VOTED: That the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association, gathered in Regular Session, has taken note of the Bernhard Goetz matter; and

While not second guessing the New York Grand Jury's evaluation of the evidence in this situation, or minimizing either the many sociological factors bearing on and, perhaps, leading to the incident in question, or what many citizens in New York feel are serious failures in the preservation of public safety, the Board expresses its condemnation of:

1. What appears to be an excessive response to the bearer of an illegal handgun;
2. The widespread glorification of this action by the media and many individual citizens; and
3. The extent to which this public support of the taking of the law into his own hands by an individual undercuts our entire system of laws and the responsible maintenance of public order.

The Board further wishes to express support of those public officials, television, radio and newspaper reporters and commentators, and ordinary citizens who have stood up for the values and benefits of civilized discipline, and against the encouragement of our basest instincts of retribution.