Liberty Counsel Blog

Good News Club Case Argued Today at Court of Appeals

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

www.LC.org

Today at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Liberty Counsel is representing Child Evangelism Fellowship of Minnesota (CEF), the sponsor of Good News Clubs (GNC), against Minneapolis Special School District No. 1, for unfairly denying equal access and opportunity to after-school programs. CEF has been an approved member of the Minnesota Public Schools Community Partners since 2000 and participated in the after-school program from 2005-2009. In 2009, a school employee determined to revoke CEF’s after-school program because the GNC included prayer and “proselytizing.”

The law is crystal clear. Christian or other religious viewpoints are constitutionally protected. Public schools must provide equal access for Christian viewpoints and Christian clubs. There is no constitutional basis to discriminate between Good News Clubs and the Scouts or other similar groups that address similar subject matters. The First Amendment is a benefit, not a disability. Private speech endorsing religion is fully protected by the Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment.

Read our News Release for more details.

Order your own copy of Students' Rights on Public School Campuses

From the hallway to the classroom, from personal notes to final exam reports, from praying around the flagpole to praying before lunch, from wearing a cross to carrying a Bible, or from an after-school Bible study club to a graduation speech, students have the right to express their faith at school.

This booklet explains what you may and may not do, say, write, and wear to express your faith at school. Paperback, 8 pages.

Judge Hears New York State’s Appeal on Open Meeting Violations

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

www.LC.org

Livingston County, NY – Today Rena Lindevaldsen, Special Counsel for Liberty Counsel, told an appeals court that the secret, closed-door meetings held by New York State Senate Republicans with Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg violated the Open Meetings Law. The entire argument hinged on whether the governor and mayor, who actively raised more than a million dollars to convince Republican Senators to vote in favor of the Marriage Equality Act, were guests of the Republican conference and, therefore, could meet in closed-door meetings to lobby and persuade Republican Senators to change their vote in favor of the same-sex marriage act.

Today’s argument was an appeal by the State of New York of a November 2011 decision by the New York Supreme Court that refused to dismiss plaintiffs' case. The Open Meetings Law guarantees the people a transparent political process in order to hold their elected representatives accountable. The state, however, argued that the people had no right to know what took place in those meetings, where Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg actively and persistently lobbied Republican Senators to vote in favor of the Marriage Equality Act, including a meeting at the governor’s mansion.

Liberty Counsel argued that the Open Meetings Law was designed to expose exactly the type of lobbying and deal-making that took place during the passage of the Marriage Equality Act. The Liberty Counsel complaint asks that the entire same-sex marriage act be declared null and void because of the flagrant violations of the law.

Rena Lindevaldsen said, “New York has made the deliberate decision to give its citizens a transparent political process. Governor Cuomo and the State Senate have run roughshod over that guarantee. This case is not about whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. Rather, this case is about holding public officials accountable for their actions and protecting the rule of law.”

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.

On Mother’s Day, Remember Those Who Cannot Celebrate

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

www.LC.org

Mother’s Day is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States. With 82.5 million mothers nationwide, this Sunday will be the peak day of the year for restaurants and long distance calls. A federal holiday since 1914, Mother’s Day is second only to Christmas for gift-giving.

Yet, while many women celebrate Mother’s Day with their families, many others must endure another reminder of a wrong choice or a coerced abortion. As Mother’s Day draws near, Liberty Counsel remembers those mothers who have been victimized by abortion and, as a result, will never celebrate this day with their own children. Post-abortive women report increased depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and drug and alcohol abuse.

With one in three pregnancies ending in abortion, there are millions of hurting women in America. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we should remember each lonely mother who cannot hug the baby she once carried close to her heart. Let us pray for healing and restoration for all post-abortive women. May they also find the strength to join the growing chorus of those who speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Read our News Release for more details.

Take Back America

This revised edition (2011) by Mat Staver lays out the clear biblical and historical basis for bringing America back to her roots.

"God is the foundation of good government and national prosperity...America is broken...Something must be done. America doesn't need another program. Money won't fix our problems. Articulate politicians will not save us. We need God in America again."

Paperback, 118 pages. Suggested Donation of $12.00.

Liberty Counsel Applauds North Carolina’s Stand for Marriage

Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

www.LC.org

Washington, DC – Liberty Counsel applauds North Carolinians who ignored the voices of the elite media, Hollywood, and even the Obama Administration, and resoundingly voted to affirm marriage as one man and one woman.

With 61% of the vote, the North Carolina Constitution will now read, “Marriage between a man and a woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.”

North Carolina joins thirty other states that have passed amendments to their state constitutions affirming natural marriage.

“When the issue goes before the American people, the natural definition of marriage wins every time,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “These voters understand that the family is the backbone of a healthy society. They appreciate the benefits of a mom and dad raising their children to be good citizens,” Staver said. “Americans can see results of the destruction of the family, and they are using the ballot box to build stronger homes.”

