UUs Support Gay Marriage

UUs around the country are reacting to the defeat of Proposition 8 in California as well as other anti-gay marriage intiatives this past Election Day.

From the Ohio-Meadville District:

A demonstration was held in Erie against Proposition 8 in California in solidarity with Gay Rights advocates from accross the nation on Saturday, Nov. 15. There was a good turnout even in the rain. The following three links go to video of the event on YouTube:

From the UUA:

On November 17, 2008, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of California (UULM-CA), and other religious leaders and faith organizations representing millions of members, filed a petition with the California Supreme Court asking the Court to invalidate Proposition 8. The petition argues that Proposition 8 poses a severe threat to the guarantee of equal protection for all and was not enacted through the constitutionally required process for such a dramatic change to the California Constitution. The full text of the petition is at http://www.calchurches.org/publication_pdfs/PetitionWritMandate.pdf .

The petition is filed on behalf of the California Council of Churches, the General Synod of the United Church of Christ, two Episcopal Bishops (of California and Los Angeles), the Progressive Jewish Alliance, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of California, and the Northern and Southern California Nevada Conferences of the United Church of Christ. The groups are represented by Eric Isaacson, a Unitarian Universalist attorney based in San Diego, and by Jon B. Eisenberg of Eisenberg and Hancock, LLP, based in Oakland.

“Proposition 8 denies an entire class of citizens a basic civil right—the freedom to marry the person of their choice” said Rev. William G. Sinkford, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association. “Even worse, this amendment writes discrimination into the California Constitution. As people of conscience, we cannot permit legalized bigotry to attack California couples and families.”

The complete story on the UUA’s filing in the Court can be found at http://www.uua.org/news/newssubmissions/123881.shtml .

And the UUA creates a video:

In light of the passage of Proposition 8 in California and similar blows experienced on election day which restrict the rights of bisexual, gay, lesbian, queer, and transgender people, the Unitarian Universalist Association has produced a video which makes clear the support of people of faith for marriage equality.

The video uses images, gathered from Unitarian Universalists across North America, who have advocated for marriage equality or been joined in equal marriage; the video also celebrates the role of Unitarian Universalist clergy in officiating at these services. See the video on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz8omkCTvQA . The video is also available through UUA.org: http://www.uua.org/news/newssubmissions/123809.shtml.