Brunswick church suggests a shift from ‘Just Us’ to justice | Column
Brunswick minister urges residents to widen their worldview
Brunswick, Maine – In a thought‑provoking essay published in the Times Record, Rev. Dr. Kharma R. Amos, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick, called on locals to shift from a “just‑us” mentality toward a broader sense of justice that includes all people. The piece, titled “First Look, Second Look,” was posted in late March and quickly sparked conversation among community members and readers of the paper.
A story that frames a new perspective
Amos began her essay by recalling a story told by writer and Episcopal priest Barbara Brown Taylor. Taylor described a world map she saw in a newspaper, dotted with symbols of war, earthquake, and famine. In the map, she noted that her own country—marked in a patch of blank space—appeared safe and uneventful. “I looked once and thought, ‘Thank God I’m an American.’ I looked twice and thought, ‘God, help me, I’m an earthling,’” Taylor had written. Amos used this anecdote to illustrate the difference between a narrow, self‑protective view (“first look”) and a more inclusive, global outlook (“second look”).
From “Just Us” to “Justice”
The essay distinguishes between “Just Us,” a phrase that encapsulates a mindset focused on personal and local interests, and “justice,” which seeks outcomes that benefit everyone. Amos warns that the former can sound almost like the latter, but the meanings diverge sharply. “Just Us” asks how to keep one’s own circle safe; “justice” asks how to make every circle thrive.
According to Amos, the shift from self‑centered thinking to a collective sense of responsibility is not instantaneous. “It happens the way most spiritual disciplines do: imperfectly, repeatedly, on purpose,” she wrote. The essay offers practical ways to practice the “second look,” such as consciously replacing “they” with “we” in everyday conversations and asking, before voting or policy drafting, whether an action will protect everyone or just a select few.
Community response
The piece was met with a mix of agreement and critique. Several Brunswick residents commented that Amos’s call resonated with their own experiences of community outreach, while others questioned whether such abstract concepts could translate into concrete policy changes. A local teacher who follows Amos’s sermons noted, “It’s a reminder that the work we do in our classrooms can ripple out to the wider world if we keep that broader perspective.”
Sponsorship and context
The Times Record is a longstanding community newspaper that, as part of its sustaining sponsorship, highlights Bowdoin College’s involvement in local media. A photograph of Bowdoin’s campus appears alongside Amos’s essay, underscoring the partnership between the university and the regional press.
Looking ahead
Rev. Dr. Kharma R. Amos has said she will continue to explore how individual faith traditions can contribute to broader social justice initiatives. “Only from that frame of reference can we truly seek justice,” she concluded, inviting readers to move beyond a narrow sense of self and embrace a shared human identity.
