Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Myanmar: Elections a Fraudulent Claim for Credibility
NEW YORK, Nov. 16 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
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Myanmar: Elections a Fraudulent Claim for Credibility
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(Bangkok) - Foreign governments should reject the Myanmar junta's plans to hold elections from late December 2025 through January 2026 because they will not be free, fair, or inclusive, Human Rights Watch said today. Since the February 2021 military coup, the junta has systematically dismantled the rule of law and the country's nascent democratic systems, and ahead of the polls it has ramped up repression and violence.
The junta announced
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Nov. 16 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
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Myanmar: Elections a Fraudulent Claim for Credibility
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(Bangkok) - Foreign governments should reject the Myanmar junta's plans to hold elections from late December 2025 through January 2026 because they will not be free, fair, or inclusive, Human Rights Watch said today. Since the February 2021 military coup, the junta has systematically dismantled the rule of law and the country's nascent democratic systems, and ahead of the polls it has ramped up repression and violence.
The junta announcedthat the first two phases of the multistage elections will take place on December 28 and January 11. Since the coup, the junta has banned dozens of political parties and jailed an estimated 30,000 political prisoners, including nearly 100 people detained under a draconian election law passed in July. Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the junta's leader, has acknowledged that the elections will not be held in all townships, reflecting the widespread fighting with opposition armed groups characterized by the military's war crimes.
"The Myanmar junta's sham elections are a desperate bid for international legitimacy after nearly five years of brutal military repression," said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Governments lending any credibility to these polls would signal a complete lack of support for rights-respecting civilian democratic rule in Myanmar."
On July 29, the junta enacted the Law on the Prevention of Obstruction, Disruption, and Sabotage of Multiparty Democratic General Election, which criminalizes criticism of the election by banning all speech, organizing, or protest that disrupts any part of the electoral process. Violators can face up to 20 years in prison and the death penalty.
Junta authorities have arrested 94 people under the new law since Augustincluding at least 4 childrenfor social media activity, distributing stickers and leaflets, delivering speeches, and other alleged acts of election "interference" and "disruption." On September 9, a man was sentenced to seven years with hard labor in Taunggyi, Shan State, for a Facebook post criticizing the junta. On October 29, the filmmakers Zambu Htun Thet Lwin and Aung Chan Lu were arrested for "liking" a Facebook post that criticized an election propaganda film.
The authorities have detained nearly 2,000 people since February 2022 for online activity supporting the opposition or criticizing the military, part of the junta's gutting of freedoms of speech, the press, and assembly.
The military lacks sufficient territorial control to hold credible elections, with much of the country contested or held by the opposition, Human Rights Watch said. The nationwide census attempted in October 2024 to compile voter lists was held in only 145 of the country's 330 townships, fewer than half. The Union Election Commission declared in September that voting would not take place in 56 townships deemed "not conducive," while the two phases announced thus far cover only 202 townships.
Junta efforts to retake territory from the armed resistance ahead of the elections has involved repeated airstrikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure that amount to war crimes. China and Russia, the junta's primary suppliers of aircraft and arms, are both backing the election. The two countries have long supported the junta while blocking international action on military atrocities at the United Nations Security Council.
Military abuses and spiraling conflict have internally displaced over 3.5 million people and left about 20 million in need of humanitarian assistance. Independent media and civil society groups have reported that junta authorities have pressured displaced people and prisoners to vote, as well as increasing checkpoints and digital surveillance.
The 2021 coup effectively ended the country's halting and limited democratic transition under Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD). During general elections in November 2020, the NLD secured 82 percent of contested seats, roundly defeating the military proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). In response, the military alleged widespread voter fraud, an unfounded claim rejected by the Union Election Commission and international and domestic election observers.
Early on February 1, 2021, when the new parliament was to sit for the first time, the military detained President Win Myint, Aung San Suu Kyi, and scores of other NLD ministers, members of parliament, and regional administrators, thereby depriving Myanmar's people of their right to choose their government as enshrined in international law.
