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Moderator Gini Courter and GA Planning Committee Chair Linda
Friedman
Rev. Richard Nugent, Commission on Social Witness Chair
Charles Clements, UUSC President and CEO
UUA Secretary Wayne Arnason
GA Youth Representative Leah Dougherty, First UU Society, Syracuse, NY
Voting on a proposed AIW
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5046 Plenary IV
Long Beach GA wraps up with Actions of Immediate Witness and A Call
to Fort Worth
Text of Actions of Immediate Witness:
View
Plenary IV 
Before calling the delegates to order, Moderator Gini Courter asked,
"Who's in the House?" Each day, a different part of the
General Assembly constituency was recognized and honored, and today
Courter honored all those who will carry back the light of ministry,
worship, new ideas, membership welcome, and the spirit of General
Assembly to their home congregations. Quoting Ware Lecturer and
noted singer/songwriter Holly Near, "Take it with you wherever
you go, and let the world know you won't go easy," she also
encouraged the delegates to bring someone else back with them next
year to GA in Fort Worth. Courter then opened up the fourth and
final Plenary of the 43rd GA.
Report from the UUA Board of Trustees
Paul Rickter, UUA Trustee from the Mass Bay District, came to the
podium and reminded delegates that the UU Principles and Purposes
cite four purposes in coming together. Each of the Board's Working
Groups has taken on one of these purposes as part of their mandate.
The 'Our Association' Working Group is responsible for "extending
and strengthening Unitarian Universalist institutions," and
looks at three major areas: support for professional religious leaders;
related organizations, and youth. Support for religious professionals
includes the new credentialing system for religious educators, assessing
the categories for ministry, and advancing community ministry. Areas
of future concern are those of church administrators and church
musicians. The questions around related organizations include: Why
should groups affiliate? What criteria are appropriate? How do we
make this easier, and how do we make it work for everyone? Turning
to youth, Rickter said that our youth are a key part of our UU system,
and there are good questions about how to empower them. There is
a youth trustee and youth observers on the Board, but there is much
more that could be done. UU youth have much to teach the adults
about running meetings and getting work done in ways that are affirming
for everyone.
Rickter introduced Nancy Van Dyke, newly elected President of the
UU Women's Federation
(UUWF), one of the UUA's associate member organizations. Van Dyke
began her report by thanking Rickter for introducing her, noting
that Rickter's mother, Phyllis Rickter, did so much for UUWF. Van
Dyke told delegates that she is excited to share news of the recent
restructuring and radical transformation of the UUWF. This effort
began at their 1998 membership meeting with panelists Denny Davidoff,
Kay Montgomery, and Meg Riley exhorting the UUWF to think outside
the box — UUWF listened, and followed their advice.
This thinking outside the box led to the UUWF donating $200,000
to fund the UUWF Clara Barton Internship for Women's Issues in the
UUA Washington Office, and to the beginning of a campaign to raise
a matching $200,000 to endow the internship. Kierstin Homblette,
the first intern, has worked hard on reproductive health; bisexual,
gay, lesbian and transgender concerns; comprehensive sex education;
and as lead organizer for the UUA presence at the March for Women's
Lives in Washington, D.C. this spring. The UUWF is only $28,000
away from their $200,000 fund-raising goal. Van Dyke encouraged
delegates to go to www.uua.org/giving
to help bridge the gap.
The UUWF also went through a restructuring process that led to
revisioning their mission and recommendation of a structure that
would effectively implement that mission. They tested their initial
research results with their membership with overwhelming support.
On Saturday at GA, their members resoundingly endorsed the radical
transformation-from an organization people support in return for
district services to a UUWF foundation which members join to support
grant-making and advocacy work. A new five-member Board
will help carry out the mandate, and members can be involved by
telling the Board of the issues that engage them. The UUWF website
will soon carry an announcement of the first grant cycle for the
transformed organization.
