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Conscience in Public Life
Interfaith Impact of New York State
PO Box 7163
Albany, NY 12224
518-463-5652
What's New
Opposition to Education Tax Credit
Climate Change & Environmental Justice
HEALTH CARE OF, BY AND FOR THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK STATE
Testimony Presented to NY's Hospitality Industry Minimum Wage Board
IINYS Position Papers on Current Issues
Technical and Religious Issues with Fracking
Bending the Arc – Pulpit, Pew and Politics
Redistricting Testimony by IINYS President
Redistricting Testimony, Rochester
IINYS Challenge: Fair Share Taxation
Support for Occupy Wall Street
The Budget as a Moral Document
Justice for Immigrants: Rescind State Agreement with ICE
IINYS Position on Hydrofracking
NYS Dysfunction, can It be fixed?: Pros and Cons of a Constitutional Convention
A Voice of Faith - A Voice of Conscience
A message from IINYS President,
Rev. Richard S. Gilbert
December 28, 2015
Dear Friend of IINYS:
If you are like me, you are deluged with year-end invitations to contribute. Why should Interfaith Impact be different? In some ways, we are.
How are we different? We are focused strictly on New York State public issues that need a liberal religious analysis. We choose our issues based on our capacity to bring a critically moral perspective to them: GENDA (transgender rights), Black Lives Matter, Green Energy, Medical Aid in Dying, Reproductive Justice and Minimum Wage are hot button issues. They are our issues.
How are we different? We are an interfaith coalition joining Reform Jews, progressive Protestants, Unitarian Universalists and others in a united effort to seek the common good.
How are we different? We do not lobby; we advocate. Lobbying is a perfectly legitimate activity (properly regulated), part of a democratic process in which groups seek their self-interest. Advocacy is a process of seeking a just society through the political process.
How are we not different? We need your support - contributions of individuals and congregations. We have no PAC, no billionaire philanthropists, no large foundations. We have you and your congregation. We trust that will be enough.
Please add us to your year-end contribution by clicking here or on the big blue Donate button on the left of your screen. You have a choice of donating online or by mail.
May your new year be filled with progress.
In the cause of justice,
Richard S. Gilbert
Richard S. Gilbert, President IINYS
About Interfaith Impact of New York State
Interfaith Impact is a statewide coalition of congregations and individuals from mainline Protestant, Reform Jewish, Unitarian Universalist and other faith traditions. Our mission is to work for the common good through progressive religious advocacy..
Our positions are rooted in the common scriptural and ethical values that we share, which call upon all people to participate in the ongoing work of perfecting the world. We witness boldly, while maintaining the integrity of non-profit religious bodies on whose behalf we speak. We engage in policy; we do not engage in politics.
We are concerned about:
- The separation of Church and State;
- Health care, including universal access to quality health care, comprehensive sexuality education for teens, and access to complete reproductive health care, including emergency contraception, for all women, regardless of age;
- The civil rights of all persons, including those with gender variant identity and expression, and the civil right of civil marriage, regardless of gender;
- Criminal justice, including repeal of the death penalty and reform of the NYS drug laws;
- Fair State funding for public education;
- Campaign finance reform;
- Economic security for all.
We have been the progressive religious community’s voice for justice and human rights in New York State for more than two decades. We represent Christians, Jews, Unitarian Universalists and those from other faith traditions across New York State who are not afraid to stand up for progressive principles and social justice. It is up to us to make sure the voice of reason and compassion is heard in the NYS Legislature and the Governor’s office.