Monday, January 23, 2012

What's In "Justice GA" For Me?

In an article at uuworld.org that came out today, it was written:

"This GA, termed a "Justice GA," will be almost entirely focused on social justice issues related to immigration."

I know immigration is an important national issue. I know Arizona SB1070 is a horrible piece of legislation. Yet if I made up a list of issues/causes that I'm engaged in and/or working on, immigration wouldn't even make it into the top 20.

What's in "Justice GA" for me?

5 comments:

Chalicechick said...

I'm answering this not because I'm the best person to answer it. Indeed, I'm totally not. But I don't want this post to sit here, inviting an answer, and not get one.

It's true that immigration seems more relevant in some parts of the country than in others. It actually seems less relevant in mine, too.

To my thinking, immigration questions involve a nationwide application of some of the questions that UU churches, and UUs, face all the time. Whether I'm asking myself how many cultural histories our schools should be teaching, or asking how to broach the subject of "not driving across the lawn" with my new housemate, I think questions of "Who is the other?" "How do I welcome strangers?" "How can I live comfortably with people who live differently?" are universal ones, and ones that UUism and UUs are going to have to face unless we want to be a tiny religion forever.

So my answer to "what's in it for me?" is that it is a chance to really grapple with these questions on this giant scale in hopes of finding some nuggets that can work in your own life and can work in your own congregation.

YMMV.

CC

Bill Baar said...

Yes, but we'll UUs grapple with the issues. By that I mean see all sides of the issue? I really doubt that.

Chalicechick said...

I honestly suspect that they will deal with it just because it isn't so much an issue of sides. Even when people offer welcome and that part goes fine, Immigrants (and housemates and church visitors) don't just show up and seamlessly integrate into a culture, losing the identity they came in with. These changes aren't easy and I think the people working on this are way too thoughtful to pretend that they are.

CC

John A Arkansawyer said...

Maybe there isn't anything in it for you.

One of our most dedicated members, who was at the GA in Minneapolis as I was, and who voted for the Justice GA as I did, is not going.

I am going if at all possible, but perhaps it has no value for you.

Robin Edgar said...

If the UUA holds a so-called "Justice GA" but fails or indeed just plain refuses to have a significant component of that "Justice GA" devoted to providing some long overdue Restorative Justice For ALL victims of UU clergy misconduct of all kinds. i.e. not just clergy sexual misconduct alone, they will never live it down if I have anything to do with it. . . I intend to be in Phoenix with appropriate picket signs if the UUA does not indicate that it will be formally apologizing to UU clergy misconduct victims at this alleged "Justice GA" and providing some real and tangible restorative justice for all victims of abusive UU clergy.