or strictly limit the use of environmentally destructive products, and coordinate efforts with those of environmental groups everywhere; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists support international efforts to heal the harmful effects of human activities on the biosphere.

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SAFER SOURCES OF ENERGY—1992

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Future generations have the right to inherit a livable biosphere; and BECAUSE: The responsibility for ensuring the livability of the biosphere lies ultimately with every person; and WHEREAS, the quality of the environment is deteriorating; and WHEREAS, the burning of fossil fuels is a major contributing factor in this deterioration; and WHEREAS, fossil fuels are non-renewable resources; and WHEREAS, the true economic costs of processing and disposing of fossil fuels and their byproducts are not accounted for; and WHEREAS, it is now possible to reduce reliance on fossil fuels by replacing them with less polluting, ecologically safer means of energy conversion; and WHEREAS, the General Assemblies of 1977, 1979, and 1981 adopted resolutions urging the development and the use of non-polluting, renewable sources of energy; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association support efforts such as the Seventh Principle Project whose aim is to: 1. Provide a network to collect and distribute ecological and environmental information; and 2. Coordinate ecological and environmental projects within the Association and with other affiliated organizations; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Department for Social Justice be encouraged to establish a network for sharing the results of attempts to implement this resolution; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association advocate research and development for conversion from fossil fuels to environmentally sounder, cleaner sources of energy, such as solar, geothermal, wind, tidal, and other safer sources of power, and that member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists be urged to join this action; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association promote the conservation of the remaining dwindling sources of fossil fuel by improving fuel efficiency, by encouraging increased taxation of polluting fuels, and by increasing support for public transportation, and that member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists be urged to join this action; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations work with its affiliates, Unitarian Universalist congregations, camps and conference centers, district offices, and other groups to set an example by actively promoting energy conservation measures among ourselves, including proper insulation, energy efficient lighting and heating, improvements in building design and landscaping, and the encouragement of carpooling, walking, and cycling.

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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE — 1994

(GEN)

BECAUSE: We affirm justice and compassion in human relations, the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and respect for the interdependent web of all existence; and BECAUSE: We share the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; and WHEREAS: Waste and pollution, overconsumption by the world’s affluent few, and the pressures caused by poverty and burgeoning populations are inflicting harsh and often irreversible damage on the environment, and have endangered the future we wish for both humanity and the rest of nature; and WHEREAS, the poor, the powerless, the landless, and the disinherited are often compelled to carry the major burdens of waste and pollution without representation in planning and decision-making processes; and WHEREAS, the concept of environmental justice links the principles of liberal religion with the values of ecological awareness and racial and class justice; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has adopted separate resolutions on specific economic, political, and environmental issues, it also realizes that environmental justice requires an integrated, holistic approach; and WHEREAS, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit (1991), the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (1992), and other assemblies and organizations are seeking to move environmental justice higher on the public policy agenda; and THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association shall act and urge its affiliates, member societies, and individual Unitarian Universalists to: 1. Promote programs for social, economic, and political empowerment so that all people may join together in one struggle for peace, justice, and sustainable development; 2. Support the development of democratic and ecologically responsible community organizations, labor unions, and business cooperatives; 3. Develop religious education and community action programs honoring cultural and religious diversity and connecting environmental issues to other social justice concerns; 4. Set time aside for seasonal celebrations to honor our interdependence and to deepen our commitment to natural and cultural diversity; and 5. Work with the Unitarian Universalist Seventh Principle Project, the Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community, the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, and others to implement the recommendations of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development; and 6. Commend the President of the United States for the issuance of Executive Order 12898 of February 11, 1994, which addresses environmental justice in minority and low-income populations; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association shall act and encourage its affiliates, member societies, and individual Unitarian Universalists to bear witness to the need for environmental justice by reducing their consumption of the earth’s resources, generating as little waste as possible, recycling, and making a commitment as producers, investors, and consumers to living in an ecologically balanced and responsible manner.

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UNITED NATIONS AND EARTH DAY CELEBRATIONS — 1994

(BUS)

BECAUSE: The Unitarian Universalist Association has long been an advocate for world peace, human rights, and environmental protection; and BECAUSE: Our principles, our concerns, and our vision for the future have often been expressed through our support for the United Nations and our celebration of Earth Day; and WHEREAS, 1995 marks both the twenty-fifth anniversary of the first Earth Day and the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter in San Francisco; and RECOGNIZING: That 1995 also marks the third anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which focused international attention on the need for environmental justice and sustainable development; and AFFIRMING: Our desire to state our Unitarian Universalist principles through the administration of our institutions; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the General Assembly calls upon the Board of Trustees, the Officers, and the Departments of the Unitarian Universalist Association to take note of the 1995 United Nations and Earth Day anniversaries, by: 1. Supporting appropriate commemorative activities at the United Nations and the 1995 General Assembly, especially in the San Francisco Bay area; and 2. Publishing a 1995 information package that will alert congregations to opportunities for supporting the United Nations, environmental justice, and sustainable development; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly thanks C*UUYAN and the General Assembly staff and volunteers for their continuing work in encouring recycling and other responsible environ-mental activities in connection with General Assembly events.

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EARTH, AIR, WATER, AND FIRE — 1997

(GEN)

BECAUSE: The seven principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association connect the values of democracy, personal growth, and social justice to a recognition of the interdependent web of all existence; and WHEREAS, safe air to breathe, safe water to drink, and a sustainable environment are essential for life; and WHEREAS, government support for environmental protection and energy conservation programs is inadequate; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its member congregations, affiliate organizations, and individual Unitarian Universalists to increase their efforts to: 1. Protect threatened and endangered species and their habitats; 2. Advocate for clean air, both indoors and outdoors, and clean water; 3. Promote the protection of public lands and water resources, and the responsible stewardship of private lands; 4. Support and practice energy and water conservation and the use of renewable sources of energy; 5. Use and advocate the use of public transportation and other environmentally sound alternatives; 6. Reduce the waste of resources in our homes, congregations, and communities by recycling, using recycled products, and reducing consumption; 7. Educate ourselves and our congregations on the need for these efforts and how best to undertake them; and 8. Increase government support for environmental protection and energy conservation programs.

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ENDORSE THE EARTH CHARTER — 2002

(AIW)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm and promote the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; and BECAUSE: Our Unitarian Universalist Principles affirm “respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part”; and WHEREAS, many biologists predict that up to half of all existing species on our planet may disappear within the coming century unless urgent steps are taken to prevent this irreparable disaster; and WHEREAS, global warming is likely to increase the surface temperature of the earth in our lifetimes, melting icepacks, flooding island nations, expanding deserts, and disrupting stable ecosystems; and WHEREAS, environmental destruction most severely affects the poor, indigenous people, subsistence farmers, and others directly dependent on nature for their livelihood; and WHEREAS, the Earth Charter, an outgrowth of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, will be presented to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 26 – September 4, 2002; and WHEREAS, the Earth Charter’s inclusive vision recognizes that environmental protection, human rights, equitable human development, and peace are interdependent and inseparable; and WHEREAS, the Earth Charter draws upon the world’s great religious and philosophical traditions to create a statement of human responsibility toward creation that will offer a moral foundation for the development of international law; and WHEREAS, adoption of the Earth Charter provides a tool for policymakers, business leaders, educators, and faith communities to understand the critical choices facing humanity and the urgent need for commitment to a sustainable way of life; and WHEREAS, numerous religious, civic, and environmental organizations have already endorsed the Earth Charter document, including the United Nations Association of Canada, the Sierra Club, the Humane Society of the United States, Pax Christi, the National Wildlife Federation, and International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2002 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association endorses the Earth Charter and urges all the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association to do likewise; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 2002 General Assembly requests that the Unitarian Universalist Association communicate the Assembly’s endorsement of the Earth Charter to all members of the United States Congress and that member congregations that endorse the Earth Charter communicate their action to their representatives in Congress; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 2002 General Assembly encourages the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office to seek endorsement by the United Nations in 2002, the tenth anniversary of the Rio Earth Summit.

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END MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL COAL MINING—2006

(AIW)

WHEREAS, the Appalachian mountain range is an irreplaceable environmental treasure in the heart of the United States; and WHEREAS, mountaintop removal coal mining is devastating the environment, economies, people, and culture in Appalachia; and WHEREAS, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that at least seven hundred miles of healthy streams have been buried by mountaintop removal coal mining; and WHEREAS, the exploitation of Appalachia unjustly enriches other regions in the United States by providing cheap coal and thus electricity at the expense of Appalachia; and WHEREAS, the availability of cheap coal thwarts energy conservation efforts because consumers, if required to pay the full and true costs of energy, would likely change their consumption habits; and WHEREAS, passage of H. R. 2719, the Clean Water Protection Act, would amend the Clean Water Act in a way that should reduce the use of mountaintop removal coal mining because coal companies would no longer be permitted to dump waste into nearby streams and valleys; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That in order to protect the Appalachian environment and its people and to promote environmentally aware energy consumption patterns, the delegates of the 2006 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association call upon our member congregations, our affiliate organizations, and individual Unitarian Universalists to: 1. Petition their congressional representatives to support passage of H. R. 2719, the Clean Water Protection Act; 2. Petition relevant federal and state agencies, such as the Office of Surface Mining, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the individual state permitting agencies, to suspend or refuse to issue permits for mountaintop removal coal mines; 3. Petition relevant agencies to restrict Appalachian mountaintop removal coal mining to daylight hours; 4. Petition relevant national and state departments of health and human services to engage in dialogue regarding the effects of environmental degradation on the health of affected communities; 5. Petition relevant agencies to levy and collect fines for mining and environmental violations; 6. Strengthen legislation and funding for restoration of lands affected by mountaintop removal coal mining; and 7. Raise awareness that the impact of the choice of coal mining techniques on local communities is a national and not a regional issue.

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THREAT OF GLOBAL WARMING/ CLIMATE CHANGE — 2006

(SOC)

Earth is our home. We are part of this world and its destiny is our own. Life on this planet will be gravely affected unless we embrace new practices, ethics, and values to guide our lives on a warming planet. As Unitarian Universalists, how can our faith inform our actions to remedy and mitigate global warming/climate change? We declare by this Statement of Conscience that we will not acquiesce to the ongoing degradation and destruction of life that human actions are leaving to our children and grandchildren. We as Unitarian Universalists are called to join with others to halt practices that fuel global warming/climate change, to instigate sustainable alternatives, and to mitigate the impending effects of global warming/climate change with just and ethical responses. As a people of faith, we commit to a renewed reverence for life and respect for the interdependent web of all existence. A MATTER OF SCIENCE There is scientific consensus that the Earth’s climate is changing due to global warming/climate change caused primarily by the human use of oil, coal, and natural gas. The burning of these fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which traps more heat from the sun. Global warming/climate change is accelerating as planetary temperatures reach record highs. The melting of polar ice and mountain glaciers may cause sea levels to rise by at least three feet, probably much more, and by eighty feet in coming centuries if the average temperature rises five degrees, warming that will be difficult to avoid. Half of the world’s plant and animal species are at risk of extinction by 2100 as habitats are destroyed and ecosystems unravel. The huge Siberian permafrost peat bogs are apparently starting to melt, releasing methane and accelerating global warming/climate change. Antarctic glaciers are sliding into the ocean faster than previously expected, which may result in worldwide coastal flooding. Rapidly melting polar ice caps and glaciers provide visual evidence of global warming/climate change. Indirect effects due to melting polar and Greenland ice can upset the delicate salt balance in the North Atlantic Ocean, triggering a shift in the thermohaline current, which ironically may result in a local ice age in Northern Europe and parts of North America. Increasing temperatures can devastate human communities and wildlife habitats. Warmer climates are extending toward the poles, dramatically altering ecosystems. Melting polar ice caps raise sea levels and upset the delicate balance of ocean salinity. This imbalance may lead to a shift in ocean circulation patterns, which could wreak havoc with regional climates. Recent increases in sea surface temperatures are linked with more intense hurricanes. Global warming/climate change can cause both increases and decreases in local temperatures and precipitation. Until now the effects of global warming/climate change have been proportionate to increases in greenhouse gas concentrations. We can minimize the damage of climate change only if we act vigorously and soon--in the next decade according to top climate scientist. Since human-generated greenhouse gases are at a level not seen for at least 600,000 years, effects will persist and increase for a while even as we begin to control emissions. Climatic changes, combined with habitat destruction and pollution, are causing loss of species, forests, human settlements, glaciers, and coastal heritage sites. All living organisms depend on ecosystems that can be sustained only in relatively narrow temperature ranges. The recent rapid global average temperature increase is indeed the result of human activity. While the climate is always changing, attribution studies using sophisticated supercomputer global climate models show that natural causes do not account for the recent rapid temperature increase and that human activity does. See the 2001 IPCC/SPM report, Figure 2.4. A Matter of Faith and Justice As Unitarian Universalists, we are called by our seventh Principle to affirm and promote “respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” We envision a world in which all people are (Continued on Environmental Justice – 19)

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GLOBAL WARMING/THREAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE (Continued from Environmental Justice – 18)

assured a secure and meaningful life that is ecologically responsible and sustainable, in which every form of life has intrinsic value. In other words, Unitarian Universalists are called to defer to a balance between our individual needs and those of all other organisms. Entire cultures, nations, and life forms are at risk of extinction while basic human rights to adequate supplies of food, fresh water, and health as well as sustainable livelihoods for humans are being undermined. To live, we must both consume and dispose. Both our consumption and our disposal burden the interdependent web of existence. To sustain the interdependent web, we must burden it less while maintaining the essentials of our lives. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita are painful omens of how racism, sexism, and poverty worsen the effects of global warming/climate change. Our world is calling us to gather in community and respond from our moral and spiritual wealth; together we can transform our individual and congregational lives into acts of moral witness, discarding our harmful habits for new behaviors and practices that will sustain life on Earth, ever vigilant against injustice. A Matter of Policy Global warming/climate change is not only an environmental phenomenon; it is a hotly contested policy issue. All countries, in particular developing countries, will be unable to protect their residents from sea level increases, frequent and intense droughts, heavy rains, and violent hurricanes and tornadoes. Species worldwide face extinction from these same events. It is a bitter irony and a grave injustice that economically developed countries that are most responsible for global warming/climate change possess the wealth, technology, and infrastructure to cope with its negative effects, while those who have the least will have the largest burdens to bear. In 1992, the United States ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Convention calls for its signatories to stabilize their greenhouse gas emission rates. It also states that economically developed countries will take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and not use scientific uncertainty about some aspects of climate change as a cause for delaying an immediate response. While the scientific evidence is solid, there seems to be an effort by some to confuse the public. To date, the United States has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol to the Convention, which sets milestones for reducing greenhouse gas emission rates. International cooperation is critical for addressing this global dilemma. A Call to Action Affirming that we are of this earth and that humankind has brought about global warming/climate change, we, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, pledge to ground our missions and ministries in reverence for this earth and responsibility to it as we undertake these personal practices, congregational actions, and advocacy goals. Personal Practices  Reduce our use of energy and our consumption of manufactured goods that become waste;  Use alternative sources of energy to reduce global warming/climate change and to encourage the development of such sources;  Choose the most energy-efficient transportation means that meet our needs and abilities (e.g., walk, bike, carpool, use mass transit and communication technologies, and limit travel);  Determine our personal energy consumption and pledge to reduce our use of energy and carbon emissions by at least 20 percent by 2010 or sooner and into the future;  Reuse, recycle, and reduce waste;  Plant and preserve trees and native plants and choose sustainably harvested wood and wood products; (Continued on Environmental Justice – 20)

Environmental Justice - page 19 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

GLOBAL WARMING/THREAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE (Continued from Environmental Justice – 19)

 Eat and serve energy-efficient food that is locally produced and low on the food chain;  Use financial resources to encourage corporate social responsibility with reference to global warming/climate change;  Model these practices by committing to a life of simplicity and Earth stewardship;  Consume less, choose appliances that are rated energy-efficient (e.g., by the EPA Energy Star Program), and choose products and materials that are made from renewable resources and can be recycled at the end of their usefulness; and  Commit to continue to learn about the science, impact, and mitigation of global warming/climate change and communicate this knowledge by teaching about and discussing the problems and dangers of, and actions to address, climate change. Congregational Actions  Celebrate reverence for the interdependent web of existence in all aspects of congregational life;  Treat environmentally responsible practices as a spiritual discipline;  Seek certification through the Green Sanctuary Program of the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth;  Educate ourselves, our children, and future generations on sustainable ways to live interdependently;  Whenever possible, plan congregational facilities around proximity to public transportation and encourage congregants, as they are able, to travel by public transportation, walking, biking, and carpooling;  Seek U. S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for all new congregational building projects and use LEED guidelines for renovation projects;  Use congregational financial resources to positively address the global warming/climate change crisis;  Practice environmentally responsible consumption and encourage voluntary simplicity among members;  Build a broader base for environmentally mindful policies and practices through congregational alliances within Unitarian Universalism, through interfaith channels, and with secular entities; and  Maximize the energy efficiency of congregational facilities by enrolling in the EPA’s Energy Star for Congregations Program. Denominational Affairs We call upon our denominational leaders to provide:  Leadership, by calling upon the major political parties to develop energy and climate change policies and to make them central topics of debate in state, congressional, and presidential elections;  Education, by providing spiritual, educational, and technical resources for congregational and individual responses;  Justice, by seeking opportunities for public witness for environmental justice, including joining interfaith and public events promoting a just response to climate change;  Sustainable practices, by exploring the options for performing environmental audits of all UUA properties and for modeling appropriate management and purchasing practices;  Sustainable investing, by exploring the potential for using the ownership rights of the denomination's financial resources to positively address the global warming/climate change crisis; (Continued on Environmental Justice – 21)

Environmental Justice - page 20 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

GLOBAL WARMING/THREAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE (Continued from Environmental Justice – 20)

 Support, by assisting congregations in evaluating and addressing the risks and challenges they face as a result of global warming/climate change;  Recognition of congregational action, by encouraging, honoring, and publicizing the work of UU congregations, including those that achieve Green Sanctuary accreditation; and  Ministry, by recognizing and supporting the need for UU leaders to help others understand the urgency and severity of addressing global warming/climate change, the resulting potential for despair, and places to find hope for the future. Advocacy Goals  Full compliance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, with the understanding that because human activity is affecting global climate change, it follows that the greater our total population the greater the impact;  Ratification of and compliance with the Kyoto Protocol;  Funding for research and development of renewable energy resources and energy-efficient technologies that includes a shift of federal subsidies from fossil fuel industries to renewable energy technologies and improved energy efficiency;  Funding of regional, national, and international programs to assist in mitigating the effects of global warming/climate change;  Safe and responsible development of power sources with low greenhouse gas emissions;  Policies and practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase forestation and other forms of carbon dioxide sequestration;  Funding for development of energy-efficient mass transit and encouragement of its widespread use;  Global warming/climate change impact studies (including physical, social, and economic effects) to be conducted by local and regional governments, with the findings to be incorporated into local government processes;  Urban and regional planning designed to reduce energy consumption;  Access to family planning services in the United States and around the world;  Significantly strengthened Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) standards for automobiles and light trucks;  National greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets of 10 percent below current levels by 2015, 20 percent by 2020, and 60 percent by 2030;  United States policy that takes a leadership role in future global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the negative impacts of global warming/climate change;  Monitor, propose, and support legislation at the local and state level related to global warming/climate change and opportunities to reduce emissions; and  Provide information on legislative advocacy opportunities to members of the congregation. Given our human capacity to reflect and act upon our own lives as well as the condition of the world, we accept with humility and determination our responsibility to remedy and mitigate global warming/climate change through innovation, cooperation, and self-discipline. We undertake this work for the preservation of life on Earth.

Environmental Justice - page 21 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Environmental Justice - page 22 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

1961 - Freedom of Residence......................................................................................... 3 1963 - Commission on Religion and Race ...................................................................... 3 1964 - Civil Rights ........................................................................................................... 4 1964 - Commission on Religion and Race ...................................................................... 4 1964 - Unitarian Universalist Ministry.............................................................................. 4 1965 - Congregational Polity and Open Membership...................................................... 5 1965 - Open Membership Policy I ................................................................................... 5 1965 - Open Membership Policy II .................................................................................. 5 1965 - Implement Open Membership Policy ................................................................... 5 1965 - Open Occupancy ................................................................................................. 6 1968 - Equal Opportunity in Housing............................................................................... 6 1969 - Project Equality .................................................................................................... 7 1970 - Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women ........................................................ 7 1972 - Project Equality .................................................................................................... 8 1972 - Support for Integrated Education ......................................................................... 8 1973 - Equal Opportunity in UUA Employment ............................................................... 9 1977 - Equal Rights Amendment .................................................................................... 9 1977 - ERA Emergency Action...................................................................................... 10 1977 - Implementing Resolution on Persons with Special Needs ................................. 10 1977 - Persons with Special Needs............................................................................... 11 1977 - Women and Religion.......................................................................................... 12 1978 - Special Needs of Center-City ............................................................................. 13 1978 - UUA Meetings and Non-ERA Ratified States..................................................... 14 1979 - Battered Women ................................................................................................ 15 1979 - Supportive Services for Single Adults and Their Families.................................. 16 1979 - UUA Action to Reduce Injustices of Discrimination ............................................ 17 1980 - Implementation of Women and Religion Resolution........................................... 17 1981 - A Commitment to Urban Ministry ....................................................................... 18 1982 - Non-ERA States................................................................................................. 18 1983 - Equal Rights Amendment .................................................................................. 19 1984 - Housing.............................................................................................................. 19 1984 - Preserving Civil Rights ....................................................................................... 20 1984 - Urban Crisis ....................................................................................................... 20 1987 - Ending Gender-Based Wage Discrimination...................................................... 21 1989 - AIDS/HIV Crisis.................................................................................................. 22 1989 - Equal Opportunity in Ministerial Settlement ....................................................... 23 1993 - Violence Against Women ................................................................................... 24 1997 - Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities........................................................... 26 1998 - Women’s Rights Anniversary ............................................................................. 27 Equal Opportunity - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

2003 - Women’s Rights ................................................................................................. 28 2007 - Support for the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) ........................................................ 29

See related resolutions under Aging; Children and Youth; Economic Justice; Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons, and Racial Justice.

Equal Opportunity - page 2 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

FREEDOM OF RESIDENCE — 1961

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the President of the United States to promulgate an executive order prohibiting discrimination in federal housing and urban renewal programs and establishing a committee to develop a program of implementation of the same; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its churches and fellowships to: 1. Call upon their individual members to make all housing, urban and suburban, new or old, which they control as owners, dealers, brokers, builders, or mortgagors available to any qualified person, without regard to race, color, creed or national origin; 2. Call upon all real estate dealers, brokers, and mortgagors to do the same; 3. Request their city and state legislators to repeal all existing laws prohibiting discrimination in housing; and 4. Stimulate, encourage, and participate in educational programs, meetings, and other activities sponsored by both governmental and voluntary agencies and designed to promote equality of opportunity in housing.

COMMISSION ON RELIGION AND RACE — 1963

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian and Universalist movements have historically affirmed the supreme worth of every human personality, the dignity of man, the use of the democratic method in human relationships, and the ideals of brotherhood, justice and peace; and WHEREAS, refusal to welcome persons into membership in any of our churches or fellowships because of race, color or national origin would contradict our historical testimony and the declared constitutional purposes of our Association; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That all member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association be charged to declare and practice their faith in the dignity and worth of every person and that all member congregations of our denominations are hereby strongly urged to welcome into their membership and full participation persons without regard to race, color, or national origin; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That, to implement the declared constitutional purposes of our Association: 1. The President, with the concurrence of the Board of Trustees, be instructed to appoint a Commission on Religion and Race, composed of at least seven members, whose duty shall be to explore, develop, stimulate and implement programs and actions to promote the complete integration of Negroes and other minority persons into our congregations, denominational life, ministry and into the community; 2. This Commission be adequately financed within the budget of our Association; and 3. The report of the action and future program of the Commission be conveyed to the 1964 General Assembly; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That all groups applying for membership in the Association be informed by the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association before being accepted into membership of the Unitarian Universalist Association on the stated policy of the Association, which welcomes all qualified persons, regardless of race, color, or place of national origin, into the membership of the churches, fellowships and organization.

Equal Opportunity - page 3 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CIVIL RIGHTS — 1964

(GEN)

RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association, at its 1964 General Assembly, reaffirm, defend and promote the supreme worth of every human personality, the dignity of man, and the use of the democratic method in human relationships, as stated in the purposes and objectives of its Constitution, and as reaffirmed in the annual meetings of the Association and urge its member churches and fellowships and their individual members to demonstrate their support of these principles by: 1. Defending the right of individuals to engage in non-violent demonstrations and non-violent civil disobedience for greater racial justice; 2. Supporting the legislation currently under debate in the US Senate and urging no weakening of fair and equal employment and public accommodations sections and elimination of the amendment excluding atheists (Ashbrook amendment); 3. Urging the use of executive orders to direct all federal agencies to administer federal programs without discrimination; and also urge the federal government to withhold the expenditure of federal funds from such state or local programs and agencies which discriminate against persons on the basis of their facilities, property, finances or services; 4. Seeking to influence state and local governing bodies and officials to end apathy, police brutality and the use of unwarranted curfews wherever they exist; and to enact adequate state and local legislation toward ending racial discrimination in voting, employment, housing, education, and in places of public accommodation; 5. Urging every citizen to work for freedom of residence in his own neighborhood; 6. Working in human relations councils and other groups formed to further better understanding among peoples; 7. Investing their funds in non-discriminatory enterprises; and 8. Perfecting their non-discriminatory practices in all areas of human relationships.

COMMISSION ON RELIGION AND RACE — 1964

(BUS)

RESOLVED: That in accordance with the purposes and objectives of the Unitarian Universalist Association, this Association and its members hereby declare and affirm their special responsibility to promote the full participation of persons, without regard to race, color, sex, or national origin, in the Association, in member churches and fellowships, in associate members, in the ministry and in society.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST MINISTRY — 1964

(GEN)

WHEREAS, an effective ministry in the Unitarian Universalist churches requires both the full utilization of qualified persons now available and a continuing influx of able candidates; and WHEREAS, many are discouraged from entering the ministry because of widespread reluctance of churches and fellowships to call them irrespective of their sex, race, or age; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the churches and fellowships be urged to: 1. Recruit and call qualified candidates for the ministry from all races, ages, and of both sexes; 2. Continue to develop a salary structure commensurate with professional standards as determined by the Unitarian Universalist Ministerial Association; and 3. Contribute adequately to support the theological schools and provide financial assistance to theological students regardless of sex, race or age. Equal Opportunity - page 4 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CONGREGATIONAL POLITY AND OPEN MEMBERSHIP — 1965

(BUS)

Believing it is essential that the fundamental principles of Unitarian Universalist belief be clearly understood and demonstrated, the Fourth General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, recognizing the autonomy of all its churches and fellowships under the principle of congregational polity, urges that the membership policies and the organizational practices of all member churches and fellowships be based upon the individual freedom of belief and open membership which are inherent in the Universalist and Unitarian heritages.

OPEN MEMBERSHIP POLICY I — 1965

(BUS)

RESOLVED: That in accordance with the purposes and objectives of the Unitarian Universalist Association, this Association and its members hereby declare and affirm their special responsibility to promote the full participation of persons, without regard to race, color, sex, or national origin, in the Association, in member churches and fellowships, in associate members, in the ministry and in society and to invite the full participation of all persons without any creedal test whatsoever.

OPEN MEMBERSHIP POLICY II — 1965

(BUS)

RESOLVED: That this General Assembly instruct the Board of Trustees to place on the Agenda for the 1966 General Assembly a proposed amendment to Article II of the Constitution which will add a new section substantially in the form of Item 7F, which was adopted yesterday, and which reads as follows: In accordance with the purposes and objectives of the Unitarian Universalist Association, this Association and its members hereby declare and affirm their special responsibility to promote the full participation of persons, without regard to race, color, sex, or national origin, in the Association, in member churches and fellowships, in associate members, in the ministry and in society and to invite the full participation of all persons without any creedal test whatsoever; and That this General Assembly recommend to the General Assembly to be held in 1967 the adoption of the proposed amendment, with the further understanding that versions of the above, both including and not including the matter of “creedal tests whatsoever,” be submitted to the Assembly in 1966.

IMPLEMENT OPEN MEMBERSHIP POLICY — 1965

(BUS)

BE IT RESOLVED: That whenever an effort is made to impose on the membership of a local congregation restrictions based on race, color, sex, national origin or creedal tests, our responsible leadership shall make prompt and firm declaration (publicly when the issue is public) of the stated general policy of the Unitarian Universalist Association with respect to principles of open membership and individual freedom of belief.

Equal Opportunity - page 5 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

OPEN OCCUPANCY — 1965

(GEN)

RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists be urged to work for comprehensive “open occupancy” legislation at all levels and that such legislation embody firm and unambiguous enforcement procedures; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the President of the United States be encouraged to extend the federal executive order against discrimination in housing because of race, religion or national origin to include all mortgage loans made by financing institutions which are regulated or supervised by the federal government; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That more adequate funds be appropriated for the vigorous enforcement of the executive order; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That members of our churches and fellowships be urged to support such legislation at the state, provincial and municipal level; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That in order to make such legislation effective, individual members of the Association be urged to introduce into every phase of the acquisition, purchase, building, mortgage loans and occupancy of real property the banning of discrimination due to race, religion or nationality; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That our churches and fellowships and their members undertake active efforts with others in their own communities for the integration of their own neighborhoods; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That our members be urged to scrutinize off-campus or sorority and fraternity student housing in colleges and universities as it affects minority students or foreign students and other students and seek to eliminate discrimination.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN HOUSING — 1968

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1968 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Commends the President and the United States Congress for passing civil rights legislation requiring equal opportunity in housing, calls upon the Congress to broaden further such legislation to cover all housing, and calls on all states and municipalities to enact and enforce necessary local laws or ordinances covering all housing; 2. Calls upon the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide incentives to state and local housing authorities and local non-profit or limited dividend organizations for building or providing in urban and suburban communities scattered-site housing for low and moderate income families; 3. Encourages all churches and fellowships to consider investing available funds in integrated low and moderate income housing projects; 4. Calls on all churches and fellowships to set up and cooperate with fair housing committees to foster attitudes which will lead to a transition from segregated to integrated housing in our country; and 5. Encourages all individuals to foster equal opportunity in housing by welcoming families of other races who move into a segregated neighborhood, by remaining in neighborhoods that are becoming integrated, and by themselves moving into integrated neighborhoods whenever opportunity affords.

Equal Opportunity - page 6 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

PROJECT EQUALITY — 1969

(BUS)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1969 General Assembly: 1. Urges the Unitarian Universalist Association to continue and intensify its relation with the Project Equality Council; and further 2. Urges its local societies to participate in Project Equality wherever it is operating in their local community; and 3. Urges the Unitarian Universalist Association to join Project Equality.

EQUAL RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN — 1970

(GEN)

RECOGNIZING: That women have minority status in terms of employment opportunities, legal rights, the educational system, political power, and positions of influence in religious bodies; AWARE: That woman tend to react to their cultural image by limiting their aspirations and by forming low evaluations of their own capabilities; OBSERVING: That profound changes are occurring in our society affecting the role of women and men, including trends toward smaller families, increased education for women, and the growing number of women in employment; BELIEVING: That critical social problems require the full use of educated, trained womanpower in responsible positions; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1970 General Assembly: 1. Urges special concern for improving the image, aspirations, and opportunities of women so that they may work together with men toward creating a more fully human society for both; and to that end changes are called for in the education and counseling of girls and boys to ensure this kind of equality; 2. Asks for greater efforts to prevent discrimination against women in employment and to encourage the utilization of women in significant levels in business, education, and government; 3. Calls upon the United States and Provinces of Canada to enact fair employment legislation prohibiting discrimination on account of sex where such laws do not now exist; 4. Requests that a special effort be made in the Unitarian Universalist Association, its churches and fellowships, to place greater numbers of qualified young and mature women in policymaking positions, and to secure equal opportunities and pay for women in the ministry, religious education, and administration; and 5. Calls upon the United States Congress to pass the Equal Rights Amendment without delay and supports its ratification by the states.

Equal Opportunity - page 7 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

PROJECT EQUALITY — 1972

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the 1970 General Assembly of the UUA by unanimous vote expressed its agreement with the support of Project Equality; and WHEREAS, this General Assembly of 1972 desires to demonstrate that the UUA implement its affirmations of social justice; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the General Assembly instruct the Board of Trustees as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4.

To encourage the UUA’s present suppliers to cooperate with Project Equality; To give preferential treatment to those suppliers which cooperate with Project Equality; To urge member societies to support Project Equality; and To report in the UU World, progress of implementation of the above actions no later than January 1, 1973.

SUPPORT FOR INTEGRATED EDUCATION — 1972

(GEN)

WHEREAS, there is a need to redefine the concept of integrated quality education in terms of the needs of students of all socioeconomic, racial, and nationality backgrounds; and WHEREAS, our intent must be to provide quality education for everyone and not to destroy the identity of ethnic groups by renaming schools, by replacing minority group principles or teachers, or by ignoring minority groups in curricula; and WHEREAS, busing is not the main issue but is only one instrument which in some circumstances may be useful in bringing about quality education for all; and WHEREAS, Blacks and other minority groups must share decision-making power (community-control) in educational and other matters affecting their lives; and WHEREAS, all levels of government have responsibility for equalizing educational resources made available to all students, with provision for extra resources in cases of special need; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urge full support of all means leading to integrated quality education including the equitable distribution of resources; fully integrated staffing; curricula including the history, culture, and problems of all minorities, such as Blacks, American Indians, Chicanos, Eskimos and Orientals; any necessary bus transportation whether or not across jurisdictional boundary lines; bring to the attention of member societies the continuing need for Unitarian Universalist leadership in every community if a just and democratic society is to be attained and urges that the various communities affected participate in the decision-making process in redefining quality education, examining the intent, and identifying the best instruments to be used to achieve it; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1972 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association opposes President Nixon’s proposed Moratorium on Student Transportation and opposes all efforts in the Congress to attach the so-called “anti-busing” amendments to the Higher Education Emergency School Assistance Act; and further opposes House Joint Resolution 620, the so-called “anti-busing” constitutional amendment.

Equal Opportunity - page 8 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN UUA EMPLOYMENT — 1973

(BUS)

RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association publish each year in a manner intended to achieve wide notice a report of its efforts to provide equal employment opportunity to women and racial minorities at all levels of its staff, said report to include a statistical summary similar in scope and content to that reported by the federal agencies and most US corporations, and shall include goals it has set for the following three years; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association in its employment and promotion practices continue to make every effort to provide equal employment opportunities, particularly in key decision-making positions.

EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT — 1977

(GEN)

WHEREAS, an amendment to the United States Constitution to provide equal rights for women has been ratified by thirty-five states; and WHEREAS, there remain fifteen states which have not ratified the Equal Rights Amendment and three affirmative decisions by states are necessary by March 22, 1979 to complete the ratification process; and WHEREAS, women have not achieved full equality under the law even though the principles of “liberty and justice for all” are basic to our nation; and WHEREAS, a Constitutional amendment is a principle to which all other laws must conform and no Constitutional amendments, including the fourteenth, have consistently guaranteed women equal treatment under the law; and WHEREAS, laws at both the state and federal level which guarantee equal rights to women can be easily revised and reversed; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon member societies to work for ratification and implementation of the Equal Rights Amendment. This action will include, as appropriate: 1. Communicating with state legislators and news media emphasizing your reasons for support of ERA; 2. Promoting study and discussion of ERA by individuals, groups, and publications; 3. Campaigning and voting for candidates for political office, especially state legislatures, who support ERA; 4. Raising monies and providing general support to organizations and candidates working for ratification and implementation of ERA; and 5. Minimizing economic participation in non-ratified states.

Equal Opportunity - page 9 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ERA EMERGENCY ACTION — 1977

(BUS)

WHEREAS, since March 4, 1977, several states, including Florida, Illinois, Georgia, and Arizona, have considered and not passed the Equal Rights Amendment; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation Board reaffirmed at the June, 1977 meeting their resolve to meet only in those states which have ratified the Equal Rights Amendment and to urge the Unitarian Universalist Association to do likewise; and WHEREAS, other nations, church and citizen organizations have similarly resolved not to meet in nonratified states; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly affirms the action of the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association to schedule the 1979 General Assembly in a state which has ratified the Equal Rights Amendment.

IMPLEMENTING RESOLUTION ON PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS — 1977

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the Commission on Appraisal has studied the representative nature of the General Assembly; and WHEREAS, we ourselves wholeheartedly wish to put into practice in our meetings what we have urged upon others regarding full inclusion with dignity of handicapped persons and the elderly; and WHEREAS, one of the main purposes of General Assemblies is to afford Unitarian Universalists the opportunity to gather together to reaffirm our solidarity and to deepen our spirit; and WHEREAS, communications, fellowship and full participation can be difficult for the elderly, the handicapped and others with special needs where housing is dispersed; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly instructs the Planning Committee to consider the following criteria when securing facilities for future General Assemblies: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Ease of registration; Adequate access for the handicapped, the elderly and others with special needs; Efficiency of meal service; Ease of communications; and Adequate space for large and small meetings.

Equal Opportunity - page 10 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS — 1977

(BUS)

WHEREAS, there are millions of persons in the United States and Canada who are blind, deaf, physically or mentally disabled, or otherwise with special needs; and WHEREAS, these people suffer from discrimination and segregation in education, employment, transportation, and freedom of access because of architectural barriers in public and private buildings; and WHEREAS, both Judeo-Christian and humanist traditions in Unitarian Universalism express concern about and sympathy with disadvantaged minorities; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the inclusion of the category “persons with special needs” in the 1964 National Civil Rights Law so that the handicapped may better function as free and equal members of society, and requests the Canadian Unitarian Council to communicate any similar concerns it may have to the appropriate level of government in Canada; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That all societies and organizations in the Unitarian Universalist Association are encouraged to study and implement methods of integrating persons with special needs into both our own and the larger society, starting with the year 1977.

Equal Opportunity - page 11 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

WOMEN AND RELIGION — 1977

(BUS)

WHEREAS, a principle of the Unitarian Universalist Association is to “affirm, defend, and promote the supreme worth and dignity of every human personality, and the use of the democratic method in human relationships”; and WHEREAS, great strides have been taken to affirm this principle within our denomination; and WHEREAS, some models of human relationships arising from religious myths, historical materials, and other teachings still create and perpetuate attitudes that cause women everywhere to be overlooked and undervalued; and WHEREAS, children, youth and adults internalize and act on these cultural models, thereby tending to limit their sense of self-worth and dignity; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon all Unitarian Universalists to examine carefully their own religious beliefs and the extent to which these beliefs influence sex-role stereotypes within their own families; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly urges the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association to encourage the Unitarian Universalist Association administrative officers and staff, the religious leaders within societies, the Unitarian Universalist theological schools, the directors of related organizations, and the planners of seminars and conferences, to make every effort to: (a) put traditional assumptions and language in perspective, and (b) avoid sexist assumptions and language in the future; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly urges the President of the Unitarian Universalist Association to send copies of this resolution to other denominations examining sexism inherent in religious literature and institutions and to the International Association of Liberal Religious Women and the IARF; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly requests the Unitarian Universalist Association to: (a) join with those who are encouraging others in the society to examine the relationship between religious and cultural attitudes toward women, and (b) to send a representative and resource materials to associations appropriate to furthering the above goals; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The the General Assembly requests the President of the UUA to report annually on progress in implementing this resolution.

Equal Opportunity - page 12 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SPECIAL NEEDS OF CENTER-CITY — 1978

(BUS)

WHEREAS, many of the churches and fellowships of the Unitarian Universalist Association are located in the central portions of our large cities; and WHEREAS, a very sizeable percentage of the Unitarian Universalists belong to these inner-city churches and fellowships; and WHEREAS, inner-city churches and fellowships share in common a great many special problems, hardships, opportunities, and advantages related to the mobility and volatility of city life; and WHEREAS, the continued existence of many of our large cities is visibly and obviously endangered and their need for stable and vital churches and other social institutions is apparent; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association in 1972 organized a conference of “Center-City Churches” which was held in Philadelphia and funded by a special grant; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association did not provide effective follow-up for this conference; and WHEREAS, without supportive denominational services, our city societies have not been able effectively to share expertise or to mount joint efforts; BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Department of Ministerial and Congregational Services is urged to serve the special needs of center-city societies; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this program include (but not be limited to) the gathering and dissemination of information among city societies and assistance with the special needs of city societies in religious education, pastoral ministry, funding, social-action programs, community service, attracting and holding membership in a fluid population, establishing an identity in complex pluralistic society, and church-community relations; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this program be given a high priority in the Department’s efforts; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges suburban societies to enter into sharing arrangements with their sister city societies, both as a means of mutual enrichment and to foster the spirit of unity among our societies; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association is urged to form a committee, with representation from the Board and from city-center societies of the Association, to monitor on a quarterly basis the efforts of the Department of Ministerial and Congregational Services on behalf of the center-city societies; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association is urged to establish a procedure by which negotiations with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee can be opened to determine what program aimed at center-city can be developed between the two organizations.

Equal Opportunity - page 13 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

UUA MEETINGS AND NON-ERA RATIFIED STATES — 1978

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association adopted a general resolution on the Equal Rights Amendment, which, in part, calls upon member societies to minimize economic participation in non-ratified states; and WHEREAS, the 1977 General Assembly affirmed the action of the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association to schedule the 1979 General Assembly in a state that has ratified the Equal Rights Amendment; and WHEREAS, the Administrative Board of the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation reaffirmed in June 1977 its resolve to meet only in states which have ratified the amendment; and WHEREAS, the grassroots boycott by increasing numbers of church and citizen organizations has made significant impact on the economic well-being of non-ratified states; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly requests the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Board of Trustees to schedule all future General Assemblies in ratified states; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly calls upon the UUA Administrative officers and staff, leaders within districts and local societies, and the boards of related organizations to discourage the scheduling and the attending of multistate denominational meetings, seminars, conferences, and retreats in public facilities in non-ratified states until the ERA becomes the law of the land; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly encourages those districts entirely composed of non-ratified states to adopt creative methods for planning meetings which will increase the awareness of and support for the Equal Rights Amendment; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this action be conveyed by the President of the Unitarian Universalist Association to the governors, state legislatures, chambers of commerce, convention bureaus, hotel and restaurant associations in those states which have not ratified the ERA, and to the press.

Equal Opportunity - page 14 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

BATTERED WOMEN — 1979

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the battering of women in the home is a family and societal problem related to the violation of basic human rights in a significant way both nationally and globally; and WHEREAS, the problem is compounded by the legal and social system’s inability to protect victims of abuse adequately; and WHEREAS, children internalize and perpetuate models of behavior observed and experienced in the home and in the larger society; and WHEREAS, long standing religious and cultural myths and practices authenticate and sanction inequitable and oppressive male/female relationships such as male dominance and female submission; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Administration, member societies and individuals to: 1. Help women learn of and use local assistance available; 2. Support the creation of crisis resources such as hotlines, shelters and transition houses for battered women and their dependents; 3. Promote improved civil and legal protection for victims; and 4. Work toward improved police and court methods of handling violence in the home and toward follow-up treatment services for offenders and victims; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly asks all Unitarian Universalists to consider to what extent religious and cultural myths and practices set models for and influence interrelationships within their own homes; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly requests professionals and staff members of the Unitarian Universalist Association to: 1. Determine whether the physical abuse of women is related in any way to religious myths which promote male dominance in human relationships; 2. Try to assess the potential impact of these myths on the sense of self-worth and dignity of men and women; and 3. Recognize the consequences of this impact in future statements, publications and educational materials; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly requests the President of the Unitarian Universalist Association to: 1. Send copies of this resolution to appropriate political and religious organizations and individuals urging its promotion nationally and globally; and 2. Include denominational action on Resolve Three of this resolution in the annual report on Women and Religion.

Equal Opportunity - page 15 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR SINGLE ADULTS AND THEIR FAMILIES — 1979 (BUS) WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has a long, rich history of social outreach into communities, with innovative programs and solutions, and of supporting environments in which humans may best maximize and fulfill their potential; and WHEREAS, in every community across the continent there are increasing numbers of adults and their families experiencing status change problems of singleness— whether by never marrying, by divorce or by death of spouse; and WHEREAS, this large single population is in urgent need of the services and support which a liberal church can best provide, that of a church-sponsored haven or center of acceptance and nurture; single and previously marred adults are important supporters/contributors to their societies; and WHEREAS, the creation and maintenance of supportive activities for single adults and their families is already a valuable concern of a number of societies in our denominations and some of which already have useful experience regarding appropriate programs for singles and can furnish guidance and models (such as “Discovery” — Rockville, Maryland; “Solo Center”—Seattle, Washington; and others) which might be shared; and WHEREAS, there is need for insight, sharing and reconciliation between single and married adults within the community and the church which can best be accomplished within a Unitarian Universalist society setting; and WHEREAS, the single person with his/her interests and talents can be a valuable member of the church/fellowship if encouraged to be a part of the church family; and WHEREAS, it is an appropriate and legitimate concern of Unitarian and Universalist societies and of this Assembly to raise the consciousness of all Unitarian Universalists and of our larger communities to the very real problems and needs of single adults and their families; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association recognizes that the provision of “supportive societies” for single adults and their families is a legitimate concern of the member societies; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association is charged: 1. To encourage districts, clusters, councils and local societies to support and promote the development of programs for singles’ concerns; and 2. To encourage the Unitarian Universalist Association to serve as a resource for singles’ concerns, within the limits of the present staff, structure, and budget, through its Department of Ministerial and Congregational Services and the UU World.

Equal Opportunity - page 16 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

UUA ACTION TO REDUCE INJUSTICES OF DISCRIMINATION — 1979

(BUS)

WHEREAS, in the Bakke case, the Supreme Court affirmed the use of color as one of the means of opening opportunities for professional, scholarly, and technical training to blacks and other historically disadvantaged groups; and WHEREAS, relatively few blacks and other historically disadvantaged persons work in jobs with better than average career potential, and relatively few are enrolled in studies preparing for such careers; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly requests the Unitarian Universalist Association Section on Social Responsibility to increase its efforts in affirmative action and consciousness-raising and to provide information on constitutional affirmative action programs and to stimulate local societies to reduce the injustices of discrimination by monitoring local situations and encouraging appropriate public and private affirmative action.

IMPLEMENTATION OF WOMEN AND RELIGION RESOLUTION — 1980

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association passed a resolution titled “Women and Religion” at the 1977 General Assembly and a related resolution titled “Battered Women” at the 1979 General Assembly; and WHEREAS, these resolutions, in part, urge all Unitarian Universalists to examine their religious beliefs and the extent to which these beliefs influence sex-role stereotypes; and WHEREAS, these resolutions further urge all persons within societies to avoid sexist assumptions and language in the future; and WHEREAS, avoiding sexist assumptions and sexist language is a long term undertaking during which the deep-seated patriarchal nature of our religious traditions must be examined and new ways of perceiving the nature of women and men and of relationships between them must be developed; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urge all societies to provide opportunities for members to participate in activities that bring into focus the sexist nature of our religious heritage and also the emerging ideological understanding that value women and men as full human beings; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this General Assembly urge the UUA administrative staff, in association with lay members and clergy, to develop and provide: 1. Materials to help societies eradicate longstanding sexist assumptions and language forms and usages diminishing women whether in worship or in other church settings; and 2. A procedure for evaluation of the progress made toward incorporation of concepts, values and linguistic forms that are free of sex bias; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That this General Assembly calls on the Board of Trustees of this Association to urge all societies to: 1. Use the evaluation procedure when provided; and 2. Recognize and celebrate women’s experience in the quest for religious identity.

Equal Opportunity - page 17 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

A COMMITMENT TO URBAN MINISTRY — 1981

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the bylaws of the Unitarian Universalist Association state that the Association exists in part to “affirm, defend and promote the supreme worth and dignity of every human personality,” and recognizing that poor and minorities residing in urban areas are currently the victims of displacement, racial violence, and poverty; and WHEREAS, the 1978 General Assembly urged the Department of Ministerial and Congregational Services to serve the special needs of center-city societies and that the Board of Trustees appointed an Urban Concerns Advisory Committee; and WHEREAS, the administration of the Association has endorsed and supported an Urban Church Coalition and its goals, and a Section of Extension staff person is assigned to work with the Coalition and with urban societies; and WHEREAS, our societies are now overwhelmingly located in communities whose locale makes it more difficult for their members to be in touch with those most deeply affected by social oppression; and WHEREAS, as a racial audit of the administration of the Association was conducted, the next logical step is to address the issue of racial exclusivity in our movement; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges that: 1. A task force on Urban Ministry be established in the Department of Ministerial and Congregational Services which would examine the training for current religious professionals and those preparing for ministry as that training relates to services for urban societies and establish an affirmative action program for the recruitment of minorities as religious professionals; 2. The Ministerial Fellowship Committee examine its regulations for Fellowship for their impact on urban ministry; 3. Our member societies establish an Annual Urban Ministry Sunday to celebrate urban and suburban church cooperation, pointing to the needs of urban societies, and take a special collection for urban projects; 4. Urban churches demonstrate cooperation through their own efforts within local metropolitan areas; 5. The Section of Extension and the 6. develop and distribute materials to aid existing urban societies to attract members of minority groups and the poor; and 7. The Section of Extension devise programs for establishing new urban societies which will attract congregations of diverse racial and economic composition.

Equal Opportunity - page 18 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

NON-ERA STATES — JUNE 1982

(BD)

That the Board, acting in the spirit with which it adopted the policy regarding states which have not yet ratified the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), will continue the boycott of those states until September 1, 1982, as a means of demonstrating its concern for the failure of the Amendment. Further, the Board honors the work that has gone into this legislative struggle and pledges itself to a continuing battle for that essential statement of human dignity.

EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT — 1983

(GEN)

WHEREAS, in the United States women are still deprived of equal Constitutional rights, equal salaries, equal access to positions of responsibility and equal treatment in terms of health care, insurance and Social Security; and WHEREAS, men would benefit from equality of rights under the law; and WHEREAS, the Equal Rights Amendment has been submitted to the United States Congress this year (1983) as it has been every session since 1923 (with the exception of the years during which it was being ratified by the states); BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1983 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges that the 98th Congress of the United States act immediately to pass and submit to the states for ratification the Equal Rights Amendment which states: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex”; AND FURTHER: That the US Unitarian Universalist societies work for ratification within their states.

HOUSING — 1984

(BUS)

WHEREAS, an adequate supply of low-cost housing which is available on a nondiscriminatory basis is essential to meet the shelter needs of persons of low income, fixed income, and those who are elderly and/or handicapped; and WHEREAS, societies and districts of the Unitarian Universalist Association have participated in efforts to provide low-cost, cooperative, shared and retirement housing; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1984 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges increased federal, state, provincial or local support for housing for the disadvantaged, the elderly, and the handicapped; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly asks the Section on Social Responsibility to affiliate with one or more interfaith coalitions for housing, that in coordination with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee it share relevant information so obtained with Unitarian Universalist societies through the UU WORLD and by such other means as may be appropriate and that it encourage member societies to participate in low-cost housing ventures on their own or in cooperation with other religious or concerned nonprofit entities.

Equal Opportunity - page 19 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

PRESERVING CIVIL RIGHTS — 1984

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court decision in February 1984 in the Grove City Case narrowed significantly the applicability of Title IX, the Women’s Educational Equity Act; and WHEREAS, again in June 1984 the Court upheld in the Memphis Firefighters’ Case the “last hired, first fired” rule which, if given the broad interpretation of the US Justice Department, would weaken severely the principle of affirmative action; and WHEREAS, these decisions, and the US Administration’s advocacy of these positions, are part of an ongoing erosion of hard-won gains in civil rights; and WHEREAS, historically, the Unitarian Universalist Association has championed the rights of the underprivileged; and WHEREAS, the need for action is urgent; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1984 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Requests that the Association publicly express regret for the decisions; 2. Encourages active Unitarian Universalist participation in civil rights coalitions and the resistance by these coalitions of US Justice Department efforts to undermine affirmative action; 3. Requests that the Association and individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States urge the Senate to act promptly on legislation to restore broad coverage of the civil rights statutes (Title IX, Title VII, Section 501, Age Discrimination Act) which were in place prior to the Grove City decision; and 4. Requests that the Association and individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States urge Congress and cities to act constructively on work-sharing initiatives to insure that no group of workers is required to bear the full burden of lay-offs when seniority clashes with affirmative action.

URBAN CRISIS — 1984

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the city has been historically and at the present time is the center of culture, education, finances and population; and WHEREAS, the health of cities affects not only the residents of the urban area, but also involves the health and welfare of the United States and Canada as a whole; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1984 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association recognizes the urgency of the urban crisis as a major social problem of our time by: 1. Urging the governments to develop a coherent urban policy which focuses on urban distress by developing programs which include jobs for all, affordable decent shelter for all, adequate health care, justice in the welfare system, and safe and secure urban neighborhoods; 2. Requesting Unitarian Universalist societies to observe at least once each year an “Urban Ministry Sunday” which focuses on issues that affect the life of the city and their possible solutions which are available through revised government programs and through citizens’ efforts; 3. Enabling the work of the Committee on Urban Concerns and Ministry and the Urban Church Coalition to make increasingly significant contributions in the name of urban dislocation; and 4. Encouraging each member society to support the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Fund, thus enabling the UUA to develop and strengthen the Unitarian Universalist presence in the city; and BE IT RESOLVED: That this Assembly requests the Ministry and Extension Sections of the UUA to place Ministers on Loan and experienced Extension Ministers in urban churches more frequently. Equal Opportunity - page 20 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ENDING GENDER-BASED WAGE DISCRIMINATION — 1987

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person, as well as justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, the wage gap between men and women is one of the oldest and most persistent effects of inequality between the sexes in the United States and Canada; and WHEREAS, the 1963 Equal Pay Act and the 1964 Civil Rights Act in the United States establish the legal right to equal pay for equal work and equal opportunity; and all Canadian jurisdictions have equal employment and equal opportunity policies usually embodied in a human rights code; and WHEREAS, the concept of comparable worth attacks the problem of gender-based wage discrimination by mandating that jobs characterized by similar levels of education, skill, effort, responsibilities, and working conditions be compensated at similar wage levels regardless of the gender of the worker holding the job; and WHEREAS, the goal of pay equity is to raise the wages for undervalued jobs held predominantly by women; and WHEREAS, women of color bear a disproportionate burden of such undervaluation; and WHEREAS, female-dominated jobs pay twenty to thirty percent less than male-dominated jobs classified as comparable in worth, and more than one half of all women work in jobs that are over seventy percent female, twenty-five percent in jobs that are more than ninety percent female; and WHEREAS, the existence of pay inequity is a manifestation of deep-seated sex discrimination that prevents both equality of pay for women and equality of opportunity for both sexes; and WHEREAS, much remains to be done toward implementing pay equity in both the United States and Canada; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1987 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges four actions: 1. That all Unitarian Universalists inform themselves and educate others about the issues of comparable worth, pay equity, and gender-based wage discrimination; 2. That the UUA and its affiliates, districts, and member societies act to eliminate gender-based wage discrimination in their own organizations; and that the UUA Board of Trustees report to the 1989 General Assembly the level at which the UUA and its affiliates, districts, and member societies are complying; 3. That all Unitarian Universalists and the Association urge legislators (at all levels from local to national) to study the potential impact of comparable-worth and pay-equity legislation on the many different types of public and private employers, and begin to enact such legislation starting with a focus on public employees; and 4. That the Association cooperate with other organizations actively engaged in many different aspects of this issue.

Equal Opportunity - page 21 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

AIDS/HIV CRISIS — 1989

(GEN)

BECAUSE:The member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association have affirmed in covenant to promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; BECAUSE: We reject the fear and loathing of the human body and sexuality instilled by some religious traditions, and we reject the notion of disease as divine punishment or natural retribution for “moral failure”; and BECAUSE: The General Assembly has declared its resolve that health care be made accessible to all, and that the rights of people living with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), those who are infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and those who are perceived to be at risk not be abridged; and WHEREAS, AIDS and/or HIV infection present a human crisis of global proportions that threatens the lives of millions of people irrespective of sex, age, race, or sexual orientation; and WHEREAS, many governments and religious institutions have not yet spoken or acted with adequate moral or intellectual clarity in this crisis; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Calls for intensifying the search for treatments, cures, and prevention of the disease, expediting the availability of new drugs and alternative therapies, and allowing the use of experimental drugs and procedures by people living with AIDS and/or HIV infection; 2. Affirms that responsible HIV testing should be informed, non-coercive, voluntary, and anonymous; and 3. Calls upon individual Unitarian Universalists, its member congregations and affiliated organizations, and on the religious community at large to work with compassion, energy, and imagination to care for HIV-infected adults and children, support those who give care, and engage the human issues occasioned by this crisis; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association opposes such infringements upon the dignity and rights of people as: 1. Indiscriminate HIV testing, which diverts resources from substantive responses to AIDS, while misuse of test results poses a serious threat to the confidentiality, rights, and livelihood of those whose tests may indicate infection by the virus; 2. Discrimination against people living with AIDS and/or HIV infection, their domestic partners, their families and associates, and those who are presumed to be infected or at risk; and 3. Mandatory HIV testing of foreign-born residents in the U.S. who are applying to legalize their status, and denials of both legalization and Medicaid to immigrants who have been living in the United States for years; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon government agencies at all levels in the United States and Canada to: 1. Expand educational programs about transmission of HIV, including explicit information about sexual practices that pose high risk of infection, and methods for reducing risk; 2. Fund and encourage anonymous, voluntary testing which can enable people to make informed choices regarding possible medical treatment; and 3. Recognize the severity of intravenous (I.V.) drug abuse and, while increasing efforts to halt it, acknowledge the humanity of I.V. drug users and redirect public policy in ways that reduce the threat of HIV infection among this population, including assessment of the wisdom of distributing clean needles and syringes; and continued on Equal Opportunity - 23

Equal Opportunity - page 22 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

AIDS/HIV CRISIS

(continued from Equal Opportunity - 22)

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the medical and religious communities to address ethical and economic issues heightened by this crisis, including personal autonomy and responsibility, the dilemmas of people living with AIDS and/or HIV infection, their families, partners, and medical personnel, and finally the right to die with dignity.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN MINISTERIAL SETTLEMENT — 1989

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the Principles and Purposes adopted in the By-Laws of the UUA specify that: “We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: The inherent worth and dignity of every person; Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations”; and WHEREAS, equal opportunity calls for ministerial settlement procedures without discrimination because of race, color, disability, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, age, or national origin; and WHEREAS, we are concerned that some member congregations have not practiced equal opportunity in the calling of ministers; and WHEREAS, we are aware that some ministers have been discriminated against by some member congregations because of race, color, disability, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, age, or national origin; and WHEREAS, such discrimination is inconsistent with the Principles and Purposes of our covenant together; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1989 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. 2. 3.

Requests that the Department of Ministry provide assistance to our member congregations in achieving equal opportunity in the ministerial selection process; Urges our member congregations to accept such assistance when it is offered; and Supports the Department of Ministry in its long-standing policy of sending to congregations candidate lists meeting equal opportunity criteria; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1989 General Assembly urges the Unitarian Universalist Association Administration to further develop and to implement programs to combat such discrimination at the local society and district levels.