In the months following the coup, the junta arrested at least 197 ministers and members of parliament and 154 Union Election Commission officials. Suu Kyi and Win Myint are serving prison sentences of 27 and 8 years, respectively, on a slew of fabricated charges.
In January 2023, the junta enacted a new Political Party Registration Law designed to disqualify senior NLD members from participating in elections, violating international standards on the rights of political parties to organize and for their candidates to run for election. In March that year, the junta announced the NLD was among 40 political parties and other groups dissolved for failing to register under the new law. The junta disbanded four additional parties in September 2025 for failing to meet the law's requirements.
The junta had previously declared the opposition National Unity Government and its parliamentary body, the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, as " terrorist organizations." Opposition groups have made clear they oppose any election under the junta.
After the coup, the junta replaced the civilian Union Election Commission with a military-appointed body. The European Union has sanctioned the current chair, Than Soe, appointed on July 31, 2025, and other junta commission members for being "directly involved in actions undermining democracy and the rule of law in Myanmar." Before the coup, Than Soe led the military bloc in parliament's upper house. Under the 2008 Constitution, the military appoints 25 percent of parliamentary seats.
On July 31, in preparation for the elections, the junta announced the formation of the State Security and Peace Commission to replace the State Administration Council, in place since the coup. It also declared a new state of emergency and martial law orders for 63 townships in Chin, Kachin, Karen (Kayin), Karenni (Kayah), Rakhine, and Shan States, and Magway, Mandalay, and Sagaing Regions, which were extended for another 90 days on October 31. The orders, issued primarily for townships under opposition control, transfer the "powers and responsibilities of the said townships to the Commander-in-Chief."
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing for alleged crimes against humanity committed in 2017.
The junta has sought to crush all political opposition, derail any possible establishment of democratic civilian rule, and obtain legitimacy for a military-controlled state, Human Rights Watch said. It has laid the groundwork for elections dominated by the military-backed USDP. While the official 60-day campaign period began on October 28, the military proxy party's campaigning was already well underway. The junta has reportedly banned campaign processions.
At the October summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a "a credible path back to civilian rule" in Myanmar, stating: "I don't think anybody believes that those elections will be free and fair." Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, called holding the elections in December "unfathomable."
While ASEAN highlighted that peace and political dialogue "must precede elections," the regional body lacks the tools to preclude individual member states from providing technical assistance or support bilaterally.
"Malaysia, Japan, and other Asian governments that have made clear these elections are harmful to Myanmar's people should urge their neighbors to do the same," Pearson said. "Counterbalancing any support from China, Russia, and other countries backing the polls will require a clear, emphatic message that these illegitimate elections will only entrench Myanmar's descent into violence, repression, and autocratic rule."
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Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/11/16/myanmar-elections-a-fraudulent-claim-for-credibility
11/17 COP30 Demonstration: Global Advocates Demand Funded Fossil Fuel Phaseout, Just Transition
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 [Category: Biology] -- The Center for Biological Diversity posted the following news release:
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11/17 COP30 Demonstration: Global Advocates Demand Funded Fossil Fuel Phaseout, Just Transition
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BELEM, Brazil Global grassroots climate advocates and Indigenous leaders calling for a funded and fair phaseout of oil, gas and coal will stage a demonstration inside the COP30 summit on Monday afternoon.
What: Representatives from grassroots and Indigenous groups from around the world will hold colorful banners that say, "End Fossil Fuels: Funded, Fast, Fair." They will speak
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 [Category: Biology] -- The Center for Biological Diversity posted the following news release:
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11/17 COP30 Demonstration: Global Advocates Demand Funded Fossil Fuel Phaseout, Just Transition
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BELEM, Brazil Global grassroots climate advocates and Indigenous leaders calling for a funded and fair phaseout of oil, gas and coal will stage a demonstration inside the COP30 summit on Monday afternoon.
What: Representatives from grassroots and Indigenous groups from around the world will hold colorful banners that say, "End Fossil Fuels: Funded, Fast, Fair." They will speakabout the need for a fossil fuel phaseout with full and fair funding for the Global South and a just, equitable transition for workers and communities.
