TO HONOR THE LUMMI NATION'S
SACRED LANDS AND WATERS OF CHERRY POINT
WHEREAS -
The Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship affirms and promotes the inherent
worth and dignity of all people, the goal of world community with
equity, peace, liberty and justice for all, and the interdependent web of
all existence of which we are a part; and
WHEREAS – We
recognize the Lummi Nation as the descendants of one of
several original First Nation communities inhabiting, for many, many
generations, the land and waters of this area, now known as the
Salish Sea; and
WHEREAS - That
the First Nations’ cultural tenets include the preserving,
protecting and promoting their way of life and how that means
protecting the land, waters, plant life, air and animals who share it
and upon which they depend; and
WHEREAS – The
First Nations’ right to reserve the use and protection of those
lands, fresh water, the ocean nearby, and the natural products and
resources which may be derived from those places is a right that is guaranteed
by conscience, treaty and law; and
WHEREAS – We
recognize how vulnerable these gifts of natural resources are and how
easily they can become exploited, severely harmed and depleted by forces
who do not share First Nations’ worldview; and
WHEREAS –
That urban and industrial occupation and use of those historical
lands and waters, will destroy the natural remains of those tribal
histories, and cause unrecoverable losses; and
WHEREAS – We
further recognize the Lummi Nation know the lands and waters of Xwe’chi’eXen
(known to us as Cherry Point) to be sacred lands and waters associated with
their Creation Story, known to them as “the home of the ancient ones,” are
the ancestral burial grounds for their People and they have a promise and duty
to protect and preserve these sacred spaces; and
WHEREAS – The
Lummi Nation have a history of opposing development of
their cultural, historic and spiritual lands and waters, known to
them as Xwe’chi’eXen, Cherry Point.
NOW
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT - The Bellingham Unitarian
Fellowship, a caring and spiritual organization, pledges its support to
the Lummi Nation in protecting their sacred lands and waters based on
our Unitarian Universalist Principles; and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT - We propose and support
the rejection of all industrial, commercial and residential uses of
the remaining natural lands and waters on and adjacent to Cherry
Point; and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT – We will encourage members to
request that the current legislative bodies with jurisdiction over all
industrial, commercial and residential uses of the remaining natural lands
on or adjacent to Cherry Point, rule that such uses are not and shall not
be permitted; and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT - We will encourage members
to request that the current legislative bodies with jurisdiction over all
industrial, commercial and residential uses of the remaining and
connecting waters near Cherry Point, including the rivers and creeks, the
nearshore and the offshore waters, rule that such uses are not and
shall not be permitted, except for the use of potable water for consumption
by the people, on and near such waters, so long as such use does not
harm or threaten the existing natural community’s reliance on the same resources;
and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT - We will actively encourage
our membership to engage in activities and events, supported by the Lummi
Nation, that could prevent or assist in deterring significant damage to
these sacred lands and waters on and adjacent to Cherry Point; and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT - We will actively
encourage our membership to engage in activities and events, supported by
the Lummi Nation, that will work to educate the surrounding community
as to the importance of preserving and restoring the lands and
waters on and adjacent to Cherry Point.
APPROVED,
by the Social
Justice Committee of Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship
on the date: 5th
of May, of the year 2013.
APPROVED,
by the Annual
General Meeting of the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship,
on the
date: 19 May, of the year 2013
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