Moderator Courter asked Chair of the Commission on Social Witness,
the Rev. Richard Nugent, to report on that morning's Supreme Court
activity. To cheers, Nugent reported on three just-issued decisions
affecting civil rights: an 8-1 decision that due process demands
that citizens held in the U.S. as enemy combatants be given a meaningful
chance to debate the facts of their designation before a neutral
decision maker; a 6-3 decision that the detainees held at Guantanamo
Bay must be given access to judicial review; and a 5-4 decision
to remand to the lower court for technical reasons the case filed
by Jose Padilla, an American citizen who was jailed without charges
or access to the U.S. court system after being declared an "enemy
combatant" by the Defense Department. It is, Nugent said, "a
clear indication that the present administration's logic in these
matters is faulty." He pointed out that these findings are
very much in line with the 2004 UUA Statement of Conscience on Civil
Rights, passed at Saturday's Plenary.
Courter called on UUA President William Sinkford to introduce Charles
Clements, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the UU
Service Committee  .
Sinkford said that Clements' leadership marks a new era in the relationship
between the UUA and the UUSC. He brings a commitment to effectiveness
and social justice, and Clements also understands that even though
the UUA and the UUSC are separate entities, the UUSC needs to be
a UU institution, holding not only our shared values, but the relationship
to our congregations at the center of its mission.
Clements agreed, saying, "If the word is not out on the street,
let it flow from this hall that it is my intention to put the UU
squarely back into the center of the Service Committee." It
is not, he said, about "pretty words or nice deeds. It is about
self-interest."
When Clements served as the Director of Human Rights Education
for the UUSC from 1986 until 1988, about ten percent of UUs were
members. The percentage is about the same, fourteen years later.
In his conversations with ministers, he has been asked the important
question: "How do the programs and work of the Service Committee
relate to the spiritual life of congregations?" Until we can
answer that question, he continued, the UUSC won't thrive as an
institution. Both the UUA and the UUSC need to know the answer so
that we can "boldly push the envelope of social justice and
human rights, broadcasting to the world our faith in action."
This work will also bring more people to our UU congregations.
Rather than reviewing the UUSC's past record, Clements foscused
on future. The organization has just completed a review that clarified
and refocused their mission as a human rights organization. The
organization originally "created to respond to Hitler's madness
could stay relevant in today's far more complex and unpredictable
world" only with a new vision, Clements said. The UUSC will
sharpen their program focus to three basic, inalienable human rights:
to environmental justice, economic justice and civil liberties.
They are working in Burma, Central Africa, Guatemala, and Central
America on these issues, and they are doing everything possible
to maximize voter engagement and participation. "As Holly Near
said last night," Clement continued, "there is nothing
more important we can do for ourselves and the world than exercise
our privilege to vote this November to make sure what is being done
around the world in our name does not become business as usual."
Defending human rights, Clements continued, means saying "no"
to the propaganda of war, "no" to the corporations that
benefit from killing, and "yes" to the culture that honors
women, the sun, water, and seasons and decency because they all
illuminate life. He recalled the legacy of Theodore Parker and his
work against slavery, reminding delegates that although Martin Luther
King, Jr., made the line famous, it was from Parker's pulpit that
America first heard "The arc of the universe is long . . .
but it bends toward justice."
Clements ended his report by presenting two awards. The winner
of the 2004 UUSC Social Action Leadership Award, created in 1977
to honor creative, inspiring, and effective leadership by an individual
or group working for justice in cooperation with the UUSC, is Katie
Culbert of Tampa, Florida. Culbert participated in the UUSC's Alternative
Spring Break work camp to train activists for the upcoming national
election, and she will be working to help mobilize get out the vote
activists. The winner of the 2004 Mary-Ella Holst Youth Activist
Award, created to recognize the achievements of young people working
to advance justice, is Scott McNeill of Asheboro, North Carolina.
While majoring in religious and African American studies, McNeill
has participated in the UUSC Alternative Spring Break program and
will be working on get-out-the-vote activities.
