Russell Williams
Well-Known Member
I spent the weekend at the 100th anniversary of the Methodist Federation for Social Action. The Methodist Federation for Social Action has a history of major controversy. It has argued for an end to the seven-day workweek, it has argued for the end to child labor, and it has argued for the end of the sweatshop. From 1940 to 1944 Mary Mcleod Bethune was on the organizations executive committee. In the 1950s The Methodist Federation for Social Action was thrown out of the Methodist Church for being communistic and it was pointed out that the Communists supported integration and so did the Methodist Federation for Social Action therefore the Methodist Federation for Social Action must be communist. Later it was readmitted.
Now there are those who wish to throw the Methodist Federation for Social Action out of the Methodist Church because it advocates for gays, lesbians, and transgendered people to have the same rights within the church as heterosexual men do. There are many within the church to argue that it is morally wrong to allow gays, lesbians, and transgendered people to have the same church rights and opportunities as heterosexual white men.
At one point people were called to come up to the front and write on a table or some ribbons their call for justice. People were told to write on the top of the table. I took a wide tipped felt marker and, on the tabletop support beam that faced the audience I wrote, All-Americans, including fat Americans, have the right to full participation in America Actually I wanted to write full participation in American society, but I ran out of room. Since the table was on the stage my words were about 5 feet off of the floor and anyone coming up the main aisle of the convention was able to read them.
Later we were encouraged to stand and announce our wishes for more justice in our society. I stood, and in a powerful voice that could be heard by all 300 ministers and lay people in the room, stated, equality of opportunity for and an end to discrimination against fat people.
Afterwords a few people commented favorably upon my actions.
Yours truly,
Russell Williams
Now there are those who wish to throw the Methodist Federation for Social Action out of the Methodist Church because it advocates for gays, lesbians, and transgendered people to have the same rights within the church as heterosexual men do. There are many within the church to argue that it is morally wrong to allow gays, lesbians, and transgendered people to have the same church rights and opportunities as heterosexual white men.
At one point people were called to come up to the front and write on a table or some ribbons their call for justice. People were told to write on the top of the table. I took a wide tipped felt marker and, on the tabletop support beam that faced the audience I wrote, All-Americans, including fat Americans, have the right to full participation in America Actually I wanted to write full participation in American society, but I ran out of room. Since the table was on the stage my words were about 5 feet off of the floor and anyone coming up the main aisle of the convention was able to read them.
Later we were encouraged to stand and announce our wishes for more justice in our society. I stood, and in a powerful voice that could be heard by all 300 ministers and lay people in the room, stated, equality of opportunity for and an end to discrimination against fat people.
Afterwords a few people commented favorably upon my actions.
Yours truly,
Russell Williams