Equal Opportunity - page 23 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN — 1993

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and living with dignity includes freedom from physical and emotional violence and the fear of such violence in the home, workplace, church, and community; and WHEREAS, the number of reported cases of harassment and stalking of women is increasing; and WHEREAS, the rates of violent crime including sexual assault, rape, battering, and murder are rising and battering is the largest cause of injury to women in the United States and Canada; and WHEREAS, violence against women occurs in families of all classes and races and is frequently perpetuated across generations; and WHEREAS, violence against women is frequently trivialized, unreported, hidden within the family, or blamed on the victim; and WHEREAS, our patriarchal system creates and sustains such violence by viewing and treating women as if they are of little value; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist sexism audits, “Checking Our Balance” and “Cleansing Our Temple,” reveal our own continuing need to recognize patriarchal thinking and practices within us as individuals, among us in our congregations, and around us in society; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association shall act and urge its associate members, affiliate organizations, member congregations, and individual Unitarian Universalists to: 1. Break the silence by naming and speaking of the violence women experience in their homes, schools, work places, churches, and communities; 2. Examine the nature and consequences of harassment and the ways in which our social, commercial, and religious institutions sanction harassment of women; 3. Develop and implement educational programs for children and adults to empower individuals and groups to work at eliminating violence against women; 4. Develop and implement programs to examine the roles that religious myths and institutions play in fostering violence or in healing its effects; 5. Promote legislation to stop violence against women; 6. Promote legislation to require that physicians report suspected cases of abuse; 7. Advocate for the introduction of school curricula that promotes gender equality and respect, and teaches non-violent means of conflict resolution; 8. Support the development and implementation of training programs for law enforcers, healthcare providers, business and legal professionals, educators, child-care workers, and clergy, to increase awareness of the causes and symptoms of violence against women and effective methods of intervention; 9. Promote the creation of safe houses, shelters, counseling centers, and support groups for victims and their dependents; and 10. Promote personal accountability through intervention and treatment programs, including individual and small group counseling for abusers; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association shall act and urge its associate members, affiliate organizations, member congregations, and individual Unitarian Universalists to support the continental network, Unitarian Universalists Acting to Stop Violence Against Women, in its work, which includes congregation-based programs of worship, ritual, religious education, caring communities, and social action; and (Continued on Equal Opportunity – 25 )

Equal Opportunity - page 24 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (Continued from Equal Opportunity – 24 )

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1993 General Assembly requests the President of the Unitarian Universalist Association to report annually on progress in implementing this resolution; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalist congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists be urged to recognize the pervasive nature of violence against women and to confront the emotional and physical violence in our own families, congregations, and communities.

Equal Opportunity - page 25 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ACCESSIBILITY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES — 1997

(BUS)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person; and BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists believe in the importance of religious community; and WHEREAS, people with physical, psychiatric, and developmental disabilities are becoming more involved in all areas and levels of the Unitarian Universalist Association; and WHEREAS, people with inabilities to see, hear, or maneuver around allotted space are often excluded from full participation in and leadership of our worship services and other activities because of the inaccessibility of our buildings; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1997 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association undertakes an aggressive plan to address accessibility within the Association for people with disabilities by: 1. Establishing written policies and practices, providing staff training, and creating an accessibility manual for the Unitarian Universalist Association, allowing the Association to serve as a model of physical and attitudinal accessibility for its member congregations; 2. Encouraging congregations and districts to become more accessible by providing a variety of resources, including information on the Internet; and 3. Assuring that a Board-appointed standing committee, supporting congregations in their efforts to become more accessible, address matters of disability concerns and report annually to the General Assembly on these issues. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association acts as an advocate for the human and civil rights of people with disabilities both within its own association and globally.

Equal Opportunity - page 26 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

WOMEN’S RIGHTS ANNIVERSARY — 1998

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the year 1998 marks the 150th anniversary of the women’s rights convention in the United States, held at Seneca Falls and Rochester, New York; and WHEREAS, the year 2000 will mark the 150th anniversary of the much larger convention at Worcester, Massachusetts, and both conventions and their purposes, which included women’s rights and an end to slavery, had Unitarians and Universalists in strong support; and RECOGNIZING: The continuing involvement of our people and our faith in defense of women’s rights; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association shall within this two-year period: 1. Make efforts to note the milestones in the critical anti-slavery efforts of women and the women’s rights struggle, from the 1848 Convention to the present, to be presented to the 1999 General Assembly and to make such information available to our congregations; and 2. Advocate for the preservation, marking, and memorialization of historic sites important to this historic effort, and urge districts and congregations to work on local and regional efforts to the same end; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the President of the UUA shall appoint a committee to coordinate and report on these efforts at the UUA General Assembly in the year 2000; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the UUA shall spend no more than $7,500 in its activities to this end.

Equal Opportunity - page 27 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

WOMEN’S RIGHTS—2003

(AIW)

WHEREAS, our Unitarian Universalist Principles call upon us to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person and to seek justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, in the past four decades the Unitarian Universalist Association and its member congregations have consistently spoken and acted in support of the broad spectrum of women’s rights, including women’s right to control their own bodies, receive equal pay for comparable work, and be safe from domestic violence; and WHEREAS, on June 4, 2003, the House passed a federal ban on so-called “partial-birth abortion,” the Senate has approved a similar ban, and President Bush has promised to sign the new version of the bill; and WHEREAS, this is only the latest effort in the Bush Administration’s attempts to erode gains women have made in recent decades, attempts which include: 1. Appointing people hostile to feminism to federal courts and other key positions affording the power to affect women’s lives; 2. Using federal dollars to promote marriage rather than job training for poor women; 3. Tacking abstinence-only-until-marriage sexuality education onto obscure bills; 4. Withdrawing funding of women’s offices in federal agencies in the name of budget cutting; and 5. Attempting to circumvent existing legislation, such as the proposal to amend guidelines to Title IX (which mandates equity for women in all educational programs, not just sports) to allow "a reasonable variance" from the standard of true equity for women; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association be encouraged to: 1. Hold public forums about federal court appointments to inform us about the federal judicial appointment process and what those appointments may mean for women’s rights; 2. Contribute to the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation Clara Barton Internship for Women’s Rights, which will help keep Unitarian Universalists informed on these issues; and 3. Participate in the March for Reproductive Freedom planned for April 25, 2004, in Washington, DC; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA Washington Office for Advocacy be encouraged to keep congregations informed on judicial nominees and their records on women’s rights, so that Unitarian Universalists may share concerns with their elected officials.

Equal Opportunity - page 28 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN—2007 (AIW) WHEREAS, the first Unitarian Universalist principle "to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person," and the sixth principle, "the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all," correspond with the purpose of the United Nations Charter "to promote peace, prosperity, and dignity for all"; and WHEREAS, the current 2007 session of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee presents the best opportunity in over 25 years to pass legislation to end discrimination against women worldwide; and WHEREAS, CEDAW, adopted by the United Nations in 1979, is one of the most ratified international human rights conventions, having the support of 185 States Parties; and WHEREAS, the Treaty for the Rights of Women (CEDAW), addresses legal rights of women worldwide, empowers them in the areas of education, employment and health care, and provides prevention against and protection from violence; and WHEREAS, women in the Ukraine, Nepal, Thailand and the Philippines have used CEDAW to pass new laws to stop sexual trafficking of women and girls and WHEREAS, in Nicaragua, Jordan, Egypt and Guinea, women and girls have now acquired literacy increases after CEDAW has improved access to education; and WHEREAS, the U.S. failure to ratify CEDAW places it in the company of Iran, Sudan and Somalia, and four other countries, and the U.S. remains the only nation with a Member Group of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists that has not ratified CEDAW; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Senate has scheduled no hearings to reconsider the ratification of CEDAW since 1980, when President Carter signed the treaty, but the Working Group on Ratification of CEDAW has, in 2007, mobilized a call for Senate hearings, and the current Administration has delayed action by ordering an additional review of the treaty by the Justice Department; and WHEREAS, ratification of CEDAW is essential to a claim by the U.S. of moral leadership in human rights; and WHEREAS, U.S. ratification will deter discrimination against women and advance their political and economic equality, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates of the 2007 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirm their commitment to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women worldwide; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the delegates urge: 1. Individual Unitarian Universalists and congregations to educate themselves about CEDAW and to lobby their elected representatives to call for hearings to ratify the Convention; 2. U.S. congregations to call for U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings on CEDAW during the current Congressional session and to promote coalition building based upon the 2005 End Violence Against Women Act; (Continued on Equal Opportunity – 30 )

Equal Opportunity - page 29 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN (continued from Equal Opportunity – 29)

3. The Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office to continue to monitor and advocate for CEDAW as part of follow-up to the 2007 Annual Intergenerational Spring Seminar, "Stop Modern Day Slavery: Breaking the Web of Human Trafficking"; and 4. U.S. congregations to work with the Southwest Unitarian Universalist Women (SWUUW) and the Unitarian Universalist Women and Religion (UUWR) to welcome Unitarian Universalist women wor1dwide to the International Convocation of Unitarian Universalist Women in Houston, Texas in February 2009.

Equal Opportunity - page 30 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

EQUAL RIGHTS FOR BISEXUAL, GAY, LESBIAN, AND TRANSGENDER PERSONS 1970 - Discrimination Against Homosexuals and Bisexuals ............................................ 2 1973 - Creation of an Office On Gay Affairs.................................................................... 3 1974 - Office of Gay Concerns........................................................................................ 3 1975 - Office of Gay Concerns........................................................................................ 4 1977 - Gay Human Rights............................................................................................... 4 1980 - Ministerial Employment Opportunities .................................................................. 5 1984 - Gay and Lesbian Services of Union ..................................................................... 5 1986 - Opposing AIDS Discrimination ............................................................................. 6 1987 - Supporting Legal Equity for Gays and Lesbians .................................................. 7 1989 - Proposals of the Common Vision Planning Committee........................................ 8 1992 - Boy Scouts of America......................................................................................... 9 1992 - Opposing Legalization of Discrimination Against Gays, Lesbians, and Bisexuals ......................................................................... 10 1993 - Acceptance of Openly Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Persons in the United States Military ............................................................................................................... 11 1994 - Support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 1994 ................................ 12 1996 - Support of the Right to Marry for Same-Sex Couples ....................................... 13 1997 - Support for Non-Discriminatory Corporate and Other Business Policies .......... 14 1999 - Work to Change Discriminatory Policies of Boy Scouts of America ................... 15 2002 - Québec’s Union Civile Law Passes Giving Same-Sex Couples Full Legal Equality ............................................................................................................. 17 2004 - Oppose Federal Marriage Amendment .............................................................. 18 2007 - Confronting Gender Identity Discrimination........................................................ 18 2007 - Pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act with Transgender Inclusion and Protection .......................................................................................................... 19 2007 - Repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”............................................................................ 20

See related resolutions under Equal Opportunity.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HOMOSEXUALS AND BISEXUALS — 1970

(GEN)

RECOGNIZING THAT: 1. A significant minority in this country are either homosexual or bisexual in their feelings and/or behavior; 2. Homosexuality has been the target of severe discrimination by society and in particular by the police and other arms of government; 3. A growing number of authorities on the subject now see homosexuality as an inevitable sociological phenomenon and not as a mental illness; and 4. There are Unitarian Universalists, clergy and laity, who are homosexuals or bisexuals; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1970 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Urges all peoples immediately to bring an end to all discrimination against homosexuals, homosexuality, bisexuals, and bisexuality, with specific immediate attention to the following issues: a. Private consensual behavior between persons over the age of consent shall be the business only of those persons and not subject to legal regulations; and b. A person’s sexual orientation or practice shall not be a factor in the granting or renewing of federal security clearance, visas, and the granting of citizenship or employment; 2. Calls upon the UUA and its member churches, fellowships, and organizations immediately to end all discrimination against homosexuals in employment practices, expending special effort to assist homosexuals to find employment in our midst consistent with their abilities and desires; and 3. Urges all churches and fellowships, in keeping with changing social patterns, to initiate meaningful programs of sex education aimed at providing more open and healthier understanding of sexuality in all parts of the United States and Canada, and with the particular aim to end all discrimination against homosexuals and bisexuals.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 2 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CREATION OF AN OFFICE ON GAY AFFAIRS — 1973

(GEN)

WHEREAS, it is among the purposes of the Unitarian Universalist Association to affirm, defend and promote the supreme worth of every human personality; and WHEREAS, the 1970 General Assembly passed a resolution urging all peoples immediately to bring an end to all discrimination against homosexuals, homosexuality, bisexuals and bisexuality; and WHEREAS, the Association since then has established no mechanism by which this resolution might be implemented within our churches, fellowships and denominationally related organizations; and WHEREAS, second class status keeps all oppressed minorities disabled and robs everyone of their potential contributions; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly urges the Board of Trustees of the UUA to create at the denominational headquarters an Office on Gay Affairs. The Office shall be staffed by gay people and it shall have the full benefit of the experience, talent and status of the UUA in developing sources of funding outside the denominational budget. Would such sources be unavailable, the UUA will not be further responsible for funding the Office; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the functions of the Office be a resource to the denomination at all levels in all matters pertaining to gay people and the gay community. The office shall initially make a 30day study of the immediate needs of gay Unitarian Universalists and ways of developing an outreach into the gay community. Results of the study shall be distributed to all churches, fellowships and denominationally-related bodies with recommendations for implementation.

OFFICE OF GAY CONCERNS — 1974

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the General Assembly 1973 voted as a business resolution to urge the UUA Board of Trustees to create at the denominational headquarters an Office of Gay Concerns; and WHEREAS, money was not available for the Office and the full benefit of the experience, talent, and status of the UUA to seek sources of funding outside the denominational budget was urged by the General Assembly and in its resolution; and WHEREAS, a $600,000 grant of which $300,000 is in unrestricted program funds has since come to the denomination above the basic budget approved by the 1973 General Assembly and yet the Office has not been included in the items approved for funding from that grant; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the UUA Board be urged to include in the Grants Section of the 1974-1975 UUA Budget an item for $38,500 to establish the Office of Gay Concerns, such funds to take precedence over two items presently listed in the Grants Section: $24,000 from the Research Program and $14,500 from the Publicity and Television/Radio item; and FURTHER RESOLVED: That such Office be established in accordance with the proposal developed by the UUA Board and Administration in consultation with the UUA Gay Caucus’ Advisory Committee and as revised by the UUA Board at its meeting on June 24, 1974.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 3 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

OFFICE OF GAY CONCERNS — 1975

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the 1973 and 1974 General Assemblies have voted to establish the Office of Gay Concerns as an integral part of the UUA to serve the needs of our churches and fellowships for education and help on gay concerns; and WHEREAS, the Office of Gay Concerns is funded from special grant funds outside the regular operating budget of the UUA; and WHEREAS, the Office staff has had less than one-half year to function and cannot be fairly evaluated in terms of articulating a program based on the approved model of the Office; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1975 General Assembly: 1. Commends the Board of Trustees for its action of October 12, 1974 in implementing the General Assembly’s resolution to fund the Office of Gay Concerns; and 2. Endorses the action of the Board of Trustees in including continued funding for the Office of Gay Concerns in the grants section of the proposed UUA budget for 1975-76.

GAY HUMAN RIGHTS — 1977

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the bigotry and misinformation presented by the forces of the “Save Our Children” movement led by Anita Bryant encourage violations of the civil rights of gay people; and WHEREAS, human rights are not an issue on which there should be a vote by which the majority can deny rights to a minority; and WHEREAS, the false propaganda using a religious basis for persecution strikes at the very foundation of the basic tenet of the Unitarian Universalist Association, to seek the truth and support the worth of all humans; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls on all Unitarian Universalists to use their efforts in stopping such biased persecution and intolerance for the gay minority.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 4 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

MINISTERIAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES — 1980

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association in 1970 passed a resolution calling on the UUA and its member churches, fellowships, and organizations to end discrimination against gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons in employment; and WHEREAS, the UUA has distinguished itself by its repeated support of the employment rights of minority groups; and WHEREAS, many of the UUA member societies which have considered openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual candidates have been unwilling to accept the candidates because of their sexual orientations; and WHEREAS, the hiring of religious leaders by Unitarian Universalist members societies is a matter of local conscience; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urge the UUA and its member churches, fellowships and organizations to renew their commitment to end discrimination against gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons through educational programs at the local, district, and continental levels and calls upon the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association and the UUA Department of Ministerial and Congregational Services to lend full assistance in the settlement of qualified openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual religious leaders.

GAY AND LESBIAN SERVICES OF UNION — 1984

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has repeatedly taken stands to affirm the rights of gay and lesbian persons over the past decade; and WHEREAS, legal marriages are currently denied gay and lesbian couples by state and provincial governments of North America; and WHEREAS, freedom of the pulpit is a historic tradition in Unitarian Universalist societies; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1984 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Affirms the growing practice of some of its ministers of conducting services of union of gay and lesbian couples and urges member societies to support their ministers in this important aspect of our movement’s ministry to the gay and lesbian community; and 2. Requests that the Department of Ministerial and Congregational Services: a. Distribute this information to Unitarian Universalist religious professionals and member societies; b. Develop printed material for ministers to assist them in planning and conducting services of union for gay and lesbian couples; and c. Develop a pamphlet intended for laypersons which describes services of union for gay and lesbian couples and is distributed to member societies.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 5 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

OPPOSING AIDS DISCRIMINATION — 1986

(GEN)

BECAUSE, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association covenant to affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and to promote justice, equity and compassion in human relations; and BECAUSE, we are members of the interdependent web of existence and therefore responsible for one another and for the society in which we live; and WHEREAS, on Friday, June 20, 1986, the US Department of Justice, Office of Legal Counsel, concluded that an employer’s fear of the spread of AIDS, whether reasonable or not, constitutes grounds for dismissal; and WHEREAS, this opinion is clearly contrary to the spirit of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the September 1985 ruling of the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit; and WHEREAS, the Center for Disease Control and other experts and researchers working with AIDS have repeatedly and emphatically stated that the HTLV-III/LAV/HIV virus cannot be transmitted by casual contact; and WHEREAS, there have been no documented cases of AIDS transmitted to co-workers, health care workers, family or friends in routine contact with persons with AIDS or persons tested positive for the HTLV-III/LAV/HIV antibodies; and WHEREAS, the Justice Department opinion is a gross violation of civil rights and could apply to as many as two million Americans who currently would test positive for the HTLV-III/LAV/HIV antibodies; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1986 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association opposes discrimination based on AIDS, the fear of AIDS, or the presence of the HTLVIII/LAV/HIV antibodies; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a copy of this resolution be sent immediately to the President of the United States, the US Attorney General, and all members of Congress; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That UUA Canadian societies study the parallels in Canada, and take action in a manner consonant with the intent of this resolution; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA, its member societies and affiliate organizations be urged to promote programs which provide education about the cause of AIDS, how AIDS is transmitted, the real risks of casual contact and which generally increase community awareness about AIDS; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the UUA, its member societies and affiliate organizations be urged to support such action as will ensure the civil rights of persons with AIDS and those who test positive to the HTLV-III/LAV/HIV antibodies.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 6 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORTING LEGAL EQUITY FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS — 1987

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the 1970 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association (“UUA”) adopted a resolution calling on all UUA churches, fellowships, and organizations and society at large to end discrimination against gay and lesbian people and has repeatedly endorsed the goal of equality, dignity, and respect for all people, regardless of affectional or sexual orientation in resolutions adopted in 1974, 1975, 1977, 1980, and in 1984; and WHEREAS, in 1986 the United States Supreme Court decided in Bowers v. Hardwick that states may enforce laws governing private sexual behavior between consenting adults; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1987 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association supports rescission of laws governing private sexual behavior between consenting adults and supports passage of laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That when denominational meetings are held in locations where discriminatory laws exist, Unitarian Universalists planning and attending the meetings are urged to adopt creative program methods to support rescission of laws governing private sexual behavior between consenting adults and to support passage of laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns work with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and other human rights organizations to obtain information about organizations that practice or promote discrimination based on sexual orientation and distribute this information to all UUA societies and affiliated organizations; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That upon receiving information about organizations which practice or promote discrimination based on sexual orientation, Unitarian Universalists and UU organizations be encouraged not to purchase or use products or services from these organizations until the discrimination ceases; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this resolution be conveyed by the President of the UUA to the President of the United States, members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, Canadian governmental officials, continental media, and other appropriate individuals and organizations.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 7 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

PROPOSALS OF THE COMMON VISION PLANNING COMMITTEE — 1989

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the survey conducted by the Common Vision Planning Committee has shown that, despite a long and luminous tradition of leadership toward an era of wider justice, inclusion, and recognition of the dignity and worth of all, still the fear of same-sex love runs deep among Unitarian Universalists; and WHEREAS, the persistence in our midst of homophobia and heterosexism sorely tests our commitment to our Principles and Purposes; and WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists have consistently committed ourselves through the General Assembly to the dignity and rights of gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons and to their full inclusion in our movement; and WHEREAS, the Welcoming Congregation program has been proposed by the Common Vision Planning Committee and approved by the UUA Board of Trustees as an effective response to the aforementioned concerns and as a model for training in the practice of inclusive community; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1989 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association adopts the recommendation of the Common Vision Planning Committee that the Welcoming Congregation Program be established as set forth in the attachment hereto (Attachment A); and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1989 General Assembly urges the Unitarian Universalist Association Administration to implement this Program through its Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 8 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA—1992

(BD)

Reviewed and adapted 1997 by Executive Vice President WHEREAS, the By-laws of the Unitarian Universalist Association affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and a free and responsible search for truth and meaning; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association Board and numerous General Assemblies have affirmed the rights of gay, bisexual, and lesbian persons to participate fully and equally in the life of their communities; and WHEREAS, the Boy Scouts of America have expressly declared a policy of discrimination against gay scouts and leaders, and have refused to modify that policy even after expression of concern by the Unitarian Universalist Association Youth Office as well as by numerous other individuals and organizations across the United States; and WHEREAS the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America has recently reaffirmed its policy requiring all boy scouts to affirm a duty to God; and WHEREAS, the Boy Scouts of America have issued written materials which declare the Unitarian Universalist Association to be a chartered organization of the Boy Scouts of America, and have stated that all chartered organizations follow the Boy Scout’s ideals, policies, and principles; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association express to the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America its disapproval of the Boy Scout of America’s policy of discrimination against gay and atheist scouts and leaders, and further advise the Boy Scouts of America that the Unitarian Universalist Association has not been and is not now a charter organization of the Boy Scouts of America, and ask that all written materials and Boy Scouts of America’s records should be corrected immediately to remove any reference to the Unitarian Universalist Association as a chartered organization; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Religion and Life and Love and Help materials have been revised to include educational materials dealing with the conflict between the values of the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Boy Scouts of America; and that the awards be administered by local congregations. The Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Concerns shall provide additional educational materials about the Boy Scouts of America’s objectionable policies on gay scouts and leaders and duty to God with the existing materials; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association Administration shall utilize the World, REACH packet, and Faith in Action, to inform Unitarian Universalist congregations and others about the conflicts in values between the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Boy Scouts of America; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association explore possible coalitions with other organizations who share our concern with the Boy Scouts of America’s policies to develop effective strategies to seek appropriate changes in those policies.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 9 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

OPPOSING LEGALIZATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST GAYS, LESBIANS, AND BISEXUALS — 1992 (RIW) WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association affirms the inherent worth and dignity of every person and calls for justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, Coloradans for Family Values have collected enough signatures and Oregon Citizens' Alliance is collecting signatures to place on the Colorado and Oregon ballots proposed amendments to the state constitutions which would legalize discrimination against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals in those states, based solely on sexual orientation; and WHEREAS, three Colorado cities—Denver, Boulder, and Aspen—and Portland, Oregon, currently have in force ordinances prohibiting discrimination against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals which would all be invalidated if these amendments pass; and WHEREAS, an anti-gay and lesbian ordinance has already been adopted in Springfield, Oregon, and ballot initiatives have already been introduced by the voters in several cities including Irvine, Riverside, and Concord, California; Tampa, Florida; and Corvallis, Oregon; and the list continues to grow; and WHEREAS, the right-wing umbrella organization called Traditional Values Coalition which is behind these ballot initiatives in Colorado and Oregon continues to add new chapters that ignite hatred against gay, lesbian, and bisexual people and it is uncertain what city, state, or province will be targeted next; and WHEREAS, Coloradans opposed to that amendment have formed an organization called EPOColorado, the Equal Protection Campaign (Box 300476, Denver 80203, phone 303-839-5540) and Oregonians opposed to the amendment have formed the Campaign for a Hate-Free Oregon (Box 3343, Portland 97208-3343, phone 503-232-4501); THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates of the 1992 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association are outraged at the hate campaigns going on in these states and at the possibility of legalization of discrimination based on sexual orientation if these constitutional amendments and ordinances pass; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1992 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association strongly urges all Unitarian Universalist Congregations to inform their members of the ballot initiatives in Colorado, Oregon, and other jurisdictions this November; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the 1992 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges all Unitarian Universalists to support EPOColorado and the Campaign for a Hate-Free Oregon with financial contributions and by writing letters to friends and relatives living in those states, encourage them to vote against the amendments.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 10 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ACCEPTANCE OF OPENLY LESBIAN, GAY, AND BISEXUAL PERSONS IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY— 1993 (RIW) BECAUSE: The Unitarian Universalist Association affirms the inherent worth and dignity of every person and calls for justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has, since 1970, adopted ten resolutions in support of lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons, including two resolutions adopted at the 1992 General Assembly that urged all Unitarian Universalists to support those who opposed the legalization of discrimination against lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons in Colorado and Oregon, and called for the Board of Trustees to express to the Boy Scouts of America its disapproval of the Boy Scouts' policy of discrimination against gay and atheist scouts and leaders; and WHEREAS, the President of the United States has expressed his intention to reverse the 50-year-old Department of Defense policy which systematically hunted down, threatened, intimidated, and discharged lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons from the U.S. military because of their orientation and not because of misconduct; and WHEREAS, the United States Senate and House Armed Services Committees have held public hearings to further study the issue of lifting the ban; and WHEREAS, forces of intolerance, hate, and bigotry have mounted a campaign of distortions, half-truths, and outright lies about lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons; and WHEREAS, men and women who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual daily defend the rights of all citizens, yet cannot secure their own rights and responsibilities under the nation's covenant without the moral commitment of their President and Congress, and do endure constant assault on their nature and character by political and religious leaders in defiance of the evidence of history, military records, and common experience; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates of the 1993 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association are outraged at the hate campaign being conducted against lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons as a reaction to the President's stated intention to lift the ban on lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons in the military; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1993 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association strongly urges all Unitarian Universalist congregations to inform their members of the President's intention to lift the military ban and urges all Unitarian Universalists to send their letters of support to the President and to members of Congress; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association directs the Unitarian Universalist Washington Office to inform the President and members of Congress of the 1993 General Assembly's support for lifting the military ban of lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 11 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORT THE EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT OF 1994 — 1994 (RIW) BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person and justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, Senator Edward Kennedy, along with Senator John Chafee and with the support of over 25 other Senators and 108 members of the House of Representatives, has introduced the Employment NonDiscrimination Act of 1994 (ENDA); and WHEREAS, many people in the United States gain a major part of their identity, satisfaction, and happiness from their employment; and WHEREAS, job discrimination resulting from prejudice is unprofitable, lowers productivity, and is a threat to anyone who is perceived to have an orientation disliked by their employer; and WHEREAS, sexual orientation does not determine one's buying power or tax paying responsibility; and WHEREAS, far right-wing political and religious groups have made the denial of workplace equity based on sexual orientation a major objective; and WHEREAS, it is simple justice for gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals to be judged in their job settings like all other Americans, by their performance and not by their sexual orientation; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1994 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges Unitarian Universalist individuals and congregations in the United States to demonstrate active support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act by: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Learning the facts about what this legislation will and will not do; Communicating their support of ENDA to their Congressional representatives; Speaking out in public forums; and Working to dispel the misinformation and lies on this issue which are promulgated by the far rightwing political and religious groups; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States are encouraged to speak out in their places of employment, community, professional organizations, and unions in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 12 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORT OF THE RIGHT TO MARRY FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES — 1996

(RIW)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person; and BECAUSE: marriage is held in honor among the blessings of life; and WHEREAS, many states, the Congress, and the President of the United States are acting to void the recognition of same-sex marriages and to deny "full faith and credit" to such marriages formalized in Hawaii or any other state; and WHEREAS, debate about legally recognized marriage to same-sex couples has focused on the objections of certain religious communities, while the Unitarian Universalist Association has adopted numerous resolutions over the last twenty-six years supporting equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons, including support of Ceremonies of Union between members of the same sex; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees and the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association have voted their support for the right to marry for same-sex couples; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1996 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association adopts a position in support of legal recognition for marriage between members of the same sex; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1996 General Assembly urges the Unitarian Universalist Association to make this position known through the media; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the 1996 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the member congregations to proclaim the worth of marriage between any two committed persons and to make this position known in their home communities.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 13 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORT FOR NON-DISCRIMINATORY CORPORATE AND OTHER BUSINESS POLICIES— 1997 (AIW) In light of a recent vote by the Southern Baptist Convention to boycott the Disney Corporation because of Disney's policy of recognizing and respecting all people regardless of race, national origin, sex, age, or sexual orientation, the 1997 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms a tenet of its faith—"the inherent worth and dignity of every person"—and commends Disney's and all other corporations' policies that do not discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1997 General Assembly urges the Unitarian Universalist Association to notify Disney of its support for customer and employment policies that respect gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1997 General Assembly urges the Unitarian Universalist Association and all Unitarian Universalists to encourage corporate managers to institute such customer and employee affirming policies by intentionally and explicitly patronizing businesses with policies that acknowledge a respect for the diversity of the human community.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 14 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

WORK TO CHANGE DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES OF BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA — 1999 (AIW) WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person and a free and responsible search for truth and meaning; and WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists have consistently affirmed the rights of bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender persons; and WHEREAS, anti-gay violence has been on the rise, with a dramatic increase at public schools and with 19% of gay youth reporting having suffered physical attacks based on their sexual orientation; and WHEREAS, the Boy Scouts of America's policy is to "not allow for the registration of avowed homosexuals as members or as leaders of the Boy Scouts of America"; and WHEREAS, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) requires all Boy Scouts to affirm a duty to God; and WHEREAS, many individual UUs are involved with the BSA, either as youth involved in the program or as adult leaders; and WHEREAS, the BSA and many Boy Scout troops use public facilities; and WHEREAS, the BSA dropped the UU Religion in Life emblem from its religious emblem program in May 1998 in response to the UUA's inclusion in the Religion in Life program pamphlet a copy of the UUA Board's 1992 resolution and other material mentioning the conflict between UU values and BSA policy; and WHEREAS, the BSA rejected the newly revised version of the Religion in Life program on May 7, 1999, with Lawrence Ray Smith, Chairman of the BSA's Religious Relationships Committee, stating that the supplemental information the UUA wanted to provide with the Religion in Life program would be "using boys as a venue to air your differences with the policies of the Boy Scouts of America"; and WHEREAS, the BSA has maintained since the inception of the religious awards programs that the requirements are set by the denomination, the training in and certifying of the completion of the requirements is by local religious leaders, and the presentation of the award is by the local religious group and not by the BSA; and WHEREAS, we believe any attempt by the BSA to define what any religion can or cannot teach its Scouting youth is a clear interference with religious freedom; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1999 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Association to: 1. Continue efforts to seek the reinstatement of the Religion in Life emblem and to offer the program and award the emblem to UU and other Scouts in the meantime; 2. Publicize the Religion in Life program through Synapse, UU+Me, and other publications that are read by UU youth; 3. Publicize the Religion in Life program through the World, REACH, and other publications that are read by parents and religious educators; 4. Continue to use all appropriate venues to communicate this information to Unitarian Universalists and others about these conflicts; 5. Encourage the BSA to monitor troops nationwide to be sure that all Scouts are being treated equally and fairly despite their religions beliefs or the degree to which their families may practice them; and 6. Support UU churches that choose to continue their charters with BSA troops while they work to try to change BSA's discriminatory policies; and (Continued on Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons –16)

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 15 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

WORK TO CHANGE DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES OF BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA (Continued from Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons – 15)

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1999 General Assembly urges U.S. Unitarian Universalists and U.S. Unitarian Universalist congregations to: 1. Support the efforts of "Scouting for All" and other groups that seek to overturn the Boy Scouts' discriminatory national policies; 2. Continue to present the Religion in Life award to UU Scouts, and to encourage Scouts to wear it on their uniforms; 3. Urge individual UU Scouts to remain in Scouting, and to encourage UU members to join Scouting, in order to work for change within the BSA; 4. Engage in educational programming within our communities to inform UUs and others about these issues; 5. Encourage the Boy Scouts of America to monitor troops nationwide to be sure that all scouts are being treated equally and fairly despite their religious beliefs or the degree to which their families may practice them; 6. Encourage UU scouts to include their congregations in Scouting rites of passage such as the Religion in Life award and Eagle rank ceremony, and encourage the UUA and member congregations to develop Unitarian Universalist support materials for these ceremonies. 7. Engage in dialogue with local Scout troops, councils, and the BSA on these issues; 8. Ask local Scout troops to adopt anti-discrimination policies that include religious belief, sexual orientation, and gender identity; 9. Provide the necessary tools to empower youth to take action on these issues; and 10. Speak out about these issues in our communities.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 16 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

QUÉBEC’S UNION CIVILE LAW PASSES GIVING SAME-SEX COUPLES FULL LEGAL EQUALITY — 2002

(AIW)

BECAUSE: For the past three decades Unitarian Universalist congregations in Canada and in the United States have spoken out in favor of the rights of bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender persons and against homophobia and all forms of discrimination against such persons on the basis of their sexual orientation or identity; and WHEREAS, love between two men, two women, or one man and one woman creates deep and caring relationships and families in a diversity of configurations and provides nurturing environments for couples and their children; and WHEREAS, in an historic decision, the National Assembly of Quebec defended these rights on June 7, 2002, by passing into law Union Civile, a bill legalizing same-sex unions, and gave these couples equal rights to those enjoyed by heterosexual couples, including parental rights, the rights of adoption, and equal access to fertility clinics; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That on this historic occasion we the delegates of the 2002 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, Canadians and Americans together: 1. Commend the Government of Quebec and in particular the Minister of Justice, M. Paul Bégin, for progressive thinking and political courage in bringing into law progressive legislation giving samesex couples full legal equality; 2. Commend the people of Quebec for their openness and leadership in showing the world that embracing diversity is our strength; and 3. Encourage Unitarian Universalist congregations in the rest of Canada and in the United States to follow this bold example and to promote similar legislation in their own communities.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 17 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

OPPOSE FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT— 2004

(AIW)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has made strong public announcements that “Civil Marriage is a Civil Right” ; and WHEREAS, several prominent national political leaders have proposed an amendment to the United States Constitution that would deny the rights and privileges of civil marriage to same-gender couples; and WHEREAS, The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) of 1996 stipulates that marriage is between a man and a woman; and WHEREAS, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled that same-sex and opposite-sex couples must be given equal civil marriage rights, effective May 17, 2004; and WHEREAS, half of the plaintiffs in the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruling were Unitarian Universalists; and WHEREAS, a coalition of twenty religious groups is opposed to this amendment, including the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Episcopal Church USA, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, and the Union for Reform Judaism; and WHEREAS, the amendment denying marriage equality for same-gender couples is currently being considered by the Congress of the United States and is scheduled for consideration by the Senate during the week of July 12, 2004; and WHEREAS, this would be the only amendment to the Constitution that denies rights to any group and therefore undermines the intent of that great document; BE IT RESOLVED: That the members and congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association urge their legislators to vote against the proposed “Federal Marriage Amendment” (H.R. Res. 56); and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA Office of Advocacy and Witness take appropriate action to advocate against any attempt to deny civil marriage rights to same-gender couples.

CONFRONTING GENDER IDENTITY DISCRIMINATION— 2007

(RR)

WHEREAS, the President of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations noted, in his June 21st report to the General Assembly, the work of our West Florida congregations on the issue of employment discrimination against transgender individuals; and WHEREAS, there has been no prior statement by the General Assembly specifically addressing our Association's views on transgender identity; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2007 General Assembly affirms its commitment to the inherent worth and dignity of every human being, including transgender individuals; and WE FURTHER RESOLVE: To express this spiritual value through our employment practices, educational efforts, congregational life, and public witness; and ENCOURAGE:, Member congregations and societies to explore with their communities the important differences between sexual orientation and transgender identity. Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 18 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

PASS THE EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT WITH TRANSGENDER INCLUSION AND PROTECTION — 2007 (R/AIW) WHEREAS, our Unitarian Universalist Principles call us to affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person and to promote justice, equity and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, Largo. Florida City Manager Steve Stanton was summarily fired after his planned transition from male to female was disclosed; and WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalist congregations condemned on the national stage the action of the Largo City Commissioners but could not point to any record of General Assembly action supporting rights of transgender persons; and WHEREAS, only 13 states plus the District of Columbia have policies prohibiting both sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in employment, seven other states have laws that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation only, and about 100 municipalities in the 30 other states without non-discrimination statutes have local non-discrimination laws; and WHEREAS, most people employed in the United States can be fired on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity; and WHEREAS, H.R. 2015, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), as introduced in the 1 10th Congress, would prohibit discrimination against employees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, and provide employment protections similar to those of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (also known as "Title VII") but specifically directed to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees; and WHEREAS, opponents of the law often make misleading statements, use questionable statistics or outright falsehoods in opposition to ENDA; and WHEREAS, this issue has been discussed in the UU Church of Berkeley Welcoming Congregation Committee and the Pacific Central District Interweave Chapters, and this issue gives Unitarian Universalists the opportunity to be truly inclusive of all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2007 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses its support for immediate action in Congress to pass into law H.R. 2015, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the delegates of the 2007 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association call upon all member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to: 1. Support passage of employment non-discrimination legislation at all municipal, county and state levels; 2. Oppose attempts to remove sexual orientation and/or gender identity any proposed employment non-discrimination legislation; 3. Speak out against misleading and false statements made by opponents of ENDA, particularly those that encourage further intolerance against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community; and 4. Urge our elected representatives in Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 19 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

REPEAL "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" — 2007

(R/AIW)

WHEREAS, our Unitarian Universalist Principles call us to affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person and to promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, under a federal law, commonly referred to as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT), the U.S, military discharges gay, lesbian and bi-sexual service members solely because of their sexual orientation; and WHEREAS, DADT requires gay service members to lie as a condition of service; and WHEREAS, there are over one million gay veterans and at least sixty-five thousand gay people currently serving in the U.S. military; and WHEREAS, DADT undermines military readiness by discouraging thousands of patriotic and talented Americans from serving in the military; and WHEREAS, under DADT, over 11,000 service members have been discharged, including many with critical skills, such as Arabic linguists; and WHEREAS, each year, approximately .3,000 gay service members leave the military rather than continuing to serve under the stress of DADT; and WHEREAS, taxpayers have spent over .360 million dollars training replacements for personnel discharged under DADT; and WHEREAS, a 1993 Rand Report concluded the U,S. military could lift the gay ban without detriment to readiness and numerous subsequent studies conclude there is no empirical evidence to support DADT; and WHEREAS, twenty-four nations allow gays to serve openly, including Israel, Britain, Australia and Canada, with no negative effect on military readiness or unit cohesion; and WHEREAS, American troops are serving with openly gay troops from twelve countries in Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom and nine countries in Operation Iraqi Freedom; and WHEREAS, support for repealing DADT has tremendous momentum; and WHEREAS, in February 2007, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1246), calling for the repeal of DADT, was introduced in Congress and already has 1'24 bipartisan co-sponsors; and WHEREAS in the l10th Congress, hearings on DADT are expected to be held and a Senate bill calling for repeal of DADT is very likely to be introduced; and WHEREAS, leaders instrumental in creating DADT, General John Shalikashvili, who was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when DADT was adopted, and President Clinton, who signed the law, now support gays serving openly; and WHEREAS recent polls show that 6.3% - 79% of Americans and 91 % of 18-29-year olds support gays serving openly;

(Continued on Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Equality – 21)

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 20 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

REPEAL “DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL” (Continued from Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Equality - 20)

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2007 General Assembly delegates express their strongest possible support for immediate repeal of DADT and implementation of a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the U.S. Military; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the delegates call upon the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, their individual members and friends, and affiliate organizations, to pledge themselves to work for repeal by: 1. Sending letters, e-mails and petitions urging repeal of DADT to the President and Members of Congress; 2. Supporting elected officials who are committed to repealing DADT; 3. Writing local newspapers and participating in internet blogs; and 4. Getting resolutions from city, county and state governments and other influential organizations demanding repeal of DADT.

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 21 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons - page 22 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

HEALTH

1961 - Mental Health....................................................................................................... 2 1964 - Medicare .............................................................................................................. 2 1971 - National Health Plan ............................................................................................ 3 1972 - Smoking in Public Places ..................................................................................... 4 1978 - Development of Hospices .................................................................................... 4 1978 - Legality of Living Wills.......................................................................................... 5 1979 - A National Health Plan ......................................................................................... 5 1981 - Home Health Care ............................................................................................... 6 1981 - Smoking Areas..................................................................................................... 6 1988 - The Right to Die with Dignity ................................................................................ 7 1988 - Expression of Concern for Church Staff Health Insurance Coverage .................. 8 1992 - Universal Health Care .......................................................................................... 9 1994 - Nutrition for a Healthy Start in Life ..................................................................... 10 1997 - Toxic Threats to Children ................................................................................... 11 1998 - Addressing the Health Insurance Crisis ............................................................. 12 2006 - UUA Health Care Plan ....................................................................................... 13 2007 - Health Care for UUA Ministers, Staff and Families ............................................ 13

See related resolutions under Aging, Children and Youth, Economic Justice, Environmental Justice, Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Persons, International Human Rights and Justice, and Reproductive Health and Population.

Health - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

MENTAL HEALTH — 1961

(GEN)

WHEREAS, every second hospital bed in the United States is occupied by a mentally ill person with most public mental hospitals caring for 1,000 to 14,000 patients; and WHEREAS, medical knowledge has developed to the degree that many of the mentally ill could, with proper individual care, be returned to live useful lives in society; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the churches and fellowships of the Unitarian Universalist Association study their own communities to determine whether facilities and budgets are adequate for the care of mental patients within their own communities, such facilities to include psychiatric units in general hospitals, “half-way houses” for discharged mental patients, vocational and counseling services, and special classes in the public school system for emotionally disturbed and mentally retarded children; and BE IT RESOLVED: That member churches and fellowships strive to inform themselves in this field in order to give compassionate understanding towards the mentally ill as family, friends, or employers and to assist through direct volunteer service in appropriate places; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Unitarians and Universalists accept positions of leadership in their communities where they can influence public opinion and government agencies so that the financial and medical needs of the mentally ill may be met.

MEDICARE — 1964

(GEN)

WHEREAS, meeting the medical needs of our aged population is a pressing social problem, and meeting the cost of medical care is frequently beyond the financial ability of the elderly; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urge the Congress to enact legislation to provide hospital and medical care for older persons under the Social Security system and in order to offer equal opportunity to everyone, other such auspices as it deems appropriate and advisable.

Health - 2 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

NATIONAL HEALTH PLAN — 1971

(GEN)

CONVINCED: That a federally sponsored health insurance plan has become mandatory in view of the fact that the health care costs have continued to soar; BE IT RESOLVED: That the Tenth General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges all member societies to support a National Health Act to be acted upon by the 92nd Congress of the United States, under which the federal government would provide the legislation and administrative machinery whose provisions would be identical throughout all fifty states of the union, to make certain that hospitalization and medical services and materials be made available to all; That specifically: 1. Adequate pre-natal, hospital and post-natal care be provided for every mother and child; 2. Family planning, birth control, abortion services and information be made available to everyone wanting them free of charge without regard to age or marital status; 3. Pediatric care, inclusive of all immunizations necessary, be made available to every child; 4. Mandatory physical examinations be made of every child before entering school; 5. Adequate health care for the physical, mental and social well-being of the elderly be made available, including provision for custodial and terminal care; 6. All medical, psychiatric, psychological, dental, ophthalmic and other care and/or devices be provided to every person requiring them; 7. Medical research be provided for the purpose of extending the life span of men (According to the 1970 Census, there are 74 men to every 100 women over the age of 65. We feel that medical research should investigate the reasons and possibilities of prevention of the early death of our male population.); 8. Out-patient family health (medical and mental) clinics be available in both rural and urban areas; and 9. The federal government, in collaboration with competent medical, sociological, and educational authorities, establish a greatly expanded program of medical education, so that an adequate number of people are prepared for the medical and paramedical professions to adequately take care of the future medical needs of all our people; and That this all inclusive health plan be financed by major federal contribution, but with participation by local government units, the private sector, and, where possible, by the individual consumer.

Health - 3 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES — 1972

(GEN)

WHEREAS, we stand ready to support the maximum possible freedom for each individual; and WHEREAS, we are committed to support individuals who are subjected to unfair assault by others; and WHEREAS, we support the right and freedom of any person made aware of the hazards to his personal health to smoke tobacco; and WHEREAS, we are aware of the fact that the adverse effect of smoking is not limited to the smoker, but extends to the non-smoker whose atmosphere is polluted by the smoke; and WHEREAS, the severity of this effect on the non-smoker has been recognized by both the Surgeon General of the United States and the World Health Organization; and WHEREAS, the World Health Organization has therefore called for the banning of smoking from all places of public meeting; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the UUA call for the banning of smoking from all closed places of public meeting, and that further, a public information program be undertaken by the denomination to make smokers aware of the physical harm done to their friends by their actions; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That all meetings of the UUA allow time breaks of reasonable length to allow tobacco smokers to leave the place of the meeting to go out and smoke if they have a compelling need to do so.

DEVELOPMENT OF HOSPICES — 1978

(GEN)

WHEREAS, in the course of many illnesses when a person faces imminent death, a point is reached when medical science can offer no further treatment which can be expected to result in cure or remission of the disease, and the appropriate therapy becomes that which is designed to increase the comfort of that person by providing relief from the symptoms of the disease; and WHEREAS, hospice is a concept of comprehensive team care for those who are terminally ill and their loved ones, combining the services of professionals and trained volunteers to provide care twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and continuing through the bereavement period; and WHEREAS, there are at present over 130 groups throughout the United States and Canada that are working to develop humane, compassionate care programs which will cooperate closely with existing services to enable people to die where they choose; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association recognizes the importance of the addition of hospice care to the health care delivery systems in the United States and Canada; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges the Unitarian Universalists to give all possible aid and support to the development of hospice care in their communities.

Health - 4 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

LEGALITY OF LIVING WILLS — 1978

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the heritage of religious freedom extends into the nature of life and destiny; and WHEREAS, through advances in science and technology we anticipate longer lives; and WHEREAS, persons can be kept alive by heroic means after expectations of useful mental and physical activity have gone; and WHEREAS, it has become evident that a large proportion of Unitarian Universalists favor the right to decide the nature of their care during terminal illness; and WHEREAS, individuals may, while they are enjoying viable lives, sign documents alluding to their wishes in regard to final care; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association affirms and defends the right of each person to sign a legally binding Living Will; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association supports legislation throughout the several states in the United States which would affirm the legality of Living Wills and urges and calls upon its member societies to work toward the passage of such legislation.

A NATIONAL HEALTH PLAN — 1979

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the present system of health care in the United States (which costs approximately $180 billion per year) is often uneven in quality, availability of professional services, and in geographical distribution; and WHEREAS, the present system is unjustly expensive for many who cannot afford the charges for the services of hospitals, nursing homes, doctors, and other segments of the health care system; and WHEREAS, there is need for a planned and integrated national health system to ensure the quality and the availability and accessibility of health services for all the people of the United States and that this system include preventive medicine and emphasis on positive health care and individual fitness programs; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon the President and Congress to establish a comprehensive health care plan to provide full medical service for all; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges adoption of an insurance system that will be economically equitable for all sections of the population and that will be capable of sustaining the health system at a high level of quality; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges as an essential element of any plan that there be containment of health costs, especially control of hospital, clinic and physician costs, so that the economic burden imposed by rapidly rising health costs may be brought under control and kept from undermining the economic feasibility of a national health system.

Health - 5 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

HOME HEALTH CARE — 1981

(GEN)

WHEREAS, institutional care for the elderly is expensive and studies show that older patients are happier and regain functional ability more rapidly when they receive health care at home; and WHEREAS, Medicaid offers full coverage for long-term care in a nursing home, but in most states little or no coverage for these services in the community or at home, with the result that older persons are forced to enter institutions and society finds itself saddled with an enormous Medicaid bill; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges support for legislation proposing major changes in the way Medicare-Medicaid treats older patients, through: 1. Federal support to states providing for home health services, homemaker services, medical supplies for use in the home, nutritional counseling; and 2. Tax credits to families caring for elderly persons in their homes; and 3. Funding for preventive health services to reduce the need for more expensive care at a later date; and 4. Funding for the development and implementation of new models of comprehensive mental health services for the aging.

SMOKING AREAS — 1981

(BUS)

WHEREAS, it is now known that tobacco smoke causes irritation and harm to non-smokers; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association is noted for its use of reason and compassion in matters that have to do with human welfare; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the staff and officers of the Association to adopt policies and procedures which will permit smokers to use areas for smoking that will not expose non-smokers to smoke, and that such areas not include restrooms, aisles of passage (e.g., hallways) or other public areas where non-smokers need to be, and to encourage districts and societies to adopt a similar policy so that those who choose to smoke may do so knowing that their tobacco smoke will not be an irritant or be harmful to nonsmokers; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the implementation of this resolution include immediate, sufficient and continuing publicity by the Associations; periodicals and signs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That where present plant facilities do not permit implementation, smokers be urged to observe the spirit of this resolution.

Health - 6 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

THE RIGHT TO DIE WITH DIGNITY – 1988

(GEN)

Guided by our belief as Unitarian Universalists that human life has inherent dignity, which may be compromised when life is extended beyond the will or ability of a person to sustain that dignity; and believing that it is every person’s inviolable right to determine in advance the course of action to be taken in the event that there is no reasonable expectation of recovery from extreme physical or mental disability; and WHEREAS, medical knowledge and technology make possible the mechanical prolongation of life; and WHEREAS, such prolongation may cause unnecessary suffering and/or loss of dignity while providing little or nothing of benefit to the individual; and WHEREAS, such procedures have an impact upon a health-care system in which services are limited and are inequitably distributed; and WHEREAS, differences exist among people over religious, moral, and legal implications of administering aid in dying when an individual of sound mind has voluntarily asked for such aid; and WHEREAS, obstacles exist within our society against providing support for an individual’s declared wish to die; and WHEREAS, many counselors, clergy, and health-care personnel value prolongation of life regardless of the quality of life or will to live; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon its congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to examine attitudes and practices in our society relative to the ending of life, as well as those in other countries and cultures; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists reaffirm their support for the Living Will, as declared in a 1978 resolution of the General Assembly, declare support for the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, and seek assurance that both instruments will be honored; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists advocate the right to self-determination in dying, and the release from civil or criminal penalties of those who, under proper safeguards, act to honor the right of terminally ill patients to select the time of their own deaths; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists advocate safeguards against abuses by those who would hasten death contrary to an individual’s desires; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists, acting through their congregations, memorial societies, and appropriate organizations, inform and petition legislators to support legislation that will create legal protection for the right to die with dignity, in accordance with one’s own choice.

Health - 7 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

EXPRESSION OF CONCERN FOR CHURCH STAFF HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE – 1988 (GEN) WHEREAS, recognizing the possibility that our religious professionals and other participants face the loss of health insurance as provided through the UUA; and WHEREAS, recognizing that the UUA Board of Trustees, Administration, Council on Church Staff Finances, and the UUMA have previously and consistently encouraged these religious professionals and other participants to continue within the existing program; and WHEREAS, recognizing that upon loss of their insurance through the cessation of the existing program, certain participants will not be able to obtain health insurance; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1988 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association affirms the Association’s moral commitment to those currently in the UUA Health Plan; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1988 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the UUA Board of Trustees, the UUMA, and local congregations to place highest priority upon making certain that no one currently in the plan be without access to adequate health insurance.

Health - 8 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE — 1992

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm the worth and dignity of every individual; BECAUSE: As set forth in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all people have a right to high-quality health care; and BECAUSE: It is the responsibility of the public through government to provide for the common needs of the people in a just, equitable, and compassionate manner; and WHEREAS, access to adequate health care in the United States is neither equitable nor compassionate, although 11% of the gross national product is spent on health care, more than in any other industrialized nation; and WHEREAS, 37 million people living in the United States (13% of the population) have no health-care coverage, and increasing numbers cannot buy individual medical insurance at any price; and WHEREAS, Medicaid and Medicare do not adequately address the needs of the elderly, disabled, blind, or the poor; and WHEREAS, the infant mortality rate in the United States is the highest in the industrialized world and life expectancy in the United States has fallen to nineteenth in the world; and WHEREAS, Canada, with an annual per capita health-care cost of $1,480 compared to $2,050 in the United States, has an infant mortality rate 25% lower than that of the United States and an average life span almost two years longer; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association express its moral indignation at the above conditions and affirm that comprehensive health care is a basic human right and demand the development of a system which guarantees quality health care to every individual in the United States; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the system now in existence in other industrialized countries be considered as a model for the United States; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That, consistent with an appropriate and economically sound level of funding, the United States’ system shall provide: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Equitable access, cultural sensitivity, and basic treatment for all people; Adequate preventative care, including prenatal and holistic health care; Comprehensive treatment for long-term care and catastrophic illness; Access to medications and prosthetics; A complete range of voluntary and confidential health care, including family planning and reproductive services; and 6. Freedom for individuals to choose their health providers; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States be urged to support adoption of a national publicly funded comprehensive system of universal health care.

Health - 9 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

NUTRITION FOR A HEALTHY START IN LIFE — 1994

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Children are the focus and common ground of our hopes for the future; and WHEREAS, all pregnant women and all children need adequate nutrition for growth and physical and mental health; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee is building an advocacy network for children at risk; and WHEREAS, hunger and malnutrition are usually related to poverty or lack of nutritional knowledge; and WHEREAS, the United States government’s Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a cost effective program which provides essential foods, nutritional supplements, and nutritional counseling and support; and WHEREAS, funding shortfalls and inadequate dissemination of information have resulted in WIC’s serving only 60% of those estimated to be eligible; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association encourages Unitarian Universalists in the United States to: 1. Support efforts in their communities to guarantee: a. increased outreach so all pregnant women, nursing mothers, and mothers of children under five years old know the eligibility for and benefits of WIC; b. adequate nutrition for all children during their formative years; c. nutritional counseling for all pregnant women, including education about breastfeeding; d. technical and moral support for women choosing to breastfeed; and 2. Urge full funding of government nutritional programs, such as WIC, to guarantee adequate nutritional assistance, education, and support for infants, children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalist individuals and congregations in the United States be encouraged to work with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, community groups, and other national and international organizations to further these goals and to continue to address the broader issues that underlie childhood hunger.

Health - 10 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

TOXIC THREATS TO CHILDREN—1997

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person and respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part; and WHEREAS, a team of scientists and doctors appointed by the National Academy of Sciences issued a report entitled “Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children” in which they said that children are at risk of overexposure to agricultural pesticides and other toxins; and WHEREAS, pesticides banned in the United States are freely sold to foreign customers, thus endangering both foreign populations and United States consumers of imported produce; and WHEREAS, lead poisoning has been declared “the most serious environmental threat to the health of American children” by the United States Department of Health and Human Services and statistics available in 1996 show that nine percent of all children under six years of age in the United States are lead poisoned; and WHEREAS, a significant number of scientific studies demonstrate that environmental pollutants are implicated in disruptions of the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems of a variety of animals and may pose a threat to children and adults, with children the more vulnerable; and WHEREAS, toxins in the environment disproportionately damage poor children; and WHEREAS, “since 1950, 70,000 new chemical compounds have been invented and dispersed into our environment . . . [although] only a fraction of these have been tested for human toxicity; we are by default conducting a massive clinical toxicological trial and our children and their children are the experimental animals” (Needleman & Landrigan, Raising Children Toxic Free); THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges Unitarian Universalist congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to: 1. Inform themselves and their communities regarding these issues; 2. Work with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and other groups working to reduce toxic threats; 3. Reduce their “toxic load” by making more careful choices of foods, building materials, and other products in their homes and congregations; 4. Work cooperatively to develop shareholder resolutions which expand corporate adherence to the CERES (Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economics) Principles, a corporate environmental code; and 5. Encourage more independent objective research on the effects of toxins and the development of safer alternatives.

Health - 11 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ADDRESSING THE HEALTH INSURANCE CRISIS — 1998

(AIW)

WHEREAS, millions of Americans are presently denied medical insurance and, in effect, denied the right to basic health care because the United States government, employers, and insurance industry have been unable to implement a national health insurance program; and WHEREAS, this has been brought home to our Association by the June 1998 action of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, which has notified the Unitarian Universalist Association that its group medical plans will not be renewed on September 1, 1998, so that our Association, along with several other religious groups in the United States, is being forced to discontinue medical insurance for its clergy and staff because of costs, and over 70 clergy, their families and/or partners, are in danger of not being able to obtain replacement health insurance with affordable premiums, if at all; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1998 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Decries a system where the values of the medical and insurance marketplace and the pursuit of profits in the guise of managed care conspire to deprive United States citizens of basic health care; 2. Urges individual Unitarian Universalists and member societies to study the inequities of the present health insurance situation in the United States and to take assertive public positions to seek remedies at the state and federal level; 3. Calls on Unitarian Universalist congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States to urge members of Congress and the Administration to proceed toward the creation of a comprehensive health care system that will guarantee affordable medical, hospital, and mental health care (both inpatient and outpatient) to all persons regardless of age, place of employment, or personal financial circumstances; 4. Encourages the promotion of a Patient’s Bill of Rights for the protection of confidentiality, freedom of choice of practitioners, and parity for reimbursement of mental and medical conditions; and 5. Urges the staff and volunteer leadership of the Unitarian Universalist Association to assist all persons in the Unitarian Universalist Association Group Insurance Plan who may lose coverage to find replacement health insurance with premiums that can be afforded by their employercongregations.

Health - 12 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

UUA HEALTH CARE PLAN — 2006

(RR)

WHEREAS too many ministers and staff who serve our congregations either have no health insurance or are underinsured; and WHEREAS the UUA Board of Trustees has approved a self- funded health insurance plan for our congregational staffs; and WHEREAS the availability of health insurance for those who serve us is a matter of inclusivity, accessibility and economic justice; Therefore we, the delegates of the 2006 General Assembly, urge delegates to carry this message back to their local congregations and to advocate for their congregations' participation in the UUA Health Insurance Plan.

HEALTH CARE FOR UUA MINISTERS, STAFF AND FAMILIES — 2007

(RR)

WHEREAS, about 200 ministers and staff employed by Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations do not have health insurance; and WHEREAS, economic justice is a core UU value and a failure to provide health insurance is a threat to their health and well-being; BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The General Assembly delegates urge their congregations to initiate fundraising drives to raise the money necessary to provide these approximately 200 uninsured ministers, staff, and their families with health insurance.

Health - 13 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Health - 14 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

IMMIGRATION

1963 - Immigration .......................................................................................................... 2 1989 - The Refugee Internment Camp at Harlingen, Texas ............................................ 3 1995 - A Call to Conscious, Humane Treatment of Immigrants ...................................... 4 2006 - Support Immigrant Justice ................................................................................... 5 2007 - Support Immigrant Families—Stop the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) Raids............................................................................................. 6

See related resolutions under Children and Youth, Civil Liberties, Economic Justice and International Human Rights and Justice.

