A faith-based threat to our national values

The American Civil Liberties Union does not endorse or lobby against political candidates or their appointees. We do, however, praise or denounce a politician's decisions based on civil liberties and civil rights concerns. We actively support policies that protect these American principles and contest those policies and actions that put such values in jeopardy. As students, many of us appreciate the knowledge and talent of a man such as political science professor John DiIulio. But as civil libertarians, we must oppose the program that DiIulio has been appointed to lead. The First Amendment clearly prohibits any action of the government that can be seen to be "respecting an establishment of religion." The courts have traditionally interpreted this as a prohibition of official government support (monetary or otherwise) for any religious institution or program. It has long been inappropriate for public money, coming from an ideologically and spiritually diverse nation such as ours, to go to religious organizations. Tax dollars do not pay for Catholic schoolbooks. Tax dollars do not buy synagogues new Torah scrolls. Tax dollars do not fund Islamic pilgrimages. No citizen should be forced to fund a private belief system to which he or she does subscribe. That we are the most religious industrialized country in the world while boasting a deep-seated tradition of religious tolerance proves the wisdom of the separation of church and state. The great danger in Bush's program to fund faith-based community services stems from the very nature of the groups that will receive our tax dollars. Undoubtedly, they have helped many people in need overcome obstacles in their lives. Their effectiveness is not being questioned. However, these are religious organizations. Although some groups may honestly be able to provide social services without implicitly or explicitly advocating their own belief systems, it is not beyond the realm of possibility for some groups not to maintain this ideal of separation and slip through the cracks. This separation works not only to keep religion out of government, but also to keep government out of religion. Since the government gives out the money, it decides the criteria and qualifications for distribution. Who gets what and how much has hardly ever been decided objectively by our nation's politicians. We have no doubt that DiIulio will distribute the public funds fairly and honestly, but what of future appointees? Could you imagine figures as divisive as

John Ashcroft or even our own "Brother" Stephen White in charge of funding religious programs? Public funding of faith-based programs not only challenges our civil liberties, but also our widely cherished non-discrimination laws. The doctrine of church-state separation exempts religious organizations from being required to provide equal opportunity employment. Belief systems of several faiths limit the roles that can be played by certain members of society (women, LGBT people, etc). Public institutions, however, are not allowed to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender or ethnicity. What happens if we blur the line between religion and government? If we prohibit religious institutions from discriminating, then we will have made a judgment on a faith based on its belief system and violated the religious freedom of these groups. If we allow a group receiving federal funds to discriminate, then we will have used public tax dollars to violate the civil rights of those seeking employment in these programs. Potentially even worse is the provision of these services. These tax-dollar funded religious programs might deny or give preference to recipients in a manner unacceptable for a publicly financed organization. For example, a group that considers homosexuality a sin could decline to serve a gay man. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for a certain religious group to give priority to its own members. This is fine for private programs, but funneling federal dollars into the program complicates the matter. We must not allow this initiative to threaten the values on which our country was founded. For, as Thomas Jefferson once wrote, "Erecting the wall of separation between church and state is absolutely essential in a free society."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.