Category: Uncategorized

The Las Vegas Massacre of Oct. 1, 2017

by Rev. Rob Gregson

Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Responds to

the Oct. 1, 2017 Las Vegas Massacre

On 10/1/17, 58 people were killed and around 500 injured in the largest mass shooting in modern American history.  This number was made possible with the aid of a bump stock device which effectively converts a semiautomatic weapon into an automatic one, similar to a machine gun.  A former Iraq Vet concert goer later told NPR it was like the warfare he’d experienced in Iraq.

There have been multiple mass shootings since 26 children and educators were fatally shot at Sandy Hook Elementary in December 0f 2012.  To date, Congress has failed to demonstrate the moral courage to enact a single piece of meaningful legislation to decrease gun violence in the US. The gun lobby spends tens of millions to support candidates who comply with their dictates. Sadly, Congress members have placed their own re-election above the public safety of their constituents.  As American citizens, we have the power of our voices and votes to compel our elected representatives to act on our behalf.  As Unitarians, we have a moral imperative to live our principles.  As such, we need to support the inherent worth of every person and work towards a world that is safe, just and peaceful.

In 1991, NJ passed an Assault Weapons Ban into law.  In 1994, Congress took NJ’s example and passed a National Ban on Assault Weapons.  In 2004, Congress, under George W. Bush, allowed this law, which had a sunset clause, to expire. Assault weapons are designed for use in battle and have no place on our streets. It is time to reinstate the National Assault Weapons Ban.

Secondly, we need universal background checks.  Ninety percent of Americans support this. Universal background checks would help us keep guns out of the hands of individuals who are dangerous to themselves or others. This includes those convicted of domestic abuse, felons and the seriously mentally unstable.  It would stem the rate of gun fatalities by suicide, which represents more than 60% of the annual gun deaths.

With crisis comes opportunity.  Make your voice heard by contacting your federal representatives in the House and Senate. Urge your representatives to reinstate the National Assault Weapons Ban and Universal Background Checks today.

Those interested in learning more can contact Jeannine Coyne, the UULM Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chair at jeanninemcoyne@outlook.com.

Jeannine M Coyne

Chair, UULM of NJ  Gun Violence Prevention Task Force

Vigils across NJ

by Rev. Rob Gregson

Many UU congregations are hosting vigils to honor the victims of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, to advocate for stricter gun laws and to call into question an ongoing culture of violence in the United States.

Cherry Hill UUs held one earlier this week, and Montclair and Beacon (Summit) UUs will be holding their own vigils tonight and Friday.  I hope UULMNJ supporters will turn out and continue to work through our Gun Violence Prevention Task Force to help break this vicious cycle of violence.

UULMNJ Fall Issues Conference: Register Today!

by Rev. Rob Gregson

Registration is now OPEN for the Oct. 14 Fall Issues Conference–only 3 weeks away!

REGISTER NOW

The Legislative Ministry’s Fall Issues Conference takes place on Saturday Oct. 14 from 12 noon until 6 p.m.  Hosted this year by our member congregation, the UU Congregation of Monmouth County in Lincroft www.uucmc.org, the conference features a keynote speaker, issues-related break out groups and a working lunch.  The Lincroft congregation is active in antiracism and immigration justice work and we are very pleased to partner together in support of a more just and hopeful New Jersey.

For those new to UULMNJ, the Fall Issues Conference is the premier opportunity for UUs from across the Garden State to learn, discuss, and become involved in the most pressing social justice concerns facing our state.  It is the time each year when our six volunteer Task Forces (listed below) decide on their advocacy, education and legislative priorities for the coming year.  We work on a collaborative model, so make sure to come help shape the UULMNJ agenda and the outcome of long-term policy and culture change in our home state.

We are very pleased to welcome our 2017 keynote speaker, Johanna Calle.  Johanna is Program Director of our partner organization, the NJ Alliance for Immigrant Justice, one of the most effective and vocal immigrant rights groups active in the state today www.njimmigrantjustice.org.