Immigration - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

IMMIGRATION — 1963

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the present basis of the United States Immigration quota system rests on the national origins of the country’s white population according to the 1920 census; and WHEREAS, this system contradicts the founding principles of the nation and is at variance with national needs and international responsibilities; and WHEREAS, over one-half of all immigrants come either as exceptions to the quota or as nonquota immigrants; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association at its 1963 General Assembly, direct the President of the Association to send an open letter to President Kennedy, and letters to Senator Philip A. Hart and the chairmen of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, stating our support for the passage of Senate Bill No. 747 , entitled “A Bill to Amend the Immigration and Nationality Act,” introduced by Senator Hart and 35 other Senators; which bill would rescind the present immigration law and substitute a new law, the provisions of which, as enunciated by Senator Hart, would: “Remove the purely arbitrary barriers to immigration on the basis of race and national origin and would substitute a new formula based on equality and fairplay. . . “Set America’s immigration record straight and update our basic statutes to conform more with our actual practice since 1952. . . “Facilitate the reunion of families now separated because of inequities in the act of 1952. . . “Enhance America’s economic growth rate by eliminating obstacles to the admission of persons who possess talents and skills urgently needed in this country. . . “Provide a continuing and orderly, but flexible, authority for the yearly admission of a reasonable number of refugees. . . “Bring our traditional principles into a creative relation with the facts of the modern world.” AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a representative of this Association appear at the hearings on Senate Bill No. 747 and its counterpart in the House of Representatives; and BE IT STILL FURTHER RESOLVED: That this General Assembly urge individuals, members of its churches and fellowships to communicate with their respective Senators and Representatives in support of this bill.

Immigration - page 2 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

THE REFUGEE INTERNMENT CAMP AT HARLINGEN, TEXAS — 1989

(RIW)

BECAUSE: The member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and justice, equity and compassion in human relations; and BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists have historically come to the defense of persons denied basic human rights and justice; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has recently opened a 5000-inmate tent prison at Harlingen, Texas, for the detention of Central American Refugees, which six Roman Catholic bishops have called “the largest concentration camp in America since the internment of the Japanese”; and WHEREAS, inconsistent with the pursuit of justice, asylum hearings there last only ten to fifteen minutes; and WHEREAS, refugees denied asylum are immediately jailed, and bail set beyond almost any refugee’s ability to pay; and WHEREAS, affordable legal resources are inadequate, effectively denying the legal representation essential to justice; and WHEREAS, refugees who obtain bond are denied work permits, forcing them and their families into hunger and poverty; and WHEREAS, these new INS policies constitute a comprehensive and shocking denial of basic human rights and due process which are the cornerstones of United States and international law; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1989 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon the United States Congress and federal administration to end their brutal and immoral policies, and return the INS to the rule of law and respect for human rights; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we request the Administration of the Unitarian Universalist Association to investigate the status of lawsuits filed in connection with this issue and, if appropriate, to file briefs as friend-of-the-court on behalf of the refugees; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That we urge all Unitarian Universalist congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to inform themselves on this issue, and to raise it with legislators and the public, to begin to redress the evil being done.

Immigration - page 3 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

A CALL TO CONSCIOUS, HUMANE TREATMENT OF IMMIGRANTS — 1995

(RIW)

BECAUSE: We covenant as Unitarian Universalists to affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person; and BECAUSE, We covenant as Unitarian Universalists to promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, passage of Proposition 187 in California in 1994 has spawned imitations of that legislation in multiple states, and inspired national legislative proposals which would deny essential health, education, and welfare services to undocumented workers, and restrict such services also to legal immigrants who are not citizens; and WHEREAS, subsequent to the passage of Proposition 187 there have been numerous documented instances of increased anti-immigrant hostility, strong evidence that the climate of fear has intensified in and around immigrant communities, and documentation that the passage of the California proposition has fostered the rebirth of new levels of xenophobia in the general population; and WHEREAS, as Unitarian Universalists we cannot in conscience condone the systematic refusal of humane social services to needy persons and their families based on immigration status, national origin, or citizenship; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1995 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association demands from both state and federal lawmakers humane solutions to the very complex social issues relating to undocumented persons in this country, and a just application of human rights at both the state and national levels for all people living within our borders; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1995 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States to serve those directly harmed and others affected by the passage of any legislation which would deny human beings the basic services warranted to all members of a free and just society.

Immigration - page 4 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORT IMMIGRANT JUSTICE –2006

(AIW)

WHEREAS, our Unitarian Universalist faith calls us to recognize that no one is "the stranger"; and WHEREAS, we affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and society at large; and the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all, we Unitarian Universalists support the rights of our brothers and sisters who are recent immigrants to the United States of America; and WHEREAS, in the spring of 2006, hundreds of thousands of people were moved to march for the rights of immigrants; and WHEREAS, many among us are immigrants and integral members of and contributors to our communities and our congregations; and WHEREAS, local, state, and federal elected officials have recently tried to criminalize and demonize immigrants to the United States; and WHEREAS, politicians increasingly use immigrants as scapegoats for this country's problems and strive to distract the public from the underlying issues of global and economic justice; and WHEREAS, our broken immigration system allows exploitation of undocumented workers; and WHEREAS, children of immigrants working in the fields are not receiving legal protection accorded other child laborers. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2006 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Supports just and comprehensive immigration reform; Supports the creation of an accessible and timely process to obtain residency and citizenship; Supports equitable treatment of all workers; Supports access to government and its democratic processes and to health care, education, and police protection for all; Supports the Children's Act for Responsible Employment (the CARE Act), H.R. 3482, which addresses the inequities and harsh conditions faced by children in agriculture in the United States; Opposes attempts at all levels of government to further criminalize or demonize immigrants and undocumented individuals and the people who give them humanitarian aid; Urges all Unitarian Universalist congregations and their members to continue providing services and fellowship to undocumented individuals even if legislation is passed that criminalizes these humanitarian acts; Opposes legislation by any governmental body that establishes any language as our "national language"; and Opposes the further militarization of United States borders.

Immigration - page 5 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES—STOP THE ICE (IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT) RAIDS — 2007 (AIW) WHEREAS, a community of faith, we uphold the inherent worth, rights and dignity of all people; and WHEREAS, we covenant as Unitarian Universalists to promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, our Unitarian Universalist faith ca11s us to recognize that no one is "the stranger;" and WHEREAS, beginning with our first General Assembly in 1961 with a resolution on the rights of migrant workers, a 1963 resolution for immigration reform, three General Assemblies endorsing sanctuary for refugees (1980, 1984, and 1985), and Resolutions of Immediate Witness passed in 1985 for humane treatment of immigrants and in 2006 the General Assembly voted for an Action of Immediate Witness to support immigrant justice, we have demonstrated a commitment to support immigrant families; and WHEREAS, since December 2006 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has intensified its raids on immigrants beginning on December 12th, 2006 (on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. a day of enormous religious significance for Mexican families) when ICE agents simultaneously raided six Swift & Company meat packing plants in five states, when approximately 1,000 ICE agents, some in riot gear, detained 1,282 workers at gunpoint, many shackled with chains between their legs; and WHEREAS, raids have continued across the country in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Danbury and New Haven, Connecticut, Chicago, Illinois, and most recently on June 12th, 2007, in Portland, Oregon; WHEREAS, many of us attending General Assembly have encountered someone who is impacted by the raid in Portland last week; and WHEREAS, federal raids are breaking up families, many of them parents with children, causing pain and suffering, and creating a climate of fear and repression among immigrant communities; and WHEREAS, the interplay between our laws, foreign policy and economy over many decades has trapped many immigrants, while our lawmakers in Congress are unable to reach agreement; and WHEREAS, undocumented immigration is on the rise, and immigrants are driven from their homes as refugees of "free trade" policies and by U.S. businesses' voracious appetite for cheap labor; and WHEREAS, we must acknowledge that many of us have lives of privilege supported in thousands of ways by people whose labor is invisible and whose suffering is hidden and who are criminalized for simply working to provide for their families; and WHEREAS, now more than ever the voice of the religious community needs to be heard calling for the passing of just comprehensive immigration reform, for an immediate stop to the ICE raids and offering hospitality to and solidarity with the millions living in fear. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2007 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: Calls for an immediate moratorium of all inhumane raids and resulting deportations: 1. Urges all Unitarian Universalists congregations and their members to create a dialogue with the local business community, politicians, and if possible minority coalitions to create alternative actions for fair and legal deportations: and 2. Urges all Unitarian Universalist congregations and their members to offer support and solidarity with the millions of immigrants seeking recognition and dignity in United States.

Immigration - page 6 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND JUSTICE 1961 - Africa .................................................................................................................... 3 1965 - Human Rights Conventions ................................................................................. 3 1966 - Apartheid.............................................................................................................. 4 1966 - China.................................................................................................................... 4 1966 - World Hunger and Population Control.................................................................. 5 1967 - Strengthening the United Nations ........................................................................ 5 1969 - Statement of Consensus on the United Nations................................................... 6 1972 - Human Rights Covenants .................................................................................. 11 1975 - Reconstruction in Vietnam ................................................................................. 11 1977 - Human Rights in El Salvador ............................................................................. 12 1977 - Reconstruction in Vietnam ................................................................................. 13 1977 - World Hunger and Grain Reserves .................................................................... 13 1978 - World Hunger..................................................................................................... 14 1979 - Infant Formula .................................................................................................... 15 1980 - Hunger ............................................................................................................... 16 1980 - Refugee Assistance ........................................................................................... 17 1981 - United Nations Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women ............................................................................................................... 18 1982 - Justice in the Middle East .................................................................................. 18 1983 - Cease Support of Governments in Violation of Human Rights in Central America and Elsewhere................................................................................................... 19 1983 - World Hunger..................................................................................................... 19 1984 - Action Concerning Central American Refugees ................................................. 20 1984 - Central America ................................................................................................. 20 1985 - Resolution on South Africa................................................................................. 20 1985 - Sanctuary........................................................................................................... 21 1985 - UUA Opposition to Apartheid ............................................................................. 22 1986 - Opposition to Military Assistance to Apartheid South Africa............................... 22 1986 - Sanctuary Fund.................................................................................................. 23 1987 - Ending Hunger ................................................................................................... 23 1988 - Concern for the Minority Peoples of Romania.................................................... 24 1989 - The Battle for Tiananmen Square ...................................................................... 25 1990 - Reaffirming Support for the United Nations........................................................ 26 1993 - In Support of the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office ........................... 28 1997 - Exempt Food, Medicine, and Medical Supplies From the United States Embargo Against Cuba ..................................................................................... 29 1998 - Payment of the United States Debt to the United Nations.................................. 29 2000 - Support Tibet and the Dalai Lama...................................................................... 30 2001 - World Conference Against Racism .................................................................... 31 2003 - Global HIV/AIDS ................................................................................................ 32 International Human Rights and Justice - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

2004 - The Alien Tort Claims Act and Accountability for Multinational Corporations ..... 33 2004 - Torture ............................................................................................................... 34 2005 - Support for the Millennium Development Goal One: Ending Extreme Poverty .. 34 2005 - United States-Sponsored Torture Must End ...................................................... 35 2006 - Stand Up for the United Nations Human Rights Council .................................... 36 2007 - Stop U.S. Sponsored Torture - A Religious Call to Action.................................. 37

See related resolutions under Children and Youth, Civil Liberties, Economic Justice, Environmental Justice, Immigration, International Peace and Conflict, Reproductive Health and Justice, and Racial Justice.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 2 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

AFRICA — 1961

(GEN)

WHEREAS, 1960 was the “Year of Africa” in that 17 new states became independent, 14 of which were admitted to the United Nations; and WHEREAS, in other areas of Africa, notably Algeria, Southwest Africa, the Rhodesias, Mozambique and Angola, Africans are denied self-government and other basic human rights; and WHEREAS, the newly-independent African states are greatly in need of technical and economic assistance; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges: 1. That the governments of Canada and the United States tender substantial technical and economic assistance to the newly-independent African nations, to be channeled through the United Nations; and 2. That unrelenting pressure be applied to these governments to press for the political and economic freedom of those areas under colonial rule; and 3. That the newly-freed peoples of Africa, both as individuals and as nations, be accorded esteem and courtesy commensurate with the vital role they are playing in international affairs; and 4. That copies of this resolution be forwarded to the appropriate officials of the United States, Canada, the United Nations, and the newly-formed countries of Africa.

HUMAN RIGHTS CONVENTIONS — 1965

(GEN)

WHEREAS, world peace depends on the recognition by all nations of fundamental human rights (such as those embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948); and WHEREAS, the United Nations has attempted to encourage the nations of the world to protect these rights by specific Conventions; and WHEREAS, the Government of Canada has ratified all of the Conventions referred to below; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urge the United States Senate, with all possible speed, to ratify the Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery; the Convention on the Abolition of Forced Labor; and the Convention on the Political Rights of Women; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That member societies and their members be urged to inform United States Senators of their strong support of ratification of these conventions; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That member societies and their members be urged to request United States Senators to begin hearings on the Genocide Convention.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 3 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

APARTHEID — 1966

(GEN)

THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION DEPLORES the refusal of the government of South Africa to comply with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the General Assembly and its continued implementation of the policies of apartheid; and URGES: The governments of the United States and Canada to continue to comply fully with all the resolutions of the Security Council on this question and continue to halt the sale and delivery to South Africa of arms and ammunition of all types; and SUGGESTS: That the governments of the United States and Canada vote for increased diplomatic and economic sanctions against South Africa by member nations of the United Nations and subsequently enforce these sanctions.

CHINA — 1966

(GEN)

AFFIRMING: That one of the major goals of international diplomacy should be the reduction of tension between the United States and the People’s Republic of China; and NOTING: That the United States should initiate steps which may reduce that tension without sacrificing its own security, the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the government of the United States: 1. To support the seating of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations; 2. To relax restrictions on cultural, economic and nonstrategic trade relations with the People’s Republic of China, to offer to negotiate cultural and scientific exchange agreements similar to those in effect with the Soviet Union, and to seek full diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China; and 3. To seek immediately the inclusion of the People’s Republic of China in world disarmament talks. THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION ALSO URGES: The government of Canada to grant full diplomatic recognition and support to the seating of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations and to widen its relations with the People’s Republic of China.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 4 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

WORLD HUNGER AND POPULATION CONTROL — 1966

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the population of the world is now increasing at a faster rate than is food production, and birth control alone will not solve the problem of hunger in the immediate future; and WHEREAS, the prospects for substantial increases in food production in the areas of greatest need, most notably Asia and Latin America, are not encouraging; and WHEREAS, in spite of food reserves in food-surplus countries, there will be continuing substantial food shortages; BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the governments of the United States and Canada to enact legislation to combat world hunger including: 1. The increase of the supply of food available for shipment to countries with food shortages by government purchases from current supplies and stockpiles; and 2. The offer of assistance to such countries to improve their ability to conserve, process and distribute food both home-grown and imported; and 3. Help to strengthen the food-producing capacity of such countries by making available the necessary seeds, fertilizers, agricultural techniques and experts; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Canadian and United States governments to further combat world hunger through expanded programs, both government and private, to provide practical birth control information and devices wherever requested and to support the United Nations in its programs to encourage control of world population growth.

STRENGTHENING THE UNITED NATIONS — 1967

(GEN)

CONVINCED: That world order and peace require increased support for a strengthening of the United Nations, the Unitarian Universalist Association: COMMENDS: The continuing and courageous efforts of the Secretary General employing the facilities of the United Nations in peace-making and peace-keeping; and URGES: The governments of the United States and Canada to work for strengthening of the United Nations, with or without changes in its Charter, to make it an international instrument capable of assuring security and enforcing a rule of law among nations; and URGES: That the United States Senate advise and consent to ratification of the following Human Rights Conventions: 1. The Supplementary Convention of the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, prepared under the direction of the United Nations in 1956, to which 61 nations are now parties; 2. The Convention on the Abolition of Forced Labor, adopted by the International Labor Organization in 1957, to which 74 nations are now parties; 3. The Convention on the Political Rights of Women, opened for signature by the United Nations in 1953, to which 44 nations are now parties (as requested by President Kennedy nearly four years ago); and 4. To advise and consent to ratification of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 5 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

STATEMENT OF CONSENSUS ON THE UNITED NATIONS — 1969

(BUS)

PREAMBLE We religious liberals of several backgrounds and cultures seek to strengthen the United Nations in its efforts to eliminate war, discrimination, poverty, and disease by reaffirming our belief in the essential unity of the human family. We believe that the common bond of concern which grows out of the universality of man’s social needs and ethical aspirations will make it progressively possible for all men and nations to move beyond nationalism toward world community. We recognize that man possesses the ethical and spiritual capacities to create the universal human community called for by the prophets of the world’s great religions. Through this consensus, designed to strengthen and implement the principles of the United Nations Charter, we call upon our members to reaffirm their commitment to the objectives and activities of the UN. A. We reaffirm the major objective of the UN “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” 1. Disarmament. We support U Thant’s assertion that “the greatest danger facing the world today is the nuclear arms race (which) has to be halted and reversed if humanity is to survive.” We underline the conclusions of the UN Committee of Experts that were nuclear weapons “ever to be used in numbers, hundreds of millions of people might be killed, and civilization, as we know it, as well as organized community life, would inevitably come to an end in the countries involved in the conflict.” We hail the initial steps on the long road to general and complete disarmament: the establishment of a hot-line, nuclear-free zones in Antarctica, Latin America, and outer space, the partial test-ban treaty, and the non-proliferation treaty. We acknowledge the painstaking negotiation through the Conference of the Eighteen-Nation Committee on Disarmament and other bodies. We admit that the stockpiles of both conventional and nuclear arms have risen markedly, even while the nations have negotiated; and that five states have become military nuclear powers, and at least a dozen more, civilian nuclear powers. We call for these urgent next steps: a comprehensive test-ban treaty; the limitation, reduction, and elimination of offensive and defensive nuclear missiles; additional nuclear-free zones, including the sea-bed; and collateral measures registering and reducing conventional arms until there is general and complete disarmament under international control. These goals should be reached quickly, and in no way thwart the legitimate right of all nations to the peaceful uses of the atom. Savings resulting from disarmament measures can be applied to more constructive programs, both domestic and international. While there are risks to nation states that disarm, these are more than outweighed by the protection from nuclear destruction. B. We reaffirm the objective of the UN “to be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations” and “to develop friendly relations among nations.” 1.

Universal Membership We recognize the necessity to include all states in the UN. The work of the organization has been distorted through the continued absence of the People’s Republic of China. We favor the immediate inclusion of the People’s Republic of China in the UN. We further urge that North and South Korea, North and South Vietnam, and East and West Germany be admitted to UN membership in the belief that such membership will lead to a reduction of tensions in these divided areas. (Continued on International Human Rights and Justice – 7)

International Human Rights and Justice - page 6 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

STATEMENT OF CONSENSUS ON THE UNITED NATIONS (Continued from International Human Rights and Justice – 6)

2.

Refugees We support the continuing efforts of the UN to meet the needs of refugees through the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees and the UN Relief Works Agency assisting Palestinian refugees. We call upon Member States to broaden the High Commissioner’s mandate which is presently limited to meeting the needs of refugees forced to seek haven outside of their original nation or territory. UN agencies should be given the power to assist refugees in all situations. We urge increased efforts by the UN to develop a permanent resettlement program for Palestinian refugees commensurate with their right of self-determination.

3.

Decolonization We commend the UN for its vital role in aiding many former colonial areas to achieve independence and nationhood. We endorse the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, adopted in 1960, which asserts that “the subjection of peoples to alien subjection, domination, and exploitation constitutes a denial of fundamental human rights, is contrary to the Charter, and is an impediment to world peace and cooperation.” Millions of Africans are still living under colonialism in Angola, Mozambique, and Southwest Africa. We call upon Portugal to grant immediate independence to her colonies. We urge application of increasing sanctions against Portugal and Southern Rhodesia. We support UN resolutions that condemn South Africa’s apartheid system as a “crime against humanity.” We also condemn the tacit support given apartheid by the major trading partners of South Africa, i.e., United Kingdom, USA, Japan, West Germany, and France. We urge our governments to contribute generously to the UN Trust Fund for South Africa, the UN Educational and Training Program for South Africa, and the UN Trust Fund for refugees from Namibia (Southwest Africa) and the Portuguese territories. We approve UN action calling upon South Africa to withdraw from Namibia and to permit the legal administration of the Territory, the UN Council for Namibia, to guide it to full independence.

C. We reaffirm the objective of the UN “to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character.” 1.

Economic and Social Development a. Second Development Decade

We support the Second Development Decade planned by the UN for the 1970's. We regret that the goal of the First Development Decade of the 1960's (which called upon the developed nations to contribute one percent of their gross national product to asssist the developing countries) fell far short of achievement. We especially approve the UN Development Program which assists the low-income states to make more fully productive the vastly under-utilized potential wealth of their human and natural resources. b. Population and Food We are much encouraged by the progress of the developing countries to increase food production by nearly six percent in 1968. We note with alarm, however, that this splendid effort was more than half offset by an annual population increase of three percent. Therefore, we urge expansion of current UN programs to moderate population growth and call upon our countries to contribute generously to the Secretary-General's Population Fund which supports these programs. (Continued on International Human Rights and Justice – 8)

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STATEMENT OF CONSENSUS ON THE UNITED NATIONS (Continued from International Human Rights and Justice – 7)

We endorse the priorities set by the Food and Agricultural Organization, namely, the introduction of high-yielding varieties of basic foods, closing the protien gap, reducint waste and improving the quality of rural life. We urge the creation of a new UN agency on protein production and distribution, and a UN Food Reserve to meet famine. c.

Human Environment

We are aware that the world will soon be unfit for human existence unless prompt steps are taken to cope with problems of air and water pollution, erosion, and the effects of biocides. We commend the recent efforts of the UN to coordinate techniques to preserve, protect, and improve the natural environment, and to identify those aspects which can best be solved through international agreement. We endorse the UN Conference on the Human Environment planned for 1972. d. Draft Declaration on Social Progress and Development We agree with the basic principle of this Declaration which states that "all peoples and all human beings without distinction as to race, color, sex, language, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, familiy or social status, or political or other conviction shall have the right to live in dignity and freedom and to enjoy the fruits of social progress and should contribute toward it." D. We affirm the objective of the UN "to ptomote and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.: 1. Human Rights We reaffirm "our faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women, and of nations, large and small.” We commend the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1943, as “a common standard of achievement of all peoples and nations.” We believe the drafting of this instrument was in itself a memorable and dramatic act of faith in man’s capacity to develop a universal ethical code governing the behavior of nations and peoples, despite the broad diversity of cultural, religious, legal, social and economic systems. We rejoice that the Declaration has acquired high political and moral authority. We endorse the proposal of the Economic and Social Council for the election of a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. We urge ratification by all states of the two Human Rights Covenants —Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Civil and Political Rights —and Human Rights Conventions not yet ratified, especially on genocide, the political rights of women, anti-slavery, and forced labor. We pledge our full support for the Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination adopted in 1963. We urge all states that have not yet done so, to sign this Declaration and implement it promptly in their national statutes and practices. We urge that the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion and Belief be promptly adopted and ratified. This would ensure “the rights to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, and freedom to worship, teach and practice religion.” We support UN efforts to “ensure the most careful legal procedures, and the greatest possible safeguards for the accused in capital cases, where the death penalty obtains.” We favor the abolition of the death penalty by all Member States. E. We reaffirm the objective of the UN “to make effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace.” (Continued on International Human Rights and Justice – 9)

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STATEMENT OF CONSENSUS ON THE UNITED NATIONS (Continued from International Human Rights and Justice – 8)

1.

Pacific Settlement of Disputes The Security Council, the General Assembly, the Secretary-General and other organs of the UN have had an impressive record of maintaining international peace in the face of civil war, international war, and other disputes. Immediate crisis situations call for improvement and extension of existing UN peacekeeping machinery. A cadre of UN observers should be formed and given the necessary logistical and political support. We commend those nations which have trained and made available stand-by forces, and urge that new forces be made available. We urge the creation of a professional UN peace-keeping force recruited from all nations and fully committed to the principles of the Charter. A new UN peacekeeping fund could be developed to which individuals, foundations, and nations could contribute. In all these measures, there must be an initial imaginative fulfillment of existing obligations by member states, using existing machinery, and the early devising of new machinery.

2.

Role of International Law Peace depends upon the progressive codification of time-tested international norms which even now provide the nations with the basic foundation for a world legal system. We commend the UN for its successful efforts to adopt rules of procedure in the Security Council, General Assembly, and the Specialized Agencies which, by providing a common “frame of reference,” and “practice,” enhance the development of international law. We call upon our respective governments to demonstrate practical support for international law by regularly submitting disputes to the International Court of Justice for adjudication, and to agree to abide by Court decisions by adopting the Compulsory Jurisdiction clause of the Statute of the International Court of Justice. We urge faithful support and implementation of UN resolutions as a practical method of strengthening the enforcement powers of the UN.

3.

The Role of the Secretary-General and Secretariat The UN has been most effective whenever the Secretary-General has taken the initiative under Article 99 of the Charter to resolve disputes through mediation, conciliation and informal diplomacy. We concur with the recommendation of the Commission to Study the Organization of Peace that “members provide the Secretary-General with political advice and counsel in matters in which his personal diplomacy and initiative are crucial.” We also urge Member States to provide the Secretary-General with the personnel, transport, and other logistical support so that he may effectively implement peacekeeping operations voted by the Security Council and the Assembly. We support the Secretary-General’s efforts to recruit international civil servants of the highest possible calibre, willing to give their full loyalty to the UN.

4. The Future Although the Charter of the UN, like the constitutions of many states, is an imperfect instrument, we concur with U Thant’s observation that the present Charter is “adequate,” if Member States resolve to live up to its principles. We urge our respective governments to follow the recommendation of the Commission to Study the Organization of Peace calling upon all nations to “recognize that the Charter is a constitution and observance of its principles and use of its procedures is not a matter of choice or diplomatic convenience.” We favor a liberal and dynamic interpretation of the Charter to permit the UN to meet new needs through the adaptation, improvement, and extension of existing bodies and procedures. (Continued on International Human Rights and Justice – 10)

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STATEMENT OF CONSENSUS ON THE UNITED NATIONS (Continued from International Human Rights and Justice – 9)

We are convinced that the future success of the UN depends upon the increased willingness of our own nations to yield a measure of national sovereignty to the world body in the interest of peace and security for all. We recognize our mutual responsibility for encouraging our respective governments fully to utilize the organs and procedures of the UN and the International Court of Justice to settle disputes. We further call upon our governments to increase financial contributions to the world body, and particularly to the UN Capital Development Fund and the UN Industrial Development Organization. We note with alarm that only a tiny fraction of the funds spent by member states on armaments is used in support of the UN and its agencies. The UN may gain in effectiveness as it develops financial resources of its own. The UN Charter can be amended and possible amendments should continue to be studied so that, as national sovereignty inevitably lessens a shrinking world, the strength of the UN, and especially of its peacemaking functions, can increase concomitantly. Therefore we religious liberals resolve to rededicate our loyalties and energies in full support of the UN as it enters its second quarter of a century in 1970. 5.

This Consensus This Consensus is adopted by a virtually unanimous vote of the 1969 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association of North America consisting of a broadly representative group of laymen and ministers. This consensus reflects a substantial preponderance of opinion, although not necessarily unanimity on all points, of the majority of delegates present at the General Assembly. This may, or may not, represent a majority of members of our local churches and fellowships. Since this denomination cherishes and recognizes both congregational polity and the freedom of individual members, this consensus presumes to speak neither for all delegates to the 1969 General Assembly nor for all members of our Unitarian Universalist churches and fellowships. We recognize that strong differences of opinion may exist on specific questions among sincere and thoughtful Unitarian Universalists, notwithstanding our underlying unity and our common religious affiliation.

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HUMAN RIGHTS COVENANTS — 1972

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the International Covenants on Human Rights as adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966 stress the importance of nations in upholding, protecting and extending the rights of human beings the world over; and WHEREAS, the recognition and approval of those covenants are consistent with the liberation concepts embodied in our federal Constitution, Declaration of Independence and pursuits of international justice; and WHEREAS, the social, economic, civil and political rights of individual persons and whole groups of people are in need of acknowledgment, stimulation and expansion under world government as represented by the United Nations; and WHEREAS, the 1965 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association unanimously adopted a General Resolution displaying its concern in this matter; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the United States Senate be called upon to ratify promptly the International Conventions and Covenants on Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly: particularly those on genocide; racial discrimination; education, social, and cultural rights; civil and political rights; and discrimination in education; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That our government exert special leadership in support of world-wide human rights by urging other nations to ratify the conventions and covenants and by aiding all efforts to strengthen the United Nations Human Rights Commission.

RECONSTRUCTION IN VIETNAM — 1975

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the war and the collapse of the government in South Vietnam have left that part of the nation with every second person a refugee and every fifth child an orphan; and WHEREAS, the million refugees of this March and April were unable to harvest spring crops, and starvation is currently widespread; and WHEREAS, the American people have a moral responsibility to help the Vietnamese people rebuild their war-ravaged country; BE IT RESOLVED: That the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges churches, fellowships and individual UUs to: 1. Request their government officials to lift the trade and relief embargo against Vietnam; and 2. Become active immediately in relief projects such as; a. S.O.S. Vietnam, 122 W. Franklin St., Minneapolis, MN 55404; b. Medical Aid for Indo-China, 65A Winthrop St., Cambridge, MA 02138 c. American Friends Service Committee (Vietnam Relief), 160 N. 15th St., Philadelphia, PA 19102; and d. Committee for Reconstruction of the Vietnamese Buddhist Church (through our UU Tay Loc Committee), 2391 Eudora, Denver, CO 80207; and 3. Give high priority on their Social Concerns agendas to the “lessons of Vietnam.”

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HUMAN RIGHTS IN EL SALVADOR — 1977

(GEN)

WHEREAS, in May of 1977, a Unitarian Universalist Service Committee investigation revealed evidence of gross violations of human rights by the government of El Salvador, including mass killings of civilians, widespread electoral fraud, arbitrary arrest and detention, religious persecution, torture and assassination; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee has worked for over three years to assist Salvadoreans to participate more fully in the decisions that affect their lives; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee has, in General Assembly resolutions in 1965 and 1972, supported United States endorsement of United Nations human rights covenants and their underlying principles; and WHEREAS, the economic and political policies of the United States have frequently strengthened and perpetuated repressive governments throughout the developing world; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association join with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee in petitioning the United States executive and legislative branches to: 1. Cease all military and economic assistance to El Salvador with the exception of aid which is clearly humanitarian in nature and beneficial to the poorest sectors of the population; 2. Add El Salvador to the State Department list of nations violating basic human rights; and 3. Instruct the United States delegates to the United Nations and all international lending organizations to disapprove credit applications from El Salvador so long as human rights violations continue.

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RECONSTRUCTION IN VIETNAM — 1977

(GEN)

WHEREAS, two full years have passed since the end of the war in Indochina without the offering of one dollar or one tool in US reconstruction aid, and in addition the new President of the United States has explicitly stated that we “have no responsibility for reparations” (March 24, 1977), and the House of Representatives also has twice passed specific prohibitions against economic aid to Vietnam (May 5 and May 12, 1977) as has the Senate on June 15, 1977; and WHEREAS, healing and recovery in the Indochinese countries continue to be severely retarded by the direct legacies of our policies: unexploded mines, a countryside cratered, salted, bulldozed, and poisoned by herbicides, substantial food shortages, vast unemployment, and a crippled economy; and WHEREAS, the Vietnamese government has given multiple signs of its good faith and readiness to negotiate the outstanding issues of the war towards the goals of normalizing diplomatic relations; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reasserts its 1975 General Resolution on Reconstruction in Vietnam and urges churches, fellowships, and individual Unitarian Universalists to: 1. Entreat the Congress and the Carter administration, with the purpose of moving their “hearts and minds,” to acknowledge the United States’ responsibility for the destruction of three small agricultural countries and to act on our corresponding moral and legal responsibility to help heal those wounds; 2. Simultaneously urge an immediate lifting of the American diplomatic hostilities still in effect, i.e., the trade embargo, the ban on Vietnamese travel in the US, and frozen financial assets; and 3. Continue to raise support for private citizens’ reconstruction aid (through the FRIENDSHIPMENT coalition) in order to provide some relief to the Vietnamese people and to stand as a cogent symbol to our government of its own unmet obligation.

WORLD HUNGER AND GRAIN RESERVES — 1977

(GEN)

WHEREAS, millions of people may die in the next few years because of inadequate world grain reserves; and drought and other causes have rendered grain production unstable, which drives prices up and forces poorer countries out of the world grain market; and WHEREAS, it has been demonstrated that when adequate world grain reserves are maintained, price fluctuations are minimized even in times of small harvests; and WHEREAS, the United States, Canada and other large grain producers hold the key to stable world-wide food reserves that have been allowed to dwindle to a fraction of their former levels; and WHEREAS, the United States, Canada and other large grain producers, through climatic and other circumstances, may themselves experience shortage; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges and calls upon member societies to urge the governments of the United States and Canada to establish national grain reserves and otherwise to demonstrate our willingness to participate in concert with other large grain-producing countries in a world food bank.

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WORLD HUNGER — 1978

(GEN)

WHEREAS, half a billion of the world’s four billion inhabitants suffer from malnutrition and another billion do not have a proper diet; and WHEREAS, the developing nations of the world have not been able to increase their food production to a point where they can keep up with their needs for food; and WHEREAS, the World Food Council estimates that the developing nations must increase their food production by at least 4.3 percent a year if their food import costs are not to reach prohibitive levels by 1985; and WHEREAS, key questions regarding foreign aid include: How do the rich countries help the poor in poor countries? How do the developed nations get aid filtered down to the rural areas to help improve nutrition on the rural level?; and WHEREAS, existing agricultural production in developing nations has often been exploited for profit rather than to satisfy the nutritional needs of the majority; and WHEREAS, trained personnel could go out on the local level to help others develop their land agriculturally to enable them to become more efficient in food production; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the governments of the United States and Canada through their appropriate agencies to work with the United Nations and other international organizations for the establishment of training facilities in developing nations which rely on importing food in order to feed their people. Such centers should emphasize the use of indigenous technicians and methodologies to work with small farmers to teach appropriate technologies which minimize the need for capital, energy or pesticides, all with the basic goal of producing food to satisfy their own national and regional nutritional needs.

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INFANT FORMULA — 1979

(GEN)

WHEREAS, world health authorities have documented the disastrous effect the widespread marketing of infant formula has had upon the nutrition and well-being of millions of babies in less developed nations; and WHEREAS, the distribution of these products to uneducated mothers by medical and paramedical personnel implies the superiority of formula over breast milk, leading to the abandonment of breast feeding on a massive scale; and WHEREAS, poor mothers living in unhygienic conditions frequently mix the formula in weak solution with polluted water, adding the risk of disease to the problem of malnutrition; and WHEREAS, many mothers under the influence of aggressive infant formula marketing programs have needlessly invested large portions of their meager family budgets in order to purchase the product, further weakening the family economically; and WHEREAS, most national and multinational companies producing and marketing infant formula have resisted attempts to require that they alter their marketing methods to eliminate these hazards; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon local societies and individual members to express their concern for the effects of infant formula marketing methods within developing nations by: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Communicating these concerns to formula-producing companies; Participating in selective boycotts; Supporting stockholder resolutions calling for responsible marketing practices; and Seeking Congressional action to control the international marketing practices of U.S.-based formula-producing corporations.

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HUNGER — 1980

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the number of hungry and starving people on this fertile globe has reached a magnitude that staggers comprehension; and WHEREAS, international and national agencies, and numerous nongovernmental organizations have come to realize that world resources are not adequate to supply the basic needs of the rapidly increasing numbers of the world’s poor, using current strategies, and that food aid from exogenous sources alone cannot bring long-term security from hunger to the world’s people; and WHEREAS, a new approach is developing (a “basic needs strategy”) which deals with structural causes of widespread hunger at the same time that it increases the realistic possibility of meeting immediate needs of hungry and starving people (besides calling for substantial international and indigenous financial and technical aid, the “basic needs strategy” calls upon the governments of developing countries to encourage the poor themselves to invest their skills and labor in planning and managing the development of local resources, with priority being given to their participation in all aspects of the food sector of the economy; it also calls upon their national governments to support efforts toward self-sufficiency in basic foods as an engine for general economic development); and WHEREAS, food supplies are adequate to nourish the human family today, but human numbers are growing faster than the potential sustainable growth of agricultural productivity warrants and a “basic needs strategy” appears to predispose communities to stabilize their population at a sustainable level; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirm participation in joint efforts of the religious community and concerned secular organizations to correct in life-affirming ways those problems which underlie much of the human hunger and starvation in the world today; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urge Unitarian Universalist societies to study the complex problems involved and familiarize their members with the structural issues and their import for the future of humanity; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly request the Washington Office to inform Unitarian Universalists, through timely reports in the UU WORLD, about pending legislation on such problems.

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REFUGEE ASSISTANCE — 1980

(GEN)

WHEREAS, there are now at least ten million refugees (a refugee is defined as someone outside his or her country who is unable or unwilling to return to that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of prosecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group); and WHEREAS, these ten million refugees, half of whom are children, are from many areas of the world: Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia; and WHEREAS, political instability and repressive regimes in many countries will tend to exacerbate the refugee problem so that it becomes a permanent condition of life; and WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists, as the victims of religious persecution in the past, are sensitive to the plight of refugees; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association affirm its support of the work of the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees in seeking repatriation of refugees whenever possible, or resettlement in the country of asylum or a third country whenever necessary, as well as the work of UNICEF and other intergovernmental and voluntary agencies in their efforts to relieve the situation of refugees; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly commend the efforts of the United States and Canadian governments to assist in immediate relief and resettlement of refugees; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urge local societies and individuals to support their government’s efforts in assisting refugees; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urge local societies to investigate ways to aid refugees through programs of sponsorship, language lessons, vocational training, and other forms of community support as well as programs of education and consciousness raising on the refugee problem for their members and local communities.

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UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION FOR THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN — 1981

(BUS)

WHEREAS, a new International Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women was approved by the United Nations in December, 1979, signed by 75 nations in Copenhagen in July, 1980, and is now awaiting ratification by member nations; and WHEREAS, this Convention, signed by the delegates of Canada and the United States in Copenhagen, now awaits ratification by Parliament and the US Senate, respectively; and WHEREAS, this Convention provides a well-developed, detailed, internationally accepted call for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, with common standards for achieving this goal; and WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists recognize that discrimination against women, which is incompatible with a respect for the dignity and worth of every person, is an obstacle to full development of the potentialities of women and prevents the contributions of women to the health and welfare of this world and its inhabitants; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges that all Unitarian Universalist societies and individuals take as a major concern in this coming year the study and understanding of this United Nations Convention and campaign for ratification in Canada and the United States; that the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation, and the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office cooperate to prepare working materials to help achieve this goal; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Canadian Unitarian Council be urged to take similar action; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges the International Association for Religious Freedom to take timely action in support of this Convention.

JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST — 1982

(BUS)

In view of the sensitivities involved in considering the moral dimensions of the Middle East crisis, the Board of Trustees reaffirms its opposition to anti-Semitism in all its forms and recognizes, along with much of the Jewish community, that criticism of the policies of the government of Israel should not be equated with or confused with anti-Semitism.

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CEASE SUPPORT OF GOVERNMENTS IN VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND ELSEWHERE — 1983 (GEN) WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has maintained a traditional role as a vigorous supporter of human rights; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee has been historically involved in promoting social change and assisting economic development in El Salvador and other areas in Central America; and WHEREAS, the UUSC has made the UUA aware that widespread torture and massacres in El Salvador and Guatemala by local government forces continue, in apparent violation of human rights requirements mandated by the United States Congress; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1983 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls on the United States Congress to uphold its own human rights requirements concerning United States foreign aid to Central America and elsewhere by investigating whether the executive branch is in compliance with said requirements; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That pending resolution of such serious compliance issues, this Assembly urges an immediate end to United States government support of the current regressive regimes of El Salvador and Guatemala and elsewhere and urges an end to the United States Military Advisor Program in El Salvador, and covert United States support and operations in the region; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges the UUA Washington Office and individual members of the UU churches and fellowships to bring this resolution to the attention of members of Congress and the President of the United States; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That, in order to help effect substantial changes in the U.S. foreign policy towards Central America, we, the 1983 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, support and encourage those societies which give sanctuary to Salvadoran and Guatemalan refugees and recommend to all our societies a serious searching of conscience on this issue.

WORLD HUNGER — 1983

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the complex issue of World Hunger requires our serious attention; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1983 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Section on Social Responsibility, in cooperation with the UU-United Nations Office and the UU Service Committee, to give the study of world hunger a high priority this coming year and report to the 1984 General Assembly its recommendations for action.

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ACTION CONCERNING CENTRAL AMERICAN REFUGEES — 1984

(GEN)

WHEREAS, civil war in El Salvador has resulted in more than 45,000 political deaths; and WHEREAS, there is no significant change in officially sanctioned violence, and death squads continue to operate with impunity; and WHEREAS, almost all asylum requests have been denied by the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS); BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1984 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association supports specific rectifying legislation, H.R. 4447, sponsored by Rep. Joe Moakley of Massachusetts and others, and S. 2131, sponsored by Sen. Dennis DeConcini of Arizona, which provides for the temporary suspension of deportation of certain aliens who are nationals of El Salvador and for Presidential and Congressional review of conditions in El Salvador; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges that refugees in the US from Guatemala be also protected under the same legislation; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges Unitarian Universalists to support actively those Unitarian Universalist societies and other religious communities which offer sanctuary to El Salvadoran and other Central American refugees.

CENTRAL AMERICA — 1984

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the 1983 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association approved a resolution opposing United States military and paramilitary operations against Nicaragua, and covert and overt attempts to overthrow its government; and WHEREAS, the US has been, is now and may in the future consider giving additional military aid to other Central American countries; and WHEREAS, we believe that problems in Central America are social, economic and political and should be solved accordingly, not militarily; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1984 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms the resolution of the 1983 Assembly and extends it to include all of Central America.

RESOLUTION ON SOUTH AFRICA — JANUARY 1985

(BD)

VOTED: That the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association endorses the multi-ethnic movement of protest against South Africa’s inhumane apartheid policies and the current US policy of “constructive engagement” with the South African government. We commend those who are witnessing to their conviction, in particular those Congresspersons, civil and human rights spokepersons, religious and political leaders, union members, students and concerned citizens who are publicly demonstrating their support for the courageous challenge to the apartheid regime being waged by the majority population in South Africa.

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SANCTUARY — 1985

(BUS)

WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists have had a longstanding concern over the plight of those who seek refuge from the oppression suffered by them in many countries of the world, as evidenced by resolutions already adopted by the General Assembly; and WHEREAS, some Unitarian Universalist societies had declared themselves as sanctuaries to house and assist individual refugees and their families, as an active participatory form of protest and witness; and WHEREAS, a continuing, ever-increasing need exists to assist such victims of oppression seeking to come to the United States and other Unitarian Universalist Societies have expressed interest in the sanctuary movement; and WHEREAS, the Congressional Refugee Act of 1980 ratified the United Nations Protocol clearly establishing criteria defining refugees; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1985 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges: 1.

2.

The UU WORLD to publish periodically a current list of UU societies which have voted sanctuary for refugees, and wish to be published as having done so, to serve as sources of information regarding sanctuary and regarding strategies for formal presentation of the issue in other interested societies; and Districts, clusters and individual societies to give careful and compassionate consideration to the issue of sanctuary, with consideration to focus upon and include information concerning the political situation in Central America, the plight of such refugees in the US and the various means of assisting refugees, including sanctuary.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges the Social Responsibility Section of the UUA vigorously: 1. 2. 3.

To gather and disseminate information about sanctuary, including the tradition and current activities of Unitarian Universalist societies and other denominations; To study the initiation and conduct of sanctuary in UU societies and develop relevant materials specifically for the guidance of other UU societies and groups; and To foster discussion of sanctuary through meetings, seminars, and workshops.

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UUA OPPOSITION TO APARTHEID — 1985

(BUS)

WHEREAS, both the Unitarian and Universalist denominations have long traditions of working to oppose racism and support civil rights and justice; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association is committed to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; and WHEREAS, apartheid remains the world’s most visible and offensive form of racism; and WHEREAS, the recent protests and acts of civil disobedience initiated and coordinated by the Free South Africa Movement, a black lobbying group, have resulted in the arrest of thousands of students as well as many clergy, public officials and other persons and have caused many religious, civil rights and peace organizations to give anti-apartheid work higher priority; and WHEREAS, economic sanctions, including primary and secondary boycotts, have proven effective in other nonviolent movements for justice and social change; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1985 General Assembly commends the action of the Board of Trustees in voting for complete divestiture of securities invested in corporations doing business in South Africa; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly encourages member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to conduct an audit of all investments under their control, and all financial institutions with which they do business, employing resources such as the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) and others generally available in the public domain; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That member congregations be encouraged to divest their portfolios within two years of any investments in corporations which have investments in South Africa and which are not signatories to the Sullivan principles; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges the Social Responsibility Section to work with anti-apartheid networks in assisting member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists who may wish to participate more fully in the campaign against apartheid and further that space be made available in the UU WORLD to publish news of activities and action opportunities.

OPPOSITION TO MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA — JANUARY 1986

(BD)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has consistently affirmed the principle of the oneness and equality of all humankind; and WHEREAS, we have condemned and opposed the system of apartheid as it is practiced in the country of South Africa, and the violence of the oppression used to support it; and WHEREAS, it has been documented that military arms and police materiel and techniques are being used against those persons struggling for human freedom and equality; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the UUA Board of Trustees calls upon the governments of Canada and of the United States of America to withhold foreign aid to any government which is aiding in the development of nuclear weapons for South Africa, or which is sending military or “security” equipment or advisors to the Union of South Africa; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That US and Canadian UUs strengthen involvement in the public debate, advocacy, monitoring, and actions urging no government, public or private assistance to the apartheid government of South Africa. International Human Rights and Justice - page 22 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SANCTUARY FUND — JUNE 1986

(BD)

VOTED: To establish a Unitarian Universalist Sanctuary Fund for the purpose of supporting sanctuary defendants, sanctuary churches and for the direct support of those in need of sanctuary. The principal and income of the Fund may be expended upon recommendation of the Director of the Department of Social Responsibility to the Executive Vice President and the Financial Vice President.

ENDING HUNGER — 1987

(GEN)

BECAUSE: We believe in a world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all, and because we respect the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part and because we recognize the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and that each person as a birthright should have enough to eat; and WHEREAS, millions of people throughout the world go hungry and even starve to death in an age of unparalleled technological achievement; and WHEREAS, massive amounts of food are annually wasted, destroyed, or never delivered to those who are malnourished or starving through failures of governments, distribution, transportation, or misapplied or deficient market mechanisms; and WHEREAS, eliminating hunger and starvation may be realized by utilizing already existing technology and resources, with more efficient food production concentrated in areas where the need is greatest, by redistribution of food from areas of surplus to areas of shortage, and by balancing population with the earth’s resources; and WHEREAS, a massive mobilization of peoples and governments in both needy and affluent countries is vital for the ending of hunger, which must be a major priority for all humanity; and that to achieve this goal governmental and economic systems and policies should be modified to make optimal use of the world’s food; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1987 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association acknowledges the ending of world hunger as an achievable goal; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists work with organizations on local, state, provincial, national, and international levels toward the establishment of programs that hasten the elimination of hunger in both the short and long term; and to develop and promote worldwide nutritional self-sufficiency for all people; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists lobby for financial support from government and private sectors, and encourage the involvement of business and industry in implementing such programs.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 23 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CONCERN FOR THE MINORITY PEOPLES OF ROMANIA — 1988

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the 1988 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association has received public and private reports in increasing volume of serious discrimination against ethnic minorities in Romania, including members of Lutheran, Reformed, Roman Catholic, and Unitarian churches and other religious communities; and WHEREAS, the process of relocating the inhabitants of villages in such a way as to destroy invaluable historic churches, homes, and public buildings violates basic human rights and is a violation of the Helsinki Accords; and WHEREAS, the relocation is also an abrogation of the Paris Peace Treaty of February 10, 1947 which, among other things, guaranteed an autonomous Hungarian region; and WHEREAS, neither the U.S. nor the U.S.S.R. should look with equanimity upon the violation of this peace treaty, to which they are signatories and particularly since this discimination includes education and employment opportunities, religious freedom, the right to travel, and the destruction of cultural documents and artifacts; and WHEREAS, this discrimination has been a continuing problem; but the proposed eradication of historic villages makes the problem a critical one; and WHEREAS, the 1988 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association is particularly sensitive to this violation of human rights because of its keen awareness of the most serious disruption in the traditional patterns of life suffered by native peoples of North America; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1988 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses its concern for the minority peoples of Romania and particularly at this time for the relocation of village populations; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1988 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the President of the UUA to consult with other religious leaders on common action to help prevent these wrongs, and recommends that: 1. The Washington Office of the Department for Social Justice be utilized to request prompt U.S. governmental attention; 2. The UU United Nations Office be requested to bring these violations to the urgent attention of the U.N. Human Rights Commission and U.N.E.S.C.O. and to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, with the object that the affected minority peoples be accorded official refugee status; 3. The Canadian Unitarian Council be requested to bring this matter to the attention of the Canadian government and to work with other groups and churches in Canada with regard to it; 4. Assistance be sought from the principal signatories of the Paris Peace Treaty, the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.; and 5. The President take such other action that he may regard as effective.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 24 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

THE BATTLE FOR TIANANMEN SQUARE — 1989

(GEN)

WHEREAS, our President in his report to the 1989 General Assembly on June 23, 1989, stated: “. . . the most opportune time for the forces of reaction to seize the day is when a new order has shown its face but not yet consolidated its power . . . but it is also incredibly dangerous because the forces of orthodoxy will not retreat without a long and terrible fight . . . The battle for Tiananmen Square is the most blatant example . . .”; and WHEREAS, as Sissela Bok said in the 1989 Ware Lecture, “The center and soul of justice were being destroyed in China by the government’s violence”; and WHEREAS, the heroic events in Tiananmen Square illustrate the arc of the universe that bends toward justice; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1989 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses sympathy for all those who have suffered in the People’s Republic of China as a result of the battle for Tiananmen Square and the hope that this powerful movement for democracy will once again bend toward justice.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 25 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

REAFFIRMING SUPPORT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS — 1990

(GEN)

BECAUSE: We believe in the ideal of one world, in which nations coexist with mutual respect, in which nations protect the rights of their citizens, and in which people of different nations work together to solve the problems of all humankind; and BECAUSE: We affirm the democratic process not only within our congregations but also in society at large; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has resolved repeatedly in recent years to support and strengthen the United Nations (UN); and WHEREAS, UN agencies are involved in work such as health, environment, and economic development which is vital to the survival of humankind, and the UN has initiated and supported international agreements to promote peace and protect human rights; and WHEREAS, the United States (US) government has not only failed to ratify some of these agreements but also failed to pay dues and assessments to the UN; and WHEREAS, the UN has in place a program of volunteer specialists in technical fields which is of benefit to both those who serve and those who are served, and which might be enlarged into or supplemented by a “Peace Corps” type of organization; and WHEREAS, many citizens are poorly informed about the important work in which the UN is engaged; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the UUA calls upon its member congregations, affiliated organizations, and individual Unitarian Universalists to induce their governments in the US and Canada to ratify, if not already done, each of the UN instruments for protection of human rights cited below insofar as the instrument does not conflict with the policies of the UUA on reproductive rights*; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA urges the US to strengthen the International Court of Justice and the rule of international law by rescinding the Connally Amendment and submitting to the Court’s jurisdiction on a continuing basis; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA urges the US government to make prompt and full payment of all monies owed by it to the UN and its agencies, and particularly to rejoin United Nations Educational Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and to resume full-share payment to the UN Population Fund; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA calls on its congregations and individual Unitarian Universalist to explore the possibility of supplementing the UN Volunteers program by a broad-scale “Peace Corps” type of organization which might include provision by sponsoring governments of postservice benefits such as college tuition, comparable to those earned by equivalent terms of military services; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA calls upon its member societies and individual Unitarian Universalists to advocate better education about the UN (its purpose, history, and programs) in their local schools and communities; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the UUA calls on individual Unitarian Universalists to become supporters of and educators for UN and calls on all member societies to support the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO) by appointing a UU-UNO envoy, by observing UN Sundays, and by contributing financial support to the UU-UNO.

(Continued on International Human Rights and Justice – 27)

International Human Rights and Justice - page 26 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

REAFFIRMING SUPPORT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS (Continued from International Human Rights and Justice – 26)

* Explanatory Note: As of June 1990 the following have been ratified by Canada but not by the US: 1. The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; 2. The International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights; 3. The International Covenant on Economics, Social, and Cultural Rights; 4. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; and 5. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The following have not been ratified by either Canada or the US: 6. The Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity; and 7. The Convention on the Rights of the Child.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 27 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST UNITED NATIONS OFFICE — 1993 (RIW) WHEREAS, the congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association are committed to the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office’s (UU-UNO) priorities are peace and disarmament, human rights, and the environment; and RECOGNIZING: That the United Nations has become increasingly important in international affairs since the end of the cold war, and that the United Nations has faced increased challenges as well as opportunities to be effective; and WHEREAS, the major support of the United Nations by Unitarian Universalists has been through the UUUNO; and WHEREAS, the UU-UNO lost its annual grant of $20,000 and an annual matching grant of $40,000 as of May 1, 1993, from the North Shore Unitarian Universalist Society Veatch Program which has supported the office for over 20 years, and has also experienced an 8% drop in individual and congregational contributions; and WHEREAS, this financial loss has led to the termination of the services of the UU-UNO’s Co-directors as of August 1, 1993, and such drastic reductions in staff greatly reduce the effectiveness of the UU-UNO, which has given significant support to the United Nations by having the Co-directors serve as presidents of the Non-Governmental Organizations’ Committees on Disarmament and on Free-dom of Religion or Belief; and WHEREAS, the UU-UNO has represented the International Association For Religious Freedom (IARF) at the United Nations; and WHEREAS, the end of the cold war has finally permitted the United Nations to function as intended when it was organized 48 years ago; WHEREAS, the United Nations has been faced with very serious and difficult international problems, such as those in Kuwait, Cambodia, Somalia, and the Balkans, which it is handling with valiant efforts and some success despite tragic difficulties and frustrations, and is currently facing a rapidly increasing number of problems worldwide; and WHEREAS, we Unitarian Universalists can most effectively support the United Nations by strengthening—and not weakening—the UU-UNO; and WHEREAS, five Unitarian Universalist General Assemblies from 1962 to 1990 have expressed strong support for the United Nations and the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That this General Assembly urges Unitarian Universalists at all levels to give strong active and financial support to the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 28 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

EXEMPT FOOD, MEDICINE, AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES FROM THE UNITED STATES EMBARGO AGAINST CUBA — 1997 (AIW) BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part; and WHEREAS, a team of specialists appointed by the American Association for World Health issued a report entitled “The Impact of the United States Embargo on Health and Nutrition in Cuba” and concluded that the health care and nutrition of the Cuban population is endangered by the embargo; and WHEREAS, during a medical mission that occurred in May, 1997, conditions were witnessed to be much worse than those revealed in the above-mentioned report; for example, the people of Cuba are being held prisoner as their rations of food and medicine are steadily lowered to inhumane levels; unsanitary conditions abound; and the absence or shortage of medical treatments and medicines was observed to cause many unnecessary deaths; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1997 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls on Unitarian Universalists in the United States to work together in their congregations and with other congregations and organizations to: 1. Inform themselves and their communities regarding the serious condition of the Cuban people; 2. Support political action to end that part of the United States embargo which pertains to food, medicine, and medical supplies; and 3. Focus carefully on supplying relief to the Cuban people.

