Rev. Rob Gregson

Registration Open for *Free* Public Protest/Upstander Training Nov. 18

by Rev. Rob Gregson

Public Protest/Upstander *Free Training*

Have you ever given thought to how *best* to prepare for taking part in public protest?  Wondered what you could possibly do to help someone being harassed?  Ever considered taking part in an act of civil disobedience?

Knowledge = Power.  Come to find answers to these questions and more at our FREE two-part workshop on how to become a (better) social activist.

Date: Saturday, November 18th, 10:00 am-2:00 pm

Time: Part 1: 10 am–12 noon = Upstander Training

Part 2: 12:00 pm–2 pm = Protest and Civil Disobedience Training

 Working Lunch (Bring your own lunch & snack to share!)

Place:  Central Unitarian Church 156 Forest Avenue, Paramus, New Jersey 07652.  Parking is available on site; please consider carpooling to save space and Go Green!

Register: Registration required – Please indicate which training(s) you will be attending.  Space is limited to 60 participants per training so register now!

Click Here to Register

A two part training–come to both or choose the one that fits you best!  (You will indicate your choices on registration)

Part 1 10-12: How to go from being a “bystander” to an UPSTANDER!

What do you do if you see hate-based harassment?  Learn to better predict incidents *before* they happen; how to align with potential targets; de-escalation; safe escape, and much more.

Part 2: 12-2 (Working Lunch, see details above) Veteran activists and newly involved neighbors are invited to participate in an interactive training on how to be an effective and safe person of conscience in today’s political environment.  Topics include: Safety, safety, safety!; Rules of engagement; Finding the types of actions that are right for you; All the what-ifs; and yes, How to get arrested.  (Also, how NOT to get arrested!)

Hosted by UU FaithAction NJ, Central Unitarian Church in Paramus, Hudson Civic Action and American Friends Service Committee. Facilitated by Elena Waldman of Artemis Defense (www.artemisdefense.org) . Free will donations taken at the event.

Things Every UU Should Know About Reproductive Justice

by Rev. Rob Gregson

Things every UU should know about reproductive justice

Two Things Every UU Should Know About Reproductive Justice

1. “Reproductive justice” has a broad agenda, and is different than “reproductive rights”.

The understanding of reproductive justice has evolved over time, and there is no universally accepted definition. However, all definitions recognize that the need for access to resources goes far beyond abortion alone. These four principles are accepted by many as representative:

  1.  People have a right to have children.
  2. People have a right not to have children.
  3. People have a right to raise their children in safe and healthy environments.
  4. People have a right to health and self-determination regarding their bodies and sexuality, free from oppression and shame.

    Notably, reproductive justice is not simply a different phrase that is interchangeable with reproductive health or reproductive rights, and nor is it intended to replace these concepts. Instead, reproductive justice is a framework created by women of color that combines the fields of reproductive rights, social justice, and human rights. It is grounded in the particular experiences, values, priorities, and leadership of women of color.

    2. Reproductive justice has a different approach.

    It’s not enough to focus on reaching a set of end goals through any means possible. Instead, our approach must reflect the world we are trying to create. This includes:

    Constantly talking about the impact our personal identities (including race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, wealth, etc) have on our viewpoints and actions. In order to successfully change the culture, we must be open to growth and change ourselves.

    Centering the marginalized. Changing structures of power means that leadership must come from the groups most affected by the denial of access to rights and resources, including women and people of color, people struggling to make ends meet, and young people.

    Intersectionality. The work must be intersectional, which means engaging multiple identities and building coalitions rather than trying to keep people and issues confined in separate boxes. Changing structures of power requires that we view identities as linked and formulate solutions that are based on collaboration and solidarity.

    For people who support reproductive justice and are not already familiar with the framework, it is sometimes challenging but always important to seek relationships of accountability and leadership with women of color and organizations they lead. This is critical because it helps to avoid misappropriation, where people are claiming to do reproductive justice work without knowing what it means and without being accountable to the experiences and leadership of women of color.

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!

