Muusja Mailing List: E-UPDATE FOR OCTOBER 27, 2006

[Lauren Culbert (lculbert]

MUUSJA E-EVENT UPDATE OCTOBER 27, 2006
 
Minnesota UU Social  Justice Alliance--Bringing  together UUs to work
collectively for social change.
 
****
This  update includes announcements about: 
 
A. Local Social Justice News
B. National UU Advocacy
C. Social Justice Links

****
A. LOCAL SOCIAL JUSTICE NEWS

1.
LIFE ON $206 A WEEK

Life at the minimum wage means $206 a week. It means swallowing your dreams
and working just to survive. It means not being able to buy shoes for your
children...putting in 10 hours a day just to pay for a room for the
night...facing the hard fact that you can't afford college...not knowing
where your family's next meal will come from.

All this week, ACORN and the AFL-CIO are hosting 7 Days @ Minimum Wage
(http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/sdaF1971aqje/), a video blog (vlog) featuring
low-wage workers struggling to get by and actress-comedienne Roseanne Barr.
Each day there's a new story--and a reminder of one great reason to hope: If
we all turn out to vote Nov. 7, we can raise the minimum wage.

****
2.
SAT, OCT 28
1:00 PM
FRONT STEPS OF THE STATE CAPITOL, ST. PAUL
 
NATIONAL DAY OF LOCAL ACTIONS
STOP THE U.S. WAR IN IRAQ-> U.S. TROOPS OUT NOW!
Protest & Speak Out! Music by Ellis - local folk rock musician, speakers &
additional presentations TBA Come to the Minnesota State Capitol on
Saturday, October 28 as part of a national day of local actions against the
war.
For more info: Anti-War Committee 612-379-3899, Twin Cities Peace
Campaign/Focus on Iraq 612-522-1861, Veterans for Peace 612-821-9141,Women
Against Military Madness 612-827-5364, Military Families Speak Out:
mfso-minnesota [at] mn.rr.com

****
3.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31
Last day to sign up .
Protect Voting Rights: BECOME A TRAINED OBSERVER in Minnesota's first
post-election review comparing paper ballot totals to the electronic
tabulation from randomly selected precincts.  Includes 1-hour training.
Sponsored by UU Voting Rights Campaign. Contact Jenny Thomas at
jjthomas [at] skypoint.com  or Carol Johnson at 612.825.3322. 

****
4.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1 
(class continues on November 8)
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH
3400 DUPONT AVE. MPLS
7:30-9:00 PM

GIVE VOICE TO THE RELIGIOUS DIMENSIONS OF REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE.  Learn how to
reframe the reproductive rights issue from on the defensive morally to a
sacred choice supported by historical religious theology. A four part class
developed by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and facilitated
by Pam Vincent  of the UU Reproductive Rights/Sacred Choices Campaign and
Kelli Clement of Seminarians for Choice. Prepare to act in the world! FFI:
Pam Vincent at pbvincent [at] mn.rr.com.

****
5.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3
FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY 
900 Mt. CURVE AVE. MPLS
7:00 PM 

Minnesota Premiere of  STEALING AMERICA Vote by Vote, a powerful documentary
by Emmy award winning, Oscar- nominated filmmaker, Dorothy Fadiman, about
irregularities in the 2004 presidential election, demonstrating that
election fraud and reform are not partisan issues. Includes discussion with
filmmaker. Sponsored by UU Protecting Rights Campaign. FFI:
jjthomas [at] skypoint.com.

