Action Alerts – Page 5 – Unitarian Universalist FaithAction NJ

The Las Vegas Massacre of Oct. 1, 2017

by Rev. Rob GregsonOctober 9, 2017February 11, 2021

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

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

by Rev. Rob GregsonSeptember 21, 2017

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

ACTION ALERT: Ask Gov. Christie to Restrict Solitary in NJ!

by UU FA OfficeNovember 29, 2016

In January, President Obama put major limits on solitary confinement in federal prisons. But New Jersey is still lagging far behind.

The Governor currently has a bill on his desk, the Isolated Confinement Restriction Act, that could change that. The Senate bill, S51, passed by a vote of 23-16 on June 23, 2016. The bill passed the Assembly, A547, on October 20 with a vote of 45-26-1.

This bill, S51/A547, would dramatically limit when New Jersey subjects people to extreme isolation for long periods of time and create a total ban on the practice for vulnerable populations who suffer most from it.

This bill would:

Require facilities to use isolated confinement only as a last resort, when less restrictive treatment would pose too much of a risk;
Prohibit isolation for more than 15 consecutive days or 20 days in a 60-day period;
Ban isolation for members of vulnerable populations, such as people who have mental illnesses, pregnant women, and people with various disabilities;
Require medical clearance and daily evaluations when a prisoner is held in isolation.

Long-term isolated confinement poses extremely harmful effects on any prisoner, but especially members of vulnerable populations, such as people with mental illnesses, pregnant women, people under 21, and people over 55. It can worsen existing mental illnesses and inflict psychological trauma where it didn’t exist before. Alternatives to isolated confinement have proven to be successful, because they don’t come with the socially destructive side effects that result from psychological torture.

Most prisoners will re-enter society once they’ve served their time. Once they emerge, who do we want those people to be? Most likely your answer does not include someone whose time in isolated confinement has left them more psychologically wounded and socially ill-equipped than before they entered prison or jail.

This bill won’t eliminate isolated confinement if it’s deemed necessary. But it will put much-needed protections in place to make sure that its use is humane and rare.

Learn more about solitary confinement in New Jersey

Read our Criminal Justice Task Force’s Solitary Confinement Statement.

Learn more about our Criminal Justice Reform Task Force

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

ACTION ALERT: Protect Families from Gun Violence

by UU FA OfficeOctober 26, 2016January 31, 2018

In New Jersey, homicides were up 4% in 2015. Tamara Wilson-Seidle was shot and killed by her husband in broad daylight while their seven-year old daughter looked on. On June 25, 2015, nine days after Tamara lost her life, both houses passed a bill to prevent domestic violence gun deaths with overwhelming majorities. Unfortunately for New Jerseyans, Governor Chris Christie has twice vetoed these bills. Join us in supporting broader firearm restrictions for domestic abusers.

A bill aimed at protecting families from the threat and potential of gun violence will come before the Assembly on Monday, November 21. In a conditional veto from Chris Christie in the spring he “[urged] the Legislature to join with [him] in a bipartisan manner to broaden this bill’s approach to reducing domestic violence while simultaneously empowering victims to protect themselves through lawful means.” The Governor’s proposal would give victims of domestic violence expedited access to their own firearms.

Why is this so important? A woman is 5 times more likely to be murdered by an intimate partner if there is a gun in the house. Of the female homicides reported in New Jersey in 2011, more than half of them were committed by intimate partners and a third involved the use of a firearm. Domestic violence offenses involving a gun increased 10 percent in 2013 when compared to 2012. And 216 women were killed in a domestic violence homicide between 2010 and 2013. There were 2,962 total arrests involving domestic violence restraining orders reported by police in 2011. Of these, 1,804 were arrests for violations of a restraining order only, while 1,158 were arrests for violations of a restraining order with an offense arrest. Children were involved or present during 31 percent of all domestic violence offenses.

Among other provisions, the bill (S2483/A4126) would:

Require domestic abusers who have been convicted of a domestic violence offense to surrender their firearms and provide a receipt and affidavit to the prosecutor demonstrating that they have done so;
Require a law enforcement officer to accompany an abuser who has become subject to a restraining order to the location of the abuser’s firearms and take possession of the firearms, or if the abuser is prohibited from going to the location by restraining order, require the officer to seize the firearms;
Require the application for a restraining order to allow the victim to list firearms owned by the abuser;
Require any identification card and permit issued to an abuser to be immediately revoked and require the court to establish a process for notifying the appropriate authorities of the revocation;
Enhance penalties for domestic violence offenses.

Under current law, the above are provisions the Courts CAN take but are not required. The new legislation tightens that gap, closing a potential loophole.

