| From | Kristen Waggoner <[email protected]> |
| Subject | FW: Breaking news from the U.S. Supreme Court |
| Date | October 8, 2019 12:09 PM |
Links have been removed from this email. Learn more in the FAQ.
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They’re trying to change the law…
Dear John,
For the last several months, Alliance Defending Freedom has been preparing to provide the best possible legal defense for Tom Rost and his business, R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes, at the U.S. Supreme Court. Arguments in the case are happening today, and Lord willing, that preparation will pay off with a victory.
If you have two minutes to spare, I’d like to take a moment to explain just how important today’s Supreme Court case is to your freedom and the future of this country.
It all began when a male funeral director who had worked at Harris Funeral Homes for nearly six years gave Tom a letter. The letter expressed the employee’s plan to begin dressing and presenting as a woman at work while serving grieving families.
When Tom declined to go along with the employee’s plan to violate the funeral home’s sex-specific dress code, the employee filed a complaint, and Tom was sued for sex discrimination.
John, for more than 100 years, Tom’s family has operated Harris Funeral Homes consistently with federal law. That includes having professional dress and conduct codes to help ensure families can focus on processing their grief rather than on the funeral home and its employees.
But now, the ACLU is trying to punish Tom and effectively redefine “sex” to include “gender identity” in federal law.
I’m sure you can imagine how difficult this is for Tom and his family. No one should be punished for complying with the law.
And make no mistake; this isn’t about sex discrimination.
This case is about who has the power to make laws in America — and whether all of us can rely on what the law actually says rather than what unelected officials want it to mean.
Thankfully, through the prayers and generous support of people like you, we will argue this case at the Supreme Court today. Thank you for helping to make this happen.
It is also important that you know how this case could impact us all.
The High Court’s decision will affect so much more than funeral home dress codes. (You can read more about what a loss in this case could mean for Tom — and for your freedom — in the email I’ve forwarded you below.)
John, this case is the perfect example of why we must continue to stand up when our freedoms are threatened — and when those in power abuse their positions to punish people like Tom.
But we cannot do it alone. Your help is needed to keep fighting for your freedom — and to win.
[link removed]
Our opponents are heavily funded. But praise God that He continues to provide us with the resources we need to protect our fundamental freedoms.
He’s using your prayers and financial support to make these legal battles possible. And He can use any gift you give today to further advance this Kingdom work to protect freedom for us all and keep the doors open for the Gospel.
We cannot let our brothers and sisters face these battles alone. We must stand together if we are going to protect our freedom today — and in the future.
Thank you for giving generously.
Kristen K. Waggoner
Senior Vice President of U.S. Legal Division & Communications
Alliance Defending Freedom
DONATE NOW
[link removed]
Sent: 9/26/2019
From: Alliance Defending Freedom
Subject: They’re trying to change the definition of “sex”
[link removed]
[link removed]
A loss at the U.S. Supreme Court will not just affect Tom…
Dear John,
What if the word “sex” in federal law was changed to mean “gender identity”?
This isn’t a theoretical question.
It could really happen.
Whether or not it becomes a reality depends on what the United States Supreme Court decides in our upcoming case: R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
If the Supreme Court rules against Tom Rost and his business, Harris Funeral Homes, it could have widespread consequences for us all, especially by undermining equal opportunities for women and girls.
With less than one month to go before oral arguments on October 8, your prayers and financial support are needed to provide Tom and Harris Funeral Homes with the best possible legal defense at the U.S. Supreme Court.
[link removed]
DONATE
[link removed]
How Tom ended up at the U.S. Supreme Court fighting for his freedom — and yours
Tom is the owner of the award-winning R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes in Michigan. The 100-year-old business has employed five generations of Tom’s family.
Harris Funeral Homes has a sex-specific dress code as part of its professional codes of conduct. Those policies help ensure that families can focus on the grieving process rather than the funeral home or its staff.
The dress code is consistent with industry standards and federal law. Every employee agrees to follow the dress code upon being hired.
