Amendment 73 to Article II - Proposed by Alec Peck

General Assembly 2023 Prioritized Article II Amendments
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Motivation:
This amendment combines a few common themes from our discourse and is meant to be compatible with other possible amendments. Feedback taken from compiled data from informal amendments on UUA Discuss forum, congregation and board of UU church of Riverside, interest groups from DuPage UU Church, and UU Church of Nevada Las Vegas.

The principles (or values) define what it means to be a UU and what we think makes us good persons and people. This amendment addresses four aspects: a focus on action and actionability, the need to be specifically and uniquely UU, the special role of love, and inclusive and inspirational language which speaks to both our heart and mind.

Changes:

  1. Lead each value with an imperative verb [line 18, 23, 27, 31, 34, 37, 40]
  • We covenant to do the right thing, not just think the right thoughts. Leading each value statement with an actionable verb allows it to be read as an agreement or an instruction (e.g. build a beloved community…"; “respect the interdependent web…”)
  1. Make names of the values more descriptive and unique [line 18, 23, 27, 31, 34, 37, 40]
  • A good name should be both memorable and unique, and no single word will accurately encompass all the ideas we want to represent.
  • Adding an adjective (e.g. “Personal Transformation”) is more distinct and still short
  1. Elaborate on the UU vision of love (interpersonal, communal, and self) in opening paragraph [line 14-16] and consider moving the word “Love” from the center of the graphic [graphic]
  • Love is a process: the actions taken to realize our values are a manifestation of love, and it should be the UU version of love.
  • Love is woven within the values, but it should not symbolically be the hierarchal Godhead from which all values flow.
  1. Include language focused on being inspiring rather than generic, and rephrase certain controversial language
  • Being inspiring is as important as being accurate, and the poetic use of balance and meter will improve flow and memorability.
  • We wish to emphasize systems of oppression more broadly, beyond just racism [line 32]
  • “Use of democracy” should be more prominent as the method of achieving these values [line 33]
  • Accepting that which is unchangeable and being accepted as we are should be balanced with transformation [line 35]
  • “Use of time, wisdom, attention, and money” applies to all values [line 42]

EXAMPLE TEXT (suggestion only)

Inherent worth (alt: Inherent Equity)

Respect the inherent worth of every being, and uphold our common right to respect, love, and dignity

Religious truth (alt: Spiritual Freedom)

Explore the spiritual and religious possibilities in a free and open search for personal truth and meaning, and embrace the diversity of cultures, experiences, and theologies

Beloved community (alt: World Community)

Build a beloved community of peace, liberty, and freedom from oppression by employing democracy, accessible and inclusive to all peoples, and give generously in loving cooperation

Natural Connection (alt: global interdependence)

Respect the interdependent web of all existence, heal our ties to the great tree of life, and honor the natural world

Empathic Justice (alt: Universal Compassion)

Promote peace and justice for all peoples, empathy and compassion for all persons, and affirm and share in the diversity of the human experience

Personal Transformation (alt: Spiritual Growth)

Grow ethically and spiritually through acceptance of one another, an openness and encouragement to change, and respond with love to a changing world, never complete and never perfect.

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Who would write the text if this amendment is adopted?

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My understanding is that if we vote to continue with this draft, the Commission will consult a few select groups on how to implement the passing amendments, and someone from the Commission will pen the final draft. Even for those amendments which specify exact language, the final phrasing may still end up changing.

I wanted to provide a suggestion for phrasing to make the changes more clear and also to give an option that we think sounds good. I’m sure there will be people who like the exact wording here and those who would prefer something a bit different.

We did the best we can, but I think there are two separate questions of “What do we want to say?” and “How do we want to say it?” In the spirit of democracy, I think it makes sense to get input from as many people as possible as to what language is most accurate and inspirational.

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Minor update to the wording of the motivation:

The principles (or values) describe what we believe makes us good persons and people. This amendment addresses four aspects: a focus on action and actionability, the uniqueness of our community , the special role of love, and inclusive and inspirational language which speaks to both our heart and mind.

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Interesting ideas, however, this is missing what text would be deleted and what text would be added to the Proposed Revision.

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I don’t see how we can vote on an amendment that doesn’t have specific deletions, additions, and wording, however good the ideas may be.

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To those favoring amendments that weren’t prioritized or presented or wishing to craft new ones: This forum is closing for comment tomorrow, but our lay-led public Facebook group, Blue Boat Passengers, will remain open for another few weeks for commenting (and still be viewable after that).

If you want to find people to coordinate with for the 15-congregation amendment process, you may use the group to do so while it remains open. There’s now a specific post for this in the group (“A post for those wishing to do the 15-congregation amendment process to coordinate”). Please read both the rules and the pinned post about the pending suspension of the group before posting or commenting there.

Thanks.

Blue Boat Passengers: Info & Constructive Discussion re Article II, etc. | Announcement: This group will soon be suspended | Facebook