When: Monday, Nov. 17, 14:30-15:00 (2:30-3 p.m.) Belem time (UTC -3HRS)
Where: COP30 Blue Zone, Area D, Action Location 1 (across from Information & Services Hub, next to Meeting Room 1)
Who: Indigenous, grassroots and youth leaders from Africa, Asia, Europe, North & South America and the Caribbean, including:
* Ian Rivera, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice & Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development (Philippines)
* Carolina Sanchez Naranjo, Fossil Free Wider Caribbean Network (Costa Rica)
* Feleecia Guillen, Institute for Policy Studies (New Mexico, United States)
* Laura Montano, Resource Justice Network (Colombia)
* Omar Elmawi, Africa Movement of Movements & CAN International (Kenya)
* Roquin-Jon Q. Siongco, Micronesian Climate Change Alliance (Guahan / Guam)
* Sharif Jamil, Waterkeepers Bangladesh & Asian Peoples Movement on Debt & Development (Bangladesh)
* Sonny Ahkivgak, Native Movement & Climate Justice Alliance (Alaska, United States)
* Emil Bejer-Pedersen, The Green Youth Movement (Denmark)
Background:
At COP28 parties agreed to "transition away from fossil fuels" in a "just, orderly and equitable manner," but rich countries have so far failed to deliver commitments to finance the transition in a fair and equitable way that centers communities.
At COP30, negotiators are considering a proposal for the Belem Action Mechanism for a just transition, and there is an emerging push for a fossil fuel phaseout roadmap. Colombia is circulating a declaration to draw political attention to the call for a roadmap, as well as an invitation to countries to join the First International Conference for the Phase-Out of Fossil Fuels in April 2026.
Global grassroots leaders are making the urgent case that people's survival depends on a full fossil fuel phaseout paired with trillions of dollars in climate finance for the Global South to ensure the transition arrives in a just way.
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Original text here: https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/1117-cop30-demonstration-global-advocates-demand-funded-fossil-fuel-phaseout-just-transition-2025-11-16/
PETA Statement: Blockage of Horse-Drawn Carriage Ban Is Only Temporary
NEW YORK, Nov. 15 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release on Nov. 14, 2025:
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PETA Statement: Blockage of Horse-Drawn Carriage Ban Is Only Temporary
Today, at a City Council meeting attended by hundreds of constituents, New York City Council Health Committee members bowed to pressure from the horse-drawn carriage industry and killed Ryder's Law, the city's proposed horse-drawn carriage ban, without advancing it to the council floor for a full vote. Although Councilmember Robert Holden made a motion for a public hearing, the Committee violated procedural
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Nov. 15 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release on Nov. 14, 2025:
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PETA Statement: Blockage of Horse-Drawn Carriage Ban Is Only Temporary
Today, at a City Council meeting attended by hundreds of constituents, New York City Council Health Committee members bowed to pressure from the horse-drawn carriage industry and killed Ryder's Law, the city's proposed horse-drawn carriage ban, without advancing it to the council floor for a full vote. Although Councilmember Robert Holden made a motion for a public hearing, the Committee violated proceduralrules by refusing his motion.
Please find a statement from PETA Director Ashley Byrne in response:
"More than 75% of New Yorkers want horse-drawn carriages off city streets, so the carriage industry is resorting to dirty tricks to prop up this dying trade and keep exhausted horses pounding the pavement through sweltering summers and windy winters. PETA is confident that with compassionate councilmembers already committed to reintroducing this bill next term, the question isn't if New York will ban horse-drawn carriages, it's when."
Ryder's Law was named after a horse who collapsed on New York City streets and later died. The proposal came after video footage of Ryder lying on Ninth Avenue went viral, and reports that his driver slapped him, whipped him, and screamed at him to get up sparked outrage.