PAYMENT OF THE UNITED STATES DEBT TO THE UNITED NATIONS — 1998

(AIW)

WHEREAS, the United States owes the United Nations (UN) approximately $1.6 billion in dues; and WHEREAS, Canada has paid its UN dues in full and on time; and WHEREAS, any UN member state that fails to pay its dues for two consecutive years may lose its vote in the UN General Assembly; and WHEREAS, if the United States makes no further payment in 1998, it could lose its vote by December 31; and WHEREAS, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and in fulfillment of its treaty obligations as a signatory to the UN Charter, the United States should support the UN according to its dues obligations under the UN Charter; and WHEREAS, because of amendments unrelated to the primary obligation of the United States to pay its debt of dues, legislation addressing this issue is currently stalled in the United States Congress; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1998 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls on the Association and its member congregations to urge the United States to pay its obligations to the UN promptly, in full, and without any reservations or conditions.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 29 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORT TIBET AND THE DALAI LAMA — 2000

(AIW)

On April 26, 2000, the exiled Tibetan government issued a report on Environment and Development Issues since the invasion of Tibet by China in 1949, documenting widespread environmental damage from mining, deforestation, colonization, development, permanent military and nuclear installations, and hazardous disposal of nuclear waste, which is increasing at an alarming rate. Unchecked hydro-power development and pollution threaten rivers in ten neighboring countries. The local religion and culture have been suppressed and sacred places have been desecrated and destroyed. Tibetans are an indigenous people with their own unique religion, culture, language, and writing. They have protected the environment of their homeland for two thousand years. On May 24, 2000, the United States House of Representatives granted China permanent most-favorednation status, and a bill is pending in the Senate. China's admission to the World Trade Organization will inevitably follow, increasing pressures on the Tibetan environment and natural resources to further China's economic growth. The Unitarian Universalist Association has long been an advocate of recognizing The People's Republic of China as a full participant in the United Nations and in world affairs, but it is critical that such recognition require certain responsible actions by China as a world leader. Prosperity and reforms can result from China's expanded trading status, but the resulting tensions from the continued presence of China in Tibet will make it difficult to fully realize the potentials of existing and pending free trade agreements with the United States and other countries. The 2000 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association acknowledges the rights of the native people of Tibet to independently guide their own destiny with full autonomy; and we support the efforts of the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues appointed by the United States Secretary of State to promote negotiations between the Dalai Lama and China. WE CALL: For immediate confirmation of the well-being of the eleven-year-old Panchen Lama and his release. WE REQUEST: Immediate withdrawal of all nuclear weapons and installations from Tibet and immediate cessation of dumping of nuclear waste there. WE REQUEST: That the World Bank stop plans to fund Chinese resettlement projects in Tibet. WE CALL: For a return to the pre-1949 relationship of an independent neutral Tibet and an independent People's Republic of China with full withdrawal by China from Tibet and full management of Tibet's ecological resources and development returned to the indigenous people and their freely acknowledged leaders. WE AFFIRM: That such a relationship will enable Tibet and China to co-exist peacefully and prosper and is in the best interests of the world community. WE ASK: Our member societies in the United States and Canada to work with local Tibetan refugee support, and we ask independence groups to ease the pressures on the refugees and help preserve their culture.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 30 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

WORLD CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM — 2001

(AIW)

WHEREAS, our Unitarian Universalist Principles call us to affirm and promote “justice, equity, and compassion in human relations” and “the goal of world community”; and WHEREAS, a 1997 Unitarian Universalist General Assembly resolution stated that, “because of the impact of racism on all people, and the interconnection among oppressions, we realize we need to make both institutional and individual commitments to end racism”; and WHEREAS, the United Nations has called for the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerances (“WCAR”), which will be held in September 2001: 1. In order “to review the political, historical, economic, social, cultural, and other factors leading to racism and racial discrimination,” 2. Indicating that it “will be a unique and important opportunity to create a new world vision for the fight against racism and racial discrimination in the new millennium,” and that 3. “It is now necessary to look at the roots of racism and make institutional changes in order to prevent its eruption”; WHEREAS, denominational and interfaith delegates, including the Unitarian Universalist Association, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, and UUSC’s partner organizations, will attend the WCAR; and WHEREAS, the WCAR is supported by the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office; and WHEREAS, the government of the United States has threatened to withdraw from the WCAR if specific forms of racial or ethnic prejudice are included on the agenda of the WCAR; and WHEREAS, world leaders are expected to participate in the creation of a new world vision for the fight against racism and racial discrimination; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2001 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls on its leadership worldwide to: 1. Urge President George W. Bush of the United States and Prime Minister Jean Chrétien of Canada to send delegations to the WCAR; and 2. Urge them to affirm and support the fundamental need of all peoples to be respected as members of one human race with equality in worth and dignity 3. Urge the UUA delegation and all other Unitarian Universalist delegations to carry to the WCAR and the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) community gathered in simultaneous meetings at Durban, South Africa, in September 2001, the working definition of racism: “racial or ethnic prejudice plus the systemic misuse of power to derive benefits and privileges for a dominant group,” and devote their best efforts to gaining acceptance of this broad definition of the term; 4. With the goal of transforming all institutionalized racism throughout the world, urge the Unitarian Universalist and NGO delegations to the WCAR to actively encourage all participating governments to establish relationships with international and interfaith organizations that are working for racial and ethnic justice and for the dismantling of racism; and 5. Urge the official representative of the Unitarian Universalist Association to the United Nations to deliver this Action of Immediate Witness to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan as a statement of our intent to stand with the United Nations in its resolve to ensure that the twentyfirst century bends toward peace and justice for all peoples of the world; and

International Human Rights and Justice - page 31 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

GLOBAL HIV/AIDS — 2003 WHEREAS, our Unitarian Universalist Principles call us to affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person and to promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, HIV/AIDS is one of the most devastating crises in the history of public health, causing 25 million deaths and now infecting over 40 million men, women, and children, and if present trends continue, 40 million African children will have become orphans by the year 2010; and WHEREAS, although there is still no cure for HIV/AIDS, the disease is preventable and treatable; and WHEREAS, President Bush has promised $3 billion per year over five years to fight global AIDS but has requested only $1.7 billion for 2004 and many experts believe that even $3 billion is inadequate to address the need; and WHEREAS, the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis is recognized for its expertise and credibility in fairly and efficiently allocating funds; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, brings to bear our values on the matter of the global AIDS pandemic and takes a leading role in promoting a stronger and more effective American response by: 1. Ensuring that our liberal religious voice is heard through political advocacy at all levels of decision-making related to the global AIDS crisis; 2. Raising awareness of the role of pervasive human rights violations in contributing to higher rates of HIV/AIDS infection among women and girls; 3. Calling attention to restrictive amendments to effective protection programs; and 4. Providing leadership and resources to local congregations as they take on the mission of educating their members and their local communities about the scope of the pandemic, and urging congregations to action at a grassroots level; and We call on Congress to follow through immediately on the amounts promised in the recent legislation by: 1. Appropriating the full $3 billion per year for five years for HIV/AIDS efforts abroad; and 2. Earmarking at least $1 billion of the money appropriated for 2004 for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; and We also call on the President to require the United States Trade Representative to negotiate policies that facilitate unrestricted access to low-cost generic drugs in impoverished African countries where such pharmaceuticals are not manufactured; and We also call on the Administration to recognize that the ideologically motivated restrictions in the recently enacted “U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003” (H.R. 1298) could subvert the President’s goal of preventing 7 million HIV infections, and to direct funds to programs that rely on the best medical practices, as determined by the World Health Organization, and have the greatest potential for effectiveness.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 32 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

(AIW)

THE ALIEN TORT CLAIMS ACT AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS — 2004 (AIW) The Alien Tort Claims Act is the only United States law permitting multinational corporations with significant assets in the United States to be held accountable for their unethical behavior elsewhere in the world. Passed in 1789 by the First Congress of the United States, it enables victims of torture, slavery, ethnic cleansing, and other crimes against humanity to put the corporations that are responsible on trial in American courts. In recent history, plaintiffs have used it to sue government officials involved in human rights violations, such as former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos and former Serbian war leader Radovan Karadzic. Most recently, the Alien Tort Claims Act has been used to file suits against multinational corporations complicit in egregious human rights abuses. For example:  Burmese villagers have sued Unocal, whose corporate headquarters is just outside Long Beach, California, on charges that its partner—the Burmese military— murdered and raped villagers and forced them to work while assisting with Unocal’s pipeline project.  Nigerian villagers sued Chevron Texaco for its complicity in murders at peaceful protests at a Chevron oil platform and the related destruction of two villages.  Eleven Indonesian villagers are suing Exxon Mobil for human rights abuses committed by its security forces.  Subcontractors in Iraq involved in the torture and mistreatment of prisoners are being held accountable under the legal authority of the Alien Tort Claims Act. Although none of these cases has yet arrived at final adjudication, the corporate defendants are worried they will no longer enjoy immunity for their behavior abroad. Many influential business associations have sought to repeal, amend, or otherwise eviscerate the act. In addition, the administration of President George W. Bush has opposed the application of the Alien Tort Claims Act in numerous cases and has called for the law’s immediate repeal. Attorney General John Ashcroft has recently asked the United States Supreme Court to overturn this centuries-old law. Our call for justice, equity, and compassion in human relations demands our support for the Alien Tort Claims Act. We must speak out for the oppressed, the victims of torture, and the exploited and against the abuses of multinational corporations. We must stand for human rights and oppose overturning the Alien Tort Claims Act.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 33 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

TORTURE — 2004 (RR) The delegates of the 2004 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations hereby condemn the use of torture by any individual, any group, any organization, or any nation and call on all people of conscience to take action (1) to expose and halt the use of torture whenever and wherever it occurs and (2) to hold accountable any individual, group, organization, or nation that conducts, authorizes, condones, funds, or covers up the use of torture.

SUPPORT FOR THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL ONE: ENDING EXTREME POVERTY — 2005 (AIW) On September 12-13, 2005, the leaders of more than 190 nations will convene at the United Nations to determine the course of the Millennium Development initiative. Over 154 countries support the Millennium Development Goals, adopted in 2000. The first of these goals is to reduce extreme poverty by half within the next ten years. This will take political will and advocacy by people of faith. The United States has endorsed the Millennium Development Goals but so far has not backed up this endorsement with financial support. The delegates of the 2005 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urge our member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to remind their congressional representatives that there is increasing support by religious liberals and religious conservatives alike to reduce extreme poverty in the world and encourage them to promote this initiative. Furthermore, we urge all Unitarian Universalist religious leaders at the international, national, district, and congregational level to inform themselves about the Millennium Development Goals and to speak out in their communities about the eradication of extreme poverty.

International Human Rights and Justice - page 34 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

UNITED STATES-SPONSORED TORTURE MUST END — 2005

(AIW)

The systematic use of torture as a policy of governmental control is a crime against humanity. The right to be free of torture is a fundamental human right recognized in both constitutional and international law and in our social and community values. All government-sponsored acts of torture, regardless of circumstance, are immoral, unjustified, and illegal. United States-sanctioned torture is not justified by national security needs. It engenders hatred against us. It does not keep us safe. Our practice of torture has shamed us and endangers our troops abroad and citizens at home. Acts of torture violate United States criminal laws, specifically the federal Anti-Torture Statute, 18 U.S.C. 2340 et seq. and the Federal War Crimes Act of 1996. They violate international treaties to which the United States is a party, including the Geneva Conventions, the Convention Against Torture, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Two bills crucial to ending such torture practices need our current support: the Convention Against Torture Implementation Act (S. 654), introduced on March 17, 2005, by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and The Torture Outsourcing Prevention Act (H.R. 952), introduced on February 17, 2005, by Representative Edward Markey (D-MA). These bills would expressly ban “torture by proxy,” or extraordinary renditions, which are violations of both international treaties and domestic laws. No United States policy or official -- not the attorney general, not the secretary of defense, not the president -- is above the rule of law, including laws against torture. This time-honored principle of respect for law is intended to prevent governmental corruption and the abuse of power. We, the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, firmly reject the use of detention, incarceration, and interrogation techniques by agents of the government of the United States that can be construed in terms of law or common morality as torture and cruel or degrading punishment. Therefore, the delegates to the 2005 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association call upon our member congregations, affiliate organizations, and individual Unitarian Universalists to support the Call for Justice Weekend in Washington, D.C., on September 24-26, 2005, sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Stop Torture Permanently (STOP) Campaign. Through this mock Citizens’ Trial, participants will call on our national leadership to eradicate current torture practices by the United States. This Citizens’ Trial, supported by an interfaith coalition, intends to charge United States secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld, former Central Intelligence Agency director George Tenet, and United States attorney general Alberto Gonzales with aiding, abetting, ordering, and conspiring to commit the illegal physical and psychological torture of detainees in the custody of the United States in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo, as well as secret United States-controlled prison facilities elsewhere. This interfaith coalition will also charge these officials with the illegal transport, or extraordinary rendition, of certain detainees to countries known for their systematic torture of prisoners. It is vital that Unitarian Universalists call or write their United States senators and representatives to support proposed legal restraints and to ban the United States policies and practices of torture through appropriate and immediate legislative restraints.

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STAND UP FOR THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL—2006 (AIW) WHEREAS, the first and sixth Unitarian Universalist Principles affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person and the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; and WHEREAS, the United Nations Charter reflects UU values in its commitment to promote peace, prosperity, and dignity for all people; and WHEREAS, human rights and human dignity are vital for peace, security, development, and equality, while the lack of respect for human rights increases global poverty and insecurity; and WHEREAS, the responsibility to protect global citizens, a guiding principle for world leaders, has not been implemented in problem areas such as Sudan, Burma, Uzbekistan, Chechnya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, North Korea, and Tibet, where civilians suffer daily from armed conflict, crimes against humanity, and war crimes; and WHEREAS, the creation of the United Nations Human Rights Council is the result of a great effort made by many members of the international community and the Council is holding its inaugural session from June 19 to 30, 2006, coinciding with this General Assembly; and WHEREAS, the United States has actively undermined the work of the Human Rights Council by voting in General Assembly against the motion to create the Council and then declining to run for a seat on the Council after the motion passed overwhelmingly 170-4; and WHEREAS, by not engaging in the work of the Council, the United States has the potential to weaken the Human Rights Council and prevent it from improving human rights for millions of people around the world; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates of the 2006 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirm their commitment to the United Nations at this vital time; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the delegates urge: 1. Individual Unitarian Universalists to write to the U. S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to positively influence U. S. policy in vigorous support of the Human Rights Council; 2. Congregations to inform themselves about UN operations and UN reform, and to recommit Unitarian Universalists at all levels to the principles of the UN’s three pillars: human rights, peace, and development; and 3. The Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office and the UUA to encourage member groups of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists to write their elected officials in support of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

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STOP U.S. SPONSORED TORTURE — A RELIGIOUS CALL TO ACTION — 2007 (AIW) BECAUSE: One of our core Unitarian Universalist principles is our belief in and affirmation of the inherent worth and dignity of all persons; and WHEREAS, torture violates the basic dignity of the human person that all religions hold dear; and WHEREAS, torture shames us all and erodes the character of the nation that tortures; WHEREAS the United States has adopted torture and unlimited detention as an official policy; and WHEREAS, the Military Commissions Act of 2006 includes numerous provisions of law that directly or indirectly sanction U.S. sponsored torture; and WHEREAS, the Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007 (S. 576 and H.R. 1415), if enacted, would correct the immoral abuses of the Military Commissions Act; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2007 General Assembly reject torture by anyone for any purpose under any circumstances without exception; and BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2007 General Assembly stand in opposition to all U.S. sponsored torture, secret prisons, and rendition for torture; and BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2007 General Assembly stand in support of full U.S. compliance with the Geneva Conventions and the United Nations Convention Against Torture, and BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2007 General Assembly stand in support of the Restoring the Constitution Act, including Legislation to restore habeas corpus; and BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2007 General Assembly stand in support of holding U.S. personnel and persons acting on behalf of the United States accountable for any acts of torture in which they were engaged, ordered, or supervised; and BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2007 General Assembly urge Unitarian Universalist Congregations to oppose and speak out against U.S, sponsored torture wherever and whenever possible.

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INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND CONFLICT

1961 - Cuba .................................................................................................................... 4 1961 - Disarmament and Test Ban Treaty ...................................................................... 4 1962 - Nuclear Weapons Testing.................................................................................... 4 1962 - Shelter Programs ................................................................................................. 5 1962 - United Nations...................................................................................................... 5 1963 - Arms Control and Disarmament........................................................................... 6 1963 - Commending Pope John XXIII’s Encyclical “Peace on Earth” ............................. 7 1964 - United Nations...................................................................................................... 7 1964 - Vietnam................................................................................................................ 8 1965 - Coordinated Education Project............................................................................. 8 1966 - Non-Intervention................................................................................................... 9 1966 - Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons................................................................. 9 1966 - Vietnam.............................................................................................................. 10 1967 - Cooperative Religious Program for Peace ......................................................... 10 1967 - Draft Reform and Conscientious Objection ........................................................ 11 1967 - Vietnam.............................................................................................................. 10 1968 - Anti-Ballistic Missiles.......................................................................................... 12 1968 - Right of Dissent.................................................................................................. 13 1968 - Vietnam.............................................................................................................. 14 1969 - Anti-Ballistic Missile Program............................................................................. 14 1969 - Selective Service System................................................................................... 15 1970 - Disarmament...................................................................................................... 16 1970 - National Priorities............................................................................................... 16 1970 - Resolution on Mundialization ............................................................................. 17 1970 - Southeast Asia ................................................................................................... 17 1971 - Amnesty and Repatriation for War Resisters ..................................................... 18 1971 - Peace in Southeast Asia .................................................................................... 18 1972 - United States Congressional and Presidential Elections.................................... 19 1972 - Telephone Excise Tax........................................................................................ 19 1973 - Amnesty ............................................................................................................. 20 1973 - Disarmament...................................................................................................... 21 1973 - Napalm and Other Incendiary Weapons ............................................................ 21 1973 - Relations with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the People’s Republic of China and Cuba ................................................................................................ 22 1973 - Vietnam Settlement ............................................................................................ 22 1974 - Peace in Southeast Asia .................................................................................... 22 1975 - Amnesty ............................................................................................................. 23 1976 - Disarmament and Social Justice ........................................................................ 23 1977 - Amnesty ............................................................................................................. 24 International Peace and Conflict - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

1977 - Disarmament...................................................................................................... 24 1977 - Nuclear Proliferation........................................................................................... 25 1979 - Nuclear Weapons............................................................................................... 25 1979 - Peace and Disarmament.................................................................................... 26 1979 - Reducing the Defense Budget, Reordering National Priorities........................... 26 1979 - Sharing in the New Call to Peacemaking ........................................................... 27 1980 - Draft Registration ............................................................................................... 29 1980 - Human Rights and War...................................................................................... 30 1980 - MX Missile System............................................................................................. 31 1980 - Registration for Selective Service ...................................................................... 31 1981 - El Salvador I....................................................................................................... 32 1981 - El Salvador II...................................................................................................... 32 1981 - In Opposition to Biochemical Warfare ................................................................ 33 1981 - Nationwide Support of a Local Initiative to Stop the Arms Race ........................ 34 1981 - United Nations.................................................................................................... 35 1982 - Nuclear Disarmament ........................................................................................ 36 1982 - The New Abolitionism ........................................................................................ 37 1982 - United States Policy in Relation to the Israeli-Palestinian-Arab Conflict ............ 38 1983 - Beirut Massacre ................................................................................................. 38 1983 - “Catholic Bishops Pastoral on War, Armaments, and Peace” ............................ 39 1983 - Establishment of the US Academy of Peace and Conflict Resolution................ 39 1983 - Halting the Arms Race ....................................................................................... 40 1983 - Nuclear Freeze................................................................................................... 41 1983 - U.S. Non-Intervention in Nicaragua.................................................................... 42 1983 - World Citizen’s Call ............................................................................................ 42 1984 - Influencing the United States Government to Stop the Arms Race.................... 43 1984 - Joint Declaration Peace Initiative ....................................................................... 44 1984 - No First Use of Nuclear Weapons...................................................................... 44 1984 - Stop Space Weapons: Resume Space Cooperation......................................... 45 1985 - Condemnation of Knapsack Nuclear Weapons.................................................. 45 1985 - Mutual Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban.......................................................... 46 1985 - Nuclear Free Zone ............................................................................................. 47 1985 - Resolution on Central America........................................................................... 47 1985 - Support for a Great Peace March for Nuclear Sanity ......................................... 48 1985 - UUA Protest of US Central American Intervenion .............................................. 48 1986 - Maintaining the Salt II and ABM Treaties ........................................................... 49 1987 - Call for “Iran/Contra” Impeachment Proceedings............................................... 50 1987 - Provide Funding to the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office.................. 51 1988 - Support Veterans’ Peace Convoy and Justice for the People of Nicaragua....... 52 1989 - Economic Conversion for Peace and Human Needs ......................................... 53 1989 - The Citizen Agenda for Common Security and Disarmament By the Year 2000.......................................................................................................... 54 1990 - Keep the Middle East Peace Process Alive ....................................................... 54 1991 - Lift All Non-Military Sanctions Against Iraq ........................................................ 55 1991 - Redirecting Economic Resources to Alleviate Poverty....................................... 56 1993 - U.S. Missile Attack on Iraq ................................................................................. 57 1994 - Restrict Arms Sales and Transfers..................................................................... 57 1995 - Stopping Violence in Bosnia .............................................................................. 58 International Peace and Conflict - page 2 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

1997 - Banning Landmines—Saving Lives.................................................................... 59 1998 - Close the U.S. Army School of the Americas ..................................................... 61 2000 - National Missile Defense System...................................................................... 62 2002 - Legislation to Create a Department of Peace .................................................... 63 2002 - Support the International Criminal Court ............................................................ 64 2002 - Toward Peace and Justice in the Middle East ................................................... 65 2003 - Depleted Uranium Munitions .............................................................................. 67 2003 - Public Hearings on Iraq...................................................................................... 68 2004 - Iraq: Sovereignty, the United Nations and Human Rights .................................. 69 2005 - End Crimes Against Humanity in Darfur, Sudan ................................................ 70 2006 - Endorse “The Declaration of Peace” Campaign................................................. 72 2006 - Peacemaking ..................................................................................................... 74 2007 - End the U.S. Occupation of Iraq......................................................................... 75

See related resolutions under Civil Liberties, Economic Justice, Environmental Justice, International Human Rights and Justice, and Religious Liberty.

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CUBA — 1961

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That in this troubled period of national self-examination and conflict of thought about future United States policy on Cuba, the Unitarian Universalist Association go on record as being opposed to United States military intervention, direct or indirect, in Cuba, but rather urges that any action that may be deemed necessary with respect to Cuba be sought through the Organization of American States and/or the United Nations.

DISARMAMENT AND TEST BAN TREATY — 1961

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the settlement of international conflicts by war is inconsistent with our commitments under the charter of the United Nations and the prolongation of present tensions threatens mankind with annihilation; and WHEREAS, weapons of mass destruction are inconsistent with our moral and religious principles; and WHEREAS, the testing of nuclear weapons threatens mankind with disease and early death, and future generations with hereditary defects; and WHEREAS, the continued production of armaments diverts energy and wealth from present human needs and postpones the rich future now within man’s grasp; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association affirms its belief in total universal disarmament under controls and urges, as an initial step, that the United States Government proceed with sincere, conscientious and continuing negotiations for a treaty to effectively ban the development and testing of nuclear weapons.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING — 1962

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the health of the world’s people today and of the future generations is being endangered by the atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons by a number of world powers; and WHEREAS, nuclear weapons testing increases mutual fear and suspicion among the nations of the world; and WHEREAS, such fear and suspicion increase the likelihood of a nuclear war which would threaten the world’s population with destruction; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urge: 1. That the heads of government of the nations of the world carry out the United Nations Resolution of November 6, 1961, calling for a voluntary uninspected moratorium of nuclear weapons tests; and 2. That these heads of government then speedily negotiate a treaty providing for a permanent nuclear weapons test ban with adequate controls and supervision; and 3. The members of the Unitarian and Universalist congregations of the United States and Canada indicate their strong support of such actions to their respective elected representatives and heads of government.

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SHELTER PROGRAMS — 1962

(GEN)

WHEREAS, a thermonuclear war would cause destruction beyond imagination; and WHEREAS, fallout shelters would provide little protection against the blast and fire damage from a thermonuclear explosion; and WHEREAS, national shelter programs would divert the creativity, energy and funds of the people to an essentially negative undertaking; and WHEREAS, national shelter programs would foster the notion that thermonuclear war is tolerable — that such war could be won — they would create a climate in which nuclear war would be more likely; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association express grave doubts about national shelter programs, on moral, psychological and economic grounds, and urge that a nation’s creativity, energy and funds be directed instead toward finding the means to settle international disputes without war of any kind.

UNITED NATIONS — 1962

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the United Nations has continually commanded our support as the world’s best hope for peaceful cooperation among its peoples, and according to opinion polls continues to command preponderant support from our American people; and WHEREAS, the United Nations is under attack from extremists and even some leaders of political parties of the United States, and faces a serious financial crisis which may well threaten its survival; and WHEREAS, the United Nations needs to be strengthened until eventually it may become an instrument for enforceable disarmament and the achievement of an orderly rule of law in the world; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association in its first General Assembly in May, 1962, reaffirm its support of the United Nations and urge the Department of Adult Programs to develop a continuing program of study and group discussion in our churches and fellowships both of the United Nations and how it can be strengthened, and seek ways to help individuals in the churches and fellowships to feel a sense of personal worth in their support of it; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly hereby instructs the Secretary of the Association immediately to inform the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee of our support of the United Nations bond issue as proposed by the President and our hope for its early adoption; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we urge American support of the United Nations Decade of Development program designed to help the underdeveloped nations help themselves in abolishing disease, illiteracy, and hunger, and thereby to decrease international tensions and to lay the groundwork for a genuine peace with justice.

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ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT — 1963

(GEN)

WHEREAS, our ethical, moral, and religious principles set forth in Section 2 of our Constitution, “To implement our vision of one world by striving for community founded on ideals of brotherhood, justice, and peace”; and WHEREAS, although general and complete disarmament is one of the stated policies of the United States Government, concretely expressed by the establishment of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, there is very little public knowledge of or belief in the practical possibilities of progress in this field; and WHEREAS, general and complete disarmament leading to world peace is one of the most consistently expressed and most fervently sought after goals of mankind; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association wishes to make its position, in addition to the position of the United States Government, on this critical world issue transparently clear; and WHEREAS, the traditional concern of liberal religionists to promote and advance world peace may be enhanced by such a clarification of the public record; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urge that: 1. The United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency be made permanent and its budget expanded so that its vitally important efforts may be increased and effective personnel be procured; 2. The United States Congress be requested to appoint a Joint Arms Control and Disarmament Committee, composed of members of the Foreign Relations and Foreign Affairs Committees, Defense Committees, and Atomic Energy Committee, to inform Congress on the work of the Agency, and to help activate its program; 3. The United States and Canadian governments be asked to instruct their Ambassadors to the United Nations to support proposals for a United Nations Committee which would encourage and coordinate research efforts of all nations for disarmament and peace; 4. All Unitarian Universalist Association member societies support and cooperate with peace research and conflict resolution centers, and with other worthy voluntary organizations working for these goals, United States, Canadian, and United Nations studies of the economic effects of disarmament and make available as widely as possible and particularly to those who would be most affected, the results of such studies, as well as the reports of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the United Nations on the feasibility of national and international economic reconversion to peaceful pursuits; 5. Our member societies immediately declare their support of the Administration’s efforts to secure an inspected test-ban treaty as preliminary to responsible disarmament, because such a treaty would: a. Serve to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons; b. Reduce the dangers of fallout; c. Slow down the arms race; d. Inhibit weapons development and thereby increase our security; and e. Establish a precedent for an international inspection system which could provide a basis for confidence in other agreements.

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COMMENDING POPE JOHN XXIII’S ENCYCLICAL “PEACE ON EARTH” — 1963 (GEN) WHEREAS, the Encyclical of His Holiness, Pope John XXIII, entitled “Peace on Earth” issued on April 11, 1963, and concerned with “establishing universal peace in truth, justice, charity, and liberty,” is a wise and noble utterance and is directed not only to the faithful of the Roman Catholic Church, but to all men of goodwill; and WHEREAS, this Encyclical calls for the development through the United Nations of a “public authority of the world community”. . .”having world-wide power and endowed with the proper means for the efficacious pursuit of its objective which is the universal good in concrete form” and which “must tackle and solve problems of economic, social, political, and cultural character which are posed by the universal common good,” a public authority “inspired by sincere and real impartiality” whose “purpose is to create, on a world basis, an environment in which the public authorities of each political community, its citizens and intermediate associations, can carry out their tasks, fulfill their duties and exercise their rights with greater security”; and WHEREAS, such an organized common peace with liberty and justice for all, in a world community united under law, through the development of the United Nations, has long been a declared objective of the Unitarian Universalist Association, its antecedent organizations, and its member churches and fellowships; now THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association gathered in General Assembly in May, 1963, rejoices with His Holiness, Pope John XXIII, with the members of the Roman Catholic Church, and with all men of goodwill everywhere of every race, nation, or faith, in this great statement of the imperative requirement of this age and hour, and pledges itself, and calls upon its member churches and fellowships, to work diligently and tirelessly for such organized world peace with justice under law through the United Nations until the day comes when it shall have been attained.

UNITED NATIONS — 1964

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the United Nations Assembly adopted unanimously Resolution 1907 on November 21, 1963, urging all member nations to endeavor to promote measures aimed at the elimination of international tension; and WHEREAS, the UN Assembly is convinced that devoting a year to international cooperation would help to bring about increased world understanding and cooperation and thereby facilitate the settlement of major international problems; and WHEREAS, the UN Assembly has designated 1965, the twentieth year of the United Nations, as International Cooperation Year; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirm and intensify its support of the United Nations by urging all districts, local groups, churches and fellowships to give special emphasis to the International Cooperation Year projects of the Unitarian Universalist Association United Nations program.

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VIETNAM — 1964

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the political and military situation in South Vietnam is steadily deteriorating; and WHEREAS, the danger of enlargement of the present war into a multi-national conflict is ominously increasing; and WHEREAS, the intent of the Geneva Conference of 1954 was to neutralize the whole Indochinese peninsula; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That we urge the United States government to reconsider its policy in Vietnam and to explore solutions other than military; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we urge the United States government to express its wish to participate in a reconvened Geneva Conference to consider the demilitarization and neutralization, under international guarantees, of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

COORDINATED EDUCATION PROJECT — 1965

(BUS)

NOTING: That one of the recommendations of Commission V on Ethics and Social Action was that more “rationality and utility” could be injected into the General Assembly’s consideration of resolutions if “the entire denomination for a full church year” could focus on “some one major topic for a coordinated adult education project culminating in an Assembly discussion leading to action”; RECALLING: That the Universalist Church of America in 1955 urged that all nations not yet members of the United Nations be included, such as the People’s Republic of China; AFFIRMING: That the policies of North America towards the People’s Republic of China may incite or prevent another world war; BE IT RESOLVED: That the Fourth General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association endorses the recommendation of the Advisory Committee of the Department of Social Responsibility that the affiliated churches and fellowships, the appropriate departments of the Association, and affiliated agencies, during the church year 1965-66 study the relationship of the United States, Canada, and the United Nations to China and Taiwan and make specific recommendations for denominational action at the Fifth General Assembly; and BE IT RESOLVED: That the Fourth General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association endorse the policy that each year two topics be selected for main church and fellowship adult education concentration, these to be proposed by the appropriate Association departments and selected by the General Assembly. These topics should lead to General Assembly consideration and denominational action, and preferably be such that the denomination as well as churches and fellowships can be involved in and act on the subject matter to an end profitable for those concerned.

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NON-INTERVENTION — 1966

(GEN)

DEEPLY: Concerned with the gravity of the international situation and the increasing threat to peace due to armed intervention and other direct and indirect forms of interference threatening the political independence of states; and RECALLING: That the Twentieth United Nations General Assembly in December, 1965, approved overwhelmingly a historic declaration on the inadmissability of intervention in the domestic affairs of states and the protection of their independence and sovereignty; THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION URGES: The United States to abide by the spirit of this United Nations resolution on non-intervention; and URGES: The United States to take the initiative to propose improved or new machinery for peace-making and peace-keeping by the United Nations, including a permanent peace force; and URGES: That our churches and fellowships study the United Nations resolution on non-intervention and relate it to past, present and future actions of their governments; AND INSTRUCT: The United Nations Office of the Department of Social Responsibility to develop material for this study , including study on the question of how the United States and Canada can legitimately support social, economic, and political reform toward participatory democracy throughout the world.

NON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS — 1966

(GEN)

RESOLVED: The Unitarian Universalist Association urges the governments of the United States and Canada to take the following steps to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons: 1. Continue negotiation in the Eighteen Nation Disarmament Conference, with the addition of the People’s Republic of China, for the completion of a non-proliferation treaty; 2. Encourage the accession to the partial test-ban treaty of all nations not now signatories; 3. Work for the extension of the partial test-ban treaty to include underground tests; 4. Encourage and approve the creation of additional “nuclear-free zones” in various parts of the world; 5. Continue efforts to halt and reverse the growth of the nuclear weaponry of all nations; and 6. Insist that all power and research reactors and separation plants be subject to International Atomic Energy Agency inspection; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA through the proper department urge upon the individual members of all member churches and fellowships to communicate this position to their senators and representatives in national and dominion legislative bodies.

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VIETNAM — 1966

(GEN)

REAFFIRMING: The intent of its 1964 resolution urging “the United States to reconsider its policy in Vietnam and to explore solutions other than military,” the Unitarian Universalist Association: NOTES: Again that the present war in Vietnam threatens to escalate into a world nuclear war; URGES” The government of the United States to make full and continuing use of the office of the Secretary General of the United Nations to secure and maintain a cease-fire and peace in Vietnam; URGES: The government of the United States to negotiate with any and all principals in the conflict, including the National Liberation Front, in seeking a cease-fire, the holding of internationally-supervised free elections, and in aiding in the formation of a representative government of South Vietnam; and TRANSMITS: To the President and the Congress its continued deep concern for an immediate peace in Vietnam.

COOPERATIVE RELIGIOUS PROGRAM FOR PEACE — 1967

(BUS)

The Unitarian Universalist Association, believing that the religious community has a moral duty to express its judgments on the public issues of the day, pledges itself to a program aimed at: 1. Alignment with other religious organizations to form an ethical consensus on securing peace in the world; 2. Making a unified presentation of this consensus to the government and people of the United States, vigorously urging: a. Negotiations to end the war in Vietnam; b. United States endorsement of universal membership in the United Nations; and c. United States leadership in restricting the international use of armed force to the United Nations. The grounds for this commitment are: 1. The use of military power as a tool of national policy is unconscionable; it is destructive to the most durable ethical teaching of every civilized people; 2. The specter of modern warfare is so awful that men are now impelled to realize the ideal of human brotherhood as the sole alternative to extinction; and 3. Military force should be used only upon decision of a world community, and then only as a last resort in the resolution of disputes.

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DRAFT REFORM AND CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION — 1967

(GEN)

NOTING: That present administration of the Selective Service System has resulted in many inequities and uncertainties for the young men facing service; and NOTING ALSO: That the right of conscientious objection to military service has long been recognized as lawful if based upon religious belief and that the Supreme Court has affirmed that an ethical and moral philosophy is parallel to belief in a Supreme Being and thus qualifies under the definition of religious belief; THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDS: That Congress, in considering renewal of the Selective Service Act, affirm, as nearly as possible, the principle of equality of sacrifice and should: 1. Reduce the discretionary powers of local draft boards by establishing uniform regulations regarding deferments; 2. Provide that those granted educational deferments, upon termination of those deferments, be subject to the same chance of induction as all others eligible, without regard to age, marriage, or offspring; 3. Provide for educational deferment for part-time students upon their demonstrating that they must work to finance their education; 4. Prohibit use of the draft to punish for unlawful acts punishable by civil authority; 5. Require the selection of draftees by lot among those presently eligible for military service; 6. Broaden the concept of conscientious objection in the law to include all those opposed to military service on ethical and moral grounds; 7. Require that local draft boards be representative of the ethnic, social, and economic composition of the community; and 8. Recognize that objection to participation in a particular war can be central to the belief of an individual, and therefore constitute valid grounds for conscientious objection, as does opposition to all war;.and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1967 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Calls upon the Department of Social Responsibility to cooperate with the LRY and SRL in providing all possible information, encouragement, and assistance to our ministers, churches, and fellowships to insure effective counseling of draft eligible youth and youth approaching draft age; 2. Recognizes the responsibility of Unitarian Universalists to youth who have secured conscientious objector classification and who prefer to fulfill their alternative service requirements under the sponsorship of the Unitarian Universalist Association or its affiliated organizations; 3. Calls upon the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee to increase immediately its alternative service programs in order to help a significant number of applicants; 4. Encourages youth who are conscientious objectors to war to apply for conscientious objector status under the provision of the Selective Service Act; and 5. Extends our support to those persons who in the exercise of their moral choice and through the demands of their individual consciences refuse to register for Selective Service or refuse classifications which are contrary to their consciences..

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VIETNAM — 1967

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the 1966 (Fifth) General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association passed the following resolution: “REAFFIRMING: The intent of its 1964 resolution urging ‘the United States to reconsider its policy in Vietnam and to explore solutions other than military,’ the Unitarian Universalist Association: “NOTES: Again that the present war in Vietnam threatens to escalate into a world nuclear war; “URGES: The government of the United States to negotiate with any and all principals in the conflict, including the National Liberation Front, in seeking a cease-fire, the holding of internationally-supervised free elections, and in aiding in the formation of a representative government of South Vietnam; and “TRANSMITS: To the President and the Congress its continued deep concern for an immediate peace in Vietnam”; THE SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms its previous resolution and further: 1. COMMENDS: The Secretary-General of the United Nations for the initiative he has taken in seeking a cease-fire and peace in Vietnam and endorses his specific proposals for: (a) cessation of the bombing of North Vietnam, and (b) the scaling down of all military operations by all parties in Vietnam, and (c) discussions among all parties directly involved in the conflict; 2. URGES: The United States government to take substantial immediate and long-term steps of de-escalation without any prior conditions placed on the National Liberation Front and the North Vietnam government; 3. URGES: The government of the United States to give its citizens accurate and complete information about events in Vietnam, and to recognize that responsible debate on United States policies in Southeast Asia and opposition to the war should not be equated with a lack of patriotism; 4. ENCOURAGES: Immediate public and private efforts to heal the wounded civilians of all Vietnam, and to reconstruct and develop the war-ravaged land; 5. TRANSMITS: Again to the President and Congress its continued deep concern for immediate peace in Vietnam; 6. URGES: Member churches and fellowships through congregational action to take a public position on the war in Vietnam; and 7. URGES: In view of the continuing difficulty in inducing any unilateral steps toward peace by any of the parties to the conflict, that there be a reciprocal de-escalation, including the progressive removal of all foreign troops and the grounding of all foreign aircrafts in North and South Vietnam and that the use of terrorism and murder by all parties against the people of Vietnam be terminated.

ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILES — 1968

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED : That the 1968 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges that the United States Administration and Congress terminate the $5 billion anti-ballistic missile program; and FURTHER URGES: That the United States Government use all of its diplomatic and international relations resources to reverse the arms race by negotiating a comprehensive test ban treaty and a nonproliferation treaty, and take measures to achieve an agreement with the other nuclear powers to freeze the manufacture of nuclear weapons and a reduction of existing stockpiles.

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RIGHT OF DISSENT — 1968

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1968 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Reaffirms its call for the abolition of the House Committee on Un-American Activities and all similar inquisitorial committees; 2. Calls upon Congress to resist legislation which could repress the moral and constitutional rights of citizens to petition; 3. Calls upon the Congress and administration to refrain from equating dissent to war with the lack of patriotism; 4. Encourages its members to act according to their conscience with respect to the draft. We recognize and respect the religious conviction that impels all forms of nonviolent resistance whether by destruction or return of draft cards, or refusal of induction, or other acts of nonviolent resistance to the machinery of war. Inasmuch as some of our churches have recently acted in support of young men of conviction and the UUA Board of Trustees has offered help to Michael Ferber, Unitarian Universalist and member of the Resistance, we, therefore, urge all our congregations to assist in the following ways: a. By offering symbolic sanctuary at time of arrest; b. By offering church facilities for services of resistance in the tradition of the one held at Arlington Street Church on October 16, 1967; c. By establishing a ministry to resisters by men trained in draft and prison counseling; d. By assisting in the provision of legal aid to men who in conscience resist the draft; e. By encouraging the conducting of local efforts in schools, churches, and other community organizations to inform young men who have attained, or who will be attaining, draft age of their rights under the provisions of the Selective Service Act, consequences for disobedience, and procedures for foreign residence; and f. Canadian congregations to offer all possible assistance to programs for members of the Resistance seeking draft evasion in Canada; and 5. Recognizes that conscience is the essential ground of dissent and therefore acknowledges that the draft itself is a violation of the conscience of many who find that for them it constitutes involuntary servitude in violation of the Bill of Rights, discriminates against the poor and the black, or otherwise conflicts with the claim of conscience and consequently calls upon Congress to reform the Selective Service System in accordance with the resolution of the 1967 General Assembly.

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VIETNAM — 1968

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1968 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the government of the United States to take the following initiatives: 1. Immediately and unconditionally halt the bombing of both North and South Vietnam; 2. Immediately pull back United States forces to secure bases and coastal enclaves from which a speedy and complete withdrawal can be effected; 3. Recommend amnesty for all Vietnamese and guarantee political asylum for those placed in jeopardy by the cessation of hostilities; 4. Encourage the reconvening of the Geneva Conference or the convening of a similar type conference to assure the people of Vietnam the right to determine their own destiny, and to establish a durable peace in Southeast Asia. We urge that the National Liberation Front be recognized as an equal party to any such conference; and 5. Provide massive economic aid, contributed to and administered by appropriate international agencies, for the rehabilitation and economic reconstruction of the war-ravaged country. Guarantee that we shall not escalate our “war efforts” in Thailand, Laos, or other parts of Southeast Asia; and WE FURTHER URGE: As an immediate measure, that groups and individuals send medical and other relief assistance now though international humanitarian agencies to aid the victims of military action in all parts of Vietnam; we commend the people of our Canadian member societies for organizing Canadian Unitarian Medical Aid to Vietnam (CUMAID) and encourage all our societies and members to contribute to it.

ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE PROGRAM — 1969

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1969 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association opposes the development, construction, and deployment of any anti-ballistic missile system, and urges the United States and House of Representatives to oppose the funding of the Safeguard program. THE 1968 GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION URGES: That the United States terminate its multi-billion dollar anti-ballistic missile program. The anti-ballistic missile pro-gram may continue, despite increasing opposition throughout the country and in the Congress. Such a pro-gram can intensify the arms race, provide a false sense of security since it is only marginally effective as a defensive weapon, and involves a large expenditure of funds which can better be employed elsewhere. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ALSO OPPOSES: The further development, construction, and deployment of multi-warhead offensive missiles, including the so-called MIRV.

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SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM — 1969

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1969 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges that the President and Congress take immediate steps to abolish the Selective Service System and establish a volunteer military service with the financial, educational, and professional incentives necessary to attract personnel. We do not believe that military service should be interpreted as annulling such constitutionally guaranteed rights as freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of religion, and the right to petition for redress of grievance; and WHEREAS, such actions as the court martials and administrative harassment of the eight organizers of GIs United Against the War in Vietnam at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, the pending court martial of Pvt. Joe Miles, organizer of the Fort Bragg GIs United, and the punishments meted out to the Presidio 27 are in contradiction to the First Amendment to the US Constitution; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1969 UUA General Assembly calls upon the President of the United States to grant amnesty to all servicemen and women who have been victimized for exercising their rights of free speech, assembly, association, etc.; that the 1969 UUA General Assembly urges the President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff publicly to affirm Adjutant General Wickham’s letter of May 28, 1968, instructing all commanding Generals that “the question of soldier’s dissent is linked with the constitutional right of free speech” and to make copies of this statement of GI liberties available to all military personnel in order that they may have knowledge of their rights.

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DISARMAMENT — 1970

(GEN)

CONVINCED: That human survival depends on the abolition of war as a means of settling disputes among nations; AWARE: That human well-being depends on diverting to human needs the vast amounts now spent on weapons; BELIEVING: That peoples everywhere yearn for an end to conflict and a beginning toward human betterment; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1970 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the governments of the United States and Canada to support the following steps toward General and Complete Disarmament, a policy established in the XIV United Nations General Assembly by unanimous vote: 1. An end to the practice of selling arms abroad, which exacerbates international tensions and accelerates the arms race; and 2. Strong support for the matters now under discussion at the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament — a comprehensive test ban treaty, abolition of chemical and biological warfare and the prohibition of nuclear weapons and other military devices from the ocean floor. WE FURTHER URGE; The United States Government to declare a moratorium on the research, development and deployment of anti-ballistic missiles (Safeguard) and Multiple Independent-targeted Reentry Vehicles while the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) are in progress, thus demonstrating its good faith and stimulating further agreement. WE FURTHER URGE: The United States and Canadian governments to take leadership in the United Nations at its 25th Anniversary General Assembly towards the strengthening of the United Nations to make it capable of creating, interpreting and enforcing world law, thus making complete disarmament of all nation states back to internal police forces possible.

NATIONAL PRIORITIES — 1970

(GEN)

DEPLORING: The fact that over two-thirds of the federal budget for fiscal year 1969 was allotted to military expenditures and that national resources of scientific knowledge and skills are being largely devoted to military research; and CONVINCED: That such major problems as poverty, environmental pollution, decline of educational quality and urban decay can only be solved by large infusions of federal funds, including money saved by the phasing out of our activity in Vietnam; BE IT RESOLVED: That there be a reordering of the priorities for disposition of federal funds with decreasing emphasis on military defense expenditures and increasing emphasis on improving the quality of life in the United States.

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RESOLUTION ON MUNDIALIZATION — 1970

(GEN)

WHEREAS, we recognize the greatly increased interdependence of the peoples of the world, in this nuclear age; and WHEREAS, we realize that the common interests of men can only be served through world cooperation; and WHEREAS, we believe that we can best serve our local, state and national communities when we think and act as world citizens; and WHEREAS, we seek to free our kind from the curse of war, and to harness all available resources of energy and knowledge to the service of his needs; and BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That we, the members of the Unitarian Universalist Association, recognize the right of citizens to extend their responsibilities of citizenship beyond national boundaries; THAT we join with other concerned peoples of the world in a declaration of world citizenship and responsibility; and THAT we pledge our efforts as world citizens to the establishment of permanent peace based on world law, and to the use of world resources in the service of man, and not for his destruction.

SOUTHEAST ASIA — 1970

(GEN)

DEPRESSED AND HEARTSICK at the continued killing and maiming in Vietnam; REVOLTED by the Song My massacre, which is only one in a series of war crimes, and the resumption of bombing in North Vietnam; SUPPORTING the opinion of most expert observers that “Vietnamization” is an impossible concept and is being used as a palliative for the American public; APPALLED by the unilateral Invasion of Cambodia and the escalation of the war effort in all of Southeast Asia; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1970 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon the Administration to announce a detailed and definite plan for the immediate withdrawal of all American troops, and to agree to an interim coalition government which will arrange elections under the auspices of the United Nations in which all South Vietnamese factions will have the free opportunity to participate and that the United States withdraw military commitment to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and that no further commitment of military men, material for military uses be made to these countries; WE FURTHER URGE AS AN IMMEDIATE MEASURE: That groups and individuals send medical assistance now through international humanitarian agencies to aid the victims of military action in all parts of Vietnam and other war-torn parts of Southeast Asia; we recommend the support of CUMAID (Canadian Unitarian Medical Aid to Vietnam) and encourage all our societies and members to contribute to it.

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AMNESTY AND REPATRIATION FOR WAR RESISTERS — 1971

(BUS)

BECAUSE: The Canadian Council of Churches’ 1969 estimate of the number of United States military refugees and draft resisters was 60,000 with projections of 20,000 per year together with substantial numbers of similar expatriates in other countries; and BECAUSE: Most of these young men left the United States after a decision of conscience over the prospect of assisting in an illegal, immoral Vietnam War; and BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists respect such demonstrated allegiance to personal conscience and to the affirmation of life; BE IT RESOLVED: The 1971 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association direct its continental offices in Boston to use its powers of advocacy to bring about enactment of United States legislation which grants amnesty and repatriation to those men who are in prison or in self-exile by reason of refusal to serve in the Vietnam War; and BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the 1971 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association affirms its support of the efforts of the Canadian Unitarian Council to raise funds from Unitarian Universalist societies and individuals to aid in ministering to the needs (physical and spiritual) of American expatriates.

PEACE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA — 1971

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: The Tenth General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the President of the United States: 1. To order the Joint Chiefs of Staff to issue a cease-fire to all American troops in Southeast Asia immediately; also, to announce and plan a complete and immediate withdrawal which in no way will be contingent upon the progress of peace negotiations; 2. To cease all aid by the State Department, Defense Department and all other agencies of government which contribute to the military buildup of the countries of Southeast Asia; 3. To promote creation of an interim coalition government for South Vietnam which will include representatives of all political factions of any appreciable size of the country; 4. In recognition of our basic responsibility for much of the destruction in Southeast Asia, to do two things: a. Create an emergency relief agency charged with the responsibility for providing hospitals, medical care, food, sanitation facilities and housing; and b. Request an immediate appropriation in the amount of six billion dollars to the United Nations Development Program, ear-marking it for development of industrial and agricultural productivity, education, public utilities, public health and social services in the countries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

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1972 U.S. CONGRESSIONAL AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS — 1972

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the mining of Haiphong and six other North Vietnamese harbors, and the resumption of heavy, indiscriminate bombing of North Vietnam are attacks of military aggression undertaken in the spring of 1972 by the United States government; and WHEREAS, these military actions occur at a time when a substantial number of United States citizens are calling for the continuing and complete withdrawal of our troops from Southeast Asia, and an end to US participation in the Indochina war; and WHEREAS, this military escalation in North Vietnam on the part of the United States was initiated after the deadline for placing this resolution on the Final Agenda for the 1972 UUA General Assembly; BE IT RESOLVED: That the Eleventh Annual General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, meeting in Dallas, Texas, June 1972, urges all US Unitarian Universalist and like-minded religious liberals to responsibly and vigorously participate in the 1972 elections, especially on the national level, so as to elect Congressmen, Senators, and a President deeply committed to immediate cessation of United States acts of war, and to working for a just and humane peace in the world and in our land.

TELEPHONE EXCISE TAX — 1972

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the telephone excise tax was levied specifically by Congress in 1966 to finance the war in Vietnam; and WHEREAS, those voting in favor of the following do so with the intention of refusing payment of the federal excise tax on telephones; BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates of the 1972 General Assembly urge all Unitarian Universalists to refuse payment of the telephone excise tax and urge the Unitarian Universalist Association to refuse such payment also.

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AMNESTY — 1973

(BUS)

WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of Americans have unjustly suffered a loss of civil rights, liberty and jobs because they have been in opposition to the Indochina War or to the racism and oppression of the American military and draft systems; and WHEREAS, according to Canadian Department of Immigration statistics there are tens of thousands of anti-war exiles in Canada alone while, however, the majority of war resisters are inside the US, where an estimated 200,000 live underground, thousands behinds bars, many with court records, and over 500,000 veterans suffer from less than honorable discharges issued during the Indochina War era; and WHEREAS, any amnesty that separates for different treatment pre- and post-induction resisters (draft resisters and those who are resisted or separated themselves from the military) fails to recognize that class and race factors more than anything else resulted in these distinctions and that such an amnesty would essentially discriminate against working-class and a disproportionate number of nonwhite resisters, those who have already been forced to bear the heaviest burdens of the war; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges that the Congress of the United States enact a universal and unconditional amnesty (with no alternate service or other punitive measures, and to avoid unworkable, unjust case-by-case judgments) for: 1. All military resisters including so-called “deserters,” and draft resisters in exile or underground in the US; 2. All people who, because of their opposition to the Indochina War, have been arrested, have been or are now in civilian and military prisons, or for this reason are now being sought for prosecution — this includes a clearing of their records; and 3. The more than half-million Vietnam era veterans who have been discharged from the military with less than honorable discharges who will suffer from permanent loss of civil rights, and discrimination in employment without an amnesty. The classification of military discharges as honorable or otherwise should be eliminated retroactively into one single category of discharges. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA 1973 General Assembly urges member societies of the Association to give specific attention to the issues involved in, and the means toward achieving a universal, unconditional amnesty by initiating discussion within each society, guided by materials to be developed by the Department of Education and Social Concern, and by members of these societies individually and collectively communicating, educating and organizing on this issue to the limit of their energies, time and commitment until such a time as a universal and unconditional amnesty is effected for all of those who have been, are being, or would be punished for their resistance. By supporting complete amnesty, we do not mean to imply lack of recognition of the hardships, heartaches and sufferings of all other citizens who were affected by US military involvement in Southeast Asia.

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DISARMAMENT — 1973

(GEN)

APPALLED that the administration in Washington, instead of taking advantage of such opportunities as partial withdrawal from Vietnam, and possible arms reduction by SALT and the UN Conference of the Committee on Disarmament, has increased the Defense Department budget by $4 billion and is planning ever more destructive weapons and means of delivery; THE 1973 GENERAL ASSEMBLY URGES the Congress of the United States to reduce the arms budget requested by $10 billion; and WE FURTHER URGE that the governments of the United States and Canada support: 1. A comprehensive test ban agreement; 2. The abolition of chemical weapons; and 3. The convening of a World Conference on Disarmament under the auspices of the United Nations.

NAPALM AND OTHER INCENDIARY WEAPONS — 1973

(GEN)

WHEREAS, napalm and other incendiary weapons have been used during and since World War II; and WHEREAS, we recognize the desirability of general and complete disarmament and the urgent need to abolish war; and WHEREAS, we welcome the recent report of the Secretary General of the United Nations on napalm and other incendiary weapons, a report which asserts that “napalm may be one of the most lethal weapons in existence today” and that these weapons are “already the subject of widespread revulsion and anxiety”; and WHEREAS, United Nations consultant-experts have concluded that it is necessary to develop “measures for the prohibition of the use, production, and stockpiling of napalm and other incendiary weapons”; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association condemns the use of napalm and other incendiary weapons by the government of the United States and urges the governments of all nations to adopt policies which would lead the United Nations General Assembly to adopt a United Nations Declaration Against the Use of Napalm and Other Incendiary Weapons and request the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament or the International Committee of the Red Cross to work out further legal instruments prohibiting the production, development, and stockpiling of this class of weapons.

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RELATIONS WITH THE UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS, THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, AND CUBA — 1973

(GEN)

WHEREAS, improved cultural and economic relations with China and Cuba may decrease tension and lead to diplomatic recognition of those countries by the government of the United States; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses its support of the United States government’s recent friendly initiatives toward the People’s Republic of China and further expresses support of all United States government initiatives toward the USSR, the People’s Republic of China, and Cuba which will reduce the risks of aggression, expand cultural exchanges, broaden commercial intercourse, and lessen ideological tensions.

VIETNAM SETTLEMENT — 1973

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the United States has been responsible for death, destruction and defoliation in Southeast Asia; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Condemns the continued bombing of Cambodia and Laos, and supports the Congressional cutoff of all funds for military activity on, over, or from off the shores of Cambodia, Laos, and North and South Vietnam; and 2. Urges that all remaining US military personnel and military advisors be immediately brought home from Southeast Asia; 3. That the United States contribute adequate funds to appropriate United Nations agencies for the rehabilitation and restoration of North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia; 4. That United States citizenship be granted to all children fathered by American personnel in Southeast Asia if the mothers and children so desire; 5. That American immigration and adoptive procedures be simplified so as to encourage adoption of such children by American families; 6. That a constitutional amendment be enacted clarifying the prerogatives of the Congress’s warmaking powers in such a way as to prevent future wars of aggression by Presidential fiat; and 7. That, pending the amendment of the Constitution, the Congress pass one of the bills now under consideration in the House and Senate to limit the President’s power to conduct warfare.

PEACE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA — 1974

(GEN)

WHEREAS, real peace in Vietnam is of primary importance and killings and destruction must be ended, and the continued military support of both North and South Vietnam contributes to prolonging the strife; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1974 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the United States Government to press for full implementation of the Paris Peace Agreement, and, in the interests of moving toward a lasting peace; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1974 General Assembly further urges that the governments of the United States and Canada take a lead in pressing all governments presently supporting North or South Vietnam to agree to cease all military aid to either side.

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AMNESTY — 1975

(GEN)

WHEREAS, President Ford’s program of conditional clemency and earned re-entry for draft evaders and deserters of the Indochina War has failed in a large majority of cases to aid those it was purported to help and has failed to meet the moral issue of reuniting our people without moralistic recrimination; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1975 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirm its 1973 Resolution on amnesty and urge the Congress of the United States: 1. To enact a universal and unconditional amnesty for all military resisters (deserters and draft evaders) in exile, in prison, or underground or who, in opposition to the Indochina War, have been arrested and/or convicted or are in civilian or military prisons; 2. To clear the records of those arrested or in prison and those being sought for prosecution because of failure to serve in/or opposition to the Indochina War; and 3. To give all persons discharged under the conditions of amnesty outlined in paragraph 1 an honorable discharge.

DISARMAMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE — 1976

(GEN)

WHEREAS, since World War II, the United States has spent $1.3 trillion and misdirected its industrial capacity to remain number one among nations in military power; and WHEREAS, during these same years the United States has not reached its potential in meeting many of the most vital human needs of some of its own people and the peoples of the world; and WHEREAS, the perspective of women is seldom represented on bodies where the subject of disarmament is under consideration; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1976 General Assembly of the Unitarian Univeralist Association calls upon its members, societies and the people of the United States to implement disarmament and social justice now. This action will include: 1. Promoting the representation of women on all United States agencies and committees involved with disarmament; 2. Reducing the 1976-77 total military portion of the United States Federal Budget by 10 percent, and shifting this sum to meet the enormous, accumulated unmet economic and social needs (e.g. environment, education, health, housing, jobs and transportation) of the American people; 3. Taking substantial independent initiatives toward nuclear disarmament and challenging the Soviet Union to take reciprocal initiatives; and calling for a suitable disarmament forum of all nations, and submitting at that forum comprehensive proposals for general and complete disarmament; and 4. Planning for the conversion of industries which are currently producing military products to the production of civilian goods and services.

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AMNESTY — 1977

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the majority of the American people now know that the United States intervention in the war in Vietnam was wrong, and was, in fact, a war undeclared by the Congress of the United States; and WHEREAS, President Carter has said that American involvement in the war was a mistake and has, in fact, granted a pardon to the draft resisters of that war; and WHEREAS, these draft resisters were from predominantly white and middle-class environments with the social and economic means to avoid military service; and WHEREAS, the Special Discharge Review Program approved by President Carter excludes fully one half the deserters and veterans who hold less than honorable discharges condemning them to a lifetime stigma for offenses which are purely military; and WHEREAS, it may involve those who are eligible in a long, costly and inequitable case-by-case review process; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms its 1975 resolution for amnesty and its recent support of the National Appeal for Reconciliation which sought to heal the wounds of the war and asks the churches, fellowships and individual Unitarian Universalists to urge the President to be sensitive to the human rights of Americans who are still victims of the cruel war and to: 1. Grant honorable discharges to all Vietnam era veterans who received less than honorable discharges, for military service from 1961 to 1975, when the war ended, together with all veterans benefits; 2. Grant honorable discharges for those service personnel in deserter status who left in the Vietnam era, together with all veterans benefits; and 3. Clear the records of all civilians of any charges, convictions, or other disabilities for their nonviolent acts of protest against the Vietnam War.

DISARMAMENT — 1977

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the political method of reliance upon the power to hurt, kill, and destroy has led humankind far down the dead-end road to total human extinction; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association affirms as the only hope for human survival the religious method of taking risk instead of threatening harm and, therefore, calls upon the United States to lead the world toward safety by its own unconditional nuclear disarmament, and calls upon the rest of the nations to follow that lead; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly appeals to all other religious bodies to join in calling for such nuclear disarmament, and urges the Board of Trustees and the Administration of the Unitarian Universalist Association to press such appeal to as many other churches and religious bodies as possible and to conduct a continuing educational campaign within and outside the Unitarian Universalist Association for such disarmament.

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NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION — 1977

(GEN)

WHEREAS, our world lives under threat of nuclear holocaust; and WHEREAS, nuclear proliferation increases the danger of nuclear holocaust; and WHEREAS, SALT results are presently unsatisfactory; and WHEREAS, United States military security is not jeopardized by the proposed independent initiatives; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the United States government to undertake substantial independent initiatives for nuclear disarmament, to challenge the other nuclear powers to match these initiatives with equivalent action and to review their disarmament policies periodically for progress. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the following principal independent initiatives be undertaken: 1. Publicly renounce “first use” of nuclear weapons; 2. Announce a moratorium on all nuclear tests and a willingness to sign Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; 3. Reduce nuclear strategic and tactical weapons stockpiles; and 4. Stop production of nuclear weapons and the hazardous materials from which they are made. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: To support the following policies designed to limit nuclear proliferation: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Restraints by supplier countries; Security guidelines to deter theft and sabotage; Multinational regional fuel cycle centers; Adequate funding, political and psychological support to strengthen International Atomic Energy Agency; 5. Binational or international control of peaceful nuclear explosions; and 6. “Nuclear free zones” to avoid acquisition or development of nuclear weapons.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS — 1979

(GEN)

WHEREAS, continued nuclear proliferation increases the danger of accidental nuclear warfare; and WHEREAS, the stockpiling of nuclear weapons increases the probability of the extinction of ALL life on earth in the event of nuclear war; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Board of Trustees and Administration of the Unitarian Universalist Association to seek out and cooperate with persons, groups, or associations working together to proscribe the manufacture, stockpiling, and threat of use of nuclear weapons; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the United States to ratify the SALT II agreement, without amendments which might jeopardize the Treaty and ongoing SALT process; and further calls upon Unitarian Universalists to urge their senators to support SALT II as a small but significant step toward nuclear arms limitation; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly urges support of a United States moratorium on further production of nuclear weapons.

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PEACE AND DISARMAMENT — 1979

(GEN)

WHEREAS, reversal of the arms race must be the overwhelming priority on the human agenda because escalating military power: 1. Diverts crucial resources from human and environmental needs; 2. Contributes to runaway inflation and inhibits full employment; and 3. Leads toward the certainty of planetary holocaust; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges that the Association appeal to all individuals and religious bodies to join in renouncing the arms race and any participation therein; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Assembly requests that the Unitarian Universalist Association continue and increase its cooperation with the World Conference on Religion and Peace to mobilize the peoples of the world for peace.

