Detroit Water Crisis

Today the MUUSJN Board of Directors agreed with the United Nations, with the UUA and the UUSC, and with other advocates that access to water should be considered to be a human right! The Board also agreed that our Network should continue to work with the UU Service Committee (UUSC) to advocate on behalf of low-income families in Detroit who have been and are continuing to be shut off from water at an unprecedented rate. This week three local clergy were arrested attempting to block a water shut-off. Detroit's water crisis has become a national concern. Read the New York Times article with more background on this issue.

Attached is a letter, signed by UUA President Rev. Peter Morales and UUSC President Rev. Bill Schultz that was sent to all UU clergy in Southeast Michigan for their sign-on's.
HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO: (It's a request from UU Service Committee staff Patricia Jones)

• Check with your local congregation and ask that they consider signing on as an organizational sign on to the petition.
• Please consider sending an action alert email to your local congregational lists to ask individuals to sign the petition and to retweet the news stream from UUSC.

Timing: We need to get the first round of organizational sign ons, and individuals sign ons, ready for delivery to the local officials in Detroit by July 18th. We want to reach a target of 5,000 signatures for the petition by next week. We can do it! We are almost there!
 
These are invitations – not demands – for your action. However, since the UUSC is advocating on behalf of people in a Michigan city who are losing their access to water, it would be great if Michigan UUs can also express our moral voices on this issue. At the request of UUSC,  I'm also sending this opportunity for organizational sign-on's to 19 other UU State Advocacy Networks like MUUSJN.