Take Action: Oppose Religious Discrimination in VAWA Amendment
Dear Friends,
The American Humanist Association, with our progressive allies in Washington DC, have been lobbying hard for the passage of the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization bill in Congress—an important step toward formally acknowledging the issue of gender and sexual violence.
But instead of focusing on how to help victims of violence, Representative Sandy Adams (FL) is using this opportunity to help out her extremist religious supporters by changing VAWA to permit religious aid organizations to discriminate in their hiring practices for programs that use VAWA funds. This means your taxpayer dollars will effectively be used by organizations that can hire or fire anyone based on their religious beliefs—or lack thereof.
The passage of the original Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 1994 was a giant step forward for our nation. VAWA meant that our federal government formally acknowledged that gender and sexual violence is wrong, and we support resources that help victims and teach the next generation how to combat gender-based violence.
The Adams Amendment goes against the original purpose of VAWA and is a clear attempt by religious conservatives in Congress to legalize religious discrimination. Stand with the American Humanist Association today in opposing this unnecessary and discriminatory amendment.
The American Humanist Association affirms the fundamental nature of a person’s right to be free from violence and discrimination. Congress has a duty to pass legislation like VAWA which protects our fellow citizens from violent aggressors free from any provisions that would legalize discrimination by religious groups.
Roy Speckhardt
Executive Director
