How to contribute to the public dialog

UUA Social Witness process: Study/Action Issues, etc.

MDD Conference: Moral Values for a Pluralistic Society

Neal McBurnett, http://mcburnett.org/neal/

• Review Resource Guide for Moral Values for a Pluralistic Society
• Previously covered: The Religions-Political Context (framing, etc. See also Ken Wilber's "Integral Politics" book, web site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integral_politics
• Previously covered:
• • Who we are and what we belive (values talk)
  • Where to get info: add http://uua.org/ga/ where you can find summaries and on-line versions of many many sessions of topics of interest. Note summaries of Plenary Sessions.
  • section IV, p 14: How can we speak and act effectively" - excellent resources for congregations, e.g. http://uua.org/justice/ See also http://UUSC.org - very active, informative on environmental justice, economic justice, civil liberties, etc.
• section V: The Social Witness Process - my focus today http://uua.org/csw/
• • see this "wiki" page andyou're your own insights! http://www.uuism.net/uuwiki/index.php/Social_Witness_Process_Bylaws_Changes
• Current issues:
• • Proposed bylaws changes
  • Request from UUA Moderator on input from Congregations
• Review current Social Witness Process - in your Resource Guide
• Background: survey from 2004
• Bylaws change would reduce frequency to one in 4 years, lengthen process, etc
• Moderator's recent letter to presidents, request for input from congregations
• My opinions:
• • Must retain congregational polity, avoid unnecessary centralization
  • The world is increasingly complex. There are lots of issues out there that UUs should study, consider, and be prepared to act on when necessary.
  • The quality and level of detail of UUA Statements of Conscience are good now, and provide useful education and guidance. Don't reduce their length. Don't reduce frequency to one every 4 years. Just 10 years ago we could produce three resolutions per year. Survey said 1 per year was the best.
  • Use separate process for recommendations of strategic direction for UUA staff (budget, etc)
  • Use separate process for building synergy among congregations on IMPLEMENTATION of existing Statements of Conscience
  • Need more transparency: put input from congregations up on web site
  • Exactly why were two SAI proposals dropped this year ("Constitutional right to vote" and "Media reform for a more humane and democratic culture"), leaving only one choice ("Peacemaking")?? Where can we see the proposals that were eliminated?
  • UUA should more actively promote and support collaboration by congregations, e.g. with wiki sites like uuwiki (see also http://wikipedia.org)
  • Don't stop mailing out ballots, SAI resource guides, etc, as specified in bylaws change (4.12(a)(2)). We need more participation, not less!
  • Use "approval voting" or "instant runoff" to select from among proposed SAI's in plenary vote. "first past the post" is terrible for multi-candidate elections.
  • Selection of "expert panel" may tend to centralize process - be careful
• I think we need to reject the bylaws change at this time
• Energy Break