UU FA Office

Anti-Fracking Lobby Day – June 14

by UU FA Office

UULMNJ supports environmental groups for the

NJ Environmental Lobby Day & Rally in Trenton
Oppose Fracking
Support Clean Energy, Clean Water

Thursday June 14, 2012  –  9:00 AM
New Jersey State House
125 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08625

Register at: http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/p/salsa/event/common/public/?key=74212

From our Director, Rev. Craig Hirshberg:

For the Lobbying day on June 14, UULMNJ is asking Unitarian Universalists  to meet with their legislators and/or attend the rally.

We will set up small groups based on legislative districts with a team leader assigned. The teams will track down the district legislators that day, lobby them and present them with the written information that we will provide.

If you are interested in meeting with legislators, please send me your name and district number.  Also, be sure to register for lobby day

If you plan to attend, be there as early as possible.

There will be a briefing meeting at 10,  lobbying until 12, a rally at noon and then more lobbying after the rally.

A Message From Food and Water Watch:

Fracking waste is coming to New Jersey, threatening our drinking water, environment and public health. In January of 2013, NJ’s fracking ban will expire. As if this is not enough, the industry is pushing risky gas pipelines, gas-fired power plants and billions in taxpayer dollars for subsidies for gas transportation projects. These subsidies are coming at a time when Governor Christie is pushing for millions in cuts to clean energy and conservation programs. Can you join us in Trenton on June 14 to stand against the fracking industry’s assault on our state?

In the morning, we will be creating a presence in the NJ State House, educating legislators about how they can help stop the fracking industry from turning NJ into a fracking wasteland. At noon, leaders from across NJ will be speaking out at a rally against the dangers of fracking and the direct impact these risky and unnecessary gas infrastructure projects are having on our state. We need your help to pull off a massive show of support against fracking and for clean energy.

Let’s plan to take over the capital on June 14 and demonstrate that New Jersey is ready for clean energy solutions and a fossil fuel-free future. Will you join us in Trenton on June 14th?

Morristown: Resolution Supporting Marriage Equality

by UU FA Office

At its annual meeting on June 3 2012 the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship unanimously passed a resolution in support of marriage equality. The idea for the resolution is a direct result of the UU Legislative Ministry of New Jersey. Starting with a request from the Plainfield congregation asking if other congregations had considered resolutions on marriage equality, members of Morristown said “this is exactly what we should do.”

This is the real value of the UULMNJ: congregations collaborating on making our UU voice heard throughout New Jersey.

ALEC Action Alert

by UU FA Office

UULMNJ’s Economic Justice Task Force as been looking at the corporate influence of ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) in our legislative process.  The laws ALEC promotes stand in stark contrast to several of our Unitarian Universalist principles.  For example, they  have drafted the following legislation:

  • SB 1070 and its anti-immigrant copycats violate the spirit of “The inherent worth and dignity of every person.
  • Voter I.D. proposals that disproportionately disenfranchise minorities fly in the face of “The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.”

The UUA’s Standing on the Side of Love campaign has created an electronic petition to discourage corporate membership in ALEC.  In the past days alone, McDonald’s, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Kraft, and Wendy’s have all agreed to cut ties with ALEC due to pressure from consumers like you and me. Let’s keep up the pressure.

Please join the leadership of our denomination in asking Amazon, Visa, Federal Express, and UPS to cut their ties with ALEC.  For more information and to sign the petition, just click on the link below:

Petition from the Standing on the Side of Love campaign:
http://www.standingonthesideoflove.org/blog/join-me-in-standing-for-what-we-believe/

Ridgewood: Education Equity

by UU FA Office

At the UULMNJ recent Plenary, the emerging issues group decided upon the following action. We are looking for volunteers for this worthwhile emerging task force. The message below is from Rev. Charlie Ortman who chaired the meeting.

Dear Members of UULMNJ Congregations,

Our friends at the Ridgewood UU Congregation, under the leadership of Helen Lindsay, have written a letter that can be addressed to either the Governor or to state Legislators regarding Education Equity. We want to get this letter out to you in the congregations for a coffee hour letter writing campaign as soon as possible in an effort to head off budgetary inequities that might severely impair educational opportunities for those already marginalized by that institution in our state. The letter identifies three important elements of the state’s education plan as it would be regulated in next year’s budget that will have to be voted on by some time in June.

Reduction of state aid to all districts but particularly to districts unable to make up the deficit; Inclusion of a new formula for determining children at risk, reducing state burden while decreasing support to students who are clearly in need; A proposed change in determining the number of students in each district by using attendance records as opposed to the traditional registration numbers, again hitting the neediest districts the hardest.

Thank you for sharing this with members of your congregation.

Rev. Charlie Ortman

To all Unitarian Universalists Interested in Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice

by UU FA Office

Greetings!

