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Vol. 32 No. 10 Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. December 2015 FFRF sues to stop New Jersey church grants The Freedom From Religion Foun- grants. Freeholder Hank Lyon has also dation and its member David Steketee objected to the practice. filed a lawsuit Nov. 30 in New Jersey The grants violate plaintiffs’ rights state court suing the Morris County under Article I, Paragraph 3 of the Board of Chosen Freeholders and oth- New Jersey Constitution, guaranteeing: er officials. The suit challenges public “nor shall any person be obliged to pay grants of tax dollars to churches to re- tithes, taxes, or other rates for building pair or maintain places of worship. or repairing any church or churches, Steketee, a taxpayer in Morris Coun- place or places of worship, or for the ty, is contesting grants to churches by maintenance of any minister or minis- the board’s Historic Preservation Trust try, contrary to what he believes to be Fund. Since 2012, the board has award- right.” ed more than 55% of its total Trust These grants deprive Steketee of Fund assets to churches — more than his constitutional rights, also in viola- $5.5 million. It’s believed that 2014 tion of the New Jersey Civil Rights Act, and 2015 grants haven’t yet been fully N.J.S.A. 10:6-2(c). disbursed. “Although preserving historic Mor- FFRF and Steketee are specifically ris County buildings is an appropriate challenging: use of taxpayer funds, the New Jersey • Allotments to the Presbyterian Constitution must trump any other Church in Morristown, which has been considerations regarding the distribu- Andrew Seidel photo allocated more than $1.04 million in tion of public funds to churches, plac- public funds since 2012. The church’s es of worship, or ministries,” FFRF’s Reason’s greetings 2013 construction grant application legal complaint alleges. FFRF staffers make merry at Freethought Hall with the new Bill of Rights “na- specifically notes that funding would The plaintiffs seek a declaration tivity” featuring the nation’s founders. It will be displayed along with a solstice allow “continued use by our congrega- from the Superior Court of New Jersey, banner in Franklin County, Ind., to counter a crèche that had stood alone on tion for worship services.” chancery division of Morris County, public property in December for 50 years. The Bill of Rights was “born” (rati- • Allotments to the St. Peter’s Epis- that grants of taxpayer funds to church- fied) Dec. 15, 1791. See page 6 for more FFRF solstice activism. copal Church. Its 2014 grant applica- es, places of worship and ministries dis- tion states that a distribution from the bursed within the past two years violate fund would ensure continued safe pub- the New Jersey Constitution. They seek republic was founded that no citizen The lawsuit is being handled by at- lic access to the church for worship, a preliminary injunction, later to be ‘shall be compelled to frequent or sup- torney Paul S. Grosswald. FFRF Staff [and] periods of solitude and medita- made permanent, requiring the defen- port any religious worship, place, or Attorney Andrew L. Seidel and Di- tion during the week.” dants to rescind the challenged grants ministry whatsoever,’ to use the histor- ane Uhl Legal Fellow Ryan Jayne are The board didn’t respond to FFRF’s and enjoin them from offering such ic words of Thomas Jefferson,” noted co-counsel. February 2015 complaint letter about grants to churches in the future. Nom- FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gay- FFRF also thanks its former Legal the grants. Steketee testified June 24 inal and actual damages are sought for lor. “Tax dollars should not be subsi- Fellow Katherine Paige for her work before the board and again on July Steketee, and the plaintiffs seek attor- dizing religious worship. That’s what on the case. 8 asking it to follow the federal and neys’ fees. many immigrants to this land came state constitutions and discontinue the “It was an axiom when our secular here to escape.” FFRF requests ‘bible-free’ hotel rooms Inside This Issue An invasive species is defined as Group (Radisson, Carlson, Country “not native to a specific location and Inn) and Starwood Hotels and Resorts which has a tendency to spread to a (Sheraton). 