In this Issue:
Marriage Equality Legislation
Other Legislative Updates
Legislative Information and Resources
Support UULM-MD
Rev. John Buehrens

Urgent Action Needed to Obtain Marriage Equality Passage!

The Civil Marriage Protection Act (SB 116/HB 175), would end marriage discrimination against same gender couples. It is now being considered by the House and the legislation needs your help to assure passage. (The name of the legislation was formerly the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act.)

The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on HB 175 on February 25th with over 100 speakers including UULM-MD Director of Outreach, the Rev. John Crestwell. The Committee was expected to vote favorably on the bill today (March 1st), but the vote was delayed because some members of the committee, including Delegates Jill Carter (D-41-Balt.) and Tiffany Alston (D-24-P.G. Co.) withheld their votes because they wanted more attention focused on other issues, including education funding. Since the votes are very close for passage, all supporters are needed as well as the votes of those not yet decided. Please immediately urge committee members to vote NOW for HB 175.

Once passed by the Committee, the legislation will be considered by the full House of Delegates. It appears that the votes are evenly split and delegates are getting many more contacts in opposition than in favor. Therefore, it is essential that you and your friends and neighbors contact your delegates now, even if you have done so before.

Your Message: Please indicate that you are a Unitarian Universalist and that as a person of faith, you urge them to VOTE YES for HB 175. Mention why and/or give a personal connection with them, if feasible. If they have indicated that they will vote no, ask them to please reconsider.

Please contact your delegates as soon as possible! You can find a link to legislators’ email addresses here.

To see additional information about this legislation and to read the bills click on the bill numbers, SB 116 or HB 175.

UULM-MD has joined with the Standing on the Side of Love Campaign to produce long and short video presentations and to assist us with our education and advocacy for marriage equality. Copies of a short video focusing on interfaith support for marriage equality were distributed to all Maryland legislators. To view this video, click here.

The media is closely following this debate, particularly the Baltimore Sun and Baltimore TV stations. We encourage you to write a letter to the editor of your local paper. For an example of a published letter from our Task Force Chair for Marriage Equality, check out this Baltimore Sun link.

At the House hearing, Delegate Mary Washington’s (D-43) “As an African-American, same-gender loving woman” asking her colleagues to support HB 175. To hear Delegate Washington’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, go to the Standing on the Side of Love blog.

Thank You! SB 116 passed the Senate on February 24th by a vote of 25-21, which was later changed to 25-22. UUs made a difference with legislators with actions that included delivering over 3,000 valentines to legislators, being a large percent of the 500 participants at Equality MD’s rally and lobby night, hosting phone banks and testifying at hearings.

Rev. Lisa Ward, UULM-MD Coordinator for Marriage Equality and GLBT rights, has been integrally involved with Maryland Pride in Faith, a broad coalition of religious and faith leaders who support marriage equality.

Identity Anti-Discrimination Act (HB 235) would extend to transgender citizens anti-discrimination laws in the areas of employment, houseing, and credit. The hearing will be on Wednesday, March 9th at 1:00 p.m. before the House Health and Government Operations Committee. A Pride in Faith clergy breakfast and press conference will be held on Tuesday, March 8th, and will include several Maryland UU ministers.

This project is funded in part by the Standing on the Side of Love Matching Grants Program of the Fund for Unitarian Universalist Social Responsibility.

Updates on Other UULM-MD Bills

Health Care: The Lorraine Sheehan Health and Community Services Act (SB 168/HB 121) would add ten cents per drink to an alcoholic drink to fund critically needed services. The bill would raise $214 million in new revenues which would include support for health care services for adults without children and to provide essential funding to support programs for persons with mental illnesses, alcohol and drug abuse problems, and developmental disabilities.

It is important that all members of the General Assembly hear from their constituents regarding support for this legislation.

The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee had its first hearing on this bill on Wednesday, February 23rd.

The House hearing on this bill is scheduled for the House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, March 3rd at 1:00 p.m.

Health Care for All has a list of supporters, including the 75 co-sponsors and a video of a faith leaders’ press event plus background information on the bill.

To see additional information about this legislation and to read the bills, click on the bill numbers, SB 168 or HB 121.

Climate Change: The Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act (SB 861/ HB 1054) would require the Public Service commission to develop plans for an offshore wind project off the coast of Maryland.

The House bill, HB 1054 is scheduled for a hearing before the House Economic Matters Committee on Thursday, March 3rd at 1:00 p.m.

The Senate bill, SB 861 will be heard on Tuesday, March 15th at 1:00 p.m. by the Senate Finance Committee.
To see more information about this legislation and to read the bills click on the bill numbers, SB 861 or HB 1054.

Repeal of the Death Penalty:
HB 1075 and SB 837 would build on the progress made in 2009. It would repeal procedures and requirements related to the death penalty.
The House Judiciary Committee hearing on HB 1075 will be on Tuesday, March 15th at 1:00 p.m.
To see more information about this legislation as well as their sponsors and to read the bills click on the bill numbers HB 1075 or SB 837

To see the entire newsletter: March 2011 Newsletter

The casseroles will need to be dropped off by 5 PM, and HALO would also like us to have 2 – 3 servers each evening to assist with serving the meal, and clean-up afterwards.

Many of you have already signed up to help, but I am looking for more! Please either call me (410-749-7613) or email me (lesliefin@verizon.net) to let me know what type of casserole you will make, which dates (hopefully it will be more than once) you can commit to and also whether you would like to stay and serve.

