Effort led by UUJEC Board Member Rev. Robert Murphy
Status: did not pass
Unitarian Universalists are horrified by the gun violence that the United States has witnessed during recent months. American have seen mass murders at a supermarket in Buffalo, at a hospital in Tulsa, and at the Robb Elementary School in Texas. Education Week Magazine has recorded (June 8th) twenty-seven shootings in American schools for the year 2022.
The delegates at this General Assembly grieve for all of the victims of gun violence in the United States. The Unitarian Universalists Association has repeatedly called for gun violence prevention initiatives and for the development of community mental health services. We affirm, once again, that we will work for a culture of peace and healing. We ask for improvements in public policy and we ask for something more.
First: Unitarian Universalists congregations are asked to declare that they are “Gun Free Zones”. Religious organizations have the right to peacefully assemble. Religious freedom must be protected. The Unitarian Universalists Association is asked to assist religious organizations in establishing “Gun Free Zones”.
Second: Educate to liberate. Congregations are asked to join multigenerational, multiracial, and multicultural alliances that will work with government agencies to improve public education. Health, safety, and accessibility are among the essentials at every level in education. Domestic terrorism, hate crimes, and bullying must be prevented. Students and parents must be respected when planning school programs. teachers and other workers in education need adequate protection, compensation, and representation.
Third: The General Assembly asks for the development of a proposed Congregation Study/Action Issue (CSAI) that will bring Unitarian Universalists together to discuss their experiences, their concerns, and their goals in education. We ask the Commission for Social Witness, the Unitarian for a Just Economic Community, and other organizations to assist in the development of this proposal for the year 2023.