Standing on the Side of Love for Immigration Reform
Immigration Resources from the UUA January 24, 2011
The Study Guide for the new Congregational Study/Action Issue, Immigration as a Moral Issue is now available on the UUA website! The guide provides a broad range of resource materials for congregational and individual study including a six-week adult education curriculum and a Worship Resource
Supplement. Topics include: understanding the causes of migration, the history of immigration in the US, the economics of immigration, security and enforcement, and building a theology of migrant justice.
Congregations also have the opportunity to submit comments by March 1, 2011 for CSAI Immigration as a Moral Issue. For more information on how to do so and to see a sample comment form, go to www.uua.org/csw.
For other UU Immigration resources, including congregational stories, news and updates, and interfaith and community partners see our newly redesigned www.uua.org/immigration!
A Brief Message from TJD District Executive, Annette Marquis
August 3, 2010 As many of you know, I was arrested on Thursday in Phoenix in an organized action designed to protest the inhumane treatment of Latino and other immigrant people in Arizona. I decided that regardless of how we as a nation choose to the address the immense problem of immigration, the harassment and abuse of people perceived to be undocumented has to stop. I went because as a privileged, middle-class white woman, I felt it was my duty to stand with people who are at much greater risk than I could ever dream of being in this struggle for human dignity.
I was released on my own recognizance twenty-six hours after my arrest. My time in what is proudly known by Sheriff Joe Arpaio as the "toughest jail in America," the Maricopa County Jail, was eye-opening, harrowing, and humbling. My case, along with the 80 or some others who were arrested with me, will be heard over the next few weeks. All indications are this will go smoothly but please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
I will be writing more about this experience as I am able to do so. But in the meantime, I want to thank so many of you for your support, encouragement and love. And even if you disagree with my decision, I appreciate your willingness to accept that standing up for what we believe in and being willing to engage in honest, respectful dialogue about our beliefs is what Unitarian Universalism is all about.
Estamas en la lucha en el lado del amor - we are in the struggle on the side of love,
Annette
The First UU Church of Richmond hosted a Vigil tonight on the street corner in front of the church in solidarity with all of those in Arizona.
July 29, 2010 A small group of congregants held signs, prayed together and joined in song as passersby waved, honked their horns and rang their bicycle bells. It was an uplifting experience. Pictures are forthcoming.
How can you help those who have been arrested? Standing on the Side of Love has established a legal defense fund to help provide bail and/or legal fees for the many who have acted and will be acting in civil disobedience. To donate go to the Standing on the Side of Love donation page and enter your information and donation amount and in the comment line, enter "Bail/Legal". If you want to donate to a particular person, you may also enter their name in the comment line.
We will post more information as we receive it. However, you may find information more quickly on the Standing on the Side of Love's Facebook page or by searching Twitter feeds with #uu #1070 or #sideoflove.
UPDATE on Unitarian Universalists in Arizona Protesting SB1070 July 29, 2010 Unitarian Universalists from all over the country answered the call to go to Phoenix and participate in the National Day of Non Compliance with SB 1070, Arizona's anti-immigration law parts of which went into effect on July 29th. Go to Standing on the Side of Love for more information about the legislation. The Thomas Jefferson District was well represented in standing for justice for immigrant families and working to achieve fair and just comprehensive immigration reform as evidenced by the photo below.
According to reports from Standing on the Side of Love staff and posts from Facebook and Twitter, there were 83 people arrested for civil disobedience on July30th with a substantial number of UU clergy and laity included in that number. Among the arrests were UUA President, Rev. Peter Morales; Phoenix minister, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray and our own District Executive, Annette Marquis. Annette was released on Friday afternoon. Annette and other UUs continued to engage in loving witness and vigil Friday night as more people were arrested Friday evening.
For those congregations who wish to create a worshipful space in solidarity with our colleagues and friends in Arizona, you may find the Interfaith Toolkit found here helpful.
TJD folks in AZ from left to right: Rev. Jake Morrill, Rev. Jeanne Pupke, Rev. Paul Rasor, Annette Marquis, Rev. Eric Kaminetzky, Rev. Audette Fulbright, Rev. Don Southworth, and Rev. Deborah Cayer
The First UU Church of Richmond hosted a Vigil tonight on the street corner in front of the church in solidarity with all of those in Arizona.
July 29, 2010 small group of congregants held signs, prayed together and joined in song as passersby waved, honked their horns and rang their bicycle bells. It was an uplifting experience. Pictures are forthcoming.
How can you help those who have been arrested? Standing on the Side of Love has established a legal defense fund to help provide bail and/or legal fees for the many who have acted and will be acting in civil disobedience. To donate go to the Standing on the Side of Love donation page and enter your information and donation amount and in the comment line, enter "Bail/Legal". If you want to donate to a particular person, you may also enter their name in the comment line.
We will post more information as we receive it. However, you may find information more quickly on the Standing on the Side of Love's Facebook page or by searching Twitter feeds with #uu #1070 or #sideoflove.
Immigration March in Raleigh, NC on July 29th Members from Eno River UU Fellowship in Durham, NC and The Community Church of Chapel Hill, UU carried the SSL banner on Thursday 7/29 in Raleigh in honor and support of those from the Thomas Jefferson District (Rev.Jake Morrill, Rev. Jeanne Pupke, Rev. Paul Rasor, TJD Executive Director Annette Marquis (who was arrested), Rev. Eric Kaminetzky, Rev. Audette Fulbright, Rev. Don Southworth, ERUUF's minister Rev. Deborah Cayer, and others) who traveled to Phoenix to represent us. In the picture, UUs wearing Standing on the Side of Love shirts are surrounded by members of the local Hispanic community and the red flags of FLOC -- the local Farm Laborers Organizing Committee.
Raleigh Immigration March 2010
Delegates pass resolution in response to Arizona's anti-immigration law
May 3, 2010 The delegates to the 2010 Assembly of TJD Congregations passed a resolution in response to Arizonia's newly passed immigation law. The resolution included three actions:
Member congregations are encouraged to engage in a robust dialog about how both legal and illegal immigration affects their local communities and to support efforts of the United States Congress to enact legislation that addresses, in an effective and compassionate way, the entire immigration issue;
Unitarian Universalists from local communities to the national level are urged to develop creative ways to bear witness to our commitment to justice, equity and compassion for all, but particularly to poor and powerless;
And support is offered to the officers and staff of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations in their efforts deal with the implications of the Arizona immigration law for the UUA General Assembly scheduled for Phoenix in 2012.