REDUCING THE DEFENSE BUDGET, REORDERING NATIONAL PRIORITIES — 1979

(GEN)

WHEREAS, President Carter has proposed a federal budget which calls for significant increases in military expenditures, while at the same time calling for major cuts in expenditures for human and social services; and WHEREAS, this shift in federal priorities is likely to have disastrous effects on the nation’s well-being by increasing inflation, by contributing to unemployment and a decline in the country’s economic output, and by channeling the nation’s precious human and material resources into wasteful and destructive enterprises; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its members, churches and societies actively and persistently to work for change in federal spending priorities; that such efforts include, but not be limited to: 1. Establishment of workshops, seminars, and forums to bring to public attention the disastrous consequences of ever-increasing defense spending; 2. Organization of petition drives, letter-writing campaigns, etc., to the appropriate officials in the U.S. Congress and the administration; and 3. Where appropriate, direct non-violent political action; and 4. Our call upon the citizens of all nations to work for a similar reordering of their national priorities.

International Peace and Conflict - page 26 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SHARING IN THE NEW CALL TO PEACEMAKING — 1979

(GEN)

WHEREAS, a basic principle of the Unitarian Universalist Association is to “implement the vision of one world by striving for a world community founded on ideals of brotherhood, justice, and peace”; and WHEREAS, delegates of the historic peace churches — Friends, Mennonites, and Brethren — gathered last October for a New Call to Peacemaking Conference and issued a statement of findings; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses its admiration and gratitude to those who participated in this peacemaking effort, and especially supports the following calls to peacemaking: 1.. Strengthening our local base by: A. Urging a comprehensive program of peace education in our congregations; B. Encouraging local groups to engage in ecumenical and public dialogue on peace issues and promoting the peace witness in their communities; C. Urging the development of support groups within congregations for those individuals who are working at peace issues (such as war tax resistance, simple lifestyles, and nonviolent action); and D. Recommending the development of mediation/reconciliation teams who can assist in conflict resolution in families, congregations, the community and beyond. 2. Developing a Peacemaking Lifestyle in: A. Personal Relationships: The Assembly encourages creative love and respect for the integrity of each person, starting with the members of our families, and urges the speaking of truth in love, and the confronting of personal and structural wrongs, and the demonstration of forgiving love, and the use of cooperation rather than competition. B. Economic Decisions The Assembly urges these specific responses: 1. Examine our personal and corporate stewardship of money; 2. Conserve natural resources; 3. Reduce our level of consumption; and 4. Become more discerning in financial decisions either by taking direct action to influence investments in banks and institutions or by withdrawing investments in banks and institutions which serve militarism, economic exploitation or unjust governments, and investing rather in life-enhancing enterprises. 3. Confronting Militarism and the Arms Race A. The Assembly urges Unitarian Universalists and member societies to: 1. Support the United Nations initiatives for disarmament, the United States-Soviet Strategic Arms Limitations Talks, and the use of national debate on these talks; and 2. Call upon our government to take these initial steps towards disarmament (thus challenging other governments to do the same): a. Reduce military spending by 10% in the coming year; b. Stop further testing, development, and production of nuclear weapons; and c. Halt arms transfers to other countries. B. Conversion to a Peace Economy: The Assembly asks Unitarian Universalists to support: 1. Research and action toward economic conversion to non-military production, with assistance for those who are temporarily unemployed during the process. 2. Transfer of tax monies from the military budget to programs meeting human needs. C. War Tax Resistance: The Assembly challenges ourselves and our congregations to uphold war tax resisters with spiritual, emotional, legal, and material support. (Continued on International Peace and Conflict – 28)

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SHARING IN THE NEW CALL TO PEACEMAKING (Continued from Inrternational Peace and Conflict – 27)

D.

E.

World Peace Fund In keeping with our past support of alternative service provisions for conscientious objectors to the draft, the Assembly urges support for congressional enactment of a World Peace Tax Fund as an alternative to compulsory financial support of war and preparation for war. Conscription and Military Recruitment. In view of possible reinstatement of military conscription and in light of expanding ROTC programs, the Assembly calls upon Unitarian Universalist members and societies to: 1. Oppose renewal of draft registration and induction; 2. Provide educational and counseling opportunities for draft-eligible youth in our communities; 3. Encourage peace registration of our conscientious objectors; 4. Encourage peace career programs to counterbalance recruitment into militarysponsored “career” preparation programs; and 5. Urge action to eliminate ROTC programs in high schools and colleges.

4. Witnessing to Peace by: A. Continuing the New Call to Peacemaking The Assembly urges activities which may include periodic conferences, facilitating the publication of peace materials, promotion and coordination of peace caravans, and the establishment of a peace institute and a National Peace Academy. The Assembly recommends the establishment of a peacemaking fund to provide support for these efforts. B. Sharing the New Call The Assembly urges new efforts to share with peoples of all denominations and ecumenical bodies the challenges to thought and actions which have emerged in the New Call to Peace-making Conference. C. Meeting with President Carter The Assembly urges that the elected officers and Board of Trustees of the Association join other denominations and send a delegation to meet with President Carter to: 1. Command and support the President in his concern for peace and human rights; 2. Dialogue with President Carter about the implications of religious beliefs on issues of peace and justice; and 3. Lay before the President our concerns about military spending, nuclear weapons, arms sales and related matters.

International Peace and Conflict - page 28 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

DRAFT REGISTRATION — APRIL 1980

(BD)

WHEREAS, the Congress is now considering the President’s report for funding to resume draft registration; and WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalist resolutions have: 1. Affirmed that the settlement of international conflicts by war is inconsistent with our commitments under the Charter of the United Nations; 2. Urged that the Selective Service System be abolished and replaced by an all-volunteer force; and 3. Opposed the resumption of draft registration and conscription; and WHEREAS, registration for the Selective Service is a first step toward resumption of military conscription and represents a further move toward militarizing our society and is evidence of a growing reliance on military responses to world conflict situations; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That a majority of the UUA Board of Trustees reaffirms the General Assemblie's opposition to draft registration and conscription by calling upon the US Congress to reject the President's request for a supplemental appropriation to commence registration of American youth for military service and calls upon Unitarian Universalists to urge their Senators and Members of Congress to oppose appropriations for draft registration.

International Peace and Conflict - page 29 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

HUMAN RIGHTS AND WAR — 1980

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the underlying source of the human energy devoted to extreme nationalism and aggressive individual and aggressive national behavior is fear, said fear deriving from the concern of individuals and institutions for their survival; and WHEREAS, to relieve this fear and associated tensions and war, to improve the climate for peace, and to release energy for the improvement of the human condition throughout the world; and WHEREAS, in recognition that peace is essential to the end of fear and that peace must be learned, the Congress, in 1978, created the Commission on Proposals for the National Academy of Peace and Conflict Resolution; and WHEREAS, June 30, 1980 is the deadline for public comments to the above Commission; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urge that an international policy be instituted to protect individuals against the extreme abuses of their rights, examples of such extremes being torture and harsh suppression of individual freedoms; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urge the United States and Canada to announce that each country recognizes that recognition of human rights is an important requirement for international peace; that each country will support human rights around the world whenever and wherever possible, including limited withholding of aid from countries adjudged guilty of harsh abuse of human rights, specifically that type of aid used in fear-inducing police operations and other abuses of human rights; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urge the United Nations to recognize the relationship between human rights and tensions which lead to war and revolution and to form an agency which reports upon and protects human rights throughout the world; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly demand an end to all United States government programs that train and support repressive regimes in other nations such as El Salvador; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly supports the concept of establishing a National Academy of Peace and Conflict Resolution.

International Peace and Conflict - page 30 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

MX MISSILE SYSTEM — 1980

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the United States Congress is now considering new funding for the multi-billion dollar Missile Experimental (MX) Missile System; and WHEREAS, the MX Missile System represents a major escalation of the arms race; and WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association in 1979 affirmed that reversal of the arms race must be the overwhelming priority on the human agenda because escalating military power: 1. Diverts crucial resources from human and environmental needs; 2. Contributes to runaway inflation and inhibits full employment;and 3. Leads toward the certainty of planetary holocaust; and WHEREAS, the MX is a destabilizing, potentially first-strike nuclear weapon system; and WHEREAS, there is widespread opposition by the citizens of Nevada and Utah where the MX is slated to be deployed; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon Unitarian Universalists to urge members of Congress to vote against further funding for the MX Missile System, and to urge direct funding to domestic human services programs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly reaffirms the 1979 Peace and Disarmament resolution and calls upon the US Government to seek prompt negotiations with the nuclear powers for a mutual moratorium on nuclear weapons systems.

REGISTRATION FOR SELECTIVE SERVICE — 1980

(GEN)

WHEREAS, both Houses of the United States Congress have voted to fund draft registration; and WHEREAS, previous General Assemblies of the Unitarian Universalist Association have passed resolutions which have: 1. Affirmed that the settlement of international conflicts by war is inconsistent with our commitments under the Charter of the United Nations; and 2. Urged that the Selective Service System be abolished and replaced by an all-volunteer force; and 3. Opposed the resumption of draft registration and conscription; and WHEREAS, registration for the Selective Service System is a first step toward resumption of military conscription and represents a further move toward militarizing our society and is evidence of a growing reliance on military responses to world conflict situations; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association call upon its societies to establish, support, and encourage educational and counseling programs, so that all men and women may make informed decisions regarding registration for the draft and the option of conscientious objection or non-violent civil disobedience, with particular concern for those forced to consider military service by pressures of economic or racial discrimination.

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EL SALVADOR I — JANUARY 1981

(BD)

WHEREAS, recent General Assemblies of the Unitarian Universalist Association have passed resolutions calling for a reduction of United States arms sales and transfers to countries who violate basic human rights such as “Human Rights in El Salvador” in 1977 and “Sharing in the New Call to Peacemaking” in 1979; and WHEREAS, the General Assembly in 1980 passed “Human Rights and War” which called on Unitarian Universalists to work to end United States and Canadian military aid to governments that violate human rights, such as the government in El Salvador; and WHEREAS, the situation in El Salvador in 1980 and early in 1981 has deteriorated into brutal civil disorders, killings, and general instability; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee has long been working for human rights in El Salvador; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association publicly expresses its grave concern over the arms sales, transfer, grants, or military credits to El Salvador from any country; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Board directs the UUA Washington Office and encourages other appropriate Unitarian Universalist-related organizations and groups to support an end to United States arms sales, arms transfers, grants, and military credits to El Salvador.

EL SALVADOR II — 1981

(GEN)

WHEREAS, recent General Assemblies of the Unitarian Universalist Association have passed resolutions calling for a reduction of United States arms sales and transfers to countries which violate basic human rights, such as “Human Rights in El Salvador” in 1977 and “Sharing in the New Call to Peace-making” in 1979; and WHEREAS, the General Assembly in 1980 passed “Human Rights and War” which called on Unitarian Universalists to work to end United States and Canadian military aid to governments that violate human rights, such as the government in El Salvador; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee has long been working for human rights in El Salvador; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association publicly express its grave concern over arms sales, arms transfers, grants or military credits to El Salvador from any country; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly directs the UUA Washington Office and encourages other appropriate Unitarian Universalist-related organizations and groups to support an end, from the United States and other sources, to all arms sales, credits, arms transfers, and military training to the combatants in El Salvador.

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IN OPPOSITION TO BIOCHEMICAL WARFARE — 1981

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has long opposed the escalation of the arms race and the threat it poses to humanity; and WHEREAS, the United States has many thousands of tons of chemical warfare agents stockpiled in the United States and abroad; and WHEREAS, besides their possible use as weapons, these stockpiles also represent potential danger to human life and to the environment where they are located; and WHEREAS, in FY 1981 Congress has appropriated $23.15 million for renovating and equipping a facility in Pine Bluffs, Arkansas, to produce lethal binary nerve gas; and WHEREAS, there were no hearings on this funding or on the desirability or need for this new class of weapon; and WHEREAS, the United States Science Defense Board has recommended an additional $7 to $9.4 billion for this program over the next five years; and WHEREAS, there has been little consultation with our allies regarding development of these weapons and the deployment on their soil; and WHEREAS, neither the United States nor the Soviet Union has produced a new class of chemical weapons in over a decade and United States introduction of this new class would affect radically this joint policy of mutual restraint; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges that all districts, societies, and individuals work to achieve: 1. The prohibition of the storage and the transportation of CBW agents without prior public announcement and consultation with state and local legally designated officials; 2. The cessation of research and production of CBW agents, except where such research is directed toward neutralization of existing stocks; 3. The extension of the 1969 US-USSR treaty prohibiting chemical warfare to include a total ban on research, production, and stockpiling of CBW agents; 4. International agreement outlawing CBW agents; and 5. The education of the general public relative to biological and chemical warfare agents.

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NATIONWIDE SUPPORT OF A LOCAL INITIATIVE TO STOP THE ARMS RACE — 1981 (GEN) WHEREAS, current policies of the governments of both the Soviet Union and the United States accelerate the arms race; and WHEREAS, the arms race increases the probability of omnicidal nuclear war; and WHEREAS, the arms race is a major contributor to the economic, social, and political dysfunction of both the Soviet and Western blocs; and WHEREAS, President Eisenhower once said, “The people want peace so badly that governments ought to get out of their way and let them have it.” — yet only we the people can make governments make peace; and WHEREAS, the voters of western Massachusetts have shown the way by affirming by a vote of 59% to 41% Proposition 7 on their local ballot calling for a bilateral freeze by the United States and the USSR on nuclear weapons production; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association joins with the voters of western Massachusetts “. . . in favor of a resolution requesting the President of the United States to propose to the Soviet Union a mutual nuclear weapons moratorium, immediately halting the testing, production and deployment of all nuclear warheads, missiles, and delivery systems, and requesting Congress to transfer the funds that would have been used for those purposes to civilian use”; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges its member churches and societies, the UUA Office of Social Responsibility, and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee to join with religious, peace, and civic groups to place the language of Proposition 7, above cited, on local and state ballot initiatives and/or petitions to elected officials.

International Peace and Conflict - page 34 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

UNITED NATIONS — 1981

(GEN)

WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists have a history of support for the United Nations, including proposals to enhance its effectiveness embodied in the “Consensus on the United Nations” adopted at the Eighth General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association in 1969, and also by the establishment and maintenance of the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, Inc., and WHEREAS, the United Nations had compiled an impressive record of achievements to date, including: 1. Assistance in settlement of disputes such as India-Pakistan and Indonesia-Netherlands; 2. Assistance in keeping the peace in areas such as the Middle East and Cyprus, using neutral country forces; 3. Provision for discussion and resolution of economic crises; 4. Provision of worldwide assistance thorough UNICEF and other agencies; 5. Eradication of smallpox; and 6. Facilitation of transition to independence from colonial status; and WHEREAS, serious problems persist in our world community and underscore urgently needed action to strengthen United Nations’ organization and functioning; and WHEREAS, President Jimmy Carter in 1978 issued a report entitled, “The Reform and Restructuring of the United Nations System”; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms its support for the United Nations; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly endorses research, study and analysis of means to improve the United Nations, such as more effective peacekeeping procedures, more reliable funding, and more equitable voting systems; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges its member societies to strive for helpful national legislation; to devote at least one Sunday service each year to the United Nations; and to support the work of the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office in reporting to Association members on United Nations’ programs and proceedings, in conveying Unitarian Universalist perspectives to delegations, agencies and the Secretariat of the United Nations, and in the encouragement of national support for the United Nations.

International Peace and Conflict - page 35 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT — 1982

(GEN)

WHEREAS, as religious people committed to reverence for life, we are deeply concerned by the threat to all life which is posed by the continuing acceleration of the nuclear arms race; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1982 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Office of Social Responsibility and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee to assign high priority to the development of education and action programs and materials for the advocacy of peace and nuclear arms control and to disseminate such programs and materials as widely and effectively as possible throughout the denomination; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges its member societies, the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, the Association’s Office of Social Responsibility, and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee to expand their efforts with other religious, peace and civil groups and the liberal religious organizations in other countries through the International Association for Religious Freedom and the International Association of Liberal Religious Women in actively conducting educational programs to promote awareness of the devastation of nuclear wars; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges all Unitarian Universalists to support active participation by the United States and Canadian governments in all feasible avenues of negotiations, including the United States Special Session on Disarmament, with the objective of reaching a full moratorium on the testing, manufacture and deployment of new nuclear weapons, to be followed by meaningful control and reduction of all nuclear weapons; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That support is also extended to efforts to secure: 1. United Nations General Assembly endorsement of a US-USSR bilateral nuclear weapons freeze as the first step of worldwide, general, balanced disarmament; 2. A UN-sponsored worldwide educational program on the dangers and prevention of nuclear wars; and 3. A UN-sponsored world referendum on the bilateral freeze as the first step toward general, balanced disarmament.

International Peace and Conflict - page 36 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

THE NEW ABOLITIONISM — 1982

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the 1982 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms resolutions on nuclear arms and human needs previously considered and adopted by the Association’s General Assemblies; and WHEREAS, the 1981 global arms budget totalled $550 billion, about $100 billion of which was spent on nuclear arms; and WHEREAS, the United States now possesses more than 31,000 tactical and strategic nuclear weapons and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics more that 20,000 of the same; and WHEREAS, the result of this continuing build-up is that the United States has enough bombs to overkill the Russian population 40 times and the USSR has enough bombs to overkill the American population 20 times (one intercontinental bomber is now capable of dropping a payload equal to the total destructive power of all bombs used by all combatants in World War II, including the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki; one Trident submarine, of 27 planned, is capable of destroying 192 major cities); and WHEREAS, among further results of this build-up are serious negative effects upon social well-being, psychological and spiritual health of nations and peoples, and serious depletions of economic well-being, such as decreasing benefits to the aged, blind, and disabled, and reducing public benefits to poor people at a time of increasing cost of living; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1982 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges each member church and fellowship and every Unitarian Universalist to join with other religious and political groups within their own communities to “massively and unequivocally oppose the obscenity which is called the nuclear arms race”; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges all Unitarian Universalists to recognize and support solemnly and with hope the great new historical movement known as The New Abolitionism, “a worldwide moral and religious movement which says ‘no’ to the nuclear arms race and nuclear war as the old Abolitionism launched a crusade to say ‘no’ to slavery. The New Abolitionism against slavery . . . can be a winning crusade” because it must; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That in the spirit of The New Abolitionism, this Assembly affirms continuing support of the campaign for a mutual freeze of the nuclear armories of both the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; that it urges the proposal of George F. Kennan for a 50 percent reduction of the nuclear stockpiles of both the United States and the USSR be seriously negotiated; and that it endorses the resolution adopted by the 1981 United Nations General Assembly that “the use of nuclear weapons would be a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and a crime against humanity.”

International Peace and Conflict - page 37 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

UNITED STATES POLICY IN RELATION TO THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN-ARAB CONFLICT — 1982

(GEN)

WHEREAS, historic steps to end the warfare between Israel and Egypt were taken with the signing of the Camp David peace accords; and WHEREAS, the goal of United States policy, as it approaches the remaining central issues in the Middle East, should be to encourage, in the spirit of Camp David, a comprehensive peace settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian-Arab conflict; and WHEREAS, a comprehensive settlement must be based on the commitment of all parties to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the others and to co-exist in peace and justice with their neighbors; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1982 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the United States Government to adopt the following guiding policies in its efforts to help achieve a comprehensive settlement and to normalize United States relations with all of the Middle East’s peoples: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Faithful support for the legitimacy, independence, and security of Israel; Recognition of a Palestinian right of self-determination, including a right to establish a state; Condemnation of all acts of terror, disproportionate reprisal, and attacks on civilian populations; Continued opposition to the creation and maintenance of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and continued commitment to the United Nations Resolution 242 under which Israel should withdraw from lands conquered in 1967 and under which its right to security within its 1967 borders should be assured; and 5. Urgent efforts to end the Middle East arms race.

BEIRUT MASSACRE — OCTOBER 1983

(BD)

The Board expresses its sorrow at the death of scores of United States Marines and French soldiers stationed in Lebanon to keep peace. We extend our sympathy to the loved ones of those killed and injured. The Board deplores the action of terrorists in Beirut against the multi-national force and the grievous loss of American, French and perhaps Lebanese lives but urges the President and Congress to decide against unilateral action in this crisis and to proceed through agreement with other parties in the multi-national force.

International Peace and Conflict - page 38 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

“CATHOLIC BISHOPS PASTORAL ON WAR, ARMAMENTS, AND PEACE” — JANUARY 1983

(BD)

The Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association commends the National Conference of Catholic Bishops for its ground-breaking pastoral letter on “War, Armaments, and Peace” and, in particular, associates itself with the Bishops’ declaration of the immorality of nuclear war and joins the Bishops in encouraging the United States “to take some independent initiatives, beyond those already taken, to reduce some of the gravest dangers (of nuclear war) and to encourage a constructive Society response.” The Board notes that the Bishops define “independent initiatives” as “carefully chosen limited steps which the United States could take for a defined period with the Bishops that “certain risks are required today to help free the world from bondage to nuclear deterrence . . . .”; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That a majority of the UUA Board of Trustees reaffirms the General Assemblies’ opposition to draft registration and conscription by calling upon the US Congress to reject the President’s request for a supplemental appropriation to commence registration of American youth for military service and calls upon Unitarian Universalists to urge their Senators and Members of Congress to oppose appropriations for draft registration.

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE U.S. ACADEMY OF PEACE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION — 1983

(GEN)

WHEREAS, in recognition that peaceful conflict resolution is essential to the continuation of Life on Planet Earth, and that such concepts and skills can be learned; and WHEREAS, the 1980 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association supported the concept of a National Academy of Peace and Conflict Resolution; and WHEREAS, the report of the Commission on Proposals for the National Academy of Peace and Conflict Resolution was presented to the President of the United States and the Senate and House of Representatives on October 20, 1981; and WHEREAS, the United States Academy of Peace has three major objectives: 1. To perform and assist research about international peace and peace making; 2. To educate and train, directly and indirectly, persons across the nation from government, private enterprise, and voluntary associations about international peace and peace making skills; and 3. To establish an information service in the field of peace learning; and WHEREAS, bills to establish the National Academy of Peace will again be introduced in both houses of Congress; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1983 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms its continuing commitment to the establishment of the National Academy of Peace and whatever other sound institutions and programs can be devised to rid ourselves, our communities and the world community of the tyranny of violence and the legacy of destruction which it brings; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges its appropriate UUA staff and member societies in the United States to familiarize themselves with the Peace Academy Commission’s Report and the pending legislation in order to enable them to present to the President and the Congress an informed case for enacting legislation.

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HALTING THE ARMS RACE — 1983

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the arms race continues unabated; and WHEREAS, ever-growing numbers of North Americans are expressing their desire to end the arms race by voting for nuclear arms freeze referenda, signing petitions and other activities; and WHEREAS, the policy of deterrence has led to a constantly growing competition between the US and the USSR to equal or surpass each other as new weapon systems are introduced, thus intensifying the arms race; and WHEREAS, other religious organizations are taking formal stands in opposition to the nuclear arms race; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1983 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, reaffirming its commitment to end the arms race, urges the United States Congress to: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Persuade the President to initiate serious disarmament discussions with the USSR; and Defeat appropriation bills for the MX and Pershing II missiles; and Pass a bilateral and verifiable Nuclear Weapons Freeze resolution; and Take all other necessary action to end the arms race, including support for the United Nations World Disarmament Campaign; and 5. Continuing from the McCloy-Zhorin agreements of 1961, initiate talks aimed at replacing armed threats and confrontation with serious negotiation between the US and the USSR to attain peaceful coexistence without regard to ideological differences.

International Peace and Conflict - page 40 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

NUCLEAR FREEZE — 1983

(GEN)

WHEREAS, full-scale war would cause the loss of hundreds of millions of lives and the destruction of all major cities in the countries involved — perhaps the entire northern hemisphere; and WHEREAS, there is presently no real defense against nuclear attack; and WHEREAS, such a war can be suddenly, accidentally and unintentionally precipitated; and WHEREAS, the nuclear arsenals of both the United States and the Soviet Union have the capacity to destroy all human life many times over; and WHEREAS, the relative nuclear strengths of the United States and the Soviet Union are sufficiently equivalent that neither nation would gain an overwhelming advantage from a nuclear freeze; and WHEREAS, the development of new weapons, ostensibly for purely defensive purposes, destabilized the precarious balance of threat and deterrence, thereby escalating both further technological competition and the likelihood of war; and WHEREAS, adequate methods exist for monitoring compliance with nuclear treaties, i.e., it is possible to monitor certain gross strategic weapons treaty violations by overt means and by use of limited International Inspection Teams, and clandestine operations now employed by both sides can detect gross tactical weapons treaty violations; and WHEREAS, a freeze on testing, production and deployment of nuclear weapons could release tax funds and scientific talent for pursuit of projects to improve the global human condition; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1983 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, prompted by study of the basic facts, as nearly as they can be ascertained by civilians — foreign and domestic propaganda notwithstanding — recommends that the intent of Senate Joint Resolution 2 be adopted by the US government as official policy: “As an immediate arms control objective, the United States and the Soviet Union should pursue a complete halt to the nuclear arms race; decide when and how to achieve a mutual and verifiable freeze on the testing, production, and further deployment of nuclear warheads, missiles and other delivery systems; and give special attention to destabilizing weapons whose deployment would make such a freeze more difficult to achieve. Proceeding from this freeze, the United States and the Soviet Union should pursue major, mutual and verifiable reductions in nuclear warheads, missiles and other delivery systems, through annual percentages of equally effective means, in a manner that enhances stability.” BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly asks members of its local societies to work for the adoption of this measure and to cooperate with leaders and members of other denominations and faiths as follows; 1. Continue education on the issue of the nuclear arms race; and 2. Encourage citizen action, including witness, to members of Congress through letters, phone calls, visits and working in the community to achieve freeze endorsements.

International Peace and Conflict - page 41 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

U.S. NON-INTERVENTION IN NICARAGUA — 1983

(GEN)

WHEREAS, bills were introduced in the US Congress in March and April of 1983 to cut off funding for military and paramilitary operations directed against Nicaragua; and WHEREAS, a groundswell of public support is needed for passage of such pending legislation and to forestall efforts to overthrow governments either by covert stratagem or by overt military action; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1983 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association supports Congressional efforts to prohibit US support for military or paramilitary operations in Central America directed against Nicaragua and opposes any overt or covert attempts to overthrow the government in Nicaragua.

WORLD CITIZEN’S CALL — JANUARY 1983

(BD)

WHEREAS, any use of nuclear weapons is likely to touch off a holocaust in which the continuance of all human life would be put at risk; and WHEREAS, nuclear arms race negotiations to date have produced rules for ever increasing escalation and proliferation of the production of nuclear weapons; and WHEREAS, the extinction of the human race by nuclear war will not be prevented unless we, the ordinary citizens of this planet, accept responsibility for halting and reversing the nuclear arms race to omnicide; and WHEREAS, placing the arms race issue on the ballot in Canada and the United States has engaged the people and their leaders in unprecedented national debate on the means for halting and reversing the arms race; THEREFORE: We, the citizens of the Earth, call on the United Nations, our respective governments, and leaders in every field of endeavor to support three steps to prevent nuclear war and leading to balanced world disarmament: 1. A USA-USSR bilateral freeze on the testing, production and deployment of all nuclear weapons and systems for their delivery by means that are verifiable by both super powers and the United Nations as the first step of a balanced program of universal, general disarmament; 2. A worldwide referendum on the above proposal using a ballot wording established by the United Nations General Assembly and to be conducted in each nation by its own government (or private institutions) by a date specified; and 3. A worldwide education campaign preceding the referendum on the dangers of nuclear war occurring, the consequences of nuclear war and the present arms race, and proposals for the prevention of nuclear war and the reversal of the arms race.

International Peace and Conflict - page 42 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

INFLUENCING THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TO STOP THE ARMS RACE — 1984

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the rapidly escalating arms race threatens humanity with extinction; and WHEREAS, the arms race has continued to escalate under past and present United States government administrations; and WHEREAS, we can best influence the government through our choice of elected representatives; and WHEREAS, past General Assemblies have expressed opposition to the arms race; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1984 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association requests the staff to examine the voting records of members of Congress on nuclear arms issues, such as the nuclear freeze and the MX missile, and that this information be disseminated to all UUA societies in the United States; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly requests that a letter signed by the UUA leadership be sent to all 1984 Presidential candidates stressing three points: 1. The UUA is gravely concerned over the threat posed by the nuclear arms race; and 2. The UUA feels that our government is, in part, responsible for the continued escalation of the arms race; and 3. The UUA has described to its members the voting records of members of Congress on nuclear arms issues. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That local societies and/or their members be encouraged to send copies of the letter to Congressional and Senatorial candidates in their districts, adding sentiments which they may feel appropriate.

International Peace and Conflict - page 43 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

JOINT DECLARATION PEACE INITIATIVE — 1984

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the heads of the governments of India, Mexico, Tanzania, Sweden, Greece and Argentina have undertaken jointly to intercede with the five major nuclear powers to secure agreements on a mutual, verifiable freeze on the testing, production and deployment of nuclear weapons and systems for their delivery, as the first stage of global disarmament; and WHEREAS, this Joint Declaration is consistent both with the December 1983 United Nations General Assembly call for a freeze, and with resolutions previously passed by the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1984 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association commend the signers of the Joint Declaration, and invite UUA President O. Eugene Pickett so to inform the “Parliamentarians for World Order,” requesting that they extend the Assembly’s commendations to the Declaration’s signators; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly calls on all Unitarian Universalist congregations to send similar letters of support, to publicize, and to urge other community organizers in their areas to do likewise.

NO FIRST USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS — 1984

(GEN)

WHEREAS, responsible scientists testify that the present stockpile of nuclear weapons, if used, could put an end to all human life; and WHEREAS, any use of nuclear weapons, even in response to an attack by conventional weapons, could quickly escalate to an all-out nuclear war; and WHEREAS, respected government leaders, scientists, military strategists and clergy agree that a United States pledge of NO FIRST USE would be a significant step toward easing world tensions; and WHEREAS, continued pursuit and refinement of the first use option, and research and development of first strike weapons, could encourage preemptive nuclear attacks; and WHEREAS, continued refusal of the US to make a pledge of NO FIRST USE will increase international tensions and make nuclear war more likely, and will continue to harm the US stature regarding its moral position; and WHEREAS, it would be indefensibly immoral for any country to use nuclear weapons; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1984 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1) urges the President to declare that it shall be the policy of the US to renounce the first use of all nuclear weapons, and to conclude treaties with all nations renouncing the first use of all nuclear weapons; and 2) urges the Washington office of the Association and member societies to lobby for congressional passage of H.J. Res. 393 by local representatives (or subsequent legislation covering this concept).

International Peace and Conflict - page 44 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

STOP SPACE WEAPONS: RESUME SPACE COOPERATION — 1984

(GEN)

WHEREAS, satellites perform many beneficial services to humanity including hurricane warning, crop forecasting, resource surveys, business communications and scientific exploration; and WHEREAS, satellites also perform important military communication functions including surveillance of military maneuvers and verification of arms control and arms limitation agreements and treaties; and WHEREAS, the functions providing military confidence also cause satellites to be prime targets for adversaries in periods of mounting tension; and WHEREAS, both the United States and the Soviet Union are developing and testing antisatellite (ASAT) weapons that will pose a threat to the other country’s vital satellites, a condition that could lead to nuclear war; and WHEREAS, the President’s proposed “Star Wars” program would be astronomically expensive, dangerous and subject to relatively simple counter measures; and WHEREAS, the deployment of anti-satellite weapons may violate the 1972 ABM Treaty; and WHEREAS, the Soviets submitted to the United Nations draft treaties calling for a prohibition on the stationing of weapons of any kind in outer space, to which the United States has not responded; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1984 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the President of the United States to declare it shall be the policy of the United States to: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Refrain from putting weapons in space; Work toward international treaties to keep space accessible to all nations and free of weapons; Promote cooperation among the nations in the peaceful exploration and use of space; and Negotiate in good faith with the USSR toward a balanced, mutually verifiable ban on deployment of, development of and research on anti-satellite weapons and capabilities.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly requests the UUA Washington Office to promote passage of pending bills and resolutions addressing these specific concerns.

CONDEMNATION OF KNAPSACK NUCLEAR WEAPONS — 1985

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the detonation of even a single nuclear weapon may set off a nuclear holocaust; and WHEREAS, so-called knapsack nuclear devices made in the United States have been deployed among troops in Western Europe; and WHEREAS, such weapons pose a serious threat to the security of the world, either from accidents or misuse by troops in the field or from theft by terrorists; and WHEREAS, the production, distribution, and possession of such weapons should be eliminated; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1985 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association condemns the existence and deployment of knapsack nuclear devices; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly requests that prohibition of these weapons be included in arms-control negotiations with other nations. International Peace and Conflict - page 45 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

MUTUAL COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR TEST BAN — 1985

(GEN)

WHEREAS, regular and rigorous testing of any nuclear weapon is needed to ensure that it will work as planned in a war; and WHEREAS, underground nuclear explosions permit scientists to test new nuclear weapons and to increase the destructive capabilities of existing nuclear weapons; and WHEREAS, all weapons begin to deteriorate at a certain age, and reliability is ensured by test firing a representative sample; and WHEREAS, lessening of confidence in weapons reliability (if testing is forbidden) discourages either side from contemplating a preemptive “first strike” nuclear attack (since such an attack requires absolute certainty that the weapons will work as designed); and WHEREAS, a total nuclear explosions ban would stop development of new, more devastating, and “usable” nuclear weapons such as those with reduced response time and increased potential for accidental firing; and WHEREAS, compliance with such a ban can be reliably certified by national technical means; and WHEREAS, over time, such a ban will result in a sharp reduction in the number of weapons fully ready for war; and WHEREAS, worldwide end to all nuclear explosions would slow nuclear proliferation; and WHEREAS, detrimental health effects, particularly to infants, do result from the fallout from nuclear weapons testing, even from the venting of underground testing; and WHEREAS, international research now indicates that the use of even a small portion of the existing stockpiles could cause a nuclear winter; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1985 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the United States to enter into a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty with the USSR and all other countries of the world; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly requests the Washington Office for Social Justice of the Association and the Social Responsibility Committees of member congregations in the United States and Canada to lobby on behalf of federal legislation implementing these concerns.

International Peace and Conflict - page 46 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

NUCLEAR FREE ZONE — OCTOBER 1985

(GEN)

AFFIRMING: Our conviction that serving life demands the selfless promotion of peace, the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association has resolved to seek an end to the nuclear arms race on no less than thirty (30) occasions since its first assembly in 1961. BELIEVING: That humankind is free to choose life, we denounce the blasphemy against life which is represented by the development, production, deployment and threatened use of nuclear weapons. PLEDGING: In our religious principles, to protect the “. . . Earth and interdependence of its living system” we choose to create hope and the vision of a better world. We fulfill this pledge through our efforts to abolish all nuclear weapons from the face of the earth. APPLAUDING: The international treaties which have established Nuclear Free Zones in South America, Antarctica, outer space and the seabed, and being inspired by the Nuclear Free Zone ordinances and resolutions of hundreds of municipalities and churches in England, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and the United States; WE DECLARE: All property of the Unitarian Universalist Association to be a NUCLEAR FREE ZONE and we encourage all those who use these properties to denounce the use or threatened use of nuclear weapons by individuals, groups, or nation states. FURTHER: We invite and encourage all other denominational and religious bodies in North America and throughout the world to join us in declaring their properties Nuclear Free Zones. AND FINALLY: W e invite all Unitarian Universalist Congregations and Organizations to declare their property Nuclear Free Zones and thereafter register with the UUA as Abolitionist Congregations/Organizations committed to: 1. Ending the testing, production, deployment, use or threatened use of nuclear weapons; 2. Promoting, where possible, Nuclear Free Zones in their communities and municipalities; 3. Considering how to contribute meaningfully to the Abolitionist cause, whether by educational or legislative programs, public protest, or non-violent civil disobedience; 4. Exploring the links between the human and monetary costs of the arms race and the existence of poverty and social injustice throughout the world; and 5. Financially supporting the Unitarian Universalist Peace Network and its sponsoring organizations’ efforts to effectively apply moral and political pressure for peace and nuclear disarmament.

RESOLUTION ON CENTRAL AMERICA — JANUARY 1985

(BD)

VOTED: That the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association states its endorsement of the US interfaith peacemaking campaign of resistance to military intervention in Central America which seeks to register publicly, in an orderly fashion, the opposition of large segments of the American public to such intervention. We join with other church bodies in support of those individuals who choose to support the legal protest pledge:

International Peace and Conflict - page 47 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORT FOR A GREAT PEACE MARCH FOR NUCLEAR SANITY — 1985

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the nuclear arms race has brought over 50,000 nuclear weapons into the world’s arsenals, weapons which threaten all life; and WHEREAS, these stockpiles continue to grow at an alarming rate; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association and its member societies have historically been staunch advocates of military sanity and world peace; and WHEREAS, the Great Peace March of 5,000 people marching from Los Angeles to New York to Washington, DC, from March through November, 1986, planned by PRO-Peace (People Reaching Out for Peace) offers a rare opportunity to inspire people around the world to commit to the goal of multilateral nuclear disarmament through massive citizen involvement; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1985 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association endorses the Great Peace March of PRO-Peace as a way to work toward our vision of a world at peace, free from the terror of unbridled weapons of unfathomable destructive power; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges the districts and local societies of this Association to support the Great Peace March through volunteer involvement and financial contributions.

UUA PROTEST OF US CENTRAL AMERICAN INTERVENTION — 1985

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the United States government’s policies in regard to Central America, especially Nicaragua and El Salvador, pose the possibility of increased military aid or intervention; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has been consistently opposed to such activities; and WHEREAS, numerous Unitarian Universalist societies have been protesting such activities; and WHEREAS, members of the Unitarian Universalist societies may feel the need to protest such activities as a matter of conscience; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1985 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Social Responsibility Section: 1. To contact the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Unitarian Universalist Peace Network, American Friends Service Committee, Pax Christi, Mobilization for Survival and other groups opposing and protesting such military action, seeking ways of cooperating and acting jointly with them; and 2. To provide a clearinghouse for information and to disseminate it on a continuing basis to our churches and fellowships; and 3. To cooperate with other groups in establishing a helping network, including legal referrals to assist those individuals engaged in nonviolent direct action and legal vigils; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That, if the United States commits an act of war, sends combat troops or otherwise significantly escalates its intervention in Central America, especially in Nicaragua or El Salvador, this Assembly urges the Association to protest publicly such action alone or in concert with others.

International Peace and Conflict - page 48 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

MAINTAINING THE SALT II AND ABM TREATIES — 1986

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the 1986 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association is: 1. SHOCKED by President Reagan’s announcement on May 27, 1986 that the United States would no longer be bound by the provisions of the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT II); 2. FEARFUL that the opponents of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty within the Reagan Administration will succeed in their efforts to abandon the treaty in order to pursue the Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars) program; 3. AWARE that existing agreements have provided a valuable framework and meaningful limitations on some of the most threatening nuclear weapons systems and that in their absence the nuclear arms race would rapidly escalate; 4. GRATEFUL to preceding General Assemblies that in accordance with our religious principles have: a. Supported the goal of total universal disarmament under control (’61); b. Endorsed the ratification of the SALT II treaty (’79); c. Opposed development of Anti-Ballistic defense systems (’69); d. Called for a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (’61 ff.); e. Urged independent initiatives that would renounce the “first use” of nuclear weapons and supported a moratorium on all nuclear testing (’77); f. Called for a bilateral nuclear weapons freeze (’81 ff.); g. Encouraged a ban on deployment, development and research of anti-satellite weapons (’84); and h. Supported a prohibition on putting weapons in space (’84); THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1986 General Assembly: 1. Urges the President of the United States to continue to comply with the 1979 Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty and the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty; 2. Calls upon Unitarian Universalists in the United States to immediately share this resolution with their Senators and Congresspersons and to ask for their support of binding legislation that would prohibit the United States from exceeding the limits of the 1979 SALT II agreement or the provisions of the 1972 ABM Treaty; 3. Calls upon Unitarian Universalists in Canada to contact their Members of Parliament and the Prime Minister of Canada to ask that the government of Canada apply all possible pressure on the government of the United States to assure compliance with the SALT II Treaty and the ABM Treaty; and 4. Encourages societies and/or individual members to support and participate in the peace and nuclear disarmament programs and actions of the Unitarian Universalist Peace Network and its sponsoring organizations.

International Peace and Conflict - page 49 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CALL FOR “IRAN/CONTRA” IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS — 1987

(RIW)

WHEREAS, the United States Congressional hearings concerning the “Iran/Contra affair” have revealed apparent disregard by the Reagan administration for the United States Constitutional processes, a violation by this administration of laws passed by the United States Congress, and interference in the affairs of sovereign nations; and WHEREAS, we Unitarian Universalists in the United States stand in a proud tradition that respects and upholds the Constitution of the United States; and WHEREAS, the United States Constitution prescribes a specific process for use when leaders of its government may have violated the sacred trust which the people have invested in them; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1987 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association commends the Senate and House of Representatives for their investigation of “Iran/Contra” matters; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this General Assembly urges in the strongest possible terms that the United States Congress broaden its investigation of illegal interventions into the internal affairs of other nations; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this General Assembly calls for the President and the Vice President of the United States to be investigated by the United States House of Representatives for crimes against democracy which would justify trial by the Senate and warrant conviction should guilt be established; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That this General Assembly strongly urges its United States member societies to communicate this resolution to their elected representatives, and to seek similar action by other citizen groups.

International Peace and Conflict - page 50 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST UNITED NATIONS OFFICE — 1987

(RIW)

WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalist Association principles, especially those concerning (1) the inherent worth and dignity of every person; (2) justice, equity and compassion in human relationships; and (3) the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all (UUA Principles: Art. II, Sec. c-2.1, lines 13, 21-22) and the purposes of the United Nations as stated in the United Nations Charter are closely parallel; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (“UU-UNO”) provides educational programs and services as a direct means for individual Unitarian Universalists and Unitarian Universalist congregations to be informed about and to support the work of the United Nations; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association in its 1970 financial crisis, found it necessary to cut funding of a number of denominational programs, including the UU-UNO; and WHEREAS, the UU-UNO, an Associate Member of the UUA, continues to function as an important part of the UU community, providing programs and services not otherwise offered; and WHEREAS, the UU-UNO raises all necessary operating funds, relying on its members (individuals and societies) to finance this work; and WHEREAS, financial support of UU-UNO by the UUA would reaffirm the UUA’s recognition of the efforts of the UU-UNO in working for peace and justice for all members of the world community; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1987 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the UUA Board of Trustees to grant funds to the UU-UNO to assist it in providing services to the UU Community.

International Peace and Conflict - page 51 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORT VETERANS’ PEACE CONVOY AND JUSTICE FOR THE PEOPLE OF NICARAGUA — 1988

(RIW)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists are guided by a vision of world community with peace and justice for all and are especially concerned with the survival and welfare of children worldwide; WHEREAS, the United States embargo on Nicaragua has resulted in shortages of food, medical supplies, and clothing, and threatened the well-being of the children of Nicaragua; and WHEREAS, a Veterans' Peace Convoy of 41 vehicles bearing thousands of dollars worth of food, medical supplies, and clothing for delivery to the children of Nicaragua was refused permission by the United States government to depart from the United States in June 1988, citing the existing embargo as a reason; and WHEREAS, the breakdown of peace talks between the Nicaraguan government and the armed rebels known as "Contras" has led to renewed demands to Congress to renew military aid that will prolong the war and bring further suffering to the people of Nicaragua; and WHEREAS, the President of the United States is being asked by some to pardon defendants who have been charged with illegally supplying arms to the "Contras" in violation of United States laws, and to the harm of citizens of Nicaragua; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1988 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses its support for: 1. The mission of the Veterans' Peace Convoy; 2. Using negotiation to end the war; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1988 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses its opposition to: 1. Any further military aid to the "Contras;" 2. Any presidential pardon to defendants on trial in the Iran/Contra affair; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1988 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon its United States congregations and individual members to: 1.Petition the President of the United States and the Treasury Department to allow the veterans to proceed with their convoy to Nicaragua; 2. Petition their legislators to support legislation lifting the embargo against Nicaragua; and 3.Petition their legislators to reject any further military appropriations for the "Contras" and actively seek a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Nicaragua; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the 1988 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association requests that President Schulz and his administration communicate this resolution to Unitarian Universalist congregations, the media, President Reagan and members of Congress.

International Peace and Conflict - page 52 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ECONOMIC CONVERSION FOR PEACE AND HUMAN NEEDS — 1989

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists are committed to promoting world peace and affirming the worth and dignity of all people; BECAUSE: We support programs to meet human needs for food, shelter, health care, a sustainable environment, education, and fulfilling work in a stable world economy; and BECAUSE: Successive General Assembly resolutions have spoken to issues relating to economic conversion, defined as the orderly redirection of resources now employed in all aspects of weapons manufacture to the rebuilding of civilian industries and the infrastructure to support them; and WHEREAS, human experience has shown that national security requires social justice and a productive economy as well as an adequate national defense force; and WHEREAS, excessive military spending is economically unproductive and a major component of government budget deficits; and WHEREAS, an economy driven by the military-industrial complex exacerbates world tensions and increases the possibility of accidental warfare; and WHEREAS, the war economies of nations divert intellectual and material resources from basic human needs, medical research, educational programs, and transportation systems; and WHEREAS, abrupt, unplanned cessation of military spending or closing of military bases in a community or region results in immediate economic dislocation; and WHEREAS, planned economic conversion will stimulate the world economy, strengthen communities everywhere, and stabilize the work force, thereby enhancing global security; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association endorses national, provincial, state, and local policies and programs that will promote economic conversion by eliminating unnecessary or excessive military expenditures, both at home and abroad; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the United States and Canadian governments be urged to work through the United Nations to provide the interchange of information and experience as to how such conversion can best be accomplished; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the resources made available by this conversion be directed toward creating a more productive and environmentally responsible industrial economy, restoring adequate social programs for all, and achieving global peace; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Encourages local Unitarian Universalist congregations to study the ways and the extent to which Unitarian Universalists as individuals, and congregations through their investments, are dependent on military funding; and 2. Suggests that Unitarian Universalist congregations and area councils stimulate community or area study and planning mechanisms in cooperation with other interests in the community with a view to local planning for economic well-being, reducing the vulnerability associated with excessive reliance on the military economy.

International Peace and Conflict - page 53 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

THE CITIZENS AGENDA FOR COMMON SECURITY AND DISARMAMENT BY THE YEAR 2000—1989

(BD)

WHEREAS, we want the year 2000 to begin a millenium of peace; Whereas, a peaceful world requires the abolition of nuclear weapons and a new approach to international relations based on common security for all countries rather than dangerous attempts at military superority; WHEREAS, we want our children to grow up in a nation and a world where the homeless are housed, the elderly are secure, the unemployed can find work, and poverty, racism and sexism no longer exist; Therefore, the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the President and Congress of the United States to: 1. Redirect national resources away from the military and toward meeting human needs. Fund jobs and housing; 2. Declare a halt to nuclear testing. Negotiate a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Stop funding the Star Wars. Honor existing arms control treaties; 3. Negotiate a 50% reduction in strategic nuclear arms (START Treaty). Halt production and deployment of new nuclear weapons; 4. Negotiate cuts in conventional forces in Europe as a follow-up to the progress achieved in nuclear cuts in the INF Treaty; and 5. Halt military and covert intervention. Respect other countries’ right to self-determination. Strengthen international peace-keeping institutions including the U.N.

KEEP THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS ALIVE — 1990

(RIW)

WHEREAS, the cause of peace in the Middle East will be advanced only when all interested parties have the opportunity to participate in negotiations; WHEREAS, President Bush on June 20, 1990 suspended official dialogue between the United States government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO); and WHEREAS, some Israeli peace leaders and moderate nonviolent Palestinians have warned that the recent suspension of contacts with the PLO will, in the words of Faisal Husseini, peace negotiator and president of the Arab Studies Society, “open the way to another war...No one can bear it. No one can win it. Everyone will be the loser”; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly, while condemning violence by all parties, urges the Bush administration to resume official dialogue immediately with the PLO and all other parties to the Middle East conflict.

International Peace and Conflict - page 54 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

LIFT ALL NON-MILITARY SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ — 1991

(RIW)

WHEREAS, we believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person; and WHEREAS, United Nations’ Resolution 661 imposed economic sanctions on Iraq to force Saddam Hussein to remove his army from Kuwait; and WHEREAS, the United States and Allied forces destroyed the infrastructure of Iraq, killed tens of thousands of people, left the people of Iraq without clean water, electricity, food and medical supplies, and thereby caused extreme public health and environmental problems; and WHEREAS, Iraqi forces have now been withdrawn form Kuwait, and with the assistance of the United States and Canada, Kuwait is beginning to recover from Iraq’s occupation; and WHEREAS, President George Bush and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney stated repeatedly that this was not a war against the Iraqi people, yet it is the people who are suffering; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the l99l General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association requests that President Bush and Prime Minister Mulroney call upon the United Nations to lift all non-military sanctions against Iraq, so the Iraqi people can begin work on the many problems caused by the war; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the l99l General Assembly requests that President Bush and Prime Minister Mulroney take a leadership role in generating an international effort to provide those forms of emergency relief that may be immediately necessary to prevent further avoidable suffering and loss of life.

International Peace and Conflict - page 55 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

REDIRECTING ECONOMIC RESOURCES TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY — 1991

(GEN)

RECOGNIZING: The inherent worth and dignity of every human being; and BELIEVING: That poverty deprives people of the basic dignity which is the right of every person; and WHEREAS, wars and governmental emphasis on military spending distort national economies, damage social structures, undermine democratic institutions, and lead to the deterioration of environments; and WHEREAS, such losses produce growing poverty at home and throughout the world community; and WHEREAS, the hope that long-term international social and political changes would motivate the United States to withdraw from intrusive foreign entanglements and to reduce military spending has been blunted by our experience of the war in the Persian Gulf; and WHEREAS, this war has made clear the scope and intensity with which the resources of the United States can be brought to bear on a project given priority by the government; and WHEREAS proposals for action which could effectively alleviate poverty, malnutrition, and hunger at home and abroad are more likely to receive funding as a result of active lobbying and civil action; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association encourage its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists everywhere to study the underlying causes of poverty and the means by which Unitarian Universalists may act most effectively to alleviate poverty and its social consequences; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association encourage its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States to advocate that their government cut military expenditures at least 5% per year from fiscal year 1990 budget levels with the goal of 50% reduction, the monies so released to be allocated for alleviation of domestic and global poverty and its social consequences; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association encourage its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States, the Unitarian Universalist Association Washington Office, and other affiliated organizations to urge all candidates for public office to pledge to use their influence to achieve this 50% goal.

International Peace and Conflict - page 56 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

U.S. MISSILE ATTACK ON IRAQ — 1993

(RIW)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person and the goal of world community and peace; and WHEREAS, the nation of Iraq is alleged to have ignored such values in attempting to bring about the assassination of former United States President George Bush, and we abhor such provocation; and WHEREAS, President Bill Clinton authorized an attack on Iraq with cruise missiles, executed on June 26, 1993, thereby escalating tensions in the Middle East and the Gulf region; THEREFORE BE IT KNOWN: That we, as representatives of member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, grieve the deaths resulting from this attack; and BE IT RESOLVED: That we condemn the Iraqi intelligence agency’s alleged attempt to kill former President George Bush, but we also condemn the degree of armed force used in response by the United States; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That while acknowledging the differing moral positions among our members about the use of military force for political goals, we urge all members of our congregations to recommit themselves, in word and deed, to the building of world peace through non-violent actions.

RESTRICT ARMS SALES AND TRANSFERS — 1994

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person and the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; and WHEREAS, there are profound questions about the ethics and legality of arms sales and transfers, particularly under conditions of war or conflict; and WHEREAS, the United States is the world’s largest weapons purveyor; and WHEREAS, the United Nations Security Council has established a Register on Conventional Arms and a number of countries are reporting arms sales and transfers; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the United States government to enact and abide by a policy of arms restraint requiring the United States to refrain from selling or giving weapons to any government that: 1. Abuses human rights; 2. Initiates aggression against either its own people or other nations; or 3. Undermines international efforts to control arms; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the United States government to seek agreements from other nations to enact and abide by similar policies of arms restraint; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association calls for prohibiting United States foreign economic aid from being used for the purchase of weapons; BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the United States government to develop and implement strategies to phase out the economy’s reliance on the sale and transfer of arms. International Peace and Conflict - page 57 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

STOPPING VIOLENCE IN BOSNIA — 1995

(RIW)

WHEREAS, the civil wars in the Balkans have created great atrocities against civilians and particularly women, we condemn these internationally unlawful acts and the warfare between peoples and support the World Court and the United Nations to act in the most effective way to restrain these acts and the war and to bring peace there.

International Peace and Conflict - page 58 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

BANNING LANDMINES-SAVING LIVES — 1997

(AIW)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists are people of conscience who believe in peace, liberty, social justice, and the democratic process for the achievement of these goals; and WHEREAS, there are estimated to be 110 million anti-personnel landmines in the ground in 68 countries (few of which are at war), and approximately 30,000 men, women, and children are killed or maimed by such mines every year; and WHEREAS, at 1997 rates of funding and mine clearance, it will take 1,100 years to remove existing mines; and WHEREAS, landmines also a) have disastrous economic costs, preventing the return of the land to agricultural production, b) impose prohibitive medical costs on the world’s poorest economies, and c) preclude the development of infrastructure and industry which a developing nation requires to be integrated into the world community; and WHEREAS, at least 30 United States companies have not yet responded to an appeal to forego any further production of component landmine parts; and WHEREAS, a few nations have prevented the United Nations Committee on Disarmament from producing a global ban on landmines, while in the same time period more than 800 non-governmental organizations as diverse as the International Red Cross, the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, and Church World Service have formed the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and rallied at least 111 governments worldwide to endorse a complete landmines ban treaty; and WHEREAS, on June 10, 1997, Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Chuck Hagel, and 55 bipartisan co-sponsors introduced S. 896, the Landmines Elimination Act of 1997, which would ban new deployments of antipersonnel landmines by the United States beginning in the year 2000; and WHEREAS, owing to the leadership of Canadian Minister of External Affairs Lloyd Axworthy, more than 120 nations will meet in Ottawa, Canada, in December 1997, to sign an international treaty to coordinate global efforts to eradicate landmines and a complete ban now seems within reach; and WHEREAS the Canadian initiative has been supported in a letter to President Clinton by Rep. Lane Evans, Rep. Ray Lahood, and 162 other members of Congress, but the United States has not yet agreed to participate in the Ottawa conference; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1997 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls on member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States to urge President Clinton and the United States government to play an active leadership role at the Ottawa Conference to Ban Landmines to secure a global ban on the production, use, export, and storage of antipersonnel landmines and the allocation of significant resources to mine clearance operations and victim assistance; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1997 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Association to: 1. Affirm its support for S. 896, the Landmine Elimination Act of 1997, and corresponding antilandmine legislation in the US House of Representatives; 2. In keeping with our present interfaith cooperation 12 initiative, support our own Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office as it joins with other socially conscious religious people in strengthening grassroots support for the Ottawa process; 3. Contribute to international demining efforts by pairing interested Unitarian Universalist groups in the United States and Canada with groups in mine-affected zones in developing nations; (Continued on International Peace and Conflict – 60)

International Peace and Conflict - page 59 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

BANNING LANDMINES-SAVING LIVES (Continued from International Peace and Conflict – 59)

4. Use its existing publications to publicize the availability of United Nations Association USA information packet on anti-personnel landmines and recommend its use on United Nations Sunday or another event between September and December, 1997, as a specific resource for carrying out this resolution; and 5. Identify the firms currently engaged in the manufacture, sale, or distribution of landmines so that persons may take the appropriate actions they deem necessary to inform those firms of their disapproval.

International Peace and Conflict - page 60 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CLOSE THE U.S. ARMY SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS — 1998

(AIW)

WHEREAS, the United States Army School of the Americas (SOA) at Fort Benning, GA, has provided training for over 59,000 Latin American military personnel, and is currently training hundreds of such soldiers per year at an annual cost to the United States taxpayers of nearly 20 million dollars. This training includes counter-insurgency tactics that have resulted in the assassination of religious leaders, labor organizers, and human rights advocates, and the massacre of thousands of unnamed poor; and WHEREAS, in September 1996, the Pentagon released seven training manuals used by the SOA throughout the 1980s recommending interrogation techniques including torture, execution, blackmail, and the arrest of relatives; and WHEREAS, in a February 12, 1998, report, the Latin American Working Group, a project of the National Council of Churches, revealed severe, ongoing problems in curriculum oversight at the SOA and a complete lack of monitoring of SOA graduates; and WHEREAS, since the 1994 uprising in Chiapas, Mexico has had the highest number of Latin American military personnel receiving United States military training; and, concurrently, Representative Joseph Kennedy’s January 12, 1998, “Dear Colleague” letter directly linked SOA graduates to the December 22, 1997, massacre in Chiapas; and, in addition, Amnesty International reports that throughout 1997 the Mexican Army committed “widespread human rights violations” during their operations in Chiapas; and WHEREAS, twenty-five United States citizens, including five Unitarian Universalists, have been arrested and imprisoned for petitioning for the closing of the SOA, yet SOA graduate officers cited by the United Nations Truth Commission for atrocities in El Salvador have not been imprisoned; and WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey has passed a resolution urging the President and Congress of the United States to support the closure of the SOA; and WHEREAS, the Faith in Action Department of the Unitarian Universalist Association has issued a statement of support for the protesters, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee has passed a resolution on February 22, 1998, to close the SOA, and numerous other religious groups representing many denominations have called for the closure of the SOA; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1998 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges individual Unitarian Universalists, member congregations, and the Unitarian Universalist Association to urge their Congressional representatives to co-sponsor H.R. 611 or S. 980 (or to commend them if they already have), advocate for its immediate passage, and take all other appropriate action to secure the closure of the SOA and the cessation of all operations and programs therein or in any other location; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1998 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association requests the President of the United States to grant immediate and total clemency for all persons imprisoned for their peaceful participation in protests to close the SOA; and FINALLY, BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1998 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association requests a congressional investigation to determine the accountability of those persons who ordered, prepared, and distributed the SOA torture manuals in direct defiance of the United States and international law.

International Peace and Conflict - page 61 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM — 2000

(AIW)

BECAUSE: We as Unitarian Universalists strongly affirm the high ideal of a peaceful world community, recognizing the crucial interdependence of all peoples as well as of all creation; WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Defense is working on a National Missile Defense system for North America, following in the tradition of the Strategic Defense Initiatives ("Star Wars") which to date has cost $60 billion by Center of Defense Information estimates; and WHEREAS, President Clinton will be making his decision on whether or not to approve this project this fall; and WHEREAS, the United States government is pressuring the Canadian government, as an ally of the United States, to participate in a National Missile Defense system; and WHEREAS, this system undermines forty years of nuclear arms control, especially the U.S.-Russian AntiBallistic Missile Treaty of 1972, and is likely to provoke Russia and China to reject the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and to engage in a renewed nuclear arms race; and WHEREAS, in response to the proposed National Missile Defense system, nuclear weapons states (such as India, Pakistan, and Israel), as well as many non-nuclear weapons states, are likely to refuse to ratify the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and, in fact, the National Missile Defense System would further promote proliferation of nuclear weapons among nuclear and non-nuclear weapons states; and WHEREAS, NATO allies, particularly France, insist that any ballistic threat must be considered in the context of a broader concern for the international community; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Defense has claimed that the National Missile Defense system is designed to protect against rogue states (such as North Korea, Iran, and Iraq) yet has planned to position missiles on the Russian border in Alaska and Norway; and WHEREAS, the non-military scientific community has pointed out that this system will be ineffective and easily made inoperable, making this project a waste of money; THEREFORE: We, the 2000 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, strongly urge: 1. The United States government to abandon any National Missile Defense system and cease its pressure on the Canadian government to become involved; 2. Members of Unitarian Universalist congregations to write to President Clinton and Prime Minister Chrétien to persuade them not to approve this system; and 3. The Canadian government to reject the United States' pressures to become involved in the system.

