Our Feb. 12 meeting happens to fall on Darwin's Day, so if you want to chat informally about Darwin's Day, evolution, science or science education we can do that in addition to our agenda.
As of Feb. 9, our room for the event below has changed to Room 3. Thank you!
The rest of the agenda will include upcoming election of officers, the anti-evolution bill in Missouri, the removal of the Ten Commandments from a courtroom in Ohio, church politicking and the promotion of our next event below.
Feb. 23, Wed. 7pm, we will hold a talk on the US Supreme Court and separation of church and state. Our speaker will be UMKC Professor Doug Linder. He will give a one hour presentation followed by a half hour for questions. The talk will be held at UMKC School of Law, in Room 03 (lower level).
Please see our printable flier here.
We are now on Meetup.com!
--Updated on Feb. 9, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Around the Nation: Recent AU press releases.
Recent AU press releases.
Feb. 2
Americans United Applauds Decision Striking Down Ohio Judge’s Ten Commandments Display
Courts Should Provide Equal Justice For All, Not Promote Religious Law, Says AU’s Lynn
A federal appeals court made the right call in requiring a state judge in Ohio to remove a Ten Commandments display from his courtroom, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today that James DeWeese, a judge of the Richland County Court of Common Pleas, ran afoul of the Constitution when he put up a display entitled “Philosophies of Law in Conflict” that contrasted the “Moral Absolutes” of the Ten Commandments with the “Moral Relatives” of humanism.
“Judge DeWeese was improperly promoting his personal religious beliefs in his courtroom, and I’m glad the appeals court put a stop to it,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, which filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case.
Added Lynn, “Our courts are supposed to provide equal justice for all, not promote religious law. Judges should never send the message that some religious traditions have a preferred place in the courtroom.”
More here.
--------------------
Jan. 26
Americans United Opposes House Speaker’s Plan To Give Federal Funding To D.C. Religious Schools
Voucher Program Would Undermine Civil Rights And Civil Liberties And Add To The Budget Deficit, Says AU’s Lynn
House Speaker John Boehner’s plan to subsidize religious schools in the District of Columbia would undercut civil rights and civil liberties and add to the federal budget deficit, while failing to improve education, according to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Boehner has announced that today he will unveil a bill that would resurrect and expand the controversial experimental D.C. voucher program, which pays for tuition at private schools for some students in Washington, D.C.
Americans United says the Boehner move is seriously misguided.
“I can’t imagine a worse time to unveil a new federal subsidy for religious schools,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director. “This proposal would add to the federal budget deficit while subsidizing schools that indoctrinate and discriminate in hiring."
More here.
----------------
Jan. 13
Americans United Files Lawsuit Challenging Tennessee County’s Unconstitutional Preference For Christianity
Johnson County Commission Allowed Posting Of Ten Commandments, But Turned Down Local Man’s Church State Display, Watchdog Group Charges
A Tennessee county’s preference for Christianity in its courthouse displays violates the U.S. Constitution, according to a federal lawsuit filed today by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Americans United, a Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group, is challenging the Johnson County Commission’s decision to display the Ten Commandments and Christian literature in the courthouse lobby while refusing to display a local man’s posters about the historic role of church-state separation in American law.
“The Johnson County Commission is promoting religion through its displays,” observes the complaint. “In addition, the Commission refuses to allow alternative points of view to be heard. This is a twofold violation of the First Amendment.”
More here.
--------------
Jan. 7
Grassley Investigation of TV Preachers Veers Off Course, Says Americans United
Senate Finance Committee Staffers Are Wrong To Recommend Scrapping Federal ‘No-Electioneering’ Rule For Non-Profits, Says Watchdog Group
A Senate Finance Committee investigation into several high-profile TV ministries went badly off track when staffers recommended that Congress repeal a federal ban on partisan politicking by churches and other non-profit groups, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) announced in 2007 that committee staff would investigate six TV ministries that might have been abusing their non-profit status. A staff memo delivered to Grassley yesterday reports on the findings, including lack of cooperation from four of the six ministries being examined.
But the report also includes a recommendation that the Congress do away with the federal tax law ban on partisan political activity by non-profit groups.
