Standing On The Side of Love
Marquette Unitarian Universalist Congregation supports the Standing on the Side of Love campaign.
About Standing on the Side of Love
Standing on the Side of Love is an interfaith public advocacy campaign that seeks to harness love’s power to stop oppression. It is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Association and all are welcome to join.
Why
This is a time of great hope and possibility, yet our communities are threatened by the increased prevalence of acts motivated by fear and hate.
No one should be dehumanized through acts of exclusion, oppression, or violence because of their identities.
In public debates on immigrant justice, LGBTQ equality, and more, religious people stand on the side of love and call for respect, inclusion, and compassion.
How
The Standing on the Side of Love campaign elevates compassionate religious voices to influence public attitudes and public policy.
Through community activism, social networking, and media outreach, people across the nation are equipped to counter fear and make love real in the world.
For more information, read our Frequently Asked Questions.
History
The broad message, “standing on the side of love,” emerged as a rallying point for people of faith in Massachusetts during their early efforts for fully inclusive marriage, and later during the fight against Proposition 8 in California.
The Standing on the Side of Love campaign was inspired by the 2008 shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, which was targeted because they are welcoming to LGBTQ people and have a liberal stance on many issues. The Knoxville community responded with an outpouring of love that inspired the leadership at the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) to launch our campaign in 2009, with the goal of harnessing love’s power to challenging exclusion, oppression, and violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, race, religion, or any other identity.
In 2010, we began the tradition of re-imagining Valentine’s Day as a social justice holiday. Starting in 2012, this event has evolved into the “Thirty Days of Love“–a month-long spiritual journey and commitment to sustained action and service.
To learn more about how Standing on the Side of Love manifests in local communities, watch this video we created about the Love People: