Tag Archives | Democratic Process
Labor: The Fight for Worth and Dignity
Labor day is fundamentally tied to our values and the Principles of the UUA. One of the principle functions of Labor and Unions is to empower workers, saying with one voice (more or less) “We are people of worth, deserving of dignity.”
Justice Can Be Built
I see it all the time online: Someone wanting a little peace, or empathy, or respect is told that they’re asking too much. I’ve read over and over some variation of “grow up”. It gets tiresome reading “The world isn’t fair.” The world isn’t fair; not on a scale that humans can understand. Children who […]
Don’t Vote Angry; Why Doesn’t Compassion Get Us to the Polls?
Early voter turnout has been seriously impressive during these first few days. It’s not possible, yet, to know where the votes are landing, but there is a solid chance that we’ll break records this year. The problem is that this massive turnout seems to be largely driven by anger. I’m sorry, anger is too soft […]
It Takes Two (or More) to Covenant
Unitarian Universalism is sometimes portrayed, even by UUs, as a religion for individuals. You are responsible for your own theology. You have to develop your own relationship with the divine. You have to choose your level of commitment and involvement. Those things are all true. But, Unitarian Universalism is a covenantal religion. It is made […]
A Voice and a Vote: Should Religious Educators Be GA Delegates?
The Cambridge Platform is the original document on which the UUA bases its governance structure. It recognizes two distinct types of Minister: Pastors and Teachers, placing them on even footing as “Officers of the Church”. We’ve moved away from that over the last 370 years. This year, we are being asked to consider our roots. […]
The Three Sisters: A Parable on Community
In the tradition of the Iroquois (as well as a number of other Native American cultures) there are three sisters who are essential to the health of the community. They each have different needs and talents, but it makes them an amazing team. Individually they would be hard to raise and none of them could […]
Law and Culture: Leading Change With Legislation
Today is Presidents’ Day, and I want to get into civics and democracy. I am still haunted by the events of last week, though. Luckily, the topics overlap in a way that deserves discussion. Last week, as well as the month before and so many times before that, I heard a lot of people telling […]
To Be Aware of a Problem is to Own a Part of It
I let this sit a couple of days so that I could try to edit it with more calm, but it hasn’t been completely successful. I wrote this in the hours after the most recent mass shooting in the United States; the most deadly ever, a record that stood for just over 14 months. This […]
Worth and Dignity: A Labor Day Meditation
Labor day is a very secular holiday, but it should hold a special place for Unitarian Universalists as part of the ongoing development of our faith. Labor day is fundamentally tied to our values and the Principles of the UUA. Just last week, we passed the 54th anniversary of the MLK-led “March on Washington for […]
