Make A Call to Urge a Key Committee to Support the Reproductive Health Act
By MUUSJN on Wednesday, September 20th, 2023
Call Your State Representative 1-517-760-6214 (The ACLU Constituent Connector Line. It connects your call to your Rep) & Call the Health Policy Committee Clerk Melissa Sweet, 517-373-5176 Ask Her to Inform Committee Members That You Support The Women’s Reproductive Act (HB 4949- 4959) Abortion rights were added to the Michigan Constitution last fall. Now legislators need to protect these rights in 2023 The Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network (MUUSJN) and its Interfaith Reproductive Justice Coalition, along with a broad range of organizations such as the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, NARAL and Inclusive Justice, offered their support for the Michigan Reproductive Health Act (RHA) when the Michigan Health Policy Committee met last week on September 21, 2023. The Health Policy Committee gave notice today that it […]
Stories of Real Workers’ Struggles Needed to Help Raise the Minimum Wage
By MUUSJN on Monday, September 4th, 2023
Volunteers Needed: Share Workers’ Stories About People Living on a Minimum or Sub-minimum Wage $50 Gift Card for Workers’ Stories Click HERE to Share A Story Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network (MUUSJN) has been advocating for an increase in the minimum wage in Michigan for several years as part of a MI Time to Care coalition in partnership with the Restaurant Opportunities Center of Michigan and the Economic Justice Alliance of Michigan (EJAM). Now we need your help! Collectively, we have been fighting in courts to restore a raise in the minimum wage to about $12/hour and to eliminate the subminimum wage that’s now only $3.84 per hour plus tips. UU’s and other advocates helped collect enough signatures to get this proposal on the ballot in 2018. […]
URGE SENATORS PETERS & STABENOW TO ADVOCATE FOR A BAN ON ASSAULT WEAPONS!
By MUUSJN on Friday, September 1st, 2023
Racism + Assault Weapon = 3 Killed in Florida Urge Senators Peters and Stabenow to Vote for A BAN ON ASSAULT WEAPONS BACKGROUND On Saturday, August 26th, a young man in his 20’s deliberately shot three Black people at a dollar store in Jacksonville, Florida. This young man, according to declarations he sent to his father and swastikas on his AR-15 rifle, indicated that he identified as Nazi who hated Black people. This disgusting racial hatred and the willingness to use violence is a sign there’s a sickness in our society. It deeply violates our religious values of love and respect for the dignity of all people. There are things we can do to address this sickness Assault weapons are considered to be the weapons […]
Did You Know That Many Michigan Communities Have Primary Elections on August 8th?
By MUUSJN on Saturday, August 5th, 2023
There are Primary Elections on August 8th in 49 Michigan Counties. See if Your Community Has an Election & Learn What’s on the Ballot The August 8th Michigan primary elections will decide who will serve as a clerk or become a city council member or whether your local school will get funding. Here’s what you can do to learn whether elections are being held in your community and what’s on the ballot: If you have more questions, you may contact MUUSJN consultant Nomi Joyrich at nomijoyrich@gmail.com YOU ARE INVITED TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH A FRIEND OR RELATIVE!
