“A Highland Park, Illinois, woman who was at last week’s Fourth of July parade mass shooting with her husband and three children told the crowd about the questions her 6-year-old daughter has been asking her over the last week: ‘Mommy, can bullets get through my door? Can they go through my window at night when I’m sleeping? … Where does a bullet have to hit me to kill me? When will my nightmares stop? … Was your hand over my heart when we were hiding because you would stop the bullet from killing me?’” – abcnews.go.com
SACRAMENTO, CA, July 12, 2022 – Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1594 today. The bill “establishes a “firearm industry standard of conduct” and allows local governments, the state Department of Justice and gun violence survivors to sue for egregious violations of state sales and marketing regulations.” from LA Times.
“This bill is a significant step toward holding irresponsible, reckless and negligent gun manufacturers, distributors and sellers accountable,” said Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego). “The U.S. has less than 5% of the world’s population, yet we make up nearly a third of the world’s mass shootings. I’m proud to joint author AB 1594 and support other common sense gun reforms that will help make our communities safer.” – Assembly Member Chris Ward (D-San Diego (July 12, 2022) source: ca.gov
SACRAMENTO June 27, 2022 – In a historic moment for California, the State Assembly passed SCA 10, a constitutional amendment to make explicit the fundamental constitutional right to abortion and contraceptives in a 58-16 vote. The bill, jointly authored by Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood), and co-authored by a large coalition of Democratic Legislators, successfully passed its final legislative requirement just three days after the U.S. Supreme Court released an opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade.
Legislative Leaders Applaud Historic Passage of Constitutional Amendment to Explicitly Protect the Right to Abortion, Contraceptives
“California will not back down from the fight to protect abortion rights as more than half the states in this country, enabled by the Supreme Court, ban or severely restrict access,” said Governor Newsom. “We are ensuring Californians will have the opportunity this November to enshrine the right to choose in our state constitution. And we’re not waiting until November to take action, today’s executive order ensures that the state will not hand over patients who come here to receive care and will not extradite doctors who provide care to out-of-state patients here. In California, women will remain protected.” – Governor Gavin Newsom (June 27, 2022)
Supreme Court Draws Abortion-Rights Protesters to Street Sitdown Bloomberg Law (Washington D.C. on June 30, 2022) Note:Representative Judy Chu, a Democrat from California, bottom center, during a protest near the US Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., US, on Thursday, June 30, 2022.
24 June 2022 UU Justice Ministry of California 1731 Howe Avenue, #579 Sacramento, CA 95825 Phone (916) 441-001
In January, 2023, it will be 50 years since Roe v Wade became law of the land. I was so happy at that point, not because it meant I could legally have an abortion – that’s not what the decision really affirmed – but because it supported the fundamental American belief in individual rights.
We have been a country where no one gets to tell us what to believe, whether in terms of a religion, the right not to follow a religion, or basically what’s good and what is evil. I knew from that time forward that there was a possibility that this time, right now, would come, and that if or when it did, it would be the thing I would fight the hardest to protect.
We don’t get to decide for others what beliefs they must hold and, although it’s sometimes difficult, we generally support others’ right to follow beliefs we don’t agree with. For instance, even murder or killing – I don’t personally support capital punishment, but I don’t fight the beliefs of those who do. That’s certainly as important as abortion in terms of good versus evil. I would like far stricter gun laws in general. But, basically, we agree to disagree – especially when the fundamental source for a given choice is embedded in a specific religious contention.
Quite a few years ago I saw a young person wearing a tee shirt that I really liked [and agreed wholeheartedly with]. Across the front it said: “Don’t like abortion? Don’t have one!” For me, that says it all!
I encourage everyone to stand up for our American right to individual freedom and especially for freedom of belief!
The Rev. Dr. Karen Stoyanoff Trustee UUJMCA Board of Trustees
To download this document, click anywhere on the letter.
UU Justice Ministry of California 1731 Howe Avenue, #579 Sacramento, CA 95825 Phone (916) 441-0018
Reflection on SCOTUS Decision on Roe v Wade 24 June 2022
I have been thinking a lot this week about the impact by the decision by a majority of the U.S Supreme Court, overturning Roe v. Wade were to become the law of the entire United States. It is hard to even imagine what could happen to the lives of hundreds of thousands of women in our country who would no longer have the right to determine what happened to their bodies. They could become pregnant while living in abject poverty, resulting from rape or incest, occurring when they were underage, causing potential death to the mother, or countless other circumstances
Further, our principle that affirms “the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process” in no way supports the undemocratic ruling that six judges, mostly men, can make a decision for all the women of child-bearing age in the country and the men who are in relationships with them. That is certainly not what democracy means to me as a UU. And statistics indicate that is not the belief of over 70% of the people in our country. Nor does this ruling promote “a free and responsible search for truth and meaning.”
