Challenging the Radical Right 1996 General Resolution

BECAUSE Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm the right of conscience and the use of the demo-cratic process within our congregations and in society at large; and

BECAUSE Unitarian Universalists embrace reason, freedom, acceptance, love, and the value of human diversity as guiding principles; and

WHEREAS various organizations, generally referred to as the radical right, that combine a fundamen-talist theology with an extreme right-wing political ideology, have allied themselves in recent years to undertake a campaign aimed at gaining control of our public institutions, such as schools, libraries, political parties, and governmental bodies, using tactics that obscure their overarching philosophy and policy agenda;

WHEREAS such covert tactics subvert the open democratic process and make it difficult for voters to recognize the underlying aims and ideals of those promoting new policies and to challenge them; and

WHEREAS the success of such organizations is beginning to reverse progress made toward creating equitable school and government programs that respect human rights, reflect our multicultural herit-age, and affirm the validity of non-traditional families;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Unitarian Universalist Association goes on record as opposing the efforts of radical-right organizations to work covertly toward the implementation of their beliefs as public policy; and

BE IT further resolved that the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its member congrega-tions and individual Unitarian Universalists to educate themselves about the full agenda of organizations seeking a radical, right-wing reshaping of society; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its member congrega-tions and individual Unitarian Universalists, working individually and in coalition with other groups, to make every effort to identify, expose, and challenge radical-right groups and the tactics they employ; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Unitarian Universalist Association urges its member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to proclaim and promote our principles by becoming active participants in public institutions such as schools, libraries, political parties, and governmental bodies.