Submission 437 Eleanor Hall First Unitarian Society of Chicago (Chicago, IL) 3222
What is your suggestion or idea?
The value Interdependence is too vague; it could imply interdependence among people. I would replace Interdependence with Concern for the
Environment.“”
What is the reason for your amendment idea?
Interdependence is too vague; it could imply interdependence among people. Climate change is a very serious problem and should be highlighted as a value.
Have you discussed this idea with your congregation or other UUs?
I agree with this. Not only is “interdependence” vague, it is also redundant in the current context. The entire revisions seem to be about relationship, community, covenant, etc. No need to emphasize “interdependence” separately
On the other hand, climate change, arguably the most pressing issue facing our society is given short shrift.
I agree that there is a puzzling lack of emphases on the climate/environmental/biodiversity crises. Even our interdependence situated within the web of life has been washed out towards generic human interdependence.
Interdependence doesn’t only address concern for the environment. It’s a core value of our CUUPS groups, which are our fellow congregants. We see all of life as interdependent and therefore sacred. The current A2 draft virtually erases our pagan and earth-based spirituality folks. We need to keep it where we can.
Hello, Eleanor.
My name is Denise Frizzell and I am a long time UU. I am currently a member with the Eno River UU Fellowship in Durham, NC and am serving as a GA delegate this year.
I agree wholeheartedly with your expressed concerns (and with the sentiment that the word, “concern” falls short when trying to address issues related to our global climate crisis).
Thus, I wanted to let you and all readers of this post know that I submitted the following amendment today (see below). If either of you are serving as a delegate, I invite you to support it. If you are not, I invite you to share with your congregation’s delegates and invite them to consider supporting it.
Thank you.
With active hope for a healthy, peace-filled, just, and sustainable planet for all life,
Denise Frizzell
C-2.6. Earth Solidarity.
Earth, our beautiful blue boat home, is in great peril. Humanity, all sentient beings, and nature itself face numerous unprecedented challenges to life as we now know it and take for granted. Climate change, mass extinction of species, desertification, deforestation, massive die-off of coral reefs, and pollution threaten to disrupt the delicate balance of ecosystems on which we all depend. At this historical and evolutionary crossroads, where every choice matters, we are called to bridge our differences and call upon our shared heritage, principles, and values to unite as Unitarian Universalists to transform ourselves and our consumer culture and invest in real solutions at every level of society for a thriving common future for all life