Posts — Protect Thy Neighbor

A project of Americans United for Separation of Church and State

Rob Boston

An Oregon Judge Who Discriminated Against LGBTQ People Loses His Final Court Appeal

A state judge in Oregon who was disciplined for, among other things, refusing to perform weddings for same-sex couples won’t have his case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

A Theocratic ‘Powerhouse’ Is Gaining Influence In The Courts

Today’s Washington Post includes a profile of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), referring to the organization as a “powerhouse.” You may know the ADF as the group that takes on cases of businesses who want the legal right to use religion to discriminate.

Someone Else’s Religion Should Have No Power To Make You Invisible

Religious Right groups have worked hard to make the owner of the Colorado bakery that turned away Craig and Mullins into a victim of persecution and a hero. He is neither. He’s simply a person who wants to take an entire segment of our population and treat them poorly because of his narrow interpretation of a religious book.

Lawmakers In Two States Consider Mean-Spirited ‘Parody Marriage’ Bills

The latest attack on marriage equality from the Religious Right: Marriage would be between one man and one woman. All other marriages would be “parody marriages.”

Here Are The Top Ten Church-State Stories From 2017

There’s no denying that 2017 was a tough year for advocates of religious freedom and church-state separation. Yet despite the barrage of assaults from the Donald Trump-Mike Pence administration, Americans United saw important victories in and out of court.

Roy Moore Won’t Be Joining The US Senate. Here’s Why That’s A Good Thing

The people of Alabama did America a favor last night by voting against Roy Moore for a seat in the US Senate. Moore is just what we don’t need right now. His disdain for fundamental American values—from religious freedom to civil rights and equality to the rule of law—makes him a danger to our democracy.

Neil Gorsuch Is The Wrong Choice For A Seat On The Supreme Court

In this excerpt from AU's Wall of Separation blog, Director of Communications Rob Boston explains why Neil Gorsuch, President Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court, is a danger to true religious freedom.

Beware The Gender Unicorn: Franklin Graham Takes Aim At The Transgender Community

In North Carolina, Franklin Graham, son of the famous evangelist Billy Graham, is having problems with a unicorn.

Accountability In Alabama: No One Is Above The Law, Chief Justice Moore

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by disgraced Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore and Liberty Counsel against the Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC). Here's a reminder about why the Justice Moore is in trouble in the first place.

Discrimination Defeated!: A Miss. Law That Used ‘Religious Freedom’ To Undermine Rights Is Struck Down

A Mississippi law that purported to defend “religious freedom” by allowing state officials and others to discriminate against LGBT residents was scheduled to go into effect today. That won’t be happening, thanks to a federal court ruling.