Category: Groups - Page 3

April 16, 2016

Rash Of Bathroom Laws Not A Coincidence

Mathew Staver, face of the extremist religious group Liberty Counsel

If you thought there have been a recent rash of laws targeting the use of restrooms by trans people and also against LGBT people in general you are right. CBS News found the group responsible for the push in these bigoted laws is none other than the Liberty Counsel, an extremist religious conservative law firm connected to Liberty University run by Mathew Staver. Staver was the lawyer who helped ‘martyr’ Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis when she refused to do her job and issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Read the post

February 21, 2016

Lobby Day At The State House

created image showing Ohio State House rotunda

On February 10th I attended Secular Summit 4.0 at the Ohio State House in Columbus. It was hosted by CFI NE Ohio. It was the second lobby day I attended and this time I tried to as prepared as I could be to speak to my representatives. Secular people need to do more in person lobbying of our elected officials in addition to phone calls, written messages, and blog posts.

The Secular Summit is a chance for secular people around Ohio to get together for a morning meeting then in the afternoon we have appointments with our state representatives and senators.

Read the post

February 4, 2016

Non-Belief Gets Left Out Of President Obama’s Speech On Religious Freedom

President Obama visiting Baltimore mosque 2/3/2016

On Wednesday (2/3/2016), President Obama visited a mosque for the first time while in office. I applaud his visit and his remarks against bigotry toward Muslims, but when he talked about religious freedom, people who don’t subscribe to any religion seemed not to be included.

Read the post

December 23, 2015

Governor of Texas, A Radical Christian, Violates The 1st Amendment

image of FFRF Display that scared Texas Gov. Abbott

FFRF Display that scared Gov. Abbott

It didn’t take long for Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a radical Christian, to subjectively decide what is covered under the 1st amendment and what isn’t. He had a display from the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) removed from the capitol building after arbitrarily deciding it didn’t meet the criteria for putting up displays in the building.

Read the post

August 7, 2015

President Obama Takes First Positive Steps In Reforming Faith-Based Initiatives

Official Seal for the Executive Office of the President of the United States

This week, the Obama administration took the first positive steps to reform faith-based initiatives within the government. These initial reforms go a long way to protecting the wall of separation between church and state and protecting the religious freedoms of the faith-based groups and the beneficiaries who use the services. I am hoping more reform is coming.

Read the post

August 4, 2015

How About We Put Kids First For A Change

Put Kids First: Repeal Non-medical immunization exemptions

Ohio is one of 47 states to have a religious and reasons of conscience exemption to mandatory child immunization. It is those exemptions that led to outbreaks like the measles outbreak last year that reached 21 states including Ohio. The Secular Coalition for America is starting a new campaign to ‘Put Kids First’ by asking state legislatures to repeal non-medical exemptions to immunizations.

Read the post