- In recent years, Americans from all religious backgrounds have faced increasing persecution for their religious beliefs.
- The Commission heard from mothers who were lied to by their children’s school administrators, children who were bullied because of their religious beliefs, healthcare workers who have risked losing their jobs due to religious objections to certain procedures, a grandson of Holocaust survivors who was restricted from public spaces because of his Jewish faith, nuns who were targeted by New York State, and workers-including military service members-who lost pensions and life savings when forced to choose between their faith and vaccine mandates, among many others.
- For example, elementary student Shea Encinas was bullied for standing up for his Christian faith when he was forced to read his peer a book that told him he could choose his gender-the school refused to help and doubled down on pushing gender ideology onto the students. Teacher Marisol Arroyo-Castro was told she had to remove a cross near her desk or lose her job. Jennifer Mead’s 11-year-old daughter was pressured by school authorities to believe she was a boy. Navy Seal Blake Martin lost his pension when he was just three years away from retirement eligibility because he objected to the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Eithan Haim was indicted by the Biden Department of Justice for blowing the whistle on Texas Children’s Hospital’s gender mutilation surgeries for minors. Shabbos Kestenbaum was targeted on Harvard’s campus simply for being Jewish. And Lacey Smith was fired from her flight attendant position at Alaska Airlines because she answered the invitation to respectfully share her thoughts on the Equality Act. These Americans have suffered greatly for their religious beliefs.
- In many cases the law protects the religious expression of Americans, but government officials and employers often use fear tactics to silence individuals into believing that they don’t have the right to publicly express their faith.
- The final report will equip all Americans with the knowledge and support needed to defend their Constitutional rights.
12 Key Recommendations to Strengthen Religious Liberty for All Americans
- Instruct the Department of Justice to issue guidance clarifying the proper understanding of the Establishment Clause and separation of church and state.
- The Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission shall issue “Know Your Rights” Posters for students, parents, public school teachers and administrators, religious leaders, religious institutions, healthcare workers, and military servicemembers.
- Any public official who alleges a person under their supervision has improperly engaged in religious expression must provide a written explanation of the alleged violation to the person accused within 30 days of any action and explain that charge based upon a specific constitutional provision or provision of law.
- Instruct the Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, to create religious liberty violation reporting hotlines/online portals for students, parents, teachers, healthcare workers, and others to obtain support in the face of religious liberty violations and promote public awareness of existing reporting channels.
- Nominate and confirm federal judges with the courage to decide religious liberty cases on the merits where warranted, rather than engage in improper judicial avoidance.
- Ask the Department of Justice to create a religious liberty task force to track and prioritize litigation protecting religious liberty.
- Combat anti-Semitism through enforcement of civil rights laws, litigation of credible allegations of anti-Semitic discrimination and violence, and civic education.
- Protect religious Americans from government-led litigation targeting their free exercise.
- Repeal the Johnson Amendment.
- Order the Department of War to streamline and improve the religious accommodation process.
- Continue efforts to restore the retirement or re-enlistment eligibility for service members who lost employment, health insurance, pensions, and other benefits because of their religious beliefs about the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Honor the courage of religious liberty heroes through creating a Presidential Medal of Religious Liberty and First Freedom Hero Awards to recognize Americans who stand up for religious freedom and play an indispensable role in protecting citizens’ Constitutional rights.
Read the Religious Liberty Commission’s draft report HERE
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