By Heather L. Weaver, ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief at 4:23pm
It's no secret that, after 9/11, a wave of anti-Muslim bigotry washed over the country. The intensity of that prejudice has sustained it for a decade, and, in many ways, anti-Muslim sentiment and fear of Islam seem even stronger and more deeply rooted today than in the months and years after the attack. In the last few years, for instance, a number Muslims or people perceived to be Muslims have been violently assaulted; and scores of mosques and Islamic Centers have been vandalized, with attacks ranging from racist and anti-Muslim graffiti to arson and firebombing.
By Heather L. Weaver, ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief at 10:52am
One of the great American ideals is that everyone has an equal chance to succeed in life. A cornerstone of this ideal is our public education system. American public schools are meant to ensure that every child — regardless of race, religion, or background — has access to a good education. At their best, our public schools establish a common foundation upon which an informed democratic citizenry can be built.
By Heather L. Weaver, ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief at 5:15pm
The anti-Muslim crowd is at it again. Last week, shortly after publication of an ACLU report debunking the myth that "Sharia law" is overtaking our courts, the Center for Security Policy (CSP) issued a 633-page report. The CSP "study" of the issue does not even try to dispute the fact that, as the ACLU report concluded, our courts treat claims brought by Muslims or involving Islamic law in the same way that they treat lawsuits brought by people of other faiths or touching on other religious beliefs (and, indeed, lawsuits involving no religion at all). Instead, the CSP report consists mostly of 50 judicial opinions, which the authors copied and pasted word-for-word simply because they mention Islam or involve claims brought by Muslims, contending that these cases serve as evidence of the so-called "Sharia threat."
By Heather L. Weaver, ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief at 2:39pm
As the ACLU has documented elsewhere, there has been a wave of anti-Muslim sentiment and attacks on Muslim communities in the U.S. in the last few years. Most recently, multiple states have proposed legislation banning the consideration of Islamic or "Sharia" law by state courts. Anti-Muslim groups claim these measures are necessary because the courts are being "overtaken" by Sharia law. Specifically, Sharia-ban proponents have pointed to a number of court cases involving Islamic religious doctrine or Muslim parties that supposedly evince a "Sharia threat" to our judicial system.
By Heather L. Weaver, ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief at 11:39am
If it’s true that timing is everything in dance, then Tennessee legislators could use a few more lessons if they ever hope to perfect the evolution two-step they are performing this week. Today marks the 86th anniversary of the Butler Act, which was signed into law by Tennessee Gov. Austin Peay on March 21, 1925. The Butler Act criminalized the teaching of evolution or any other principle that "denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible" and sparked one of the most famous legal proceedings of the 20th century — what is often referred to now as the "Scopes Monkey Trial." The trial, during which biology teacher John Scopes (shown right) was defended by ACLU attorneys Clarence Darrow and Arthur Garfield Hays, captured the attention of the nation, and to this day, remains a stain on Tennessee’s public education system.
By Heather L. Weaver, ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief at 3:14pm
At a hearing Tuesday, the Board of Zoning Adjustments in Mayfield, Kentucky, unanimously granteda permit to a local Muslim man seeking to operate a small prayer center. The decision itself was heartening, but our client should not have had to engage in a protracted fight simply to secure the same rights afforded to other religious groups in Mayfield.
By Heather L. Weaver, ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief at 4:43pm
Ten years ago today, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), a federal civil rights statute that gives houses of worship heightened protection in zoning disputes. The ACLU actively supported passage of the statute in 2000 and has since used the law numerous times in defense of churches, synagogues, and mosques around the country.
By Heather L. Weaver, ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief at 4:04pm
"While there was no large-scale communal violence against religious minorities during the reporting period, attacks on . . . Muslims and their places of worship continued, along with incidences of intolerance . . ."
Pop quiz! To which country does the above quotation refer: (a) India; (b) the United States; or (c) both India and the United States? Technically, the answer is "(a) India," which is now on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom's watch list as a country in need of "close monitoring due to the nature and extent of violations of religious freedom engaged in or tolerated by the governments." Of course, in light of the rash of anti-Muslim sentiment and activities across the United States in recent months, no one would have faulted you had you chosen "b" or "c."
