UU JUSTICE NEWS: October 2019
By MUUSJN on Tuesday, October 1st, 2019
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: How You Can Resist Anti-abortion initiatives in Michigan By Nicole Breadon, MUUSJN Reproductive & Economic Justice Organizer 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 […]
Our House is On Fire — Let’s Act Like It!
By MUUSJN on Tuesday, September 3rd, 2019
Get Ready for Global Climate Strike on September 20th UUA Webinar 4 p.m. Thursday, September 5th 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. […]
Urge Michigan Senators to RESTORE Funding for Women’s Health Centers
By MUUSJN on Tuesday, August 20th, 2019
TRUMP-PENCE GAG RULE BANS TITLE X FAMILY PLANNING FUNDS FOR HEALTH CENTERS THAT MAKE ABORTION REFERRALS CALL MICHIGAN SENATORS DEBBIE STABENOW: 202-224-4822 GARY PETERS: 202-224-6221 CALL TO ACTION 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 […]
Tell Trump Administration to NOT Roll Back Health Care Rights Law Impacting Women and LGBTQ People
By MUUSJN on Friday, August 9th, 2019
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, […]
Celebrate Closing of Miami Child Detention Center
By MUUSJN on Sunday, August 4th, 2019
CELEBRATE!CHILDREN REMOVED FROM HOMESTEAD FLORIDA DETENTION CENTER 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 […]
Voter’s Guide on Democratic Candidates Stands on Immigration Reform
By MUUSJN on Tuesday, July 30th, 2019
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. Action on Green New Deal, Immigration & LGBTQ Rights 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)
Celebrate Progress Toward Raising the Minimum Wage in Michigan This Sunday
By MUUSJN on Friday, July 19th, 2019
BILL TO RAISE MINIMUM WAGE TO $15/HOUR ADOPTED IN U.S. HOUSE Join Rep’s Debbie Dingell, Brenda Lawrence, Rashida Tlaib Sunday, July 21st 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. COLORS RESTAURANT, 311 E. Grand River Ave, Detroit Celebrate milestone for federal minimum wage increase; Congresswomen to serve food to service workers; and Get update on One Fair Wage campaign in MI Supreme Court 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 […]
Vote to Block War in Iran Moves to House — Call Your U.S. Representative
By MUUSJN on Monday, July 8th, 2019
Support Amendment to Block War Call Your U.S. Representative Click HERE for Michigan Members of Congress BACKGROUND 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 […]
Protest Mistreatment of Immigrant Children on July 2nd and July 12th
By MUUSJN on Monday, July 1st, 2019
CLOSE IMMIGRANT DETENTION CENTERS! Noon, July 2nd 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 […]
Urge Michigan Senators to Vote FOR S. 1029 — to Block a War With Iran
By MUUSJN on Friday, June 28th, 2019
Call Our Senators This Friday Gary Peters: 1-202-224-6221 Debbie Stabenow: 1-202-224-4822 Urge Them to Vote for S. 1039 to Block War With Iran Background The U.S. Senate is expected to vote this Friday on S. 1039, a bill called the “Prevention of Unconstitutional War With Iran Act of 2019” (Sen. Tom Udall, (D-New Mexico). This bill, adopted earlier in June in the House, is meant to cut off funding for a war in Iran. The U.S. Constitution declares that a U.S. President cannot declare war without Congressional approval. We’re on the brink of a needless, destructive and costly war with Iran. Besides withdrawing from a 2015 nuclear arms containment treaty, which Iran has been in compliance with, 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 […]