“I have to wonder what these Senate staffers could possibly be thinking with this breathtakingly wrong-headed suggestion,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director. “It’s a sign that this investigation has gone seriously off course.”
More here.
Feb. 2
Americans United Applauds Decision Striking Down Ohio Judge’s Ten Commandments Display
Courts Should Provide Equal Justice For All, Not Promote Religious Law, Says AU’s Lynn
A federal appeals court made the right call in requiring a state judge in Ohio to remove a Ten Commandments display from his courtroom, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today that James DeWeese, a judge of the Richland County Court of Common Pleas, ran afoul of the Constitution when he put up a display entitled “Philosophies of Law in Conflict” that contrasted the “Moral Absolutes” of the Ten Commandments with the “Moral Relatives” of humanism.
“Judge DeWeese was improperly promoting his personal religious beliefs in his courtroom, and I’m glad the appeals court put a stop to it,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, which filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case.
Added Lynn, “Our courts are supposed to provide equal justice for all, not promote religious law. Judges should never send the message that some religious traditions have a preferred place in the courtroom.”
More here.
--------------------
Jan. 26
Americans United Opposes House Speaker’s Plan To Give Federal Funding To D.C. Religious Schools
Voucher Program Would Undermine Civil Rights And Civil Liberties And Add To The Budget Deficit, Says AU’s Lynn
House Speaker John Boehner’s plan to subsidize religious schools in the District of Columbia would undercut civil rights and civil liberties and add to the federal budget deficit, while failing to improve education, according to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Boehner has announced that today he will unveil a bill that would resurrect and expand the controversial experimental D.C. voucher program, which pays for tuition at private schools for some students in Washington, D.C.
Americans United says the Boehner move is seriously misguided.
“I can’t imagine a worse time to unveil a new federal subsidy for religious schools,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director. “This proposal would add to the federal budget deficit while subsidizing schools that indoctrinate and discriminate in hiring."
More here.
----------------
Jan. 13
Americans United Files Lawsuit Challenging Tennessee County’s Unconstitutional Preference For Christianity
Johnson County Commission Allowed Posting Of Ten Commandments, But Turned Down Local Man’s Church State Display, Watchdog Group Charges
A Tennessee county’s preference for Christianity in its courthouse displays violates the U.S. Constitution, according to a federal lawsuit filed today by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Americans United, a Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group, is challenging the Johnson County Commission’s decision to display the Ten Commandments and Christian literature in the courthouse lobby while refusing to display a local man’s posters about the historic role of church-state separation in American law.
“The Johnson County Commission is promoting religion through its displays,” observes the complaint. “In addition, the Commission refuses to allow alternative points of view to be heard. This is a twofold violation of the First Amendment.”
More here.
--------------
Jan. 7
Grassley Investigation of TV Preachers Veers Off Course, Says Americans United
Senate Finance Committee Staffers Are Wrong To Recommend Scrapping Federal ‘No-Electioneering’ Rule For Non-Profits, Says Watchdog Group
A Senate Finance Committee investigation into several high-profile TV ministries went badly off track when staffers recommended that Congress repeal a federal ban on partisan politicking by churches and other non-profit groups, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) announced in 2007 that committee staff would investigate six TV ministries that might have been abusing their non-profit status. A staff memo delivered to Grassley yesterday reports on the findings, including lack of cooperation from four of the six ministries being examined.
But the report also includes a recommendation that the Congress do away with the federal tax law ban on partisan political activity by non-profit groups.
“I have to wonder what these Senate staffers could possibly be thinking with this breathtakingly wrong-headed suggestion,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director. “It’s a sign that this investigation has gone seriously off course.”
More here.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Event Announcement: Feb. 23, US Supreme Court
The US Supreme Court and Separation of Church & State
Presenting: UMKC Constitutional Law Prof. Doug Linder
Wednesday, Feb. 23
7pm-8:30pm
University of Missouri,
Kansas City
Law School
Stoup Courtroom, lower level of law school
One hour program, followed by a short question and answer session.
