Jewish, Catholic and Protestant Leaders Urge Obama, Holder to Reject Demands to Erode Religious Freedoms

Letter to President, AG Contends Moves to Undermine Hiring Rights Are 'unsupported, misguided and misleading'

WASHINGTON, July 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A coalition of more than 40 Jewish, Catholic and Protestant organizations is calling on President Barack Obama to reject demands for eliminating the legally protected rights of religious agencies that receive government funds.

In a letter Wednesday to the President and Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., the organizations' leaders contend that efforts to erode such protections are "unsupported, misguided and misleading."

"Religious hiring is an essential and inextricable right that is foundational to the freedoms we enjoy as Americans," says Rabbi Abba Cohen, Vice President for Federal Affairs and Washington Director of Agudath Israel of America, a New York City-based organization promoting the ideals of Orthodox Judaism. "The agencies signing this letter have an uncompromising commitment to defend our organizations' right to hire employees of the same faith, whether Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, or Christian."

Specifically, the letter references attempts by the Coalition Against Religious Discrimination (CARD), urging Holder to withdraw or overturn federal rules and regulations protecting the freedom of guaranteeing the protection of religious organizations that collaborate with government to continue to hire people of similar beliefs.

"Even if CARD were correct that there is a civil rights history and imperative that is separate from our nation's glorious commitment to religious freedom, religious freedom and other civil rights should not be pitted against each other," the letter states. "Existing religious exemptions that enable religious organizations that staff by religion accept federally funded contracts and grants is the way to maintain a commitment to both employment non-discrimination and to the First Amendment's religious freedom guarantee."

Cohen noted that many other non-profit organizations, including some political and advocacy groups, selectively hire staff based on their viewpoints and convictions, as well as professional qualifications.

"An incoming federal administration selects staff and appointees based upon political convictions and commitment to the administration's principles," the letter states.

"And religious entities necessarily pay attention to the 'fit' between their religious convictions and practices and potential employees' views and conduct. Even groups like the Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, and a host of other groups across the ideological and political spectrum routinely select employees based on their political, ideological, or social convictions. Religious groups employ a similar, but much more fundamentally important, practice when they insist on shared religious viewpoints."

Some of these organizations also receive federal funds.

In addition to Agudath Israel of America, leaders of 42 other organizations signed the letter, including: the American Bible Society, the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, Catholic Charities USA, the National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs, and the International Religious Freedom Alliance signed the letter.

SOURCE Agudath Israel of America