separation-of-church-and-hate

Since everyone seems to have an opinion about the mosque near Ground Zero (and President Obama has two), I'd like to ask you all a couple of questions:

http://www.gregpalast.com/separation-of-church-and-hatethe-kate-mosque-solution/


http://tinyurl.com/28ocfn6

California Teacher Has No Right To Push Religion in the Classroom, Americans United Tells Federal Appeals Court

July 26, 2010

School Officials Were Correct To Remove Math Teacher’s Religious Banners, Watchdog Group Says


Public school officials did not violate a California teacher’s rights when they asked him to remove two religious banners from his classroom, Americans United for Separation of Church and State has told a federal appeals court.

Bradley Johnson, a math teacher at Westview High School in San Diego, filed a lawsuit against school officials in 2007, claiming his free speech rights were infringed when he was ordered to take down his religious signs.

A U.S. district court in March ruled in favor of Johnson and ordered school officials to pay nominal damages.

“The district court got it wrong,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United’s executive director. “A public school teacher has no constitutional right to push personal religious beliefs on students.

“I am confident that the appeals court will reverse this decision,” Lynn continued. “It conflicts with current constitutional law and opens the door for teachers to proselytize students.”

Americans United filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the Poway Unified School District, arguing that the school was well within its rights to ask Johnson to remove the religious displays.

Johnson, who is represented by the Michigan-based Religious Right group, the Thomas More Law Center, displayed two 7-foot by 2-foot banners in his classroom. One contained the phrases “In God We Trust,” “One Nation Under God,” “God Bless America” and “God Shed His Grace on Thee” written in red, white and blue stripes. Another banner contained the phrase, “All Men Are Created Equal, They are Endowed By Their Creator.”

“It’s clear that Johnson had a religious purpose in displaying these passages,” said AU Legal Director Ayesha N. Khan. “There is no academic reason for a math teacher to display religious affirmations in his classroom. It just doesn’t add up.”

Americans United’s brief in Johnson v. Poway Unified School District was drafted by Khan and AU Madison Fellow Michael Blank.

Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.


http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/california-teacher-has-no.html

Use of Government Property to Relocate NYC Mosque Raises Serious Legal Questions, Says Americans United

Photo from: http://www.zawaj.com/askbilqis/regretting-a-decision/



August 18, 2010

Church-State Watchdog Group Says Government Can’t Subsidize Religion Or Give It Preferential Treatment

New York Gov. David Paterson’s proposal to offer public property to relocate the so-called “Ground Zero mosque” raises serious constitutional issues and could spark litigation, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

“I understand that some people are not happy with the prospect of an Islamic center opening in Manhattan, but relocating it to public property raises significant legal issues,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United.

“Whether the governor is talking about a gift of public land or a sweetheart deal that gives one religious group a special right to purchase government property, it’s wrong.

“In America,” continued Lynn, “government does not subsidize religion or give religious groups preferential treatment.”

Controversy has flared recently over plans by a Muslim group to build an Islamic center two blocks from the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Paterson proposed resolving the matter by offering public land elsewhere for construction of the Islamic facility.

But Paterson’s proposal is legally flawed, AU says.

Lynn pointed out that the Supreme Court has repeatedly held that government may not subsidize religious facilities. Any attempt to use public resources to relocate the Islamic center would undoubtedly lead to a legal challenge.

In addition to the U.S. Constitution, Lynn noted that New York’s constitution contains strong language barring any diversion of public resources for religious purposes. Article XI, for example, bans public support of institutions “wholly or in part under the control or direction of any religious denomination….”

Lynn urged Paterson to drop the proposal. The solution, Lynn said, is to respect the Muslim group’s right to build its center on private property using private funds.

“Local authorities in Manhattan have cleared the way for construction of the Islamic center,” Lynn said. “It’s up to the Islamic group to decide whether they want to proceed. I’m sorry that this situation has become so politicized.”

Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2010/08/use-of-government-property-to.html

Americans United, Allies Commend House Resolution On Texas School Board’s Biased Social Studies Standards

Public School Curriculum Standards Should Not Be Politicized, Says AU’s Lynn

August 10, 2010


In a joint letter, Americans United and 22 other religious, educational and advocacy groups commended U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson for introducing a House resolution supporting academically sound curriculum development and criticizing the Texas State Board of Education for politicizing the state’s social studies standards.

Johnson’s measure, H.Res. 1593, charges that the State Board “disregarded many academically based recommendations and approved politically biased standards within the curriculum that are outside of mainstream scholarship.” (The resolution is co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Solomon P. Ortiz, Ruben Hinojosa, Silvestre Reyes and Gene Green.)

Said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, “The Texas School Board’s handling of the social studies standards was a travesty. America’s school children cannot be expected to learn accurate history if ideologues are allowed to manipulate the educational process.

