UU FA Office

March 2014

by UU FA Office

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Wednesday, March 5th, 2014

Liaison Conference Call Minutes

Attendance:
Rev. Craig Hirshberg
Diane Finn (Montclair)
Elaine Nigam (Princeton)
Frances Prestianni (Princeton)
Al Stawsky (Palisades)
Lorraine Wearley (Summit)

 

 Action Alerts for March: Liaisons are asked to promote these in their Congregations

1. Reinstate NJ membership in Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. View Action Alert

2. Immigration Task Force calls attention to detention conditions in NJ. View Action Alert

3. Prevent Fracking in the Delaware River Basin. View Action Alert

4. Work with municipalities for gun safety features by manufacturers. View Action Alert

5. UULM and UU Service Committee ask for federal minimum wage raise to $10.10. View Action Alert

Other request for Liaisons:

Liaisons are asked to attend and ask congregants to attend the UULMNJ 5th Celebration & Annual Meeting and Liaison & Volunteer Training. Register now!

Congregational Updates

Palisades began a reading circle on the New Jim Crow and held an event with Mr. Clinton Rice, past Deputy Commissioner in New York City, who spoke on race and ethnic issues in the criminal justice system.

Princeton: Sunday, March 2 Action Table activities included letter writing for federal Minimum Wage increase and promoting NJ’s participation in REGGI, and asking for names of those interested in the Gun Violence Prevention initiative of municipalities inquiring about safety features from gun manufactures. There was a computer demonstration on Health Exchanges and insurance sign up, and information was available on the Jim Crow program it’s volunteer opportunities.

Montclair had a lull this month at their Action Table and continues their work on Gun Violence Prevention with like minded collaborators.

Summit is compiling a list of volunteer jobs in their Social Justice area which includes opportunities to participate on the UULMNJ Task Forces and working on the initiative of municipalities inquiring about safety features from gun manufactures.

Task Force Issues Updates
 Criminal Justice Reform: Ending the New Jim Crow

This is our newest task force approved by the Board in February. Read the Policy Brief.

There is a hearing on Monday March 10 at 10 am in Trenton on the Daily Form Act about persons arrested who cannot afford bail, waiting in jail for up to a year. (Al Stawsky alynways@gmail.com)

Economic Justice, Affordable Housing

COAH Hearing: Lorraine Wearley and Rev. Craig Hirshberg attended the hearing in Newark on March 5 about the NJ administration’s failure of having representatives on COAH to come up with guidelines as required by the courts. Fair Share Housing suggested the court appoint a master/monitor to oversee this process. A decision on the process will be issued in the coming days by the judge.

Gun Violence Prevention

The Gun Violence Prevention Network of churches and other community collaborators are having a telephone conference and talk “Protect Our Children from Gun Violence” by Rev. Shannon Daley-Harris at the Summit Unitarian Church on March 23. PDF of slides are available for other locations by teleconference. Diane Finn finnflynn@verizon.net

Other: Liaisons and other Training after the April 5 Annual Plenary 2:15 to 3:15

Managing Your Congregation’s Advocacy

The Moral Imperative. Articulating, Educating and Advocating by Rev. Craig Hirshberg.

Using SALSA demo

Keeping abreast of issues

An example of an Action Table set up

The Next Liaison Conference Call – Wednesday, April 2nd, 8:00pm.

For more liaison information about how to be included in these calls, please contact director@uulmnj.org

Thank you for your participation!

Action Alert March 11, 2014: Fracking Waste Ban Hearing on March 17

by UU FA Office

This just came in from our friends at Food and Water Watch.  Please take some time to make a few calls to prevent fracking waste in NJ.

Thanks,

Craig

Rev. Craig Hirshberg, Exec. Director

UULMNJ Public Policy Network

director@uulmnjppn.org

 

Fracking Waste Ban Hearing Scheduled for Monday!

Here is an update on the Fracking Waste Ban. We are making progress on fracking waste dumping, so have some exciting news to report.

First, the Senate Environment Committee is scheduled to hear the fraking waste ban on Monday, March 17 at 10:00 am.  So far, we have recruited 44 bi-partisan cosponsors in the Assembly (A-2108)and Senate (S-1041) since the new bill was introduced in January by Senator Gordon and Assemblyman Gusciora.