PETA--whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any other way"--points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
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Original text here: https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/peta-statement-blockage-of-horse-drawn-carriage-ban-is-only-temporary/
[Category: Animals]
FFRF Action Fund: 'Theocrat' Sen. Tommy Tuberville Fearmongers About Muslims
MADISON, Wisconsin, Nov. 15 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on Nov. 14, 2025:
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'Theocrat' Sen. Tommy Tuberville fearmongers about Muslims
FFRF Action Fund's "Theocrat of the Week" is U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., for his recent Islamophobic remarks and fearmongering about Muslim elected officials.
Following last week's Election Day, Tuberville appeared on Steve Bannon's "War Room"
... Show Full Article
MADISON, Wisconsin, Nov. 15 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on Nov. 14, 2025:
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'Theocrat' Sen. Tommy Tuberville fearmongers about Muslims
FFRF Action Fund's "Theocrat of the Week" is U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., for his recent Islamophobic remarks and fearmongering about Muslim elected officials.
Following last week's Election Day, Tuberville appeared on Steve Bannon's "War Room"podcast to denigrate Zohran Mamdani's election as New York City's first Muslim mayor.
"We just saw what happened in New York. We lost New York," the senator told Bannon. "That's what they want."
"They're gonna have everything free there for them, and they're just going to spread throughout the country," Tuberville continued, referring to Mamdani's campaign promise of making the city more affordable. Muslims make up approximately 9 percent of New York City's population.
Tuberville has routinely repeated this rhetoric on his X account, posting over the past weekend: "The Quran calls on Muslims to wage 'jihad' or holy war against nonbelievers. This is INCOMPATIBLE with American values and laws. We must BAN SHARIA LAW before Radical Islam destroys our country."
The senator is deeply concerned with the so-called threat of Sharia law in the United States and has even introduced two pieces of legislation to ban its existence across the country, the "No Sharia Act" and the "Preserving a Sharia Free America Act." Neither of Tuberville's bills specifies exactly where in the United States Sharia law poses a real, current threat.
Tuberville delivered a longwinded speech about radical Islam and Sharia law on the Senate floor last month in which he again disparaged Muslim elected officials.
"You know, we're allowing people with extremist ideologies, people who hate American values to not only live here, but to hold positions of power and influence our government," Tuberville said. "It's un-American. And it's an insult to the millions of Americans who have sacrificed their lives for this country and its freedom."
Tuberville seemingly believes that every Muslim in the United States wants to establish Sharia law, including those elected to public office. Clearly, with Sharia law dictating zero governance around the country and no Muslim public official calling for its implementation, it is not a real threat to the United States or "American values."
Tuberville is an ultraconservative Christian who equates "American values" with Judeo-Christian values. His remarks about Muslims in the United States and in government suggest that he only wants public officials who align with his brand of Christianity to hold office. Tuberville earned his first "Theocrat of the Week" designation as recently as last month for leading a resolution in the Senate to establish a "Religious Education Week" to "celebrate the importance of religion," namely Christianity, in American history. The senator professed that "our country was rooted in Judeo-Christian values" and that "there's a myth out there that our Founders wanted to keep God out of the public square."
Before becoming a senator, Tuberville became a household name in Alabama for being the head football coach at Auburn University. During his football career, Tuberville also placed himself on FFRF's radar for routinely pushing religion onto public school football players.
Tuberville's fearmongering over Sharia law and demonizing of non-Christian public officials has certainly earned him his second stint as "Theocrat of the Week."
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FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
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Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/theocrat-sen-tommy-tuberville-fearmongers-about-muslims/
[Category: Sociological]
CAIR in the News, November 15, 2025
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR in the News, November 15, 2025
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CAIR: 'He turned into a Palestinian': Trump press secretary in hot water over comments on Dem leader - NJ.com
Earlier this year, Nihad Awad, the national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said Trump's "use of the term 'Palestinian' as a racial slur is offensive and beneath the dignity of his office," according to The Guardian.
