Tell the President to Keep His Word to End Religious Discrimination in Faith-Based Initiatives

By SEAN FAIRCLOTH - SECULAR COALITION FOR AMERICA
Added: Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:25:43 UTC

On July 1, 2008, then-Senator Obama promised the American people that his version of President Bush’s Faith-Based Initiatives program would end proselytizing and religious discrimination for organizations that receive federal tax dollars. He promised to abide by "a few basic principles" that would protect the constitutional separation of church and state in his plan for an expanded Faith-Based Initiative program:

First, if you get a federal grant, you can't use that grant money to proselytize to the people you help and you can't discriminate against them – or against the people you hire – on the basis of their religion. Second, federal dollars that go directly to churches, temples, and mosques can only be used on secular programs.

Now, almost exactly two years to the day, nothing has changed from the Bush era. Instead, discrimination cases are decided on a “case by case basis,” with no guiding principle or binding executive rule. The Secular Coalition for America has consistently challenged the status quo of the Faith Based Initiatives program. Government reports and hearings have documented the constitutional problems and gross abuses rampant in this program, but the status quo remains.

The good news is that President Obama can keep his word with the stroke of a pen. There is no congressional action needed to implement these crucial reforms; it simply requires an Executive Order issued by the president.

After watching the video above, tell the president that you want him to keep his promise, and that religious discrimination must never be subsidized by your tax dollars. Then be sure to share this action alert with your online contacts with the button below so your friends can have their voices heard as well.

Continue to the Secular Coalition website to to sign the letter

TAGGED: ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE, RELIGION