Ms. Calle will be joined by Rita Dentino, Executive Director of the Monmouth County immigrant rights organization, Casa Freehold www.casafreehold.org and a partner with the UU Congregation of Monmouth County.  Johanna and Rita will bring us up to date on the increasingly punitive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detentions and deportations and what we can do to mitigate harm and call out for justice on the public stage. Johanna and Rita expect to be joined by a NJ undocumented resident or family member willing to speak out about current conditions in our state.

Ted Fetter, long time Immigration Reform Task Force chair, will give an update on our State Sanctuary Challenge initiative–our 6 month-long effort to involve all 21 UULMNJ member congregations in advocating for sensible and human immigration reform locally, and against the mass criminalization of undocumented people.

Additional speakers during the break-out groups include Lena Smith from Food and Water Watch, Dr. Dione Johnson, CEO of JARC: Juvenile and Adult Re-Entry Connections, and Andrea Long, long-time reproductive rights activist and clinic escort.

As if that were not enough, there will be six break out groups during the working lunch to cover the issues we advocate for in Trenton and our member congregations: Environmental, Criminal, Reproductive, Economic and Immigrant Justice and Gun Violence Prevention.

Come also for the official launch of the NEW NAME, mission and vision statements, and special presentation of the logo and website design. Thanks to a generous donation, we are retooling to better serve justice-making, congregational liveliness, and “soul growth” in 2018 and beyond.

Finally, we sure to add your name and concerns/hopes/dreams to an interactive art installation, “Wall of Anger/Wall of Hope” over the course of the conference.

Questions/concerns?  Please email the UULMNJ office at admin@uulmnj.org.  We will make every effort to accommodate accessibility/special needs but it is very, very helpful to know in advance, so please do reach out.

Be sure to join us, 12 to 6 p.m. for a day devoted to justice-making and spirit-reviving.  See you there!

REGISTER NOW

We will make every effort to accommodate accessibility/special needs but it is very, very helpful to know in advance, so please do reach out.

Be sure to join us, 12 to 6 p.m. for a day devoted to justice-making and spirit-reviving.  See you there!

What is the 287(g) policy and why is it bad for New Jersey (and the nation?) (RG May 2017)

by Rev. Rob Gregson

Thanks to Steve Ramshur and the Hudson Civic Action Group for this excellent discussion of the immigration policy–called “287(g)” in government speak–that pays counties to do the work of the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency–by providing local jails and detention facilities.

287(g) is a totally voluntary program.  Hudson County is now one of only 41 counties in the entire country (out of 3,144) to sign–effectively putting greed for dollars before the necessary boundary between local law enforcement and national immigration policies.

In other words–now Hudson Co. taxpayers are now subsiding the increasingly harsh, arbitrary and wholly unnecessary pursuit of nonviolent, often long-established undocumented people.  Throwing many parents and hard-working people who have been here for 5, 10, 20 years into immigrant prisons.

Here is the link to the Hudson Civic Action article.  It’s an easy and good read–highly recommended.   http://hudsoncivicaction.org/287g/

Two Key Resources for NJ UUs Considering Sanctuary/Fair and Welcoming Actions

by Rev. Rob Gregson

The April 2017 Immigration Justice Task Force (IJTF) resolution supporting Unitarian Universalist opposition to increased ICE deportations/detentions under current Trump Administration executive orders Fair & Welcoming UU Resolution (June 2017)

A certificate program designed to inspire and encourage NJ congregations to organize locally to support the IJTF/UULMNJ resolution with direct actions to witness for immigration justice and reasonable, compassionate policy towards undocumented people in our state Fair and Welcoming UU Challenge (June 2017)

 

SUMMARY OF UULMNJ CONFERENCE AT UUCP FEBRUARY 26, 2017

by UU FA Office

SUMMARY OF
UULMNJ CONFERENCE AT UUCP
FEBRUARY 26, 2017

Overview:
Seventy-eight (78) people signed in and probably more participated without signing in. There were eleven tables of six or seven people and a few people sitting in chairs on the side.

