Q: Is SALT partisan?
A: SALT is nonpartisan, concentrating on issues, not candidates.

Q: Is it appropriate for faith communities to advocate on behalf of social and economic justice?
A: Yes. The issue of justice has been a central focusof faith communities ever since a prophet in ancient Israel said, “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream” (Amos 5:24);to the day when the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, calling for justice, quotedthat same passage in a speech on the Washington Mall in 1963; to the day Pope Paul VI admonished the world with his: “If you want peace, work for justice” (1971); and the American Catholic bishops called for Economic Justice for All: “Our faith calls us to measure this economy not only by what it produces, but also by how it touches human life and whether it protects or undermines the dignity of the human person. Economic decisions have human consequences and moral content; they help or hurt people, strengthen or weaken family life, advance or diminish the quality of justice in our land…we are challenged to speak for the voiceless, to defend the defenseless, to assess life styles, policies, and social institutions in terms of their impact on the poor” (1986).We also have this assurance of the Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners and God’s Politics: “Budgets are moral documents.”

Q: Is it time-consuming to participate in advocacy activities?
A: SALT need not be time consuming. What is really needed is an identified network of persons who will respond to occasional requests for a letters/e-mails or a call. We do need people who will respond to those requests in a timely fashion, as those requests will usually precede a critical policy vote. For those who are interested, we will provide information about other issues of interest, forums, and public hearings.

Q: How can one faith community make a difference?
A: SALT includes individual volunteers not associated with a faith community and those associated with various faith communities. These individuals and faith communities are in solidarity with one another as a network of advocates dedicated to advancing justice and the common good.  SALT was "born" over 30 years ago and has grown to a network of over 1200 persons. By working together and with other advocates, including the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, Virginia Organizing, Virginia CURE and the Commonwealth Institute, we can generate the energy needed to move mountains of resistance to promoting the public good.

Q: What if I don't know about the issues?
A: Individual or group training on how to write or speak to a legislator will also be provided upon request. However, the most important thing to remember is that the most effective advocacy messages are simple and personalized. A few techniques and basic information about the issue are all that is needed.  Be assured that SALT will provide you the required support to be an effective advocate.