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Peter Morales: Hello, I'm Peter
Morales, president of the UUA.

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July 26 is an important day.

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It's the 25th anniversary of
the signing of the Americans

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with Disabilities Act, an
act that opened up access

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to millions of our citizens.

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And the UUA has joined
with other faith groups

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across the country in signing a
proclamation that recommits us

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all to full implementation
of that act.

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This is really an issue to
me about human relationships.

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It's about being welcoming.

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It's about hospitality.

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It's about the full
inclusion and, really,

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the human dignity of everyone.

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I'm very proud of our new
headquarters at 24 Farnsworth.

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And in the planning of it, we
worked with our equal access

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group and looked at all kinds
of issues around mobility,

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around hearing, around sight,
and we have a headquarters now

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that expresses our
desire to be welcoming.

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It's fully accessible.

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In order to help our
congregations observe

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this 25th anniversary,
we're publishing

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on the web some worship
materials but you could use.

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And also, our Beacon
Press is publishing

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a book entitled "Enabling
Acts" that looks at this act

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and how important it is.

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This is really a good
time for all of us

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to reflect and to recommit
to issues of accessibility--

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to reassess where we are,
not only in our congregations

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and in our worship, but
also in all of our programs.

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Being accessible is a moral act.

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It's about sensitivity
to those around us.

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Ultimately, it's about
living out our commitment

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to human worth and dignity.

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Thank you very much.

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