March 23, 2012
Unitarian Universalist ministers from around the state gathering in Jacksonville, Florida for their annual meeting today issued the following statement regarding last month’s tragic killing of Trayvon Martin in Central Florida.
Whereas serious questions remain about the events of February 26 and the investigation into those events; and
Whereas the public outrage surrounding this case is reflective of deeper issues in our society and the lived experience of many of its people of color; and
Whereas these individual incidents are not isolated occurrences but rather are fueled by consistent messages of fear and division in our national and political discourse; and
Whereas all people deserve the full blessings of justice, equity, and compassion in our society and in our justice system;
We therefore call for a thorough investigation into the death of Trayvon Martin.
We, as Unitarian Universalist clergy, commit ourselves, personally and professionally, to continue the hard work of transforming ourselves and our congregation, as well as our society and its institutions, by:
Moving beyond tolerance to deeper understanding and appreciation of our differences; and
Fostering an atmosphere of compassion, understanding, and hope rather than one of hate, judgment, and fear; and
Fostering healthy relationships between and among diverse communities; and
Fostering connection rather than division; and
Finally, we, the undersigned, commit to face these challenges by standing together on the side of love.
(signatures here)
For more information,
About Unitarian Universalism, see uua.org
About Unitarian Universalism in Florida, see floridadistrict.org
About the Standing on the Side of Love Campaign, see http://www.standingonthesideoflove.org
Your Heartland UUMA Colleagues voted to adopt your statement as well this week. See http://revcyn.blogspot.com/2012/03/heartland-unitarian-universalist.html for more details.
Wonderful! Thanks for adding your voices and for letting us know!
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