von_Christendom
02-22-2007, 02:18 PM
U.S. Justice Department to Tackle Religious Discrimination (http://christsassembly.com/watchman_news_reporters/YaBB.pl?num=1172153729/0#0)</span>
(I
doubt anyone really wants to go to the government when they've been so
persecuted out of something. I would think the Government would
actually use that against us if we said we were persecuted for a
religious belief, we'd probably go into an FBI file as a religious
fanatic they should watch. Maybe I see right through this one, maybe I
do not. )
By
Rose French
Associated Press Writer
Wed, Feb. 21 2007 10:20 AM ET
<a href="http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070221/25937_U.S._Justice_Department_to_Tackle_Religious_ Discrimination.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank"> http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070221/25937_U.S._Jus tice_Department_to_T
ackle_Religious_Discrimination.htm </a>
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Justice Department is launching a program
to enforce protections against religious discrimination, Attorney
General Alberto Gonzales announced Tuesday.
The First
Freedom Project would increase education about religious discrimination
by holding a series of training seminars throughout the country over
coming months, Gonzales told leaders of the Southern Baptist
Convention.
Gonzales said he also plans to create a
Religious Freedom Task Force, which will review policies and religious
discrimination cases. He said he doesn't know how much the program will
cost.
"One of our most cherished freedoms ... is our
religious freedom," he said. "It is a fundamental part of our nation's
history."
The first training seminar will be held in Kansas
City, Mo., in March, followed by seminars in Tampa, Fla., in April and
Seattle in May. Other dates and locations will be announced later.
As part of the new program, the Justice Department is setting up a Web site, http://www.firstfreedom.gov, (http://www.firstfreedom.gov,/) with information on enforcement and how to file a religious discrimination complaint.
Gonzales said a new report shows that the Justice Department has looked
into more religious discrimination cases under the Bush administration.
For example, he said cases of religious discrimination in education
increased from one case reviewed and no investigations to 82 cases
reviewed and 40 investigations.
The report on Enforcement
of Laws Protecting Religious Freedom highlights the number of religious
discrimination cases reviewed or investigated by the Justice Department
for fiscal years 2001-06 compared to 1995-2000. It details religious
discrimination cases involving employment, housing, credit, public
accommodations, public facilities and other areas.
In the
period studied, housing- and credit-related cases grew from four
investigations and one lawsuit to 18 investigations and six lawsuits
while religion-related appellate friend-of-the-court briefs rose from
one to 16.
The Justice Department also reviewed 118 cases
and 26 investigations related to land use issues since the enactment in
2000 of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, which
aimed to protect property rights of religious institutions. </span>
(I
doubt anyone really wants to go to the government when they've been so
persecuted out of something. I would think the Government would
actually use that against us if we said we were persecuted for a
religious belief, we'd probably go into an FBI file as a religious
fanatic they should watch. Maybe I see right through this one, maybe I
do not. )
By
Rose French
Associated Press Writer
Wed, Feb. 21 2007 10:20 AM ET
<a href="http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070221/25937_U.S._Justice_Department_to_Tackle_Religious_ Discrimination.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank"> http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070221/25937_U.S._Jus tice_Department_to_T
ackle_Religious_Discrimination.htm </a>
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Justice Department is launching a program
to enforce protections against religious discrimination, Attorney
General Alberto Gonzales announced Tuesday.
The First
Freedom Project would increase education about religious discrimination
by holding a series of training seminars throughout the country over
coming months, Gonzales told leaders of the Southern Baptist
Convention.
Gonzales said he also plans to create a
Religious Freedom Task Force, which will review policies and religious
discrimination cases. He said he doesn't know how much the program will
cost.
"One of our most cherished freedoms ... is our
religious freedom," he said. "It is a fundamental part of our nation's
history."
The first training seminar will be held in Kansas
City, Mo., in March, followed by seminars in Tampa, Fla., in April and
Seattle in May. Other dates and locations will be announced later.
As part of the new program, the Justice Department is setting up a Web site, http://www.firstfreedom.gov, (http://www.firstfreedom.gov,/) with information on enforcement and how to file a religious discrimination complaint.
Gonzales said a new report shows that the Justice Department has looked
into more religious discrimination cases under the Bush administration.
For example, he said cases of religious discrimination in education
increased from one case reviewed and no investigations to 82 cases
reviewed and 40 investigations.
The report on Enforcement
of Laws Protecting Religious Freedom highlights the number of religious
discrimination cases reviewed or investigated by the Justice Department
for fiscal years 2001-06 compared to 1995-2000. It details religious
discrimination cases involving employment, housing, credit, public
accommodations, public facilities and other areas.
In the
period studied, housing- and credit-related cases grew from four
investigations and one lawsuit to 18 investigations and six lawsuits
while religion-related appellate friend-of-the-court briefs rose from
one to 16.
The Justice Department also reviewed 118 cases
and 26 investigations related to land use issues since the enactment in
2000 of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, which
aimed to protect property rights of religious institutions. </span>