Citizens Project

Religious tolerance and public space: Jesus is Alive?

10th February, 2010

When local controversy erupts, we don’t have to take our cues from the partisan, uncivil tone dominating national policy debates. After all, Colorado Springs has learned a thing or two from Amendment 2, the Moo campaign, and the Ted Haggard scandal to name a few. We’ve learned that calling other people intolerant does not “Create Community”.

The “Jesus is Alive!” banners on city-owned light poles in downtown Colorado Springs raise high emotions among residents, whether Christian, Jewish or Atheist.   Some people see them as just another example of the city thumbing its nose at anyone who does not subscribe to the majority religion. Others view any objection to the banners as liberal intolerance of a positive Christian message. Are either of these really true? Rather than hunker down into our comfortable, adversarial positions, Citizens Project says let’s focus on finding our common ground. After all, our nation really is the global beacon of religious freedom, so let’s reach for our highest selves.

Surely, you may ask, doesn’t our community have more important issues to tackle right now, such as homelessness and drastic budget cuts? It’s a reasonable question, but don’t forget we are talking about the First Amendment; how our diverse residents share the public space together. And more practically, our city’s land use division is required to adopt a code to define who gets banners in the public right of way, since none currently exists.

As a dedicated local watchdog for religious freedom and separation of church and state, Citizens Project wants to lead the way in working with community members to find our common ground. We are reaching out to leaders representing diverse perspectives. Let’s listen respectfully to each others’ point of view, and try to put aside our preconceptions of each others’ motives. We may still disagree in the end, but we’ll understand one another more, and hopefully create real community. Who knows, we might even become a national model for how to have civil debate on core community values. Let’s bring together our Christian, Jewish, Atheist, and other faith communities to build bridges, and bury our national reputation as the “Gettysburg of the culture wars”.

We welcome your ideas! Please comment here or send an email to Citizens Project’s Executive Director Barb Van Hoy. Let the conversation begin.

City’s Light Pole Banner Story on KRDO

20th January, 2010

Here’s Tak Landrock’s story about the banner issue:

KRDO Banner Story

Citizens Project is working to ensure that the U.S. Constitution’s religious freedom guarantees are upheld in the new city’s code regulating such banners.

Extra! Extra! Read our most recent Freedom Watch Online!

28th December, 2009

Hear what Citizens Project executive director Barb Van Hoy has to say about our nation’s founding principles, read about religious freedom in the United States, and catch up on the latest Plus One news! Check out the December edition of Freedom Watch Online!

The December Dilemma – Inclusive Holiday Practices for Public Schools

5th December, 2009

Every year Citizens Project sends The December Dilemma to local public schools. It is a primer on inclusive holiday practices for public schools produced by the Anti-Defamation League.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects religious freedom by not only guaranteeing “the free exercise thereof”, but also by prohibiting our government from endorsing religion (“respecting an establishment of religion”). The December Dilemma provides expert guidance to schools on how the courts have interpreted religious liberty protections for students and staff, to ensure school holiday activities are not only legal, but inclusive and respectful of the great diversity of our country.

Download a PDF of The December Dilemma here.

Religious freedom victory: Court rejects public school religious speech

17th November, 2009

ANOTHER victory for religious freedom!

“The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a student who complained that high school officials violated her constitutional rights when they turned off her microphone during her religion-tinged graduation speech.”

This ruling makes a very important distinction about how the Constitution protects religious freedom for ALL public school students. When they are a captive audience at an official school function such as graduation, it is not OK to preach to them. An Appeals Court deemed her speech to be “proselytizing.” Everyone, including this student, is free to hold their own beliefs and to preach to others, but not by co-opting a public school function. No one has that right. Taxpayers are funding the school and the graduation, so it is not appropriate or fair to turn it into a church service.  This would apply equally to a student attempting to give an Islamic, Buddhist or Atheist sermon at a public school event.

Not surprisingly, the Religious Right is calling this censorship and discrimination.

Federal nondiscrimination bill urged

24th September, 2009

The momentum toward greater equality is growing! Religious bias against gays and lesbians  has been the basis for unjust discrimination for too long.  Yes, people must have the right to their religious beliefs, but that does not extend to depriving others of equal treatment.  It’s high time for gays and lesbians to realize the promise of our nations founding principles.

In yesterday’s news:

Two openly gay members of Congress on Wednesday urged their colleagues to pass a sweeping job discrimination bill that would — for the first time — protect gays and transsexuals from workplace bias.The testimony from Reps. Barney Frank, D-Mass., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., comes as supporters of the measure believe Congress is closer than ever to banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Read more….

Stop Religious Discrimination with Tax Dollars

17th September, 2009

A Coalition Of Religious And Public Policy Groups Says Legal Memo Threatens Core Civil Rights And Religious Freedom Protections

John J. DiIulio Jr. and Stephen Goldsmith, front left, look on as President George W. Bush announces the faith-based initiative on Jan. 29, 2001.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State today joined a coalition of 58 organizations urging Attorney General Eric Holder to revoke a Bush-era rule regarding “faith-based” funding that the groups say threatens civil rights and religious freedom.

In June of 2007, the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) issued a legal memo asserting that a federal law called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) gives religious organizations a blanket right to discriminate on religious grounds when hiring staff in taxpayer-funded programs.

In a joint letter to Holder today, a broad coalition of organizations said RFRA does no such thing.

“The Bush administration twisted federal law to buttress its misguided policies and allow religious discrimination in taxpayer-funded ‘faith-based’ programs,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. “It’s time for the Obama administration to correct this error.”

Read the whole press release at AU.ORG

August Freedom Watch Online

20th August, 2009

Read the August edition of Freedom Watch Online to learn about the sneaky scare tactics extremists are using to quelch equal rights, diversity and health care in our community!