Have you signed the petition to abolish solitary confinement in NJ prisons, “In Defense of Human Dignity?”

by Rev. Rob Gregson

Click on the link below to go to the website of our coalition partner, the NJ Coalition to Abolish Isolated Confinement.  Many of you have visited the replica isolated confinement cell created by members of the UU Congregation at Montclair.  Far too many NJ prisons and jails use isolated confinement–for days, months, even years at a time–as a form of control.  We stand with many other faith and civic partners to call solitary what it is: immoral, unnecessary and unjust.

We will be working hard alongside our partners in NJ CAIC in 2018 to reintroduce the bill to end isolated confinement–the same one that passed resoundingly in the NJ Legislature this past year…only to be vetoed by Gov. Christie.

We aim to win this next go ’round–for the rights of all human beings, imprisoned but not without hope or human dignity and worth.  Please Sign!

NJ Coalition to Abolish Isolated Confinement Interfaith Petition

Article: “Welcome To The Anti-Racism Movement — Here’s What You’ve Missed”

by Rev. Rob Gregson

Welcome To The Anti-Racism Movement — Here’s What You’ve Missed

By Ijeoma Oluo 

Ed. remarks: This isn’t an easy article but it is a very smart one, and hits home for many but perhaps especially for those among us who recognize ourselves as “well meaning white liberals” (or “well meaning white conservatives/independents” though you are not mentioned very much in this article) who are beginning to see with greater clarity the pervasiveness of racism in American culture.  Spoiler alert: there is bad language here, and a perspective some may (will) find troubling. The editor’s take is that the UULMNJ was never meant to be another institution that comforts the comfortable and afflicts the afflicted.  Or as one writer has said, “It’s not unity we are fighting for, but freedom.”  Worth reading. — Rev. Rob Gregson

https://theestablishment.co/welcome-to-the-anti-racism-movement-heres-what-you-ve-missed-711089cb7d34

Sanctuary/Fair and Welcoming Congregations: Rapid Response Teams

by Rev. Rob Gregson

How to Form a Rapid Response Team in Your Congregation

From An interview with Pedro Sosa, director of AFSC’s Project Voice Immigrant Rights Program in Oregon and Washington state
With thanks to Clara Haignere, editor
May 18th, 2017

https://www.afsc.org/blogs/news-and-commentary/responding-to-immigration-enforcement-under-trump

Each team is made up of five smaller teams:

  • The legal team works with lawyers and does intake with people who are victims of raids. They are trained as legal observers, and they document any violations of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.
  • The service team includes schools, social service agencies, faith groups, and others who help victims after raids. They provide food, accompany families to courts, help find care for the children if their parent or guardian is taken.
  • The media team alerts the news media when a raid happens, organizes press conferences, and distributes information about the rapid response team in the community.
  • The government team includes people who have connections with city officials or the governor or representatives. They lift up the stories of people affected to advocate for policies to prevent raids.
  • The political action team mobilizes people if we need to plan a march or rally to pressure elected officials.

24-hour Hotline with 15 volunteers taking turns answering the phone calls – two at a time. The calls are forwarded to their cell phones. If the first person can’t get to the call, the call goes to the backup person.

The idea is to record ICE activity in the community, and then we can mobilize the rapid response team if needed. Sometimes we get a call, and somebody needs help; other times, it’s just a rumor of ICE activity being reported.

We can get up to 15 calls a day. We spend a lot of time verifying rumors about ICE activities—we don’t want to put out bad information.

Q: Can you give us an example of how the rapid response team has successfully handled a raid?

A: In February, I got a call from Woodburn. The caller reported that they saw la migra (ICE) on the highway, and I called someone to verify that was true. I drove out to the scene and saw two vans had been stopped by ICE—workers who were [headed to pick ornamental shrubs in a nearby forest]. Nineteen workers were detained, and eight were arrested and sent to Tacoma detention facility.

We mobilized our rapid response team in Salem, which we had just developed a couple of months earlier. Within hours, we had a group of lawyers—including the ACLU and professors from Lewis and Clark University—come to talk with workers after they were released to document what happened and provide support. Most of the workers were released, although two were held, and lawyers began to help them and their families with their cases. We also alerted the media,  and the story was covered on local TV and in newspapers.

We originally developed the rapid response team model in 2006. Today, we have more technology. We use the SMS Seal app for messaging. We’re also in conversation with the ACLU, which has a phone app that lets you record and upload videos that get automatically sent to their system, just in case your phone is taken away from you.

 

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)