Muusja Mailing List: E-EVENT UPDATE FOR MAY 10, 2007

[Lauren Culbert (lculbert]

MUUSJA E-EVENT UPDATE FOR MAY 10, 2007
 
Minnesota UU Social  Justice Alliance--Bringing  together UUs to work
collectively for social change.
 
****
This  update includes announcements about: 

A. Action Alerts
B. Local Social Justice News
C. National UU Advocacy
D. Social Justice Links

****

A. ACTION ALERTS

****
1.
THREE GLBT-FRIENDLY BILLS considered in the 2007 legislative session have
either been vetoed or were removed from consideration before being sent to
the governor: Sick Leave, Local Government Health Benefits Bill, and
Domestic Partner Benefits for State Employees. On Monday, May 7th, Governor
Pawlenty vetoed the state agency appropriations omnibus bill which included
local government authority over health benefits to employees. The
legislation would have allowed local governments the opportunity to offer
domestic partner benefits to GLBT employees as well as expand benefits to
other family members. The bill also would have studied the cost of providing
health benefits to the partners of GLBT state employees as well as other
family members. The governor mentioned both of these provisions as among the
many reasons he vetoed the bill.

Before sending the bill to the governor legislators withdrew a provision to
expand sick leave allowances for domestic partners and other relatives for
fear of a veto. CALL YOUR LAWMAKERS to ask them to keep GLBT-friendly
provisions in the revised version of the bills that they craft. FFI
http://www.outfront.org/
 
 
B. LOCAL SOCIAL JUSTICE NEWS

****
1. 
SATURDAY, MAY 12
12 NOON
HIAWATHA & LAKE ST. MINNEAPOLIS

BE PART OF AN ANTI-WAR PRESENCE WITH SIGNS AND BANNERS. This Mother's Day
will be the fourth since the start of the U.S. war in Iraq. Over 3200 U.S.
soldiers have died along with tens of thousands of Iraqis. The Bush
Administration is escalating the war by sending more troops and extending
the stays of troops already in Iraq. There is also a growing danger of a
U.S. attack on Iran.

Across the country on Mother's Day weekend events will be held to call for
an end to the war. The historic roots of Mother's Day in the U.S. are a call
for peace and justice. Join us in making sure that this Mother's Day is the
last Mother's Day when U.S. troops occupy Iraq.

Mother's Day Weekend Peace Action initiated by Iraq Peace Action Coalition.
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

****
2.
SUN, MAY 13
6:30 TO 8:30 PM
HUMANIST CENTER OF MINNESOTA

Please join us for our first spring event when Dr Barbara Koenig, Professor
of Medicine at the Mayo College of Medicine and Faculty Associate at the
University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics speaks on the topic
"Technology, (Im)mortality, and the Rhetoric of 'Choice'. " The event is
free and open to the public.  The evening begins with social time at 6:30
and the program will begin at 7pm in the lower assembly hall. For
information contact Matt Stark 612-377-2211.

The Humanist Center of Minnesota is organized by: 
The First Unitarian Society, www.firstunitariansociety.org Humanist of
Minnesota, www.humanistviews.org and The Humanist Institute
www.humanistinstitute.org

****

3.
MONDAY, MAY 14
7:30 PM
PLYMOUTH CHURCH, 1900 NICOLLET AVENUE, MPLS

THE MAY MEETING OF THE NETWORK OF SPIRITUAL PROGRESSIVES MINNESOTA will be
held on MONDAY, MAY 14, at Plymouth Church (1900 Nicollet Avenue just south
of downtown Minneapolis. Enter through the door under the canopy off the
back parking lot and go downstairs to the Jackman room). The chapter meeting
begins at 7:30, but following our new format, at 6:30 affinity groups will
meet, as well as an orientation group for new members, and there will be
time for snacks and conversation for anyone interested. 

The May meeting will be devoted to affinity group reports and brainstorming.
So please take some time in your 6:30 meeting to designate a spokesperson
and formulate a brief synopsis of where you have gone with your topic and
what has energized your group.  (Each group will have about 10 minutes) NEW
PEOPLE AND VISITORS WELCOMED!

****
4.
SAT, MAY 19
6:00 TO 8:00 PM
PENN AVE. N FROM W BROADWAY TO LOWRY AVE N

PEACE ACROSS THE NORTHSIDE. NSP-MN will be a part of this community rally to
make a collaborative statement for peace to prevail across the Northside.
The 29th to 30th. block of Penn Avenue is designated for our group. 6pm -
gather at Penn between 29th and 30th. Bring family and friends. We'll have
stickers for you to wear saying you are part of the Network of Spiritual
Progressives - Minnesota.  

6:30pm - lock arms across the Northside
7pm - Gather and celebrate at the Bean Scene (Penn and West Broadway) Tell
me in advance if you're coming (if you can) and how many people you're
bringing or just show up! NSP-MN will "walk our talk" on the Northside May
19! Hope to see you there. FFI Phyllis Stenerson
phyllis [at] progressivevalues.org

****
5.
SUN, MAY 20
3:00 TO 5:00 PM
FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY
900 MOUNT CURVE AVE, MINNEAPOLIS

MUUSJA GENERAL MEETING: Interfaith Partnerships and Coalitions: The Good,
the Bad, and the Ugly

Interfaith work can be powerful and rewarding, delivering social justice
outcomes and important relationships.  Interfaith work can also be tense and
disappointing; delivering challenges and frustrations we are not always
prepared to deal with.  What are some local experiences working in
interfaith contexts?  What are the lessons we can take from successes and
struggles?  How can UUs become more effective interfaith partners for social
change?  Panel discussion will include Rev. Kendyl Gibbons from FUS, who
recently returned from a trip to Israel/Palestine with an interfaith group
of local clergy; Carol Koepp who has worked with Habitat for Humanity, Lisa
Herschberger who has worked with Congregations Caring for Creation.

Report on MUUSJA strategic planning; introduction of new staff member, Ralph
Wyman; and updates from MUUSJA working groups. Connect with other UUs
working for social change!  Bring an appetizer or beverage to share.
Questions?  Contact: RWMUUSJA [at] gmail.com
 

C. NATIONAL UU ADVOCACY

****
1.
NEW SANCTUARY MOVEMENT

Moved by our faith to participate in the New Sanctuary Movement, this faith
community commits to the following; 

EDUCATION. We will educate ourselves about issues facing immigrants in our
society, and about the current status of immigration-related legislation. We
will avail ourselves of resources from the New Sanctuary Movement, and will
welcome the first-hand stories of immigrants themselves who have experienced
injustice. We will renew our study of the sacred stories of migration and
hospitality, injustice and hope, which already exist in our own faith
tradition. Seeking also to educate our greater community, we will offer
public forums on immigration. 

ADVOCACY. We understand that education alone brings no change if it does not
lead to action. Therefore, we will actively and publicly work for
comprehensive immigration reform in the United States. We call for an
immediate moratorium on all raids and unjust deportations that cause the
separation of families, until such time as the broken system of immigration
laws is fixed. We agree to include our names, our voices and our selves (or
representative members) in public events, various forms of media, and other
appropriate venues. We will be a compassionate and persistent voice for
justice for our immigrant brothers and sisters.
http://www.newsanctuarymovement.org/support.htm 

****
D. 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

Alliance for Sustainability www.afors.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/

Congregations Caring for Creation http://www.c3mn.net/