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 Social
Justice Initiatives
& Resources
Agenda for Change:
The St. Lawrence District
Social Justice Monthly Newsletter
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October 15, 2009
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September 15, 2009
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July 2009
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June
15, 2009
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May
15, 2009
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April
15, 2009
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March
15, 2009
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February
15, 2009
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January
15, 2009
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December
15, 2008
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November
15, 2008
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October
15, 2008
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September
15, 2008
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June
15, 2008
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May 15,
2008
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April 15, 2008
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March 20, 2008
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February 15, 2008
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January 15, 2008
Social Justice
Resources for UU Congregations
1.
See the Agenda for Change monthly newsletter (above) for
timely information on issues and events of interest.
2.
Social Justice coordinator the Rev. Dick Gilbert can present
workshops/sermons at your congregation (or your cluster of
congregations) on a variety of topics. See our page on
Services Offered by the SLD Social Justice Council.
3.
Other key Social Justice connections:
Interfaith Impact of New York State
UUA Social Justice homepage
UU Social Justice organizations
FAITH WORKS: A UU
PERSPECTIVE
In the words of the
early 19th century theologian Hosea Ballou:
"There is one inevitable
criterion of judgment touching religious faith in doctrinal matters, can
you reduce it to practice? If not, have none of it."
Spirituality and
action for justice are a seamless garment. Action flows organically from
a spirituality of thanksgiving for being. It is a natural consequence of
who we are and the nature of our religious convictions. Faith and
action are part of the same motion.
While ours is a non-creedal
faith, we are united in the belief that we create life meanings in the
very struggle for justice in the community. We seek to become a
"spiritual center with a civic circumference” in the words of UU prophet
James Luther Adams. The holy for us emerges from engagement in the
search for Beloved Community.
Ultimately we are
joined by a mystical oneness that has informed all the prophets of
humanity — an interdependent web of being in which “thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself because thy neighbor is thyself.” (David Rhys
Williams)
How Faith Works in the St. Lawrence District
The Social Justice Council (SJC) of the St.
Lawrence Unitarian Universalist District (SLUUD) was authorized by the
2005 District Assembly to support the work of justice-making within and
among Unitarian Universalist congregations in the district. Its mission
is to make the collective voice of Unitarian Universalists heard in the
wider world.
The purposes of SJC are:
> To
connect our congregations and their representatives. Websites and
list serves will be created to share information, events and actions.
Issue-oriented groups will be facilitated.
> To
serve our congregations and their representatives by providing them
with information and education. This will be done through an annual
social justice conference, denominational training events and worship
services.
> To
grow our congregations both spiritually and socially to insure our
collective voice is heard more loudly and clearly on issues of
importance.
SJC is composed of seven members and a part-time
Social Justice Coordinator to facilitate the work of the districts and
the congregations. The Council provides consultative services, posts to
the SLUUD website, publishes the “Agenda for Change” newsletter
approximately monthly, connects UU’s to social justice resources and
sponsors an annual social justice conference, “Be the Change You Want to
See in the World” October 20, 2007, at May Memorial Unitarian
Universalist Society of Syracuse.
SJC is a member of and works closely with
Interfaith Impact of New York State (IINYS),
www.interfaithimpactnys.org a progressive coalition of Protestants,
Reform Jews, Unitarian Universalists and others who share our vision of
progressive religion in the public square. SJC works with other UU
social justice programs, including the Unitarian Universalist
Association, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) and other
affiliated groups.
Specifically, it is the goal of the SJC to create
a Social Justice Network (SJN) among the district congregations. SJC
will coordinate communications among congregations and individuals. It
is hoped that there will be a social justice program in every
congregation in the district. SJC stands ready to consult with
individual congregations and clusters to hone organizational skills.
There is a renewed focus on advocacy in the
district. The District Executive, Tom Chulak, will be empowered to
speak on behalf of the St. Lawrence District. The Council will be
guided by the official social witness statements of the Unitarian
Universalist Association. While many of our congregations have programs
in social service and education, it is hoped that there will be
increased emphasis on social witness, advocacy and community
organizing. The foci of social justice work will be at the local, state
and national levels.