Other Awards
UUA President Sinkford next announced that the 2004
Distinguished Service to Unitarian Universalism Award is granted
to the Rev. Robert Nelson West. West, who was not able to be
present at GA due to a longstanding family commitment, was elected
President of the UUA in 1969 from a field of seven candidates, and
he served in that capacity until 1977. Those were turbulent times,
Sinkford said, with the UUA's finances in chaos, the Black Empowerment
movement challenging us, the Vietnam War tearing us apart. West,
though, kept his eyes on the larger prize as he shepherded the UUA
through staff reductions, rebuilding of the annual program fund,
and keeping faith with the discussion on race even as it appeared
that the movement stepped back from that important issue. He had
the courage to support Beacon Press in publishing The Pentagon
Papers, and his work made our finances sound and our spirit
of faith renewed enough so that his successors could do the rebuilding
of the institutions.
Many of the decisions West made, said Sinkford, caused him deep
pain. "He always had the best interests of the Association
in mind, and we handled the differences of opinion badly."
Sinkford noted that time has headled many of these wounds and that
"these days, Bob West returns frequently to 25 Beacon Street,
and his contributions to our work on civil liberties are welcome."
Sinkford told delegates that "what we do now would not be possible
without Bob West's preservation of our Association." Sinkford
said, "Let us learn from him to trust leaders at every level,"
and added that her personally thanked West, and apologized to him
for the treatment he had received in the past. "May we name
his return to us a blessing," Sinkford said, adding that the
award would be presented to West this fall in Boston.
UUA Director of Washington Office of Advocacy Rob Keithan presented
the 2004 Holmes-Weatherly Award to Russell W. Peterson. Peterson,
author of Patriots Stand Up: This Land is Our Land. Fight to
Take it Back!, is the former governor of Delaware, and has been
a member of First UU Society of Wilmington for over fifty-five years.
He has worked to rehabilitate poor neighborhoods, served on the
President's Council on Environmental Quality, is a former president
of Audubon Society, worked with Ted Turner's SURJ, and works with
social justice issues in his congregation. Russell said that it
is an honor indeed to receive this award. Fifty years ago when he
served as the chair of his congregation's social action committee,
he never dreamed it would lead to his being here today. Peterson
said that he is "turned on by the spirit, love, and dedication
he experienced there," and that he has enjoyed a wonderful
life involved in social justice activism as a "damned liberal."
Peterson said that his newest challenge is to use democracy now
in order to change the threatening leadership in our federal government.
The Rev. Nannene Gowdy told the delegates that the Whitney Young
Grants Panel was formed to honor Unitarian Universalist Whitney
Young, Jr., the former executive director of the National
Urban League
before his tragic drowning death. The Panel makes grants of up to
$,3000 to congregations that need funding for projects sponsored
in urban settings. This year's grantees are:
- First Unitarian Church of Baltimore, awarded $1,000 to aid
in their deaf ministry. They have commissioned a member to reach
out to the deaf community and to educate the congregation about
issues the deaf community faces.
- West Shore UU Church, Cleveland, Phio, awarded $28,100 for
their Caregiver Community that joins together small group ministry
with intentional child rearing, helping parents left with few
options to balance needs of child care and other issues.
- UU Fellowship of Kanawha Valley, Charleston, West Virgina,
awarded $3,000 to support their week long summer day camp dedicated
to bringing out the best of arts, humanities and science for children
aged seven to eleven from all racial backgrounds and economic
levels.
- First Unitarian Church, Oakland, California, awarded $3,000
to aid twenty-three congregations united to carry out Oakland
Votes, a non-partisan get out the vote campaign to increase voter
registration and participation among low income and/or people
of color.
- Tennessee Valley UU Church, Knoxville, Tennessee, awarded $3,000,
more than they asked for, to support their youth in partnership
with inner city teens to create youth programming at the Knoxville
Zoo, fostering work on our Seventh Principle while uniting urban
and suburban youth.
Amendments to Rules Regarding Election Practices
Delegates next turned to take up proposed amendments to the rules
regarding specific election practices. (Refer to the agenda
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pages 24-26.) UUA Secretary Wayne Arnason stated that these amendments,
put forth and supported by the Board of Trustees, arise out of the
experience of the last several elections, and address several issues
of ethics, form, timing of preliminary gatherings to test the waters,
privilege of access to information and assistance from the UUA staff,
and when to withhold support when ethical standards are not upheld.
The intent of these amendments is to encourage fair and accountable
election practices. The Board supports these amendments, 25-0.
