The informing theme of our social action work has been to better understand and to address economic inequality in the North Country. That this is a national concern is evident in the current political campaigns; the Unitarian Universalist Association selected “Escalating Inequality” as the focus for Congregational Study and Action Issues between 2014 and 2018. Public Broadcasting (PBS) is recognizing this concern by having a 100-minute program on declining social mobility and increasing poverty, titled “Dream On.” We hope that many in the congregation will make time to watch this program. The Social Action Committee has purchased it for our library, and we plan to host further discussions that build on this film.
The program gives a human face to the reality of the economic and racial inequalities in America, provides some analysis of root causes, and suggests directions for the future. It will fall to us to amplify and deepen the analysis as it applies to our local realities and consider some steps we might take to address the ongoing economic disparity and racial inequality in the North Country. The Social Action Committee will be using segments of the film as a trigger for future discussions about inequality. More information and a trailer can be found at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/dream-
One of the concerns of “Dream On” is the tremendous inequity of our prison system, which incarcerates black men at a rate nearly six times that of white men. The Social Action Committee also recommends a new documentary, available beginning Friday, October 7, on Netflix, titled “13th,” by Ava DuVernay (director of “Selma”). More information here.