We are expecting the committee to pass this critical legislation, so we dot need all hands on deck in Trenton. It would be helpful for them to hear from you.  Can you please make a call to members of the Senate Environment Committee and tell them to support Fracking Waste Dumping before the end of the week.  When you call, you can tell all of them thank you for supporting a ban on fracking waste dumping and that we need them to do it again, with the exception of Senator Thompson who did not vote at all on the bill the first time.

Bob Smith: 732-752-0770

Senator GreenStein: 609-395-9911

Senator Bateman: 908-526-3600

Senator Thompson: 732-607-7580

Senator Whelan: 609-383-1388

Protect Children Not Guns–Three Presentations

by UU FA Office

Knowledge and Action Now

Hear Leading Experts Speak

Three Sundays on Gun Violence Prevention 1:00 P.M at
The Unitarian Church in Summit
4 Waldron Avenue (Corner Waldron &Springfield Aves)
Summit, NJ 07901

March 23–Protect Our Children From Gun Violence

Rev. Shannon Daley-Harris, for 24 years, Senior Religious Advisor of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) in Washington, DC. Author of dozens of publications on advocacy for children

Robert Tessaro, former director of Law Enforcement Relations, Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence

April 27–Understanding Guns & Firearms Safety

George Faison, a skilled hunter and a Unitarian, joins this series as a responsible gun owner willing to speak up for reasonable safety measures.

May 18–Legislation on Firearms Safety: Then & Now, Federal & State

Nicola Bocour, director of Ceasefire NJ, graduate of Montclair High School and Seton Hall Law School. As director of Ceasefire NJ (a project of Coalition for Peace Action), she has testified in Trenton and DC, and met with legislators to advocate for sensible gun laws.

Diane Finn, the UULMNJ liaison for the prevention of gun violence, will discuss how congregations can take action.

Presentations are free and open to the public.For additional information, view children not guns [tt_vector icon=”fa-file-pdf-o”] or contact preventgunviolence2013@gmail.com.

Princeton: Gasland II – March 30

by UU FA Office

Get a broader look at the dangers of “fracking” in this documentary film as it demonstrates the myths of natural gas as a clean and safe energy source. Learn how fracking impacts our water, air, health, communities, and our democracy, and join in a discussion with a representative of Food & Water Watch.

UU Congregation of Princeton

www.uuprinceton.org/cpt_events/gasland-film-screening/

Ridgewood: Self and Society – April 3

by UU FA Office

Self and Society: An Emersonian Reflection – A Talk by John Matteson

In our own time, when debates that pit radical individualism against the common good have grown especially fierce, we would be wise to consider what American writer, philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, who stood between the two extremes, had to say about his own “age of the first person singular.” John Matteson is a Distinguished Professor of English at John Jay College in the City University of New York.  He was awarded the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Biography for his first book, Eden’s Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father.

Unitarian Society of Ridgewood

More details

Summit: Heal the World – April 1

by UU FA Office

Innovative political activist Jeremy Heimans will bring his 21st century model of mobilization for social causes to UCS’s Heal the World speaker series. Jeremy first founded Get Up! to impact social policy in his native Australia. In 2007, he launched Avaaz.com to give people all over the world a voice on issues like climate change and global government.  Jeremy and his organization, Purpose.com, use cutting-edge technology and social media to mobilize people internationally to make the world a better place.

Unitarian Church in Summit

http://www.ucsummit.org/wordpress/activist-jeremy-heimans-to-speak-april-1.

Morristown: Jewish Voices in UUism – March 14-16

by UU FA Office

“Jewish Voices in Unitarian Universalism” will feature the editors and contributors to the upcoming book by the same name (Skinner House January 2014) in conversation about Jewish identity, Judaism as a source tradition, Tikkun Olam and social justice, and the pluses and challenges of this hyphenated status in UU communities. The gathering will also include small havarot or spirituality groups, worship, a Purim celebration, special foods, and fellowship.

Hosted by the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship.

To register and for more information go to http://www.uuja.org.