But one day, a male funeral director handed Tom a letter. The letter informed Tom that after nearly six years of employment, this employee planned to begin dressing and presenting as a woman while working with the grieving families Harris Funeral Homes serves.
Tom was surprised. But not even the shock of that moment could prepare him for what would come next.
When Tom decided he could not go along with the employee’s plan to violate the dress code, the employee filed a complaint against Tom with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The EEOC then sued Tom and Harris Funeral Homes for sex discrimination!
It didn’t matter that Tom was acting consistently with existing laws, which allow small businesses to have sex-specific dress codes. The EEOC believed that “sex” should mean “gender identity” in federal employment law, and it imposed this view on Tom in its efforts to punish him.
John, for many years, your prayers and financial support have helped provide a strong legal defense for Tom free of charge.
Now, his case is set to be argued at the U.S. Supreme Court on October 8.
This is Tom’s last stand. It’s his final shot to win for freedom. He needs your help.
Already, a group of generous Ministry Friends have answered the call and provided a $2 million challenge grant to inspire you to join the fight and help defend Tom and others like him. Will you give today to further the impact for freedom during this critical time?
[link removed]
Changing the definition of “sex” to mean “gender identity” would cause chaos
“Sex” defines whether someone is male or female as an objective fact based on biology. But “gender identity” is a fluid concept that is hard to define and based on subjective perceptions.
Replacing “sex” with “gender identity” should not be taken lightly. Only Congress has the authority to make such a drastic shift. And for good reason. A change like this in federal law would cause chaos.
It could undermine equal opportunities for women and girls like Selina Soule, a high school athlete who is being forced to compete against biological males who identify as girls — producing an unequal playing field for girls. In fact, the boys who identify as girls have taken 15 girls’ track-and-field state titles in the past two years.
It could result in women’s shelters being forced to allow males who identify as female to sleep mere feet away from women who have been raped, trafficked, or abused. Recently, a federal court in Alaska had to stop the city of Anchorage from doing that very thing.
It could force employers and schools to open locker rooms, restrooms, and showers to men who claim a female identity — making the dignity and privacy of women everywhere contingent on others’ beliefs about their own gender.
It could require doctors to participate in (and employers to pay for) hormone blockers or surgical attempts to change sex in violation of religious beliefs — sacrificing freedom of conscience.
It could compel professionals from all walks of life to use pronouns and other sex-specific terms according to identity rather than biology or risk losing their jobs — threatening freedom of speech.
And it would put employers like Tom Rost and Harris Funeral Homes in impossible situations where they are forced (in the former funeral director’s view) to decide who is masculine or feminine enough to present a certain way — forcing employers to stereotype their own employees!
John, if the Supreme Court rules against Tom, he isn’t the only one who will suffer.
This case is about much more than sex-specific dress codes at your local funeral home. This is about your freedom too.
Please stand with Tom today to provide the strong legal defense he needs at the U.S. Supreme Court.
[link removed]
Because of the blessing of the $2 million challenge grant, you’ll join others in making an even greater impact for freedom.
This is urgent — Oral arguments at the Supreme Court are October 8
While the federal government has since changed its position and now agrees with Tom that “sex” in federal employment law refers to biological sex, the ACLU is still pursuing the case against Harris Funeral Homes in an effort to rewrite the law.
Now the Supreme Court must decide: Can unelected government officials bypass Congress and change the law to advance their own political interests?
There’s so much at stake, John.
A loss at the High Court could be a direct threat to your freedom.
That’s why your help is so urgently needed.
Through God’s blessing (John 15:5) and the generous support of people like you, we’re winning nearly 80 percent of our cases, including nine victories at the U.S. Supreme Court since 2011.
Together we have an opportunity to secure another important win at the Supreme Court — for Tom and for us all.
If you give today, your gift will further the impact of a $2 million challenge grant.
[link removed]
Thank you for standing with Tom and others like him with your best gift today.
DONATE NOW
[link removed]
DONATE
[link removed]
© 2019 Alliance Defending Freedom
15100 N. 90th Street, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
All donations are secure, private, and tax-deductible. Member ECFA.
