Unitarian Universalists Speak at the Clergy for Fairness Press Conference
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The Lynngood and Getty families are pictured at the Clergy for Fairness
press conference held on June 5, 2006, in Washington, DC. (l-r): Rev.
Shana Lynngood (All Souls Church, Unitarian); Rev. Melora Lynngood
holding Athena Lynngood; Rev. Paige Getty (UU Congregation of Columbia,
MD); Graham Getty holding
Hallie
Getty. |
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| Rev. Rob Hardies (All Souls Church Unitarian in Washington, DC) and Rev. Stan Hastey of the Alliance of Baptists (speaking) were two of the speakers at the June 5, 2006, Clergy for Fairness press conference held in Washington, DC, to advocate against writing discrimination into the US Constitution. Also pictured: Rev. Sydney Kay Wilde (UU Church in Reston), and Rev. Melora Lynngood, holding Athena Lynngood. |
| All photos by Mandy Keithan/UUA |
June 5, 2006, Washington, DC
To show strong religious opposition to the Federal Marriage Amendment, which is scheduled for a vote in the US Senate later this week, an interfaith group called "Clergy for Fairness" held a press conference in the National Press Building this morning. The group, which is strongly supported by the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, released an interfaith letter expressing strong opposition to the amendment. The letter has been signed by over 2,000 clergy and religious leaders through the website www.clergyforfairness.org  . Today's event was timed to coincide with a press conference later in the day, in which President Bush is expected to endorse the amendment surrounded by religious leaders.
Standing with a large group of clergy, including eighteen Unitarian Universalist ministers, five speakers gave impassioned pleas for Senators and the President, urging them to protect human and civil rights, religious liberty, and the integrity of our democracy by voting against the amendment. One of the speakers was the Rev. Robert Hardies, Senior Minister at All Souls Church, Unitarian, in Washington, DC. Portions of his statement have already been broadcast on CNN.
Rev. Hardies opened with an invitation:
"Today I'd like to issue an invitation to the President of the United States. I'd like to invite him and the First Lady to come worship with us at All Souls Church on a Sunday morning. Because there are families in my church I'd like to introduce him to."
He then spoke about two families in his congregation: Steve and Barbara, an interracial couple who moved out of Virginia 40 years ago so they could be married, and Kevin and Paul, who just adopted a daughter.
"I'd like to give Kevin and Paul the opportunity to ask the President why their family shouldn't receive the same legal benefits as other families."
In reference to the President's forthcoming endorsement of the amendment, Rev. Hardies continued:
"...the President will undoubtedly use the language of values to justify his support of the Federal Marriage Amendment. And I want to acknowledge that people of good faith do differ on the issue of gay marriage. But I'd like to use some values language, too, and discuss for a moment the politics behind the Federal Marriage Amendment... There are those who say to me, 'Hey, that's politics. In an election year you can't blame us for tossing a little red meat to our base.' I say to them, 'When your red meat are my parishioners—people I love and whom I'm responsible to God for caring for—then you'd better believe I'm going to blame you and point out your hypocrisy.'"
In addition to Rev. Hardies, the UUs who participated included:
Rev. Scott W. Alexander, River Road Unitarian Church
Rev. John Crestwell, Davies Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Dennis J. Daniel, Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston
Rev. Terry Ellen, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice
Rev. Roberta Finkelstein, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick
Rev. Paige Getty, UU Congregation of Columbia, with newborn daughter
Hallie
Getty
Rev. Shana Lynngood All Souls Church, Unitarian
Rev. Melora Lynngood, Washington, DC, with newborn daughter Athena Lynngood
Rev. Ginger Luke, River Road Unitarian Church
Rev. Michael McGee, Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington
Rev. Mary Katherine Morn, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax
Rev. Richard Nugent, Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington
Rev. Linda Olson Peebles, Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington
Rev. Steve Phinney, Alexandria, VA
Rev. Lynn Strauss, UU Church of Rockville
Rev. Jaco B. ten Hove, Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Sydney Kay Wilde, Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston
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Unitarian Universalist clergy participating in the Clergy for Fairness press conference held in Washington, DC, and the National Press Club: Rev. Steve Phinney, Richard Nugent, Rev. John Crestwell; Rev. Ginger Luke; Rev. Lynn Strauss; Rev. Terry Ellen; Rev. Roberta Finkelstein; Rev. Dennis J. Daniel; Rev. Sydney Kay Wilde; Rev. Linda Olson Peebles; Rev. Mary Katherine Morn; Rev. Jaco B. ten Hove; Rev. Paige Getty; Rev. Michael McGee; Rev. Shana Lynngood; Rev. Melora Lynngood, Washington, DC (holding Athena Lynngood).
Other UU clergy who participate but are not pictured: Rev. Robert M. Hardies; Rev. Scott W. Alexander. |
Additionally, UUs across the country have been mobilizing against the amendment through the campaign "Standing on the Side of Love 2006: No Discrimination in the Constitution." Today, June 5th, is a national call-in day to oppose the amendment, though calls are appropriate up until the expected vote late Tuesday or Wednesday. See a flyer on the call-in day or other campaign resources .
The UUA is also collecting stories from same-sex couples so we can share the real effects of discrimination with policy-makers and the media. Couples who are willing to share some of their experiences are invited to do so.
Statement of the Reverend Robert M. Hardies, Press Briefing Opposing President Bush's Support
Of the Federal Marriage Amendment
Freedom to Marry, for All People
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