Action Alert
Support Judge Porteous In Fight for
Religion-State Separation!
(Washington DC, July 26, 2002) U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr. ordered Louisiana on July 25 to stop using federal funding to promote religion in abstinence-only sex
education programs. He stated that giving public money to programs that
“convey religious messages or otherwise advance religion” violates the
separation between church and state mandated by the US Constitution.
Background: The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit against Louisiana in May
claiming federally funded Louisiana programs that teach sexual abstinence
were using tax dollars to promote religion. This suit named Governor Mike
Foster and the coordinator of the Louisiana Abstinence Education Project as
defendants due to their creation of the “Governor’s Program on Abstinence”
(GPA). This program funded various groups that taught abstinence, one of
which, called the Rapides Station Community Ministries, used the Christmas
story of the Virgin Mary to teach abstinence. Another group (Catholic
Diocese of Lafayette) spent their grant money from the GPA organizing prayer
vigils at abortion clinics.
What you can do:
Judge Porteous needs to know that his ruling was fair and correct, upholding
our rights as American citizens to not have our money involuntarily put
towards the advancement of sectarian interests. Write a letter or call Judge
Porteous and show your support!
Contact Information:
Honorable G Thomas Porteous Jr.
500 Camp St # C206
New Orleans, LA 70130
Phone Number: (504) 589-7585
For More Information:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2530-2002Jul25.html
Also If You Are Interested: The Senate Finance Committee will be voting on a welfare bill that may include funding for Comprehensive Sex Education. President Bush is
advocating educating teenagers on “abstinence only till marriage” and does
not support teaching about contraception in teen pregnancy prevention
programs. Without this much-needed information, teenagers will be at high
health risks due to the spreading of AIDS and other sexually transmitted
diseases, not to mention unplanned pregnancies.
This welfare bill (Family Life Education Act) includes an amendment to the
$50 million funding for abstinence-until marriage education program, that
will also give an additional $50 million for “abstinence-first” teen
pregnancy prevention programs that would allow states to include information
about contraception.
Why is this important?
The full Senate will be deciding on what is ultimately included in the
Family Life Education Act- this could be either funding for both, for one,
or for neither! Concerned citizens should take action now by calling, writing, e-mailing, or
faxing your Senators and show your opposition towards programs teaching only
abstinence! To find your local Senator, go to http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm
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