Standing on the Side of Love, Working for Marriage Equality

by Michael Jones · 2009-09-08 06:03:00 UTC
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Standing on the Side of LoveProving that love, tolerance, acceptance and equality don't have to be mutually exclusive from religion, the Unitarian Universalist Association has launched a brand-spanking new Web site meant to cull together religious voices working hard for equal rights and marriage equality.  The site?  It's aptly named "Standing on the Side of Love." SSL for short.  And "sizzle" if you put those consonants together.

And sizzling is what this site is.  In addition to being a prophetic voice for LGBT rights, the site also hopes to turn intentions into action by organizing Unitarian Universalists (and other progressive religious folk) to work for marriage equality on both a state-by-state and national level.  According to SSL's director, Rev. Meg Riley, the site is meant to project the long-held principle that Unitarians share, which is a commitment to the inherent worth and dignity of all people.

"This is going to be a real grass-roots-oriented campaign. We will be resourcing congregations to take action. We will put much more energy into where there are local leaders whom we can support who will have the impact that’s needed," said Riley.

The idea for the site was actually born out of tragedy. Last year, a gunman opened fire in a Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, during a performance of a children's musical.  He killed two people, and injured six.  The reason he decided to take a gun and shoot at random during a children's service?  He didn't like the Unitarians progressive positions on issues like LGBT rights.

But instead of retreating or scaling back their support of LGBT rights (and other progressive causes, like immigrant rights and a national security policy rooted in peace), the Knoxville community banded together to reaffirm their support for marginalized people and groups.  That reaffirmation resonated all the way up to the national office of the Unitarian Universalist Association, which culminated in the launch of the "Standing on the Side of Love" campaign.

The subtitle of the campaign is "harnessing love's power to stop oppression."  Now there's something I think we all can agree on: the power of love to transform hearts and minds, and affect social change.

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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