Rev. Rob Gregson, the Director of UULMNJ, provided an inspirational overview of the six (6) UULMNJ Task Forces (in alphabetical order):
1. Criminal Justice Reform
2. Economic Justice
3. Environmental Protection
4. Gun Violence Prevention
5. Immigration Reform
6. Reproductive Justice

He mentioned that UULMNJ also provides direct resources to congregations and our coalition allies in the areas of Local Policing/Black Lives Matter Congregational Toolkits. This project is aimed at education local law enforcement and correctional communities about antiracist, violence-and bias reduction agenda.

He also discussed UULMNJ Legal Advocacy Project (LAP) to move legislation that reflects UU values through NJ Legislature such as the current bills to support confidentiality for women’s reproductive health care workers and clinicians. Another legislative effort from the Environmental task force is efforts to move through the Senate S-1707, the Renewable Energy Transition Act (RETA). RETA would by year 2050, require 80% of all electricity generated in the NJ to be from renewable energy sources: solar, wind, and methane gas from landfills.

Another newer initiative from the Immigration Reform Task Force is Sanctuary Congregations/cities project to educate UUs and allies to respond to harsh regulations on undocumented immigrants in NJ.

Purpose of the Conference:
The purpose of the conference was to solicit UUCP congregants’ ideas on the question: “In the age of Trump, what actions do you most want UULMNJ Task Forces to be prepared to take?” Clara S. Haignere helped direct this effort. Each of the participants was instructed to write down their ideas in response to this question on a 4X6 card without discussing it with others. Then each small group made a master list from their table’s ideas and selected the one action they designated as was most important and wrote that action area on one of the three white boards.

We Need Your Help to Address the Racial Disparities in Juvenile Justice and Criminal Justice System!

by UU FA Office

It may come as a shock to some that New Jersey has the highest rate of racial disparity in the nation when it comes to sentencing and incarceration. The Sentencing Project, a national research and advocacy organization, found that African Americans are incarcerated at five times the rate of whites. In New Jersey the ratio is even higher: 12 to 1. In fact, in New Jersey in 2014, one in 31 of all African American adult males was in prison. New Jersey has the highest black/white disparity in its prisons among the states, even though we have reduced our overall prison population in general over the last several years. African Americans make up approximately 13% of the state’s population — yet they compromise over 61% of the state’s prison population.

We ask for your help to address this glaring and unfair racial disparity in New Jersey’s criminal justice system. Bipartisan legislation recently passed the NJ Senate and will soon be considered in the Assembly. The legislation – Senate Bill 677/Assembly Bill 3677 – authorizes racial impact statements for proposed criminal justice policies. This approach would be similar to environmental and fiscal impact statements, assisting legislators to detect unforeseen policy ramifications before they happen.

How You Can Help

Step 1: Call and Email Members of the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee

· Chairman Daniel Benson (phone: 609-631-0198 email: AsmBenson@njleg.org)
· Vice Chairman Joe Danielsen (phone: 609-847-3500 email: AsmDanielsen@njleg.org)
· Honorable Arthur Barclay (phone: 609-847-3500 email: AsmBarclay@njleg.org)
· Honorable Michael Patrick Carroll (phone: 609-847-3400 email: AsmCarroll@njleg.org)
· Honorable Annette Chaparro (phone: 609- 847-3500 email: AswChaparro@njleg.org)
· Honorable Erik Peterson (phone: 609-847-3400 email: AsmPeterson@njleg.org)
· Honorable Nancy J. Pinkin (phone: 609-847-3500 email: AswPinkin@njleg.org)
· Honorable David P. Rible (phone: 609-847-3400 email: AsmRible@njleg.org)
· Honorable Shavonda E. Sumter (phone: 609-847-3500) email: AswSumter@njleg.org)

  • Edit/personalize the form email. It makes your message more effective. Also, confirm you are a constituent of one of the Committee members here. If so, be sure to mention that too.