YUUR Voice in Trenton: Mar 2014

by UU FA Office

UULMNJ is gearing up for the new legislative session. Here are a few of the highlights this month:

  • A new task force Criminal Justice: Ending the New Jim Crow was approved by the board at its February meeting. The chair is Al Stawsky from our Palisades congregation. If you would like to get involved on this active task force, contact Al at alynways@gmail.com. To view the UULMNJEnding Jim Crow policy brief,Go to the UULMNJ website www.uulmnj.org.
  • The immigration task force is launching a 1000 letter campaign to address the detention conditions in New Jersey. UU’s across the state are asked to sign letters at coffee hour during the month of March. The letters, addressed to Jeh Johnson, Secretary of Homeland Security, will be collected at the April 5 plenary. After a news release is issued, the letters will be sent.
  • The Gun Violence Prevention Task force is supporting new proposed state legislation to reduce magazines to a maximum of ten rounds. It is also promoting resolutions within local town councils, requiring the town to purchase guns only from socially responsible gun manufacturers. Three Gun Violence Prevention educational events are being planned at Summit, with the capability of other congregations participating via teleconferencing. The dates are March 23, April 27 and May 18. Watch for more detailed information coming soon. For more GVP information, contact Diane Finn, chair at finnflynn@verizon.net
  • From our environmental task force: The Delaware River Basin Commission is meeting on March 11, and the Obama administration holds one of five key votes on the commission’s decision whether or not to allow fracking in the Delaware River Basin. Will you tell the president to shut the door on drilling in one of our best places” Go to http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=AdyuMpSsQK_iSTHJGsfCsA to send your letter.
  • We had to say goodbye to our issues organizer, Jame deBoer. James left to become the full time minister of a UCC congregation in Livingston. We will miss him! We wish him the very best.

UULMNJ will be hosting its 5th Anniversary Annual Plenary Meeting on April 5 at the Princeton Congregation. The keynote speaker is Gordon MacInnes, President of New Jersey Policy Perspective. Each registrant will get a free copy of the 2014 League of Women Voters Guide. To register go to plenary14@uulmnj.org

Action Alert March 3: Prevent Fracking in the Delaware River Basin

by UU FA Office

It is time to rally the troops again against fracking in the Delaware River Basin.  We are joining Environment New Jersey in the campaign below.  Please link and send a message to President Obama asking him to keep fracking out of NJ.  And then, send this email to as many environmentally concerned people as you can.  Time is of the essence.  The Delaware River Basin Commission is meeting March 11.

Thanks

Rev. Craig Hirshberg, Exec. Director

director@uulmnj.org

 Environment New Jersey

The Delaware River Basin Commission is meeting on March 11, and the Obama administration holds one of five key votes on the commission’s decision whether or not to allow fracking in the Delaware River Basin. Will you tell the president to shut the door on drilling in one of our best places?

In January, the Christie administration tried to push forward a proposal for a 15-mile fracked gas pipeline through the heart of the Pinelands.

But we took action, rallying close to 2,000 New Jerseyans in less than a week to pressure President Obama’s top representative on the commission. And that representative voted no on the project — stopping it dead in its tracks by one vote.

Now we need to rally again — but this time, for the Delaware River.

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) is meeting onTuesday, Mar. 11, and the commission could bring up a proposal to lift the moratorium on fracking in the Delaware at any time.  The Obama administration will hold one of five key votes on this issue, and we want to make sure it’s well known that New Jerseyans won’t stand by and watch this happen.

Will you tell the Obama administration to keep fracking away from the Delaware?

It’s no secret: Gov. Christie isn’t a friend to the environment. He pulled New Jersey out of our best program to solve global warming, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. He’s blocked offshore wind development and signed dirty water bills allowing development in environmentally sensitive areas.

So in absence of Gov. Christie’s environmental leadership, we must call on President Obama to do everything he can to protect the Delaware River and its watershed.

Tell Pres. Obama: New Jerseyans don’t want fracking near the Delaware.

If the DRBC voted to open the region up to drilling, we could see close to 20,000 new fracked gas wells drilled in the Delaware River watershed in the coming decades.

The last thing we need is for oil and gas companies to bulldoze their way into our watershed, inject chemical-laden water deep into the ground, and create millions of gallons of toxic wastewater in the same pristine place we get clean drinking water and hike, camp, and fish with our families.

We’ve stood up to fracking before — and won. And with your help, we’ll do it again.

Take action now.

Thanks for all your support,

Doug O’Malley
Environment New Jersey Director

P.S. The Delaware River Basin Commission is meeting on Tuesday, March 11th just outside Trenton. The Obama administration will hold one of five votes on the commission’s decision of whether or not to allow fracking in the Delaware Basin. Will you forward this to 5 friends to get more people to speak up against drilling near one of New Jersey’s best places?