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| Annual Report | November 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Unitarian Universalists for Drug Policy Reform
(UUDPR) was remarkably successful in fiscal year
2001-2002:
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 UUDPR's exhibit booth attracts many
UUs at the 2002 General Assembly. |
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"UUDPR's energetic work was crucial in the passage of the UUA's newest Statement of Conscience.
I encourage you to give them your support." - Rev. William Sinkford, UUA president |
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Statement of Conscience UUDPR's first major project was to facilitate the congregations' efforts to study the drug issue and develop a comprehensive Statement of Conscience. The final draft was passed by the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in June 2002. This remarkable document pushes the envelope further than any other religious denomination. Excerpts include:
The complete text is available at: http://www.uudpr.org/soc.htm UUDPR immediately alerted the national news media about this groundbreaking accomplishment, generating coverage in The Washington Post, as well as in Associated Press, Religion News Service, and other articles which ran in numerous publications throughout North America. (See the more complete list of news coverage inside.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Organizational Development The number of UUDPR's active participants doubled from 500 UUs in June 2001 to more than 1,000 by June 2002. Throughout the continent, they organized study circles and seminars, distributed literature, delivered sermons, submitted feedback to the UUA, and otherwise helped to ensure that the Statement of Conscience was as strong as possible. More than 200 UUs made financial contributions to UUDPR by June 2002. Along with a $17,000 grant from the UU Funding Program and donations from other philanthropists, UUDPR raised nearly $80,000 in fiscal year 2001-2002. (See "Financial Statement" on the back page.) That's a 14-fold increase over the income for FY 2000-2001. As a result, UUDPR was able to hire co-founder Charles Thomas to serve as the full-time executive director in February 2002. In addition, a full-time director of communications was hired in May. With a fully equipped office, UUDPR is forging ahead to play a significant role in the drug policy reform movement. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UUDPR's Charles Thomas (front) and Regina Deavers (sitting) play
leading roles in a medical marijuana protest at the Justice Department.
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Activities and Accomplishments Throughout the fiscal year, UUDPR helped Unitarian Universalists (UUs) study and take action on the drug issue by mailing information to the congregations and helping them find speakers, maintaining a Web page, e-mailing electronic action alerts, and placing ads in the UU World. UUDPR's staff also spent several hours a day directly communicating with UUDPR active participants via e-mail, phone calls and faxes. In addition to these ongoing activities, UUDPR's major projects and accomplishments in FY 2001-2002 include the following: General Assembly 2002 The UUA's annual General Assembly this June marked the culmination of the two-year drug policy study process. More than 1,700 voting delegates gathered in Quebec City to represent their congregations on a variety of matters, including the new drug policy Statement of Conscience. A two-thirds vote was required to pass the final version, which had been drafted and revised by the UUA's Commission on Social Witness in accordance with the feedback submitted by the congregations throughout the previous year. A small but determined group of UUs opposed key parts of the document which call for the legalization of marijuana and the decriminalization and medicalization of other drugs. At the General Assembly, they attempted to have those recommendations deleted and/or to prevent the entire Statement from passing. Anticipating that there would be some opposition, UUDPR was fully prepared to ensure that the Statement of Conscience passed without any major amendments. UUDPR's activities included:
Media Coverage UUDPR did extensive media outreach regarding the Statement of Conscience, resulting in a great deal of favorable news coverage. Examples include:
Our work has also drawn the attention of journalist Dan Forbes, who wrote a lengthy article about UUDPR and the new UUA Statement of Conscience, including many encouraging quotes by various religious and drug policy reform movement leaders at: http://www.drugwar.com/forbesuu.shtm In addition, UUDPR participants have had numerous letters-to-the-editor published, and UUDPR spokespersons have appeared on radio programs in D.C., Georgia, North Dakota, Ohio, and Texas. |
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| "The Boston-based denomination said that Śthe consequences of the current drug war are cruel and counterproductive' and called for Śalternatives that regard the reduction of harm as the appropriate standard by which to assess drug policies.' " - The Washington Post, 6/29/02 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UUDPR Executive Director Charles Thomas (standing, right) joins
Catholic, Methodist, and Baptist leaders in a speaking presentation at the
Families Against Mandatory Minimums conference.
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Interfaith Networking In February, UUDPR added another project to our workload, in addition to organizing UUs for the June 2002 General Assembly. The Washington, D.C.-based National Coalition for Effective Drug Policies was circulating a petition to President Bush, calling for a variety of changes. UUDPR volunteered to solicit the signatures of several major religious denominations and groups.
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Although the petition stopped short of advocating legalization or decriminalization, it included many substantial drug policy reform recommendations. Examples include: less focus on law enforcement and prisons; better access to treatment; more effective drug education; demilitarization of international drug control efforts; and reducing or eliminating racial profiling, racially discriminatory sentencing, and mandatory minimum prison sentences. The UUA's new Statement of Conscience also advocates these interim goals. In fiscal year 2002-2003, UUDPR will continue to network with influential religious groups to build support for more just and compassionate drug policies. |
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Public Speaking In fiscal year 2001-2002, UUDPR's staff, Board, and other active participants spoke at dozens of congregations, UUA district meetings, seminaries, and various community forums. In addition, UUDPR Executive Director Charles Thomas spoke at several major drug policy reform conferences and events. Examples include:
In fiscal year 2002-2003, Charles Thomas is scheduled to speak at conferences of the Marijuana Policy Project, Harm Reduction Coalition, and Religious Leaders for a More Just and Compassionate Drug Policy. |
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Infrastructure UUDPR did two major outreach mailings in FY 2001-2002:
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| "[The UUA Statement of Conscience] may scare the socks off many people. [But] it may push the issue to the left so the middle can slide over and return policy to prior to 1910 - before drugs were criminalized." - Prof. Walter Wink, a Quaker and professor at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York, in DrugWar.com article | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UUDPR volunteers gather at a local congregation in Washington D.C.,
to stuff envelopes for a large outreach mailing.
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UUDPR's information table is ready to assist UUs after a Sunday service.
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UUDPR also has nearly 1,000 UUs on our electronic action
alert listserve. We set up tables at dozens of congregations,
collecting names and distributing literature.
UUDPR was recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) taxexempt organization in April 2002. This enabled us to seek large grants from a variety of foundations and philanthropists. (See financial report.) As a result, we were able to hire two full-time employees, pay for extra work from temps as needed, and purchase all necessary office equipment: computers, printers, a photocopier, and a fax machine. |
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Plans for Fiscal Year 2002-2003 Following the passage of the Statement of Conscience, UUDPR has embarked upon four major goals for the new fiscal year:
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"Charles Thomas, the head of Unitarian Universalists for
Drug Policy Reform, said the statement reinforces
the denomination's basic theological tenets, which stress
compassion and justice. He said drug abuse would be better
seen as a medical problem, rather than a crime, and
addicts would respond to 'the transforming power of love,'
much better than incarceration." - Associated Press, 6/27/02
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But we can't do it without sufficient financial support.
UUDPR must raise $134,000 this fiscal year in order to continue making progress on our projects. UUs who sign up to be on our free electronic action alert list will be kept abreast of our work (2-4 messages per month). A tremendous fundraising opportunity has been presented to us: The UU Funding Program has agreed to match every dollar that we raise this year (up to $19,000). To date, more than 800 UUDPR active participants have still not contributed. If each donates an average of $24, that will give us more than $19,000 . . . enabling us to receive the full UU Funding Program grant . . . giving us a total of $38,000 toward our FY 2002-2003 budget. We expect to raise the remainder from other UUs, foundations and philanthropists. We are most grateful for everyone's support! |
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