Resolution by the Social Action Coordinating Committee of White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church Condemning Government Attacks on Anti- War Activist

Whereas, on September 24, 2010, the FBI raided the homes and offices of anti-war activists in Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan and at various times near that date served subpoenas to 14 people to testify before a federal grand jury regarding their anti-war and international solidarity efforts; and

Whereas, Sarah Martin, one of the 14 people subpoenaed, is a member of White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church with a distinguished history of activism and leadership within our congregation and community; and

Whereas, four days prior to the September 24 raids, the Office of the Inspector General of the United States revealed that the FBI has systematically and wrongly spied on political activists; and

Whereas, from the fight for free speech in the 1910s to the major civil liberties court decisions of the 1930s, faith-based activists have often been in the forefront of defending the right to speak and protest;

Therefore Be It Resolved: that the Social Action Coordinating Committee of White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church hereby expresses its grave concern that the recent FBI raids are reminiscent of the Palmer Raids of the 1920’s, the McCarthy hearings of the 1950’s, and the FBI’s harassment of the civil rights movement, and our grave concern that these raids might reflect a new and dangerous assault on the First Amendment rights of every anti-war campaigner and,

Be It Finally Resolved: that in light of the Inspector General’s recent report, the White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church Social Action Coordinating Committee calls upon President Obama to order an immediate investigation into the circumstances, motivation and propriety of the judicial and police intimidation of our member and other activists.

Mahtomedi, Minnesota, December 8, 2010