Principles and Person
Can it be detrimental to the principles of Unitarian Universalist faith when the people who witness for a cause overshadow the cause itself? Pursuing this line of thought, the Rev. Andrew L. Weber suggests we not to lose focus on the issues at hand.–Ed.
Getting Arrested like a Minister
Yesterday the Unitarian Universliast Association’s President, Rev. Peter Morales, was arrested “along with 200 other faith leaders, members of Congress, union leaders, and immigration activists.” This is big news for Unitarian Universalists – we tend to exalt people who get arrested. Just look at some articles from our national magazine: UUWorld. I was going to list some individually, but a search for the term “arrested” is pretty telling.
I have a concern that this attention is sensationalist and detrimental to the principles of our faith rather than beneficial and informative.
Civil disobedience is a useful way to increase public awareness of issues and call attention to legal activities which we do not agree with. The problem is not with the action, but the sensational way in which these issues are often talked about via social media, in person and reported on. The focus of the articles and Facebook postings remains on the arrest or sentencing with very little – if any – discussion of the issues at hand.
The slant of our reporting and discussion takes focus away from the issue. The focus has been shifted away from immigration rights or a proposed oil pipeline and centered on the people being arrested. I find myself knowing more about which Unitarian Universalist leaders were arrested than what I can do to help the issues.
The Rev. Andrew L. Weber is the Settled Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Newark, Delaware.