UUA's President Peter Morales invites YOU to "Justice GA"

The UUA's Rev. Peter Morales invites you to "Justice General Assembly" this June in Phoenix!  Click above to see the video.

Say No to Three Strikes... petition

Please consider signing the "Say No to Three Strikes Law" petition of UU Mass Action.  Go to this link to see more information and to sign the petition.  The petition will be delivered at a press conference this Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Massachusetts State House.

UUs Join Vets' "Eat In" at Babylon Restaurant in Lowell

Table of folks from the UUCiA

This past Tuesday, January 10, several folks from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover joined Veterans for Peace and North Parish in an "Eat In" to show support and solidarity with Babylon, an Iraqi-owned restaurant in Lowell.  (I took the picture to the left, which shows some of the UUCiA folks who were there that night.)

What was the reason for the "Eat In"?  Last week, in the middle of the night, someone threw a very large stone (20 lbs) through the window of Babylon.  This was, of course, disturbing and intimidating for the Iraqi immigrants who own and work at the restaurant.

Pat Scanlon (right), talking here with a vet of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Pat Scanlon, a Unitarian Universalist himself (member at North Parish), is the Coordinator of the Smedley D. Butler Brigade of Veterans for Peace, and he organized VFP and (in turn) local UUs to participate in the action, standing on the side of love.  (In fact, here's a write up from the Standing on the Side of Love site: click here.  There's a great photo there of the Rev. Lee Bluemel and the folks from North Parish, taken by Lowell Sun photographer Julia Malakie.)  Pat Scanlon is also a member of the Merrimack Valley People for Peace, an organization dear to many at the UUCiA and North Parish.  I snapped the photo of Pat above.

The story got wonderful coverage.  There was a front page story by Robert Mills in the Lowell Sun; click here to read. (More photos by Malakie here.)

There was lots of Internet and blog buzz about the story, including this piece by blogger CR Krieger: click here to read and see his pictures.

I am holding flags, with Leyla from Babylon Restaurant. (Credit: Julia Malakie)

To the right is a "Twit pic" taken once again by Malakie; I am the one in the yellow Standing on the Side of Love hat and Veterans for Peace coat/flag (I'm Secretary of the local VFP chapter). Also in the picture is Leyla, part of the Babylon Restaurant family.

Of all the coverage, perhaps the most incredible thing is the coverage the "Eat In" received from Rachel Maddow, who did a feature on it as a "best new thing in the world with zero percent politics".

At the end of this post, below, please click on the video of the clip from the Rachel Maddow Show.  Toward the end of the clip are some photo stills.  The first still shows folks from the UUCiA -- you might recognize the faces from the picture at the top of this post!  A photo still shortly thereafter shows folks from North Parish.  How about that?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Moving from Intervention to Treatment... Occupy, part II

Picture: From October 9, 2011... "You Can't Evict and Idea" projection at Occupy Boston

  

The Occupy Boston camp was raided a couple of hours ago. The city of Boston was wise to wait until there were only a few dozen folks left at Dewey Square, versus coming Thursday night when there were 1000+ of us.  Apparently about 40 people were arrested, and apparently it went peacefully.   

I am concerned for the people who were homeless (that is, homeless before the Occupy Movement even started), who were receiving more shelter and food and help at the Occupy Boston camp than just being on their own. I hope we can still support them.

I can't help but feel sad that the Occupy Boston camp is gone, as I found the OB phenomenon pretty amazing and impressive in so many ways. I will miss visiting OB and feeling that spirit of idealism and hope.  I will miss the Sunday UU Vespers.  I will miss many things...

But I keep thinking of this sign that I saw at OB several weeks ago:

The sign says, "America, this is your intervention!" And that's how I feel about the Occupy Movement to date: It has been an intervention.  I think it has been a successful wake-up, or "intervention", and now it's time for Part II of the Occupy Movement:  "treatment".  May the movement continue, and may it continue to be nonviolent and creative!  To borrow from the chant, "We are unstoppable, another world is possible!"