Use the following sample script: “As a New Jersey resident, I ask you to cosponsor Assembly Bill 3677, which authorizes racial impact statements for certain bills and regulations that affect sentencing. The measure helps address fairness in the New Jersey criminal justice system.”

Other talking points:

  • New Jersey has the highest rate of racial disparity among African American and white prisoners.
  • Fairness dictates the use of racial impact statements in considering proposed sentencing laws.
  • Other states: Connecticut, Iowa, and Oregon have adopted racial impact statements.
  • Assembly Bill 3677 will contribute to better policymaking. Racial impact statements provide lawmakers with information prior to deliberating on proposed sentencing laws.

 Step 2: CLICK HERE  TO SIGN ON AS A SUPPORTER IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY

Step 3: Spread the Word

  • Forward this email to your family members, friends, and colleagues and ask them to TAKE ACTION.
  • Share your calls and the call-in information on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks for all you’ve done already and for all you continue to do to make New Jersey fairer!

In faith and abiding hope,
Rev. Rob Gregson, Executive Director

Interview with Rev. Rob Gregson of UULMNJ at Rally – Protesters Call on Mayor to Make New Brunswick a ‘Sanctuary City’

by UU FA Office

Demonstrators are calling on the city administration to refuse to enforce President Trump’s executive order on immigration
Rev. Karen Johnston from the East Brunswick congregation was also interviewed at our post behind the Standing on the Side of Love banner.

video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player

ACTION ALERT: Tell Gov. Christie to Support Prison Phone Justice

by UU FA Office

average cost of a 15 minute phone call

S1880/A1419 passed both houses of the NJ legislature on June 27. The vote was 57-21 in the Assembly and 35-2 in the Senate. This bill passed both houses in January of this year (S1771/A4576) with votes of 47-22 with 1 abstention in the Assembly and 36-0 in the Senate but was pocket vetoed by the Governor.  The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reported favorably with amendments on June 6, 2016. The legislation caps interstate and intrastate rates at 11 cents per minute and international calls at 25 cents, and bans commissions, or kickbacks, on calls currently at 50% to 70% in some New Jersey jails. Commissions drive up costs for families with loved ones in jail or prison.
In October, 2015 the FCC voted to drastically lower prison phone rates. Under these rules, a 15-minute prison phone call that used to cost up to $17 will be just $1.65. (View the fact sheet) Some families with loved ones incarcerated at a distance spend $20,000 on phone bills during a prison sentence. A recent study found that more than one in three families with a member in prison go into debt due to the cost of phone calls and visits. For children who know their incarcerated parents only through phone calls the new rates will be life-altering. Studies have shown that regular phone communication drastically reduces a prisoner’s risk of recidivism.
button governor
The substitute prohibits a State department, county, or private correctional facility from accepting or receiving a commission or any other payment from the telephone service provider based upon an amount the provider billed for telephone calls made by inmates in the correctional facility. The substitute also requires the Department of Corrections (DOC), the counties, and private correctional facilities to make available a prepaid or collect call system, or a combination of the two, for telephone services.  Under a prepaid or “debit” system, funds may be deposited into an inmate account in order to pay for telephone calls, as long as the department, county, or private correctional facility is not required to provide for or administer that prepaid system.  The provider of the inmate telephone service, as an additional means of payment, is to permit the recipient of inmate collect calls to establish an account with that provider in order to deposit funds for advance payment of those collect calls.

Now we need Governor Christie to sign the bill. Please write or call the governor’s office, (609)292 6000, today and urge him to sign S1880/A1419.

 

Laurice Grae-Hauck is the Outreach Coordinator of the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of NJ.