Many thanks – I am confident UUFS members will come forward to help those in need this winter.

–Leslie Finlayson

The theme is “Peace In Our Community. Peace In Our World.” A variety of church and community resource groups promoting peace, including UUFS and Salisbury Buddhist Community, will have tables. Perhaps you are part of a group that would like to have a table. If so, please call Lou Rimbach at 410-742-4982.

There will be a peace walk through the park, live music, including Andy and Dorinda, the UUFS Choir and Zen Monkeys, and activities for children and youth. All are invited to come, bring a picnic lunch and enjoy this celebration of unity and peace.

http://worldhabitatdaynews.org

Liza Peiffer
On behalf of Habitat for Humanity
www.habitat.org

Like many folks here on the Eastern Shore, I used to think chicken was a healthy choice. So I was alarmed to learn that some large factory farms in Maryland are poisoning the chicken that we eat every day and polluting our air and drinking water. Arsenic, more commonly known as rat poison, is being fed to chickens and is ending up in 75% of chicken we buy at the grocery store, and 100% of fast food chicken. Arsenic is not only linked to cancer in humans, it also threatens the Bay and our drinking water and air. We all know that arsenic is poison and does not belong in our food or our water.

We can get involved to end this harmful practice.

Feeding chickens arsenic is a bad practice that endangers our health, our children’s health and the health of our communities. There are better solutions and safer alternatives to using arsenic. As Eastern Shore residents, we have the unique opportunity to work with our representatives to pass strong legislation to ban arsenic. To pass this legislation in the spring session, we need to act now to build strong constituent support. Please join me at the meeting to kickoff this important campaign.

Come to Food & Water Watch’s Eastern Shore Campaign Kickoff Meeting.

Thursday, September 16th, 6:00-7:00pm
Wicomico Public Library, Downtown Salisbury Branch, Library Meeting Room #1
122 S. Division Street, Salisbury, MD 21801

I look forward to meeting and working with you.

–Nelly Baldwin

Field Organizer

Food and Water Watch

Cell: 310-909-4532

Work: 410-202-8830

nell@greencorps.org

The next few days carry profound spiritual weight for many Americans.

Across the country, Jews are celebrating Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year, and the beginning of the High Holidays. During this time, Jews seek our true spiritual center through reflection, rest, introspection, congregation, prayer, and redemption.

Muslims will be marking Eid-Al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan. Eid al-Fitr celebrates the purification achieved by a month of sunrise-to-sunset fasting, one of the five pillars of Islam. Normally, Eid al-Fitr is marked by several days of festivities, but sadly, many Muslim Americans are feeling cautious about celebration given the holiday’s proximity to Sept. 11.

Indeed, on Saturday, millions of people will again feel the weight of the memories from the coordinated terrorist suicide attacks upon the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. The vast majority of Americans will find constructive ways to mark this somber occasion, but a few radicals will seek to divide this country by attacking Muslims, even going so far as to burn the Quran.

It’s not too late to stand on the side of love, at this moment in time, when love is what our country needs most. Click here to find a solidarity service, public worship, interfaith gathering, or peace event near you:

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1272/t/9818/p/salsa/event/common/public/search.sjs?region=&distributed_event_KEY=536&city=&country=USA

Thankfully, those of us who speak the language of love are putting messages of harmony, community, freedom, and peace into the world. Over the next few days, countless clergy will deliver sermons about Islamaphobia and read messages from the Quran. Vigils, marches, and rallies will remember those lost in the 9-11 attacks while also speaking out for religious freedom. Interfaith worship services and gatherings will take place across the country, from Florida to California, offering a call to end the anti-Muslim sentiments that have swept the nation.

In the face of the negativity we have seen directed towards Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim, these public witnesses of interfaith solidarity, and the outpourings of support, are inspiring.

With love we are turning the tides.

To those who are celebrating the Jewish New Year, Standing on the Side of Love wishes you Shana Tova.
To those celebrating the end of Ramadan, we wish you Eid Mubarak.
To all who lend this campaign your hearts, day in and day out, we wish you, above all else, great love.

With blessings for a sweet new season upon us…

Dan Furmansky
Campaign Manager
Standing on the Side of Love

Dear Friend,

Since the world learned of the floods now devastating Pakistan, conditions have worsened dramatically. As of August 23, the Pakistani government estimates that 17.2 million people are affected by the floods — more than the Haiti earthquake, the 2005 South Asia earthquake, and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami combined.

The growing enormity of this humanitarian disaster has compelled UUSC and the Unitarian Universalist Association to launch our UUSC-UUA Joint Pakistan Flood Relief Fund.

Most recently, rivers flowing from the flooded areas in the northwest have swelled with water and are deluging the Sindh and Punjab provinces in the south. This is sure to have serious long-term implications for all of Pakistan. The fertile Punjab is the breadbasket for a country where a third of its population of 170 million people live below the poverty line.

Donations to the UUSC-UUA Joint Pakistan Flood Relief Fund will be put to immediate use, since UUSC already has partner organizations in the region. Bedari, which worked with UUSC in the 2005 South Asia earthquake, is working to protect women and children displaced by the floods. Barakat, a UUSC partner in Afghanistan that also works in Pakistan, is helping refugee families who have fled to the district of Attock.

Please help us help the people of Pakistan recover from this unfathomable disaster — give to the UUSC-UUA Joint Pakistan Flood Relief Fund.

Thank you for your generosity and concern.

Sincerely,

Constance F. Kane
Vice President and COO