http://www.alliancealert.org news from the frontlines of the culture war Thu, 24 May 2012 23:12:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/06/hanging-a-bulls-eye-on-christian-prayer/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/06/hanging-a-bulls-eye-on-christian-prayer/#comments Thu, 06 May 2010 16:43:21 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=60035 WorldNetDaily: "There's a bull's-eye being hung on Christian prayer right now, and one of the attorneys who wages war for the right of Americans to express their faith publicly says on this 2010 National Day of Prayer it's because of a national atmosphere that encourages atheists to make their demands. 'The radical secular, militant atheists are feeling empowered right now,' [Mike Johnson], senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund told WND. The ADF is one of the premiere organizations that fights for civil and religious rights in the United States and is made up of thousands of lawyers who take on cases as they develop." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/06/hanging-a-bulls-eye-on-christian-prayer/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/05/national-day-of-prayer-may-be-largest-ever/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/05/national-day-of-prayer-may-be-largest-ever/#comments Wed, 05 May 2010 18:44:36 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=59974 Charisma: "The NDOP Task Force has partnered with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) for a Save the National Day of Prayer campaign, which has more than 250,000 supporters on its Facebook page . . . 'The tradition of our nation has been to allow different official prayer proclamations ... and there are just a lot of groups out there that do not like that history, and so they're actively seeking to change our history,' said [ADF Attorney Joel Oster], who was part of the ADF team that represented NDOP Task Force Chairman Shirley Dobson in the 2008 lawsuit, which named her as a defendant." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/05/national-day-of-prayer-may-be-largest-ever/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/05/day-of-prayer-becomes-culture-war-skirmish/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/05/day-of-prayer-becomes-culture-war-skirmish/#comments Wed, 05 May 2010 16:52:47 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=59901 Vermont Public Radio: "Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative legal group, is sending out letters to mayors and governors saying that the day of prayer is constitutional. ADF attorney Michael Johnson believes the decision will be overturned, especially if it gets to the U.S. Supreme Court. 'Their whole case is premised upon the idea that just because they claim to be offended by it, they should be able to challenge the National Day of Prayer statute and have it struck down,' he says. 'We disagree with that. The First Amendment simply doesn't provide any of us with a right not to be offended.'" ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/05/day-of-prayer-becomes-culture-war-skirmish/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/04/prayer-day-on-despite-ruling/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/04/prayer-day-on-despite-ruling/#comments Tue, 04 May 2010 16:29:42 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=59800 The Tampa Tribune: "Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, isn't surprised that some politicians are ignoring the federal court ruling . . . Gaylor compared her group's battle over National Day of Prayer as a 'David versus Goliath fight.' The National Day of Prayer Task Force has up to 40,000 volunteers on its side and millions of dollars at its disposal from the Alliance Defense Fund, an Arizona-based group of Christian lawyers. Conversely, her group has eight paid staff members and spent $50,000 on the first round of litigation - draining nearly its entire annual legal budget. Nonetheless, the group plans to fight the administration's appeal of the ruling." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/04/prayer-day-on-despite-ruling/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/03/go-and-pray-to-god-on-thursday/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/03/go-and-pray-to-god-on-thursday/#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 17:19:23 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=59685 Fayette County News: "The day after Judge Crabb's ruling the Alliance Defense Fund, a group of Christian lawyers, fired off letters to mayors telling them the ruling has no bearing on prayer day activities. 'Public officials should be able to participate in public prayer activities just as America's founders did, and a recent federal judge's ruling does not prevent cities from lawfully observing the National Day of Prayer,' the letter said." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/05/03/go-and-pray-to-god-on-thursday/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/30/wendy-kaminer-national-prayer-day/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/30/wendy-kaminer-national-prayer-day/#comments Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:43:31 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=59478 writing in The Atlantic: "Judge Crabb cited numerous complaints from members of minority faiths about the 'hi-jacking' of Prayer Day by conservative Christians. Joel Oster, Senior Legal Counsel of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), disputes the prevalence of these complaints, suggesting that they are isolated incidents instigated by "special interest groups that create their own devisiveness' . . . What's the harm of National Prayer Day? It equates prayerfulness and patriotism, as its congressional history makes clear; it sends a 'message of exclusion' to religious minorities and other heretics, and, again, it threatens sectarian divisiveness." