Lee Marie's Musings . . .
    ~ Lee Marie Sanchez, Consulting Minister

Called to Phoenix

As most of you know by now, I have responded to the national call, sent by our Unitarian Universalist clergy in Arizona, to rally and march on May 29th, in protest of the racial profiling bill in that state and to make our voices heard regarding the need for fair immigration reform in the US.

I am aware that there are many view on these issues in our congregation. However, even before our Social Justice Committee voted to make the reform of our immigration laws its priority concern, I knew I must go.

There are several versions of the well-known statement attributed to the German Anti-Nazi Pastor Martin Niemöller.

In Germany they first came for the Communists,
  and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
  and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
  and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
  and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me -
  and by that time no one was left to speak up.

I am speaking up... for myself... for others... for you... as a person of faith, as a white Hispanic woman, as someone seeking justice.

As I write this I am not sure how many of my ministerial colleagues and UU lay folks from around our country will be attending, but thousands of people will be marching and our UUA President, Rev. Peter Morales, will march with us and be speaking at the Phoenix UU Church on Sun 5/30. I ask you to keep all of us in your thoughts and prayers. I will try to keep in touch from Arizona but I assure you I will feel your hearts beating there.

If you are so interested, here are some urls, you might want to check out:

http://reformimmigrationforamerica.org/blog/blog/arizona-is-a-wake-up-call-to-pass-immigration-reform/

http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2010/04/30/reagan's-refugees-why-undocumented-migrants-have-a-right-to-work-here/

http://blog.sojo.net/2010/05/06/glenn-beck-immigration-and-social-justice/

And, if you want to join me and our UU Ministers & lay people in contributing what you can to this effort, you can go here too:

PLEDGE TO HELP THE UUA MOVE 2012 PHOENIX GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The legislature of the State of Arizona has passed, and its Governor signed, an anti-immigrant bill prejudicial to the rights of Latinos and fundament-ally at odds with fair-minded values. Immigrant rights and civil rights groups have called for an economic boycott of that state in response.

The Unitarian Universalist Association Board has called for the removal of the 2012 UUA General Assembly, planned for Phoenix, AZ, from that state to another location, and has asked the delegates at the 2010 GA in Minneapolis to ratify this. In order to provide the General Assembly delegates with the incentive to take this action, which will involve significant cancellation fees, I pledge the amount of $100, to be paid to the UUA only in the event that the GA is moved and such fees are incurred.

Please email your pledge to Rabrewin@aol.com, or mail to
Rev. Roger Brewin
10559 S Wood St. Chicago, IL 60643
Or pledge online at nophoenixin2012.org.
You are not being asked for payment, now.
This is simply a pledge. DO NOT SEND MONEY NOW.

NAME
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE and ZIP
PHONE
EMAIL
UU CONGREGATION
Alternate amount if other than $100
($25 minimum please) $________________

    ¡Si se puede!    Faithfully and Fondly, Lee Marie

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