Unitarian Universalists for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
Unitarian Universalist Anti-Death Penalty Honor Roll
The following are UU congregations and groups that have passed anti-death penalty resolutions. The unmarked resolutions call for a death penalty moratorium. Abolition resolutions are cited as (abolition).
- Auburn UU Fellowship, Auburn, AL
- UU Church of Birmingham, AL (Peace and Justice Committee)
- Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship, Fairhope, AL
- Humboldt UU Fellowship, Bayside, CA
- Berkeley Fellowship of UUs, Berkeley, CA
- UU Church of the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel, CA (Social Concerns Committee)
- UU Congregation of Marin, CA
- Neighborhood UU Church, Pasadena, CA (Social Justice Outreach Council)
- Throop UU Church, Pasadena, CA
- Porterville UU Fellowship, Porterville, CA
- 'UU Fellowship of Redwood City, CA
- First UU Group of San Diego, CA (Peace and Democracy Action Group)
- UUs of San Mateo, CA (Social Concerns Committee)
- First UU Church of San Francisco, CA (abolition)
- UU Fellowship of Gainesville, FL
- UU Congregation of Atlanta, GA
- Lawrence Unitarian Fellowship, Lawrence, KS (Executive Committee)
- First UU Church of Wichita, KS
- The First Unitarian Church of Louisville, KY (abolition)
- The UU Ocean County Congregation, Toms River, NJ
- UU Congregation of the Palisades, Englewood, NJ (Board of Trustees)
- UU Congregation of Princeton, NJ (Social Action Committee)
- Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, NJ
- Unitarian Church in Summit, NJ
- Lakeland UU Fellowship, Wayne, NJ
- UU Society of Albany, NY (Social Responsibility Council)
- UU Fellowship, Big Flats, NY
- UU Congregation of Binghamton, NY
- UU Church of Amherst, Williamsville, NY
- UU Church of Asheville, NC
- The Community Church of Chapel Hill, NC
- UU Church of Charlotte, NC
- UU Church of Catawba County, Hickory, NC
- UU Congregation of the Outer Banks, Kitty Hawk, NC
- UU Fellowship of Raleigh, NC
- St. John's UU Church of Cincinnati, OH
- The UU Church of Kent, OH
- The UU Church of the Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem, PA
- Unitarian Fellowship of Murfreesboro, TN
- First UU Church, Nashville, TN
- Greater Nashville UU Congregation, Nashville, TN
- First UU Church of Austin, TX
- UU Fellowship of Brazos Valley, College Station, TX
- First UU Church of Houston, TX
- First UU Church of San Antonio, TX
- Henry David Thoreau UU Congregation, Stafford, TX
- The UU Church of Arlington, VA (moratorium and abolition)
- The First UU Church, Richmond, VA
- UU Fellowship of Waynesboro, VA
- 2nd Unitarian Church, Chicago, IL – (abolition by the Social Justice Counsel)
- 3rd Unitarian Church of Chicago, IL (abolition)
- Unity Temple UU Congregation, Oak Park, IL – (abolition)
- UU Church of Spokane, WA
Other Unitarian Universalist Organizations
- UU Ministers Association, Pacific South West District Chapter
- UU Congregations of New Jersey
- UUs for a Just Economic Community, Pittsburgh, PA
- UU Summer 2000, Adult Forum, Eau Claire, WI
- UUs for Juvenile Justice
Death Pentaly Moratorium Petition
Below is the resolution passed by the Richmond church.
(download pdf of this Moratorium)
A Congregational Resolution for a Moratorium on Executions
We, the members of the First Unitarian Church of Richmond, Virginia adhere to the Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism:
The inherent worth and dignity of every person
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregation
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregation and in society at large
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part; and
Whereas there is ample evidence that the death penalty is applied in a racist manner:
In 1990, the United States General Accounting Office reported “a pattern of evidence indicating racial disparities in charging, sentencing and imposition of the death penalty.” Nationwide, 82% of those put to death had been convicted of murdering a white person even though people of color are the victims in more than half of all homicides, and
Whereas death sentences are generally reserved for the poor:
About 90% of those persons facing capital charges cannot afford their own attorney. No state, including Virginia, has met standards developed by the American Bar Association (ABA) for appointment, performance and compensation of counsel for indigent prisoners, and
Whereas prisoner appeals have been severely curtailed, increasing the risk of imprisonment and execution of innocent people:
In a series of rulings since 1991, the Supreme Court has drastically restricted the rights of death row prisoners to appeal their convictions and death sentences in federal courts, even in cases where prisoners present compelling evidence of innocence. In 1996, new legislation drastically limited federal court review of death prisoners, and
Whereas the American Bar Association has concluded that administration of the death penalty is “a haphazard maze of unfair practices with no internal consistency” and has called for a moratorium on executions.
Therefore, be it resolved that the First Unitarian Church of Richmond, Virginia calls on the Governor and our representatives to the Virginia General Assembly, the President of the United States and our members in the United States Congress, to adopt executive policies and orders and enact legislation imposing a moratorium on executions at least until policies and procedures are fully implemented which
Eliminate discrimination in capital sentencing;
Ensure that death penalty cases are administered fairly and impartially;
Entirely eliminate the risk that innocent persons may be executed;
Prevent the execution of mentally retarded persons:
Prevent the execution of persons who were under the age of 18 at the time of their offenses.
Be it further resolved that copies of this resolution shall be forwarded to the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, State Senators and Delegates in the Virginia General Assembly representing districts serving our Church members, the President of the United States, the two United States Senators from Virginia, and those Members of the United States House of Representatives representing districts serving our Church members.
Signature and title____________________________________________________ Date___________________