Submission 484
*Tim Beardsley
RRUUC Bethesda Maryland
What is your suggestion or idea?
Re. ““We covenant to dismantle racism and all forms of systemic oppression.”“Not realistic to covenant to dismantle all forms of systemic oppression so by over-reaching this loses credibility.I suggestWe covenant to oppose systemic oppression, including racism.””
What is the reason for your amendment idea?
The statement is illogical as drafted because racism is a form a sytemic oppression. So it’s redundant to say we covenant to fight "“racism AND all forms of systemic oppression.”"If we are expanding the use of the word covenant, we need to be very careful that we do not oblige people to do things they cannot do or simply don’t want to do. That could put off potential members.We might aspire to dismantle all forms of systemic oppression. So it would be fine to say that, or to say ““We covenant to fight systemic oppression, including racism.”” That’s not redundant, and it realistic. Or that ““We oppose all systemic oppression.”” It is realistic to oppose it all and to fight it in general. But we can’t realistically expect people to promise to dismantle ALL forms of systemic oppression, so the combination of covenant and dismantle means a noble aspiration ends up looking obviously impossible. That would lose us credibility.
Have you discussed this idea with your congregation or other UUs?
No