News from the Week Dec. 12 - Dec. 16, 2022
Friend:
“There is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it,” wrote National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman in her inaugural poem, “The Hill We Climb.” There’s no question that this has been a rough year and that we’ve faced setbacks, but I have hope.
As I was writing my year-end reflection for this month’s Church & State magazine ([link removed]), I found lots of light that gives me hope for the future. I’d like to share some with you:
— The conservative bloc of the Supreme Court may have abolished the constitutional right to abortion, but they spawned a wave of enthusiastic supporters who are committed to protecting both abortion rights and religious freedom. The Court may have ruled in favor of a high school football coach who wants to lead coercive prayers with public school students on the football field, but the case allowed AU to build our network of faith leaders invested in speaking out in support of church-state separation as the key to protecting religious freedom. These aren’t just silver linings – these are the building blocks for a much-needed national recommitment to church-state separation.
— The young people who flooded the polls in the midterms are key to the future of our democracy. AU is passionate about building this next generation of leaders through programs like our brand-new Legal Academy ([link removed]), the Youth Organizing Fellowship ([link removed]) and the Summit for Religious Freedom (SRF). ([link removed])
— Speaking of SRF, I hope you will join us in person in Washington, D.C., or virtually on April 22-24, 2023. I’m grateful that COVID-19 has eased enough that we can safely bring our community together, and that I’ve been able to get back on the road and see firsthand our members’ hunger for activism in support of our mission.
I shared several more reflections on 2022 in my column; I hope you’ll check it out. ([link removed]) The bottom line is that, as I looked back on this year—AU’s 75th!—there is light. There is reason to hope. So I’m looking ahead with optimism and resolve concerning the future of Americans United, church-state separation and our shared quest for a country that delivers freedom without favor and equality without exception for all of us.
Here’s to another strong 75 years for Americans United!
With hope and determination,
Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO
P.S. We’ve been reviewing the past year in church-state separation on our blog for the last two weeks; you can read a sampling of the top stories below, and find even more on our website: [link removed]
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Americans United Lays Plans For The Next 75 Years Of Church-State Separation.
Americans United has been defending the separation of church and state for three-quarters of a century and has no intention of backing down.
READ MORE>> [link removed]
The Supreme Court Unleashes An Assault On Church-State Separation. AU Responds.
Devastating Supreme Court decisions laid bare all that’s at stake for the American people – and they demonstrated how Christian nationalism has invaded the highest court in the land.
READ MORE>> [link removed]
Exposing A Shadow Network Of Religious Extremists.
Americans United is exposing the billion-dollar shadow network of religious extremists seeking to destroy church-state separation.
READ MORE>> [link removed]
Protecting The Religious Freedom Of Public School Students.
With the Supreme Court emboldening religious extremists to insert their religious beliefs into public schools, Americans United ramped up efforts this year to protect the religious freedom of public school students.
READ MORE>> [link removed]
Abortion Rights Are Under Assault – And Americans Have Had Enough.
The backlash to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was swift, from lawsuits filed to challenge state abortion bans to voters flooding the polls in support of abortion access.
READ MORE>> [link removed]
Get Involved—Check Out AU’s Upcoming Events:
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April 22, 2023 - April 24, 2023 (Virtual & In Person): The Summit for Religious Freedom (SRF) is a collaborative conference that will unify supporters, activists, organizers, policy and legal experts, academics, political and religious leaders, and committed people of faith and of no religion to fight for religious freedom. Sign up here: [link removed]
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