View this e-mail online
[link removed]
| Privacy policy
[link removed]
| Unsubscribe
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Dear John,
For the last several months, Alliance Defending Freedom has been preparing to provide the best possible legal defense for Tom Rost and his business, R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes, at the U.S. Supreme Court. Arguments in the case are happening today, and Lord willing, that preparation will pay off with a victory.
If you have two minutes to spare, I’d like to take a moment to explain just how important today’s Supreme Court case is to your freedom and the future of this country.
It all began when a male funeral director who had worked at Harris Funeral Homes for nearly six years gave Tom a letter. The letter expressed the employee’s plan to begin dressing and presenting as a woman at work while serving grieving families.
When Tom declined to go along with the employee’s plan to violate the funeral home’s sex-specific dress code, the employee filed a complaint, and Tom was sued for sex discrimination.
John, for more than 100 years, Tom’s family has operated Harris Funeral Homes consistently with federal law. That includes having professional dress and conduct codes to help ensure families can focus on processing their grief rather than on the funeral home and its employees.
But now, the ACLU is trying to punish Tom and effectively redefine “sex” to include “gender identity” in federal law.
I’m sure you can imagine how difficult this is for Tom and his family. No one should be punished for complying with the law.
And make no mistake; this isn’t about sex discrimination.
This case is about who has the power to make laws in America — and whether all of us can rely on what the law actually says rather than what unelected officials want it to mean.
Thankfully, through the prayers and generous support of people like you, we will argue this case at the Supreme Court today. Thank you for helping to make this happen.
It is also important that you know how this case could impact us all.
The High Court’s decision will affect so much more than funeral home dress codes. (You can read more about what a loss in this case could mean for Tom — and for your freedom — in the email I’ve forwarded you below.)
John, this case is the perfect example of why we must continue to stand up when our freedoms are threatened — and when those in power abuse their positions to punish people like Tom.
But we cannot do it alone. Your help is needed to keep fighting for your freedom — and to win.
[link removed]
Our opponents are heavily funded. But praise God that He continues to provide us with the resources we need to protect our fundamental freedoms.
He’s using your prayers and financial support to make these legal battles possible. And He can use any gift you give today to further advance this Kingdom work to protect freedom for us all and keep the doors open for the Gospel.
We cannot let our brothers and sisters face these battles alone. We must stand together if we are going to protect our freedom today — and in the future.
Thank you for giving generously.
Kristen K. Waggoner
Senior Vice President of U.S. Legal Division & Communications
Alliance Defending Freedom
DONATE NOW
[link removed]
Sent: 9/26/2019
From: Alliance Defending Freedom
Subject: They’re trying to change the definition of “sex”
[link removed]
[link removed]
A loss at the U.S. Supreme Court will not just affect Tom…
Dear John,
What if the word “sex” in federal law was changed to mean “gender identity”?
This isn’t a theoretical question.
It could really happen.
Whether or not it becomes a reality depends on what the United States Supreme Court decides in our upcoming case: R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
If the Supreme Court rules against Tom Rost and his business, Harris Funeral Homes, it could have widespread consequences for us all, especially by undermining equal opportunities for women and girls.
With less than one month to go before oral arguments on October 8, your prayers and financial support are needed to provide Tom and Harris Funeral Homes with the best possible legal defense at the U.S. Supreme Court.
[link removed]
DONATE
[link removed]
How Tom ended up at the U.S. Supreme Court fighting for his freedom — and yours
Tom is the owner of the award-winning R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes in Michigan. The 100-year-old business has employed five generations of Tom’s family.
Harris Funeral Homes has a sex-specific dress code as part of its professional codes of conduct. Those policies help ensure that families can focus on the grieving process rather than the funeral home or its staff.
The dress code is consistent with industry standards and federal law. Every employee agrees to follow the dress code upon being hired.
But one day, a male funeral director handed Tom a letter. The letter informed Tom that after nearly six years of employment, this employee planned to begin dressing and presenting as a woman while working with the grieving families Harris Funeral Homes serves.
