Planning for Actions of Immediate Witness (AIWs) at GA 2009
To assist Unitarian Universalists in organizing Actions of Immediate Witness (AIWs) at the 2009 General Assembly (GA), the Commission on Social Witness (CSW) encourages you to plan and collaborate online.
If you are interested in proposing topics and planning together for AIWs, email your:
- topic title,
- two-sentence description, and
- email address to:
socialwitness @ uua.org
(Please start your Subject line with AIW).
The information will be posted here (scroll down for list). People interested in learning more about a particular topic or collaborating on drafting an AIW can communicate directly with the original proposer.
If you prefer to just propose a topic for others to consider, send only the title and description to be posted. If another person wants to coordinate planning that issue, they can notify us at socialwitness @ uua.org.
Proposed AIWs cannot be submitted online.
To be considered at General Assembly, proposed AIWs must be submitted at General Assembly, as described in Part 2 of the Proposer's Guide. Please note: the criteria for AIWs include that there not be a recent existing Statement of Conscience or AIW on the topic and that the matter be focused and urgent enough to require immediate action.
This online planning process will be available from April to June 1. The web page will remain up through GA 2009.
Questions may be sent to socialwitness @ uua.org.
—David May, Commission on Social Witness
Proposed AIWs
Title: Bail Out Main Street, not Wall Street
Description: U.S. financial policy, directed by Wall Street insiders Summers and Geithner, has bailed out investors in the largest U.S. banks by covering their speculative losses. This has been at enormous taxpayer expense, with far less help for the productive work of “Main Street.” This GA asks that the Wall Street insiders be replaced, that insolvent big banks be taken over and broken up, that government be redirected toward supporting high priority jobs on Main Street, and that Congress conduct a thorough public investigation into the fundamental causes of the financial crisis.
Contact: Dick Burkhart, Board Secretary, UUs for a Just Economic Community, dickburkhart @ comcast.net
Title: Employee Free Choice Act
Description: Since 1980 U.S. wealth has doubled, yet real wages have stagnated, causing a huge increase in inequality. Union membership has declined 40%, with a dramatic increase in aggressive union busting, seriously eroding this fundamental right of economic democracy. The Employee Free Choice Act would impose tough sanctions on employers who obstruct legitimate union organizing. This GA asks its member congregations to educate themselves on economic democracy and unionization, to partner to strengthen responsible unionization, and to show solidarity with working people, including immediate support of the Employee Free Choice Act.
Contact: Dick Burkhart, Board Secretary, UUs for a Just Economic Community, dickburkhart @ comcast.net
Title: Full Public Single Payer Reform For All—Not More Commercial Insurance Waste
Description: The public support for an efficient and fair single payer health care system reform is being ignored by Congress and the President. The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) calls with even more emphasis for this complete and just reform at this crucial time in the United States.
Contact: George Pauk, gpauk @ earthlink.net
Title: In Support of America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act
Description: Utah’s Red Rock Wilderness, the largest intact and most pristine wild land region in the lower 48 states, inspires First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City to seek support of UUA congregations in calling for protection of Utah’s spectacular and irreplaceable wild lands in this Action of Immediate Witness Resolution In Support of America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act. Draft (PDF)
Contact: Joan M. Gregory, Coordinator, Environmental Ministry, First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City, redrockwild @ googlegroups.com
Title: Oppose Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity-based Violence in Iraq
Description: We're focusing on the issue of sexual orientation and gender identity-targeted human rights violations in Iraq as an issue upon which American UUs could have an impact if we work together in the next year. With our AIW, we will be calling upon American UUs to focus some of their energy on this issue for the next year, targeting U.S. government leadership in Washington, DC, as well as at the UN.
Contact: Diana Sands, LGBT Program Associate, Unitarian Universalist UN Office, dsands @ uu-uno.org
Title: Peace and Justice for Israelis and Palestinians
Description: The AIW calls on member congregations to urge the United States Congress and President to work for a just and compassionate peace in the Middle East. It calls for a settlement based on 1967 lines, talks involving all parties, shared sovereignty of Jerusalem, compensation of refugees, investigation of possible war crimes, and an arms embargo.
Contact: David Keppel, keppel @ sbcglobal.net
Title: Ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
Description: This AIM would call upon member congregations to urge the U.S. Senate to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which is likely to be voted upon later this year or early in 2010. The AIM is based on UU values of respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and for the independent web of existence, values which would be flagrantly violated by the massive civilian casualties and environmental devastation resulting from any use of nuclear weapons. Beginning as early as 1961, the UUA has repeatedly declared its support for the goal of a nuclear weapons-free world, and for an end to nuclear testing as a step toward that goal. Ratification of the Treaty would substantially advance these objectives, while its defeat would be a serious blow to the cause of nuclear disarmament.
Contact: Guy Quinlan, guy.quinlan @ cliffordchance.com
For more information contact socialwitness @ uua.org.
Last updated on Monday, June 22, 2009.