Merrimack Valley Project... what a great organization!

Last night I went to the Annual Convention of the Merrimack Valley Project.  What an amazing organization!

The Merrimack Valley Project (MVP) has been around since 1992, uniting "leaders from across the Merrimack Valley to win improvements to our state and region that have benefited thousands of people".

MVP has increased opportunities for jobs; worked for immigrant rights; worked to create and maintain safe, affordable housing for all; and worked to create safer cities and neighborhoods.

I am hoping to get more involved.  I'm so grateful that they do the work that they do.  I'm proud that the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover is one of their member groups.

They have a current project that is very exciting to me:  "Fight Foreclosures and Evictions in our Neighborhoods!  No More Evictions: MVP is calling on banks and mortgage companies to stop all post-foreclosure evictions in the cities and towns of our region. Vacant properties hurt families and make our city streets and neighborhoods more dangerous. Let all families stay and pay rent!"

Click here to make a contribution to MVP.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, one and all!  I am very grateful for so many things, certainly including the wonderful Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover.

This year, as in many years in the past, I have "adopted" (sponsored) a turkey at the Farm Sanctuary.  It's part of my own Thanksgiving tradition.  I myself am a vegetarian, but you can adopt a turkey whether you're a vegetarian or not!

I adopted Antoinette this year: "Let them eat squash!"

Announcing new book by the minister emeritus

Announcement:  UUCiA minister emeritus, Peter Richardson, has issued a new book, Journey Beyond God: Religious Philosophy for Our Time. Many of the themes will be familiar to UUCiA members and friends from 1992-2002, when he was minister of the congregation. In four chapters, "Alone", "Together", "Between", "Among", the author explores the contrast of theologically based vs. humanist naturalist religion. Themes include nature and spirituality, spiritual practice, congregation, ethics, pluralism and world religion, ministry, worship, freedom and democracy, education, religious authority, mysticism, consciousness, reason, purpose and life goals. It is a quality paperback, 192 pp, 39 illustrations, 5 figures, study guide, bibliography, notes and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-9741152-8-3. Cost is 24.95 + 3.50 p&h via. www.redbarnrockland.com using either PayPal or the contact feature where you can be billed with the invoice.

"Help the most vulnerable in our society"

This Sunday during announcements, I mentioned that there would be a vigil at Senator Kerry's office.  Here is more information, from UUMassAction: "Help the most vulnerable in our society! Massachusetts Senator John Kerry has an important spot on the 'Super Committee' that will be coming up with legislation to address the United States debt. Many voices in the public debate are targeting those who are most vulnerable in our society to take the brunt of these budget cuts. UU Mass Action, Promise the Children and UU Urban Ministry are calling on Unitarian Universalist across Massachusetts to tell Sen. Kerry to stand with us in love; stand strong: Demand shared responsibility. Protect Medicaid and Medicare; don't shift costs to states and the seniors, people living with disabilities and children who rely on these programs."

Join us at Sen. Kerry's office on Wednesday, October 26th at 5 p.m. One Bowdoin Square, Tenth Floor, Boston, MA 02114.

Whether or not you can come on Wednesday, please consider singing this petition.

"OccUUpy" Boston

Unitarian Universalists, for the past two Sundays, have had UU Vesper services at Occupy Boston.  I didn't make the first one, but I was there (along with three UUCiA members) this Sunday, October 16.  There was a wonderful homily by Rev. Parisa Parsa and great music by Matt Meyer.  Rev. Jason Lydon also led prayer.  All in all, a very moving service.  There will be another UU Vespers this coming Sunday, October 23, at 5:30 p.m. in Dewey Square (across from South Station).  Join us!

Occupy Boston, October 10 and 11...

Yesterday, October 10, I decided to go see Occupy Boston in the afternoon, before my Veterans for Peace meeting in the evening (in Cambridge). I was impressed and inspired by the peaceful demonstration that I saw.  (This picture to the left is one I took during the day.  You can see the Gandhi statue on loan from the Peace Abbey, as well as the tents.  The picture to the right is one I took of the Veterans for Peace flags that we had at the Assembly, and after.)

