============================================================ SEE HOW EASY BUYING A CAR CAN BE Shop for your next car at Autoweb.com, where you'll get a guaranteed low price and haggle-free service. Click here to get a quote on the latest 2001 models. http://click.topica.com/caaacGjb1ddNBb2HgmNa/Autoweb ============================================================ This was fowarded by a friend.....thought that you might be interrested....Rain >Subject: Op-Ed: FAITH-BASED DISCRIMINATION by HRC Executive Director >Elizabeth Birch >Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 15:02:24 EDT > >This is from the HRC---Human Rights Campaign...of which we are members. > >So you know, we have e-mailed the Salvation Army, to which we routinely >used >to donate money. Their reply was terse & without apology. Our second >e-mail >has been totally ignored. > >Below is the HRC's commentary on the Salvation Army situation & other faith >based discrimination, such as the Boy Scouts... Below the HRCs comments >are >e-mail addresses I have added so those of you who wish to contact your U.S. >Representatives & Senators or the President, may do so. > >Thanks for taking the time to at least read this. > > >"NEWS from the >Human Rights Campaign >919 18th Street, NW, Suite 800 >Washington, DC 20006 >email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >http://www.hrc.org >________________________________________________________ >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE >Friday, July 20, 2001 > >FAITH-BASED DISCRIMINATION >By HRC Executive Director Elizabeth Birch > >WASHINGTON - Since George W. Bush became president, HRC has been a vigilant >watchdog to see how the new administration will handle issues of concern to >the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community. The current >battle over President Bush's faith-based initiative - including the >Salvation >Army - is a critical test and sadly appears to reveal the administration's >true colors. > >We were stunned when we learned the administration and the Salvation Army >were using our lives - and the lives of our families - as bargaining chips >in a secret backroom deal. And we are gravely disappointed that President >Bush and Vice President Cheney sanctioned discrimination against GLBT >Americans. In a vote orchestrated by the GOP leadership in the House of >Representatives, they pitted important faith-based services against >important civil liberties. Their actions were unnecessary, divisive and >created conflict where there could have easily been consensus. On this >issue, we sought statesmanship and got brinkmanship. In short, we got >'confrontational conservatism.' > >The White House-backed Community Solutions Act H.R. 7 offered by Reps. J.C. >Watts, R-Okla., and Tony Hall, D-Ohio passed July 19 in the House. The bill >would override state and local civil rights laws by allowing religious >organizations to discriminate in employment decisions and in the provision >of services. The measure would effectively allow our tax dollars to be used >to discriminate against us in places where state and local laws prohibit >discrimination against GLBT Americans. If it becomes law, this bill would >create a situation where many GLBT Americans would be publicly subsidizing >their own discrimination. > >The Human Rights Campaign recognizes and supports the critical work >performed by the many faith-based organizations in our nation. We support >the principle of religious liberty. But the bottom line is our country >should not funnel tax money - that all of us pay - to groups that actively >discriminate. Religious freedom and freedom from discrimination must >harmoniously coexist and thrive together in a democratic society. And when >this legislation reflects these principles, it will find our support and >the >support of the majority of Americans. > >In letters, phone calls, appeals to the grassroots and countless hours of >lobbying, HRC, coalition partners and fair-minded members of Congress gave >the administration and the House Republican leadership every opportunity to >fix this bill. On Tuesday, Rep. Mark Foley, a moderate Florida Republican, >and Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., both prepared amendments to H.R. 7 to fix >the >bill. Both were rejected by the leadership. > >When the bill reached the House floor July 18, it became crystal clear that >we had succeeded in lining up enough votes to send it back to the Judiciary >Committee with instructions to remove the offending language. It was then >that the administration and the House Republican leadership temporarily >pulled the bill in order to engage in a ferocious - and ultimately >successful -effort to twist the arms of some two dozen moderate Republicans >to oppose any effort to change the bill. > >The hypocrisy of the administration and the House leadership on this issue >is astounding. We are struck by the incongruous position of 'states rights' >conservatives who have long trumpeted local control, only to run roughshod >over state and local civil rights laws in order to ram through this >discriminatory initiative. Their mantra of state and local control on >issues ranging from education to the environment is thrown out the window >when it comes to GLBT Americans. Moreover, it is clear the administration >is >attempting to accomplish through legislation what they were unable to >accomplish through a regulatory deal with the Salvation Army. > >We believe the action on July 19 was a hollow victory for the >administration >and the House GOP leadership. This battle now moves to the Senate. By >ignoring pleas to fix the bill's shortcomings, the administration has made >passage in the Senate demonstrably more difficult for itself. But we need >each and every one of you to keep this challenge alive. > >Because what happens in Washington does matter, we are calling on every >GLBT >American and those who care about us to challenge the White House to >support >a Senate version of this bill that does not discriminate against GLBT >Americans. Call President Bush at 202-456-1414 and tell him: 'It is wrong >to >use federal funding - including my tax dollars - to support programs that >exempt religious organizations from civil rights laws.' > >And consider this: Thousands upon thousands of Americans, including GLBT >Americans, received their notice of a tax refund on July 19. Think about >reinvesting that refund in the battle for GLBT equality. As for the team at >HRC, we will continue to do the hard daily work and not let up for a moment >until this legislation is cured of what ails it. Strong grassroots pressure >from around the nation, combined with strategic advocacy here in Washington >D.C., is the formula for success. And none of it happens without you." > >Pres. G.W. Bush---E-mail: <A >HREF="http://capwiz.com/hrc/mail/?id=20004&type=PR";>[EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> > >To send a free fax to your Senator/Representative, go to: > > <A HREF="http://www.aclu.org/action/charchoice107.html";>ACLU Action >Alert: Protect Religious Liberty!</A> >http://www.aclu.org/action/charchoice107.html > >Fill in your ZIPCODE & it will send a free fax or e-mail to your >Senator/Rep. > >Thanks for your help... > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp ============================================================ How much can you save on your favorite stuff? With TopOffers, the sweet deals & super savings never stop. http://click.topica.com/caaab6jb1ddNBb2HgmNf/TopOffers ============================================================ Visit and show your support for the Grass Roots Oyate http://members.tripod.com/GrassRootsOyate Clemency for Leonard Peltier. 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