On October 29th, Rep. Kristy Pagen unveiled the Reproductive Health Act (HB 5179) in the presence of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and other women’s right advocates. The bill, which has 48 other co-sponsors, was formally introduced on October 31st and was sent to the House Government Operations Committee. This week, MUUSJN’s Interfaith Reproductive Justice Coalition voted unanimously to support HB 5179.
It protects all individual decision making in terms of reproductive health such as:
The public may not realize that the majority (73%) of American voters do not want Roe v. Wade overturned. Two thirds (67%) think abortion should be legal in “all” or “most” cases. In Michigan, 59% strongly (43%) or somewhat (16%) want to ensure that abortion remains legal in our state if Roe v. Wade were overturned. It’s also a misunderstanding that the majority of religious people oppose abortion. According a study from the Pew Research Center that more than 50% of people from the following religious groups say that abortion should be legal in all or most cases: Unitarian Universalist; Jewish; Buddhist; Episcopal; United Church of Christ; Hindu; Presbyterian; Evangelical Lutheran Church of America; African Methodist Episcopal Church; National Baptist Convention; Anglican Church; Muslim; and Orthodox Christian. Among Catholics, slightly more (48%) felt abortions should be legal vs. 47% illegal.
The Reproductive Health Care Act would protect the rights prized by Michigan voters:
Call YOUR State Representative and Members of the House Government Operations Committee:
TELL THEM:
Welcome to the UU Justice News!
In the midst of corruption, indifference, deceit and cruelty, people of good faith are resisting hate, supporting human dignity and promoting justice. In this newsletter, read about:
As states across the United States continue their own battles of denying people reproductive freedom in hopes of eventually overturning Roe v. Wade, Michigan joined the war this past spring. Right to Life and the Michigan Heartbeat Coalition launched two legislative initiatives each immediately after both chambers of the Michigan Legislature passed a ban on the safest method of a second trimester abortion called dilation and evacuation in May of 2019.
In response, MUUSJN’s Economic Justice Alliance of Michigan Fellows created the #DeclinetosignCampaign in hopes of educating voters of why it is so important to not sign the petitions and how to share this information with friends and family. If either or both of the petition drives meet the requirement of 340,000 signatures of registered voters, they could go before the State Legislature which could either pass the proposal or do nothing and the issue would go to voters on the 2020 ballot. In either case, Governor Whitmer could not veto the bills. It’s likely the legislature would pass them while they hold the majority. You can find and join the Facebook group #Declinetosign here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/475109726604152/ This is a closed group and all members are vetted.
While the signatures are being gathered for the above petitions, mostly in churches across Michigan, another grassroots movement is developing in case these harmful initiatives are adopted as law. Pledge to Repeal has filed PAC paperwork to raise funds to fight back and repeal an abortion ban led by Macomb Township resident Andrea Geralds. You can read more about Andrea and the Pledge to Repeal campaign here. https://www.michiganadvance.com/2019/08/28/group-already-organizing-repeal-effort-of-2-anti-abortion-ballot-proposals/ Pledge to Repeal also has a Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pledgetorepeal/
ht back and repeal an abortion ban led by Macomb Township resident Andrea Geralds. You can read more about Andrea and the Pledge to Repeal campaign here. https://www.michiganadvance.com/2019/08/28/group-already-organizing-repeal-effort-of-2-anti-abortion-ballot-proposals/ Pledge to Repeal also has a Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pledgetorepeal/
I’ve been an Environmental Organizer and Climate Protector for a long time. I’ve been paying attention, reading, attending meetings and actions for at least a decade. I know that I carry a lot of pain and sadness when it comes to the state of our environment. However, I don’t talk about it much, and haven’t really found a place to grieve. On September 5, I participated in a UU Webinar, preparing us for the Global Youth Climate Strike. It was there that I finally released the tears from my eyes and some of the pain from my heart.
The youth are correct, we adults, should have demanded our leaders take action on this decades before now. Hearing from them first hand, broke my heart. Listening to the 3 UU youth organizers, especially the youngest, Levi Draheim, age 12, (a plaintiff in a legal action launched in 2015 by two associations, Our Children’s Trust and Earth Guardians, against the US government over climate change), not only brought tears to my eyes, listening to how much they know about the realities of climate change, but also how much they know about organizing and public speaking. They are having to deal with this and take it on, because we didn’t protect them. Listening to them not only brought tears to my eyes, but the desire to work even harder for them and with them!