International Peace and Conflict - page 62 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

LEGISLATION TO CREATE A DEPARTMENT OF PEACE — 2002

(AIW)

WHEREAS, on July 11, 2001, Congressman Dennis Kucinich introduced H.R. 2459, a bill to create a cabinet-level Department of Peace, which would embody a broad-based approach to peaceful, nonviolent conflict resolution at both domestic and international levels; and WHEREAS, the bill would establish a Secretary of Peace, who would report to the President of the United States; and WHEREAS, the bill would require the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State to consult with the Secretary of Peace regarding non-violent means of conflict resolution prior to initiating any conflict between the United States and any other government or entity; and WHEREAS the bill is comprehensive in scope, establishing the following offices: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Office of Peace Education and Training Office of Domestic Peace Activities Office of International Peace Activities Office of Technology for Peace Office of Arms Control and Disarmament Office of Peaceful Coexistence and Non-violent Conflict Resolution Office of Human Rights and Economic Rights;

WHEREAS, the bill would require the appropriation of one percent (1%) of the defense budget for funding the operations of the Department of Peace; and WHEREAS, the Department of Peace would serve to promote non-violence as an organizing principle in our society and help to create the conditions for a more peaceful world; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates to the 2002 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association pledge to 1. Raise awareness by organizing public programs to occur on dates to be determined by the individual societies but prior to the vote on the bill in Congress; gather support for this legislation in our congregations, youth groups, and local communities by organizing public programs, contacting local media, and joining with local, national, and international organizations to create or support initiatives and programs regarding the passage of H.R. 2459; and 2. Urge Unitarian Universalist congregations and districts to establish a continuing dialogue with their representatives in Congress to support H.R. 2459 and maintain contact with the UUA Washington Office to secure its passage. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the President and Moderator of the Unitarian Universalist Association and the UUA Washington Office support the establishment of the Department of Peace through public witness and other means as they determine appropriate.

International Peace and Conflict - page 63 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SUPPORT THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT — 2002

(AIW)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm and promote the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all and challenge the powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and love; and WHEREAS, the International Criminal Court, as the first permanent international institution to try individuals for the horrendous crimes of genocide, war crimes, and other crimes against humanity, will become a powerful new international instrument to pursue this goal and meet this challenge; and WHEREAS, the International Criminal Court will begin its jurisdiction on July 1, 2002, hold the first session of the Assembly of States Parties in September 2002, and inaugurate its judges in March 2003, and is expected to begin hearings in its first cases in June 2003; and WHEREAS, the United States, by its major role in the establishment and support of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda, recognized the need to prosecute genocide, war crimes, and other crimes against humanity through international courts of law; and WHEREAS, the Rome Statute contains numerous safeguards, including precedence to national courts and prosecutors, thus assuring that Americans who might be charged by the International Criminal Court can be tried under their own legal system; and WHEREAS, the International Criminal Court will apply the rule of law to many types of terrorist acts when terrorism is of primary concern to the United States and the international community; and WHEREAS, the United States, having signed the Rome Statute, which under international law signifies support for the basic concepts and principles of a treaty, on May 6, 2002, officially acted to nullify its signature and formally announced that it will not cooperate with or participate in any activities of the International Criminal Court; and WHEREAS, this action, which is unique in international relations, may result in the United States actively seeking to undermine the International Criminal Court and by this precedent weaken its commitments that support international law; BE IT RESOLVED: That we, the 2002 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, requests the President and Moderator of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. To strongly urge the President of the United States to support and cooperate with the International Criminal Court, 2. To direct the Washington Office of the Unitarian Universalist Association to pursue the International Criminal Court as a priority activity in concert with other non-governmental organizations in Washington; and 3. To communicate this Action of Immediate Witness to the international Unitarian Universalist, Universalist, and Unitarian communities. BE IF FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly urge member congregations 1. To encourage their congregants to press their Representatives and Senators to eliminate legislation opposing the International Criminal Court and to support laws actively promoting it; 2. To call regularly on the United States administration to work closely with the International Criminal Court; and 3. To cooperate locally with other like-minded persons in these efforts and efforts to educate and inform Americans about the importance of the International Criminal Court in establishing the rule of law.

International Peace and Conflict - page 64 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

TOWARD PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST — 2002

(AIW)

BECAUSE: Our Unitarian Universalist Principles call us to affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person, justice and equity in human relations, and the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; and WHEREAS, Rev. William Sinkford, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, has spoken out on the Middle East conflict in a pastoral letter of March 27, 2002, calling for “our congregations to educate themselves on [the] issues and to engage in honest conversation”; and WHEREAS, in 1982 the Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly adopted a General Resolution encouraging a comprehensive peace settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and calling on all parties to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the others; and WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists have supported and affirmed the rule of law and the positive role of the United Nations in building a world community; and WHEREAS, United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 emphasizes “the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war and the need to work for a just and lasting peace,” and other United Nations resolutions have re-affirmed Israel as the “Occupying Power” bound by the Fourth Geneva Convention, “which is applicable to all the Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967"; and WHEREAS, the United States government is responsible for a significant portion of arms sales to this over-armed region, thus furthering its instability; and WHEREAS, the Middle East situation has been deteriorating with increased violence on both sides and increased military oppression; and WHEREAS, United States diplomacy has not led to peace or security for the region; and WHEREAS, the World Conference of Religions for Peace, an organization co-founded by the Unitarian Universalist Association, has responded to requests from the Prime Minister of Israel and the President of the Palestinian Authority by calling for a “religiously sanctioned cease-fire” and recognition of Israel and Palestine as states with secure, internationally recognized borders; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2002 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the following principles as a basis for action by the governments of the United States and Canada: 1. Freedom from occupation and equal rights for all, including the right to exist in peace and security; 2. Opposition to Israeli settlements, land confiscation, house demolitions, and other violations of international law; 3. Opposition to all attacks on civilians, whether by suicide bombers, F-16 or helicopter gunships, or any other means; and 4. Support for a central United Nations role in efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 2002 General Assembly calls on: 1. The Israeli government to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention and international law; 2. Palestinians to immediately stop suicide bombings and all attacks on Israeli civilians; (Continued on International Peace and Conflict – 66) International Peace and Conflict - page 65 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

TOWARD PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST (Continued from International Peace and Conflict – 65) 3. The United States government to: A. “Suspend all transfers of those types of weapons and munitions used to commit human rights violations until Israel is clearly in compliance with the terms for arms transfers as expressed in United States law and bilateral agreements,” as Amnesty International has called for; and B. Work within the United Nations for a just peace that includes two viable secure states, Israel and Palestine, based on the 1967 borders, with mutual relations based on sovereignty and equality; and 4. Our congregations to: A. Become educated on Middle East issues and engage in honest conversation; B. Redouble their efforts for peace based on the goal of justice and human rights for all; C. Support actions of the anti-occupation Israeli peace activists, including Rabbis for Human Rights and the Israeli reserve officers who refuse to serve in the Occupied Territories; D. Encourage Jewish Americans and others who support Israel but oppose its occupation of Palestine; and E. Condemn and oppose expressions and acts of anti-Semitism and acts of terror against Jews, Palestinians, or Arabs and their legitimate institutions wherever they may occur.

International Peace and Conflict - page 66 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

DEPLETED URANIUM MUNITIONS — 2003

(AIW)

WHEREAS, depleted Uranium (DU) is radioactive and toxic and may cause cancer and genetic damage; and WHEREAS, DU is a by-product of uranium enrichment for nuclear weapons and energy production and is used militarily in armor-piercing munitions, bombs, and missiles because its density gives it great armor penetrating power; and WHEREAS, DU explodes on impact to form shrapnel and fine, inhalable dust; and WHEREAS, about 300 metric tons of DU munitions were used in Gulf War I, and an estimated 1,000 metric tons were used in Gulf War II, where it remains in the environment with a radioactive half-life of 4.5 billion years; and WHEREAS, our Gulf War veterans and many residents of Iraq have reported health-related problems, including increased rates of cancers and birth deformities in their children; and WHEREAS, DU exposures have occurred in United States factories producing DU munitions, in the communities surrounding them, and at firing ranges where DU weapons are tested; and WHEREAS, no comprehensive studies of the deleterious health effects of DU on veterans and other affected groups have yet been carried out; and WHEREAS, United States Representative Jim McDermott, a physician, has recently introduced H.R. 1483, the Depleted Uranium Munitions Study Act of 2003, which if passed by Congress, would mandate studies of health effects and of environmental contamination and cleanup; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2003 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association endorses the Depleted Uranium Munitions Study Act and urges all member congregations to do likewise; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 2003 General Assembly requests that the Unitarian Universalist Association communicate the Assembly’s endorsement of the bill to the media and to all members of the United States Congress and that member congregations that endorse the bill communicate their support to their Congressional representatives.

International Peace and Conflict - page 67 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

PUBLIC HEARINGS ON IRAQ — 2003

(AIW)

WHEREAS, the Bush administration has presented distorted and incomplete evidence to the American people, Congress, and the United Nations regarding the national security threat posed by Iraq; and WHEREAS, this evidence included forged documents alleging an attempt by Iraq to purchase uranium in Niger and Secretary of State Colin Powell’s presentation to the United Nations on Iraq’s “weapons of mass destruction” that was used to justify military action; and WHEREAS, recent information in the media reveals that the current United States Administration subverted the analysis and presentation of intelligence on Iraq, resulting in distorted and incomplete evidence about the threat Iraq presented to the United States; and WHEREAS, questions surrounding the reliability of our intelligence on Iraq may make it difficult for other nations to support future actions to confront terror; and WHEREAS, the United States Senate Intelligence Committee is currently holding “closed-door” hearings to examine the accuracy and integrity of intelligence information used to justify the attack on Iraq; and WHEREAS, public access to information and governmental disclosure of procedure and policy is critical to the survival of our democracy and to the credibility of our moral and political influence abroad; THEREFORE: The 2003 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon the United States Congress to conduct open bi-partisan hearings to examine the moral and legal justification for the invasion of Iraq. As Unitarian Universalists committed to the search for truth and the integrity of the democratic process, we call for this immediate action.

International Peace and Conflict - page 68 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

IRAQ: SOVEREIGNTY, THE UNITED NATIONS, AND HUMAN RIGHTS — 2004 (AIW) WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists have long supported human rights, the United Nations, and international law; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has worked within interfaith groups to urge the United States government not to invade Iraq without the concurrence of the Security Council of the United Nations; and WHEREAS, human rights abuses at Abu Ghraib and elsewhere violate the 1949 Geneva Conventions, and legalistic rationalizations of torture by the administration of President George W. Bush are morally unacceptable; and WHEREAS, the opportunity to have influence and impact on the political decisions made for Iraq is at a critical juncture; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates of the 2004 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association support the United Nations process and hold the United States government accountable for its commitments under the recently passed United Nations Security Council Resolution 1546 to transition from occupation to the complete restoration of Iraqi sovereignty. This includes a) respecting the end date for a multinational force in Iraq of no later than December 31, 2005, when a newly elected permanent Iraqi government is to be established, and b) terminating that mandate earlier if requested by Iraqi authorities. In addition, we urge the replacement of current multinational forces where possible by United Nations--authorized peacekeepers gathered from smaller nations with no conflicting interests in Iraq; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that delegates urge the Unitarian Universalist Association and its Office for Advocacy and Witness to: 1. Support a truly sovereign Iraq that controls all sectors of its economy, including oil, and the broad internationalization of the reconstruction of Iraq with continued help from not only the United States but also the entire international community; 2. Urge that the United States adequately compensate families of innocent civilians seriously injured or killed in the war; 3. Call for the United States to comply fully with the Geneva Conventions and all conventions mandating the humane treatment of prisoners of war, enemy combatants, and detainees; 4. Support efforts in Congress to make public the documents and processes involved in prisoner of war and torture decisions and to hold accountable government officials at all levels; 5. Join with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s new campaign against torture and work with our congregations to educate our members about the urgency of abolishing torture; and 6. Urge full cooperation with tribunals held according to international standards to establish accountability for war crimes and violations in Iraq of international occupation law.

International Peace and Conflict - page 69 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

END CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN DARFUR, SUDAN — 2005 (AIW) WHEREAS, the government of Sudan, allied with Janjaweed militias, continues to inflict systematic violence on innocent civilians in Darfur, Sudan, including murder, rape, torture, and destruction of villages; and WHEREAS, these forces systematically rape the women of Darfur, and those who survive are forced to bear the children of their oppressors, and are thus obliged to cooperate in their own ethnic extinction; and WHEREAS, deaths from the conflict are estimated at 300,000 to 400,000 since February 2003;and WHEREAS, roughly two million Darfurians are currently displaced, many living in refugee camps where hunger and disease are rampant; and WHEREAS, according to the World Food Programme, 3.6 million Darfurians, more than half the region’s population, will require aid to survive the “hunger season” (August through October); and WHEREAS, the United States Congress, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and President George W. Bush declared that genocide is occurring in Darfur; and WHEREAS, the United Nations Security Council has referred the conflict to the International Criminal Court; and WHEREAS, the Reverend William Sinkford, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, was arrested on August 26, 2004, in protest at the Embassy of Sudan over genocide in Darfur; and WHEREAS, in March 2005, over 400 Unitarian Universalists, in a joint action of the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, and Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, faxed letters to President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urging action to end the atrocities in Darfur; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association co-sponsored the Save Darfur Rally in Central Park in New York City, at which the Reverend Charles Blustein Ortman of the Unitarian Church of Montclair, New Jersey, and member of the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees delivered a keynote address; and WHEREAS, pressure from the international community has yet to end the atrocities in Darfur; and WHEREAS, the African Union Mission in Sudan, currently the only peacekeeping force in Darfur, lacks the size, resources, and mandate to protect the region’s civilians; and WHEREAS, humanitarian workers in the region continue to be harassed by rebel and government forces; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: By the 2005 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association that Unitarian Universalists should advocate for immediate action to end the crisis in Darfur.

(Continued on International Peace and Conflict – 71)

International Peace and Conflict - page 70 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

END CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN DARFUR, SUDAN (Continued from International Peace and Conflict – 70) BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That, given that the civilian population is at risk and aid workers and International Criminal Court investigators are intimidated and prevented from acting effectively, the 2005 General Assembly endorses United States government legislation that calls for: 1. Support to the African Union, at no charge, to immediately expand its peacekeeping mission in Darfur; 2. United Nations Security Council action to obtain international support for the African Union force; 3. A presidential special envoy to Sudan; 4. Logistical support for the implementation of a no-fly zone over Darfur, provided by a multi-national force, to prevent attacks by the Sudanese government on the people of Darfur;and 5. Complete cooperation with the International Criminal Court; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office support United Nations Secretariat efforts to achieve the necessary Security Council action and to keep Unitarian Universalists informed of current events at the United Nations concerning Darfur; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges similar action on the part of members of the International Council of Unitarian Universalists in those countries that comprise the Security Council.

International Peace and Conflict - page 71 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ENDORSE “THE DECLARATION OF PEACE” CAMPAIGN — 2006

(AIW)

WHEREAS, "The Declaration of Peace" (DOP), a nationwide interfaith, nonviolent campaign launched in May 2006, has been endorsed by over thirty religious and secular organizations; and WHEREAS, the DOP, through a broad international, interfaith consultation process, is developing a concrete, comprehensive plan for a rapid end to the war in Iraq, calling on the United States government to establish a definite timetable and deadline for the complete withdrawal of all U. S. troops, including: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Closing all U. S. bases in Iraq; Supporting an Iraqi-led peace process; Ending U. S. control of the political and economic life of Iraq, including Iraqi oil; Making reparations and supporting reconstruction of this war-torn country; Increasing support for veterans; and Prohibiting so-called “preemptive” war against other nations;

WHEREAS the DOP campaign includes: 1. Systematic lobbying of Congress to bring the troops home, cut off funding for the war, and increase resources for veterans; and 2. Nationally coordinated demonstrations (including Gandhian non-violent actions) if a concrete withdrawal plan is not in place by September 21, 2006, with a commitment to escalate protests until the United States withdraws from Iraq; and WHEREAS, the U. S. war and occupation in Iraq has caused more than 2,500 U. S. deaths, more than 18,254 U. S. wounded, and more than 38,355 Iraqi deaths and has consumed billions of dollars desperately needed for peaceful purposes while intensifying hostilities in the Middle East; and WHEREAS, a growing majority of Americans oppose the war, with hundreds of thousands actively engaged in democratic opposition to it; and WHEREAS, a Zogby poll found that 70 percent of U. S. military in Iraq supported withdrawal within a year and 25 percent wanted an immediate withdrawal; and WHEREAS, those who serve in the armed forces deserve the honor and respect embodied in generous active-duty, veteran, and family benefits, not the inadequate ones currently provided; and WHEREAS, this war has created a context in which atrocities have been committed by small numbers of U. S. military personnel at Abu Ghraib, Haditha, and elsewhere, thereby degrading and further endangering the many honorable U. S. troops who deplore such actions; and WHEREAS, the UUA has consistently joined peacemaking campaigns, which have promoted reconciliation over war, redistribution of wealth over the proliferation of weaponry, and non-violent resistance over acquiescence to militaristic government policies; and WHEREAS, the 2004 UUA General Assembly in Long Beach, California, called, in an Action of Immediate Witness, for U. S. withdrawal from Iraq by the end of 2004, and -- two years later -- withdrawal has not even begun; (Continued on International Peace and Conflict – 73)

International Peace and Conflict - page 72 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ENDORSE “THE DECLARATION OF PEACE” CAMPAIGN (Continued from International Peace and Conflict – 72) THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the UUA General Assembly of 2006: 1. Endorses "The Declaration of Peace” Campaign; 2. Urges all Unitarian Universalist leaders at the international, national, district, and congregational levels to support individual and congregational participation in interfaith campaigns to end U.S. military involvement in Iraq; and 3. Urges all Unitarian Universalists to promote increased support for U. S. military personnel and their families.

International Peace and Conflict - page 73 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

PEACEMAKING — 2006

(CSAI)

UUA Congregational Study/Action Issue 2006-2010 Issue: Should the Unitarian Universalist Association reject the use of any and all kinds of violence and war to resolve disputes between peoples and nations and adopt a principle of seeking just peace through nonviolent means? Background and Reasons for Study: As the human population has increased there has been a corresponding increase in contact between groups of people who were largely isolated from one another in the past. This contact, coupled with differences in politics, religions, moral values, and beliefs as well as economic injustices and competition for resources, have led to countless conflicts around the world. Humankind struggles to achieve peaceful coexistence economically, socially, politically, and spiritually. Significance to Unitarian Universalism: Historically, Unitarian Universalists have agreed with the theory and practice of “just war,” or use of force in self-defense to preserve the life of another person. However, we have also supported peace and disarmament in over eighty resolutions since our merger in 1961. We offer counseling for conscientious objector status. We call on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, the Mahatma Mohandas K. Gandhi, the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Our principles are models for peacemaking yet we act as if violence is more effective than nonviolence in certain situations. As a religious denomination, we need to clarify our position and apply our covenant to affirm and promote the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. Possible Study Questions:  Should we, the Unitarian Universalist Association and member congregations, adopt a specific and detailed “just war” policy to guide our witness, advocacy, and social justice efforts?  Should we, the Unitarian Universalist Association and member congregations, reject violence in any form?  How should we, the Unitarian Universalist Association and member congregations, identify the form of humanitarian intervention we will support in a particular situation?  How might globally cooperative institutions such as the United Nations create and maintain effective conditions for human rights, economic justice, religious tolerance, and sustainable environmental practices?  How do we open our hearts and our congregations to divergent voices on this issue?  What are the hallmarks of peaceful cultures?  What role do human physiology and psychology play in the perpetuation of violence?  What is the role of electronic media and their content in cultural violence?  What successful models exist for the reduction of violence in situations of conflict?  How can we promote peaceful coexistence and eliminate verbal, physical, psychological, and emotional abuse in civic, congregational, family, and personal life?  To what extent, if any, do gun control or gun possession reduce violence? Possible Actions:  Develop and offer curricula on the theology and practice of mediation, peacemaking, nonviolence, and pacifism within our communities.  Advocate for peacemaking initiatives at all levels of government.  Advocate for more support from the United States of America for the United Nations in its work of international peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance.  Participate in nonviolent actions to promote peace including protest, public objection, civil disobedience, non-cooperation, witness, mediation, conflict resolution, and dialogue.

(Continued on International Peace and Conflict – 75)

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PEACEMAKING (Continued from International Peace and Conflict – 74)  Support the work of affiliated and associated organizations of the Unitarian Universalist Association involved in peacemaking, economic justice, human rights, interfaith cooperation, partnership building, conflict resolution, and disarmament.  Join in the worldwide observance of A Season for Nonviolence.  Honor and support the challenges of military and law enforcement personnel and their families. Related Prior Social Witness Statements: Beyond Religious Tolerance: The Challenge of Interfaith Cooperation (SOC 1999); Establishment of the U.S. Academy of Peace and Conflict Resolution (Gen 1983); Sharing in the New Call to Peacemaking (Gen 1979); and Disarmament (Gen 1970).

END THE U.S. OCCUPATION OF IRAQ — 2007 (RR) In response to the statements in President Sinkford's Annual Report, which calls for an end to the U.S. Occupation of Iraq, the delegates of this Assembly recommit to taking action to end the Occupation. We reaffirm the 2004 and 2006 Actions of Immediate Witness regarding Iraq. The 2006 Action of Immediate Witness "Urges all Unitarian Universalist leaders at the international, national, district, and congregational levels to support individuals and congregational participation in interfaith campaigns to end U.S. military involvement in Iraq." BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates of this Assembly reaffirm the goals of the 2004 and 2006 Actions of Immediate Witness regarding Iraq and will take all necessary action to end the U.S. Occupation of Iraq.

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International Peace and Conflict - page 76 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

RACIAL JUSTICE

1961 - Desegregation...................................................................................................... 3 1961 - Public School Integration ..................................................................................... 3 1962 - Civil Rights ........................................................................................................... 4 1964 - Freedom Fund...................................................................................................... 5 1965 - Federal Registrars for Voting ............................................................................... 5 1965 - Mississippi Challenge........................................................................................... 6 1965 - To Bear Witness................................................................................................... 6 1966 - Consensus on Racial Justice ............................................................................... 7 1967 - The American Indian.......................................................................................... 13 1968 - Black Affairs Council .......................................................................................... 13 1968 - National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders.............................................. 14 1968 - Self-Determination for Blacks and Other Ethnic Groups .................................... 14 1969 - Counteracting Institutional Racism..................................................................... 15 1970 - Countering Institutional Racism.......................................................................... 15 1970 - Funding of Black and White Action .................................................................... 16 1970 - Indian Rights ...................................................................................................... 16 1971 - Full Funding of the Black Affairs Council............................................................ 17 1972 - Funding of Programs for Racial Justice ............................................................. 17 1973 - Indian Affairs ...................................................................................................... 17 1975 - Native Americans............................................................................................... 17 1976 - Opposing Extradition of Dennis Banks............................................................... 18 1976 - Racial Bigotry and Busing Issue......................................................................... 19 1978 - Observance of the 25th Anniversary of “Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka” Decision .............................................................................................. 20 1980 - Attempted Assassination of Vernon Jordan ....................................................... 20 1981 - Supporting Civil Rights Groups Condemning the Ku Klux Klan ......................... 21 1981 - Violence Against Black People........................................................................... 21 1981 - Racism Imperative ............................................................................................. 21 1985 - Establishment of a Black Concerns Working Group........................................... 22 1986 - Anti-Arab Violence ............................................................................................. 23 1987 - Arizona General Assembly 1988 Site................................................................. 24 1987 - Proposal for Phoenix as Future General Assembly Site .................................... 24 1990 - The Civil Rights Act of 1990............................................................................... 25 1992 - Civil Unrest and Economic and Racial Injustice—the Lesson of Los Angeles ... 26 1992 - Racial and Cultural Diversity in Unitarian Universalism...................................... 27 1993 - Justice for Indigenous Peoples .......................................................................... 28 1996 - Support Black Churches .................................................................................... 30 1997 - Solidarity with the San Carlos Apache Regarding Mt. Graham.......................... 31 1997 - Toward an Anti-Racist Unitarian Universalist Association.................................. 33 1998 - Fair Treatment for Native Americans ................................................................. 34 2000 - Protest Against Racial Profiling.......................................................................... 35 2000 - Resolution on Support for the Cleveland, Ohio, Native American Community ... 35 Racial Justice - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

2001 - Reparations for the 1921 Tulsa Oklahoma Race Riot ........................................ 36 2001 - Resolution to Establish Formal Relationships with the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media ............................................................................. 37 2006 - Congregational Programs on Racism and Classism .......................................... 37 2006 - UUA/UUSC Gulf Coast Relief Fund ................................................................... 37 2007 - Truth, Repair, and Reconciliation ....................................................................... 38 2007 - Voting Rights for Communities of Color ............................................................. 38

See related resolutions under Children and Youth, Criminal Justice, Economic Justice, Environmental Justice, Equal Opportunity, Immigration, International Human Rights and Justice and Reproductive Health and Population.

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DESEGREGATION — 1961

(GEN)

RESOLVED: The Unitarian Universalist Association, in its First Assembly, reaffirming its devotion to the ideal of human liberty and brotherhood, extends its firm and continuous support to its member churches and fellowships in their efforts to express this in the present drive to desegregate our public schools.

PUBLIC SCHOOL INTEGRATION — 1961

(GEN)

WHEREAS, denial of equal opportunities for education on account of race or color continues to be widespread seven years after the Supreme Court’s unanimous declaration that the Constitution forbids it; and WHEREAS, such disregard for the supreme law of the land presents a moral crisis no less than that resulting from the violation of human rights involved; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association commends the President of the United States for public statements already made and urges his continued appropriate action to clarify the moral issues and to enlist active public support for their resolution by prompt integration of the public schools at all levels; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly call upon the federal courts to implement the Supreme Court decision with speed and firmness.

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CIVIL RIGHTS — 1962

(GEN)

WHEREAS, segregation and discrimination wherever practiced continue to be a matter of major national and international concern and reflect attitudes contrary to moral, religious and ethical commitments; and WHEREAS, such discrimination is economically wasteful and psychologically destructive to members both of majority and minority groups; and WHEREAS, the treatment of a large part of our citizenship as second-class citizens and the indignities to which they and visitors from other countries are subjected shades world opinion and destroys confidence in the moral leadership of the United States; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That members of Unitarian Universalist churches use their personal influence in their local communities to secure service without discrimination, in all places of public accommodation; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urge the President of the United States to utilize all powers at his command, including that of Executive Order, especially to use that stroke of the pen to end discrimination in all housing projects which receive any federal funds whatsoever, to secure compliance, where pertinent laws exist and promote progress in private sectors by virtue of his prestige and influence; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urge the Congress of the United States to fulfill the civil rights commitments of the Republican and Democratic party platforms of 1960 for meaningful civil rights legislation; this would include the bipartisan Senate Bills 2979 through 2983, covering the literacy tests, school desegregation, the right of the Attorney General to initiate court cases where there is voting discrimination, a Fair Employment Practice Commission, and all of the recommendations of the President’s Civil Rights Commission; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That all Unitarian Universalists be urged to refrain where possible from joining any and all organizations which discriminate on the basis of race, creed and national origin and to urge all individuals to work for elimination of discrimination in any organization of which they are already members.

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FREEDOM FUND — 1964

(GEN)

WHEREAS, one hundred years after the abolition of slavery, the descendants of freed slaves still suffer from laws, customs, traditions, and prejudices that should have died with the institution in which they flourished; and WHEREAS, we believe it to be our deep responsibility to promote the full participation in the life of our country of all persons without regard to race, color, sex, or national origin; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That here solemnly gathered as delegates to the 1964 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, we do fully endorse the Unitarian Universalist Freedom Fund of the Unitarian Universalist Commission on Religion and Race and the appeal which will be made to our societies for a special offering to implement the purposes of this fund as set forth in the “Report of the Commission on Religion and Race of the Unitarian Universalist Association,” and particularly in furtherance thereof; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a goal of $50,000 be adopted for this special offering; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the purposes of the Freedom Fund be enlarged to include: 1. Special research projects of the Commission on Religion and Race; and 2. Commission support of projects by local churches, fellowships, districts and denominational agencies, and related organizations in the field of civil rights.

FEDERAL REGISTRARS FOR VOTING — 1965

(GEN)

AFFIRMING: That the right to vote is elemental in our American society; NOTING: That major obstacles are still being put by some states before Negroes who attempt to register to vote; and that after the passage of appropriate legislation physical and economic intimidation may nevertheless be used to delay, impede and hamper the effective implementation of the statute; and COMMENDING: Those individuals and organizations who, under great provocation, are determinedly trying to increase the registration of Negroes despite these obstacles; THE FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION URGES: The passage of federal legislation authorizing the appointment by the President of the United States of federal registrars, not necessarily residents of the state in which they are to work, who would be empowered to register citizens to vote in any state of the Union where such appointment seems necessary, and providing for injunctive relief and criminal penalties in cases of intimidation of any kind, exercised against any federal official, civil rights worker, voter, or prospective voter, designed to delay, hamper, impede or pervert the exercise of any right granted by any legislation so enacted.

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MISSISSIPPI CHALLENGE — 1965

(GEN)

WHEREAS, registration procedures and the November 1964 elections in the state of Mississippi were conducted by the officials in that state in a manner clearly designed to discriminate systematically against Negro citizens of the state; and WHEREAS, qualified voters of Mississippi residing in the five Congressional Districts have challenged the validity of the elections held in those districts in 1964, and have challenged the seating of the Congressmen now temporarily seated to represent these districts; and WHEREAS, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party in support of these claims filed depositions and briefs in accordance with Rules of the House governing challenges; and WHEREAS, the House Sub-Committee on Elections is at present considering depositions supporting the charges against the seating of the purported Mississippi delegation and is to report by July 4 for or against seating the purported Mississippi delegation; and WHEREAS, by its vote on said report, the House of Representatives shall decide whether the purported Mississippi delegation now fulfills the qualifications for permanent seating; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association’s member churches and fellowships unite in seeking to affirm, defend, and promote the use of the democratic method in human relationships; BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The Fourth General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urge the members of the House of Representatives to: (a) work to insure a floor vote on the challenge to the seating of the purported Mississippi delegation, (b) vote not to seat permanently any Mississippi delegation until such time as a delegation is elected by free elections open to all citizens and conducted in accordance with the Constitution of the United States, and (c) support the calling of special elections following a period of federally supervised registration of citizens qualified to vote.

TO BEAR WITNESS — 1965

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the Commission on Religion and Race has from its inception called upon Unitarians and Universalists to bear witness to their concern for racial justice at all times and in all possible situations; and WHEREAS, in view of the fact that James Reeb was deeply engaged in the life of this city and that one of his major concerns was to erase the barriers of segregation that now exist within the Boston school system; and WHEREAS, the School Committee of Boston has refused to recognize and to ameliorate the existence of de facto segregation in these schools; and WHEREAS, the Reverend Reeb was an aggrieved parent and before his death a sponsor of the case against the School Committee that has been brought before the Supreme Court of the State; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists here assembled recess at 11:30 today to march and stand silent witness before the School Committee headquarters in James Reeb’s memory and in support of the goals for which he worked.

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CONSENSUS ON RACIAL JUSTICE — 1966

(BUS)

INASMUCH AS, one of the purposes and objectives of the Unitarian Universalist Association, as stated in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, is “To affirm, defend and promote the supreme worth of every human personality, the dignity of man, and the use of the democratic method in human relationships”; and INASMUCH AS, the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association of 1962 affirmed that segregation and discrimination, wherever practiced, continue to be a matter of major national and international concern and reflect attitudes contrary to moral, religious and ethical commitments; UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS PLEDGE THEMSELVES TO: 1. Work to eliminate all vestiges of discrimination and segregation in their churches and fellowships and to encourage the integration of congregations and of the Unitarian Universalist ministry; and 2. Work for integration in all phases of life in the community. Segregation and Discrimination The 1962 General Assembly’s resolution also continues: “Such discrimination is economically wasteful and psychologically destructive to members both of majority and minority groups. The treatment of a large part of our population as second-class citizens and the indignities to which they are subjected destroy confidence in the moral leadership of the United States.” In spite of the passage of Civil Rights Acts in 1957 and 1960, the comprehensive Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, inequalities of treatment and opportunity continue to exist in American society. While these inequalities affect members of all minority groups, attention has been focussed on the special problems of the Negro minority in the United States. Negro citizens and other persons engaged in the civil rights movement find themselves at the mercy of individuals who hope to prevent progress toward full equality of the races by resorting to physical violence and acts of terrorism, and the victims are often denied justice when they face all-white courts and juries. A double standard of justice exists in some communities and states. All-white police forces, court officials, judges and juries, and segregated courtrooms and jails have operated to deprive minority group persons of the equal protection of the laws in violation of the United States Constitution. In everyday terms this means, at the least, harassment and discourtesy from law officers and, at the most, summary trials without adequate counsel, and severe and unreasonable sentences or fines meted out, especially where the offense may be committed against a white man. Conversely, whites accused of crimes of violence against minority group persons or civil rights workers of any race, are acquitted by prejudiced juries or otherwise treated leniently, especially in the South. Members of the minority races and ethnic groups find much public school education still segregated in defiance of the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision. They find doors to fair employment opportunities still closed in many places, face uneven compliance with the public accommodations part of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and see authorities in some places closing rather than opening public facilities to all groups. Probably the most difficult hurdle, aside from jobs and education, continues to be housing where the Northern Negro especially finds himself confined to the decaying neighborhoods of the central city and the avenues of escape to the white suburbs effectively blocked by restrictive real estate practices. The federal government, though possessing the power under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to cut off the flow of federal funds to programs and activities in the states which are administered in a discriminatory manner, has not chosen to exercise this power to any significant extent. (Continued on Racial Justice – 8)

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CONSENSUS ON RACIAL JUSTICE (Continued from Racial Justice – 7)

A whole private area of American life, including club association, fraternal memberships, and shamefully, church membership, remains almost totally segregated. Several states maintain laws forbidding racial intermarriage, thus arbitrarily interfering in the most sacred of human relationships. Much remains to be done to implement the concern of Unitarian Universalists for the supreme worth of every human personality and the dignity of man. Racial Violence and the Administration of Justice The rise of violence in the political and social conflicts of American life endangers freedom of speech and assembly essential to democratic society. These freedoms and, in general, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are, and have been, federal rights of all citizens since the founding of the Republic. To secure these freedoms, the President should appoint a commission to investigate the collapse of law in such acts of terrorism and make remedial recommendations wherever constitutional rights are denied. The local police should invite the assistance of the FBI in cases of terrorism. The Justice Department should press with renewed vigor the prosecution under existing law of those guilty of the beatings, the shootings, the bombings and the killings. The President is urged to recommend and the Congress to enact new federal legislation at the earliest moment to protect the security of the individual from assault or threatened assault upon his person or property, where that assault has a racial purpose or effect, and to provide civil damages for the victim of such assault. State and local officials are urged to curb police brutality, to institute human relations programs in local and state police departments, and to end the use of unwarranted curfews wherever they exist. Support is also urged for federal legislation to protect individuals against unreasonable use of force by law enforcement officers and to make such law enforcement officers and their civilian superiors liable for civil damage suits for unnecessary and unreasonable use of force resulting in physical injury. Enforcement officers formally charged with unlawful violation of the rights of persons should be suspended from their duties pending trial. Local civilian review boards to hear complaints on police brutality should be established. The Department of Justice should enforce existing laws such as the 1875 statute making jury discrimination punishable by fine of up to $5,000 and seek new legislation making for a uniform system of choosing jurors which will fairly reflect the racial composition of the court’s jurisdiction. Also, legislation forbidding discrimination in appointment of court officers and police is needed. The Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation should make on-the-spot arrests where constitutional rights are being violated by local law enforcement officers or other persons, as they are empowered to do under existing law. The President of the United States should appoint men to the federal judiciary who are free of racial prejudice and who do not owe their political careers to the system of white supremacy. Other needed reforms to assure equal protection of the law include support for public defenders for the indigent, installment paying of fines, and limits on excessive bail. The Franchise The right to vote is elemental in our American society. Efforts by the federal government to implement the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 should be supported so that all obstacles to the right to vote may be removed in localities where they still exist. (Continued on Racial Justice – 9)

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CONSENSUS ON RACIAL JUSTICE (Continued from Racial Justice – 8)

The efforts of private citizens in voter-registration campaigns should be supported and the Department of Justice should be vigilant to extend the protection of the law to these workers so that intimidation of any kind will not delay, hamper, impede, of pervert the exercise of the franchise. Federal voting examiners should be used in every county in which discrimination still exists. Federal authorities should also observe voting subsequent to registration to make sure that once registered, persons are not prevented by any device from voting, and that their votes, once cast, shall be accurately tallied. Education Denial of equal opportunities for education on account of race or color continues to be widespread though several years have intervened since the historic Supreme Court declaration of 1954 that the United States Constitution forbids it. Such disregard for the supreme law of the land presents a moral crisis no less than that resulting from the violation of the human rights involved. Public schools should be promptly integrated at all levels. Since passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it is no longer necessary for the executive branch to rely on the federal courts for implementation. Therefore, the Office of Education should move speedily to require desegregation and integration of the nation’s public schools, north and south, and to use the powers granted under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to withhold federal-aid funds from school districts which continue to segregate white from minority groups pupils. “Freedom of choice” plans achieve only token integration and leave minority group parents who exercise “free choice” exposed, in many localities, to intimidation and reprisals. De facto segregation of schools is as unconscionable and harmful as formal segregation is unconstitutional. Citizens and government on all levels should work to correct discriminatory racial imbalance and improve the quality of education in the public schools. We urge adequate preparation of teachers in the field of human relations so that they may give meaningful instruction in human relations and we encourage federal and state authorities to work towards that end. Preschool education for socially disadvantaged and culturally deprived children should be a necessary preparation for school integration. Housing Comprehensive open-occupancy legislation should be enacted at all levels and such legislation should embody firm and unambiguous enforcement procedures. The President of the United States should be encouraged to extend the President’s Executive Order No. 11063 on Equal Opportunity in Housing to include all mortgage loans made by financing institutions which are regulated or supervised by the federal government and that the Order cover federally-assisted housing, not just that built after November 20, 1962; and that more adequate funds be appropriated for the vigorous enforcement of the Executive Order. Furthermore, members of our churches and fellowships should support such legislation at the state and municipal levels. In order to make such legislation effective, individual Unitarian Universalists should introduce into every phase of the requisition, purchase, building, financing, and occupancy of real property the banning of discrimination due to race, religion, or nationality. Legislation should be encouraged, consistent with the objectives of open occupancy, to curb panic selling or block-busting. (Continued on Racial Justice – 10)

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CONSENSUS ON RACIAL JUSTICE (Continued from Racial Justice – 9)

Our churches and fellowships and individual members should undertake efforts with others in their own communities for the integration of their own neighborhoods and our members should scrutinize offcampus or sorority and fraternity housing in colleges and universities as it affects minority students or foreign students and other students and seek to eliminate discrimination. Our churches and fellowships should call upon their individual members to make all housing, urban and suburban, new or old, which they control as owners, dealers, brokers, builders, or mortgagors, available to any qualified person, without regard to race, color, creed or national origin; and should call upon all real estate dealers, brokers, and mortgagers, to do the same. Educational programs and other activities should be encouraged to promote equality of opportunity in housing. Churches and fellowships should take the initiative in their communities to use funds provided in Section 221(d)(3) of the Federal Housing Act. This enables nonprofit groups, including churches and fellowships, either to build low-cost-housing open to all groups or to renovate slum dwellings. There is promise in the proposal of some urban authorities to slow down the building of mass low-cost public housing in or adjacent to racial ghettoes, thus reinforcing patterns of de facto segregation and instead to scatter new low-cost housing in upper and middle-income white residential areas, thus integrating both neighborhoods and schools. To be commended also is the new federal program to subsidize the purchasing and rental of a percentage of publicly subsidized middle-income housing for lowincome families. Plans for the renewal of present ghetto areas should ultimately include provision for their integration. Unitarian Universalists should be involved in helping to win acceptance and support of such programs. Employment Discrimination in employment stifles individual initiative and wastes valuable human resources. Government at all levels should enact strong legislation to assure equal opportunity in employment in the conditions of labor and in hiring and firing procedures and in training and apprenticeship programs. Compensation should be nondiscriminatory. No person should be discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, national origin, or sex. The Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, activated in July 1965, should be given the power to issue cease and desist orders against employers who practice job discrimination. In the meantime, the Department of Justice should move to use its power under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 of filing suits to secure equal opportunity, where it finds a pattern or practice of discrimination. The Department of Defense and other government agencies should be urged to use, whenever necessary, the powers granted under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, to bar bidding on contracts, or otherwise withhold funds, from those who practice racial discrimination in employment. Unitarian Universalists as employers, should practice equality of opportunity, both in private enterprise and in public positions they may hold; and churches and fellowships are encouraged to hire members of minority races or nationalities in their institutions. Public Accommodations and Facilities Freedom of access to places of public accommodation and public facilities is an essential condition to fulfillment of the ideal of human dignity. The individual must be free to seek food, drink, and lodging, to enjoy equal access to the marketplace, and to find recreation and nourishment. Members of Unitarian Universalist churches are urged to use their personal influence in their local communities to secure service without discrimination in all places of public accommodation. (Continued on Racial Justice – 11)

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CONSENSUS ON RACIAL JUSTICE (Continued from Racial Justice – 10)

Progress has been made since the first student sit-ins of 1960 and since passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, in generally opening to all races, hotels, motels, restaurants and lunch counters, public libraries, museums, hospitals, parks, sports arenas, and theaters. However, in the 1964 Act, retail businesses, as such, are exempt from coverage, unless they have eating facilities, and clothing stores and barber shops are exempt unless they are part of a hotel facility. Spectator sports are covered, but consumer sports such as bowling lanes, swimming pools, tennis courts, golf courses, and golf ranges, privately owned but open to the public for profit, are also not covered. Legislation should be enacted at all levels of government to correct these weaknesses in the federal law. Federal-Aid Programs The federal government, which has been moving steadily forward in advancing the rights of its citizens, through a series of legislative acts and court decisions, should not continue to subsidize segregation and discrimination through its federal-aid programs. A powerful weapon for enforcement of civil rights is Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits discrimination in all federally-assisted programs. This section should be used less timidly and sparingly. Unnecessary delays in compliance are countenanced by the regulations issued by a number of departments and agencies. This part of the Civil Rights Act should be revitalized. The use of executive orders to direct all federal agencies to administer federal programs without discrimination should be extended; the federal government should withhold the expenditure of federal funds from such state or local programs and agencies which discriminate against persons on the basis of race or religion in the granting or disbursement of their facilities, property, finances, or services. Federal hospital and nursing home construction funds provided under the Hill-Burton Act should be withdrawn from institutions that practice discrimination against minority group persons. Demonstrations and Civil Disobedience The people have the constitutional right to assembly to petition for redress of grievances. Every protection of the law should be extended to secure this right for civil rights demonstrators and to protect them against individual, mob, or police violence. Injunctive power should be granted to the Attorney General to protect the constitutional rights of petition and assembly. Individuals should be defended in their right to engage in nonviolent demonstrations and should be supported in the exercise of their moral choice to engage in responsible civil disobedience for greater racial justice. Inter-Racial Marriage and Adoption Marriage between two persons is a sacred human institution. Persons who enter into the marriage bond should be able to do so with complete freedom of choice, since the choice of a marriage partner is a personal, not a public, decision. All laws which prohibit, inhibit or hamper marriage or cohabitation between persons because of different races, religions, or national origins should be nullified or repealed. Adoption agencies are evidencing a more open attitude regarding the adoption of children of races other than that of the adoptive parents. This new attitude is commendable, especially in view of the pressing need of adoptive homes for children of mixed or minority races. (Continued on Racial Justice – 12)

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CONSENSUS ON RACIAL JUSTICE (Continued from Racial Justice – 11)

Personal Associations All Unitarian Universalists should refrain wherever possible from joining any and all organizations which discriminate on the basis of race, creed, and national origin and all individuals should work for the elimination of discrimination in any organization of which they are already members. Individuals should work in human relations councils and similar groups formed to further better understanding among people and should improve their practices in all areas of human relationships. Integration of the Churches and Ministry The Commission on Religion and Race shall continue to explore, develop, stimulate, and implement programs and actions to promote the complete integration of Negroes and other minority persons into our congregations, denominational life and ministry and into the community. The Unitarian Universalist ministry should become integrated as rapidly as possible. This goal is essential for the denomination as a whole, for the individual churches, and for individual laymen as well as for the clergymen involved. This goal can be reached through special efforts in the recruitment, training, and settlement of Negroes and members of other minority groups. The denomination — its departments, churches, and agencies — should give this goal a high priority. The denomination needs the services of trained Negro ministers as much as, and probably more than, these ministers need opportunities within the denomination. Integration of our congregations is a continuing goal. Efforts beyond the mere declaration of open membership may be necessary if congregations are to become truly inclusive: use of the communications media, including the ethnic press, personal invitations to friends to attend services and meetings, and most importantly, the active involvement of the congregation and minister in the human rights movement. The sincerity of our commitment to racial justice will be proven by our response, as a denomination and as members of churches and fellowships, to a variety of tests. Congregations are urged to include members of ethnic minorities in leadership positions on church boards, committees, religious education and youth programs, and other church activities. The content of programs for youth and adults should reflect our concern for human brotherhood. Particular attention should be paid to the religious education curriculum so that textbooks and instruction promote the goal of integration. Exchange programs with Negro churches, groups and individuals should be encouraged. Employment of staff, purchase of supplies, contracting for building, purchase, sale, rental, or use of property, should all be done with the church or fellowship always making the stipulation that it practices integration and that it does business only with firms which practice integration in their hiring and other policies. Each church or fellowship should examine its investments and loans and do business only with firms which are non-discriminatory and integrationist in their employment practices. Churches and fellowships should patronize places of public accommodation which are open to all. This consensus is adopted by the 1966 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, consisting of a broadly representative group of laymen and ministers. This consensus reflects a substantial preponderance of opinion, although not necessarily unanimity on all points, of the majority of individuals present at the General Assembly and presumably of a substantial majority of members of our local churches and fellowships. Since this denomination cherishes and recognizes the freedom of individual members, this consensus does not presume to speak for all delegates to the General Assembly or all members of our Unitarian Universalist churches and fellowships. We recognize that strong differences of opinion may exist on specific questions among sincere and thoughtful Unitarian Universalists notwithstanding their common religious affiliation.

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THE AMERICAN INDIAN — 1967

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urge the Congress to develop and adopt a new comprehensive national policy for the American Indians including the Eskimos and Aleut. This policy should be based on: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Their participation in matters of direct concern to them; Protection of their property; Preservation of historical identity and culture of these peoples; Assistance to those Indians who desire to relocate off the reservation; Coordination of programs among federal, state, and local agencies to fulfill the nation’s moral and legal obligations to the American Indian, the Eskimos, and Aleut.

Reasons for resolution: The 400,000 reservation Indians have the lowest standards of living of any group in the United States. They receive only half the education of the average US citizen, have approximately two-thirds the life expectancy, and are receiving between one-fourth and one-third as much income as other US citizens. American Indians off the reservation have a much higher unemployment rate and are subject to social and economic discrimination. The programs of the US Bureau of Indian Affairs have not sufficiently assisted the American Indian either in the preservation of his cultural values or in preparing for life off the reservation.

BLACK AFFAIRS COUNCIL — 1968

(BUS)

BE IT RESOLVED: 1. That the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees and Administration recognize and finance a Black Affairs Council which will serve to suggest and implement programs to improve the conditions of black Unitarian Universalists and black people in America; 2. That the Black Affairs Council be accorded associate or affiliate membership status with the Association, similar to that now maintained by the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation, the Laymen’s League (Unitarian Universalist), and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Inc.; and 3. That the Unitarian Universalist Association contribute annually for four years, for the support of the Black Affairs Council, a total of $250,000. This annual contribution should be made in the following manner: a. $150,000 should be contributed to the Black Affairs Council no later than July 1, 1968; and b. The remaining $100,000 will be raised by the Unitarian Universalist Association with the cooperation of the Black Unitarian Universalist Caucus during the eight-month period beginning July 1, 1968. In the event that the fund-raising effort is unsatisfactory, the Unitarian Universalist Association would make up the deficit. This process will be continued throughout the four-year period beginning July 1, 1968.

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NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ON CIVIL DISORDERS — 1968

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1968 General Assembly commends the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders for its comprehensive and insightful report and its many recommendations for governmental and non-governmental action. WE REGRET: The inertia of governmental bodies at all levels in responding with clear and specific programs. WE URGE: Churches and fellowships to utilize materials provided by the UUA Division of Social Responsibility and concerned affiliate or associate organizations as guides for study and action on the recommendations of the report. WE FURTHER URGE: The churches and fellowships to establish working groups to develop and carry forward, alone or in concert with other civic organizations, a systematized attack on the sources, symptoms, and evidences of white racism.

SELF-DETERMINATION FOR BLACKS AND OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS — 1968

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1968 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Approves and supports the aspirations of Black people and other disadvantaged groups to achieve positions of leadership in religion, business, politics, labor, education, and the professions; and to develop wide participation of Negroes and other disadvantaged groups in these fields; 2. Urges assistance to independent economic efforts in Negro communities and the communities of other disadvantaged ethnic groups including the demand that insurance at reasonable cost be made available through private or public agencies; 3. Urges compliance with reapportionment as ordered by the Supreme Court to make provisions for just representation of Negro communities and other disadvantaged ethnic groups, and the prompt passage of Home Rule legislation for the District of Columbia; 4. Supports the participation of community-based indigenous Black committees and other disadvantaged ethnic groups in policy making affecting community life in all its aspects including urban renewal, zoning, law enforcement, education, and health; and 5. Reaffirms its commitment to nonviolence in situations of social conflict and its opposition to racism in every form.

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COUNTERACTING INSTITUTIONAL RACISM — 1969

(BUS)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1969 General Assembly: 1. Instruct the Unitarian Universalist Association administration to conduct a careful investigation of the hiring practices of hotels proposed as sites for General Assemblies and other denomination-wide meetings, said investigations to include data on: (a) comparative numbers of white and minority employees in each job category, (b) comparative numbers of white and minority employees in each salary level, (c) training and promotion opportunities offered minority employees by the hotel, and (d) human relations programs designed by the hotel to help employees relate to minority employees and hotel guests as people with human dignity; and that this information be made available to delegates 60 days in advance of General Assemblies; 2. Request the Unitarian Universalist Association administration to schedule General Assemblies only in hotels where, in its judgment, based on the above investigation, equal employment practices prevail; or, if such hotels are not available, to proceed with negotiations to obtain from a hotel a firm commitment to an affirmative action plan of its own, specifying short and longrange goals in the areas of: (a) recruitment, training, and upgrading of minority employees, (b) human relations training for all employees, and (c) an ongoing evaluation program for assessing how well the plan is implemented; and that the results of this negotiation be made available to delegates 60 days in advance of the General Assemblies; and 3. Urge that the Unitarian Universalist Association administration similarly look carefully at our other corporate practices to identify and develop methods of counteracting other instances of compliance with institutional racism.

COUNTERING INSTITUTIONAL RACISM — 1970

(BUS)

WHEREAS, a report on the UUA administrative action to implement the 1969 business resolution on Countering Institutional Racism was not officially presented to the delegates at this General Assembly; and WHEREAS, the delegates cannot determine from the report to churches and fellowships, dated May 29, 1970, whether the UUA negotiation has had a beneficial influence on the employment practices of the Seattle hotels; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1970 General Assembly reaffirm the 1979 resolution and request the administration to implement that resolution completely and fully in negotiating with the hotel being considered for the General Assembly in 1971, and further requests that the administration’s report on its activity in this regard be presented officially to the delegates at the General Assembly.

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FUNDING OF BLACK AND WHITE ACTION — 1970

(BUS)

In keeping with the long-standing moral commitment of Unitarian Universalists expressed by the 1966 General Assembly in its Statement of Consensus on Racial Justice, which pledges us “to work to eliminate all vestiges of discrimination and segregation in (our) churches and fellowships. . . and to work for integration in all phases of life in the community,” a pledge reaffirmed by the UUA Board of Trustees in its resolution last April expressing dismay at the “weakening of resolve” on the part of federal officials charged with enforcing school desegregation directives; BE IT RESOLVED: The 1970 General Assembly urges its member societies and their individual members to give practical and substantial support to the efforts of BAWA to advance these goals: 1. We acknowledge that institutional racism has degraded black and corrupted white; 2. Whites and blacks need help from each other to meet the needs of each; 3. We reaffirm our commitment to black empowerment as a significant means of progress for people; 4. We applaud the self-determining act of the Black Affairs Council in going directly to the people; 5. The Unitarian Universalist Association must take the initiative in urging our churches and fellowships to support the community action program of BAC; and 6. We have moved through the experience of being polarized. We must now be ready to initiate our role of renewed responsibility.

INDIAN RIGHTS — 1970

(GEN)

The thrust of continental policy is now, as it has been historically, the steady expropriation of Indian land and water resources for the benefit of whites in the United States. The practice has been to locate the Indians on the most arid and least productive land. In Canada, Native treaty rights are continually being eroded. BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1970 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges support of the independent, indigenous organizations: 1. In opposing the continued exploitation of the Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts; 2. In demanding an end to the continued encroachment by ranching, mining, lumbering, and hydro-electric interests upon their human rights, ancestral homelands, and water resources; and 3. In insisting upon adequate reparations for past and present injustices perpetrated upon them.

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FULL FUNDING OF THE BLACK AFFAIRS COUNCIL — 1971

(BUS)

Denominational division and polarization on the issue of how best to right racism because of these divisions have gone on long enough; Dilution of UUA efforts to fight racism because of these divisions have gone on long enough; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That it is the intense desire of this Assembly that there be a single, joint fundraising campaign to finance all Unitarian Universalist efforts (other than those of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Inc.) designed to achieve racial justice and that the Board and administration be instructed to confer with BAC, BAWA, and all other interested parties to implement such united fundraising.

FUNDING OF PROGRAMS FOR RACIAL JUSTICE — 1972

(BUS)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1972 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association honor the request of the Unitarian Universalist Association Black Affairs Council, Inc. to discontinue any further discussion of funding from the continental annual budget of programs for racial justice; and FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly urge the UUA Board of Trustees and the UUA administration to support and cooperate with the educational and non-competitive fundraising efforts of all related Unitarian Universalist organizations active in the field of racial justice.

INDIAN AFFAIRS — 1973

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the members of societies of the Unitarian Universalist Association to undertake and/or support programs and actions which will eliminate injustices to Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts and other indigenous peoples of the United States and Canada, and which will assure them of full opportunity to pursue their own goals and to participate in decisions affecting their own welfare and culture.

NATIVE AMERICANS — 1975

(BUS)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1975 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association abhors the violence presently taking place at the Pine Ridge Reservation aggravated by the neglect of the US federal government in dealing with the fundamental issue of self-determination of Native Americans; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA and its member churches and fellowships be urged to sponsor ongoing educational programs about and leading to effective action concerning the plight of Native Americans; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we urge each individual Unitarian Universalist to promote social justice for all Native Americans through contact with his and her political representatives at all levels of government.

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OPPOSING EXTRADITION OF DENNIS BANKS — 1976

(GEN)

WHEREAS, Dennis Banks is acknowledged by many Native Americans to be a militant leader in the struggle for justice in the cause of Native American rights; and WHEREAS, Dennis Banks has fled from convictions on a charge of riot and a charge of assault stemming from his involvement in an incident in Custer, South Dakota (and no Native American has ever served on a jury in South Dakota); and WHEREAS, subsequent charges were dismissed with prejudice by a federal court in Oregon in June of 1976; and WHEREAS, the state of South Dakota in June 1976 served a warrant of extradition for Dennis Banks on Governor Straub of Oregon and, previously, on Governor Brown of California; and WHEREAS, according to American Indian leaders, more than 150 Native Americans in South Dakota have been killed or severely injured while in custody and Dennis Banks has publicly stated that he will be killed if he is returned to South Dakota; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1976 General Assembly of the UUA request that both Governor Brown and Governor Straub grant asylum and refuse to extradite Dennis Banks to South Dakota and that members and societies be urged to communicate the same request to these two governors.

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RACIAL BIGOTRY AND BUSING ISSUE — 1976

(GEN)

WHEREAS, recently the Justice Department of the United States, at the direct urging of President Ford, first considered, then rejected a plan to intervene actively to limit school busing, one of the few substantive remedies ever put into effect to combat school segregation; and WHEREAS, this has given encouragement to those who believe they may speak and act out their hatreds; and WHEREAS, there has been a dreadful and dramatic upsurge in the expressions of racial and religious bigotry in our nation, evidenced by the overt activities of the Ku Klux Klan and the American Nazi Party in Chicago and elsewhere; and WHEREAS, threats and harassment of our minority populations are on the increase; and WHEREAS, cross burnings, beatings, and other dismal echoes of hatreds we had prayed were extinguished and silenced have again been witnessed and heard; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That we declare such behavior at all levels to be abhorrent to the American conscience, and unacceptable in any form in our midst; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we call upon the President of the United States to affirm a policy of continued support for school desegregation through busing; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we reaffirm our historic position against racial bigotry and religious intolerance; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we call upon all law enforcement agencies of this nation to investigate vigorously and bring to justice swiftly all those individuals and groups guilty of harassment and intimidation against our minority populations; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we call upon all Unitarian Universalist churches, fellowships, ministers, and individual members of our congregations to offer moral, financial, and physical support to any persons who are afflicted for reasons of race or religion either by government or corporate institutions, or by groups, or individuals; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we, as individuals, groups and societies, affirm our position by reaching out to offer our support to responsible minority organizations seeking solutions to this grave problem; and finally BE IT RESOLVED: That each Unitarian Universalist, as an individual, be urged to speak out and to take affirmative action to aid the members of all minority groups to overcome the deprivation and slander and hurt they have suffered and continue to suffer.

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OBSERVANCE OF THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF “BROWN VS. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF TOPEKA” DECISION — 1978 (BUS) WHEREAS, 1979 marks the 25th anniversary of the “Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka” decision by the United States Supreme Court; and WHEREAS, this ruling mandated the dismantling of segregated public schools; and WHEREAS, the self-esteem and identity of all children were harmed by segregation; and WHEREAS, this decision provided momentum for increased civil rights advocacy and legislation, opening equal opportunity to all of society; and WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists have traditionally been in favor of social justice, including desegregation of schools; and WHEREAS, an extended period of deepening despair and disillusion has increasingly pervaded our society as witnessed by continuing efforts to deny the implementation of the above decision; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association requests that the Association, its churches and fellowships mark this anniversary year with special recognition and appropriate ceremonies; that the Planning Committee is requested to have a theme of the 1979 General Assembly relate directly to the renewal of social consciousness respecting harmonious, just and positive race relations; and that the Board of Trustees and the administration of the Unitarian Universalist Association is charged with the responsibility for implementing this resolution.

ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF VERNON JORDAN — 1980

(GEN)

WHEREAS, an attempt to kill Vernon Jordan, Executive Director of the Urban League, was made on May 29, 1980, in Fort Wayne, Indiana; and WHEREAS, Vernon Jordan stands for principles and methods for achieving racial justice which are in keeping with our Unitarian Universalist principles; and WHEREAS, we, the delegates to the Nineteenth General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, are profoundly concerned that this violent action against Vernon Jordan occurred; BE IT RESOLVED: That the President of the Unitarian Universalist Association express to Vernon Jordan our sorrow and our wishes for his full recovery and resumption of activities; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That all governmental and private agencies involved be urged to continue vigorously their investigations to discover the cause(s) and perpetrator(s) of this heinous crime; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we Unitarian Universalists renew and deepen our commitment to the eradication of racial discrimination and to the establishment of racial justice.

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SUPPORTING CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS CONDEMNING THE KU KLUX KLAN — 1981

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) has traditionally stood for racial hatred and intolerance; and WHEREAS, the KKK is now establishing special military training camps in north Alabama in preparation for a “race war” against Blacks and Jews; and WHEREAS, the KKK claims a close alliance with the American Nazi Party whose supporters shot and killed five demonstrators in Greensboro, North Carolina at a public anti-Klan rally in November 1979; and WHEREAS, other incidents can be cited to document the KKK’s recent terrorist activities; and WHEREAS, the “Center for Constitutional Rights” defends victims of KKK actions and the Southern Poverty Law Center’s KLANWATCH project is effective in documenting and exposing the evil represented by the KKK; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association endorses the Center for Constitutional Rights and the Southern Poverty Law Center, strongly condemns the Ku Klux Klan’s acts of violence and military preparations, and urges churches and districts to join with local organizations of like mind.

VIOLENCE AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE — JANUARY 1981

(BD)

That the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses its deep sorrow and indignation at the recent incidents of violence directed in particular against black children in Atlanta, GA, and black males in Buffalo, NY. The board extends its heartfelt sympathy to the families of these victims; expresses its support for those who seek to reduce the climate of fear which violence has created, especially within our minority communities, and encourages the UUA Section on Social Responsibility to lend its resources, where possible, to the alleviation of violence and racial tension.

RACISM IMPERATIVE — JUNE 1981

(BD)

Recognizing the fact that institutional racism is still embedded in American society in 1981, the Unitarian Universalist Association shall seek to eliminate racism in all its institutional structures, policies, practices, and patterns of behavior, so that it will become a racially equitable institution and can make an effective contribution toward achieving a similarly equitable society.

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ESTABLISHMENT OF A BLACK CONCERNS WORKING GROUP — 1985

(BUS)

WHEREAS, racism against Blacks is a pervasive social problem; and WHEREAS, our denomination believes in the inherent worth and dignity of every person, in the democratic process based on equality and freedom, and in the individual right to enjoy all of our constitutional and other legal rights; and WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association has recognized the presence of racism in our denomination, as evidenced in conclusions of the Institutional Racism Audit; and WHEREAS, our religious beliefs and our faith in the democratic principles impose upon us an obligation to oppose racism wherever we find it, and we recognize that our efforts to end racism against Blacks are also means of ending racism against all oppressed people in our society; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1985 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association recommends that there be established a Black Concerns Working Group of the Social Responsibility Section to assist in the implementation of the Report of the Task Force on Racism as approved by the 1984 General Assembly whose tasks shall be: 1. Helping Unitarian Universalist societies increase their awareness of racism and showing them how to reach out to minority groups by: a. Providing educational material on the nature, causes, and consequences of racism to be made available to individual members of every congregation; and b. Encouraging our societies, area councils and districts to establish Black Concerns Subcommittees or to appoint individuals to deal with the issue of racism as it pertains to individual societies both as a moral imperative and as a means of creating an environment within our association more inclusive of diverse races, cultures, and classes; and c. Drawing upon and publicizing the experience and knowledge of individual members of Unitarian Universalist societies who can contribute special insights into the issue of racism; 2. Initiating and suggesting activities designed to influence our political leaders at every level of government to eradicate racism whether imbedded in law or in social custom or practice; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges that an adequate budget be established for the realization of the intent of this resolution.

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ANTI-ARAB VIOLENCE — JANUARY 1986

(BD)

WHEREAS, the Bylaws of the Unitarian Universalist Association affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and justice, equity and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, this is a time of increasing deplorable acts of terrorism, world-wide and domestic; and WHEREAS, one manifestation of fear about Middle-East related terrorism outside the United States has been growing acceptance of stereotyping, harassment and attacks against Arab-Americans; and WHEREAS, the murder in California of Alex Odeh, US citizen of Palestinian origin, and American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee regional coordinator, in October 1985, represents but one visible example of senseless violence in a series of bombings in the District of Columbia, Massachusetts and California; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the UUA Board of Trustees publicly condemns all terrorism, international and domestic, and calls upon UUs to assist in ending the wave of anti-Arab racism that is spreading across the continent; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA and US UUs support the US Civil Rights Commission investigation of the recent pattern of intimidation and violence against Arab-Americans as infringements of their civil and human rights; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA and US UUs call upon the President of the United States to: 1. Speak out clearly against the simplistic equation of terrorism with "Arab" in the United States; and 2. Drop the newly announced federal policy of surveillance of groups and group members solely on the basis that they are believed to have contact with the Palestinian Liberation Organization.

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ARIZONA GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1988 SITE — APRIL 1987

(BD)

WHEREAS, Bylaw Section C-2.3 states that: “The Association declares and affirms its special responsibility, and that of its member societies and organizations, to promote the full participation of persons in all of its and their activities and in the full range of human endeavor without regard to race, color, disability, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, age, or national origin and without requiring adherence to any particular interpretation of religion or to any particular religious belief or creed”; and WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Association considers the action of the State of Arizona in revoking the Martin Luther King holiday as an affront to all those who oppose racism and to the religious principles of the Association; and WHEREAS, the holding of the annual General Assembly of the Association in the State of Arizona as presently scheduled in June 1988 would constitute a clear violation by the Association and the Board of Bylaw Section C-2.3; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1988 General Assembly not be held in Arizona unless the Martin Luther King holiday is reenacted into law by the end of this session of the Arizona legislature.

PROPOSAL FOR PHOENIX AS FUTURE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SITE — 1987

(BUS)

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Unitarian Universalist Association to encourage the Legislature of the State of Arizona to declare the third Monday in January as a legal holiday in recognition of the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.; and WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association, on short notice, withdrew the 1988 General Assembly from Phoenix; and WHEREAS, this decision has painfully disappointed the hope of many Arizonans who had already worked enthusiastically in anticipation of welcoming Unitarian Universalists to their capital city in 1988; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1987 General Assembly urges the Board of Trustees to schedule a General Assembly in Phoenix at the earliest feasible date after the State of Arizona declares as a legal holiday the third Monday in January in recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr.

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THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1990 — 1990

(RIW)

GUIDED: By the Unitarian Universalist Association’s commitment to justice, equity, and compassion in human relations and the inherent worth and dignity of every person; and INSPIRED: By our special responsibility to promote the full participation of persons in full range of human endeavor without regard to race, color, sex, disability, affectional or sexual orientation, age, or national origin and without requiring adherence to any particular religious belief or creed; yet ACKNOWLEDGING: The great distance yet to be traveled by our own denomination and our own congregations to overcome institutional racism; and WHEREAS, the highest court in the United States, the US Supreme Court, has removed protections against workplace discrimination; and WHEREAS, leaders in the US Congress have introduced the Civil Rights Act of 1990 (Bills S.2104 and H.R. 4000), legislation that would restore protections against workplace discrimination that the Supreme Court took away last year; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) calls upon all members of the US Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1990 and to return the guarantee of workplace justice to every citizen of the United States of America; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly urges UUA member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to inform themselves on today’s civil rights issues, and to make every effort to convince legislators to ensure the reinstatement of legal protection against racism and discrimination.

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CIVIL UNREST AND ECONOMIC AND RACIAL INJUSTICE-THE LESSON OF LOS ANGELES — 1992

(RIW)

BECAUSE: Our Unitarian Universalist faith affirms and promotes the inherent worth and dignity of every person and justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and WHEREAS, the recent civil uprisings in the city of Los Angeles have arisen out of serious economic and racial and social injustices; and WHEREAS, civil uprisings occurred in Los Angeles in 1965 and 1992 and have occurred in other American cities, and are likely to occur again in Los Angeles and elsewhere unless something effective is done about these injustices; and WHEREAS, recently released independent studies and government reports in the United States reveal a profound economic crisis in which soaring joblessness, increasing poverty, and a growing concentration of wealth are creating conditions like those in Los Angeles throughout North America; and WHEREAS, the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles is struggling to form a just society both within its own multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-class, inner-city congregation and within the Asian-, African-, Latin-, and European-American communities which surround the church by reaching out to those communities through its developing Urban Ministry program; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That this Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly of 1992 calls upon the candidates for President of the United States, and the United States Senate and House of Representatives to commit themselves to provide secure jobs at decent pay or guarantee income sufficient to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, proper health care, and education for every American; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the General Assembly urges the Unitarian Universalist Association, its member congregations, and individual Unitarian Universalists to affirm and actively support the work currently being done by the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles, located in the epicenter of the civil uprising, and the work of other Unitarian Universalist urban congregations facing similar challenges.

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RACIAL AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM — 1992

(RIW)

WHEREAS, President Schulz and Moderator Gulbrandsen have called on Unitarian Universalists to support a vision of a Unitarian Universalist faith which reflects the reality of a racially diverse and multicultural global village; and WHEREAS, the candidates for President and Moderator of this faith community stand in solidarity with this vision; and WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees and staff of the Unitarian Universalist Association have worked to bring this vision to life; and WHEREAS, the individuals in our congregations who bring our visions to life need a process to articulate their concerns and ideas on how we can make this vision a substantive reality; and WHEREAS, our first principle calls on us to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every human being; and WHEREAS, this resolution was prepared by a coalition including the African American Unitarian Universalist Ministry, the Black Concerns Working Group, the Coalition of African American Unitarian Universalist Organizations, the Continental Women and Religion Committee, the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, the Ministerial Sisterhood of Unitarian Universalists, the Network of Black Unitarian Universalists, the Society for the Larger Ministry, the Unitarian Universalist District Presidents’ Association, Unitarian Universalists for Lesbian and Gay Concerns, Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, the Urban Church Coalition, the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Caucus, the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation, Young Religious Unitarian Universalists, the Youth Caucus, and others; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That we, the delegates of the 1992 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, affirm and support this vision of a racially diverse and multicultural Unitarian Universalism; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1992 General Assembly urges the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association to develop and implement a process involving a broad representation of congregations, organizations, and staff to realize this vision of a racially and culturally diverse Unitarian Universalist Association; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the 1992 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association call on the Board of Trustees to present to the 1993 General Assembly a report of progress in research and planning to realize this vision of our faith community.

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JUSTICE FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES — 1993

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; and respect for the interdependent web of existence; and BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists value the diversity of human cultures and appreciate the insights and truths in other religious and cultural traditions; and BECAUSE: We have much to learn from indigenous peoples about respect, responsibility, and living in harmony with one another and with the earth; and WHEREAS, the General Assemblies of 1967, 1970, 1973, and 1975 addressed the need to promote social justice for the indigenous peoples of Canada and the United States and insufficient progress has been made; and WHEREAS, a legacy of injustice with regard to indigenous peoples persists: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

In the violation of their treaties; In the appropriation and environmental ruin of their lands, resources, and sacred sites; In the suppression of their languages, spiritual practices, and cultural ways; In continued attempts at forced integration and assimilation under paternalistic systems; In the failure to respect their rights to self-government; and In the public expression of racist attitudes through violence and stereotypical and trivialized images; and

WHEREAS, such injustice is inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association endorses the United Nations International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (1993) and encourages associate members, independent affiliates, and member congregations to honor this year with activities that celebrate cultural diversity and that affirm the close relationships between environmental protection and other social concerns; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association encourages its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to work beyond 1993 in their own regions to: 1. Learn from indigenous peoples about the richness of their cultures and about the problems and issues they face; 2. Support local indigenous peoples’ political action committees in their struggles for social justice and religious freedom; and 3. Act individually and through coalitions to respect and support indigenous peoples in preserving their cultural pride and heritage and in protecting their natural resources; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association encourages its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to support discussion of treaties protecting native lands, advocating that: 1. Treaties be regarded as inviolate; 2. Compensation for lands taken be provided; and 3. Sovereignty of indigenous peoples be supported; (continued on Racial Justice – 29)

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JUSTICE FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

(continued from Racial Justice – 28 )

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists in the United States are urged to support amendments to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 to provide for protection of sacred sites, religious use of peyote, prisoners’ religious rights, and ritual use of eagles; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association shall: 1. Provide programs and curricula about indigenous peoples and their issues; 2. Review investment policies with regard to indigenous peoples’ concerns; and 3. Support the work of the Unitarian Universalist Network on Indigenous Affairs.

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SUPPORT OF BLACK CHURCHES — 1996

(RIW)

WHEREAS, acts of desecration and destruction, including vandalism, fire bombing, and arson, have been perpetrated against more than 60 religious institutions and sacred sites in 16 of the United States since 1990, with a significant increase since January of 1996; and WHEREAS, churches, mosques, and synagogues are sacred institutions; and WHEREAS, the vast majority of the destruction has been against Black or interracial churches; and other churches that have taken a stand for racial justice; and WHEREAS, the Black church has historically been a center for organizing for racial justice and is one of the few institutions owned and controlled by African Americans in the United States; and WHEREAS, these acts against Black churches not only destroy property, but also attack the spirit of an oppressed people; and WHEREAS, fewer than a dozen people have been arrested in connection with these crimes; and WHEREAS, the media have responded to these crimes slowly and inadequately, and have thus failed to increase understanding of racism; and WHEREAS, the cultural climate in the United States condones acts of racial injustice and neo-fascism contrary to our principles in respect for the inherent worth and dignity of all people and religious freedom and tolerance; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1996 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses outrage at the desecration and destruction of churches, synagogues,mosques, and other houses of worship and sacred sites in the United States, particularly African-American churches, by calling on Unitarian Universalist congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to: 1. Speak out in pulpits and public squares condemning acts of desecration and destruction; 2. Send letters to the President of the United States, the Attorney General, members of Congress, and state and local elected officials, urging a more thorough investigation of these acts of destruction, bringing their perpetrators to justice, and taking appropriate steps to protect those sites that are most vulnerable; 3. Urge the President of the United States to host a National Summit on Race Relations; 4. Participate by funding and volunteering in the work of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee in repairing and rebuilding houses of worship and other sacred sites; and 5. Urge individual Unitarian Universalists to offer legal and other services on a pro bono basis in support of these efforts.

Racial Justice - page 30 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

SOLIDARITY WITH THE SAN CARLOS APACHE REGARDING MT. GRAHAM — 1997 (AIW) The University of Arizona, in conjunction with Ohio State University, the Max Planck Institute of Germany, and the Arcetri Observatory of Florence, Italy, is building the third of a series of telescopes on the summit of Mt. Graham, Arizona, as a foundation for an advanced observatory. On April 15, 1997, the Apache Survival Coalition’s attorney asked the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals to order an injunction to stop construction of telescopes until the Forest Service conducts a study, in consultation with the tribe, on the cultural and religious significance of the telescope site, as required by the National Historic Preservation Act. Our support of this appeal is based on the following: The religious importance of Mt. Graham—Dzil Nchaa Si An (dzeel nchaa see aan), “Big Seated Mountain,” is the Apache name for Mt. Graham in southeastern Arizona. It is the most sacred ground of the San Carlos Apache people, a federally recognized tribe. Violation of the mountain is devastating to the San Carlos Apache people. The mountain is an integral part of their spirituality and healing arts, involving the special herbs, waters, and life of the mountain, all of which are necessary for the performance of certain traditional Apache ceremonies. Also, Mt. Graham is the site of a substantial number of Apache burials. In nine years, there has been no consultation between University of Arizona officials and traditional Apache leaders regarding Mt. Graham, although the San Carlos Apache Council has signed eight telescope opposition declarations and cultural officials from the White Mountain, Mescalero, and Jicarilla Apaches have also signed strenuous protests. As repeatedly stated by the San Carlos Tribal Council, “Any modification of the present form of this mountain constitutes a display of profound disrespect for a cherished feature of our original homeland as well as a serious violation of our traditional religious beliefs.” The ecological importance of Mt. Graham—This is a unique ecosystem, part of the Madrean Archipelago of twelve “sky” islands. Like an island rising from the ocean, Dzil Nchaa Si An rises in a sea of desert grassland. In addition, it contains more life zones than any other single mountain in North America, sustaining over 20 plants and animals found nowhere else in the world and the southernmost spruce/fir forest. The roads and clear-cuts for the observatory will destroy 27% of the best habitat of the endangered Mt. Graham Red Squirrel, once thought to be extinct. The massive human disturbance from astronomy and road construction, maintenance, and user traffic will further degrade the sustainability of the mountain’s various ecosystems. The poor quality of the site for telescope work—The long overdue scientific studies of the University of Arizona, not completed until five years after they had acquired their 1988 environmental exemption from Congress, showed that they chose a site which they described as having “unacceptable” or “unusable” visibility due to its flat topography and dense forestation. These 1993 studies showed that the University of Arizona chose the poorest of all five sites on Mt. Graham. The poor quality of the University of Arizona’s tactics in this matter—Eleven professors and 34 graduate students at the University of Arizona have passed a resolution decrying their own University’s ethics in this matter. All other North American universities (over 24), except for Ohio State University, have abandoned this project because superior science could be conducted elsewhere, or because of the project’s ethical and human rights problems. Millions of taxpayer dollars have been used to lobby Congress to evade United States cultural, religious, and environmental laws. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1997 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon the University of Arizona, Ohio State University, the Max Planck Institute of Germany and the Arcetri Observatory of Italy, to desist from further construction on Mt. Graham unless and until ethical issues are resolved; and

(Continued on Racial Justice – 31)

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SOLIDARITY WITH THE SAN CARLOS APACHE REGARDING MT. GRAHAM (Continued from Racial Justice – 30)

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1997 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon the Executive Staff and the Board of Trustees of the Association to join with the Apache in requesting the cessation of new telescope construction on Mt. Graham and the removal of all existing telescopes from Mt. Graham, and in opposing any new or proposed construction or development to take place on Mt. Graham; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the 1997 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon individual Unitarian Universalists to educate themselves about the issues facing their own local First Nations and Native American neighbors, since sacred sites needing protection exist everywhere.

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TOWARD AN ANTI-RACIST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION — 1997

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the 1996 General Assembly resolved that all congregations, districts, organizations, and professional and lay leaders participate in a reflection-action process throughout the 1996-97 church year using the Congregational Reflection and Action Process Guide and the Anti-Racism Assessment; and WHEREAS, our Unitarian Universalist principles call us to affirm and promote “justice, equity, and compassion in human relations” and “the goal of world community”; and WHEREAS, our history as Unitarian Universalists includes evidence of both great commitment and individual achievement in the struggle for racial justice as well as the failure of our Unitarian Universalist institutions to respond fully to the call for justice; and WHEREAS, racism and its effects, including economic injustice, are embedded in all social institutions as well as in ourselves and will not be eradicated without deliberate engagement in analysis and action; and WHEREAS, because of the impact of racism on all people, and the interconnection among oppressions, we realize we need to make an institutional commitment to end racism; and WHEREAS, the social, economic, and ecological health of our planet is imperiled by the deepening divisions in our world caused by inequitable and unjust distribution of power and resources; and WHEREAS, we are called yet again by our commitment to faith in action to pursue this anti-racist, multicultural initiative in the spirit of justice, compassion, and community; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1997 General Assembly urges Unitarian Universalists to examine carefully their own conscious and unconscious racism as participants in a racist society, and the effect that racism has on all our lives, regardless of color; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly urges the Unitarian Universalist Association, its congregations, and community organizations to develop an ongoing process for the comprehensive institutionalization of anti-racism and multi-culturalism, understanding that whether or not a group becomes multi-racial, there is always the opportunity to become anti-racist. Early steps toward anti-racism might include using curricula such as Journey Toward Wholeness for all age groups, forming racial justice committees, and conducting anti-racism workshops; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly urges all Unitarian Universalist leaders, including ministers, religious educators, leaders of associate and affiliate organizations, governing boards, Unitarian Universalist Association staff, theological schools, and future General Assemblies to engage in ongoing anti-racism training, to examine basic assumptions, structures, and functions, and, in response to what is learned, to develop action plans; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists are encouraged to enter into relationships of sustained engagement with all people of color with a goal of opening up authentic dialogue that may include, but is not limited to, race and racism. Such dialogue should also include how to appropriately honor and affirm the cultural traditions of all people of color; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly requests that the UUA Board of Trustees establish a committee to monitor and assess our transformation as an anti-racist, multi-cultural institution, and that the Board of Trustees shall report annually to the General Assembly specifically on the programs and resources dedicated to assisting our congregations in carrying out the objectives of this resolution; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That in order to transform the racist institutions of our world, the General Assembly urges the Unitarian Universalist Association and all its parts to establish relationships with other international and interfaith organizations that are working to dismantle racism.

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FAIR TREATMENT FOR NATIVE AMERICANS — 1998

(AIW)

The United States has a unique legal relationship with Indian tribal governments as set forth in the Constitution of the United States, in treaties, in statutes, in court decisions, and in executive orders. However, the indigenous peoples of the United States continue to suffer grievously from economic, social, political, and spiritual injustice and neglect. We fully support and encourage President Clinton’s Initiative on Race and his call for healing all forms of racial abuse and neglect. Yet at the March 1998 meeting of the Advisory Board for the Initiative on Race in Colorado, the absence of representation by indigenous peoples on the Advisory Board and the reluctance of the Advisory Board and staff to engage the audience in direct dialogue on issues of concern led to Native American protests. These protests not only changed the course of that meeting dramatically, but also led to pressure on the President from many groups and individuals to rethink policy and action toward and on behalf of indigenous peoples. The 1998 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association regrets the failure of the government of the United States to assert a vigorous and moral leadership in ending colonial practices and systemic, as well as individual, discrimination and abuse toward the indigenous peoples of the United States. The Assembly asks Unitarian Universalists in the United States to take action to urge the United States government to begin a program of reconciliation and renewal by way of the following: 1. Holding at least one Race Initiative hearing on an Indian reservation prior to the cessation of the current work of the Race Advisory Board; 2. Setting up a Presidential Commission on Indigenous Race Relations with a Native chair and majority indigenous representation; 3. Initiating through the Presidential Commission a process for apology, financial reparation, and healing for the historic injustice suffered by indigenous peoples in their relations with the United States government and the other citizens of the United States, finding inspiration in the Canadian government’s recent action of apologizing to and allocating funds for its indigenous peoples; 4. Creating an indigenous desk at the White House to act as a liaison between the administration and indigenous nations; and 5. Receiving assurance of the President’s veto of all legislation that would diminish the sovereignty and religious freedoms of indigenous nations. The 1998 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association also calls on its member congregations and individuals to share this Action of Immediate Witness with other religious groups in their communities.

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PROTEST AGAINST RACIAL PROFILING — 2000

(AIW)

WHEREAS, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization formed by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. to aid in the fight against legal segregation, has proposed a "Redeem the Dream" rally to oppose racial profiling; and WHEREAS, racial profiling, harassing, arresting, and discriminating against people because of their race or color violates our Principles; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has endorsed the concept of anti-racism as a primary focus for the Association's work and as a chief expression of its moral, ethical, and theological activities; and WHEREAS, Unitarians and Universalists, such as Bayard Rustin, Whitney Young, James Reeb, and countless others, supported or took part in the 1963 march; and WHEREAS, this march will be an expression of multiracial unity that underpins our commitment to antiracism; THEREFORE: The 2000 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, which affirms the inherent worth and dignity of all peoples, calls for an end to racial profiling by all law enforcement agencies in the United States; and it calls upon Unitarian Universalist congregations to encourage participation in the rally to be held at noon on Saturday, August 26, 2000, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

RESOLUTION ON SUPPORT FOR THE CLEVELAND, OHIO, NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY — 2000 (RR) RESOLVED: That this General Assembly urge the Planning Committee and the Board of Trustees to consult and cooperate with the United Church of Christ's ongoing efforts to support the Cleveland Native American community in their struggle against the Cleveland Indians baseball team and the racism implicit in the use of the symbols, names and mascots which Native American people find offensive.

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REPARATIONS FOR THE 1921 TULSA, OKLAHOMA RACE RIOT — 2001

(AIW)

GUIDED: By our commitment to justice and by the findings and recommendations of The Tulsa Race Riot, A Report by the Oklahoma Commission to Study the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921; and BECAUSE: Our Tulsan Unitarian Universalist forebears witnessed an atrocity of ethnic cleansing for which we are responsible to account, to reconcile and to repair; and WHEREAS, the Tulsa Race Riot is consistent with a pattern of assaults and riots in many communities across America; and WHEREAS, following the Tulsa Tribune’s editorial suggesting the probability of a lynching in Tulsa that night, frenzy spread throughout Tulsa. That evening, in the presence of two thousand white Tulsans, seventy-five African American World War I veterans met the sheriff at the courthouse, offering to protect a young black man jailed for assaulting a white elevator operator based on accusations that were later recanted; and WHEREAS, after rioting began, the City of Tulsa Police Department deputized five hundred members of the white mob, and the State of Oklahoma mobilized units of the National Guard armed with the city's machine gun mounted on a flatbed truck; and WHEREAS the District of Greenwood's citizens defended their community through the nighttime hours and faced at daylight an overwhelming assault by five thousand to ten thousand white Tulsans, whom the Ku Klux Klan probably helped to mobilize; and WHEREAS the mob systematically emptied homes, detained residents, murdered those found to be armed, looted homes and businesses, and then burned them down resulting in: 1. Around three hundred deaths, according to the official report of the Red Cross; 2. Forty square blocks burned to the ground including 1,265 homes, as well as hospitals, schools, and churches; 3. One hundred and fifty businesses leveled in the district known as Black Wall Street; and 4. Six thousand black Tulsans detained; and WHEREAS, the Commission has now submitted its report to the governor of Oklahoma on February 28, 2001, and the Tulsa Reparations Coalition has just launched a campaign to implement the Commission’s recommendations in the coming year, because the 118 survivors of the 1921 Riot are dying; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2001 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association endorses the recommendations of the Commission as stated in its final report: 1. The direct payment of reparations to survivors of the Tulsa Race Riot; 2. The direct payment of reparations to descendants of the victims and of the survivors of the Tulsa Race Riot; 3. The establishment of a scholarship fund available to students affected by the Tulsa Race Riot; 4. The establishment of an economic development enterprise zone in the historic area of the Greenwood District; and 5. The creation of a memorial for the reburial of any human remains found in the search for unmarked graves of riot victims.

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RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH FORMAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE NATIONAL COALITION (RR) ON RACISM IN SPORTS AND MEDIA — 2001 In response to the moderator's report, moved that this General Assembly direct the Unitarian Universalist Association's Board of Trustees and administration to establish formal relationships with the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media as models for local Unitarian Universalist congregations to use in developing relationships with regional Native American groups working to end the use of Indian images and symbols for sports and media mascots.

CONGREGATIONAL PROGRAMS ON RACISM AND CLASSISM — 2006

(RR)

Resolved that the delegates to the 2006 Unitarian Universalist Association's General Assembly are charged to work with their congregations to hold at least one program over the next year to address racism or classism and to report on that program at next year's General Assembly.

UUA/UUSC GULF COAST RELIEF FUND — 2006

(RR)

Be it resolved that the delegates of the 2006 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations urge our member congregations and their individual members to work and advocate for the following: 1. Ongoing leadership and commitment by the UUA-UUSC Gulf Coast Relief Fund Panel, and; 2. A just rebuilding of the Gulf Coast, including: 3. A transparent and fair contracting process demonstrating respect for labor and environmental laws; 4. Swift development of contingency plans (national, state and local) to prepare for other catastrophic storms; 5. Restoration and conservation of the Gulf region’s coastal wetlands and full repair of the levees and other storm protections; and 6. Undoing racism, ableism, ageism and other forms of oppression so clearly exposed during the devastation and exile. This Responsive Resolution is submitted with loving prayer, intentional thoughts and concern for the current and displaced residents of the Gulf Coast. We are with them on their journey home.

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TRUTH, REPAIR, AND RECONCILIATION — 2007 (RR) President Sinkford asked, "What are our truths? To whom must we be reconciled?" We have many stories to uncover—genocide, slavery, oppression. Only by knowing our truths can we act boldly on our spiritual journey of healing. In response to President Bill Sinkford's report, moved that delegates begin this work by encouraging their congregations and the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) to research their own and the Association's history: to uncover our links and complicity with the genocide of native peoples; with slavery and the slave-based economy; and with all types of racial, ethnic, and cultural oppression, past and present, toward the goal of accountability through acknowledgment, apology, repair, and reconciliation, and that they report on their progress at the 2008 and 2009 General Assemblies.

VOTING RIGHTS FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR — 2007

(RR)

We urge Unitarian Universalists to seek insight into problems experienced by communities of color regarding voting. We make this resolution in response to the report by Rev. Sinkford at the second Plenary on our continued need to confront racism. Therefore, BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates to the 2007 General Assembly are charged to work with their congregations on the following: 1. Where possible, to partner in at least one program on issues of race and voting (such as intimidation, felon disenfranchisement, and voter identification requirements) with an engaged non-partisan organization such as the Urban League, the American Civil Liberties Union, the League of Women Voters, or a local community group; 2. To seek opportunities for education and insight through personal interactions with people in communities of color regarding their experiences with voting; and 3. To report key insights to their congregations and to next year's General Assembly.

Racial Justice - page 38 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

1961 - Aid to Public Education ........................................................................................ 2 1962 - Status of Resolutions in Churches of Congregational Polity ................................ 2 1963 - Separation of Church and State........................................................................... 3 1964 - Religious Education in Public Schools ................................................................. 3 1967 - Church Property and Taxation ............................................................................. 4 1970 - Use of Church Facilities as “Private Schools” to Avoid Desegregation ................ 4 1973 - Reaffirmation of Support for Church-State Separation ......................................... 5 1977 - Fostering Intellectual Independence and Scientific Thinking................................ 5 1981 - International Association for Religious Freedom.................................................. 6 1981 - New Religious Right............................................................................................. 6 1981 - The Radical Religious Right................................................................................. 7 1982 - Personal Religious Freedom ................................................................................ 7 1982 - Public Education, Religious Liberty, and The Separation of Church and State.... 8 1982 - “Toward World Community” ................................................................................. 8 1985 - Religion and State................................................................................................ 9 1995 - Resolution Toward Safe Congregations and Right Relations............................. 10 1996 - Challenging the Radical Right............................................................................ 11 1997 - Oppose the So-Called “Religious Freedom” Amendment to the US Constitution12 1998 - Increasing the Visibility of IARF and ICUU......................................................... 12 1999 - Beyond Religious Tolerance: The Challenges of Interfaith Cooperation Begin With Us.............................................................................................................. 13 1999 - Condemnation of Arson at Sacramento Synagogues ........................................ 15 2001 - No Tax Dollars for Faith-Based Initiative............................................................ 16 2007 - Moral Values for a Pluralistic Society ................................................................. 18

See related resolutions under Civil Liberties, International Human Rights and Justice and Reproductive Health and Population.

Religious Liberty - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

AID TO PUBLIC EDUCATION — 1961

(GEN)

WHEREAS, Unitarians and Universalists have historically and continuously supported our great public school system; WE REAFFIRM: Our pride in our schools and stand staunchly against any public funds through loans or grants being given to parochial or church-related schools as being unconstitutional and in violation of the long-established principle of the separation of church and state, and support the administration bill for federal aid to education.

STATUS OF RESOLUTIONS IN CHURCHES OF CONGREGATIONAL POLITY — 1962

(GEN)

WHEREAS, churches associated in congregational polity frequently desire, through the orderly method of democratic parliamentary procedure, to express their ethical concerns and judgment on important contemporary issues, and to implement the same to the end that opinion both within the denomination and outside it may be enlightened on the issue and brought to intelligent decision for action; and WHEREAS, congregational polity guarantees the liberty of churches, fellowships and individuals to arrive at their own conclusions, without being bound in any dogmatic sense to agreement with resolutions thus adopted; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That general resolutions duly considered and adopted by the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association be considered the expressed view of that General Assembly, representative of the gathered delegates of the Association’s churches and fellowships, without in any sense being considered the unanimous opinion of the churches and fellowships, or their individual members; be commended to the denomination as a basis for study and action; and be implemented by being brought to the attention of the public and appropriate agencies of government; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a report of the vote of the General Assembly, when an actual count has been made, be made part of the public record of the adopted general resolutions; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Board of Trustees, appropriate officers, departments and agencies of the Unitarian Universalist Association be urged to undertake such programs of publicity, education, and persuasion as will fittingly implement the purpose of the adopted resolutions.

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SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE — 1963

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association at its 1963 General Assembly, reaffirms its support of religious freedom based on the principle of separation of church and state and urges its members to: 1. 2. 5. 3. 4. 6. 7.

Uphold the principle of non-sectarian public education; Oppose Bible readings and religious observances in the or classes on public property; Refrain from use of public school property for such public schools; Oppose released time for religious education; Refrain, if possible, from holding religious services purposes without payment of a fair rental; Oppose shared time in public schools; and Pay a full and fair market price for church building sites in publicly subsidized urban renewal areas and refuse to locate where a city, a state, or a federal subsidy is either implicit or explicit.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Unitarians and Universalists be requested to give individual and collective study to the problem of inequities and abuses in tax laws as they relate to religious groups.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS — 1964

(GEN)

WHEREAS, every phase of the religious education of children ought to be entirely in the hands of their respective parents or of the persons and agencies that these parents freely and individually choose; and BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association express its opposition to all attempts to alter the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America which would permit the establishment of religious practices in the public schools; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That members of the constituent bodies of the Association call upon their representatives and senators to oppose all such attempts; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That copies of this resolution be sent to the members of the 88th Congress, and its text be incorporated in the Unitarian Universalist Association testimony before the Judiciary Committee of the House on May 28, 1964.

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CHURCH PROPERTY AND TAXATION — 1967

(BUS)

DECLARING: That tax exemption for churches and church property may amount to a government subsidy to religious organizations which is incompatible with the First Amendment of the United States Constitution prohibiting establishment of religion; and DECLARING ALSO THAT: Tax exemption for religious groups may have led to abuses and to an expanding demand for aid to religious institutions including sectarian schools; THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDS THAT: Its Board of Trustees appoint an ad hoc committee to study the practice of tax exemption of churches and church property and to weigh the desirability of such practice and that the findings of this committee be reported to the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association; and RECOMMENDS FURTHER THAT: Individual churches and fellowships initiate studies of the tax exemption of churches and church property.

USE OF CHURCH FACILITIES AS “PRIVATE SCHOOLS” TO AVOID DESEGREGATION — 1970

(GEN)

WHEREAS, private schools are springing up in many parts of the country under church sponsorship with the aim of avoiding desegregation of public schools, thus subverting the Supreme Court order for immediate desegregation; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has repeatedly affirmed its stand for school integration and as recently as April, 1970, the Board of Trustees of the UUA expressed dismay at the continued resistance to school integration and has stood for use of public funds for public schools; and WHEREAS, the new church-sponsored private schools are, in many cases, seeking state and federal aid; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Ninth General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association deplores the development of segregated private church-related schools, and petitions the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and Office of Education to deny any federal funds to such schools, and further urges the Internal Revenue Service to deny granting income tax deductions for contributions to such schools.

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REAFFIRMATION OF SUPPORT FOR CHURCHSTATE SEPARATION — 1973 (GEN) BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms its support of the principle of separation of church and state in the United States and urges Unitarian Universalist societies to: 1. Oppose all direct or indirect federal, state, or local tax aid to church-related schools on all levels, such proscribed aids to include transportation; lending or granting of books, equipment, services, service of teachers; “purchase of educational services” plans; operation of public school classes or services in sectarian school buildings; shared time or dual enrollment plans; tuition vouchers or grants; tax credits or rebates; 2. Uphold religious neutrality in public education, opposing all mandated prayers, devotional observances, and religious indoctrination in public schools; 3. Oppose the sending of diplomatic, quasi-diplomatic, or personal Presidential envoys to any church; 4. Oppose the exemption from federal, state, and local taxation of income from church-owned unrelated businesses and securities, and urge that local government be allowed to charge churches for services actually enjoyed by these institutions; and 5. Support the efforts of organizations working to preserve and strengthen separation of church and state in the United States through litigation, legislation, and education.

FOSTERING INTELLECTUAL INDEPENDENCE AND SCIENTIFIC THINKING — 1977

(BUS)

WHEREAS, currently there are efforts being made to insert the creation story of Genesis into public school science textbooks; and WHEREAS, such action would be in direct contradiction with the separation of church and state; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association goes on record as opposing such efforts. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That individual societies are urged to immediately provide petitions on the subject to be signed by members and sent to their legislators; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this resolution be forwarded to the textbook selection committee of each state department of education by the Department of Ministerial and Congregational Services.

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INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM — 1981

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the American Unitarian Association was one of the founders of the International Association of Religious Freedom (IARF); and as the Unitarian Universalist Association has continued to be a substantial supporter of this association of religious groups from twenty countries on all continents with a constituency of five million people who affirm spiritual freedom and human dignity; and WHEREAS, international dialogue and friendship is the basis for world peace and understanding; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association has discontinued its departments for international work; and WHEREAS, the International Association for Religious Freedom has provided aid to its member groups devastated by war and disaster and has developed a Social Service Network program for aid and development projects within its member groups; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association send greetings to the IARF Congress meeting in Leeuwenhorst, The Netherlands, July 24-31, 1981; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist groups and individuals be encouraged to increase their participation and support of IARF programs and activities; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association make more visible the work of the International Association for Religious Freedom in developing broader understanding of the religious and cultural values of other peoples and its potential for promoting international good will.

NEW RELIGIOUS RIGHT — JANUARY 1981

(BD)

THAT: While the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association supports the right of religious leaders of whatever persuasion to comment on political issues, we wish to express our concern regarding the authoritarianism of those groups such as Moral Majority, Inc., Christian Voice, and others loosely dubbed the New Religious Right. Specifically, we object to the assumption of such groups that human beings can know with absolute certainty the will of God on particular public policy issues. We submit that to charge one’s opponents (as these groups have) with being “anti-family” or “anti-God” merely because of divergent views inflames and polarizes our society. We are particuarly concerned that the public schools appear to be a prime target of the New Religious Right’s attention and that the teaching of “secular humanism” has been singled out for special attack. We affirm that the separation of church and state mandates the independence of our public schools systems from the pressures of any particular religious perspective. We call upon all religious bodies to avoid abusive language in dealing with those who disagree with them and to affirm the principles of freedom and tolerance upon which the United States was founded.

Religious Liberty - page 6 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

THE RADICAL RELIGIOUS RIGHT — 1981

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the Radical Religious Right is a threat to the values of a free church and free society, values which the Universalist and Unitarian Churches have long struggled to maintain; and WHEREAS, in response to this threat, religious and secular groups have begun to work together to reassert the above values, notably through People for the American Way, the National Council of Churches, Americans for Common Sense, and the Interfaith Communications Commission; and WHEREAS, as Universalists and Unitarians, we have a stake in the social and political consequences of the issues raised concerning minority rights, women’s rights, violence against women and minorities, separation of church and state, priority of welfare over rearmament, and the development of world community through peaceful means; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1981 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association encourages the Association, districts, local societies, and individuals to join continental, regional, and local coalitions dedicated to action in the defense of religious and individual liberty.

PERSONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM — 1982

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the central issues for religion include the beginning, duration, nature and meaning of life, the extent to which individuals can be in control of their own lives and bodies, and the moral and ethical responsibility of individuals to the lives and bodies of others; and WHEREAS, the 1982 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms our heritage of personal religious freedom of belief and acknowledges as one of its tenets the right and responsibility of persons of all ages to decide and act upon these religious issues according to their own conscience and faith, without government interference or invasion of privacy; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1982 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon Unitarian Universalists and all individual groups, both religious and secular, of like mind to oppose attempts for legislative policy changes that would limit the free exercise of this, our religious heritage; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly calls upon the governments of the United States and Canada to oppose all attempts to legislate such limitations.

Religious Liberty - page 7 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

PUBLIC EDUCATION, RELIGIOUS LIBERTY, AND THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE — 1982

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the constitutional principles of religious liberty, and the separation of church and state that safeguard liberty, and the ideal of a pluralistic society are under increasing attack in the Congress of the United States, in state legislatures, and in some sectors of the communications media by a combination of sectarian and special interests; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1982 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms its support for these principles and urges the Board of Trustees and President of the Association, member societies, and Unitarian Universalists in the United States to: 1. Defend the democratic, pluralistic public school, opposing all forms of direct and indirect public aid to support sectarian private schools, such as tuition tax credits or vouchers; 2. Uphold religious neutrality in public education, oppose all government mandated or sponsored prayers, devotional observances, and religious indoctrination in public schools; and oppose efforts to compromise the integrity of public school teaching by the introduction of sectarian religious doctrines, such as “scientific creationism,” and by exclusion of educational material on sectarian grounds; 3. Uphold the principle of judicial review, and oppose all efforts to deny the federal courts jurisdiction over school prayer, abortion rights, or other church-state disputes; 4. Uphold the principle enunciated by the United States Supreme Court that all levels of government must remain respectfully neutral with regard to all religions; 5. Uphold the constitutional privacy right of every woman, acknowledged by the Supreme Court in 1973 Roe vs. Wade and other rulings, to plan the number and spacing of her children and to terminate a problem pregnancy in collaboration with her physician, opposing all efforts through legislation or constitutional amendment to restrict that right or to impose by law a “theology of fetal personhood”; and 6. Support all efforts to preserve and strengthen church-state separation.

“TOWARD WORLD COMMUNITY” — 1982

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1982 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association supports the Dialogue of World Religions Affirmation of the International Association for Religious Freedom by affirming: “Like tide and time, religion is a natural force. We acknowledge religion as reality greater than individual life. In response to that reality, we will join rallies or marches that witness to peace and social justice. We will contribute to the creation of a network of retreats and training centers in which individuals may be both participants and observers in learning another religious tradition. As spiritual discipline, we will give up at least one meal each month and will give the money saved to some cause of human need. We recognize the importance of raising the consciousness of government officials who violate human rights. We will petition those officials by postcard and other appropriate means. We will support the 1982 United Nations Special Session on Disarmament.”

Religious Liberty - page 8 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

RELIGION AND STATE — 1985

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion”; and WHEREAS, Article VI of the US Constitution states that “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States”; and WHEREAS, the United States is a pluralistic society committed to the separation of church and state; and WHEREAS, there have been recent efforts by some individuals and religious organizations to identify this country and its government with religious doctrines and the Unitarian Universalist Association has deplored and condemned such activities that link government policies and actions at the federal, state and local levels and doctrines of specific religions; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1985 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms its commitment to religious liberty and religious pluralism; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges individual Unitarian Universalists and member societies of the Association in the United States to make manifest their commitment to the separation of church and state by launching a sustained campaign, in cooperation with the other like-minded organizations, in the following areas, at the federal, state, and/or local level, to: 1. Oppose all direct or indirect use of public funds to aid sectarian private schools; 2. Oppose all deviations from religious neutrality in public schools such as government mandated or regimented devotions; the intrusion of sectarian doctrines, such as “creationism,” in science classes; “equal access” plans for religious activities in public schools; proselytizing in public schools by either school personnel or outside adults; 3. Oppose United States diplomatic relations with any religious body; and 4. Oppose all official or unofficial tests for public office, including efforts to label particular parties or candidates as having the proper or improper religious stance.

Religious Liberty - page 9 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

RESOLUTION TOWARD SAFE CONGREGATIONS AND RIGHT RELATIONS — 1995 (GEN) WHEREAS, in her report to the 1995 General Assembly, Executive Vice President Kathleen Montgomery called on our Association to promote safer congregations for women, children, and men; and BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations; BECAUSE: We desire Unitarian Universalist congregations to be places safe from interpersonal violence or abuse; BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists, along with many religious movements, have experienced incidents in which clergy or laypersons have acted in ways to jeopardize interpersonal safety within our congregations, causing pain and breach of trust; and BECAUSE: We recognize that both laity and clergy need to accept active responsibility for the prevention of interpersonal violence and abuse within our congregations and for healing where such violence or abuse has occurred, or may occur, so that there is a restoration of community; and WHEREAS: We recognize the moral complexity involved with the issues of justice, right relationship, power, and trust; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That, to foster and support safe congregations and right relations, the Unitarian Universalist Association shall act, and urge its member congregations, affiliates, associates, and religious professionals, and individual Unitarian Universalists, to: 1. Encourage education and reflection on what it means to be a safe congregation and to be persons in right relationships; 2. Encourage the use of resources which examine the interpersonal ethics, religious issues, and spiritual dynamics that foster safe congregations and right relations between persons; 3. Utilize joint lay/clergy processes for congregational support in prevention, proactive crisis intervention, and healing, both short and long term; 4. Encourage the involvement of the laity and clergy as partners in understanding issues of interpersonal ethics and in developing codes of conduct for laity, clergy, and congregations; and 5. Encourage and enhance collaboration between committees and departments of the Unitarian Universalist Association and affiliated/associated organizations concerned with issues of safe congregations and right relationships; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly requests the Executive Vice President of the Unitarian Universalist Association to, for the next five years, report annually on progress in implementing this resolution.

Religious Liberty - page 10 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CHALLENGING THE RADICAL RIGHT — 1996

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large; and BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists embrace reason, freedom, acceptance, love, and the value of human diversity as guiding principles; and WHEREAS, various organizations, generally referred to as the radical right, that combine a fundamentalist theology with an extreme right-wing political ideology, have allied themselves in recent years to undertake a campaign aimed at gaining control of our public institutions, such as schools, libraries, political parties, and governmental bodies, using tactics that obscure their overarching philosophy and policy agenda; and WHEREAS, such covert tactics subvert the open democratic process and make it difficult for voters to recognize the underlying aims and ideals of those promoting new policies and to challenge them; and WHEREAS, the success of such organizations is beginning to reverse progress made toward creating equitable school and government programs that respect human rights, reflect our multicultural heritage, and affirm the validity of non-traditional families; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association goes on record as opposing the efforts of radical-right organizations to work covertly toward the implementation of their beliefs as public policy; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to educate themselves about the full agenda of organizations seeking a radical, right-wing reshaping of society; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists, working individually and in coalition with other groups, to make every effort to identify, expose, and challenge radical-right groups and the tactics they employ; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to proclaim and promote our principles by becoming active participants in public institutions such as schools, libraries, political parties, and governmental bodies.

Religious Liberty - page 11 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

OPPOSE THE SO-CALLED “RELIGIOUS FREEDOM” AMENDMENT TO THE US CONSTITUTION — 1997(AIW) WHEREAS, US Representative Ernest Istook of Oklahoma, along with 116 co-sponsors, introduced the following proposed amendment to the US Constitution in the House of Representatives on May 8, 1997: “To secure the people’s right to acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience: The people’s right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, or traditions on public property, including schools, shall not be infringed. The Government shall not require any person to join in prayer or other religious activity, initiate or designate school prayers, discriminate against religion, or deny equal access to a benefit on account of religion.”; WHEREAS, this amendment would overturn decades of judicial decisions interpreting the establishment of religion clause of the First Amendment as prohibiting state-sponsored school prayer, religious displays on government property, or other religious activities or expression under government auspices; and WHEREAS, the effect of this amendment would be endorsement of a particular religious perspective in and by schools and other public institutions with resultant disparagement of other religious views and intimidation of school children and others of a differing religious outlook; and WHEREAS, the amendment is intended to authorize large scale diversion of public funds to sectarian schools and other institutions; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1997 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association encourages its US member societies and individual Unitarian Universalists to work with the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Washington Office to oppose this proposed constitutional amendment and urge representatives in the Congress to oppose its approval by the House and Senate and subsequent referral to the States.

INCREASING THE VISIBILITY OF IARF AND ICUU — 1998

(BUS)

WHEREAS, the principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association include the goal of world community, and respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part; and WHEREAS, the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF) is an important resource by which we as a denomination connect with and support liberal religious ideas internationally; and WHEREAS, the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) provides us with necessary formal structure within which both Unitarians and Universalists can continue their historic policy of proactive involvement with our co-religionists around the world; and WHEREAS, the IARF and ICUU are relatively invisible to our congregations and members; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That this General Assembly affirms and celebrates the world-wide connections of our faith, and seeks to strengthen those connections for our mutual benefit; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association develop policies and initiate programs which promote knowledge and support of IARF and ICUU and their work.

Religious Liberty - page 12 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

BEYOND RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE: THE CHALLENGES OF INTERFAITH COOPERATION BEGIN WITH US — 1999

(SOC)

We live in a global village that brings people of diverse economic, cultural, and religious backgrounds into close and interdependent contact. The resulting challenges are immense. They defy traditional efforts to ensure socio-economic fairness. While we hear the plea for a more just society in the teachings of many faiths, intolerance towards people of other faiths inhibits cooperative efforts. The commitment of Unitarian Universalism to religious tolerance dates back to the first guarantee of religious freedom in Europe, issued in 1568 by the Transylvanian King John Sigismund, a Unitarian. Today, we accept others' rights to their own religious beliefs. However, our acceptance does not extend to tolerance of actions flowing from those beliefs that violate individual human rights and dignity. Acceptance thrives only where mutual respect exists, understanding is encouraged, and dialogue is nurtured among people of different faiths and philosophical traditions. Contemporary Unitarian Universalism is a pluralistic faith, drawing its strength from its openness to many different sources. While religious interdependence is an integral characteristic of our living tradition, we are not immune to religious intolerance. There is still hard work to be done within our ranks to ensure that Unitarian Universalists with different theological and philosophical beliefs feel equally at home in our congregations. We need to grow beyond the stereotypes, symbols, and semantic barriers that divide Unitarian Universalists from one another. We try to advance our Unitarian Universalist principles through our social justice agenda. We try to bring about mutual understanding, appreciation, and respect among people of faith--all people of faith. Recognizing shared values may help us avoid either accepting the intolerable or unquestioningly embracing interfaith cooperation. We want to foster cooperation among people of faith as a way of discovering shared values. These shared values may become a workable base on which to build a better world. Interfaith cooperation sets a high standard of thought, feeling, and action for each individual and for each community that by its nature goes beyond the boundaries of self. It invites us to reach beyond ourselves into the world to confront fear, ignorance, and hatred wherever we find them. It also invites us to reach deep within ourselves to assess our own prejudices. This work begins with living our principles, thereby modeling what is possible in the broader community. Therefore we are called to: Educate Ourselves. Let us commit ourselves to increasing our own and our children'sunderstanding and appreciation of other faith traditions. Let us search for deeper meanings andshared values that underlie our common humanity. Let us come to know who we are in a world ofmany different beliefs. Let us use our long-standing commitment to liberal education to overcome fear, ignorance, and hatred. Honor Our Internal Religious Pluralism. Within our congregations, let us come to understand that the identity of our evolving faith is rooted in the free expression of our varied religious beliefs and deepest yearnings. Let us celebrate our differences as contributing to our creativity and to the unique fabric of our Unitarian Universalist heritage. Converse with Other Faith Communities. Let us find the courage to explore through dialogue thevalues and goals we share with others. Let us listen to others carefully, avoid premature judgments, and speak only for ourselves. Let us speak out about who we are and be sure we are heard. Let us build from our conversations a network for collective action. Let us become involved as individuals, as congregations, and as a faith community in cooperative interfaith activities. (Continued on Religious Liberty – 14)

Religious Liberty - page 13 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

BEYOND RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE: THE CHALLENGES OF INTERFAITH COOPERATION BEGIN WITH US (Continued from Religious Liberty – 13)

Participate in Interfaith Service Projects. Let us recognize and encourage those among us who reach out beyond themselves to take part, as Unitarian Universalists, in cooperative interfaith service projects and who embody our principles in their involvement. Work for Social Justice. Social justice work, in addition to its intrinsic merit, can bring faith communities together and provide opportunities for personal transformation. Through the discovery of mutual interests, let us help build personal and institutional alliances that open channels of communication for further cooperative work. Celebrate Diversity. Let us go beyond tolerance to build mutual understanding with respect, appreciation, and love for people whose religious traditions, symbols, and beliefs may differ from our own. The Unitarian Universalist Association dedicates itself to the challenges of interfaith cooperation and calls upon its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists, within the dictates of conscience, to accept these challenges. May our commitment to building a better world begin with ourselves as we work with others to make the world awaited a world attained.

Religious Liberty - page 14 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CONDEMNATION OF ARSON AT SACRAMENTO (AIW) SYNAGOGUES — 1999 In the early morning hours of Friday, June 18, 1999, three synagogues in Sacramento, California, were set on fire. The three synagogues—Congregation B'nai Israel, Congregation Beth Shalom, and Knesset Israel Torah Center—suffered over $1,000,000 worth of damage, including a library with a 2,000-year-old bible and videos of holocaust survivors. Anti-Semitic flyers were left at each scene, and the FBI is investigating the arsons as hate crimes. Immediately after the events, the Sacramento interfaith community rose as one in support and solidarity with the three congregations. These acts of violence strike at Unitarian Universalists' most deeply held principles. We condemn all such acts of hatred and intolerance. The 1996 General Assembly decried the burning of churches, synagogues, mosques, and other houses of worship. We do so again. As Unitarian Universalists, we want our voices to be heard. Therefore the 1999 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association requests that: a. Individual Unitarian Universalists continue to speak out in condemnation of such acts of desecration and destruction; b. The Unitarian Universalist Association convey our sympathy to and solidarity with the congregations of the three synagogues; and c. The Unitarian Universalist Association, in conjunction with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, on behalf of the Unitarian Universalist movement as a whole, make an appeal to all Unitarian Universalist congregations to assist Sacramento Interfaith projects, such as the proposed Museum of Tolerance, which will address the climate of intolerance and hate which led to these crimes.

Religious Liberty - page 15 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

NO TAX DOLLARS FOR FAITHBASED INITIATIVES — 2001

(AIW)

For decades, the federal government has awarded grants and contracts to religious groups to provide social services. However, to protect their integrity and the interests of taxpayers, religious groups until now have created separate, secular entities to receive the public funds. In January, 2001, President George W. Bush established the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives to promote “policies, priorities, and objectives for the Federal Government’s comprehensive effort to enlist, equip, enable, empower, and expand the work of faith-based and other community organizations to the extent permitted by law.” This “Charitable Choice” proposal is currently pending in the United States Congress. This legislation would significantly expand existing law by allowing sectarian organizations to directly receive federal funding. Inasmuch as Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person and affirm religious freedom and the separation of church and state; and WHEREAS, the Bush Administration and many congressional leaders are advancing faith-based initiatives that would erode these cherished ideals, for example:  Taxpayer-funded Discrimination. Religious institutions are free under current law to discriminate—on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and gender—when hiring and employing people with their own private funds. Under proposed provisions, religious organizations could discriminate using federal dollars.  Taxpayer-funded Proselytizing. Religious groups receiving federal funds could decide whom they would serve with those funds and what services would be given.  First Amendment Rights. Allowing sectarian institutions to substitute for the government as the providers of essential services could result in the very kind of religious coercion that the First Amendment Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution was designed to prevent.  Reproductive Freedom. Publicly-funded services that now offer information on a full range of reproductive and family planning options would be forced to compete for funding with faith-based organizations that offer partial information and services.  Sex Education. Religious groups would receive federal funds to provide sex education only if their programs are “abstinence-only” and exclude important topics such as contraception and safer sex.  Rights of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender People. Federal money flowing to groups that justify oppression on religious grounds would increase the discrimination and repression that bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender people already experience.  Freedom of Religion. The federal initiatives would both undermine religious freedom and blur the appropriate boundary between religion and government. With federal money would come either federal oversight, that is, governmental regulation of religious organizations, or the dispensing of government funds without regulation or accountability, which would be poor stewardship of taxpayer dollars. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2001 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to: 1. Immediately contact their Congressional Representatives to oppose the pending Faith-Based Initiatives legislation. (Continued on Religious Liberty – 16) Religious Liberty - page 16 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

NO TAX DOLLARS FOR FAITH-BASED INITIATIVES (Continued from Religious Liberty – 15) 2. Communicate their opposition to the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. 3. Network with other religious institutions and other concerned organizations to bring the issues and dangers of, and the alternatives to, Faith-Based Initiatives into focus for debate and effective opposition. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the leadership of the Unitarian Universalist Association is encouraged to represent our opposition to the Congress, the federal administration, and other appropriate bodies and entities.

Religious Liberty - page 17 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

MORAL VALUES FOR A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY — 2007

(SOC)

Moral values increasingly frame public discourse. As Unitarian Universalists, we must affirm the moral influence of liberal religion in society. At great personal risk, the forebears of our faith have taken public positions on issues of consequence such as religious freedom, abolition, women's suffrage, and civil rights. This tradition continues in our advocacy of the freedom to marry. People often make religious claims about controversial issues such as reproductive rights, stem cell research, the death penalty, and the teaching of evolution. Their efforts to advocate one perspective, to the exclusion of others, are influencing every branch and level of government. Consequently, the United States is moving away from its constitutionally mandated separation of church and state. It is time for Unitarian Universalists to assert and defend two basic principles underlying the United States Constitution: (1) the basic principle of freedom, the right of all human beings to follow a life of their choosing as long as others are not harmed, and (2) the basic principle of the inherent equal dignity of all human beings, which includes the right of all human beings to equal justice. Our moral values are drawn from many sources. We are a blended family with diverse theologies but common moral values. "Values" can be defined as principles or qualities considered worthwhile by members of communities holding them and "morals" as discernment of behaviors that contribute to wellbeing. We recognize that we live in a moral context that spans many levels—planetary ecology, societies, cultures, individuals, cells, and molecules that we depend upon for our individual and organizational wellbeing. As an Association, we have covenanted to affirm and promote each of our seven Principles. The moral values of Unitarian Universalism correspond profoundly with those embodied in the founding documents of our nation. The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution embody freedom of religion, the right of conscience, and the worth and dignity of every person. Like the values to which we aspire as Americans, our Unitarian Universalist values are distilled from the hopes, dreams, experiences, and struggles of all who honor them. Our Unitarian Universalist Principles parallel the Ends Principle, the Golden Rule, and the founding documents of this nation. History shows the dire consequences when this core morality is rejected. Although our country has not fully implemented the promises of its founding documents to all of its people, we Unitarian Universalists strive to help this nation fulfill those promises. Arising from our Principles, the common denominators of Unitarianism Universalist values are Compassion, Justice, Equity, The Right of Conscience, Reason, and Respect for Others. As Unitarian Universalists, we have a responsibility to give voice to the moral values on which our faith is grounded, not only with a statement of conscience but through acts of conscience that honor the values we espouse. As individuals, let us:  Speak out on moral issues with clarity and confidence;  Listen to people with whom we find ourselves in conflict, recognizing them as our neighbors, our kin;  Model a religion that embraces liberalism and morality; and  Apply our moral values to improve society.

(Continued on Religious Liberty – 18) Religious Liberty - page 18 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

MORAL VALUES FOR A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY (Continued from Religious Liberty – 17) As congregations, let us:    

State the moral grounding of our social justice agendas; Speak collectively on moral issues; Give ourselves clear and accessible language to describe our moral values; and Urge our religious leaders to proclaim our moral values in the public square.

