Unitarian Universalists in the Media

A frequently updated guide to stories about Unitarian Universalists from other sources around the web.

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Songwriters hit it big with little women, UUs protest the war, and more

by Sonja L. Cohen

Little women + big cars = huge hit
Life-partners Suzanne Sheridan and Rozanne Gates, members of the Unitarian Church in Westport, Conn., earned a nationwide following when their song, "90-Pound Suburban Housewife Drivin' in her SUV," drew a flood of responses after being played on NPR's "Car Talk" program. The lyrics describe a common sight in the upscale town the couple calls home: "90-pound suburban housewife/ drivin' in her SUV/ talkin' on her cell phone/ oblivious to you and me/ kids in the back seat watchin' the/ little TV." The song is now available for download from iTunes, Apple's online digital music store, and a sample can be heard on the couple's website www.90poundsuv.com. Gates is a former actor's agent who discovered and nurtured such notables as Edward Norton and W.H. Macy, and Sheridan is a lifelong singer who wrote music for The Electric Company on PBS. (Boston Globe - Boston, MA 3.1.06)

UUs mark anniversary of the war in Iraq
Sunday marked the third anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq and not surprisingly UUs popped up all over the media nationwide as they observed the anniversary by sponsoring events of their own or participating in interfaith ones.

Members of the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Asheville, N.C., filled the front lawn of their church with 1,400 flags representing soldiers and civilians killed in Iraq as a way to mark the third anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq. (Asheville Citizen-Times - Asheville, NC 3.17.06)

Though the nation remains divided on the topic, members of the First Parish in Concord, Mass., interviewed during a coffee social hour seemed united in their current antiwar feelings despite some of them having initially supported the war. (Billerica Minuteman - Concord, MA 3.16.06)

A standing-room-only crowd of more than 200 people from varied churches and religious groups packed the local Unitarian Universalist church in Great Barrington, Mass., on Sunday for a peace vigil. (Berkshire Eagle - Great Barrington, MA 3.20.06)

The Rev. Beth Johnson and about 90 members of her congregation, Palomar Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Vista, Calif., attended an interfaith vigil of about 1,000 people who gathered at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral to call for an end to the war. "We need to raise our voices and to use our hands and feet to work for peace, compassion, and justice for all people," Johnson said. (North County Times - San Diego, CA 3.19.06)

And the Union-Tribune, covering the same event, reported that the Rev. Arvid Straube of First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego told the overflow crowd at St. Paul's that, “The war in Iraq is sinful. The war in Iraq is evil.” (Union-Tribune - San Diego, CA 3.20.06)

Bias in the books at Amazon?
Until recently, a search of Amazon.com's book section using the word "abortion" turned up pages with the search suggestion, "Did you mean adoption?" followed by a list of books related to abortion. Though the problem has been fixed, the Rev. Jeff Briere of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Chattanooga, Tenn., and a member of the abortion rights coalition, was one of those who expressed concern about an anti-abortion slant in the books Amazon recommended and in the "pro-life" and "adoption" related topic links. (New York Times - New York, NY 3.20.06)

Also in the media this week:
The Rev. Mark Ward of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Asheville, North Carolina, announced Sunday that he will not sign any more marriage licenses until all committed couples--gay or straight--have the opportunity to have their marriage licenses approved. (Asheville Citizen-Times - Asheville, NC 3.20.06)

A group gathered March 18 on the steps of the Unitarian Universalist Area Church at First Parish in Sherborn, Mass., for an interfaith prayer service to raise awareness about homeless people and to kick off Winter Walk '06, an annual event that raises funds for HomeStart, a Boston-based nonprofit that tries to "end homelessness one person at a time." (Dover-Sherborn Press - Framingham, MA 3.16.06)

posted by Sonja L. Cohen at 5:52 PM

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