****
6.
SAT, NOV 4
9:00 AM
FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY, 900 MT. CURVE AVENUE, MINNEAPOLIS

UU ECOMINDS FALL MEETING AND LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS. Join us for our Big Fall
Strategy Meeting! We'll be electing leadership for the next 2 years and
setting our course for the year. Bring your passion for action and your
ideas for campaigns this year -will we pursue work with Congregations Caring
for Creation? Tackle the RES again, or a different legislative effort? Or
dive into the Minnesota Energy Challenge? RSVP's are helpful, but not
required. Contact Madalyn, 612-926-5249 or
ecominds-contact [at] muusja.org
 
****
7.
SATURDAY NOV 4
FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY 
900 MT. CURVE AVE. MPLS
10 AM
 
DANGER TO DIGNITY: The Fight for Safe Abortion. Emmy award-winning film by
Dorothy Fadiman combines rare archival footage with interviews that document
the courageous efforts of those who fought to break the silence, change the
laws and end the shame which surrounded abortion when it was a crime.
Includes a discussion with filmmaker, Dorothy Fadiman.. FFI: Contact Pam
Vincent at pbvincent [at] msn.com.  
 
****
8.
SAT, NOV 4
NOON TO 1:00PM
FEDERAL BUILDING, 330 2nd AVENUE S, MINNEAPOLIS
2nd Ave S., between 3rd and 4th Streets.

SECOND INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST AGAINS GLOBAL WARMING AND GOVERNMENT
INACTION. This event happens just following the UU EcoMinds fall meeting at
9am this same morning. Pack  a lunch and make a day of it. UUs were a strong
presence at this event last year. Location changes  this year to the grounds
of the more visible Federal Building in Minneapolis.
 
FFI: Christine Frank, Twin Cities Climate Crisis Coalition,
christinefrank [at] visi.com, 612-879-8937
 
****
9.
SUN, NOV 5
7:00 PM
ST. JOAN OF ARC CHURCH, 4537 3RD AVE. SO, MINNEAPOLIS

IS CRITICISM OF ISRAEL ANTI-SEMITIC? An evening with NORMAN FINKELSTEIN.
Finkelstein is a provocative, thoughtful, and actively critical voice
speaking out against Israel's policies toward the Palestinian people and US
political and  financial support of Israel.  

Norman Finkelstein received his doctorate  from Princeton for a thesis on
the theory of Zionism.  He currently teaches at DePaul University in
Chicago.  He is author of many books including his most recent Beyond
Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History. The son
of Holocaust survivors, Finkelstein is known for his view that the Holocaust
is being exploited for pro-Israel political ends.

Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the WAMM Mideast Committee
612-827-5364

****
10.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5
UU MORNING SERVICES

WEAR THE COLORS OF THE SUFFRAGETTES! Dress in white, purple and yellow in
honor of the brave women who won our freedom.  Sponsored by UU Protecting
Rights Campaign. Contact Pam Vincent at pbvincent [at] msn.com.

****
11.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7

ELECTION DAY: VOTE YOUR VALUES! HELP GET OUT THE VOTE! Work with your
favorite candidates or nonpartisan GOTV efforts (e.g.,
www.americavotes.org).  Assert your influence with decision makers around
reproductive health. Contact Cathy Apostle at caquilt51 [at] aol.com.

****
B. NATIONAL UU ADVOCACY

1. 
BILL SINKFORD LAUDS NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT DECISION. For the complete text
of Rev. Sinkford's statement, 
http://www.uua.org/president/061025_ftm.html

****
2.
DEATH TOLL MOUNTS IN IRAQ: HOW CAN WE RESPOND?

On October 11, 2006, a study released by The Johns Hopkins University and
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimated the number of Iraqi
civilian deaths due to the US invasion of Iraq three years ago to be more
than 650,000. Since the release of the report, the exact number has been
debated, but the headlines from Iraq have been clear: people are dying every
day. A Washington Post headline from October 23, 2006, told the story of
fifteen Iraqi police recruits shot dead, twenty-five Iraqis injured, and
twenty kidnapped as they traveled by bus to Baghdad.
Four US troops were also killed, and October has become the deadliest month
for US troops in over two years. 

