Category: Social Justice

Hello, 2025

Wow, I really left my five readers hanging after that last post!! Here’s my sermon describing my trip:

Okay, now we’re caught up. Okay, not really. But if you want to see any of the services I’ve led in recent times, you can always find them at this link.

Horrifically, the United States elected a fascist in November, and here in January it’s already getting scary. I will not mince words, not in the face of fascism. I hope I will be here more often, calling it what it is. And sometimes making posts that are about completely unrelated things, just to keep sane. Because we have to embrace joy as an act of resistance in these times.

Civil Disobedience with Extinction Rebellion

On Thursday, September 21, 2023 (photo above, I’m in sunglasses and clerical collar), I got arrested in Boston with about 20 other climate activists. We were all participating in a non-violent act of civil disobedience impressively coordinated by the organization Extinction Rebellion Boston. We were demanding that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts commit itself to creating no new fossil fuel infrastructure. We were asserting that the time for major, decisive action is now; it is too late for incrementalism. We blocked traffic during the morning rush hour in Boston’s financial district, probably between 20 and 30 minutes all told. We know people hate this tactic, but we were optimistic that it would get press coverage, and it did – in the Boston Globe and Herald and AP... It got far more mainstream media attention than the last time that I was arrested in an act of civil disobedience, protesting the new pipeline being built in Boston in the West Roxbury neighborhood (see an old blog post on that here, photo below).

We lost that battle, back in 2016. The West Roxbury gas pipeline was built and is operating now. I can’t believe that was 7 years ago. I have been remiss, and I can’t afford to wait another 7 years to use my prophetic role as a clergy person to draw attention to the climate crisis. I have to step up my game. We all do. We all have a role in the struggle against climate catastrophe, and we each have to find our niche. I preached about this at First Church Unitarian in Littleton on September 24; watch the service here.

MLK Sunday

Today was Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday at church. I always love this Sunday. Every year, I am amazed again at King’s words and ideals and prescience. If you wish, you can watch the service (click on the arrow in the picture below). If you watch on YouTube, click “show more” to see the Order of Service.

I tried to put King’s ideas into our 2021 context. One thing is for sure… King always challenges us. And he always inspires me.

Thoughts on the Insurrection

This Sunday, my homily title was “Imagine a More Perfect Union”. I began to gather my thoughts about what happened at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. If you want to listen to my homily, it is here on YouTube (it starts at 24:27):

Click on the arrow above to watch the video of the entire service, or go to 24:27 for the homily.

We are not out of the woods yet. One of my colleagues noted that the most dangerous time in an abusive relationship is when you try to leave it. That’s how this feels to me. We are trying to leave an abusive relationship with our would-be-dictator, and therefore our very safety is threatened. I am quite concerned about events which more reactionary insurrectionists are apparently planning for next week and the Inauguration. Some fear another attempted coup, and it’s (tragically) hard to rule that out.

We are indeed responsible for what happens next. I pray that democracy prevails.

“reminiscent of cross burnings”

I have been sickened by what protesters “attending a Pro-Trump rally” in D.C. did over the weekend. There was violence, and there were blatantly racist actions like burning Black Lives Matter signs at historically black churches.

The Rev. Dr. Ianther M. Mills (senior pastor of one of the churches in question) said, “For me it was reminiscent of cross burnings.” You can read more on this CNN webpage.

Obviously racism is nothing new in this country. But it is beyond troubling that blatant racists with a penchant for intimidation and sometimes violence have been winked at by the President of the USA for the past four years.

I hope and pray that we can get to a better place in this country before it is too late. May 2021 be the beginning of a new era.

Pro Roe Rally

Sunday evening, June 9, I had the privilege of being one of the speakers (pictured below, courtesy Indivisible Westford) at the Pro Roe Rally at the Westford TownPro Roe Speakers Common. My remarks stressed that the majority of people of faith in this country are pro-choice, and being pro-choice is a faith-filled stance. We must do all we can to protect Roe v. Wade! There was a great turnout at the rally, including many FCU parishioners.

