Unitarian Universalists Speak Before Vermont State Legislature in Support of Same Sex Marriage
Testimony of the Rev. Jane Dwinell, Minister
First Universalist Parish, Derby Line, Vermont
March 1, 2000, speaking before the Vermont State Legislature
I am the Reverend Jane Dwinell, and I serve the First Universalist Parish,
a Unitarian Universalist Congregation, in Derby Line, VT - on the Canadian Border
in the Northeast Kingdom.
I am also a seventh generation Vermonter -- on both sides of the family --
my ancestors having settled the towns of Braintree and Calais. I grew up here
in Montpelier and learned about civil rights and the importance of speaking
up for the oppressed -- in church.
As a Unitarian Universalist, I am called to speak out against injustice and
for civil rights, thus I am here today to let the Vermont Legislature know that
there are people of faith who are in favor of same gender marriage and civil
unions.
Walking past this building day after day on my way to and from high school,
I knew that important things happened here. I knew that our elected officials
were here to do the right thing -- to protect the civil liberties of citizens
who were misunderstood or feared, as African Americans were in those days --
and, unfortunately, continue to be today.
Now gays and lesbians join other minorities as people who are misunderstood
and feared, and whose civil rights are denied. People who oppose same gender
marriage partnerships - either through marriage or civil union - speak a language
of hate, and intolerance, and untruth.
If Satan is coming to Vermont, he has already arrived in the people who are
sending hate mail to my church and my home, who are threatening my parishioners,
and who are causing decent, upstanding, taxpaying citizens of Vermont with jobs,
families, and homes to live in fear.
I ask them to stop.
And I ask the members of the Legislature to look past the smoke screen of Scripture,
past their own possible personal discomfort with same gender relationships,
past the threats they may have received concerning their political futures -
and to look into their hearts, and do what is right.
I am proud to be a Vermonter, and a Unitarian Universalist, and to serve as
a religious leader in my community. And now I ask that same gender unions be
acknowledged, honored, protected and respected by the State of Vermont - a state
that has a long and proud history of honoring and protecting all of its citizens.
Thank you.
UUs
Speak in Vermont
| 
