Unitarian Universalist Policy
The following is a summary of past resolutions by the Unitarian Universalist Association on Hate Crimes. For the full text, please see our Social Justice Statements.
Consensus on Racial Justice
1966 Business Resolution (Read Full Text)
From "Racial Violence and the Administration of Justice"
"The rise of violence in the political and societal conflicts of American life endangers freedom of speech and assembly essential to democratic society. These freedoms and, in general, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are, and have been, federal rights of all citizens since the founding of the Republic. To secure these freedoms, the President should appoint a commission to investigate the collapse of law in such acts of terrorism and make remedial recommendations wherever constitutional rights are denied. The local police should invite the assistance of the FBI in cases of terrorism.
The Justice Department should press with renewed vigor the prosecution under existing law of those guilty of the beatings, the shootings, the bombings, and the killings. The President is urged to recommend and the Congress to enact new federal legislation at the earliest moment to protect the security of the individual from assault or threatened assault upon his person or property, where that assault has a racial purpose or effect, and to provide civil damages for the victim of such an assault."
Battered Women
1979 Business Resolution (Read Full Text)
Be it Resolved: ...that the 1979 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Administration, member societies, and individuals to:
3. Promote improved civil and legal protections for victims;
4. Work toward improved police and court methods of handling violence in the home and toward follow-up treatment services for offenders and victims.
Violence Against Women
1993 General Resolution (Read Full Text)
Be It Resolved: ...that the Unitarian Universalist Association shall act and urge its associate members, affiliate organizations, members congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to:
5. promote legislation to stop violence against women;
Condemnation of Arson at Sacramento Synagogues
1999 Action of Immediate Witness ( Read Full Text)
In the early morning hours of Friday, June 18, 1999, three synagogues in Sacramento, California, were set on fire. The three synagogues—Congregation B'nai Israel, Congregation Beth Shalom, and Knesset Israel Torah Center—suffered over $1,000,000 worth of damage, including a library with a 2,000-year-old bible and videos of holocaust survivors. Anti-Semitic flyers were left at each scene, and the FBI is investigating the arsons as hate crimes. Immediately after the events, the Sacramento interfaith community rose as one in support and solidarity with the three congregations.
These acts of violence strike at Unitarian Universalists' most deeply held principles. We condemn all such acts of hatred and intolerance. The 1996 General Assembly decried the burning of churches, synagogues, mosques, and other houses of worship. We do so again.
As Unitarian Universalists, we want our voices to be heard. Therefore the 1999 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association requests that:
- individual Unitarian Universalists
continue to speak out in condemnation of such acts of desecration and
destruction;
- the Unitarian Universalist Association convey our sympathy
to and solidarity with the congregations of the three synagogues; and
- the Unitarian Universalist Association, in conjunction with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, on behalf of the Unitarian Universalist movement as a whole, make an appeal to all Unitarian Universalist congregations to assist Sacramento Interfaith projects, such as the proposed Museum of Tolerance, which will address the climate of intolerance and hate which led to these crimes.
For more information contact la_bglt @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