The most important thing I heard at the Detroit Youth Climate Strike was “Find the youth in your area and listen to them, and follow their leadership.” September 20th is over, but strikes around the world will continue, and new actions will arise. I encourage you to check in with your Director of Religious Education, some of the youth leading the organizing around the world are UUs, and they just might be in your congregation! If not, you might be the adult ally they need to get started!
We are still encouraging you to read the 2018-19 UU Common Read: Justice on Earth: People of Faith Working at the Intersections of Race, Class, and Environment, edited by Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti and Jennifer Nordstrom (Skinner House Books, 2018). Three of our Michigan Congregations (that we know of) have had book discussions on the book already! At the link below you will find a discussion guide, as well as feedback from many congregations (including BUC), following their book discussions.https://www.uua.org/books/read/justice-on-earth/share
This biennial conference gathers faith leaders, people of conscience, and members of grassroots movements to LEARN from front-line groups about their challenges and successes, to SHARE stories about experiences and initiatives from around the state, and to CONNECT with one another across divides. September 30th is the early-bird deadline to register for the November 8th event at Marygrove College in Detroit.
At this year’s conference, we will join in conversation with one another on how we can find common purpose, have difficult conversations, and build moral leadership in our communities around clean energy, clean water, and more.
For more info and to register…https://www.miipl.org/2019_conference
This is an effort led by The UUs for Social Justice Capitol Hill Advocacy team, an affiliate of MUUSJN. Each month they put out a call on a specific issue to write your US Senator and member of Congress. Then they hand deliver the letters to their offices on Capitol Hill. Members of Birmingham Unitarian Church have written letters three times–twice on climate change, once on immigration. Last week they sent 85 letters!!
If you are interested in bringing this to your congregation, all you need to do is reach out to Lavona (lavonagrow@mac.com) and get on their email list. At the end of the month, they announce the topic, after members of your congregation have written their letters, scan them and send them to Lavona Grow for delivery. Here is a link to more information: http://uusj.net/wp1/2019-economic-climate-justice-write-here-write-now-letter-writing-information/
In September, MUUSJN applied to the UU Funding Program for a $12,000 grant to work with UU congregations and the MI ACLU. The project will seek to recruit at least five UU congregations to attain a Welcoming Congregation Renewal Status. Already three UU congregations have made commitments to develop and expand their Welcoming Congregation work. The proposal would provide training in how the Welcoming Congregation Renewal process and how to persuade legislators to promote LGBTQ rights in Michigan and nationally. MUUSJN will also work with the UUA’s Director of LGBTQ and Multicultural Affairs and will coordinate its legislative advocacy with people from multiple faith groups. For more information, contact Randy Block at 248-224-5572.
On September 26th, People’s Water Board (PWB) members, including leaders from a variety of faith groups, met with Dion Williams, Governor Gretchen Whitmer‘s Faith-Based Affairs Coordinator. The meeting went well according to Sister Mary Ellen Howard, RN, former Director of the Cabrini Clinic. Another participant, Rev. Ed Rowe, felt that Mr. Williams demonstrated a genuine interest and a concern for the issues and could be an effective ally for people seeking water justice.
Asked by water activists to start a conversation in the Governor’s office, Williams offered to:
| Other persons attending this meeting included: Rabbi Alana Alpert, Detroit Jews for Justice; Rev. Cass Charrette, Cities of Peace; Imam Steve El Turk, President, Islamic Organization of North America; Alice Jennings, human rights attorney; Sylvia Orduno, Michigan Welfare Rights Organization water advocate; and Dr. Paul von Oeyen, United Church of Christ social justice advocate. Randy Block scheduled this meeting. For more information, call 248-224-5572. |
At its August 24th retreat in Petoskey, the MUUSJN Board voted to take a bold step toward expanding UU justice leader communication in all regions of Michigan. The Board members committed to have regular two-way conversations with UU justice leaders in each of five state regions.
Board members agreed to develop working relationships with social justice leaders of congregations in their region. They would learn what other leaders believe are their congregations’ justice priorities and needs and would identify opportunities to collaborate. Board members would also communicate key MUUSJN actions to local UU justice leaders. Written summaries of congregational justice issues and themes identified in each region will be presented for discussion at MUUSJN’s quarterly Board meetings.
| Board Chair Norma Bailey (UU Fellowship of Central Michigan in Mt. Pleasant), Mary Jo Ebert (Birmingham Unitarian Church) and Mary Ann Hergonrother (First UU Congregation of Ann Arbor) are the architects of this new experiment in active Board engagement. They recognize that building a communication network in each part of Michigan will require greater time commitments, but agreed this model promises to be more purposeful and rewarding. Other Board members represent five regions in Michigan: the Upper Peninsula; Northwest Michigan; Southwest Michigan; South Central Michigan and Southeast Michigan. Click HERE for a map of Michigan that shows which UU Congregations are located in each region. |
During September, the Bloomfield Hills Baptist Church cancelled its two-day Islamophobic event: “9/11 Forgotten? Is Michigan Surrendering to Islam?” This victory of Inclusiveness and Love over Divisiveness and Hate can probably be attributed to the outpouring of Love from our FAITH COMMUNITIES as well as the timely requests for cancellation from so many of our federal and state elected officials.
