BECAUSE, the flaming chalice, the living symbol of contemporary Unitarian Universalism, recalls the compassion and strength needed to aid Jewish refugees on the eve of World War II, and has come to represent helpfulness, sacrifice, and enduring faith in action;

BECAUSE, as Unitarian Universalists, we bind ourselves to one another through covenants—sacred promises made in response to the profound gift of life, held as shared care and mutual accountability, long central to religious communities; and born with reverence and holy aspirations through the spiritual discipline of Love;

BECAUSE, in this commitment we walk paths once taken by those who, from the earliest days of this great and troubled republic, pledged themselves to liberty—a liberty not of unbounded freedom but of responsibility freely embraced: the necessary constraint of just law, a moral check against abuse of power, and the civic work to sustain fragile institutions;

BECAUSE, this is no ordinary moment but a time that tries the soul—a time that calls us to reaffirm the values we, as a faith, have declared our own, holding fast to justice, through which we dismantle racism and systemic oppression; inclusive democracy, and the dream—yes the dream—of fully accessible, radically inclusive communities where all may flourish;

WHEREAS, drawing the circle wider requires a covenant of more profound love that reaches toward that “impossible possibility”—to love our neighbors as ourselves, to cherish the frailty and dignity of our shared humanity, and to act not from outrage or self-righteousness, but from hope tempered by courage and deepened by conviction;

WHEREAS, the pillars of justice, equity, democracy, and the rule of law are under siege from authoritarian assaults on the justice system and constitutional protections, to the erosion of due process, freedom of speech and press, and the values of diversity and inclusion; from the unlawful deportation of immigrants to the weaponization of state power to silence dissent;

WHEREAS, autocratic actors are wielding institutions like the Department of Justice, law enforcement, the IRS, and federal contracting not for the common good, but to intimidate and punish their political opponents and ideological challengers;

WHEREAS, the corrosion of democracy is fueled by dark money and autocratic actors seeking secret advantage, the enrichment of officials and special interests at the public’s expense, and the dismantling of independent oversight and capacity for community accountability;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT we, the Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, will contribute to a vital pro-democracy movement by organizing to :

• Build on existing infrastructure, guidance, and support by engaging with UU organizations (such as Side With Love, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, UU State Action Networks, and other local UU congregations), as well as other local, state, and national organizations, religious groups, and allies (such as League of Women Voters, ACLU, Poor People’s Campaign, Common Cause, Protect Democracy, the Brennan Center for Justice, Democracy Forward, Idaho 50501, Idaho Sierra Club, Wassmuth Cdenter, and others);
• Work collaboratively with our justice ministries, Fascism Fighters, Chanting Choir and Tableau Troupe and other groups (all are impacted by authoritarianism);
• Provide needed education and training opportunities to engage the congregation and keep members safe and protected in non-violent protest and non-cooperation actions;
• Organize and communicate pro-democracy congregation actions and events that align with local grassroots efforts to protect and assist those directly harmed by injustice;
• Promote, support, and participate in national and local rallies and non-violent actions that are consistent with our UU values and principles;
• Provide a faith-based presence to local pro-democracy actions and events.