“Same-sex marriage is one of the greatest threats to religious liberties,” Staver continued. “It has never been about tolerance or coexisting; it has always been about dominance.” President Obama’s commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Chai Feldblum, said that when religious liberty and homosexual rights conflict, she has “a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win.”

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.

National Day of Prayer, "One Nation Under God"

Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

www.LC.org

Washington, DC – Today during the National Day of Prayer, we continue a long tradition of acknowledging the blessings of God, asking for His mercy and forgiveness, and pleading for God’s divine intervention and guidance.

George Washington issued a proclamation of a National Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer on October 3, 1789. Just one week prior to that proclamation, Congress had approved the Bill of Rights, which begins, "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Clearly, Congress did not interpret the "establishment clause" as secularists do today.

In 2010, U.S. District Judge Barbarba Crabb sided with the Freedom From Religion Foundation and found the National Day of Prayer "unconstitutional." However, in 2011, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously overruled Crabb’s decision.

This year’s theme, "One Nation Under God," is based on Psalm 33:12, which reminds us that "blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."

"Liberty Counsel is committed to upholding the religious liberties handed down to us from our Founding Fathers," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "We will continue to fight against those who ironically use the Bill of Rights, which was created to limit the federal government, to limit America’s 'free exercise of religion,'" he said.

"America was birthed in a prayer meeting led by our Founding Fathers. After dissention arose among the Revolutionary leaders about the proper form of Government, and when all hope seemed lost, Benjamin Franklin arose and said, 'Have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance?' The Founders convened a three-day prayer meeting and America was born," Staver recounted. "Perhaps, not since that prayer meeting has America been in more need of Eternal assistance. On this National Day of Prayer, let us humble our hearts before the Almighty God, repent of our sins, and ask Him to heal our land."

Proposed Law Would Force Churches to Host Drag Queen Parties

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

www.LC.org

Hutchinson, KS – The battle for our religious rights and moral values is now being fought in Hutchinson, Kansas. On May 15, the city council of the small town, just northwest of Wichita, will vote on whether to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the list of other protected classes, such as race, age, and disability. If passed, this new law will destroy the “free exercise of religion” in Hutchinson:

First Baptist Church on Main Street will be required to rent their facilities for drag-queen parties and homosexual “commitment ceremonies.”
Abundant Life Childcare, northeast of town, will be forced to hire cross-dressers to supervise children.
Hutchinson YMCA will be required to give cross-dressers and pedophiles unfettered access to boys’ and girls’ locker rooms.

The FAQ sheet given to the Hutchinson City Council by the Human Relations Commission clearly states that homosexual rights will trump religious liberties:

“Q. As an employer, landlord or business owner, am I exempted from these requirements if my religious beliefs disagree?

A. No.”

Citizens of Hutchinson who are standing for moral values have been targeted for intimidation. Those who signed a petition to the city manager against the gender identity ordinance found their full names and contact information published on the internet by the local paper. Information such as this has been used in California by activist homosexuals to punish, marginalize, and silence all opposition.

Ultimately, this ordinance will open a firestorm against people of faith. If passed, the ordinance will allow cases against Christian businesses, much as they have done elsewhere to Christian bed & breakfast owners, wedding photographers, and others.

“If a father merely asks a transgender to wait until his child is finished before entering a restroom, he will be in violation of the ordinance,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “This proposed policy illustrates the ultimate end goal of the radical LGBT agenda: the abolition of morality in America.”

Oklahoma Personhood Case to be Appealed to U.S. Supreme Court

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

www.LC.org

Oklahoma City, OK – The Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down the ballot initiative on personhood yesterday as unconstitutional under the federal Constitution, before it was even placed before the voters. In its two-page opinion, the court held that the proposed personhood amendment violated the Fourteenth Amendment as interpreted in the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Personhood Oklahoma, the sponsor of the initiative, was represented by Liberty Counsel.

The proposed amendment would have defined “person” as “any human being from the beginning of the biological development of that human being to natural death.”

The Oklahoma attorney general had approved the ballot title and summary of the initiative after rewriting a portion of it, and Personhood Oklahoma was in the process of gathering signatures in order to place the issue before the voters at the November election, when the ACLU, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and others filed a legal challenge. Briefs were filed on April 20, and ten days later, on April 30, the court found the initiative unconstitutional.

“The court’s actions here were premature at best and profoundly overreaching at worst,” said Steve Crampton, Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel for Liberty Counsel, who served as lead counsel for Personhood Oklahoma in the case. “This proposed amendment did nothing more than define a term in the state constitution and would not have immediately impacted abortion. Moreover, the people of Oklahoma are constitutionally guaranteed the power to propose laws and amendments to the constitution. This ruling effectively nullifies that right and denies the citizens of Oklahoma their right to vote on the matter,” Crampton stated.