THANKS TO ALL who have expressed their opposition to holding an anti-Islam program in a place of worship and especially those who had been willing to participate in a peaceful, non-violent protest in front of the church — which became unnecessary. A special shout out to my United Church of Christ friend, Dr. Paul von Oeyen, who alerted me to this situation.
People from Birmingham Unitarian Church attended the Program of Love For All at the Muslim Unity Center 2 miles away and bringing non-perishable food items to be given to a local food bank. The Unity Center also sent a bouquet of white flowers to the Baptist church thanking them for cancelling the event. As people of Faith, we can only hope that in the future dialogue and understanding will be promoted instead of fear and hate. MUUSJN identified one group that supported this hateful event called itself the “Tea Party”. It posted speakers for this event on a subsequent webinar. Sadly, hate speech is down, but not out.
Women who serve time in Michigan are held in less than desirable conditions and sometimes they are convicted and sentenced while pregnant. We want every baby born to have the best head start possible. These are some of the changes that would improve the quality of life for women serving time and pregnant:
Michigan needs to set better standards for women serving time and especially for those who are expecting. For more information go to: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/03/21/705587775/pregnant-behind-bars-what-we-do-and-dont-know-about-pregnancy-and-incarceration
Recently it came to my attention that some of our members have difficulties seeing and using personal computers due to their vision or other medical issues. Because of this, our website is undergoing some behind the scenes maintenance to help users that may need to use additional software to view or interact with a screen, such as a screen-reading application.
One example of this is that some users with visual impairment, or blindness, may use their voice to interact with their screen, and as such, they would need any images or graphical elements of the page to be labeled appropriately so that the software they’re using can find what they’re looking for when they request it without undue stress or hardship for these sensitive users. Therefore, the images on the website currently are going to be updated to have clearer, more detailed descriptions in the website’s mark-up, and the menu and other navigation areas will be labeled in the code so as to be easier to use for people with disabilities who depend on the important information and tools we provide.
If you believe in the work our statewide network is doing for justice, in partnership with other progressive groups, please consider making a generous gift to MUUSJN. Your support helps sustain our commitments to to fight for the rights of women, low-income people, people of color, LGBTQ people, immigrants and to work for environmental justice.
Gifts or memberships paid now will be tax deductible for 2019. Click HERE to make a contribution or become a member.
DUES: INDIVIDUALS
MUUSJN dues/contributions are TAX-DEDUCTIBLE
WRITE CHECK TO:MUUSJN (or use PayPal)
MAIL TO: Randy Block, 4220 Arlington Dr., Royal Oak, MI 48073
The Global Climate Strike is a youth led climate protest that is organizing events throughout the world between September 20 and 27th. Some believe it could be the largest environmental protest yet. It’s time for us adults to back up young people who are fighting against the climate deniers for the future of our planet. Click HERE to read an appeal from young people to adults to get involved in actions that may include simple protests and basic civil disobedience.
In Michigan, so far, groups are planning climate strikes in 10 communities: Ann Arbor; Auburn Hills; Dearborn, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Keweenaw area (near Houghton in the UP), Marshall and Mt. Pleasant. Go to this website to sign up for an event or to organize and register one in your community: https://globalclimatestrike.net/Click HERE for another tool for finding and getting details of Strike events that seems to work better for me.
The Unitarian Universalist Association is hosting a webinar on how to get ready for the Global Climate Strike this Thursday, September 5th at 4 p.m. Click HERE to register for this webinar.Click HERE for more background on UU’s perspectives on the Global Climate Strikes.
One way to start thinking about the fight for climate justice is to tune in to a Climate Town Hall meeting on CNN on the evening of September 4th. From 5 p.m. to after 11 p.m., 10 Democratic presidential candidates will each be given at least 40 minutes to discuss their view on climate change. For a schedule for this marathon climate town hall, click HERE.
