News: Unitarian Universalism in the News

UUA President Urges Rally to Support Immigrant Rights and Stand on the Side of Love

Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) President Rev. Peter Morales and a contingent of Unitarian Universalists (UUs) participated on October 21 in a Basta Dobbs! rally and press conference held at the Massachusetts State House. The Basta Dobbs (translated as “Enough Dobbs!”) effort calls on CNN to take pundit Lou Dobbs off the air. The campaign states, “Lou Dobbs uses his platform on CNN to spread myths and misinformation about Latinos and immigrants, even as his network is wooing Latino viewers. It’s time we said enough (that’s “basta” in Spanish).”

The campaign is sponsored by dozens of Latino immigrant rights and service organizations and allies from the faith community including the Standing on the Side of Love Campaign. The press conference/rally was one of twenty events around the country. The Boston event was organized by the local chapter of The National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC), Centro Presente, and the Mass Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice

President Morales was the first speaker and was warmly welcomed as he arrived with the contingent of UUs and others carrying a Standing on the Side of Love with Immigrant Families banner and Basta Dobbs! signs. He said, “All of our religious traditions speak about the value of love and of welcoming the stranger. This kind of demagoguery and misinformation have real consequences, and they have no place in our public debate. It’s simply wrong. It’s wrong to demonize other human beings.”

Other speakers represented Centro Presente, the Mass Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, and the Diocese of St. Francis of Assisi, Brockton, MA. The speakers exposed the rise of hate crimes against Latino immigrants (The Southern Poverty Law Center has documented a 40% rise in such crimes) and talked about the beating of a Guatemalan immigrant in Lynn, MA, who was in a coma for a month and is now severely brain damaged. Police have declared the beating a hate crime.

The Standing on the Side of Love message was taken up by many of the speakers. Edwin Argueta, representing the Mass Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, pointed to the banner and said, “This is just what we need to Stand on the Side of Love! Latinos we must love ourselves. And we need allies to stand in love with us.”

To take action: watch the Basta Dobbs video and tell CNN it is time for Dobbs to go.

More Information

UUA Peter Morales speaks at the Basta Dobbs! Rally in Boston 10/22/09.
Basta Dobbs! Rally in front of Boston State House.
UUA Peter Morales speaks at the Basta Dobbs! Rally in Boston 10/22/09.
Basta Dobbs! Rally in front of Boston State House.