Richard S. Gilbert, Social Justice Coordinator
rsgilbert@uuma.org
Phone: 585-244-7403
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Register now for Nov.
7, 2009
• Join us for the 4th Annual Social
Justice Conference featuring John Buehrens
Unitarian Universalist Church of
Amherst, 9:30 - 4:00
"Doing
Justice in an Economic Tsunami" will be the focus of
the 4th annual Social Justice Conference with an address by Rev.
John Buehrens, former UUA president.
The economic meltdown at the national
& world levels has pervaded the religious consciousness. The
recession has not only a social, political & economic impact,
but a moral & Spiritual one as well. How do we respond as
individuals, as congregations and as a religious movement?
Plan now to join us in November for a
full day of workshops exploring how economic troubles impact our
work to seek justice. Details will be available by September.
Conference brochure & registration form
(pdf) |
Editorial
• What is Just Taxation?
- March 2009
New York State, like the rest of the country, is in fiscal
crisis. To bridge the budget deficit of over $13 billion
Governor Paterson has proposed severe cuts in the areas of
health and education, among others. The Assembly has passed,
with the support of religious and labor groups and their Fair
Share program, a so-called “millionaires’ tax,” raising the
marginal tax rate on couples making $250,000 or more. Needless
to say, the proposal is controversial. What is missing in this
discussion is a moral argument for what would be a just system
of taxation. What is the moral basis for taxation that would be
a fair way to support governmental services? I suggest the
following principles:
1. “Good
fortune obligates.” The phrase is
from Albert Schweitzer as he contemplated the trajectory of his
life from privileged preacher’s son to the mythical doctor in
Africa. He believed, as do I, that those of us who have been
fortunate in securing life resources, whether it be the result
of hard work or good fortune or both, “owe the pot,” as it has
been put.
2. All of us
have give-back responsibility.
All of us have benefited greatly from the hard work of others –
historical figures, our family and our society. This reality
challenges the dogma of the rugged individual who deserves
everything he/she can get as if his/her efforts alone were
responsible. We always depend on others.
3. How much
is enough? When CEO’s, sports
personalities, entertainers and others command salaries in seven
figures and more while many work full-time and yet live in
poverty, there is a violation of the covenant of shared
responsibility for the common good.
4. In a
competitive society, what do we do with the losers?
If we accept competition then we must allocate resources not
only to the “winners,” but also to those who cannot compete as
well. Taxation is a public policy to level the playing field and
create the conditions for a democratic society. Dramatically
unequal societies have a poor track record.
5. “Taxes
are the price we pay for civilization”
(Oliver Wendell Holmes). They are
a down payment of our investment in the common good. Those with
extensive resources should expect to pay their fair share.
Taxation is not a punishment but a privilege of citizenship.
6. What is a
“fair share”? While there is no
objective measure of “fair,” the concept of progressive taxation
exacts a proportional share from those who bear the burden of
society’s costs. Tax rates should be based on the ability to
pay. While the affluent pay a high percentage of the income tax,
when all other taxes are considered, rich and poor pay at a
similar rate. See tax expert David Cay Johnston in his book
Perfectly Legal. According to him, the poorest fifth pay 17%
of their income in taxes, while the richest fifth pay 18%. That
17% impacts the poor more powerfully as it cuts into basic
necessities of life; the 18% the wealthiest pay merely impacts
the superfluities of their lives.
7.
Superfluity and scarcity. A
proportionate ethic suggests that it is unjust for some human
beings to possess far more than is needed for a comfortable life
while other equally valuable (morally) human beings have
inadequate resources for living a meaningful life.
8.
Government is the leveler of the playing field.
It is that democratic covenant that sets the rules for fair
play, regulates the excesses of the marketplace and provides a
safety net for those who are marginalized. Taxes are a privilege
as well as a responsibility.
Interfaith Impact of New York State supports efforts to create a
more just taxation system in New York by increasing the number
of tax brackets so that those earning $250,000 a year or more
would pay higher income taxes.
Dick Gilbert
A version of this editorial was submitted as testimony for
the NYS Senate Select Committee on Budget & Tax Reform for
Interfaith Impact of NY State, of which the SLD Social Justice
Council is a member.
For a relevant video go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fH5s5nKsJY
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