Unitarians clergy join statewide fight against “unjust, inhumane, and terrible” ‘three strikes’ legislation, and call for immediate meetings with state legislators
The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations hosted a press conference on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:30 a.m. at their national headquarters: 25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108. Concerned with the compromising of judicial discretion, prison overcrowding, and irresponsible public spending, President of the National UUA Reverend Peter Morales will call upon the citizens of Massachusetts and fellow communities of faith to, “raise our voices in opposition to the Habitual Offender law.” Reverend Morales will be joined by Reverend John Gibbons of Bedford, Massachusetts and Reverend Catherine Senghas of the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry in publicly denouncing the bill’s severe provisions and hasty execution. After reading their official statement on behalf of 140 statewide UU congregations, the clergy will hand deliver copies to Governor Patrick’s office, the speaker of the House, and the President of the Senate. The clergy will also request to meet with all three parties, in addition to the conference committee members currently working on the legislation.
Official statement on behalf of 140 statewide UU congregations
According to the Mass. Sentencing Commission, a governmental body that oversees sentencing policies, the bill will cost taxpayers an estimated additional $75 million to $125 million a year. In agreement with recent statements made by a statewide black clergy opposing the bill, the UUA holds that the proposed habitual offender laws will radically increase costs for the Department of Correction and county correctional facilities, exacerbate existing overcrowding at state prisons, and apply inconsistent punishments.
While deeply moved by the death of John “Jack” McGuire at the hands of Dominic Cinelli, the UUA holds that the legislation is inadequate and will “ultimately take resources away from programs that actually keep people out of the prison system and make our communities safer.” Reverend Peter Morales will call for a suspension of the conference committee due to the disjuncture between the legislation’s “reasonable intentions” and the dangerous economic and public safety consequences of its written language.
Just a week ago, members of the statewide black clergy against the legislation met with the Governor to urge him to veto the legislation and suspend the conference committee. The UUA is the first of many supporting congregations to release a public statement, which has prompted other congregations to weigh in on the matter. In last week’s press release on the black clergy’s meeting with Governor Patrick, Reverend Eugene F. Rivers 3d made clear his support for the public safety objectives expressed by proponents of the bill and once again rejected all arguments labeling the bill a ‘black and white issue.’ Reverend Rivers calls upon other statewide denominations including Massachusetts Council of Churches and the Jewish Community Relations Council to “engage their congregations and clearly voice their positions on the legislation.” Rev. Rivers also calls upon Paul Grogan and Robert Lewis of The Boston Foundation to facilitate a bi-partisan policy discussion engaging elected officials, civic leaders, and members of the larger community.
As of now, the current version of this bill would apply to almost 60 different felonies, including some that don’t typically involve violence, such as drug offenses. Noting that “many states are reducing or eliminating mandatory sentences because they remove the judges’ discretion to ‘make the punishment fit the crime,’” UUA leaders ask, “do we really want to go in the opposite direction?
