Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Clinton-Obama Debate Includes Discussion of Anti-Semitism
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Israeli Court Imposes Fine For Violating Law On Sabbath Employment
EU Criticizes Iran's Proposed Penal Code Provisions On Religion
White House Issues Report on Faith-Based Initiative
Iowa Ends Controversial Faith-Based Prison Program
Australian Sikhs Protest Two Incidents
Court Rejects Free Exercise Challenge To Abortion Picketing Law
Watchdog Group Challenges Congressional Earmarks On Establishment Clause Grounds
Women in Turkey Test New University Headscarf Rules
Monday, February 25, 2008
Michigan City To Consider New Invocation Guidelines
Pakistan Blocks YouTube Access Over Anti-Islamic Content
UPDATE: Technical errors in blocking access to YouTube led to a loss of access for up to two hours on Sunday to the wesite for two-thirds of the world's Internet users-- particularly those in Asia. CBN News reported on Monday that the unintended extension of the ban outside of Pakistan resulted from an international data carrier in Hong Kong routing traffic to YouTube through Pakistan.
Recent Prisoner Free Excercise Cases
In Lane-El v. Indiana Department of Corrections, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13192 (SD IN, Feb. 20, 2008), an Indiana federal district court rejected plaintiffs' claims that their free exercise and equal protection rights, as well as their rights under the Indiana constitution, were violated when the Assistant Superintendent at Pendleton Correctional Instituiton temporarily suspended religious activities of the Moorish Science Temple of America. The suspension was ordered so that officials could investigate claims that inmates were being charged money to have their names placed on the list of those who could attend Moorish Science services.
In Odom v. Dixion, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11748, (WD NY, Feb. 15, 2008), a New York federal magistrate judge dismissed, for failure to demonstrate proof, claims by a prisoner that his constitutional rights were violated by the denial of properly prepared kosher meals.
In Scott v. High Desert State Prison, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12170, (ED CA, February 6, 2008), a California federal magistrate judge dismissed, with leave to amend, a prisoner's RLUIPA complaint that was too vague for the court to determine whether or not it was frivolous. Plaintiff, a member of the House of Yahweh, alleged that religious vendors were not approved and prison chaplains were ordered to deprive him of his right to religious activities.
In Bridgewater v. Scribner, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12264 (ED CA, Feb. 6, 2008), a California federal magistrate judge permitted a Muslim prisoner to continue with his claim that his free exercise rights were violated when was prevented from attending a festival to commemorate one of the five holy pillars of Islam. However, plaintiff was required to file an amended complaint if he wished to proceed as to certain of the defendants.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Public Officials Criticize NC Schools' Requirement For Speakers
Bulgarian Government Proposes New Religion Courses In Schools
9-11 Families Argue Free Exercise In Claim For Access To Debris
Friday, February 22, 2008
Report Says Anti-Semitism At UC Irvine Is Real
A press release by the Task Force further outlines its conclusions and recommendations. Students agree that the situation today is less volatile that it was two years ago.The acts of anti-Semitism are real and well documented. Jewish students have been harassed. Hate speech has been unrelenting. For one week each year, UCI, a Public University has been turned into a vehicle to promote historical distortions, partially through the use of hateful anti-Semitic symbolisms, while the administration has remained silent or when pressed, issued generalizations about hate speech that does not name the hate speakers. This leads to the impression that there is equivalent hate speech from the Jewish students when there is not. Furthermore, such hate speech and gross distortions have an effect on non-Jewish students as well. These students can easily be led to accept the anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist conclusions portrayed by the Muslim Student Union and the invited hate speakers.