alarming new law?

[Susan Freiman]

This just came to me from an atheists' list.  Is it true?

Susan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

*PRESS RELEASE*
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE* 
*The Council for Secular Humanism Chides Congress for Disrespecting 
Religions
*
(December 14, 2007) -- Experts from the Council for Secular Humanism 
noted with alarm the passage of H. Res. 847 in the House of 
Representatives. This unnecessary, unwarranted, and bigoted law, under 
the misleading title "Recognizing the Importance of Christm as and the 
Christian Faith" passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support 
It effectively undermines the sort of religious tolerance necessary in 
these changing times. 

Just days ago in the midst of the Jewish Festival of Lights, four Jewish 
men in New York City  were attacked on the subway for replying to a 
group of ten people who wished them a "Merry Christmas" with a similar 
greeting: "Happy Hanukkah.  For this, these men were first insulted, 
then beaten. It was a Muslim man who came to their physical defense.  
The actions of the Congress, by passing the resolution and thus 
expressing preference to the Christian faith over all the others 
represented by the diverse population of these United States , 
encourages this sort of behavior.

The First Amendment's guarantee of religious liberty, and of the 
nonestablishment of religion, was devised to create a secular state in 
which all religions would be equally tolerated and none given 
preference. The language of the House resolution effectively undermines 
the design of the Founders, and creates an atmosphere where 
non-Christians will continue to be targeted, treated like second-class 
citizens, and even become victims of violence like those four Jewish 
subway riders in New York .

Paul Kurtz , CSH chair, stated, "It is deplorable that in this day and 
age and in light of violence against religious minorities here in the 
United States that the Congress would stoke those flames with 
preferential language in support of a single religion."  David Koepsell 
, CSH's executive director, noted,  "Te First Amendment Guarantee was 
designed to prevent the sort of religious intolerance that resulted in 
violence in Europe, and our Congress should respect the intent of the 
Founders."

We call on the Congress to reject this resolution, to stand up for 
religious freedom, secularism, and pluralism, and to foster a climate in 
which all believers and nonbelievers alike are treated equally.
__._,_.___
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.ucla.edu/pipermail/religionlaw/attachments/20071216/c39e3a6d/attachment.htm