As you undoubtedly know, reproductive health, rights, and justice have been under vigorous attack in recent years. In fact, according to the Guttmacher Institute, 92 anti-abortion measures were passed at the state level in 2011—nearly three times the previous record of 35 set in 2005!

However, as you might not know, Unitarian Universalists are mobilizing to be a force for reproductive justice—and we’re hoping you’ll be part of it. Specifically, please join us for a conference call on April 5th at 4:00pm (call info is below).

In this first gathering of reproductive justice activists from around the country, we’re trying to do two things:

First, we’re working closely with Jessica Halperin, UUA Program Associate for Women’s Issues, to build a network of UU individuals and congregations dedicated to reproductive justice.

Second, the 2012 UUA General Assembly in Phoenix will select a new Congregational Study/Action Issues (CSAI) for 2012-2016, and Reproductive Justice is one of the five contenders! It was proposed by the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, NJ, through Mandy Restivo and Carol Loscalzo, co-chairs of the Reproductive Justice Committee (and 2 of the 3 people writing you this letter). Notably, they had strong support from their minister, the Rev. Kathleen Green, who will be on the April 5th call! Click here for the titles and text of all five options: http://uua.org/statements/current/index.shtml.

Since the UUA General Assembly hasn’t issued a major statement on the issue since 1993, and has never discussed the concept of reproductive justice, we think it’s time! Imagine how much we could accomplish if the whole UUA was studying and action on the issue for FOUR years! Currently we have 3 congregations who have endorsed the proposed CSAI: the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ft. Myers, FL, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, NJ, and the First Unitarian Society of Denver, CO. We would love to add to the endorsement list! Click here for a definition and short history of reproductive justice: http://reproductivejustice.org/what-is-reproductive-justice.

Although we intend to work closely with Jessica Halperin on building a network for reproductive justice, we must respect that as a UUA staffperson she cannot take a position on any CSAI proposal.

We are joined in this effort by the third writer, Rev. Rob Keithan. Rob is currently a Consulting Minister at the Unitarian Society of Germantown in Philadelphia, which recently launched a reproductive justice task force. In late February, he also started a new job—as Director of Public Policy at the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, a national interfaith organization dedicated to reproductive justice.

We decided that our best approach would be to reach out to as many individuals, congregations and groups who might be interested in joining the network and/or working to get Reproductive Justice selected as the 2012-2016 Congregational Study/Action Issue. We invite you to join us! We are planning a conference call on Thursday, April 5 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern. The call in number is (218) 632-0550, access code: 679579#.

If you would like to join our effort, and/or RSVP for the April 5th call, please visit http://bit.ly/GM7Em5 and share your contact information with us! And, of course, please pass this letter around to any other UUs who might be interested.

We look forward to some energizing—and hopefully successful!—collaboration in the service of promoting Reproductive Justice,

Signed, Carol Loscalzo, Mandy Restivo, and Rob Keithan

Environmental Justice Council Meeting – April 28

by UU FA Office

It seems that the date for our next Environmental Justice Council meeting is problematic for a significant number of you.  We’ve heard from more than half of you, and nearly every response was telling us that you have a conflict.  It would seem that there are a few other District-wide events happening at the same time.  I’m glad that we’re all so engaged in the life of our District!    Frances Sink and I have decided to change the date for the Environmental Justice Council meeting.  We will meet on Saturday, April 28th.  We are still meeting from 10:30-1:30 at the First Unitarian Society of Westchester in Hastings on Hudson, NY.

We hope this means you will be able to join us!

Rev. Peggy Clarke Minister
First Unitarian Society of Westchester, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
Racism and Social Justice Consultant, UU Metro NY District
Co-Founder,  InterGenerate
GreenFaith Fellow

 

This meeting was originally rescheduled for April 14.  It would be great to have a representative from each New Jersey UU Congregation in attendance.

UULMNJ Annual Plenary – April 14, 2012

by UU FA Office

ANNUAL MEETING 2012
Saturday, April 14, 9:00am – 3:00pm

Hosted by the UU Congregation of Monmouth County
1475 West Front Street, Lincroft NJ
(see www.uucmc.org for directions)

 

Featuring a keynote address by Ingrid Reed:

“How Does New Jersey Measure Up: Citizens United and the Fairness of Our Elections”

Ingrid Reed recently retired as a Policy Analyst and the Director of the New Jersey Project at the Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers, and is a member of the UU Princeton congregation.  The New Jersey Project is an initiative designed to reinforce and expand the contributions of Rutgers’ Eagleton Institute of Politics to the governance and politics of New Jersey. Among its initiatives are research and programs on campaign and election activity, ethics administration, and governance issues.  Reed’s work focused on campaigns and elections from the point of view of the citizen.

 

Please join us at the 2012 UULMNJ annual meeting:

  • UUs from all over New Jersey will be gathering to discuss past and future actions on key issues.
  • Delegates from Affiliated Congregations will be voting on the new budget and members of the Board of Trustees.
  • A great opportunity to meet in person with justice leaders from other congregations.

