UU FA Office

Statement on Gun Control

by UU FA Office
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In the wake of far too many mass shootings and killings across our country, over recent weeks, months and years, The Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of New Jersey/Public Policy Network puts forth this statement as representative of our stand for gun control and against gun violence. Recognizing that 34 people are killed in this country on any given day as a result of gun violence – that someone’s mother, father, sister, brother or child is struck down every 45 minutes – we urge those of the legislative and executive branches of our state and federal governments to act with all due haste to bring an end to our domestic urban and rural killing fields, where so many innocents have needlessly lost their lives.

The General Resolution passed, through a democratic process of Unitarian Universalist congregations, at the UUA General Assembly of 1991 (and updated in August, 2011) provides a comprehensive statement of conscience and action regarding the conditions of an unregulated gun culture and the need to pursue a sane and responsible end to that culture.  Recognizing that turning our public schools, playgrounds or other institutions into armed camps is not a viable or protective solution, and recognizing that within the issue of gun control there is also a strong need to provide public programs of responsible care for mentally ill persons, we put forth the 1991 General Resolution as the statement we stand behind for gun control:

1991 General Resolution

BECAUSE Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth of every human life; and

BECAUSE safe coexistence within society requires reasonable compromise with the concept of absolute personal liberty; and

WHEREAS the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association passed, in 1972, a resolution advocating mandatory licensing for the purchase and possession of all usable guns and, in 1976, a resolution urging the passage of legislation restricting the ownership or possession of handguns;

WHEREAS in the United States legislation regarding firearms varies widely from state to state;

WHEREAS according to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in a report covering the period 1986-1988:

  1. firearms are a leading cause of accidental death among children ages 14 and under in the United States;
  2. an estimated 130 million firearms exist in the United States, one for every two households;
  3. and every year there are over 1 million “gun incidents,” including nearly 11,000 murders involving firearms, 15,000 suicides, 1,900 accidental deaths, 175,000 criminal assaults committed with firearms, 221,000 armed robberies, 90,000 forcible rapes, and over 200,000 gun-related injuries;

WHEREAS many consumer products sold in North America are regulated to protect the public from hazards associated with their use; and

WHEREAS machine guns and semi-automatic and automatic assault weapons are highly powerful weapons designed for the efficient destruction of life;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Unitarian Universalist Association, its member congregations, and individual Unitarian Universalists be encouraged to petition legislators to enact and support laws such as:

  1. the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1991 (HR7) in the United States, which is intended to place nationally uniform, effective limitations on individual possession of handguns, including waiting periods, licensing, and registration;
  2. the “Mitchell Compromise”;
  3. and Bill C-80 (1991) in Canada, which is intended to make the purchase of firearms more difficult;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Unitarian Universalist Association, its member congregations, and individual Unitarian Universalists be urged to petition legislators to include safety training programs as a mandatory condition that must be met before firearms can be owned and used; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Unitarian Universalist Association, its member congregations, and individual Unitarian Universalists in the United States be urged to petition legislators to enact and support laws banning private ownership or use of machine guns and semi-automatic and automatic assault weapons.

1000 Voices for Immigration Justice – Write a Letter Today

by UU FA Office

UULMNJ’s Immigration Task Force is launching a letter writing campaign to President Obama, encouraging him to more closely follow his own Administration’s immigration policies. Their goal is to have members of NJ UU congregations deliver 1,000 letters to him by Inauguration Day, January 21, 2013.  For more information, see below.

Download a sample letter here.

And after you have sent a letter, please drop us an email at director@uulmnj.org to let us know that you have taken action.  Thank you.

To:  Immigration Justice Advocates
From:  UULMNJ Immigration Task Force, Ted Fetter, Chair
RE:  Background for 1000 Voices for Immigration Justice – A letter writing campaign

We are Unitarian Universalists, building upon our heritage as advocates for the rights and dignity of all.

We invite you to join our letter writing campaign to President Obama imploring him to take immediate steps to implement detention and deportation guidelines that were formulated early in his first term.

The sample letter attached focuses on these two areas of immigration policy that we think were not sufficiently implemented: detention and deportation. The administration has promised humane treatment and careful discretion, but in far too many instances, the reality has been just the opposite.

In 2009, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano announced a package of reforms for immigrant detention, and committed to increase the use of Alternatives to Detention (ATD).  A 2012 report shows that the number of immigrants monitored with ankle bracelets, in-person reporting, and curfews are increasing, but it is very slow and small.  Still, more than 34,000 immigrants are being held in secure detention, at great cost to the government and, more importantly, at great cost to families through forced separations and loss of income.

