Friend:

I want to start with a sincere thank you. This week we set an ambitious goal of raising $50,000 to bolster church-state separation on Giving Tuesday, with every dollar matched by a generous group of AU donors. I’m so happy to say that the outpouring of support from members like you enabled us to hit our goal in the nick of time!

On its way out the door, the Trump administration is moving at a breakneck pace to finalize a series of rules that license discrimination in employment and social services in the name of “religious freedom.” There is so much to undo – and so much to get done proactively to promote true religious freedom.

This week, I spoke extensively with The Atlantic journalist Ronald Brownstein for his excellent piece “The Supreme Court is Colliding With a Less-Religious America,” which explores the changing religious (and nonreligious) makeup in America and the reactionary forces at play both in President Trump’s evangelical base and, increasingly, at the Supreme Court.

The Court’s recent order blocking in the name of “religious freedom” New York’s restrictions on religious gatherings – even though nonreligious gatherings were governed by stricter restrictions – is the latest example of this troubling trend. This action risks lives in the midst of the pandemic’s most deadly weeks, and sadly, what we expect to follow could be even worse.

Please click here to read this excellent article on the state of religious freedom under the current U.S. Supreme Court.

An important part of AU’s mission on top of our legal, policy and organizing work is to educate the country about the importance of and threats to church-state separation. This task is even more critical during a pandemic when the immediate consequences can be life or death. We could not do the urgent work of protecting religious freedom for all without your steadfast commitment to the cause.

With hope and gratitude,