This Monday August 19th, the Trump Administration, through its Department of Health and Human Services, issued an ultimatum: family planning providers must state in writing that they would stop making referrals to doctors who perform abortions or the federal government would stop allocating Title X family planning funds to those organizations. Title X is the premier reproductive health care program started by President H.W. Bush in 1970, It provides low or no cost services to 4 million people. Title X provides funding for health services, birth control, and pregnancy tests, as well as screenings for sexually transmitted diseases and breast and cervical cancer. Title X assures access to these services to 1.5 million low-income women each year. Title X has never been used to fund abortions, according to Planned Parenthood.
On Monday, Planned Parenthood, which serves 40% of all people through the Title X program, declared the new rule is unethical and withdrew is involvement in the Title X program rather than refusing to allow its health professionals to make referrals for abortions. Planned Parenthood, the American Medical Society, other organizations and more than 20 states, have challenged the gag rule in courts. However, a federal appeals court in July said the rule could take effect while the legal cases are pending. For more background on this important issue, click HERE for an article in the August 19th New York Times.
Wednesday, August 21st is considered by national Planned Parenthood to be a National Day of Action. Actions, including visits and talks with legislators, however, can be made throughout the week.
Planned Parenthood and their allies are calling on the public to urge Congress to restore Title X funding that does not block referrals for abortions in the FY 2020 budget. This federal budget must be adopted by September 30, 2019 or the government will shut down. The U.S. House did its part by passing a spending bill that includes the Title X in the way that it has operated for decades. Now the Senate must must push for a spending bill that includes this Title X protection.
This new Trump administration rule represents attacks by the religious right and by political conservatives on women’s right to have access to a full range of health care services.MUUSJN has consistently opposed this gag rule as an immoral denial of women’s rights. Both Senator Stabenow and Senator Peters have strong pro-choice voting records: https://ontheissues.org/Senate/Debbie_Stabenow.htmhttps://www.prochoiceamerica.org/2019/06/17/naral-peters-endorsement/
Everyone should be able to get the health care they need without the fear of being turned away, shamed or treated unfairly. Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (administered through the Department of Health and Human Services) prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability. This protection extends to most hospitals, health care providers offices, health insurance companies, state marketplaces, and entities receiving federal funds such as Medicare (except Part B providers), Medicaid and CHIP. This law was the first broad federal protection against sex discrimination in health care. This law (Section 1557) means that individuals seeking health care can not be discriminated against based on the color of their skin, their gender, the sexual orientation, how old they are, if they have a disability, which language they speak or their nationality.
However, the new Trump Administration rule would illegally allow discrimination back into our health care system. The latest version of the Trump rule allows attacks on LGBTQ people, people seeking reproductive health care, including abortion; rolling back protections for people with limited English proficiency; and immigrants. Specifically, the proposed rule:
(Source: The National Women’s Law Center (NWLC). Advocacy to oppose the new regulations is called for by the National LGBTQ Task Force; In Our Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda; National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice; National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum; and the NWLC
Click HERE to submit your testimony through a National Women’s Law Center web portal
It can be powerful if your comments include stories about how people will be impacted by these new regulations. This action was strongly recommended by MUUSJN’s Interfaith Reproductive Justice Coalition. For more information on the Coalition, call Randy, 248-549-5170.
On August 3rd, the last migrant children were removed from the Homestead Immigrant Detention Center near Miami, Florida. With leadership from the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), UU’s and other people of faith have been signing petitions, holding vigils, contacting members of Congress and protesting at the Detention Center for some time now demanding that this and other prison like detention centers be closed.
According to an article in the August 3rd Miami Times Herald (Click HERE), children were picked up in vans between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. Saturday August 3rd. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that “all (children) sheltered in the Homestead facility have either been reunified with an appropriate sponsor or transferred to a state-licensed facility within its (Office of Refugee Resettlement) network of care providers as of August 3rd.”
Susan Leslie, the Unitarian Universalists Congregational Advocacy and Witness Director, reported that in its coalition work, other detention camps in Tomillo and Carrizo Springs, Texas have been shut down. Also Ft. Sill, Oklahoma was prevented from becoming a detention camp. Homestead, reportedly, is the only for profit detention facility for children in the U.S. and has not been subject to state regulations.
There is still reason for concern about how children will be treated in the state-licensed facilities. All children should be placed with families rather than being warehoused in detention centers.
Contact your members of Congress. Ask them to support the Child Prison Camps Act and Families Not Facilities Act. To send an email to Michigan Senators or your U.S. Representative click HERE to go the AFSC Action Center. If you’d like to call your Senators and your Representative, click HERE for MUUSJN’s list of Michigan members of Congress.
This legislation would:
Democratic Presidential candidates will debate in Detroit on July 30th and 31st. This is an opportunity for Michiganders to express their views at public events and learn more about where the candidates stand on issues. This email provides information about both these opportunities. During July, UU’s adopted “Actions of Immediate Witness” to work for immigration reform and the Green New Deal.
Four events in two days this week in advance of Presidential Debates:
Click HERE to Learn Candidates Views in This Guide: (Click headings about DACA, Illegal Entry & The Wall and other issues) (published by Politico, July 16, 2019)
Refreshments served. COLORS restaurant will have a One Fair Wage brunch menu for purchase.
Click HERE to reserve a place at this free event via Eventbrite.
MUUSJN and other allies helped pack the court when the Michigan Supreme Court heard testimony on whether the legislature’s lame duck “adopt and amend” strategy to gut the One Fair Wage and the Earned Paid Sick Time policies was constitutional. Click HERE for more information on the House’s minimum wage bill.
The United States and Iran are moving closer to war every day. The Trump administration is playing a dangerous game of rapidly escalating tensions between our two countries, increasing the risk of accidents and miscalculations.
Call your U.S. Representative to support a bi-partisan amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to prohibit funding for military action with Iran unless Congress has declared war or authorized military action. A VOTE COULD HAPPEN THIS WEEK. This amendment, being co-sponsored by Rep. Ro Khanna(D-CA) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla), a frequent Trump supporter, is being co-sponsored by Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI) and Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
“Last week we watched President Trump come within minutes of striking Iran and involving the U.S. in yet another trillion dollar war in the Middle East”, Kohanna stated (per the HILL, 6/25/19).
On June 28th, the Senate voted 50 – 40 to adopt a similar amendment. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell used a parliamentary maneuver to require 60, vs. 50, votes for passage. The House vote is needed to block a needless, destructive and immoral war with Iran.
MUUSJN will be participating with other faith leaders to oppose war with Iran at a Michigan United press conference with Rep. Andy Levin at 12:30 p.m. Monday, July 8th at Central United Methodist Church, 23 E. Adams Detroit.
Besides withdrawing from a 2015 nuclear arms containment treaty, the Trump administration instituted sanctions to cripple the Iranian economy. The U.S. deployed battleships and a battery of Patriot missiles off Iran’s coast. Iran responded by shooting down a U.S. drone. President Trump claimed he exercised restraint by not attacking Iran. However, #45 ordered 1,000 more troops into the area, expanded economic sanctions on Iran’s leaders and said any Iranian attack on “anything American” would be “met with “overwhelming force” which could mean “obliteration”.
(Talking points from the American Friends Service Committee)
An unauthorized war in Iran would violate human dignity, undercut efforts to meet our nation’s pressing needs and undermine our democracy.
Together, we can do great things. This action alert is posted on our Facebook. Go there and share!
A broad national coalition of organizations, including MoveOn, the American Friends Service Committee, United We Dream, the National Network for Immigrant Rights, the ACLU, the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee are urging the public to demonstrate on Tuesday, July 2nd at noon at “Close the Camps” protests being in or in near the offices of three Michigan members of Congress:
1. YPSILANTI – Office of Rep. Debbie Dingell, 301 W. Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti. Host: Jessica P. “We will turn our outrage into action. We will demand that Rep. Dingell use her full power to demand the Trump administration close the camps immediately, free the children, reunite them with their families.
2. SOUTHFIELD – Office of Rep. Brenda Lawrence, 26700 Lahser, Rd., Southfield. Host: Katherine C. Silence is violence. We must continue to raise our voices. Congressman Lawrence is with us. We stand in solidarity with parents whose children were torn from their arms.
3. BATTLE CREEK – In front of the Office of Rep. Justin Amash, 70 Michigan Ave. W. Battle Creek. Host: Cathy O. Protest to stop the horrible treatment of the refugees and immigrants. Amash’s office is in Suite 212, but it is doubtful he will be there so we will picket outside the building.
To see if any additional protests have been scheduled or to organize one in your community, go to: https://www.closethecampsnow.org/event/close-camps-now/search/
On July 12th, hundreds “Lights For Liberty” “Vigils to End Human Detention” are being held across the nation, including at least 11 in Michigan. These protests are being organized by a large coalition of organizations including: Indivisible, the ACLU, the Women’s March, etc. For more information, click this link: https://www.lightsforliberty.org/
Here’s the time, date and places for these Michigan vigils:
Visit this link to see if additional vigils are being organized in Michigan: https://www.lightsforliberty.org/ (Events are listed by states.)
So there are many opportunities for people to stand up for the dignity of immigrants and protest the injustice or how they are being treated by our current administration.
