ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice: July Newsletter

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Faithful Action for Justice

Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

July 2022

Welcome to Faithful Action for Justice Announcements, messages from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service).

Nobody can do everything. Saying yes to some things requires saying no to others. Our health and obligations limit us. As you read, briefly celebrate and pray for people doing something you will not join. As you feel called, reach out to a project’s contact person to learn more, and consider joining or click on links to read more.

Our justice mission teams provide information on issues that may be controversial, speaking to the congregation but not for the congregation.

News from Our Mission Teams and Groups

SMAC Community Leadership Development

The Southwest Madison Action Coalition (SMAC) is partnering with UW-Extension Dane County and Good Shepard Lutheran Church to sponsor a series of free facilitated Saturday workshops focused on educating and developing community-based leaders who either live in the area or are interested in being a volunteer in area programs. The next workshop is August 13. Read more about these workshops For more information, contact ORUCC members Jane Glaze [email protected] or Bruce Olsen [email protected], who participate in SMAC’s housing subgroup.

From Racial Justice 

Christian Nationalism

Some members of the racial justice mission team have been studying Christian nationalism. In its extreme version, it is the belief that the United States should be run as a White Christian nation. Its milder version includes the common idea that the United States is divinely inspired and merges religious and national symbols as sacred. Recently Java and Jesus discussed this interview with an Evangelical Christian who who opposes Christian nationalism, which explains these ideas, why they are dangerous, and how to talk about them.

Defending Equity in Schools

As we have described in a past article, members of the racial justice mission team have been attending statewide Zoom meetings sponsored by Faithful Stance for Equity, a coalition of faith-based groups seeking to defend schools. To blunt the wave of sympathy about racial justice issues after the 2020 police killing of George Floyd, political operatives intentionally manufactured a wave of “anti-critical race theory” bills and protests attacking schools for teaching honest racial history or seeking to promote racial inclusion. The same political operatives are also using harmful scare tactics and attacking schools for equitable treatment of trans, gay, nonbinary, and other gender nonconforming people. To learn more about the groups seeking to defend schools, contact Karen Jaehnig. [email protected]

YWCA Racial Justice Conference

Registration is now open for the YWCA’s annual racial justice conference to be held September 28-30.  See this Madison 365 article for more details or the YWCA event website.

Safety in Schools

Some members of the racial justice mission team have been attending meetings about alternatives to policing for safe schools. Last month Freedom Inc. and ally groups sponsored an on-line panel discussion that included a student and parent who discussed their experiences and experts on ways of keeping schools safe. You can watch the one hour video here

Join Us

The racial justice mission team welcomes new members. We are seeking to expand our programming on racial justice issues and are looking for your ideas about what you’d like to see. Contact [email protected] if you would like more information or to make suggestions.

From Palestinian Justice

Our freedom to boycott is under attack

Advocates for social justice and free speech, take note! Our right to engage freely in boycotts is under direct attack. Specifically, on June 22nd, the US Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that our right to boycott is not protected by the First Amendment. In making this ruling, the Court of Appeals affirmed an Arkansas law that requires public contractors to sign a pledge promising they will not boycott Israel. This ruling is being challenged and soon will reach the US Supreme Court, where that court will decide (yes or no) if the Arkansas ruling will stand.

 

At stake in this Supreme Court case is not just our right to boycott Israeli products and US corporations complicit in Israel’s military occupation of Palestine, but the right of US citizens to engage in economic protest actions of any kind. Indeed, if the US Supreme Court upholds the Arkansas ruling, legislatures in all 50 states will be free to place limitations on boycotts of any industries or organizations they choose, in the way Arkansas has done. With such state-mandated restrictions in mind, oil and gas manufacturers, gun manufacturers and others have already fashioned “copycat” laws aimed at restricting boycotts of their products.

 

Thomas Beilman and Diane Dulin

From Immigration Justice

This article describes changes in treatment of child migrants that is allowing for some family reunification. There’s hope for reuniting families separated at the border.

The labor crisis in the meat and dairy industries highlights the important role that immigrant workers play in producing America’s food. As this report from the American Immigration Council shows, labor shortage has led to increased production costs for farmers and employers and higher food prices for American shoppers. To stabilize its food workforce—and thus stabilize prices—the United States should consider expanding temporary work visa programs and implementing other long-term reforms, including providing a path to citizenship for many of the undocumented workers in the U.S. today.

About our Missions

Interested? Reach out to learn more about our justice teams and projects. Our mission teams welcome your time, talent and energy!

In addition, our Christian Witness and Service ministry connects members to a variety of opportunities to support justice activities (chair: Ken Psyck).

Let us love and care for ourselves and each other as we work together for justice and mercy.

“The movement of the spirit of God in the hearts of people often causes them to act against the spirit of their times, or causes them to anticipate a spirit which is yet in the making. In a moment of dedication they are given wisdom and courage to dare a deed that challenges and to kindle a hope that inspires.”

-Howard Thurman