I said in my remarks, “I am here tonight on behalf of all people of faith in the United States who are pro-choice. Tonight, I am the symbolic reminder that there are people of faith who strongly support reproductive choice. The religious right in this country has put forward the notion that being godly or religious or having faith means that you are what they call ‘pro-life’, or what I would call ‘anti-choice’. But it’s simply not true. In fact, most Americans who are part of the faith community are pro-choice. Did you know that? It’s true! Who here tonight is a person of faith, in any religious or faith tradition, and is also pro-choice, in favor of upholding the Roe decision? See that? You are not alone! And there’s a reason for that. In short, the reason is that reproductive choice is a moral stance. It’s a faith-filled stance.”

“We people of faith who support the Roe decision (which is to say the majority of people of faith in the USA) know that people deserve to make decisions about their own bodies. We know that women and transgender persons who get pregnant should have agency over their own bodies and lives. We know that those persons who find themselves pregnant often have very compelling reasons to end those pregnancies. But really, it’s not for me to stand here and tell you what are the good reasons or the justifiable reasons to end a pregnancy. That’s the point. If it’s not my pregnancy, it’s not my choice, nor should it be. I have my moral and religious convictions, and so do each of you!”

HDS students and Cornel West

FlyerRadicalFutureLast night I had the pleasure of participating in an event put on by the Harvard Divinity School Socialists called “Living a Radical Future: The Spiritual Opportunities of Socialism.” I was (unbelievably) on the bill with Dr. Cornel West! (Flyer to the left.) It’s sort of a fluke that I got to do this; the Harvard Divinity School students saw that I was in the “editorial group” of Religion and Socialism (of DSA), and that I was local, and an HDS grad. So, lucky me!

The event was in Andover Chapel, which I hadn’t stepped foot in since 1997, 21 years ago! I was surprised to find the pews are gone, with lovely chairs creating a much more versatile space.

It was great to meet the current HDS students, too. They gave me so much hope. They were predominantly from the Millennial generation, and they seem so advanced in their understanding of democratic socialism.

When I was a student at HDS in the mid-90s, it was through taking a class with Dr. West (called “Religion and Cultural Criticism”) that I ultimately learned about the concept of democratic socialism (as opposed to the “scary” versions of socialism that I’d been taught about growing up). And it was through Dr. West that I heard about DSA (the Democratic Socialists of America), since Dr. West has been an honorary Co-Chair of DSA for quite some time.

I attended quite a few meetings of a start-up version of Harvard YDSA (Young DSA), but there were only a handful of us (four – seven, tops) at each meeting, though it was university-wide. This was around 1995-97. At last night’s gathering of HDS Socialists (just Divinity School Students, not university-wide), there were probably 85 people there! It was wonderful.

Cornel West Lara Hoke HDS Nov 2018I had the honor, after giving brief remarks, of introducing my hero, Dr. Cornel West. I felt unworthy of this, but I did it anyway!

Dr. West is so brilliant. I had the privilege of learning from him, once again.

In addition to being as intelligent as anyone I’ve ever met, he is also as warm and sweet as anyone I’ve ever met. What a great human being.

Yes on 3!

yeson3 fcu littleton
First Church Unitarian, Littleton, says “Vote YES on 3!”

The FCU Standing Committee voted unanimously to endorse “Yes on 3”, and the Deacons and I unanimously agree. We are part of a larger faith coalition in support of this measure. “Yes on 3” is a campaign of Freedom Massachusetts to support ballot initiative 3 this November. Voting YES on Question 3 means voting “to uphold dignity and respect for our transgender neighbors”. As an LGBTQ Welcoming Congregation, it is in line with our values to take this public stance. There are now “Yes on 3” yard signs at FCU. Learn more at http://freedommassachusetts.org!

 

Another welcome article, and…

Recently, the Littleton Independent welcomed me to town, which I very much appreciated. You can read that article here.

So much has been happening in the world. I have been all-consumed (in a good way!) with getting up to speed here at my new, wonderful congregation. But this week, the outside world really came screaming in with the Kavanaugh hearings. That is very much on my mind today.

believeThe UUA President, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, is in D.C. today with other clergy to try to #StopKavanaugh. She will deliver a petition that UUs were invited to sign onto here.

My heart goes out today to all those people who have been triggered by this recent discussion. There are many of us. May our nation find the wisdom and strength to overcome rape culture and our larger culture of violence.