For full statement and resources for congregations working to raise
awareness about the situation in Iraq see
http://www.uua.org/news/2006/061025_deathtoll.html

****
3.
UU MINISTER ON BILL O'REILLY SHOW
Last Thursday The Rev. Kathleen McTigue, Senior Minister of the Unitarian
Society of New Haven, CT and a founding member of the non-profit group
"Reclaiming the Prophetic Voice," appeared on "The O'Reilly Factor" on FOX
News speaking out against the recently signed Military Commissions Act.  You
can view the show at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dHkh4wMpq0.  The
Hartford Courant also published an Op Ed by Rev. McTigue and a coalition
partner Rabbi Donna Berman entitled "Torture and the Nation's Soul" - see
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/op_ed/hc-humphries1024.artoct24,0,22
62984.story?coll=hc-headlines-oped.

Faith in Public Life has a feature on their website at
http://blog.faithinpubliclife.org/2006/10/rev_mctigue_takes_on_oreilly_o
.html.

See their excellent resources for congregational witness and media advocacy
at http://www.faithinpubliclife.org/.
VISIT THE UUA VOTOR RESOURCE PAGE AT
http://www.uua.org/news/2006/061005_voting.html AND THE UUA WASHINGTON
OFFICE FOR ADVOCACY SITE AT http://www.uua.org/uuawo/new/ 

****
4.
SRI TELECONFERENCE ON SHAREHOLDER ADVOCACY, OCT. 28TH

Please join the Committee on Socially Responsible Investing (CSRI) this
Saturday, Oct 28th at 1pm EDT for a FREE teleconference on Shareholder
Advocacy.
 
Shareholder activism has caused major corporations to change their behavior.
For instance, as a result of a carefully orchestrated dialogue with
management and finally the CEO of Home Depot, that company changed its
policy to include sexual orientation as one of the prohibited
discriminations. See the story on UUA.org:
http://www.uua.org/finance/sri/justice/homedepot/casestudy.html. Join this
call to learn how you can take part in this vital movement and demonstrate
that our faith can make mountains move. 
 
To participate: 
USA Toll-Free Access #: (866) 868-1054
Conference Code: 1571617 
 
Please RSVP with Audra Friend at afriend [at] uua.org with your name,
congregation, position, and phone number.  The PowerPoint/PDF presentation
is available for download at:
http://www.uua.org/finance/sri/.
 
For more information on the series, please see:
http://www.uua.org/finance/sri/SRI-TeleConference-FlyerFall06.pdf. 

C. SOCIAL JUSTICE LINKS

To find out about other local and national social justice events, check out
these websites.  

UU SOCIAL JUSTICE AND OTHER UU LINKS:
Unitarian Universalist Association:  http://www.uua.org/

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee:  http://www.uusc.org/

UUA Washington Office for Advocacy http://www.uua.org/uuawo/new/

UUA Congregational Advocacy and Witness:
http://www.uua.org/programs/justice/

Minnesota UU Social Justice Alliance (MUUSJA):  http://www.muusja.org/

Prairie Star  District: http://www.psduua.org/

FOR UU SOCIAL ACTON CHAIRS, sign up for regular e-news from the UUA, called
Sac-news www.uua.org/mailman/listinfo
 
UU Ministry for Earth http://uuministryforearth.org/index.shtml

UUs for a Just Economic Community http://www.uujec.net/

UU Committee for Socially Responsible Investing
http://www.uua.org/finance/sri/ 

UU Gulf Coast Advocacy http://www.uua.org/news/gulfcoastrelief/advocacy.html

OTHER SOCIAL JUSTICE LINKS: 
*note: if you are  member of a group who would like us to list your web
site, send it to muusja-editor [at] muusja.org
 
Minnesota  Alliance of Peacemakers  http://www.mapm.org/
 
Women Against Military Madness at  www.worldwidewamm.org
 
Progressive Calendar subscribe by emailing  shove001 [at] tc.umn.edu.
  
Planned Parenthood of Minnesota:   www.ppmns.org
 
NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota:   www.prochoiceminnesota.org

Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing (MICAH):
http://www.micah.org/
 
Code Pink: www.codepink4peace.org

Center for Victims of Torture: http://www.cvt.org/main.php

Network of Spiritual Progressives: http://www.spiritualprogressives.org/

Network of Spiritual Progressives, local chapter http://www.nspmn.org/