Later on, I went to said Veterans for Peace meeting. We heard during the meeting that "they" (police? mayor?) wanted to shut down Occupy Boston. We ended the meeting early and went over together. We got there around 7:45-8 p.m.

I was very impressed watching my first General Assembly. It was very peaceful, very democratic. The Occupy Boston folks (mostly from the Millennial generation) were something to behold. They welcomed us "old timer" veterans very kindly when we came, and they seemed happy to see us.

I just have to note that this Occupy Boston protest was the first protest that I've participated in, in my entire lifetime, where NONE of the people driving by us shouted negative or lewd things... the first time NONE of them made lewd gestures. People either drove by and did nothing, or they drove by and honked, and/or waved, and/or shouted something supportive and/or cheered.
 

(Photo to the left: I am proud to stand with my Veterans for Peace friends... photo by Iraq War veteran Rachel McNeill.) There were all sorts of rumors all evening and into the night about the police, and what was (or was not) going to happen.  Most of the night the word was that the police would come at midnight and close down the camp, possibly making arrests. Midnight came (and October 11 began), and midnight went. No police making arrests... just some police here and there as far as we could tell. (And the protestors were very reasonable about the possible upcoming confrontation, saying things like, "Remember -- it's not 'us versus them'... it's 'us versus us' -- the police are the 99% too!") 1:00 a.m. came. Same thing, no police. Still lots of rumors flying around, but no one knew if the police were coming. Some thought yes, many thought no.

My contact lenses were popping out of my eyeballs (I didn't realize I'd be up at all hours protesting when I left the house, or I would have worn my glasses -- and more comfortable shoes!), so I called it a night at sometime not long after 1 a.m. (I was personally convinced at that point that the police would leave us alone... ) Some other Veterans for Peace folks left at various times throughout the night too, but many stayed.

I walked from South Station to my car in the Boston Commons garage, a little afraid that it was unsafe to walk alone at night in the big city. I saw a few police here and there, but just enough to make me feel a little safer -- I didn't see a big gathering forming. I got to my car just fine, and drove all the way back home (about an hour).

On the way home, after about 30 minutes I made a pit stop.  I checked Twitter to see if there were any updates from Occupy Boston and the Greenway expansion controversy.  I read several tweets saying that the police had come and were "beating up" the Veterans for Peace.  My heart sank.  It turned out that the police came maybe about 20 minutes after I left. The Veterans for Peace who were still there were in the front line, and were the first ones treated roughly (pushed down and choked, and dragged off, from two I've communicated with) and arrested by the police. Apparently after that, the police went into the rest of the Occupy Boston crowd and arrested the other peaceful protestors. (See video below, posted by an Occupy Boston participant on Youtube.)



I came home safe, feeling guilty that I left just a bit too soon, as it turns out... but feeling lucky too. I've never been treated roughly by police and arrested before, after all. I feel horrible for my VFP friends and the other protestors who were treated harshly.  (Addendum: After talking to more friends from VFP and others who were there, it seems that there were a wide range of experiences in terms of how the police responded.  In many cases, the police were very low key and not aggressive at all.)

I'm still sort of in shock. I can't believe it "went down" like that -- that is, I can't believe the mayor told the police to intervene and make arrests. It really did NOT have to be that way. I'm thinking of my VFP friends who were arrested, and all the other protestors arrested... It must have been traumatic! I'm thinking of the police, too, and wondering how they feel about it all. As a veteran, I know the feeling of being told to do something you don't feel quite right about... and the police are definitely part of the 99%.  I am grateful for police; I really am.  They do a lot of good, and I've mostly had very good experiences with police in my lifetime.  It was a sad situation for all concerned, really.

Addendum: Below is an excellent video of the evening's events.


"What Democracy Looks Like: The View From Occupy Boston" from Michael Gill on Vimeo.