CAIR-DFW: North Texas houses of worship lock doors, tighten security
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR in the News, November 15, 2025
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CAIR: 'He turned into a Palestinian': Trump press secretary in hot water over comments on Dem leader - NJ.com
Earlier this year, Nihad Awad, the national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said Trump's "use of the term 'Palestinian' as a racial slur is offensive and beneath the dignity of his office," according to The Guardian.
CAIR-DFW: North Texas houses of worship lock doors, tighten securityamid surge in targeted violence - Dallas Morning News
Mustafaa Carroll, D-FW executive director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, said his organization in 2024 received the highest number of annual complaints 8,658 since its first civil rights report in 1996.
The organization in 2024 identified 40 incidents in the U.S. targeting spaces designated for Islamic worship.
Carroll said local politicians are contributing to high levels of Islamophobia. He condemned fear-mongering rhetoric about "Sharia law" or Muslims trying to "take over" the U.S. "I think it's fairly new that the administration, the political leadership in Texas, is now leading in the [anti-Muslim] rhetoric," he said.
CAIR: University of Maryland students say cut off contractors linked to 'Gaza genocide' - Washington Times
CAIR-MI: Civil rights group responds to Dearborn march - WDET
CAIR: US lawmakers introduce resolution declaring Gaza situation as genocide - Anadolu Agency
CAIR: Rashida Tlaib, 20 other US lawmakers urge Congress to recognise Israel's Gaza genocide - The New Arab
CAIR: I'm a Brit detained by ICE. Conditions were so poor I couldn't believe it was America - The i Paper
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-in-the-news-november-15-2025/
As Student Debt Crushes Austin, Texas, a Roundtable of Community Members Gather to Urge Action
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 -- Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) issued the following news release:
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As Student Debt Crushes Austin, Texas, a Roundtable of Community Members Gather to Urge Action
Protect Borrowers and Young Invincibles Reveal New Data on Nearly 380,000 Austin Borrowers with $13.7 Billion in Student Debt
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AUSTIN, TX -- As the national student debt crisis intensifies, advocacy groups met today for a community roundtable discussion on the harmful impacts that $13.7 billion in total student debt has on 378,114 local borrowers and their families. Young
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 -- Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) issued the following news release:
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As Student Debt Crushes Austin, Texas, a Roundtable of Community Members Gather to Urge Action
Protect Borrowers and Young Invincibles Reveal New Data on Nearly 380,000 Austin Borrowers with $13.7 Billion in Student Debt
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AUSTIN, TX -- As the national student debt crisis intensifies, advocacy groups met today for a community roundtable discussion on the harmful impacts that $13.7 billion in total student debt has on 378,114 local borrowers and their families. YoungInvincibles Texas and Protect Borrowers convened the event and provided data on the economic hardship and precarity facing borrowers in Austin and across the state. Together, community members discussed how Texas leaders can engage at the local and state levels to combat the student debt crisis.
View the new fact sheet on student debt in Austin, Texas here: https://protectborrowers.org/resource/fact-sheet-2025-austin-texas-student-loan-borrowers-experiencing-economic-hardship/
The roundtable and new data come as borrowers across Texas face economic hardship and an impending student loan default cliff, the Trump Administration's new rule restricting Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and widespread chaos across the student loan landscape.
"Borrowers face mounting uncertainty and financial strain--and the so-called 'Big Beautiful Bill' has only deepened this harm. We must not leave borrowers in limbo, unsure of how to plan their futures or make ends meet, navigating high monthly payments and an uncertain, ever-changing student loan system," said Kasey Corpus, Southern Policy and Advocacy Manager at Young Invincibles. "Our local communities' future success depends on young people's ability to invest in their communities--not forcing them into cycles of financial distress. Austin continuously rallies for its local working families, and that's exactly the leadership borrowers deserve."
"Borrowers continue to struggle with unaffordable bills and face an unconscionable degree of uncertainty when it comes to their student loans. President Trump and Congressional Republicans' radical right-wing 'Big Ugly Bill' will force far too many borrowers to face even more unaffordable student loan bills for longer and fall into the jaws of the predatory private student loan market," said Amy Czulada, Outreach and Advocacy Manager for Protect Borrowers. "Cities, local organizations, and elected officials play a pivotal role in protecting and guiding borrowers--Austin and Young Invincibles Texas are leading that charge."