“Teachers and scholars, not politicians, should take the lead in developing curriculum standards,” Lynn said. “The Texas School Board flunked its big test. I hope every member of Congress joins Rep. Johnson’s resolution as a co-sponsor.”

The groups’ joint letter to Johnson asserted, “The politicization of the process by which curriculum standards are adopted in Texas has garnered national attention and has set a dangerous precedent that we fear could be repeated in other places. Therefore, we appreciate your efforts to draw attention to this problem. We agree that it should not be up to any politician to write history; instead teachers and experts in the field should be utilized to determine curriculum standards.”

The letter noted that the State School Board approved curriculum standards that are “academically unsound and politically biased.” The Texas standards, the groups charged, downplayed the struggle surrounding the civil rights movement and undermined the constitutionally mandated separation between religion and government.

“We greatly appreciate your leadership on this important issue,” the letter concluded. “Emphasizing that academic experts, rather than politicians, should develop curriculum standards that are clear, informed, and inclusive will help ensure that our students learn accurate history and acquire the analytical skills needed for success in college and the workforce.”

Groups signing the letter include the American Federation of Teachers, Americans for Religious Liberty, American Association of University Women, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Anti-Defamation League, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, Catholics for Choice, Center for Inquiry, Hindu American Foundation, Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, Interfaith Alliance, National Alliance of Black School Educators, NAACP, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Council of La Raza, National Council of Jewish Women, National Education Association, National Women’s Law Center, People For the American Way, Secular Coalition for America, Texas Faith Network, Texas Freedom Network and the United Church of Christ Justice & Witness Ministries.

Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

complete here: http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2010/08/au-allies-commend-house.html

Americans United Applauds Court Ruling Against Proposition 8

Minority Civil Rights Should Never Be Taken Away By Referendum, Watchdog Group Says

August 4, 2010

Americans United for Separation of Church and State today applauded a federal district court decision striking down California’s Proposition 8, a measure that withdrew the civil marriage rights of same-sex couples in the state.

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that the state constitutional amendment imposes a private moral viewpoint without a legitimate governmental interest and tramples on the equal rights of gay and lesbian couples.

Said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, “This is a tremendous step forward for individual freedom and church-state separation. Aggressive and well-funded religious groups conspired to take away the civil marriage rights of same-sex couples in California. That was wrong, and I am delighted that the court has ruled the way it has.”

In a November 2008 referendum, voters narrowly approved Proposition 8, a ballot measure that removed the right of same-sex couples to obtain civil marriages. The referendum was dominated by lavishly funded political front groups representing the Roman Catholic bishops, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) and fundamentalist Protestant churches.

Lynn said powerful religious interest groups should never have been allowed to change civil marriage laws to reflect their doctrinal teachings.

Said Lynn, “A growing number of American denominations and faith groups perform same-sex marriages. Why should the state refuse to recognize those ceremonies while approving of ceremonies by other clergy? A decent respect for church-state separation means the government should not play favorites when it comes to religion.”

Today’s ruling in Perry v. Schwarzenegger is certain to be taken to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and many expect the case to go to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.


http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2010/08/au-applauds-court-ruling.html

OKC Chapter Annual Meeting

Americans United for Separation of Church & State

OKC Chapter

SAVE THE DATE!

Thursday, Sept. 30, 20106:00 pm

Dutch Treat Dinner

7:00 pm Annual Business Meeting

Speakers:Jo Davis -- Women's Rights & Religion

James Nimmo -- Gay/Lesbian Equality & Religion

Keynote Speaker Pending

Hometown Buffet, 3900 NW 63rd,

OKCCorner of NW Highway & NW 63rd

Questions call Jim Nimmo, 405-843-3651

"Undivided Church and State"

Arnold Hamilton, editor of the Oklahoma Observer, has a thoughtful article in today's Urban Tulsa Weekly that discussed the "Undivided Church and State" in Oklahoma.

After citing some of the seemingly endless examples of the push toward theocracy in Oklahoma, Hamilton focuses on the recent endorsement of a political candidate by Paul Blair's "Reclaiming Oklahoma for Christ" -- a religious non-profit organization receiving tax deductible contributions. Hamilton concludes:

Read the rest at:
http://tinyurl.com/27pgx3l

more background at:
http://tinyurl.com/2dyetg7

Weekly Blog, July, 2010

Wall of Separation is a weekly blog from Americans United for Separation of Church & State

July, 2010--

http://blog.au.org/2010/07/

Reclaim Claims Innocence -- Kern Concurs

Edmond-based religious nonprofit noticed by national organization for separation of church and state

Read their quotes in the complete Gazette story here:

http://tinyurl.com/2dyetg7

"Holy Smokin' Sheets, Batman!"

‘Reclaiming Oklahoma For Christ’ in Political Bed with Sally Kern?

http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2010/07/irs-should-investigate-okla.html

or http://tinyurl.com/25eb3fx

AU letter to IRS:
http://tinyurl.com/28lcx7x