If you or someone you care about is in danger, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.

For a listing of local services, visit the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence.

Resources

Time to stop being blind to domestic violence epidemic in N.J.

After NJ murder-suicide: A look at stopping domestic violence early on

Chris Christie’s deadly conflict of interest

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

ACTION ALERT: Senate Vote on S2469 for Independent Prosecutors this Thursday

by UU FA OfficeOctober 18, 2016

s2469

The New Jersey Senate is scheduled to vote on Thursday, October 20th, on S2469, the legislation to require independent prosecutors when there is a killing by police or a death in police custody. We have just the next 24 hours to make our voices heard…. please TAKE ACTION and write to your State Senator urging them to VOTE YES on this important legislation.

Reforms such as the one proposed by S2469 are important steps toward enhancing police accountability and will reduce actual and perceived conflicts of interest when a death occurs at the hands of law enforcement officers.

Such reforms would have the effect of bolstering the legitimacy of law enforcement, fostering more trusting relationships between police officers and community members, and helping prevent excessive use of force.

By removing the perception that local prosecutors are reluctant to investigate the police departments they work with, S2469 allows officers who commit criminal acts to be held accountable and removes an important barrier to fostering trust between officers and residents.

NJ Activists Want More Transparency for Police-Related Shootings

NJ Bill Would Mandate OAG Review of Police-Related Deaths

Sweeney legislation would require state AG to investigate police-involved killings

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

ACTION ALERT: Limit Solitary Confinement By Voting YES This Thursday!

by UU FA OfficeOctober 17, 2016

In January, President Obama put major limits on solitary confinement in federal prisons. But New Jersey is still lagging far behind.

The Assembly will vote on the Isolated Confinement Restriction Act this Thursday The Senate bill, S51, passed by a vote of 23-16 on June 23, 2016.

This bill would:

Require facilities to use isolated confinement only as a last resort, when less restrictive treatment would pose too much of a risk;
Prohibit isolation for more than 15 consecutive days or 20 days in a 60-day period;
Ban isolation for members of vulnerable populations, such as people who have mental illnesses, pregnant women, and people with various disabilities;
Require medical clearance and daily evaluations when a prisoner is held in isolation.

This bill won’t eliminate isolated confinement if it’s deemed necessary. But it will put much-needed protections in place to make sure that its use is humane and rare.

Learn more about solitary confinement in New Jersey

Read our Criminal Justice Task Force’s Solitary Confinement Statement.

Learn more about our Criminal Justice Reform Task Force

“Out of the Box,” a solitary confinement cell replica is being hosted at Morristown Unitarian Fellowship throughout early October. The cell was sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of New Jersey and the Undoing Racism Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair. The cell will be open to the public and Fellowship members at the following days and times for information, viewing, and an opportunity to experience solitary confinement. Your last chance to visit the cell in Morristown is Tuesday, October 18, 5 – 7 pm.

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

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

by UU FA OfficeAugust 31, 2016

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.

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.

National Moral Day of Action

by UU FA OfficeAugust 31, 2016

On Monday, September 12, 2016 (as a part of The Revival: Time for a Moral Revolution of Values) at State Capitols around the nation, at 11 AM in every time zone, justice will roll across the country as faith leaders from diverse traditions, people impacted by poverty, racism, and injustice, advocates, and activists come together rally and to deliver to our elected leaders and candidates the Higher Ground Moral Declaration, which calls on governors, senators, state legislators and candidates for office to move away from extremist politics and policies that benefit the few and move toward policies and laws that are just and fair and guarantee a better life for the majority of the people.

The Moral Declaration that has already been delivered to the RNC as well as the DNC will be read, proclaimed, and delivered to our Governors, US Senate candidates and state party officials. You can show your support in advance by signing the declaration.

At this time, we will not engage in civil disobedience because the first step must be petition. We will be acting as one to send the same message to our state leaders and through the media to our communities and nation that it is time for a moral revolution of values that challenges the narrow construct of those who purport to represent the, so-called, “religious right.”

We will sing the same opening and closing songs, recite the same litany, and the same chants on the walk around the all US State Houses.

MORE DETAILS COMING SOON!

ACTION ALERT: March for Immigrant Rights

by UU FA OfficeAugust 30, 2016

On Thursday, September 8, starting at 3:30 pm, there will be a march from the Hudson County Jail to the County Freeholders’ meeting to call for humane treatment of migrants who are being detained there for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Hudson County is paid a fee for each detainee held by the county, and the more they hold the more money ICE pays. There are reports that the conditions in the jail are terrible, including rat infested food. The County has a 287(g) agreement with ICE, which gives county law enforcement – sheriff’s officers and police – the ability to make arrests for immigration offenses. This agreement prevents immigrants in Hudson county from contacting law enforcement for problems like domestic violence.