Location and Parking: UMKC School of Law is located at the corner of 52nd and Oak Streets, at 500 E. 52nd St, Kansas City, MO. The Stoup Courtroom is on the lower level. The visitor parking lot is located on the west side of Oak St. directly across from Administrative Center for $1 per hour. For maps and directions, please see: http://www.law.umkc.edu/map.htm
For more information: http://www.aukc.org, info@aukc.org
Presenting: UMKC Constitutional Law Prof. Doug Linder
Wednesday, Feb. 23
7pm-8:30pm
University of Missouri,
Kansas City
Law School
Stoup Courtroom, lower level of law school
One hour program, followed by a short question and answer session.
Location and Parking: UMKC School of Law is located at the corner of 52nd and Oak Streets, at 500 E. 52nd St, Kansas City, MO. The Stoup Courtroom is on the lower level. The visitor parking lot is located on the west side of Oak St. directly across from Administrative Center for $1 per hour. For maps and directions, please see: http://www.law.umkc.edu/map.htm
For more information: http://www.aukc.org, info@aukc.org
Army Faces Questions over Spiritual Fitness Test
Army Faces Questions over Spiritual Fitness Test
If soldiers received a low score on their spiritual fitness questions, they received an assessment that said “Spiritual fitness is an area of possible difficulty for you. ... Improving your spiritual fitness should be an important goal.”
READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE. HELLO? CAN WE SAY, "WHAT?"
http://www.ethicsdaily.com/army-faces-questions-over-spiritual-fitness-test-cms-17264
Cole -having fun- Morgan
Thanks to Cole Morgan for passing this along. It is not the government's job to decide who is "spiritually fit" or even to make the value judgment that spiritual fitness is a desirable goal. American soldiers have diverse views on the subject of spirituality and this diversity does not in any way negatively impact their bravery or their service to this country.
If soldiers received a low score on their spiritual fitness questions, they received an assessment that said “Spiritual fitness is an area of possible difficulty for you. ... Improving your spiritual fitness should be an important goal.”
READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE. HELLO? CAN WE SAY, "WHAT?"
http://www.ethicsdaily.com/army-faces-questions-over-spiritual-fitness-test-cms-17264
Cole -having fun- Morgan
Thanks to Cole Morgan for passing this along. It is not the government's job to decide who is "spiritually fit" or even to make the value judgment that spiritual fitness is a desirable goal. American soldiers have diverse views on the subject of spirituality and this diversity does not in any way negatively impact their bravery or their service to this country.
Anti-evolution bill introduced in MO
Missouri has introduced anti-evolution legislation, House Bill 195. It is a typical "equal time" bill calling chemical and biological evolution "controversial," even though there's no controversy among biologists or chemists that evolution happens. There are a number of problems with equal time bills, such as:
1- There's only so much time in the school day and science classes need to be devoted to science. Creationism (including Intelligent Design) is not science.
2- In order to understand science, students must understand what is science and what is something else masquerading as science (pseudoscience).
3- Not all ideas are equally valid. Teaching real science alongside nonsense because politicians are pushing a religious agenda will only confuse students.
More information:
Text of the bill here:
http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills111/biltxt/intro/HB0195I.htm
And here's a post on it from the National Center for Science Education:
http://ncse.com/news/2011/01/antievolution-legislation-missouri-006421
1- There's only so much time in the school day and science classes need to be devoted to science. Creationism (including Intelligent Design) is not science.
2- In order to understand science, students must understand what is science and what is something else masquerading as science (pseudoscience).
3- Not all ideas are equally valid. Teaching real science alongside nonsense because politicians are pushing a religious agenda will only confuse students.
More information:
Text of the bill here:
http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills111/biltxt/intro/HB0195I.htm
And here's a post on it from the National Center for Science Education:
http://ncse.com/news/2011/01/antievolution-legislation-missouri-006421
Lawyer Jailed For Not Saying Pledge Of Allegiance
When a Mississippi judge ordered everyone in court to stand for the pledge of allegiance, Danny Lampley stood to his feet silently and would not say the pledge. The judge jailed him for contempt of court, and he was released a few hours later.
More here: http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/10/07/lawyer-jailed-for-not-saying-pledge-of-allegiance/
More here: http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/10/07/lawyer-jailed-for-not-saying-pledge-of-allegiance/
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