Here in New Jersey, more than 2000 immigrants are being detained.  Most of these persons pose no danger to the community.  Past experience with ATD shows a 93% rate of appearance, so there is little danger of flight.  In short, it is both more humane and much less costly to the government to use ATD much more than is now being done.

Greater use of prosecutorial discretion to select certain undocumented persons for removal or deportation was a major initiative of the Obama Administration in June 2011.  The key provision was to prioritize persons for removal who pose a serious threat to public safety or national security, certainly a reasonable objective.  But there are many instances in which immigrants have been picked up and detained for removal just because their identities and places of residence are known; just because they are easy to find and to deliver.

Here in New Jersey we have seen the unreasonable selection of certain Indonesian refugees who have been in the United States for a decade or more, and ICE is moving against them.  In short, there is not enough discretion being used in local cases around the country.

In the second Obama term, our hope is that there will be a hallmark of progress toward justice for immigrants by focusing not only on new policy but also on better implementation of existing immigration policy.

Gun Violence

by UU FA Office

Dear UULMNJ Family,

All of us are still in shock about the horrible tragedy in Newtown, CT. Our congregations around the state are responding with many worship, pastoral and public opportunities to mourn and to support victims families.  This is a time to gather in spirit, for none of us is immune to the impact of this.  We encourage you to take the time to express whatever you are feeling, to utilize the pastoral presence of your UU community and to be present at the public vigils at this time.  We also encourage you to celebrate the holidays with renewed appreciation for family and friends, for life lives on through us.

I have had many requests concerning the UULMNJ response to gun control in New Jersey.  The UULMNJ board will be meeting this week to discuss how we can best react in a sustained, state-wide response to gun control and the violence it creates. We will be back to you with our plans in the weeks to come.

In the mean time, may you find peace, joy and serenity during this season.

Faithfully,

Craig

Increase the Minimum Wage

by UU FA Office

The Economic Justice Task Force would like people to send letters to our Governor asking him to sign the minimum wage increase bill on his desk.  The New Jersey State Legislature has approved legislation (A2162) raising the state minimum wage and linking it to annual increases in the cost of living (also known as the Cost of Living Adjustment, or COLA).   The bill calls for an increase to $8.50 per hour from the current $7.25 per hour and an annual adjustment linked to any increase in COL.  Sample letter.

Morristown – Benefit Concert – Jan. 26

by UU FA Office

The Morristown Unitarian Fellowship is holding its 27th annual benefit concert to benefit the people of Central America at 8pm on Saturday, January 26.

The headliner this year is the captivating artist Christine Lavin who “knows how to keep her audience guessing, thinking, and laughing at the same time” according to the Washington Post.  Opening for Ms. Lavin is Jean Rohe and Ilusha Tsinadze.  Jean is a multi-lingual singer and composer of American folk music, Brazilian and Afro-Peruvian traditions.

Tickets are $25 in advance available by email from admin@muuf.org (must be picked up by 7:30 night of concert) or $30 at the door.

UU Princeton Hosts Candidates for UUA Moderator on Jan. 20

by UU FA Office

The UU Congregation of Princeton will host Tamara Payne-Alex and Jim Key, the two candidates for the position of UUA Moderator, on January 20 at 3 pm, to talk about their vision Unitarian Universalism and how they would lead if elected at General Assembly 2013. The UUA Moderator is the chair of the UUA Board of Trustees and the presiding officer at each General Assembly. The 90-minute program will include a question and answer period and will be followed by a reception.

Raise the Minimum Wage in New Jersey

by UU FA Office

The Economic Justice Task Force would like people to send letters to our Governor asking him to sign the minimum wage increase bill on his desk.  The New Jersey State Legislature has approved legislation (A2162) raising the state minimum wage and linking it to annual increases in the cost of living (also known as the Cost of Living Adjustment, or COLA).   The bill calls for an increase to $8.50 per hour from the current $7.25 per hour and an annual adjustment linked to any increase in COL. Sample letter.

Summit Unveils Banner Supporting Marriage Equality

by UU FA Office

The Unitarian Church in Summit unveiled a banner on the front of its building on December 9 supporting full legal recognition of same-sex marriage. The banner reads “Say ‘I Do’ to Marriage Equality” and was designed by graphic designers within the church. Church members discussed the issue last June at the church’s annual meeting and voted to take the stand supporting marriage equality for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people.

http://www.nj.com/independentpress/index.ssf/2012/12/unitarian_church_in_summit_unv.html