Tom was surprised. But not even the shock of that moment could prepare him for what would come next.
When Tom decided he could not go along with the employee’s plan to violate the dress code, the employee filed a complaint against Tom with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The EEOC then sued Tom and Harris Funeral Homes for sex discrimination!
It didn’t matter that Tom was acting consistently with existing laws, which allow small businesses to have sex-specific dress codes. The EEOC believed that “sex” should mean “gender identity” in federal employment law, and it imposed this view on Tom in its efforts to punish him.
John, for many years, your prayers and financial support have helped provide a strong legal defense for Tom free of charge.
Now, his case is set to be argued at the U.S. Supreme Court on October 8.
This is Tom’s last stand. It’s his final shot to win for freedom. He needs your help.
Already, a group of generous Ministry Friends have answered the call and provided a $2 million challenge grant to inspire you to join the fight and help defend Tom and others like him. Will you give today to further the impact for freedom during this critical time?
[link removed]
Changing the definition of “sex” to mean “gender identity” would cause chaos
“Sex” defines whether someone is male or female as an objective fact based on biology. But “gender identity” is a fluid concept that is hard to define and based on subjective perceptions.
Replacing “sex” with “gender identity” should not be taken lightly. Only Congress has the authority to make such a drastic shift. And for good reason. A change like this in federal law would cause chaos.
It could undermine equal opportunities for women and girls like Selina Soule, a high school athlete who is being forced to compete against biological males who identify as girls — producing an unequal playing field for girls. In fact, the boys who identify as girls have taken 15 girls’ track-and-field state titles in the past two years.
It could result in women’s shelters being forced to allow males who identify as female to sleep mere feet away from women who have been raped, trafficked, or abused. Recently, a federal court in Alaska had to stop the city of Anchorage from doing that very thing.
It could force employers and schools to open locker rooms, restrooms, and showers to men who claim a female identity — making the dignity and privacy of women everywhere contingent on others’ beliefs about their own gender.
It could require doctors to participate in (and employers to pay for) hormone blockers or surgical attempts to change sex in violation of religious beliefs — sacrificing freedom of conscience.
It could compel professionals from all walks of life to use pronouns and other sex-specific terms according to identity rather than biology or risk losing their jobs — threatening freedom of speech.
And it would put employers like Tom Rost and Harris Funeral Homes in impossible situations where they are forced (in the former funeral director’s view) to decide who is masculine or feminine enough to present a certain way — forcing employers to stereotype their own employees!
John, if the Supreme Court rules against Tom, he isn’t the only one who will suffer.
This case is about much more than sex-specific dress codes at your local funeral home. This is about your freedom too.
Please stand with Tom today to provide the strong legal defense he needs at the U.S. Supreme Court.
[link removed]
Because of the blessing of the $2 million challenge grant, you’ll join others in making an even greater impact for freedom.
This is urgent — Oral arguments at the Supreme Court are October 8
While the federal government has since changed its position and now agrees with Tom that “sex” in federal employment law refers to biological sex, the ACLU is still pursuing the case against Harris Funeral Homes in an effort to rewrite the law.
Now the Supreme Court must decide: Can unelected government officials bypass Congress and change the law to advance their own political interests?
There’s so much at stake, John.
A loss at the High Court could be a direct threat to your freedom.
That’s why your help is so urgently needed.
Through God’s blessing (John 15:5) and the generous support of people like you, we’re winning nearly 80 percent of our cases, including nine victories at the U.S. Supreme Court since 2011.
Together we have an opportunity to secure another important win at the Supreme Court — for Tom and for us all.
If you give today, your gift will further the impact of a $2 million challenge grant.
[link removed]
Thank you for standing with Tom and others like him with your best gift today.
DONATE NOW
[link removed]
DONATE
[link removed]
© 2019 Alliance Defending Freedom
15100 N. 90th Street, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
All donations are secure, private, and tax-deductible. Member ECFA.
View this e-mail online
[link removed]
| Privacy policy
[link removed]
| Unsubscribe
[link removed]
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