Dear Friends,

This is the message I couldn’t find the words for last week.

Unitarian Universalist congregations covenant to affirm and promote seven principles, and are accountable to both those principles and each other for the decisions they make.  In my (admittedly overly simplistic) analysis, the protections of civil rights for all that are provided by US Constitution and its Amendments, and the Federal responsibility to uphold them, are analogous to those principles.  Both are grounded in equality and democracy.  In her May 2 edition of “Letters from an American,” Heather Cox Richardson wrote this about the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion on whether to uphold the Federal protection of abortion rights: “The draft opinion says the state legislatures are the true heart of our democracy and that they alone should determine abortion laws in the states.”  But our states aren’t charged with the core frame of equality from where our Federal protections come, and I’m feeling some fear for what’s next in Wisconsin and other states.

“In such times, protest is the only true beauty,” wrote Phil Ochs.  And here is how I will uphold the beauty – and the right – of reproductive choice: if you are afraid of what will happen to your and your loved ones’ access to safe abortion, call me.  I will help.  In the meantime, you know what you have to do.  Make your calls, write your letters, and vote in the local and national mid-term elections.

In faith and love,

Karen