So, what can we do? I am convinced that we must use all our compassion and strength to oppose this ruling in every way that we can. For those who think it is not right for them to have an abortion, they can reject that option for themselves. But they do not have the right to impose their decision on others. We do not live in a theocracy where a minority can impose their beliefs on others.
We say we live in a democracy, which means that the will of all the people should rule. As a person of faith, I believe that I am called to speak truth to power and my hope is that others will join the call to regain our democracy from those who want to impose their will on others.
Affirmed, The Rev Dr Betty Stapleford President, Board of Trustees
We will be gathering virtually on June 30th at 7pm for a town hall discussion on how we can support women both in California and in other states as we enter this new world that has placed the lives of our wives, sisters. daughters, and friends at risk. Please join us! Click to Register.
24 June 2022 UU Justice Ministry of California 1731 Howe Avenue, #579 Sacramento, CA 95825 Phone (916) 441-0018
I am heartbroken today to receive the unconscionable notice from the SCOTUS overturning Roe v Wade. I have a daughter of child bearing age and to know that today depending on simply where she lives in this country she may or may not be able to manage, decide, and rule over her own body is disgraceful. The decision today by SCOTUS It is a denial of her personhood and the further action being taken by states across the country is disgraceful.
We at UUJMCA oppose any ruling or law that removes the right for women to control their own bodies and make decisions about their healthcare. As a matter of faith, we will do everything within our power to protect women in California and across our country. The protection and the guarantee of a woman’s right to control her body is reiterated in at least three of our most fundamental principles as Unitarian Universalists. Every woman has the right to “a free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” Within this principle we affirm a women’s right to determine what is true and appropriate for her life and body. A woman has the right to determine her own truth. A woman has the right to to self determine for herself how to express said truth and meaning in her own life. Therefore a woman should have and deserves by her own “inherent worth” the ability to, with dignity, determine what is right and true for her in regard to her body. No court, no legislative body, no man, no one outside of herself has the right to enforce their idea of truth upon her.
To this end, we call upon all Unitarian Universalists in California to actively work to protect women’s rights. We call you all to work harder and struggle more for all women to live in communities filled with “with peace, liberty, and justice.” This call to action is active and not passive. It is a call to vote, organize, march, write and demand Justice at all levels of government.
We will be gathering virtually on June 30th at 7pm for a town hall discussion on how we can support women both in California and in other states as we enter this new world that has placed the lives of our wives, sisters. daughters, and friends at risk. Please join us! Click to Register
In Service, Pastor AJ Blackwood, MDiv Executive Director
“I am heartbroken today to receive the unconscionable notice from the SCOTUS overturning Roe v Wade. We at UUJMCA oppose any ruling or law that removes right for women to control their own bodies and make decisions about their healthcare. We will do everything within our power to protect women in California and across our country.
We call upon all Unitarian Universalists in California to actively work to protect women’s rights. This call to action is active and not passive. It is a call to vote, organize, march, write and demand Justice at all levels of government.” Pastor AJ Blackwood, Executive Director
Gay bars in the 1960’s were accustomed to police to raids at gay bars, knowing that most of these raids would end with multiple arrest, including patrons and bar staff. Police would turn the lights on, line everyone up and check IDs. They arrested men who were dancing with each other and bartenders who were serving alcohol to gay people. It was illegal to serve alcoholic beverages to gay people. Anyone in drag was arrested immediately. Women who were not wearing at least three pieces of feminine clothing were also arrested. Gay people were subject to public humiliation often.
The morning (1:20AM) of June 28, 1969, the police arrived for a raid, but the patrons would not have it. They used bricks, bottles, and barricades to keep the police out of the bar. The news spread around the neighborhood, and the numbers of protesters grew quickly. The Stonewall Riots” went on for the weekend and ended on July 3, 1969.
The Stonewall Riots is considered to be the single most important event in the history of gay rights. Annual Pride events commemorate the events at Stonewall Inn and celebrates those who courageously fought for liberation and rights for the gay community.
“Happy Hereafter” is the theme for this year’s Oakland Black Pride festival. Events begin on June 22 and run through June 26, 2022.
“Oakland Black Pride produces the first and only Black-led Pride celebration in Northern California. The festival is a culturally specific celebration for communities that live at the intersection of racism, homophobia, transphobia, and/or sexism. The festival celebrates the fact that the historical Stonewall uprising and the Gay Rights movement were ignited by LGBTQ people of color.” – https://www.oaklandblackpride.org/our-work
