News From The Week Of September 28 – October 2, 2020
Friend,
In a year that we didn’t think could get more surreal, now President Trump, the First Lady and members of his staff have contracted coronavirus. We wish them and the millions of others across the country suffering from this terrible illness good health and a speedy recovery.
As far as we know right now, the Senate’s hasty confirmation process of Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, is continuing as planned. Barrett has demonstrated hostility toward church-state separation, so Americans United has been working overtime to ensure this fundamental principle that protects religious freedom for all of us is not abandoned by the highest court in the land. And we are raising consciousness about the importance of and threats to our issue at the same time.
Our policy experts are educating the public, the media, and members of the U.S. Senate about Barrett’s record on the separation of religion and government. In a new AU report, which was shared broadly with lawmakers, we laid out what’s at stake in this confirmation battle. Barrett on the court would threaten the future of reproductive freedom, expand the misuse of religion to discriminate, and lead to expanded religious exemptions that especially put LGBTQ people, women, religious minorities and the nonreligious at risk.
Read our report, "What's At Stake," here: [link removed]
We are activating our national network of AU supporters to urge the Senate to oppose the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett. It’s pure hypocrisy for the Senate to move forward at this time when they refused to vote on Merrick Garland’s nomination. In fact, in this case, the presidential election is already underway – millions of people are voting right now. The Senate should listen to the will of the people and not confirm anyone to the Supreme Court until the next presidential term begins. If you haven’t already, please click here to send a message to your Senators now: [link removed]
I want to take a moment to say thank you, truly, for all you do to help us protect the Constitution’s promise of keeping religion and government separate. The stakes keep getting higher, the situation more complex, but with your support, AU will continue to rise to the occasion.
With hope and determination,
Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO
High School Football, Religious Freedom And A U.S. Supreme Court Vacancy:
Federal courts have repeatedly ruled in favor of Bremerton School District – agreeing that the district had a right to stop an assistant football coach from praying with players and students at the 50-yard line after games. But the current U.S. Supreme Court vacancy looms over this and many other cases involving church-state separation.
READ MORE » [link removed]
Tennessee Public School System Agrees To Stop Promoting Religion:
These are unsettled times in the courts with the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but it’s good to know that advocates of separation of church and state are still winning cases.
READ MORE » [link removed]
Is Trump’s Christian Nationalist ‘History’ Coming To A School Near You?
President Donald Trump wants to form a commission to ensure public schools are only teaching a whitewashed, Christian nationalist version of American history.
READ MORE » [link removed]
Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett: A Threat To Religious Freedom For All:
The Senate should not confirm a Supreme Court justice until after the presidential inauguration in January. And even then, the Senate should not confirm Amy Coney Barrett – she’s a threat to church-state separation, which protects religious freedom for all of us.
READ MORE » [link removed]
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