blogging

Blog Action Day 2009 – Climate Change

Today is the annual Blog Action Day, with the intention of creating discussion. More than 8500 blogs in 148 countries are committed to discussing climate change today. With that many voices discussing this issue at this critical time, there’s a lot of opportunity to raise energy and participate in actions.

There’s only 52 days left until the United National Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen to make an international treaty on Climate Change. The International Day of Climate Action is in just 9 days, on October 24th, and people will be doing actions worldwide to draw attention to the importance of lowering the parts per million (ppm) of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 ppm. Right now, Senators Boxer and Kerry have introduced the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act in the Senate. There’s a little less than two weeks before the intensive legislative hearings are expected to begin, on October 27th, which means that right now there’s a window of opportunity to shape the bill in the directions we want.

In other words, we’re at a pivotal time in the environmental movement. There are opportunities at the national and the international level to shape the climate change debate; it’s an opportunity to have governmental support in the direction of justice through climate action. The most marginalized communities are the first to feel the impacts of climate change, and if we wait until the wealthier nations are directly affected, it will be too late.

I invite you to join the conversations today and blog about Climate Change. Our ally 1Sky has ideas for what to write about if you’re feeling stuck. You can register your blog on the Blog Action Day website. And then next week, participate in the International Day of Climate Action. The UU Ministry for Earth has resources available on their website, and a list of what UU congregations are doing for the event is forthcoming.

Posted by:

Environmental Justice

Thirty-Five Years of Choice

Blog for Choice Day

Today marks the 35th anniversary of Roe v Wade. Thirty-five years ago today the Supreme Court determined that abortion is legal until the fetus is viable outside the mother’s womb or if necessary to protect the health of the mother.

People across the United States are blogging about the importance of choice, specifically why it is important to vote pro-choice, while others are picketing and decrying the landmark legislation. Here at the UUA we are celebrating. The Unitarian Universalist Association has been a strong proponent of abortion rights since the 1960’s and has stood beside numerous organizations in support of Roe v. Wade. Many of our congregations and members have worked tirelessly to help women obtain safe abortions. Stories will be posted on the UUA website throughout the next few months; make sure to check www.uua.org and read the remarkable stories about UU’s and choice.

On this historic day, let us not take for granted all that has been accomplished for abortion rights. Year after year Roe v Wade and other abortion legislation is threatened. Both the appointment of conservative judges to the Supreme Court and the harmful decisions about access to abortion in individual states are real threats to Roe v Wade. We must continue to support abortion rights and let people know why we are pro-choice.

I am pro-choice because I feel a woman has a right to have control over her body. I am pro-choice because I feel women are strong and capable of making good decisions. And most of all I am pro-choice because I believe a child’s life is sacred and that children should be borne into loving and open arms.

Today, share your reasons for being pro-choice and listen to women that have made the tough decision to have an abortion. Reflect on what it means to you and what it means to others.

And remember, today is a day for celebration! Celebrate in support of a woman’s right to have control over her body. Celebrate thirty-five years of struggling to keep this protection in place. Celebrate those that continue to fight for access to abortion and an end to restrictive parental notification laws. Celebrate to give us hope and strength for the next thirty-five years.

Posted by:

Reproductive Justice