Statement of Solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities
We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.
The 8th Principle
Dear MLTS Community,
Like many people around the country, I watched last night's news of the mass killing of 8 people, including 6 Asian American women, in the Atlanta area. My heart ached as I thought of the kind of hatred that pours through the soul of anyone capable of this kind of crime. Investigators are trying to determine if it was motivated by anti-Asian racism. Surely, we have heard so much rhetoric from the former administration that was sheer racist language against China all to cover their incompetence in handling the pandemic. It is not possible to fuel the embers of racism and not expect people to be harmed as a result. Frankly, we are all harmed by bigotry, the oppressed, and the oppressor. No one gets a pass.
As a Christian, I consider myself a beneficiary of the expressions of love and acts to bring about the liberation of all Creation that is a key part of the Unitarian Universalist tradition. The Eighth Principle is a concise statement encouraging such behavior and committing to dismantling oppression. In our classrooms and in our communities, we have a responsibility to be in solidarity with those who are targets of discrimination. This is why President Ortega, VP Redman, and I categorically denounce all rhetoric and attacks against the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. As a leadership team, we urge you to stand with our colleagues, friends, and family members. Take every opportunity, use everything within your means to help ensure their wellbeing at this time. This is in fact, a good expression of the "working to build" that the Eighth Principle and indeed the entire Seven Principals point toward. May it be so!
Sincerely,
Dr. Pamela Lightsey
Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Associate Professor of Constructive Theology
(Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