2015 Winter degree which causes damage in some All told, the 15 companies contacted Solstice displays respect upon exposure.” You could say are responsible for more than 33,000 page 6 that sounds a lot like Gideon bibles in hotels in the U.S. and more than 4.1 a bedstand drawer. million rooms internationally. The Freedom From Religion Foun- “Those who must read the bible ev- dation thinks so, and is making a major ery day will surely take precautions to consumer request to the hospitality in- travel with their own copies. The rest dustry, asking it to be more hospitable of us deserve a break from mindless Fighting to non-Christian and nonreligious cli- evangelizing when we are on vaca- oppression in entele by offering “bible-free” rooms. tion,” wrote Co-Presidents Dan Barker Muslim world Gideons International is “exploiting and Annie Laurie Gaylor on behalf of page 14 hotels and motels to proselytize a cap- FFRF’s 23,000 nonreligious members. tive audience,” FFRF has informed the “Many of your guests are freethink- American Hotel and Motel Association. ers — atheists, agnostics, skeptics or In early December, FFRF sent a let- ‘nones’ — who are deeply offended to ter to a number of companies, includ- be charged high fees only to be prose- $9,250 awarded ing Wyndham Worldwide, Intercon- lytized in the privacy of their own bed- to college tinental Hotel Groups (Holiday Inn), rooms. Not only that, the bible calls for essayists Choice Hotels International (Quality killing nonbelievers, apostates, gays, page 16 Inn), Hilton Worldwide, G6 Hospital- ‘stubborn sons’ and women who trans- ity (Motel 6), Marriott International, FFRF has bible warning stickers at gress biblical double standards,” FFRF Best Western, Carlson Rezidor Hotel ffrf.org/shop. Continued on page 21 Page 2 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin December 2015 husband. The customer base included them telling me that I am going to hell. Meet an FFRF staffer Home Depot, Eddie Bauer and Blain’s I spend a lot of time thinking about: Farm and Fleet. The world that I brought my daughters We closed the doors to Northwoods into and what they have to face in the in 2000, when I went back to WIBA. future. I also did print, voice-over and televi- I spend little if any time thinking sion ads in the Madison area with com- about: What’s on TV. panies such as Lands’ End, Hilldale My religious upbringing was: Shopping Center, East Towne and West Catholic. Towne Malls, Fox’s Jewelers, Rocky Ro- My doubts about religion started: coco, American Family Insurance and In first grade when Sister Andrienne more. yelled at me in front of the whole class How I came to work for FFRF: I for turning around in church. I told met Dan and Annie Laurie in 2009 as her that the little boy sitting behind me the Director of First Impressions for was pulling my hair. She said that was iHeartMedia in Madison, where they no excuse, that Jesus suffered for our record their weekly radio show, and we sins and to be respectful of the altar in became fast friends! It was such a joy the front of the church. The little boy to see them each week, and they always was not punished. It was my first taste of stopped to visit with me. Then Dan in- religious hypocrisy. cluded me in his book Life Driven Pur- Things I like: Music (most of all), pose and gave me an autographed copy. books and caring for my cats, Jasmin After reading it, I knew that my life had and Shadow, who also answer to Jazz, a new purpose and that was to be more Shads or Tuna! involved with FFRF. Things I smite: The Beltline High- What I do here: Director of First way and drivers who cut you off or don’t Impressions and whatever I can do to wait their turn to merge into traffic. help the Foundation get the message In my golden years: I hope to share out. my days with my husband and daugh- What I like best about it: All the ters, gardening, reading and staying knowledge that I’ve gained and all the healthy. people that I work with. I wish you had asked: Who are the What gets old: What I call the “Bub- people that inspire me? My husband, ba calls.” They usually start with “Can my daughters, John Lennon, Peter Ga- Annie Laurie Gaylor photo I ask y’all somethin’?” and end with briel, Yoko Ono, Annie Laurie and Dan. Lisa Treu’s smiling face greets visitors in the Freethought Hall lobby. Name: Lisa Miller Treu. daughters Karinthia and Katrina, 18. When and where I was born: Plym- My work background: I started on- outh, Wis., June 24, 1964. the-air broadcasting in 1983 at WRKR- Education: Random Lake High FM in Racine. In 1986 I moved to Madi- School, 1982; Trans-American Broad- son, where I was on the air at WIBA-FM casting School (now the Madison Me- for 15 years on and off. I also started a dia Institute), 1982-83. woodworking manufacturing company Family: Husband Harry and twin called Northwoods Mfg. Inc. with my FFRF welcomes 16 Lifetime Members The Freedom From Religion Foun- nia, Washington and Wisconsin. dation is delighted to report 16 new Individual Lifetime Memberships Lifetime Members.
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