Hooray! Mass Senate Votes to Pass Protections for Transgender Bay Staters!

Today, something historic and wonderful happened in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: the state Senate voted overwhelmingly to protect transgender Bay Staters by passing SB 735! Read all about it here.

Next step: To get this through the Mass House! Ask your representative to support the measure. Click here!

For the Earth: Carbon Pricing

Today, I was the clergy representative in a meeting with our State Senator Barbara L'Italien to talk about possibilities for carbon pricing. Senator L'Italien listened carefully and asked thoughtful questions. She clearly cares about global warming, the environment, and her constituents' well being!

I was there with representatives from Clean Water Action and Climate XChange. Learn more about carbon pricing for Massachusetts here.

Transgender Day of Visibility

Did you know that today is the Transgender Day of Visibility? Learn more here.

Another group to know about is Freedom Massachusetts. Their website link is here. They are working to fully protect transgender Bay Staters. As they say on their website:

"Under Massachusetts law, there are no explicit protections ensuring that transgender people cannot be turned away from a hotel or denied service at a restaurant—simply because of who they are. That's not who we are. But we can fix this by passing a commonsense bill that protects our transgender friends and neighbors from unwarranted discrimination."

Get involved! Let's work for full equality for our transgender friends and neighbors! 

A sad day... after many sad days. Terrorism, and a wish for peace and love.

To the left is a message from the Unitarian Universalist Association about today's horrific attacks in Brussels. This follows on violence in Istanbul... Ankara... Paris... Beirut... and many other cities around the world in the past year.

The message, from Rev. Eric Cherry (Director of the UUA's International Office) is: "On this day of extreme violence in Brussels, which follows brutal events in many countries in recent months, the UUA adds its voice to the interreligious witness for healing and peace in Belgium and throughout the world. We reach out to all those who suffer and recommit to faithful solidarity with all peacemakers." 

To that I add, amen. And blessed be.

I also pray that this terrorist incident isn't used to further to hatred directed toward immigrants, refugees, and Muslims in the United States.

To the right is a picture from the fall taken in Portsmouth, NH. I am with UUCiA congregants, speaking out to ugly anti-immigrant, anti-refugee, and anti-Muslim rhetoric that has become so prominent in this country in recent times.

During this Holy Week in the Christian tradition, may we indeed remember the message of Jesus to love our neighbor, and even our perceived enemy, as we love ourselves. May we remember Jesus's messages of peace and inclusive love for all.