Speaking during debate on the amendments, the Rev. Carolyn Owen-Towle,
former candidate for UUA President, stated that the process does
need serious overhaul, and expressed concern for the negative tone
of the document, stating that "it lacks grace." She said
that when she chose to run eleven years ago, she felt as if she
was trying to "storm the gates of Beacon Street." She
encouraged the creation of a process to once again review the practices,
and said that we need to acknowledge the blessing and right to run.
In response, Jerry Davidoff, who had served as the first chair
of the first election campaign practices committee, said that he
yields to no one in his respect for Owen-Towle, but "unfortunately,
legislation must include certain prohibitive language because the
protections it affords are necessary." UUA Secretary Wayne
Arnason added that "the election task force of the Board is
continuing its work and would welcome conversation. What is not
reflected in the Rules," said Arnason, "are the changes
in policy that the Board passed that do, in fact, open up more resources
to campaigns and are working to create the more welcoming atmosphere
Owen-Towle suggests." The motion was then carried.
Moderator Courter then introduced changes to Bylaw Section C-2.3.
(Refer to the agenda
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page 27.) Since this Bylaw section was part of the original constitution
of the UUA, it requires a two-year process. In the first year of
consideration (2003), the motion was approved with the required
majority vote, and that this year, the second year of consideration,
a two-thirds vote is required for ratification. This amendment changes
non-discrimination language in the Bylaws.
After the main motion was made, a motion was made to postpone the
motion indefinitely. Those speaking in favor of postponement expressed
concerns about the scope of the Bylaw, what the legal implications
were, and what might be required of congregations to fulfill its
mandate. Those speaking against postponement argued that the language
was necessary, and that there were appropriate safeguards available
through interpretation. UUA Executive Vice President Kay Montgomery
informed delegates that this changed wording came out of the Board's
work on becoming an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural
institution, and UUA Trustee Linda Olson Peebles stated that the
language being considered is that which was recommended by UUA legal
counsel. The langauge clarified that "gender" is intended
to include gender identity and expression, and that "citizen
status" is mentioned so the person's country of citizenship
will not be held against them. A vote was taken on the motion to
postpone indefinitely, and it failed.
Members of the Youth Caucus appeared at the procedural microphone,
and asked for a suspension of Rule 14 regarding the presentation
of amendments. Under Rule 14, in order for amendments to be brought
to a Plenary for discussion, they must first have been presented
at a mini-assembly called for that purpose. However, the youth representatives
explained, the mini-assembly was held opposite youth programming
and they were unable to attend. They asked that Rule 14 be suspended
so they could present their amendment. Delegates, swayed by the
argument, voted in favor of suspending the rule.
Judy McGavin, UUA Trustee from the Pacific Northwest District,
said that the Board had originally put forward this amendment to
update language that reflects the UUA's commitment to anti-oppression
work. It was approved by the delegates at the 2003 General Assembly,
and is presented for the required second vote this time.
In response to a question about what happens if this proposed change
to the Bylaws is amended, Moderator Courter said that if the amendment
makes the motion substantially different from last year such that
it is the Moderator's opinion that it is contrary to the spirit
of the motion passed the previous year, then it would return for
a further vote in 2005. If, however, she determines it to be in
the spirit of the prior year's motion, then it would become effective
after this year's vote.
The youth representatives then presented their amendment, which
was to not delete the words "color" and "sex"
as proposed by the original motion, but to continue to add those
words. They pointed out that gender and sex are not the same; that
color is not the same as ethnicity; and that in order to be more
inclusive, they should be retained. Another youth delegate of Asian
descent rose to say that "color" is an old fashioned,
disrespectful term, and that she disagreed with other members of
the youth caucus. After more debate, one delegate moved to call
the question, and this motion was carried. The delegates then voted
on the amendment to retain the words "color" and "sex"
in the motion, and this amendment was defeated.
Another delegate rose to ask that a show of hands vote be counted,
but sufficient support (at least 49 other delegates) did not support
a hand count of the vite, so the body returned to the main motion.
Immediately a delegate rose to move that debate be extended by five
minutes, and the delegates voted in favor of this motion.