Personhood Oklahoma will appeal the ruling to the United States Supreme Court. This will be the first “personhood” case to be brought before the Supreme Court. It thus presents an historic opportunity for the Court to address the issue of a state’s right to amend its own constitution to acknowledge what science has long recognized, that human life begins from the moment of conception or fertilization and should be protected in law from its earliest beginnings.

Liberty Counsel Offers Woonsocket Legal Assistance to Defend War Memorial

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

www.LC.org

Woonsocket, RI – Liberty Counsel stands ready to defend Woonsocket, Rhode Island, against threats from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), which takes issue with the 91-year-old war memorial located on Woonsocket Fire Department property, simply because it contains a cross.

“Freedom From Religion Foundation is on a crusade to scrub the public square of all religion,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. FFRF currently has ten ongoing lawsuits. “The name says it all, ‘Freedom From Religion.’ They want no free exercise of religion at all. They are chipping away at our Christian heritage – one war memorial, one crèche display, one prayer proclamation at a time. With each intimidating letter, our religious liberty and Christian history are threatened.”

With tight budgets and no resources to fight a lawsuit, cities often give in to FFRF’s demands, allowing the further deterioration of our First Amendment rights. Liberty Counsel has offered the city of Woonsocket pro-bono legal assistance to fight this case.

The Awakening 2012– “The best and most powerful conference I have ever attended”

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

April 26, 2012
www.LC.org

Winter Park, FL – A spectrum of leaders, organizations, and individuals came together last weekend to celebrate The Awakening 2012: Turning our Voices into Votes. Not the typical white male conservative gathering, the two-day event brought together perspectives from across racial, ethnic, gender, and generational lines. John Stemberger, Founder and President of the Florida Family Policy Council, said, “I have been to a lot of conferences, but The Awakening was perhaps the best and most powerful conference I have ever attended. It was deeply intellectual and yet deeply spiritual.”

Speaker Tony Calatayud said, “Mat Staver and the entire [Freedom Federation] team, they get it!” As general manager of Salem Communications News Talk Radio, Calatayud starts Spanish Christian radio stations around the country. Calatayud reports that most Hispanics are conservative, up to 90%. “They are saying, ‘We are pro-life, we are pro-family, and we want government out of the way!’”

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, which has 40,118 member churches, said: “The Awakening combines the gospel message of Billy Graham with the cultural engagement of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is truly unique.”

One email from a national leader following The Awakening began with three words, “Wow! Wow! Wow!” The spiritual atmosphere and the quality of the speakers were unsurpassed. Attendees heard from leading experts in subject areas such as the sanctity of human life, the national debt, national security, Israel, radical Islam, the LGBT agenda, human sex trafficking and human sexuality, grassroots activism, mobilization technology, messaging and mobilizing minorities, the millennial generation, the Hispanic community, and much more. The two-day event was filled with national experts and was fast-paced and interactive. The Awakening 2012 was neither all spiritual nor all political. It struck the perfect balance.

Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel and Master of Ceremonies of The Awakening, remarked, “The Awakening is unique in that it is a celebration of a new movement composed of many voices echoing across racial, ethnic, and generational lines. Our shared values unite those concerned with social, economic, national defense, domestic and justice issues. Political parties may seek to divide us, but our values unite us. The Awakening is the perfect marriage of The Great Awakening with the American Revolution. It brings together people of all races, ethnicities, and generations united around core values. There is nothing else like it. The Awakening is not an event: it is a life-changing experience.”

Supreme Court Examines Arizona Immigration Law: Federal or State Responsibility?

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

www.LC.org

Washington, DC – The United States Supreme Court will hear argument tomorrow on the Arizona immigration law signed by Gov. Jan Brewer in 2010. This law is widely considered to be one of the nation’s toughest anti-immigration statutes.

“The crisis the country is witnessing in Arizona over immigration is the result of a failed immigration policy at the federal level,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “While I understand that Arizona lawmakers felt compelled to act because the federal government would not, I do not agree that the Arizona law was the wisest course of action,” Staver continued. “It is the federal government’s failure that has led to the current crisis. The Arizona law is a symptom and a cry for help.”

The federal government’s case against the state of Arizona rests primarily on the concern that some individuals could possibly be racially profiled, under a provision of the law which allows for officers to stop individuals and ask for their proof of citizenship on the basis of a reasonable suspicion of that person being an illegal immigrant.

While this concern could be valid, there is also a jurisdictional issue that must be decided. The federal government has traditionally been understood to have jurisdiction over immigration, including matters of enforcement. Without a uniform rule for immigration, America may have 50 different immigration standards, which would be chaotic and unworkable. By placing the burden of enforcing the immigration laws on its state and local officers, Arizona is violating the jurisdictional boundaries set forth by the Constitution.

“Our national security and domestic tranquility depends on secure borders,” Mat Staver said. “We must return to a rational immigration policy that acknowledges that we are both a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws,” Staver concluded.