UUFSCC condemns hate speech and xenophobia.

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Santa Cruz County joins in solidarity with the Jewish community and other marginalized groups in our community to condemn hate speech and xenophobia. In recent weeks, we have been alarmed and saddened to witness recent expressions of hate in the form of antisemitism–-at UC Santa Cruz and also in the Santa Cruz County community.

We see the common decayed root that contributes to all forms of xenophobic and racialized hatred. We must not allow this type of behavior to become normalized to influence power over minority groups in our community.

We recommit ourselves to principled actions that uphold the inherent worth and dignity of all people. We recommit to spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse, multicultural Beloved Community through our actions that dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions. We recommit to deepening our understanding of our place in the interconnected web in which we are a part and explore how our witness, action, and love can move us toward a more just, humane, and inclusive world.

Words of solidarity can feel inadequate in the face of hatred and violence in our communities. Yet, through this small action, we remind ourselves and others of the power of our voices and our strength when we are connected. We also witness the myriad of examples that show us that we are healed and healthier in a community, a community that is rich in diversity–-race, ethnicity, language, experience, gender, and religion–-and grounded in mutual care.

We call on all people – especially those who are in faith communities, to side with love in support of our Jewish siblings and for our entire community to deepen our practices of compassion and hope.