The Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), issued this statement following the most recent racist violence against the Black community.

“This past Tuesday, July 6th, Alton Sterling was murdered by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The following day, Philando Castile was murdered by police near Minneapolis, Minnesota. My heart is broken. I am disgusted. These are only the most recent examples of the ongoing violence by police against people of color, especially African American men. Enough is enough. This police violence must stop. We must demand justice again and again, day after day.

“Why is it that police de-escalate situations and disarm white people every day, yet they use deadly force with African Americans? Why does our society implicitly condone the murder by police of people of color?

“Our Black Lives of UU Organizing Collective has issued a call to action that I echo. ‘As the BLUU Organizing Collective, we know that many Unitarian Universalist congregations may be wondering how they can support in times like this. Consider this statement a call to action for UU churches across the continent to open up your doors to Black community organizers free of charge to offer an explicitly Black space.’ (Read BLUU’s full statement)

The racist violence against the Black community by police needs to end. It will not end unless people of all races, especially white people, demand it. Enough.”