Paul Wilczynski's Observations

UUA Commission on Social Witness Poll

It's time again for the annual Congregational Directives for General Assembly Action survey described in detail at the UUA Commission on Social Witness web page. Here's a summary of the issues from which we're supposed to choose a favorite:

• S1 - Women’s Rights Worldwide - What can Unitarian Universalists do to secure fundamental human rights for women?
• S2 - Safety of All Children and Youth - What can Unitarian Universalists do to ensure the safety of children and youth in our congregations, communities and world?
• S3 - Peacemaking - What can Unitarian Universalists do to bring about the conditions for peaceful relationship in our congregations, our communities, and our world?
• S4 - Need for Affordable Housing - What can Unitarian Universalists do to promote affordable housing?
• S5 - Moral Values for a Pluralistic Society - How might the moral and ethical grounding of Unitarian Universalism be given greater voice in the public square?
• S6 - Ensuring Voter Rights - What can Unitarian Universalists do to ensure voters’ rights?

Personally, I think it's really presumptuous to believe that UUs, in our small numbers, have the ability to influence such global problems. Except, that is, for those issues that include the words "in our congregations or communities". Ensuring the safety of children, for example, is a big enough task just within our congregation ... it's virtually overwhelming to think we can ensure it in our community. And the world? Please.

To have any kind of effect, we need to concentrate our efforts at the community level . Otherwise, all this kind of survey thing is going to do is let us pat ourselves on the back for being so socially conscientious.

posted by Paul Wilczynski @ 10:11 AM