As an association of interdependent congregations, let us:  Speak out forcefully on issues using Unitarian Universalist moral values;  Articulate Unitarian Universalist values and their application to living with respect and compassion;  Support civil liberties and the separation of church and state; and  Work across faith, cultural, and national boundaries to cultivate a Beloved Global Community. Let us proclaim Unitarian Universalist moral values to our communities and our nation. We will reinvigorate our living tradition so that it is visible, audible, and valued in the public square.

Religious Liberty - page 19 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Religious Liberty - page 20 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND POPULATION

1962 - Population ............................................................................................................ 2 1963 - Reform of Abortion Statutes................................................................................. 2 1968 - Abortion................................................................................................................ 3 1969 - Support for Ministers Involved in Counseling Services for Problem Pregnancies 3 1970 - Unitarian Universalist Statement on Survival and Population Control .................. 4 1973 - Abortion................................................................................................................ 5 1973 - Population Stabilization ........................................................................................ 5 1975 - For the Right to Abortion ...................................................................................... 5 1975 - Population and the Quality of Life ........................................................................ 6 1977 - Abortion................................................................................................................ 7 1978 - Abortion: Right to Choose ................................................................................... 8 1980 - A Religious Statement on Abortion: A Call to Commitment.................................. 8 1985 - Resolution on Abortion Clinic Bombings .............................................................. 9 1986 - 1986 March for Women’s Lives............................................................................ 9 1987 - Right to Choose ................................................................................................. 10 1990 - Choices Affecting Population ............................................................................. 11 1992 - Responding to the June 29, 1992 United States Supreme Court Decision Upholding Pennsylvania's Constraints on Women's Reproductive Freedom ..... 12 1993 - Federal Legislation for Choice............................................................................ 13 1994 - Sexuality Education in Public Schools .............................................................. 14 1996 - Population and Development ............................................................................ 15 2006 - Pass the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act .............................................. 16 2007 - Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education Legislation ................................. 17

See related resolutions under Children and Youth; Economic Justice, Environmental Justice, Equal Opportunity, Health, and International Human Rights and Justice.

Reproductive Health and Population - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

POPULATION — 1962

(GEN)

WHEREAS, famine and illiteracy are fundamental problems in the world; and WHEREAS, an uncontrolled and unplanned population growth is a fundamental factor increasing these problems by exceeding economic, educational, and agricultural development of many regions and countries; and WHEREAS, it is our belief that widespread, effective and voluntary use of medically sound and individually acceptable birth control is an essential factor in a human design to raise world living standards and achieve international peace, as well as social stability; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urge the Congress of the United States and the Parliament of Canada to pass legislation: 1. Giving financial and scientific support to the intensive research now being made to discover inexpensive, harmless and effective birth control methods; and 2. Permitting the dissemination of family planning and birth control information to those nations which request such information. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That local, state, federal and provincial governments be urged to: 1. Remove restrictions prohibiting the responsible distribution of birth control information and devices; and 2. Allow welfare and similar agencies to aid in birth control measures where desired.

REFORM OF ABORTION STATUTES — 1963

(GEN)

WHEREAS, we as Unitarian Universalists are deeply concerned for dignity and rights of human beings; and WHEREAS, the laws which narrowly circumscribe or completely prohibit termination of pregnancy by qualified medical practitioners are an affront to human life and dignity; and WHEREAS, these statutes drive many women in the United States and Canada to seek illegal abortions with increased risk of death, while others must travel to distant lands for lawful relief; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association support enactment of a uniform statute making abortion legal if: 1. 2. 3. 4.

There would be grave impairment of the physical or mental health of the mother; The child would be born with a serious physical or mental defect; Pregnancy resulted from rape or incest; or There exists some other compelling reason — physical, psychological, mental, spiritual, or economic.

Reproductive Health and Population - page 2 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

ABORTION — 1968

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1968 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalists Association urges that efforts be made to abolish existing abortion laws except to prohibit performance of an abortion by a person who is not a duly licensed physician, leaving the decision as to an abortion to the doctor and his patient.

SUPPORT FOR MINISTERS INVOLVED IN COUNSELING SERVICES FOR PROBLEM PREGNANCIES — 1969

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1969 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses its support for and encouragement of ministers who are participants in counseling services for women with problem pregnancies.

Reproductive Health and Population - page 3 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST STATEMENT ON SURVIVAL AND POPULATION CONTROL — 1970

(GEN)

WHEREAS, two hundred scientists from fifty different countries meeting in Paris in the fall of 1968 under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Social and Cultural Organization came to the conclusion that within a period of approximately twenty years the life process on earth will be seriously threatened if not in fact dead unless major changes are made immediately; and WHEREAS, U Thant has repeatedly warned the nations of the world that fundamental political, economic and environmental changes must be made very quickly if we are to forestall an irreversible destructive course within ten years; and WHEREAS, we recognize that the “ecological crisis” is not just around the corner; it is here now. An estimated four million people a year — over ten thousand a day — starve to death. Millions more die from conditions caused or aggravated by environmental decay. One half of the world’s people are either malnourished or undernourished. Population continues to mount at an explosive rate, creating drains on already diminishing resources. Slums, poverty, and war testify to the fact that man has not learned that he is dependent on a limited life system; and WHEREAS, we are convinced that man’s survival as a species is imperiled by his mushrooming technology and by his excessive breeding rate; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Recognize that many distinguished ecologists believe that environmental problems are not ultimately solvable by mere science or technology. A new religious emphasis is needed which includes a deep reverence for the diversity of life and understands people’s dependence upon the planet’s life system. Such an awareness would lead to a new life style which is balanced ecologically; 2. Encourage the leaders of the great religions of the world to send delegates or observers to Stockholm, to the United Nations 1972 Conference on the human environment; 3. Use its present resources in such a way that Unitarian and Universalist Churches and Fellowships increase their ecological understanding and undertake appropriate action by: a. giving emphasis to environmental matters in the UU world; b. developing materials and curricula on the religious aspect of ecology; c. urging Beacon Press to publish pertinent books when possible; d. calling upon our UUA representatives in Ottawa, Washington, DC and the United Nations to support legislation of resolution on environmental change; e. encouraging each society to participate in local environmental action programs; 4. Urge the members to restrict themselves and their own future family planning to no more than two children per family except by adoption; 5. Support the right of each individual to limit his family size through freely available contraceptive materials, abortions, and sterilization, and publicize the availability of these materials; and 6. Work with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and other groups or agencies who are working toward worldwide population control. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the UUA: 1. Recognize Canada’s efforts to prevent pollution of the Arctic; and 2. Support Canada’s legislation creating a 100-mile offshore pollutional control jurisdiction zone around Canada’s North coast and Arctic islands; and 3. Notify the United States government and the Canadian government of the UUA’s endorsement of Canada’s pollution control legislation.

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ABORTION — 1973

(GEN)

WHEREAS, there are well organized efforts of letter writing, petitions, and a Washington Office for lobbying to amend the US Constitution to overturn the US Supreme Court decision on abortion; BE IT RESOLVED: That we support the US Supreme Court ruling on abortion and its implementation.

POPULATION STABILIZATION — 1973

(GEN)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1973 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association: 1. Endorses the principle of population stabilization for the United States and Canada; 2. Urges the passage of legislation at all appropriate levels to bring about as soon as possible through non-coercive means a stabilization for the United States and Canada; 3. Urges the introduction and continuing support of population education and education in parental responsibility in the public schools throughout the United States and Canada; and 4. Urges all societies and individuals in the Unitarian Universalist Association to support in their own areas legislation for population stabilization by non-coercive means, for population education, and for education in parental responsibility.

FOR THE RIGHT TO ABORTION — 1975

(GEN)

WHEREAS, every female should be accorded the right to decide whether or not she should bear a child; WHEREAS, contraceptive methods are not perfect and do not absolutely protect against pregnancy; and WHEREAS, abortion can be a relatively simple and safe way to terminate a pregnancy; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates at the 1975 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirm the right of any female of any age or marital or economical status to have an abortion at her own request upon medical/social consultation of her own choosing; and urge all Unitarian Universalists in the United States to resist through their elected representatives the efforts now under way by some members of the Congress of the United States and state legislatures to curtail that right by means of constitutional amendment or other means; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we urge all Unitarian Universalists and all Unitarian Universalist societies in Canada through the Canadian Unitarian Council to strive for making these rights available in Canada; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly deplores the legal persecution by the Canadian authorities of Dr. Henry Morgenthaler for his courageous fight for the abortion rights of Canadian women and his willingness to assist them in exercising those rights. We deplore particularly the attack by the Crown prosecutor on the jury system, which has twice acquitted Dr. Morgenthaler; the mistreatment of Dr. Morgenthaler in prison after his second acquittal; the shocking ruling of the Canadian courts that an Appellate Court can declare a defendant guilty after he has been acquitted by a jury; and the announced intention of the Crown prosecutor to carry on ten more prosecutions of Dr. Morgenthaler for past abortions. The General Assembly commends the Canadian Unitarian Council for its support of Dr. Morgenthaler and requests the CUC to convey the concern of the General Assembly to the Prime Minister of Canada and the Prime Minister of Quebec, and to request the Prime Minister of Canada to procure for Dr. Morgenthaler a royal pardon.

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POPULATION AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE — 1975

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the rapidly increasing human population of the world has caused grave problems in the supply of food and raw materials and threatens the quality of life in developed and developing nations alike; and WHEREAS, the United States as the fourth most populous nation on earth, the greatest consumer of its goods and raw materials, and the richest by almost any measure of wealth is in a position to set an example for change for others to follow; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates at the 1975 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urge the government of the United States; 1. To establish and implement humane and equitable immigration, resources and population policies and programs which will soon stabilize population in the United States; 2. To encourage the conservation and development of food and natural resources, and to discourage waste and to encourage the development of alternate energy supplies; and 3. To cooperate with other nations of the world directly and through the United Nations in greatly increased programs to bring about worldwide population stabilization and socio-economic development, all with the goal of attaining for all people on earth a reasonable quality of life, including adequate food, housing, medical care, and education. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we urge the members of the UUA and the US public through voluntary agencies to support the above policies; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Canadian Unitarian Council be requested to represent the same concerns to the government of Canada and to its own membership.

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ABORTION — 1977

(GEN)

WHEREAS, attempts are now being made to deny Medicaid funds for abortion and to enact Constitutional Amendments that would limit abortions to life-endangering situations and thus remove this decision from the individual and her physician; and WHEREAS, such legislation is an infringement of the principle of the separation of church and state as it tries to enact a position on private morality into public law; and WHEREAS, such anti-abortion legislation would cause the revival of illegal abortion and result in the criminal exploitation of women who are without money or influence, forcing them to resort to unsafe procedures; and WHEREAS, we affirm the right of each woman to make the decisions concerning her own body and future and we stress the responsibilities and long-term commitment involved in the choice of parenthood; WHEREAS, the majority of the Supreme Court has ruled on June 20, 1977 that the states are not obligated to expend Medicaid funds for elective abortions, and has also ruled that public hospitals are not obligated to perform abortions; WHEREAS, there is a strong national movement to have two-thirds of the state legislatures request Congress to convene a Constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing a Constitutional amendment to prohibit abortion; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses its dismay and regret at the June 20, 1977 decision of the Supreme Court as seriously jeopardizing the right of legal abortion won in the Supreme Court decisions of January, 1973; opposes the denial of Medicaid funds for abortion and any Constitutional amendment prohibiting abortion and urges members of the societies of the Unitarian Universalist Association to write or wire their senators and representatives in Congress and state legislatures to inform them of our position on these issues; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly positively affirms its respect for the responsibilities and joys of parenthood, and the member societies of the Unitarian Universalist Association are encouraged to develop workshops and other programs on parenthood and parenting; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly urges that federal funds be invested in research to find more effective and safer methods of birth control.

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ABORTION: RIGHT TO CHOOSE — 1978

(GEN)

WHEREAS, religious freedom under the Bill of Rights is a cherished American right; and WHEREAS, right to choice on contraception and abortion are important aspects of the right of privacy, respect for human life and freedom of conscience of women and their families; and WHEREAS, there is increasing religious and political pressure in the United States to deny the foregoing rights; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association once again affirms the 1973 decision of the Supreme Court of the United States on abortion and urges the Association and member societies and individual members of member societies to continue and to intensify efforts to insure that every woman, whatever her financial means, shall have the right to choose to terminate a pregnancy legally and with all possible safeguards; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Unitarian Universalist Association, districts, and individual Unitarian Universalist societies to continue and, where possible, increase their efforts to maintain right of choice on abortion, including increased cooperation with the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, the National Abortion Rights Action League, and other groups seeking maintenance of this right; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association strongly opposes any denial or restriction of federal funds, or any Constitutional amendment, or the calling of a national Constitutional Convention to propose a Constitutional amendment, that would prohibit or restrict access to legal abortion.

A RELIGIOUS STATEMENT ON ABORTION: A CALL TO COMMITMENT — 1980

(GEN)

WHEREAS, the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, an organization supported by twenty-seven religious bodies, including the Unitarian Universalist Association, has issued a “Call to Commitment: A Religious Statement on Abortion”; and WHEREAS, in order to provide a unified approach, five of the religious bodies have already passed resolutions endorsing this statement and many others will consider it at meetings shortly; and WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association has endorsed the statement and encourages similar endorsement by wider representation in our denomination; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly to the Unitarian Universalist Association endorse “A Religious Statement on Abortion: A Call to Commitment” prepared by the Religious Coalition on Abortion Rights; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly urges that educational programs and efforts be pressed forward to foster responsibility in sexual conduct in the interest of reducing unwanted pregnancies.

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RESOLUTION ON ABORTION CLINIC BOMBINGS — 1985

(BD)

VOTED: That the terrorist bombings of family planning agencies and abortion clinics throughout the United States are attempts to deny the right of free choice and to prevent the exercise of that right through intimidation. This breakdown of law and order is deplored by the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees. We call on all federal, state and local authorities to protect our citizens' constitutionally guaranteed rights.

1986 NATIONAL MARCH FOR WOMEN’S LIVES — JANUARY 1986

(BD)

WHEREAS, the principles of religious liberty require the protection of the right of conscience in reproductive matters as deeply religious and personal decisions; and WHEREAS, actions of the religious right minority, and the current US Administration, increasingly threaten access to safe and legal family planning services and abortion, not only in the United States, but also in developing countries throughout the world; and WHEREAS, the National Organization for Women has invited the Unitarian Universalist Association to cosponsor The National March for Women’s Lives - East Coast/West Coast, the first massive march to preserve safe and legal birth control and abortion since 1973 Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision; and WHEREAS, since 1962 the Unitarian Universalist Association has repeatedly addressed the issues of family planning and abortion rights through passage of public policy resolutions by its General Assemblies; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Board of Trustees of the UUA endorses and co-sponsors The National March for Women’s Lives - East Coast/West Coast ; commits the Association to organize delegations to participate in the marches, in Washington, DC on March 9, 1986, and in Los Angeles, CA on March 16, 1986; and calls upon UU districts and congregations to mobilize Unitarian Universalists to join in these marches to preserve reproductive freedom, and in community observances supporting the rights affirmed in the 1973 Supreme Court decision.

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RIGHT TO CHOOSE — 1987

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists believe that the inherent worth and dignity of every person, the right of individual conscience, and respect for human life are inalienable rights due every person; and that the personal right to choose in regard to contraception and abortion is an important aspect of these rights; and BECAUSE: We believe in tolerance and compassion for persons whose choices may differ from our own; and BECAUSE: We believe not only in the value of life itself but also in the quality of life; and WHEREAS, pain, suffering, and loss of life were widespread prior to the legalization of abortion in 1973 by the U.S. Supreme Court (Roe v. Wade ) and the 1969 amendments to the Criminal Code of Canada; WHEREAS, the issue of abortion is morally complex, abortion must remain a legal option; and WHEREAS, attempts are now being made to restrict access to birth control and abortion by overriding individual decisions of conscience, and attacks in legislatures, courts, and the streets often result in depriving poor women of their right to medical care; and such legislation is an infringement of the principle of separation of church and state in that it tries to enact private morality into public law; and WHEREAS, there is a movement to re-criminalize abortion both for women and their health-care providers which could bring back dangerous alternatives to clinically safe abortions; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1987 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms its historic position, supporting the right to choose contraception and abortion as legitimate aspects of the right to privacy; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that: 1. Individual Unitarian Universalists educate themselves, their congregations, and the public about the new moral understandings emergent in the works of feminist theologians and social ethicists; 2. Unitarian Universalists oppose any move to deny or restrict the distribution of government funds as a means of restricting access to full contraceptive and abortion counseling and/or services, at home or abroad; 3. Unitarian Universalists actively oppose all legislation, regulation and administrative action, at any level of government, intended to undermine or circumvent the Roe v. Wade decision; and 4. Unitarian Universalists communicate their opposition to such attempts to their legislative representatives and to the electorate; 5. Unitarian Universalists expose and oppose bogus clinics and other tactics that infringe on the free exercise of the right to choose; 6. Unitarian Universalists promote legislation funding safe abortions for low-income women; and 7. Individual Unitarian Universalists, congregations, and the Unitarian Universalist Association open discussion with those of different mind, and seek opportunities to work productively from shared values to promote family planning and education for responsible sex; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That we reaffirm the right to choose contraception and abortion as a legitimate expression of our constitutional rights.

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CHOICES AFFECTING POPULATION — 1990

(GEN)

BECAUSE: We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every individual; BECAUSE: We cherish the earth and seek to preserve the environment for future generations; BECAUSE: We hold a deep reverence for all life; and BECAUSE: We recognize that what we choose today will affect the quality of life for our children, our grandchildren, and all generations to come; and WHEREAS, tens of thousands of children die of starvation every day; and WHEREAS, 500 million more children suffer homelessness, poverty, and malnutrition; and WHEREAS, our current exponential rate of population growth would add one billion people to the world population in the next twelve years; and WHEREAS, increasing population is frequently associated with increasing the pollution of the water, air, soil, and ozone shield, and further depleting the earth’s finite resources; and WHEREAS, the crush of overpopulation often contributes to aggressive and destructive behavior; and WHEREAS, the United States (US) government has cut back its support for family planning programs; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), in order to protect the environment and promote quality of life for future generations, calls upon its congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to: 1. Promote education on the morality and ultimate economic, environmental, and social necessity of couples planning their family size; 2. Promote age-appropriate sex education for all children; 3. Encourage the use of contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancies and support the right to choose abortion; 4. Promote medical research, accelerated governmental approval, and the commercial development of safe and more effective means of birth control, such as RU486, currently unavailable in both Canada and the United States; 5. Advocate in legislatures, courts, media, and schools the ethical position that the well-being of future generations requires the right to choose contraception and abortion now; and 6. Advocate that US government restore funding and support for family planning programs, including those which may offer the choices of contraception and abortion.

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RESPONSE TO THE JUNE 29, 1992 UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECISION UPHOLDING PENNSYLVANIA’S CONSTRAINTS ON WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM — 1992 (RIW) WHEREAS, we, the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, have on several occasions stated our strong support of women’s privacy and rights to choose concerning their reproductive options, and in response to the June 29, 1992 decision of the Supreme Court of the United States which upholds constraints upon women’s reproductive freedom and privacy contained in Pennsylvania laws; therefore WE REAFFIRM: Our continuing support for women’s reproductive freedom; and WE DECRY: The continuing erosion of such freedom as represented in the laws of Pennsylvania and of other states; and WE CALL: Upon the United States Congress to enact legislation guaranteeing women’s reproductive rights and privacy; and WE CONDEMN: All violence against caregivers for women facing problem pregnancies as represented by bombings, arson, physical assault, and harassment which continue in both Canada and the United States; and WE DEMAND: The full support of our law and justice agencies in controlling such violence.

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FEDERAL LEGISLATION FOR CHOICE — 1993

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person and the right of individual conscience; and BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm the value of life and are concerned about the quality of life; and WHEREAS, the 1987 General Resolution “Right to Choose” recognized the morally complex nature of abortion and stressed “tolerance and compassion for persons whose choices may differ from our own”; and WHEREAS, the Supreme Court of the United States, in recent decisions, has undermined the principle of freedom of choice in reproductive matters recognized in Roe v. Wade (1973); and WHEREAS, further erosion or overturning of Roe v. Wade by future decisions of the Supreme Court could leave a woman’s right to choose subject to state legislation, which may be unsympathetic or even opposed to choice by creating demeaning and unnecessary barriers to safe, timely, and accessible services; and WHEREAS, recent developments include both the more favorable attitude of the Clinton administration toward a woman’s right to choose and a marked increase in violence intended to obstruct access to abortion; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That Unitarian Universalists in the United States be urged to promote passage of federal legislation to: 1. Guarantee the fundamental right of individual choice in reproductive matters; 2. Require that counseling agencies receiving federal funds provide information about pregnancy options, including abortions; 3. Provide federal funds to make abortion available to women of low income and to women in the armed services; 4. Ensure the provision of abortion services for all women within a national health program; 5. protect medical personnel who supply abortion services, and their families, from harassment and intimidation; and 6. Guarantee unrestricted access to counseling and abortion services, regardless of age, class, race, or situation, without curtailing peaceful protest.

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SEXUALITY EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS — 1994

(RIW)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm the value of loving relationships—heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender; and WHEREAS, youth are increasingly exposed to and victimized by rape and incest, unplanned pregnancy, sexual abuse, and sexual harassment; and WHEREAS, the Texas Republican Party platform, adopted on June 11, 1994, states that “homosexuality should not be presented as an acceptable lifestyle in our public schools” and that “we also oppose the use of any tax dollars for any program . . . which teaches and legitimizes sexual activity, birth control, abortion, and homosexuality”; and WHEREAS, there are high suicide rates among heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender high school students; and WHEREAS, each high school class graduating without appropriate sexuality education is more prone to prejudiced attitudes, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1994 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association condemns the platform expressed by the Texas Republican Party; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1994 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges member congregations to advocate the availability of comprehensive, objective, unbiased, up-todate, age-appropriate, sexuality education curricula in public schools, including information about: 1. 2. 3. 4.

The reproductive system and its functions; The proper use of all forms of contraception, including the option of abstinence; Sexually transmitted diseases, their prevention and treatment; sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, rape (including date rape), and incest, as well as their prevention and treatment through counseling, information, and resources; 5. Pregnancy counseling and options including information about organizations such as Planned Parenthood and BirthRight; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That sexuality education curricula be taught by teachers specifically trained to educate youth on the topic of sexuality education, and that the curricula will encompass heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender orientations and include a focus on sexual responsibility and the emotional aspects of relationships and crises; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That member congregations are urged to make available sexuality education programs, such as About Your Sexuality, to both Unitarian Universalist youth and youth in the community at large.

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POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT — 1996

(GEN)

BECAUSE: Unitarian Universalists affirm concern for the whole earth, all of earth’s inhabitants, and the future we share; and WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association is an advocate for women’s empowerment, voluntary family planning, sustainable development, and environmental justice; WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association supports: 1. 2. 3. 4.

The right of every woman to decide whether to bear a child; The right of every individual to safe, effective, and affordable birth control methods; The right of every woman to safe, effective, and affordable abortion services; and Government protection for those who provide such services;

WHEREAS, local, national, and international groups concerned with population, women’s rights, justice, and the environment see the linkages among these issues and are beginning to collaborate in developing and implementing solutions; and WHEREAS, the 1994 United Nations International Conference on Population and Development, held in Cairo, Egypt, addressed global population issues by bringing together concerns for family planning, human rights, and environmental protection, and agreed that gender equity is a key to achieving sustainable development and population stabilization and that, therefore, socio-economic and educational development programs for women ought to be at the center of planning for change; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association condemns anti-choice violence and calls upon the nations of the world to provide education to men, women and youth regarding reproductive and sexual health, to provide reproductive health services to all who seek them, and to afford protection to those who provide such services; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association endorses the Cairo Conference’s final program of action to support women’s economic and educational empowerment and reproductive health care, and implementation of this program entailing commitment by the world’s governments of $17 billion annually by the year 2000; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists be encouraged to establish and support specific projects in their communities to help implement these goals.

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PASS THE STEM CELL RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT ACT — 2006

(AIW)

WHEREAS, our Unitarian Universalist Principles call us to affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person and to promote justice, equity, and compassion and a free and responsible search for truth and meaning; and WHEREAS, human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT or therapeutic cloning) show promise in finding cures for many physical and mental conditions, including but not limited to Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, burns, hemophilia, Parkinson’s disease, spinal chord paralysis, and many others, that cause suffering and debilitation for millions of people; and WHEREAS, embryonic stem cells, generated from donated embryos that are left over after infertility treatment, can become all cell types made by the human body and can proliferate indefinitely in culture; WHEREAS SCNT is a technique in which the nucleus of a donated unfertilized egg is removed and replaced with the nucleus of a patient’s cell, allowing the development of a genetically matched line of repair cells that can be accepted by a patient’s body and the development of disease-specific lines of cells to enable scientists to study the development of the disease and investigate potential treatments and means of prevention; and WHEREAS, adult stem cells do not have similar capabilities because they cannot differentiate into all cell types and cannot reproduce indefinitely; and WHEREAS, federally funded research is restricted to twenty-one hESC lines that are woefully inadequate and contaminated; and WHEREAS, the U. S. Senate has delayed action on S. 471, the Senate version of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, passed by the House last year (H.R. 810), which will significantly loosen restrictions on cell lines; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2006 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses its support for immediate action in Congress to complete passage of the Stem Cell Enhancement Act as long as it remains substantially in accordance with H.R. 810; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the delegates of the 2006 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association call upon all member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to: 1. Support removing restrictions for federal funding for hESC and SCNT research; 2. Oppose restrictions to the advancement of stem cell science, as long as the rights of women donating eggs and couples donating embryos are appropriately protected and there is no intention of human reproductive cloning; and 3. Urge our elected representatives in Congress to pass the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.

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SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY EDUCATION LEGISLATION—2007

(AIW)

BECAUSE: Our Unitarian Universalist principles call on us to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equity and compassion in human relations, and the goal of world community with peace and justice for all; and WHEREAS, the PATHWAY Act (Protection Against Transmission of HIV for Women And Youth) will remove the requirement in the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) that one-third of United States foreign aid for AIDS be spent on abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, and wil1 require the President to establish a comprehensive and integrated HIV prevention strategy to empower women and girls to negotiate and demand safe sexual practices both within and outside marriage while addressing their vulnerable situations; and WHEREAS, the REAL Act (Responsible Education About Life) will establish the first ever federal funding stream for medically accurate, comprehensive sexuality education; and WHEREAS, Congress is poised, for the first time in years, to make definitive decisions on these issues; and WHEREAS, more than 40 million people worldwide suffer from HIV/AIDS, an increase of 2.6 million people in the past three years; and WHEREAS, African women between 15 and 24 account for 75% of new HIV infections; and married women are the majority of those infected with HIV worldwide with more than 80% of new infections in women resulting from sex with husbands or primary partners; and WHEREAS, in the US, black women and Latinas account for about 75% of all HIV infections among 13 to 24-year-old women in the United States although they represent only 26% of women in this age group; and WHEREAS by current federal law, abstinence-only-until-marriage programs do not affirm or acknowledge gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer identities or relationships; and WHEREAS an essential approach to reducing sexually transmitted infections such as HIV and unintended pregnancy is to provide young people with medically accurate, comprehensive information regarding sexual health and recognizing that cultural and economic forces may negatively impact sexual; and WHEREAS eight out of ten American adults, including conservative Christians, support junior and high school sexuality education to prevent disease and unintended pregnancy; WHEREAS abstinence-only programs are not proven to be effective and may contain medical inaccuracies and do not address the reality that young people are sexually active and at risk of infection and pregnancy; and WHEREAS Unitarian Universalist congregations provide Our Whole Lives. a comprehensive lifespan sexual education program that teaches abstinence and medically accurate safer sex information; and WHEREAS support for the REAL and PATHWAY Acts will: 1. Improve the ability of every person to make informed decisions regarding sexual health; 2. Enable programs to address the unique and urgent needs of women and youth including comprehensive, medically-accurate information; and 3. Stop the United States government from imposing perceived theological values on United States communities and other countries. (Continued on Reproductive Health and Populationy – 18)

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SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY EDUCATION (Continued from Reproductive Health and Populationy – 17)

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates of the 2007 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association call upon Congress to support passage of the REAL and PATHWAY Acts and urge member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to immediately petition congressional representatives to co-sponsor these bills; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That all UU congregations and individuals are encouraged to use the resources of the UU-UNO, the Washington Office for Advocacy and the UU Global AIDS Coalition to mobilize interfaith support for passage of the REAL and PATHWAY Acts.

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UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST LIFE

2000 - Resolution on UUA Elections ............................................................................... 2 2002 - Resolution on Beacon Press ................................................................................ 2 2005 - International Engagements .................................................................................. 2 2006 - Moderator Gini Courter ........................................................................................ 3 2007 - Engaging in Right Relations at GA 2008.............................................................. 3

See related resolutions under Children and Youth; Civil Liberties, Economic Justice, Equal Opportunity, Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons, Health, International Human Rights and Justice, Racial Justice, Religious Liberty, and Reproductive Health and Population.

Unitarian Universalist Life - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

RESOLUTION ON UUA ELECTIONS — 2000

(RR)

BECAUSE: We value the inherent dignity of every person and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and within our Association; and In response to the report of the President delivered on June 23, 2000 in which deficiencies and inequities in the process of the nomination and election of the Moderator and President of the Association were addressed; BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2000 General Assembly recommends that the Board of Trustees appoint a task force to recommend revisions to Bylaw Section 9.5(a) Nomination by Petition for the Moderator and President for the election in the year 2005 and following; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the charge to the task force be to identify procedures and reduce the expense and the time of the present process and to expand the opportunity for the nomination of the most capable individuals for these two positions.

RESOLUTION ON BEACON PRESS — 2002

(RR)

Mindful of the connection between Beacon Press book sales and Beacon Press deficits and heeding the admonitions of the UUA Finance Committee and our President that the publication of unsold books is neither useful to our mission or supportive of our finances; We, the representatives of the member congregations of the UUA, resolve at this 2002 General Assembly to: 1. Seek ways to vigorously promote the Beacon Press in our congregations and communities; 2. Urge our brother and sister congregants to each buy two Beacon books during fiscal year 2003 and to continue that spiritual practice thereafter; 3. Pay attention to news of Beacon Press publications and promotion; 4. employ all means possible to take responsibility for the health and future of the Beacon Press; and 5. Join the work of the newly formed Beacon Press Preservation Committee.

INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENTS — 2005

(RR)

In response to the President's Report we express our appreciation of President Sinkford's attention to global issues, including his anticipated trip to Africa this fall. We also recall the admonitions of Patrick O'Neill at the Service of the Living Tradition. Alarmed that our global woods are ablaze, we—as individuals and congregations—must get out of our little individualistic huts in the woods and engage the world on behalf of our core religious values. Unitarian Universalism is global, not parochial. Our 6th principle asserts "the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all." We must embody this goal by advocating, honoring, and expanding the ways we can act as responsible global citizens. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 2005 General Assembly urges the administration, the Board and the General Assembly Planning Committee to include our international engagements as part of the 2006 General Assembly theme of "Toward Right Relationships."

Unitarian Universalist Life - page 2 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

MODERATOR GINI COURTER — 2006

(RR)

BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates of the 2006 GA are grateful for the deeply respectful, caring, and intelligent guidance and leadership of our Moderator, Gini Courter. Her humor and skill have infinitely enriched our experience as delegates, and we applaud her spirit, skill and leadership.

ENGAGING IN RIGHT RELATIONS AT GA 2008 — 2007

(RR)

In response to both the Secretary's Report and the Report of the Committee on Right Relationships, moved that this body request the Planning Committee to discuss enabling the delegates and attendees to spend at least 30 minutes during the opening of General Assembly of 2008 to work together to gain insight, skills, and experience with: 1. Our own individual assumptions when encountering new people; and 2. Engaging in compassionate response and witness when we fall short of our aspirations to expand our capacity to be allies to our fellow Association members and our larger community.

Unitarian Universalist Life - page 3 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Unitarian Universalist Life - page 4 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX OF STATEMENTS* Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page 1961

Abolition of the House Un-American Activities Committee and the Senate Internal Security Sub-Committee Capital Punishment Migratory Workers Freedom of Residence Mental Health Africa Cuba Disarmament and Test Ban Treaty Desegregation Public Schools Integration Aid to Public Education

Civil Liberties – 2

Criminal Justice – 2 Economic Justice – 3 Equal Opportunity – 3 Health – 2 International Human Rights and Justice – 3 International Peace and Conflict – 4 International Peace and Conflict – 4 Racial Justice – 3 Racial Justice – 3 Religious Liberty – 2 1962

Academic Freedom Model Penal Code Self-Government for the District of Columbia Nuclear Weapons Testing Shelter Programs United Nations Civil Rights Status of Resolutions in Churches of Congregational Polity Population

Civil Liberties – 2 Criminal Justice – 2 Election Reform and Voting Rights – 2 International Peace and Conflict – 4 International Peace and Conflict –5 International Peace and Conflict –5 Racial Justice – 4 Religious Liberty – 2 Reproductive Health and Population – 2 1963

Youth Welfare Civil Liberties Commission on Religion and Race Immigration Arms Control and Disarmament Commending Pope John XXIII’s Encyclical “Peace on Earth” Separation of Church and State Reform of Abortion Statutes

Children & Youth – 2 Civil Liberties – 2 Equal Opportunity – 3 Immigration – 2 International Peace and Conflict – 6 International Peace and Conflict – 7 Religious Liberty – 3 Reproductive Health and Population – 2

*Within each year’s listing, resolutions are listed alphabetically by issue area.

Chronological Index - page 1 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page

1964 Acts of Terrorism Poverty Revision of Congressional Procedures Civil Rights Commission on Religion and Race Unitarian Universalist Ministry Medicare United Nations Vietnam Freedom Fund Religious Education in Public Schools

Criminal Justice – 3 Economic Justice – 4 Election Reform and Voting Rights – 2 Equal Opportunity – 4 Equal Opportunity – 4 Equal Opportunity – 4 Health – 2 International Peace and Conflict – 7 International Peace and Conflict – 8 Racial Justice – 5 Religious Liberty – 3 1965

Freedom of Thought, Speech and Assembly Narcotics Legislation Economic Opportunity Congregational Polity and Open Membership Open Membership Policy I Open Membership Policy II Implement Open Membership Policy Open Occupancy Human Rights Conventions Coordinated Education Project Federal Registrars for Voting Mississippi Challenge To Bear Witness

Civil Liberties – 3 Criminal Justice – 3 Economic Justice – 4 Equal Opportunity – 5 Equal Opportunity – 5 Equal Opportunity – 5 Equal Opportunity – 5 Equal Opportunity – 6 International Human Rights and Justice – 3 International Peace and Conflict – 8 Racial Justice – 5 Racial Justice – 6 Racial Justice – 6 1966

Concern for Older Adults Capital Punishment Agriculture Employment Natural Resources Apartheid China World Hunger and Population Control Vietnam Non-Intervention Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Consensus on Racial Justice

Aging – 2 Criminal Justice – 4 Economic Justice – 5 Environmental Justice – 2 International Human Rights and Justice – 4 International Human Rights and Justice – 4 International Human Rights and Justice – 5 International Peace and Conflict – 10 International Peace and Conflict – 9 International Peace and Conflict – 9 Racial Justice – 7

Chronological Index - page 2 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page

1967 Freedom of Dissent Eastman Kodak Dispute with FIGHT I Eastman Kodak Dispute with FIGHT II Freedom Budget and Poverty Investment Policy Reform of Congressional Operation Strengthening the United Nations Cooperative Religious Program for Peace Draft Reform and Conscientious Objection Vietnam The American Indian Church Property and Taxation

Civil Liberties – 4 Economic Justice – 6 Economic Justice – 6 Economic Justice – 7 Economic Justice – 7 Election Reform and Voting Rights – 2 International Human Rights and Justice – 5 International Peace and Conflict – 10 International Peace and Conflict – 11 International Peace and Conflict – 12 Racial Justice – 13 Religious Liberty – 4 1968

Investment Committee Poor People’s Campaign Equal Opportunity in Housing Anti-Ballistic Missiles Right of Dissent Vietnam Black Affairs Council National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders Self-Determination for Black and Other Ethnic Groups Abortion

Economic Justice – 7 Economic Justice – 8 Equal Opportunity – 6 International Peace and Conflict – 12 International Peace and Conflict – 13 International Peace and Conflict – 14 Racial Justice – 13 Racial Justice – 14 Racial Justice – 14 Reproductive Health and Population – 3 1969

Campus Freedom and Responsibility Grape Boycott Environment Project Equality Statement of Consensus on the United Nations Anti-Ballistic Missile Program Selective Service System Counteracting Institutional Racism Support for Ministers Involved in Counseling Services for Problem Pregnancies

Civil Liberties – 4 Economic Justice – 8 Environmental Justice – 2 Equal Opportunity – 7 International Human Rights and Justice – 6 International Peace and Conflict – 14 International Peace and Conflict – 15 Racial Justice – 15 Reproductive Health and Population – 3

Chronological Index - page 3 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page

1970 Police Repression Legalization of Marijuana Representation in Congress and Self-Government for the District of Columbia Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women Discrimination Against Homosexuals and Bisexuals Disarmament National Priorities Resolution on Mundialization Southeast Asia Countering Institutional Racism Funding of Black and White Action Indian Rights Use of Church Facilities as “Private Schools” to Avoid Desegregation Unitarian Universalist Statement on Survival and Population Control

Civil Liberties – 5 Criminal Justice – 4 Election Reform and Voting Rights – 3 Equal Opportunity – 7 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 2 International Peace and Conflict – 16 International Peace and Conflict – 16 International Peace and Conflict – 17 International Peace and Conflict – 17 Racial Justice – 15 Racial Justice – 16 Racial Justice – 16 Religious Liberty – 4 Reproductive Health and Population – 4 1971

Alternatives in Education Child Care Centers Civil Liberties Penal Reform Rights of the Poor Environment National Health Plan Amnesty and Repatriation for War Resisters Peace in Southeast Asia Full Funding of the Black Affairs Council

Children & Youth – 2 Children & Youth – 3 Civil Liberties – 5 Criminal Justice – 5 Economic Justice – 9 Environmental Justice – 3 Health – 3 International Peace and Conflict – 18 International Peace and Conflict – 18 Racial Justice – 17 1972

Beacon Press Investigation by Federal Government Commendation of Beacon Press Human Understanding Proposal Gun Control Lettuce Boycott Social Responsibility in the Investment of Endowment Funds Project Equality Support for Integrated Education Smoking in Public Places Human Rights Covenants 1972 US Congressional and Presidential Elections Telephone Excise Tax Funding of Programs for Racial Justice

Civil Liberties – 6 Civil Liberties – 6 Civil Liberties – 6 Criminal Justice – 5 Economic Justice – 9 Economic Justice – 9 Equal Opportunity – 8 Equal Opportunity – 8 Health – 4 International Human Rights and Justice – 11 International Peace and Conflict – 19 International Peace and Conflict – 19 Racial Justice – 17

Chronological Index - page 4 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page

1973 Senior Citizen’s Charter Abolition of Corporal Punishment (”David Copperfield”) Lobbying and Legislative Committees Rights of Reporters and Historians Drugs Boycott of Safeway and A & P Stores Corporate Social Responsibility and UUA Investments Presidential Veto of Social Service Programs Safer Alternatives to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Equal Opportunity in UUA Employment Creation of an Office on Gay Affairs

Aging – 2 Children & Youth – 3 Civil Liberties – 7 Civil Liberties – 7 Criminal Justice – 6 Economic Justice – 10 Economic Justice – 10 Economic Justice – 10 Environmental Justice – 3 Equal Opportunity – 9 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 3 International Peace and Conflict – 20 International Peace and Conflict – 21 International Peace and Conflict – 21 International Peace and Conflict – 22

Amnesty Disarmament Napalm and Other Incendiary Weapons Relations with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, The People’s Republic of China and Cuba Vietnam Settlement Indian Affairs Reaffirmation for Support of Church-State Separation Abortion Population Stabilization

International Peace and Conflict – 22 Racial Justice – 17 Religious Liberty – 5 Reproductive Health and Population – 5 Reproductive Health and Population – 5 1974

Censorship and Obscenity Laws Freedom of Press Death Penalty Reform of Courts and Penal System Support of UFW Boycott Federal Campaign and Election Reform Office of Gay Concerns

Civil Liberties – 8 Civil Liberties – 8 Criminal Justice – 6 Criminal Justice – 7 Economic Justice – 11 Election Reform and Voting Rights – 3 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 3 International Peace and Conflict – 22

Peace in Southeast Asia 1975 Criminal Justice UU Migrant Ministry Office of Gay Concerns Reconstruction in Vietnam Amnesty Native Americans For the Right to Abortion Population and the Quality of Life

Criminal Justice – 8 Economic Justice – 11 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 4 International Human Rights and Justice – 11 International Peace and Conflict – 23 Racial Justice – 17 Reproductive Health and Population – 5 Reproductive Health and Population – 6

Chronological Index - page 5 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page 1976

Older Women Against Government Harassment FTC Funeral Regulations Handguns Rejection of Senate Bill No. 1 Support of the Philip L. Allen Defense Committee Farm Workers Initiatives Tax Reform Cancer-Causing Substances in Air and Water Nuclear Power Disarmament and Social Justice Opposing Extradition of Dennis Banks Racial Bigotry and Busing Issue

Aging – 3 Civil Liberties – 9 Civil Liberties – 9 Criminal Justice – 9 Criminal Justice – 9 Criminal Justice – 10 Economic Justice – 12 Economic Justice – 12 Environmental Justice – 4 Environmental Justice –5 International Peace and Conflict – 23 Racial Justice – 18 Racial Justice – 19 1977

Child Abuse and Neglect Energy Problem of Environmental Policy Equal Rights Amendment ERA Emergency Action Implementing Resolution on Persons with Special Needs Persons with Special Needs Women and Religion Gay Human Rights

Children & Youth – 4 Environmental Justice – 6 Environmental Justice – 7 Equal Opportunity – 9 Equal Opportunity – 10 Equal Opportunity – 10 Equal Opportunity – 11 Equal Opportunity – 12 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 4 International Human Rights and Justice – 12 International Human Rights and Justice – 13 International Human Rights and Justice – 13 International Peace and Conflict – 24 International Peace and Conflict – 24 International Peace and Conflict – 25 Religious Freedom – 5

Human Rights in El Salvador Reconstruction in Vietnam World Hunger and Grain Reserves Amnesty Disarmament Nuclear Proliferation Fostering Intellectual Independence and Scientific Thinking Abortion

Reproductive Health and Population – 7 1978

Community-Based Correctional Programs End of Tobacco Price Support System Special Needs of Center City UUA Meetings and Non-ERA States Development of Hospices Legality of Living Wills World Hunger th Observance of 25 Anniversary of “Brown vs. Board of Topeka” Decision Abortion: Right to Choose

Criminal Justice – 10 Economic Justice – 13 Equal Opportunity – 13 Equal Opportunity – 14 Health – 4 Health – 5 International Human Rights and Justice – 14 Racial Justice – 20 Reproductive Health and Population – 8

Chronological Index - page 6 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page 1979

Aging Care of Young Children In Support of Youth Programs Capital Punishment Solar Heating Battered Women Supportive Services for Single Adults and Their Families UUA Action to Reduce Injustices of Discrimination A National Health Plan Infant Formula Nuclear Weapons Peace and Disarmament Reducing the Defense Budget, Reordering National Priorities Sharing in the New Call to Peacemaking

Aging – 4 Children & Youth – 4 Children & Youth – 5 Criminal Justice – 11 Environmental Justice – 8 Equal Opportunity – 15 Equal Opportunity – 16 Equal Opportunity – 17 Health – 5 International Human Rights and Justice – 15 International Peace and Conflict – 25 International Peace and Conflict – 26 International Peace and Conflict – 26 International Peace and Conflict – 27 1980

Nursing Home Reform FBI/CIA Charters Intelligence Charters Repressive Legislation Implementation of Women and Religion Resolution Ministerial Employment Opportunities Hunger Refugee Assistance Draft Registration Human Rights and War MX Missile System Registration for Selective Service Attempted Assassination of Vernon Jordon Religious Statement on Abortion: A Call to Commitment

Aging – 4 Civil Liberties – 10 Civil Liberties – 10 Civil Liberties – 11 Equal Opportunity – 17 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 5 International Human Rights and Justice – 16 International Human Rights and Justice – 17 International Peace and Conflict – 29 International Peace and Conflict – 30 International Peace and Conflict – 31 International Peace and Conflict – 31 Racial Justice – 20 Reproductive Health and Population – 8

Chronological Index - page 7 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page 1981

Economic Justice Social Investment/Corporate Responsibility Alternative Sources and Conservation of Energy A Commitment to Urban Ministry Home Health Care Smoking Areas El Salvador II United Nations Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women El Salvador I In Opposition to Biochemical Warfare Nationwide Support of a Local Initiative to Stop the Arms Race United Nations Racism Imperative Supporting Civil Rights Groups Condemning the Kux Klux Klan Violence Against Black People International Association for Religious Freedom New Religious Right The Radical Religious Right

Economic Justice – 13 Economic Justice – 14 Environmental Justice – 8 Equal Opportunity – 18 Health – 6 Health – 6 International Human Rights and Justice – 17 International Human Rights and Justice – 18 International Peace and Conflict – 32 International Peace and Conflict – 33 International Peace and Conflict – 34 International Peace and Conflict – 35 Racial Justice – 21 Racial Justice – 21 Racial Justice – 21 Religious Liberty – 6 Religious Liberty – 6 Religious Liberty – 7

1982 Child Care Law of the Sea Treaty Non-ERA States Justice in the Middle East Nuclear Disarmament The New Abolitionism United States Policy in Relation to the IsraeliPalestinian-Arab Conflict Personal Religious Freedom Public Education, Religious Liberty and the Separation of Church and State “Toward World Community”

Children & Youth – 6 Environmental Justice – 9 Equal Opportunity – 19 International Human Rights and Justice – 18 International Peace and Conflict – 36 International Peace and Conflict – 37 International Peace and Conflict – 38 Religious Liberty – 7 Religious Liberty – 8 Religious Liberty – 8

Chronological Index - page 8 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page 1983

Amerasian Children “A Call to the Nation” Equal Rights Amendment Cease Support of Governments in Violation of Human Rights in Central America and Elsewhere World Hunger Beirut Massacre Catholic Bishops Pastoral on “War, Armaments and Peace” Establishment of the US Academy of Peace and Conflict Resolution Halting the Arms Race Nuclear Freeze US Non-Intervention in Nicaragua World Citizen’s Call

Children & Youth – 6 Economic Justice – 14 Equal Opportunity – 19 International Human Rights and Justice – 19 International Human Rights and Justice – 19 International Peace and Conflict – 38 International Peace and Conflict – 39 International Peace and Conflict – 39 International Peace and Conflict International Peace and Conflict International Peace and Conflict International Peace and Conflict

– 40 – 41 – 42 – 42

1984 On Children, Poverty and Violence Toxic Substances and Hazardous Waste Housing Preserving Civil Rights Urban Crisis Gay and Lesbian Services of Union Action Concerning Central American Refugees Central America Influencing the United States Government to Stop the Arms Race Joint Declaration Peace Initiative No First Use of Nuclear Weapons Stop Space Weapons: Resume Space Cooperation

Children & Youth – 7 Environmental Justice – 10 Equal Opportunity – 19 Equal Opportunity – 20 Equal Opportunity – 20 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 5 International Human Rights and Justice – 20 International Human Rights and Justice – 20 International Peace and Conflict – 43 International Peace and Conflict – 44 International Peace and Conflict – 44 International Peace and Conflict – 45

Chronological Index - page 9 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page 1985

Materials on Sexual Abuse Sanctuary and Government Surveillance Resolution on Bernhard Goetz Interfaith Action for Economic Justice Poverty and Unemployment Resolution Commending US Catholic Conference Resolution on South Africa Sanctuary UUA Opposition to Apartheid Condemnation of Knapsack Nuclear Weapons Mutual Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Nuclear Free Zone Resolution on Central America Support for a Great Peace March for Nuclear Sanity UUA Protest of US Central American Intervention Establishment of a Black Concerns Working Group Religion and State Resolution on Abortion Clinic Bombings

Children & Youth – 7 Civil Liberties – 12 Criminal Justice – 11 Economic Justice – 15 Economic Justice – 15 Economic Justice – 16 International Human Rights and Justice – 20 International Human Rights and Justice – 21 International Human Rights and Justice – 22 International Peace and Conflict – 45 International Peace and Conflict – 46 International Peace and Conflict – 47 International Peace and Conflict – 47 International Peace and Conflict – 48 International Peace and Conflict – 48 Racial Justice – 22 Religious Liberty – 9 Reproductive Health and Population – 9 1986

Grape Boycott Shell Boycott Opposing AIDS Discrimination

Economic Justice – 16 Economic Justice – 16 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 6 International Human Rights and Justice – 22

Opposition to Military Assistance to Apartheid South Africa Sanctuary Fund Maintaining the SALT II and AMB Treaties Anti-Arab Violence 1986 National March for Women’s Lives

International Human Rights and Justice – 23 International Peace and Conflict – 49 Racial Justice – 23 Reproductive Health and Population – 9 1987

Ending Gender-Based Wage Discrimination Supporting Legal Equity for Gays and Lesbians Ending Hunger Call for “Iran/Contra” Impeachment Proceedings Provide Funding to the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office Arizona General Assembly 1988 Site Proposal for Phoenix as Future General Assembly Site Right to Choose

Equal Opportunity – 21 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 7 Hunger – 23 International Peace and Conflict – 50 International Peace and Conflict – 51 Racial Justice – 24 Racial Justice – 24 Reproductive Health and Population – 10

Chronological Index - page 10 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page 1988

Against Censorship in the Public Schools Housing for the Homeless The Right to Die With Dignity Expression of Concern for Church Staff Health Insurance Coverage Concern for the Minority Peoples of Romania Support Veterans’ Peace Convoy and Justice for the People of Nicaragua

Civil Liberties – 13 Economic Justice – 17 Health – 7 Health – 8 International Human Rights and Justice – 24 International Peace and Conflict – 52

1989 The Travel Rights of HIV-Infected People The Execution of Minors and Those Who are Mentally Retarded Proposals of the Common Vision Planning Committee Protecting the Biosphere AIDS/HIV Crisis Equal Opportunity in Ministerial Settlement The Refugee Internment Camp at Harlingen, Texas The Battle for Tiananmen Square Economic Conversion for Peace and Human Needs Citizens Agenda for Common Security and Disarmament by the year 2000

Civil Liberties – 14 Criminal Justice – 12 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 8 Environmental Justice – 11 Equal Opportunity – 22 Equal Opportunity – 23 Immigration – 3 International Human Rights and Justice – 25 International Peace and Conflict – 53 International Peace and Conflict – 54

1990 Youth in Crisis Reaffirming Support for the United Nations Keep the Middle East Peace Process Alive The Civil Rights Act of 1990 Choices Affecting Population

Children & Youth – 8 International Human Rights and Justice – 26 International Peace and Conflict – 54 Racial Justice – 25 Reproductive Health and Population – 11 1991

Rights of Privacy And Free Speech Gun Control Substance Abuse Lift All Non-Military Sanctions Against Iraq Redirecting Economic Resources to Alleviate Poverty

Civil Liberties – 15 Criminal Justice – 13 Criminal Justice – 13 International Peace and Conflict – 55 International Peace and Conflict – 56

Chronological Index - page 11 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page 1992

Children Held by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service Safer Sources of Energy Boy Scouts of America

Children & Youth – 9 Environmental Justice – 12 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 9 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 10 Health – 9 Racial Justice – 26

Opposing Legalization of Discrimination Against Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals Universal Health Care Civil Unrest and Economic and Racial Injustice – the Lesson of Los Angeles Racial and Cultural Diversity in Unitarian Universalism Response to the June 29, 1992 United States Supreme Court Decision Upholding Pennsylvania’s Constraints on Women’s Reproductive Freedom

Racial Justice – 27 Reproductive Health and Population – 12

1993 Violence Against Women Acceptance of Openly Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Persons in the United States Military In Support of the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office U.S. Missile Attack on Iraq Justice for Indigenous Peoples Federal Legislation for Choice

Equal Opportunity – 24 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 11 International Human Rights and Justice – 28 International Peace and Conflict – 57 Racial Justice – 28 Reproductive Health and Population – 13 1994

Environmental Justice United Nations and Earth Day Celebrations Support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 1994 Nutrition for a Healthy Start in Life Restrict Arms Sales and Transfers Sexuality Education in Public Schools

Environmental Justice – 13 Environmental Justice – 14 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 12 Health – 10 International Peace and Conflict – 57 Reproductive Health and Population – 14 1995

Oppose the Marketing of Violence A Job, A Home, A Hope A Call to Conscious, Humane Treatment of Immigrants Stopping Violence in Bosnia Resolution Toward Safe Congregations and Right Relations

Children & Youth – 10 Economic Justice – 18 Immigration – 3 International Peace and Conflict – 58 Religious Liberty – 10

Chronological Index - page 12 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page 1996

Speak Out for Children Support of the Right to Marry for Same-Sex Couples Support of Black Churches Challenging the Radical Right Population and Development

Children & Youth – 11 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 13 Racial Justice – 30 Religious Liberty – 11 Reproductive Health and Population – 15 1997

Actions of Conscience to End Sweatshop Abuses Working for a Just Economic Community Earth, Air, Water and Fire Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities Support for Non-Discriminatory Corporate and Other Business Policies Toxic Threats to Children Exempt Food, Medicine, and Medical Supplies from the United States Embargo Against Cuba Banning Landmines – Saving Lives Solidarity with the San Carlos Apache Regarding Mt. Graham Toward and Anti-Racist Unitarian Universalist Association Oppose the So-called “Religious Freedom” Amendment to the US Constitution

Economic Justice – 19 Economic Justice – 20 Environmental Justice – 15 Equal Opportunity – 25 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 14 Health – 11 International Human Rights and Justice – 29 International Peace and Conflict – 59 Racial Justice – 31 Racial Justice – 33 Religious Liberty – 12 1998

Political Campaign Finance Reform Women’s Rights Anniversary Addressing the Health Insurance Crisis Payment of the United States Debt to the United Nations Close the U.S. Army School of the Americas Fair Treatment for Native Americans Increasing the Visibility of IARF and ICUU

Election Reform and Voting Rights – 4 Equal Opportunity – 27 Health – 12 International Human Rights and Justice – 29 International Peace and Conflict – 61 Racial Justice – 34 Religious Liberty – 12 1999

A Moral Response to Youth Violence at Columbine Work to Change Discriminatory Policies of Boy Scouts of America Beyond Religious Tolerance: The Challenges of Interfaith Cooperation Begin with Us Condemnations of Arson at Sacramento Synagogues

Children and Youth – 12 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 15 Religious Liberty – 13 Religious Liberty – 34

Chronological Index - page 13 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page 2000

End to the Death Penalty Handgun Legislation Economic Injustice, Poverty, and Racism: We Can Make A Difference! Endorsing the Jubilee 2000 Campaign Campaign Finance Reform Support Tibet and the Dalai Lama National Missile Defense System Protest Against Racial Profiling Resolution on Support for the Cleveland, Ohio, Native American Community Resolution on UUA Elections

Criminal Justice – 15 Criminal Justice – 16 Economic Justice – 22 Economic Justice – 24 Election Reform and Voting Rights – 5 International Human Rights and Justice – 30 International Peace and Conflict – 62 Racial Justice – 35 Racial Justice – 35 Unitarian Universalist Life – 2 2001

Debt Relief for Poor Countries Responsible Consumption Is Our Moral Imperative World Conference Against Racism Reparations for the 1921 Tulsa, Oklahoma Race Riot Resolution to Establish Formal Relationships with the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media No Tax Dollars for Faith-Based Initiatives

Economic Justice – 26 Economic Justice – 28 International Human Rights and Justice – 31 Racial Justice – 36 Racial Justice – 37 Religious Liberty – 15 2002

Alternatives to the War on Drugs Endorse the Earth Charter Quebec’s Union Civile Law Passes Giving SameSex Couples Full Legal Equality Legislation to Create a Department of Peace Support The International Criminal Court Toward Peace And Justice In The Middle East Resolution on Beacon Press

Criminal Justice – 17 Environmental Justice – 16 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 17 International Peace and Conflict – 63 International Peace and Conflict – 64 International Peace and Conflict – 65 Unitarian Universalist Life – 2 2003

Americorps Economic Globalization Women’s Rights Global HIV/AIDS Depleted Uranium Munitions Public Hearings On Iraq

Economic Justice – 30 Economic Justice -- 31 Equal Opportunity – 28 International Human Rights and Justice – 32 International Peace and Conflict – 67 International Peace and Conflict – 68

Chronological Index - page 14 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

2004 Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page

Civil Liberties Renew the Assault Weapons Ban Electronic Voting Oppose Federal Marriage Amendment

Civil Liberties – 16 Criminal Justice – 20 Election Reform and Voting Rights – 6 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 18 International Human Rights and Justice – 33

The Alien Tort Claims Act and Accountability For Multinational Corporations Torture Iraq: Sovereignty, the United Nations, and Human Rights

International Human Rights and Justice – 34 International Peace and Conflict – 69

2005 A Call for Support and a Fair Trial for Dr. Sami AlArian Defending and Expanding Freedom of the Airwaves Criminal Justice and Prison Reform Corporate Governance Support of the United Farm Workers' Boycott of Gallo Wines Support for the Millennium Development Goal One: Ending Extreme Poverty United States-Sponsored Torture Must End End Crimes Against Humanity in Darfur, Sudan Congregational Programs on Racism and Classism International Engagements

Civil Liberties – 19 Civil Liberties – 20 Criminal Justice – 21 Economic Justice – 34 Economic Justice – 34 International Human Rights and Justice – 34 International Human Rights and Justice – 35 International Peace and Conflict – 70 Racial Justice – 37 Unitarian Universalist Life – 2 2006

End Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining Global Warming/Threat of Climate Change UUA Health Care Plan Support Immigrant Justice Stand Up for the United Nations Human Rights Council Endorse “The Declaration of Peace” Campaign Peacemaking Congregational Programs on Racism and Classism UUA/UUSC Gulf Coast Relief Fund Pass the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act Moderator Gini Courter

Environmental Justice – 17 Environmental Justice – 18 Health – 13 Immigration – 4 International Human Rights and Justice – 36 International Peace and Conflict – 72 International Peace and Conflict – 74 Racial Justice — 37 Racial Justice – 38 Reproductive Health and Population – 16 Unitarian Universalist Life – 3

Chronological Index - page 15 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org

2007 Resolution/Statement of Conscience

Issue Area/Page

Support for the United Nation Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Confronting Gender Identity Discrimination

Equal Opportunity – 29

Pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act with Transgender Inclusion and Protection Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Health Care for UUA Ministers, Staff and Families Support Immigrant Families—Stop the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement Raids) Stop U.S. Sponsored Torture—A Religious Call to Action End the U.S. Occupation of Iraq Truth, Repair, and Reconciliation Voting Rights for Communities of Color Moral Values for a Pluralistic Society Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education Legislation Engaging in Right Relations at GA 2008

Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 18 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 19 Equal Rights for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Persons – 20 Health – 13 Immigration – 5 International Human Rights and Justice – 38 International Peace and Conflict – 75 Racial Justice – 38 Racial Justice – 38 Religious Liberty –17 Reproductive Health and Population – 17 Unitarian Universalist Life – 3

Chronological Index - page 16 Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (617) 742-2100 http://www.uua.org