Debate on the main motion resumed with delegates citing the Americans
with Disabilities Act as a reason not to pass the motion, and another
delegate stated that he wished there were an easier way than the
"laundry list" approach to categorizing groups of people.
However, he said, until such time as that is determined, he believes
this list should be "made as long as we can make it until every
conceivable class is there, and we stop thinking of who is and who
is not inside the circle."
When the debate time was expired, Courter called for the vote,
and the amendment to Bylaw Section C-2.3 clearly passed by more
than the two-thirds majority required.
Debate and Votes on Proposed Actions of Immediate Witness
After an energy break provided by the youth caucus, the attention
of the Plenary turned toward debate on the proposed Actions of Immediate
Witness (AIWs) admitted to the agenda the day before. Courter pointed
out that some of the AIWs had no proposed amendments, and others
varying numbers. She stated that she would take them in the order
of number of possible amendments from least to most in order to
preserve more time for those that appeared to need it. The delegates
indicated their support for this plan.
AIW 1, The Alien Tort Claims Act and Accountability for Multinational
Corporations, was moved. The Youth Caucus rose to express their
support for AIW 1, saying that they will not sit back quietly to
watch this legislation expire. One delegate who had recently returned
from several months working in South Africa said that poverty there
is the biggest barrier, and if they could bring forward suits against
the multinationals, that would go a long way toward improving their
lives for the misery these same companies have created. A delegate
rose to call the question and this motion was passed, bringing delegates
to a vote on the main motion, which passed resoundly.
AIW 5, Renew the Assault Weapons Ban, was then moved for adoption.
Debate concerned whether or not this legislation was effective or
not, and whether it was helpful to have this action on the books.
After about six minutes of debate, with no one at the con microphone,
Moderator Courter called for the vote on adoption of AIW 5, and
it was carried.
AIW 4, Oppose Federal Marriage Amendment, was next moved for adoption.
Debate included one delegate who spoke against the amendment saying
that same-sex marriage endangered children, and that we should be
protecting the least among us. Some delegates vocally expressed
their dislike of this argument, and Courter called for the delegates
to be in order during the discussion. Others rose to object to these
comments. A delegate requested another suspension of Rule 14 because
they were unable to make it to the mini-assembly at which he AIW
was discussed, but the delegate body was not swayed by the argument,
and they voted against suspension of Rule 14. Debate resumed, with
other delegates expressing their support of same-sex couples raising
and rearing children. When there were no other speakers at the con
microphone, Moderator Courter called for the vote, and the delegates
voted to adopt AIW 4.
AIW 2, Electronic Voting, was moved for adoption. Debate began,
with a professor of computer science who helped develop the technology
for electronic voting stating that without a voter-verified paper
trail, no one will ever know the next time the votes of a state
are stolen, and there will be no way to prove it. There being no
one at the con microphones, the Plenary moved directly to amendments.
A motion to change the wording in lines 37-45 was presented, and
after minimal debate the amendment failed. Delegates then voted
to adopt AIW 2 as presented without amendment.
In introducing AIW 3, Iraq: Sovereignty, The United Nations, and
Human Rights, Courter pointed out that the Rules provide that when
Roberts Rules of Order get in the way of getting a good job done,
the Plenary can be moved into the committee of the whole. She pointed
out to delegates that the first three possible amendments all called
for amending the AIW to support immediate withdrawal from Iraq,
rather than the December 31st, 2005, date in the proposed AIW. Rather
than debating each in time, she moved the Plenary into committee
of the whole to discuss the concept of immediate withdrawal versus
the December 31, 2005 withdrawal date. Discussion then began with
speakers in favor of immediate withdrawal citing the horrific situation
our soldiers are in; that we need the money at home; the fear that
if we give this administration an inch they will take a mile and
we might never leave; and according to an Arab delegate, it is time
for Arabs to deal with their own affairs. Those opposed to immediate
withdrawal cited the need to work within the United Nations structure;
concern that the Iraqi people need support to protect the country
from a warlord takeover; and providing ways to support the nation
in its rebuilding. Courter then asked the delegates to vote on whether
or not, in coming out of committee of the whole, they would recommend
skipping consideration of amendments A, B and C. The motion to skip
consideration carried.