You can help protect abortion rights in Florida
By MUUSJN on Sunday, July 16th, 2023
Dear Friend, Last year, MUUSJN, Jews For A Secular Democracy and many other organizations helped Michigan enshrine reproductive rights in the Michigan constitution. Kate Lannamann, a member of MUUSJN’s Interfaith Reproductive Justice Coalition, has been enthusiastic about the work we’re doing in Michigan. She’s President of a Florida Interfaith Coalition for Reproductive Health and Justice AND she’s Board Chair of Southwest and Central Planned Parenthood. Lannamann said, “Florida is following Michigan’s lead by organizing their own reproductive justice ballot proposal.” Let’s lend them a hand! Like Michigan, Florida’s ballot initiative would enshrine abortion rights in their state constitution. Spearheaded by FPF (Floridians Protecting Freedom), the ballot proposal is titled, “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion.” Here’s a summary of this proposal: “No law shall […]
Michigan Senate Holding Hearings On Bills to Ban Conversion Therapy
By MUUSJN on Friday, June 9th, 2023
On June 6th the Michigan Senate heard testimony on SB 38 and SB 39, bills to ban the practice of Conversion Therapy. Senator Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) sponsored these bills. Advocates testified that Michigan should end this cruel practices of trying to persuade a young person to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, there is no evidence that this practice is effective but there is evidence that it is harmful. The American Journal of Public Health in 2020 found that youth subjected to Conversion Therapy were more than twice a likely to report having attempted suicide in the last year. The Trevor Project, an advocacy group seeking to prevent suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, reported […]
Tell Senators to Reject House Cuts in Spending As Part of Debt Limit Standoff
By MUUSJN on Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023
Urge Your Senators to Oppose Immoral Debt Ceiling Budget Cuts! Senator Gary Peters: 1-202-224-6221 Senator Debbie Stabenow: 1-202-224-4822 Emphasize Human Needs and Community Concerns Raised by Extreme US House Budget Proposal According to Federal Reserve Secretary Janet Yellen, the U.S. would need to reach an agreement on lifting the debt ceiling by June 1st or else the U.S. would default on its debt. Exploiting this routine vote to pay the bills, the House last week passed a FY 2024 budget that cuts domestic spending for human needs and community concerns by 22%. The proposal would also limit future spending to only 1% a year for 10 years. The budget assumes no cuts in Pentagon spending. President Biden’s FY 2024 budget proposes reducing the deficit by […]
You’re Invited to Hear Two Senators Discuss Separation of Religion & Government in Michigan
By MUUSJN on Monday, April 24th, 2023
YOU’RE INVITED! Michigan UU Social Justice Network (MUUSJN) is co-sponsoring this special program hosted by Jews for a Secular Democracy and several other groups. Separation of church and state has always been an important issue. Sadly, women, LGBTQ+ people and people from many different races and cultures have been denied their dignity and their rights in the name of religion. MUUSJN, Inclusive Justice and Jews for a Secular Democracy filed an amicus brief last fall that said that one religion should not force their beliefs and practices on other people. For more discussion on separation of church and state in Michigan, sign up to be present in person or on- line next Saturday April 29th at 7 p.m. Reserve your place by clicking HERE
Celebrate Some Big Wins in the Michigan Legislature; Take More Action NOW!
By MUUSJN on Wednesday, March 22nd, 2023
Governor Signs Bill Expanding LGBTQ+ Rights! Old 1931 Anti-Abortion Law Almost Revoked!! Support Bill Giving Low-Income Workers Tax Relief in 2023 It’s Spring! It’s Time to Celebrate Big Wins in the Michigan legislature!! BACKGROUND On March 16th, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a historic bill that expands the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act to provide basic human rights to LGBTQ+ people. This means that members of the LGBTQ+ community can not be discriminated against for jobs, education, housing or public accomodations. This a reform that advocacy groups have been demanding for 40 years! Thanks to all who responded to MUUSJN’s alert to advocate for this legislation. Thank Senator Jeremy Moss at 517-373- 7888 & Representative Jason Hoskins: 517-373-1180 They sponsored SB 4 and HB 4003 in […]
Michigan House Votes to Overturn 1931 Anti-Abortion Law — Call Your Senator to Do the Same!
By MUUSJN on Monday, March 6th, 2023
MI House Votes to Protect Abortion Rights Call Your State Senator to Finish the Job! BACKGROUND On Thursday, March 2nd, the Michigan House of Representatives voted to adopt a package of bills to REPEAL the old 1931 anti-abortion law that’s still on the books. Even though voters affirmed a ballot proposal that enshrined abortion rights in the Michigan Constitution, legislators and reproductive justice advocates believe it’s important to remove the 1931 law from the books in the event that a court might strike down our newly affirmed reproductive rights. I am proud to report that MUUSJN consultant, Nomi Joyrich, testified on Wednesday March 1st in favor of bills to repeal the 1931 law in both the House and the Senate. On March 2nd, a package […]