[NYTr] Atheists praise high court rulings protecting state - church separation

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC.
http://www.atheists.org
http://www.americanatheist.org

For more information, please contact:
Ellen Johnson, President (908) 276-7300
Dave Silverman, Communications Director (732) 648-9333

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1, 2007

ATHEISTS PRAISE HIGH COURT RULINGS PROTECTING STATE - CHURCH SEPARATION
 
AMERICAN ATHEISTS applauded this morning's decision by the U.S. Supreme 
Court to let stand two lower court rulings upholding the First 
Amendment's establishment clause guaranteeing the separation of 
government and religion.
 
In CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE DIOCESE OF ALBANY v. DINALLO, justices 
supported the decision of the New York State Court of Appeals that 
faith-based social service organizations which hire non-Catholic 
staffers  must subsidize birth control/family planning devices as part 
of prescription drug coverage.
 
In FAITH CENTER CHURCH v. GLOVER, the high court let standing a 9th
U.S. Circuit Court decision that while public libraries must
accommodate religious meetings as they do other organizations, public
facilities may not be made available for religious worship.
 
Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists said she was pleasantly 
surprised by today's rulings.
 
"The high court justices got it right, and drew the legal line when it 
comes to providing faith-based social programs and other religious 
groups with special, discriminatory legal protections."
 
Dave Silverman, Communications Director for American Atheists, said
that while today's Supreme Court decision was encouraging, the effort
to protect the First Amendment's establishment clause must continue.
 
"Religious organizations continue to demand 'special rights' above and 
beyond what are provided to private individuals, business and secular 
groups," said Mr. Silverman.  "We say: there must be a level playing 
field, and that churches or other religious organizations cannot ignore 
anti-discrimination statutes or other laws by citing the teachings of 
their particular faith."


AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights
for Atheists; works for the total separation of church and state; and 
addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.

American Atheists, Inc.
P. O. Box 5733
Parsippany, NJ 07054-6733
Tel.: (908) 276-7300
Fax: (908) 276-7402