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/30/wendy-kaminer-national-prayer-day/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/29/two-church-state-rulings-reach-opposite-conclusions/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/29/two-church-state-rulings-reach-opposite-conclusions/#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:34:01 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=59395 Cleveland Jewish News: "A divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled yesterday that an eight-foot Christian cross on government parkland in California did not violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which prohibits government endorsement of religion. The decision comes on the heels of a Wisconsin federal judge’s ruling that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional because it endorses prayer for its own sake, not to further a secular purpose . . . Two other cases involving crosses are currently in federal courts. One is a 29-foot cross and war memorial on Mt. Soledad in San Diego. The other involves 12-foot crosses that Utah erects on roadside memorials to fallen highway patrol troopers." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/29/two-church-state-rulings-reach-opposite-conclusions/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/29/no-more-national-days-of-prayer/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/29/no-more-national-days-of-prayer/#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:08:18 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=59368 Virtue Online: 'The judge has, in effect, declared 250 years of American Christian heritage is unconstitutional,' declared [Alan Sears], President of the Alliance Defense Fund." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/29/no-more-national-days-of-prayer/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/26/shirley-dobson-heritage-of-faith-freedom-is-under-attack/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/26/shirley-dobson-heritage-of-faith-freedom-is-under-attack/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:19:26 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=58877 writing in the Spartanburg Herald Journal: "My team and I are grieved that a day honoring our country's heritage of faith and freedom has come under such blatant and unfounded attack. As [Joel Oster], senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, explained: 'It's important to remember this about the National Day of Prayer: It's America's heritage, and this day belongs to Americans — the court should not have struck down this statute. The administration has done the right thing in appealing this terrible decision that not only undermines the National Day of Prayer but the underlying heritage and tradition of the American people which dates back to the nation's founding.'" ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/26/shirley-dobson-heritage-of-faith-freedom-is-under-attack/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/26/court-challenge-dogs-official-day-of-prayer/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/26/court-challenge-dogs-official-day-of-prayer/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:45:05 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=58873 The Columbus Dispatch: "The National Day of Prayer Task Force has launched a petition and fundraising campaign to "save" the event. Members are appealing to Obama to appeal the ruling, task-force spokesman John Bornschein said. The money raised will go to the task force's legal firm, the Alliance Defense Fund, to try to mount legal challenges and gain congressional support, he said. 'Like it or not, we are a nation under God.'" ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/26/court-challenge-dogs-official-day-of-prayer/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/26/atheists-religious-groups-lobby-on-day-of-prayer/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/26/atheists-religious-groups-lobby-on-day-of-prayer/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:37:40 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=58869 Associated Press: "The ruling can't take effect until all appeals are exhausted, but that's not stopping atheists and prayer advocates from firing off letters, e-mails and even planning to put up billboards to convince state and local leaders across the country to see things their way . . . 'Public officials should be able to participate in public prayer activities just as America's founders did, and a recent federal judge's ruling does not prevent America's cities from lawfully observing the National Day of Prayer,' ADF Senior Legal Counsel [Mike Johnson] said in a statement." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/26/atheists-religious-groups-lobby-on-day-of-prayer/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/20/a-district-judge-in-wisconsin-rules-that-the-national-day-of-prayer-violates-the-establishment-clause/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/20/a-district-judge-in-wisconsin-rules-that-the-national-day-of-prayer-violates-the-establishment-clause/#comments Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:01:11 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=58443 WORLD Magazine: "Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) want President Obama to appeal the decision. 'The National Day of Prayer provides an opportunity for all Americans to pray voluntarily according to their own faith—and does not promote any particular religion or form of religious observance,' said ADF senior legal counsel Joel Oster. 'It does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, and this decision should be appealed.'" ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/20/a-district-judge-in-wisconsin-rules-that-the-national-day-of-prayer-violates-the-establishment-clause/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/19/court-ruling-undermines-historic-american-dependence-on-god-critics-say/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/19/court-ruling-undermines-historic-american-dependence-on-god-critics-say/#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:25:39 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=58294 Catholic News Agency: "A federal judge’s ruling that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional had no legal basis and was not in keeping with American traditions of expressing 'dependence on the Almighty,' critics said . . . [Joel Oster], senior counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), said the Day of Prayer was 'America’s heritage.'" | ADF News Release ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/19/court-ruling-undermines-historic-american-dependence-on-god-critics-say/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/19/national-prayer-day-shot-down-what-will-obama-do/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/19/national-prayer-day-shot-down-what-will-obama-do/#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:06:00 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=58300 writing at the WSJ Law Blog: “The Obama administration said in a Twitter message on Thursday that Obama intends to recognize this year’s National Day of Prayer, which is May 6 . . . 'The National Day of Prayer provides an opportunity for all Americans to pray voluntarily according to their own faith and does not promote any particular religion or form of religious observance,' said [Joel Oster], senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund." | ADF News Release ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/19/national-prayer-day-shot-down-what-will-obama-do/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/19/national-day-of-prayer-to-continue-in-cookeville/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/19/national-day-of-prayer-to-continue-in-cookeville/#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:52:39 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=58301 Cookeville Times: "As President Obama is urged to appeal federal judge Barbara Crabb's Wisconsin decision striking down a federal statute setting a day aside as a National Day of Prayer, Cookeville citizens continue planning for the May 6 event . . . [Joel Oster], ADF senior counsel, stated to media that it is his position that the National Day of Prayer does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, and that the decision should be appealed." | ADF News Release ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/19/national-day-of-prayer-to-continue-in-cookeville/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/16/federal-judge-strikes-down-national-day-of-prayer-statute/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/16/federal-judge-strikes-down-national-day-of-prayer-statute/#comments Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:47:51 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=58252 CNN: "A federal judge on Thursday struck down the federal statute that established the National Day of Prayer, ruling that it violates the constitutional ban on government-backed religion . . . 'The National Day of Prayer provides an opportunity for all Americans to pray voluntarily according to their own faith and does not promote any particular religion or form of religious observance,' said [Joel Oster], senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/16/federal-judge-strikes-down-national-day-of-prayer-statute/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/16/obama-urged-to-appeal-natl-prayer-day-ruling/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/16/obama-urged-to-appeal-natl-prayer-day-ruling/#comments Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:56:31 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=58240 Christian Post: "Just weeks away from the annual National Day of Prayer, a federal judge ruled on Thursday that the day is unconstitutional . . . ADF Senior Legal Counsel [Joel Oster] argues that the national prayer day is 'America's heritage' and 'belongs to Americans.' 'The National Day of Prayer provides an opportunity for all Americans to pray voluntarily according to their own faith – and does not promote any particular religion or form of religious observance,' Oster contends. 'It does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, and this decision should be appealed.'" | ADF News Release ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/16/obama-urged-to-appeal-natl-prayer-day-ruling/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/16/national-day-of-prayer-under-attack/ http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/16/national-day-of-prayer-under-attack/#comments Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:34:03 +0000 Admin http://www.alliancealert.org/?p=58230 National Day of Prayer Task Force (ChristianNewsWire): "The National Day of Prayer Task Force (NDPTF) and Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) are urging President Obama to appeal federal judge Barbara Crabb's decision in Wisconsin that struck down a federal statute that sets a day for the National Day of Prayer . . . [Joel Oster], ADF senior counsel, echoed these sentiments saying, 'It's important to remember this about the National Day of Prayer: It's America's heritage, and this day belongs to Americans -- the court should not have struck down this statute. ADF urges the Obama administration to appeal this terrible ruling that not only undermines the National Day of Prayer, but the underlying heritage and tradition of the American people which dates back to the nation's founding.'" ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/2010/04/16/national-day-of-prayer-under-attack/feed/ 0