The newly released data also underscores the profound impact of racial and gender disparities of the crisis locally:
- Women owe a majority of the local total student debt, shouldering $9 billion
- More than one in five (20.5 percent) of people living in majority-latino/a neighborhoods have student debt
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About Young Invincibles Texas
Young Invincibles Texas organizes across the state with hubs in Austin, Dallas, East Texas, and an emerging presence in San Antonio. We believe in the leadership, people power, and organizing strengths of young adults, and we fight for justice in health care, higher education, workforce access, and democracy. To date, we have trained over 900 young leaders and reached more than 50,000 Texans through bold campaigns, advocacy trainings, storytelling, and civic education. Our programs, including the Young Advocates Program, Student Advisory Council, and Youth Advisory Board, elevate the voices of first-generation students, young parents, student veterans, and others too often left out of policy conversations.
Our work has helped win legislative victories for everything from community college funding to maternal health access. Through powerful research, coalition building, and grassroots organizing, we partner with young people across Texas to challenge harmful narratives, shift policy, and build long-term community power.
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About Protect Borrowers
Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) is a nonprofit organization led by a team of experts, lawyers, and advocates fighting to build an economy where debt doesn't limit opportunity. We investigate financial abuses, take predatory companies to court, and push for policies to protect working people from debt traps. We aim to deliver immediate relief to families while building power, driving systemic change, and fighting for racial and economic justice.
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Original text here: https://protectborrowers.org/as-student-debt-crushes-austin-texas-a-roundtable-of-community-members-gather-to-urge-action/
[Category: Financial Services]
Americans United Urges Federal Court to Protect Religious Freedom and Public Health in California Vaccination Case
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 -- Americans United for Separation of Church and State issued the following news on Nov. 14, 2025:
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Americans United urges federal court to protect religious freedom and public health in California vaccination case
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, joined by 11 religious and civil rights organizations, today urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to protect public health from religion-based attacks. In an amicus brief filed in the lawsuit Royce v. Pan, AU and allies urged the court to reject a request brought by a Christian Nationalist
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 -- Americans United for Separation of Church and State issued the following news on Nov. 14, 2025:
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Americans United urges federal court to protect religious freedom and public health in California vaccination case
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, joined by 11 religious and civil rights organizations, today urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to protect public health from religion-based attacks. In an amicus brief filed in the lawsuit Royce v. Pan, AU and allies urged the court to reject a request brought by a Christian Nationalistorganization on behalf of a handful of California parents seeking religious exemptions from the state's vaccinations requirements for public school children.
Religious freedom not a license to subvert vaccination laws and threaten public health
"Religious freedom is never a right to put other people's lives at risk," said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United. "This fundamental American freedom ensures that we are all treated equally under the law and allowed to live as ourselves and believe as we choose - as long as we don't harm others. It is not a license to subvert state vaccination laws and threaten public health.
"The lower court's decision in this case is consistent with our country's history of protecting public health and safety," Laser added. "Courts have repeatedly affirmed that religious freedom does not give religious objectors blanket immunity from secular laws. We urge the 9th Circuit to follow this long line of precedent and reject the plaintiffs' demands for a religious exemption from California's public school vaccination requirements."
Organizations joining AU on the brief include the American Civil Liberties Union and its three California branches; Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice; Global Justice Institute; Hindu American Foundation; Methodist Federation for Social Action; Metropolitan Community Churches; Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus; and Society for Humanistic Judaism.
The brief was authored for AU by Constitutional Legal Fellows Luke Anderson and Jess Zalph, Senior Litigation Counsel Amy Tai, and Associate Vice President and Associate Legal Director Alex J. Luchenitser.
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Americans United is a religious freedom advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, AU educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.
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Original text here: https://www.au.org/the-latest/press/vaccination-religious-exemptions-calif/
[Category: Political]