Join UULMNJ and other members of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ) as we urge elected officials to stop making money from the incarceration of immigrants.

I will be joined by other UU clergy to march from Hudson Co. Jail at 30-35 Hackensack Avenue in Kearney to 567 Pavonia Avenue, Jersey City. A rally will be held at the start and ending points. If you are not able to walk the approximately 3.5 miles but wish to show support, please join us outside the Jersey City ralyying point around 5 pm. This is a great opportunity to show your support for vulnerable people confronting a conflicted law enforcement system and especially inhumane prison in our home state.

For news and updates join the conversation on Facebook.

In Faith and Abiding Hope,

Rev. Rob Gregson, Executive Director

UULMNJ Marching for a Clean Energy Revolution!

by UU FA OfficeJuly 18, 2016

CER March Header

Americans Against Fracking and Pennsylvanians Against Fracking have organized the March for a Clean Energy Revolution. It is being organized by a broad coalition of organizations and grassroots groups from all over the United States, including the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of NJ.

Fracking is impacting community health, water, air, and the climate on which we all depend, and we are calling on both the Democratic and Republican Parties to include a ban on fracking, environmental justice, keeping fossil fuels in the ground, stopping dirty energy, and a quick and just transition to 100% renewable energy in their platforms. There is a major action planned on the eve of the Democratic National Convention because Pennsylvania is one of the states that has been most impacted by the expansion of fracking.

The convention will afford a national spotlight on these important issues and the need for our elected leaders to take action. Also, with the national attention afforded by the convention and the presence of many key elected leaders there, it is a tremendous opportunity to bring the message of the need for bold action to these leaders and the public at large.

The March for a Clean Energy Revolution will be a peaceful action expressing our power through our voices, presence, and creativity. We will demonstrate the strength and commitment of our movement, demand the end to dirty fossil fuels and catapult the need for 100% renewable energy onto the national agenda on the eve of the Democratic National Convention.

In order to create a peaceful, family-friendly, and uniting event, those participating in the march agree that:
1. Violence, either physical or verbal, has no place in this event.
2. We will not vandalize or damage anything during this event.
3. We will maintain a tone of respect and honesty, as well as commit to calming any escalatory situations that arise.
4. We will not carry weapons, illegal drugs, or alcohol during this event.
5. We are all responsible for supporting each other to uphold these agreements.

Please help us in our effort to account for our New Jersey UU contingent by signing up here.

What You Need to Know

For all who are attending, especially for those who are not entirely familiar with the city, it is necessary to know where to be, where to go, and when to move. On this page, you can find a schedule that outlines all of this for you, so that you can be fully involved in the march.

The weekend starts on Saturday, July 23 with the activists’ Summit at the Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street in Philly. The Summit will run from 9:00AM til 6:30PM, and will feature a mix of educational workshops, organizing skills training, and strategy development sessions. Come prepared to acquire new skills and strategies to take back to your local campaigns and to meet people working on similar efforts in their communities across the country. Check here for updates.

The Interfaith Service starts at 12 noon, in the interior courtyard at City Hall. Contingents will line up on the south side of City Hall – exact location TBD, but there will be plenty of marshals to help folks get organized. UULMNJ meet up to be determined.

March-Details-Map.jpg-1024x780 The March steps off from City Hall at about 12:45 – 1:00. The March will be led by representatives of indigenous communities and other front-line folks who are particularly impacted by fracking and other extreme energy extraction. The exact order of march is still being determined, but as of now the Faith Contingent will be towards the end. This puts some responsibility on us to make sure the March has a big finish!

We’ll march one mile to Independence Hall where we’ll end with a collective action.

If you need mobility assistance, please email accessibility@cleanenergymarch.org for more information.

– In order to maintain everyone’s safety, it is important to be prepared for what the day provides us: weather, exercise, and a time-sensitive schedule.

– Bring your own water bottle! There will be water tanks for filling up, but no bottles.

– Wear weather appropriate clothing. As of Monday morning the Philadelphia forecast for July 24 is a high of 97 and mostly sunny! (Bring sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, etc.)

– We’ll be walking (marching) a lot, wear comfortable shoes.

– This March will be hours long, bring snacks.

– Feel free to bring a sign or poster to show your support for a Clean Energy Revolution! No metal or wooden poles. If you wish to hold your sign high we recommend rolling poster board into a tube and attaching to your sing with tape.

Other details will be posted here as they become available!

PRINT AT HOME POSTERS & SIGNS

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