Post 50

Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Brainerd/Pine River  7/23/14

Greetings friends and UUs: Even though traditionally UUs are off on vacations over the summer months, a lot is happening. July 7th was the kickoff for the Horse Ride at the corner store near Backus, where Honor the Earth began pipeline protests. This gained a lot of public media attention. Winona LaDuke spoke and began the ride over to Park Rapids. Now another is planned, scheduled to go through Brainerd and other points, including Pine River on August 20th. NUUF is involved with Union Church in helping facilitate this event, and anyone who wishes to help can look at honorearth.org, the site where the best and most current information is to be had. Or call me, and I can direct you.

We began another initiative, this time to rename Columbus Day to a  day to honor the native community. Discussions include writing a draft proclamation to send to Governor Dayton, which would be in time for this year, hopefully. First, the task is to see if the native community would welcome this, and if so, what name should it have. The thought is, not to have this just another panacea for white consciences "do-gooder" paternalistic impulses, but something to forward education in the white community in cultural understanding, reduction of discrimination. Following the lead of South Dakota, the City of Minneapolis, and other places who have already addressed this, it seems high time our State took this action of respect and recognition, long overdue. We have partnered with Union Church, and hope to enlist other churches. The next effort would be to get the Legislature to pass a law adding the holiday to the statute which governs such recognition. It does not have to replace Columbus Day which is a federal holiday, but could be an additional option; that is to be determined.

Comments and ideas are welcome! watch the website, mnnuuf.org, for more information.

Respectfully submitted, Mary DeYoung, News Director NUUF 218-587-2543