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Air Force: Colonel had religious right to refuse signing same-sex spouse appreciation letter Read More »

The Air Force has affirmed the religious rights of a colonel who claimed he was wrongly disciplined for refusing to sign a certificate of appreciation for the same-sex spouse of one of his airmen last year. The Air Force said that Col. Leland Bohannon “had the right to exercise his sincerely held religious beliefs and

Vet Sues Air Force Over Controversy Involving Christian Flag-Folding Speech

Vet Sues Air Force Over Controversy Involving Christian Flag-Folding Speech Read More »

As recently as a couple of years ago, the U.S. Air Force made clear that “when a flag folding ceremony is desired and conducted by Air Force personnel at any location, on or off an installation, this script is the only one that may be used.” They were referring to a secular script drenched in patriotism. The alternative,

The Curious Case of the Yeshiva Carve-Out

The Curious Case of the Yeshiva Carve-Out Read More »

Amid the fevered last hours of New York State budget negotiations on Friday, with lawmakers scrambling to beat the April 1 deadline, a single, seemingly esoteric issue threatened to derail it all: state oversight of religious schools. Top lawmakers accused one senator, Simcha Felder, of Brooklyn, of essentially holding the $168 billion budget hostage until

Religious Liberty for a Select Few

Religious Liberty for a Select Few Read More »

In its first year, the Trump administration has systematically redefined and expanded the right to religious exemptions, creating broad carve-outs to a host of vital health, labor, and anti-discrimination protections. On May 4, 2017—the National Day of Prayer—during a ceremony outside the White House, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on “Promoting Free Speech

Judge: Atheist’s Lawsuit To Keep His “IM GOD” License Plate in KY Can Proceed

Judge: Atheist’s Lawsuit To Keep His “IM GOD” License Plate in KY Can Proceed Read More »

State governments shouldn’t be rejecting perfectly inoffensive license plates. And thanks to one atheist’s lawsuit, we’re a step closer to making sure that doesn’t happen in Kentucky. This case began in 2016, when the head of Kentucky’s Division of Motor Vehicles rejected Ben Hart‘s request to get a license plate reading “IM GOD,” even though he had it

Advocates Say Indiana’s New Abortion Reporting Law Could Further Stigmatize Abortion Care

Advocates Say Indiana’s New Abortion Reporting Law Could Further Stigmatize Abortion Care Read More »

Reproductive rights advocates raised concerns about the further stigmatization of abortion care, and the impact the law could have on pregnant people who are diagnosed with mental illness. Indiana Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb on Sunday signed a bill into law that mandates reporting requirements for abortion providers, and requires extensive and detailed information about patients and their

After Warning, IL School Promises Coaches Won’t Join Athletes in Prayer Circles

After Warning, IL School Promises Coaches Won’t Join Athletes in Prayer Circles Read More »

More than a month ago, a Facebook user from Illinois posted a picture of a local high school basketball team gathering at center court with their opponents after a game for a communal prayer. What made it problematic was the presence of several adults in the circle, some of whom were presumably coaches or staffers.

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Christian Group’s Case Involving Giant Cross in MI

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Christian Group’s Case Involving Giant Cross in MI Read More »

The Supreme Court announced today that it would not hear a case involving a giant hydraulic cross that had been going up in Grand Haven, Michigan several times a year until the city decided to take it down. That’s exactly what supporters of church/state separation were hoping for. The cross on Dewey Hill had come under fire in 2014,

Ireland’s historic chance to trust women