Check-in starts at 8:300am with coffee and bagels; the meeting will begin promptly at 9:00am.

There will be a working lunch provided.  We rely on your donations to cover the cost of food and materials for this event.

Download a flyer for your congregation.

 

REGISTER NOW!

Register online at https://www.formdesk.com/uuforms/UULMNJ

or Contact us at 609-672-7331 or workshop@uulmnj.org

Check back for more details, coming soon!

The Impact of Citizens United on the Democratic Process – Video Now Available

by UU FA Office

Channing Hall, UU Congregation of Princeton
50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton NJ

Sponsored by UU Legislative Ministry of New Jersey

A video has been made of the program for use in NJ UU congregations and by individuals to support understanding these issues.  A study guide is also available.  Links are at the end of this article.

How has the Citizens United Supreme Court decision and laws on financing elections influenced the electoral process?
Are there other options for financing elections?
What are related NJ developments, specifically Pay to Play reform?
How can you influence the process?

Program: Join us to talk about the impact of Supreme Court decisions and legislation governing elections financing on the electoral process.

What has been the impact of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision which allowed unlimited corporate and union spending for political advertising? What has evolved in the post Watergate reforms such as disclosure, contribution limits, expenditure limits and public financing? What has been the impact of public financing and super PACs? Is there a way to pay for election campaigns which is not biased in favor of the wealthy? What is happening in NJ now? And how can each person become involved?

Speakers:

Greg Nagy is a recognized expert in electoral financing, published author, lecturer and longtime Unitarian Universalist. Greg Nagy retired in 2001 after almost 25 years as the Legal Director of the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission, where he received its lifetime achievement award. He currently practices law in the area of campaign finance, lobbying regulation and ethics.

Heather Taylor is the Citizens Campaign Communication Director, serving as spokesperson and lobbyist. Heather serves as coordinator of the NJ Online News Resource Group, providing resources and assistance to reporters and citizen journalists to improve local government media coverage.

Download the Study Guide

Impact of Citizens United Part 1

Impact of Citizens United Part 2

Internship(s) Available

by UU FA Office

The Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of New Jersey (UULMNJ) is seeking a par time intern(s) to begin no later than April 1.  Duties of the position include but are not limited to:

  • Research assistance in specific areas of New Jersey Public Policy, which may include Environment, Health Care, Economic Justice, Immigration and other emerging issues as they develop
  • Develop educational materials for local congregations
  • Assist Executive Director with implementation of research work

Qualifications:

  • Good research skills
  • Commitment to social change
  • Knowledge of Unitarian Universalism and congregational life

Must be able to work independently and to meet once a week in Summit, NJ.

Compensation:   TBD

Duration: 1 year

Applications should be submitted to:
Rev. Craig Hirshberg, Executive Director, director@uulmnj.org.
Contact:  609.672.7331

Deadline: March 20, 2012

The Unitarian Universalist Ministry of New Jersey, a statewide network of the 21 New Jersey Unitarian Universalist congregations, provides a comprehensive structure, network and resources to empower the moral voice and actions of our Unitarian Universalist principles and values in the public arena.  UULMNJ engages in impacting social justice and public policy issues important to our state through Education, Research, Advocacy, Witness, and Service. UULMNJ works to facilitate communications among the NJ UU congregations and aims to be a resource to encourage and strengthen their social justice programs.  UULMNJ is an equal opportunity employer.  www.uulmnj.org.

 

Supported in part by a grant from the Fund for Unitarian Universalist Social Responsibility.

Environmental Lobby Day – March 15

by UU FA Office

On March 15th, citizens, civic, faith and environmental advocates will be coming to the State Capitol to meet with local representatives and talk to them in the hallways of the New Jersey State House. We will be urging them to oppose the Governor’s decision to take New Jersey out of the RGGI program and his repeated cuts to funding for the Clean Energy Program – programs we need to solve critical problems like air pollution and global warming.

Later that day the Assembly will vote on the “No Clean Air Rollback” bill, which would block Gov. Christie from abandoning the historic Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. That’s why it’s imperative that we bring at least 200 “citizen lobbyists” to send the strongest message possible.

Meet at 11:15am the Historic Trenton Masonic Temple, 100 Barrack Street in Trenton for briefings and then head over to the Trenton State House.

There are charter buses leaving from: Red Bank and Belmar, Ridgewood and Cranford.  To arrange a spot on a bus, or for more information, contact Dan DeRosa of Environment New Jersey (609) 392-5151, ex. 308, or click here.

Sponsored by: Environment New Jersey, GreenFaith, League of Women Voters of New Jersey, New Jersey Public Health Institute, New Jersey Citizen Action, North Jersey Public Policy Network, New Jersey Sierra Club, New Jersey Environmental Federation.