News From The Week Of May 11 – May 15, 2020

Friend:

Many of us are at the two-month point in this new normal of social distancing and self-quarantining. And religion-government issues continue to surface despite, and sometimes because of, a pandemic that upends our daily lives.

Last week, The Forward, a Jewish-audience newspaper (that my father delivered papers for as a boy), ran an op-ed from the “Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty” criticizing AU and our allies’ friend-of-the-court brief in Trump v. Pennsylvania, a U.S. Supreme Court case concerning Trump administration rules allowing employers and universities to invoke religious beliefs to deny birth control coverage guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act. In our response published on Monday, Richard Katskee, AU’s Legal Director, and I corrected the record by laying out the very real consequences this case could have for women and the rights of religious minorities nationwide. Read it here: [link removed]

An important part of AU’s mission has always been leading the engagement of faith leaders and communities of faith in the fight for church-state separation, and to that end, we are thrilled to announce that Dr. Sabrina Dent ([link removed]) has joined AU as our new Senior Faith Adviser. Dr. Dent will help lead our efforts to deepen faith engagement at this critical moment in our nation’s history.

Speaking of engagement, over the last several weeks I’ve used these updates to ask all of you – AU’s supporters – how you’ve been faring during the coronavirus crisis. I was delighted to hear from so many of you across the entire country who shared your own personal experiences, thoughts, fears, and encouragements. I wrote my monthly Church & State magazine column about the responses we received. Click here to read it in full: [link removed]

As I said in my column, almost all of you took the time to let us know that even – and especially – in these tough times, you value the work of AU. You praised AU for keeping you “informed and inspired,” for continuing “the ‘high watch’ regarding the bullying of the religious right” and for “doing a super job in catching these violations of scientific truths, logic, common sense and constitution law!” “I’m depending on you!” another member added.

Your messages help sustain us during this difficult time, and I hope our work has made a difference to all of you as well. Thanks for being with us, and drop us a line any time to keep us posted about how you are doing.

In solidarity,
Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO

Christian Nationalists Are Spreading Fake News About The Federal Government And Coronavirus:
There’s no doubt that the federal government has the power – some would say the duty – to respond in the face of a public health emergency.
READ MORE » [link removed]

Aimee Stephens’ Pioneering Fight For Transgender Rights Will Live Beyond Her:
We regret that Aimee won’t be here to see a ruling in her Supreme Court case. But one thing remains clear: Aimee’s bravery and tenacity in pursuing justice to the highest court in the land have inspired people across the nation.
READ MORE » [link removed]

I Asked How You're Doing – You Were Happy To Let Me Know!
Some Americans United members are taking solace in religious observances but practicing virtually and safely.
READ MORE » [link removed]

The American People Are Wary Of Trump’s Rush To Reopen Houses Of Worship:
President Donald Trump and members of his administration continue to push for a full reopening of the country, and increasingly they are prodding houses of worship to lead the way.
READ MORE » [link removed]

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Americans United for Separation of Church and State
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