Friend,

We’ve all been on quite the rollercoaster ride these past 24 hours. Americans United joins with voters across the country in calling for every vote cast, whether in person or by mail, to be counted.

As an organization founded on respect for constitutional democracy and our nation’s unfulfilled vision of equality and freedom, we know that limiting the right to vote limits all of our freedoms.

It’s as simple as this: We strengthen our democracy, our Constitution, and our values when every ballot counts.

While we await the official results of this momentous election, AU’s work to protect religious freedom and church-state separation can’t be put on hold.

This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Fulton v. The City of Philadelphia, a case involving a taxpayer-funded child-placement agency contracted to provide government foster-care services that claims a “religious freedom” right to discriminate against qualified families who are LGBTQ.

I’m proud to report that in today’s oral arguments, Philadelphia’s attorney directly referenced the facts of our Aimee Maddonna case to explain to the Court that the Fulton verdict could expand religious exemptions for discrimination and exclusion.

AU filed a friend-of-the-court brief in this case on behalf of four prospective foster families, each of whom were rejected because they failed to pass the religious litmus tests of the agencies contracted by the government to find homes for foster children in the custody of the government.

You can join our Associate VP of Public Policy, Dena Sher, at a virtual town hall tonight for a discussion of this crucial case and analysis of the oral argument.

No matter what the final election results are, AU will never stop fighting to protect the separation of religion and government and end the misuse of religious freedom to discriminate.

Please help us continue to fight all attempts to misuse religious freedom to discriminate. Click here to support our work with a donation today.

We will stay in touch as events unfold in the days to come. For now, please know how much we value being in community with you.

In solidarity,

Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO