News from the Week Jan. 23- Jan. 27, 2023

Friend:

It’s been over a week, but I’m still savoring our new lawsuit challenging Missouri’s abortion bans—and still talking about the suit with media every day. This quote ([link removed]) from our Orthodox Jewish plaintiff Maharat Rori Picker Neiss perfectly summed up the experience for me:

“It was really empowering to stand alongside so many people of such a diverse range of faith traditions, who all wanted to come together to say that religion doesn’t have any one answer to questions about abortion. There is no one religious view in America. And so I just felt so heartened and inspired to stand arm in arm with religious leaders from across the spectrum.”

Maharat Picker Neiss’ words get at the heart of why AU and the National Women’s Law Center filed this lawsuit with 13 faith leaders. We must restore reproductive and religious freedom in Missouri and across the country. And we must make clear that abortion bans violate our country’s promise of church-state separation. Our plaintiffs, who come from a half-dozen diverse faith traditions, loudly proclaimed that they support abortion rights because of their faith and that these bans favor one set of religious views over theirs and other Missourians’.

I was very pleased at how much press picked up the lawsuit, from local outlets like the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ([link removed]) and St. Louis Public Radio ([link removed]) to national outlets like The Washington Post ([link removed]), Religion News Service ([link removed]) and my own editorial that was syndicated by The Progressive Magazine ([link removed]).

In order to protect and restore the separation of religion and government, religious freedom and all of the rights and freedoms that depend upon them—including abortion rights—we need to win in the court of public opinion just as much as in courts of law. That’s why Americans United is dedicated to campaigning for a national recommitment to the separation of church and state.

In the coming months, we’ll be rolling out a variety of ways you can support this campaign. One way that’s available right now is by committing to join us at the Summit for Religious Freedom (SRF) on April 22-24, either in person in Washington, D.C., or virtually ([link removed]). You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about the threats facing church-state separation and what you can do to protect it—all while being in community with others who, like you, care deeply about church-state separation and our democracy. You can RSVP here ([link removed]). I hope to see you in April!

With hope and determination,

Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO


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Some are now claiming that rural resistance to vouchers is overblown and that rural residents should get on board with universal statewide voucher programs. They are wrong, and they’re selling a fantasy.
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We’re Halfway Into The Biden Presidency. How’s He Doing On Church-State Separation?
We've reached the midway point of Joe Biden’s presidency. How's he doing when it comes to the separation of church and state?
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AU And Its Allies Are Defending Abortion Rights In Missouri – And People Are Noticing.
The lawsuit AU & NWLC filed to challenge Missouri's abortion bans garnered a lot of attention in state and national media – let’s look at some highlights.
READ MORE>> [link removed]

There Are Many Problems With ‘School Choice.’ Here Are Some Of Them.
Vouchers pose a serious threat to the public education system that nearly 90% of our children rely on. And they harm religious freedom, lack accountability, fund discrimination, can exacerbate racial segregation and don’t improve student achievement.
READ MORE>> [link removed]


Get Involved—Check Out AU’s Upcoming Events:
Find additional details and a full list of events at [link removed]

Jan. 30, 8 p.m. ET (Virtual): "Trans Rights and the Constitution Under Siege," featuring AU Vice President and Legal Director Richard Katskee and other experts. Sponsored by the Bay Area American Constitution Society. Sign up here: [link removed]

Jan. 31, 10:30 p.m. ET (Virtual): AU Senior Adviser and Church & State Editor Rob Boston will speak at the Metropolitan-Greater Oakland Democratic Club about a wide range of church-state issues. Sign up here: [link removed]

Feb. 18, 7 p.m. ET (Virtual): University of California at Irvine Law School Dean Austen Parrish will talk about the law school and legal education. Sponsored by AU's Orange County, Calif., Chapter. Sign up here: [link removed]

April 22 - April 24 (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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