In the Community:
Voting Our Values
by Rev. Dr. Melinda V. McLain
While many of our Good Table Mates are not religious or even spiritual, some of you have told me even though I am an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, that "I'm not like them", a comment that always makes me chuckle a little because of its understatement. Nope, I'm not. The incredibly loud voices of evangelical Christians are often the only ones quoted by the media, although they are NOT the majority of people who attend church on any given Sunday and they don't speak for me in any way. And frankly, someone like me - an out lesbian minister - does not even exist in their world because most of those churches bar women from ordination and leadership positions and they certainly have no respect for my marriage to a woman. Plus, none of their congregations are open and affirming of LGBTQ+ folkx , nor would those congregations have eagerly signed up to be the fiscal sponsor for our beautiful and first ever El Sobrante Pride celebration that occurred on Sept. 22nd.
Another important difference occurs in the area of civic engagement. When I first had my first background check (it is required because we want to do our best to protect the vulnerable people we often serve) I was a bit embarrassed to admit that I have never been arrested for civil disobedience. It wasn't from a lack of trying. I've attended a number of protests that included civil disobedience over the years, especially when I was an HIV/AIDS chaplain, but I always seem to get chosen by the group to hold the bail money instead of getting zip-tied!
This sort of civic activism by clergy might seem to be a violation of the separation of church and state, an important tenet of our Constitution that I support whole-heartedly! But as a representative of a religious institution I am called to speak on issues of importance to the community I serve and to bring my values and beliefs into the marketplace of ideas. At the same time, as nonprofit organizations, we are prohibited from engaging in electoral politics such as endorsing a particular candidate.
Less than five weeks out from Election Day, it seems our political systems have become increasingly unresponsive to the will of the people. As lawmakers fail to address the biggest questions of our time, those same questions split our communities apart. In some cases these divisions are driven by radical religious agendas that may make both non-religious and folks like me cringe. And it can make us feel as though our vote, and our voice, does not matter. But even in this political climate, our voices and votes impact our world and whether you are a person of faith or not, I encourage everyone to make a plan to vote today.
There will be ballot initiatives in various states alongside the Presidential, House, and Senate candidates. This includes state measures to ban slavery, protect voting rights, raise the minimum wage, support veterans, protect same-sex marriage, fund public education, increase public safety, and protect abortion. By voting on these initiatives, you could significantly impact the laws in your community. Voting is essential to the functioning of a democracy and every eligible voter should have the same access to the ballot regardless of where they live. We still must advocate for full restoration of the Voting Rights Act.
Voting in this year’s elections will have international implications. As the world roils with conflicts in many places such as Gaza, Haiti, Lebanon, Israel and Sudan, eyes around the globe are on the United States. The U.S. history of international involvement is impossible to disregard. The international community awaits to see which path the U.S. will take over the next few years. For the sake of our friends in the Congo, the Philippines, and Ukraine, we must not let our democracy fail in the face of cynicism and apathy, and instead use our vote as an act of hope.
This year’s Our Faith, Our Vote campaign, sponsored by the United Church of Christ, asks voters to answer the call of 1 John 3:18 to “let us not love with words or speech, but in action and in truth,” by “voting with love.” Vote with love for creation, for our neighbors both here and abroad, for a just peace, for repair and reconciliation of the brokenness of our nation. And encourage your family, friends, and community to do the same. As people of faith and/or conscience, it is our duty to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves”, for the rights of all who are destitute. Let us use our precious right to vote to protect and provide for those around us.