Amendment D, to delete the paragraph at lines 73-75 was next presented,
with people arguing whether or not the Iraqi government will feel
bound by the decisions of the Provisional Government. Amendment
D to delete the paragraph was carried.
Several otehr amendments were considered and all failed, and Courter
called for the vote on the main motion, adoption of AIW 3, and this
was carried by a large margin.
Changing the AIW Process
Rob Keithan, Legislative Director of the UUA's Washington Office
for Advocacy, then outlined the proposed changes to the process
for AIWs. The first change, he said, was in criteria under which
AIWs would be considered. In addition to the current criteria of
timeliness, specificity, and narrowness of focus, the three-tiered
criteria of grounding, fit, and opportunity would also be applied.
An expansion in the list of those who can submit proposals was also
recommended: currently only individual delegates can propose AIWs,
and the task force reviewing this process recommend that this be
expanded to include congregations, districts, UUA associate member
organizations, sponsoring organizations, independent affiliate organizations,
and UUA staff. Along with this expansion, there would be an early
submission deadline of June 1st that congregations and organizations
could use. This would allow for greater time for discussion between
the sponsors and the Commission on Social Witness (CSW) as well
as time to check facts and other material.
Further changes would include delegates making the choice of which
AIWs would be admitted to the agenda. The CSW would determine which
proposals met the established criteria, and then delegates would
vote to admit up to six to the final agenda. Amendments to AIWs
would be handled through working group process similar to that proposed
for Statements of Conscience. Once admitted to the agenda, proposed
AIWs would be considered in order of the number of votes received
to admit them, with no amendments on the floor. The final recommendation
is for the creation of a process to review and sunset old AIWs,
thereby addressing questions such as how long AIWs should remain
in effect.
Resolutions in Reponse to the Report of Officers
Under the rules of procedure, resolutions in response to the report
of the officers of the Association can be added to the agenda. Steve
Buckingham, president of the Bowie UU Fellowship in Bowie, Maryland,
moved a resolution in response to the report of UUA President Bill
Sinkford condemning the use of torture:
Torture
The delegates of the 2004 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist
Association of Congregations hereby condemn the use of torture
by any individual, any group, any organization, or any nation
and call on all people of conscience to take action (1) to expose
and halt the use of torture whenever and wherever it occurs and
(2) to hold accountable any individual, group, organization, or
nation that conducts, authorizes, condones, funds, or covers up
the use of torture.
In response to a question about the difference of this type of
motion from an AIW, Moderator Courter said that they are both resolutions
of this General Assembly, and would bear the same weight. The delegates
voted in favor of the motion.
Homeless Shelter Fund-raising Results
Pat Marr, the GA Service Project Coordinator, reported on the results
of the fundraising for the IOC homeless shelter. Along with the
$20,000 donation from the Long Beach congregation, a total of $71,352
was raised toward this effort.
Moderator Courter asked the delegates to thank those who made this
General Assembly possible: the Planning Committee, Commission on
Social Witness, GA staff and the local planning committee. UUA Secretary
Wayne Arnason, in a point of personal privilege, pointed out that
the Moderator had neglected to ask thanks for one person, herself.
Another delegate at the procedural microphone asked how it was that
the Moderator could be nominated as Moderator for Life. The Youth
Caucus then appeared and asked for the privilege of giving to the
Moderator safety pins, their symbol of adults who empower youth,
which the Moderator accepted to sustained applause.
Final Credentials Report
UUA Secretary Wayne Arnason gave the final credentials report:
- Total attendance - 4700, including 4246 adults and 454 youth
- Total delegates - 1971, including 1595 lay delegates, 347 ministers,
3 members of associate organizations, and 26 Board members
- Delegates were present from all fifty states, the District of
Columbia and two Canadian provinces
Following process observations, announcements and an invitation
to the 2005 General Assembly in Fort Worth, the Moderator called
for a motion for adjournment from the chair of the GA Planning Committee,
Linda Friedman. That made, the vote was taken, and the 2004 General
Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association stood finally
adjourned.
Reported by Lisa Presley; edited by Deborah Weiner; photos by
Nancy Pierce
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