Marszalek, who had coached wrestling for 35 years, had achieved a legendary status in the wrestling community.  Earning more that 450 wins, and sending numerous wrestlers to various collegiate programs, he was elected to the Michigan High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, named “Sportsman of the Year” by the All-American Athletic Association.  Marszalek’s contract was not renewed because of his association with a Christian volunteer coach, Trey Hancock, who the principal accused of converting a Muslim student to Christianity during a summer camp not connected with the school or Coach Marszalek.

The lawsuit was filed by the Thomas More Law Center, and a private litigation firm of Cummings, McClorey, Davis & Acho, P.L.C. located in Livonia, Michigan. [Read Complaint here.]

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center commented, “We are getting a glimpse of what happens when Muslims who refuse to accept American values and principles gain political power in an American community.  Failure to renew coach Marszalek’s contract had nothing to do with wrestling and everything to do with religion.”

The city of Dearborn is one of the most densely populated Muslim communities in the United States.  An estimated 30,000 of its 98,000 residents are Muslims.  It is estimated that 80% of the student population of Fordson High School is Arabic and most of those are Muslims.  According to the lawsuit, Fadlallah has publically stated that he sees Fordson High School as a Muslim school. 

Trouble started between Fadlallah and Marszalek when one of Coach Marszalek’s assistant coaches, Trey Hancock, held a summer wrestling camp in which a Muslim camper converted to Christianity.  Principal Fadlallah was so upset by the conversion that he punched the student and informed him he had disgraced his family.  Fadlallah also ordered Coach Marszalek to ban the assistant coach from the high school and all wrestling events.  However, since the assistant had a son that wrestled on the team, this was an impossible order to enforce.  After the wrestling season was over, Coach Marszalek was not allowed to reapply to his coaching position—in clear violation of Union rules.  Unfortunately for Coach Marszalek, his teacher’s Union did not help him in his hour of need.

The lawsuit claims violations of both the U.S. and Michigan constitutions and statutes including Michigan’s Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights.  Coach Marszalek is seeking his back pay, injunctive and declaratory relief, damages, and to be reinstated as coach of the wrestling team.

The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America’s Christian heritage and moral values, including the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - On July 16, 2009, seven Texas-area Islamic organizations lost an appeal of the unanimous ruling of the Texas Second Court of Appeals at Forth Worth, which protected the free speech http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=689 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=689 ANN ARBOR, MI – On July 16, 2009, seven Texas-area Islamic organizations lost an appeal of the unanimous ruling of the Texas Second Court of Appeals at Forth Worth, which protected the free speech rights of internet journalists and at the same time dealt a blow to the legal jihad being waged by radical Muslim groups throughout the United States.  The Islamic groups asked for a reconsideration of the appellate court’s recent decision through what is known as an en banc opinion (appeal to the whole court, not just a panel of the court).  The Court ruling, in a per curiam (in the name of the whole court) two page opinion, upheld the dismissal of the libel lawsuit filed against internet reporter Joe Kaufman by the seven Islamic organizations.  (Click here to read the order denying the en banc request.)

The lawsuit against Kaufman was funded by the Muslim Legal Fund for America.  The head of that organization, Khalil Meek, admitted on a Muslim talk radio show that lawsuits were being filed against Kaufman and others to set an example.  Indeed, for the last several years, Muslim groups in the U.S. have engaged in the tactic of filing meritless lawsuits to silence any public discussion of Islamic terrorist threats.  This tactic, referred to by some as Islamist Lawfare uses our laws and legal system to silence critics and promote Islamic rule in America.

The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan provided the lead attorney to represent Kaufman, at no charge.  The Law Center attorney, Brandon Bolling, was assisted by Texas attorney Thomas S. Brandon, Jr. who acted as local counsel, and Los Angeles, CA attorneys William Becker, Jr. and Manuel S. Klausner.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “It is gratifying to see our client’s First Amendment rights being upheld by this entire Texas Appeals Court.  We do not yet know if these Islamic groups will try another appeal to the Texas Supreme Court, but this ruling is an indication of how strong this First Amendment case is.”

Kaufman, a full-time investigative reporter, has written extensively on Radical Islamic terrorism in America.  He was sued because of his September 28, 2007 article titled “Fanatic Muslim Family Day” published by Front Page Magazine, a major online news website.  Kaufman’s article exposed the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and the Islamic Association of Northern Texas (IANT) ties to the radical terrorist group Hamas.

Kaufman’s article called ICNA a radical Muslim organization that has ties to Al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood.  According to Kaufman, ICNA is an umbrella organization for South Asian-oriented mosques and Islamic centers in the United Stat]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Yesterday, seven Texas-area Muslim organizations filed an appeal of the unanimous ruling of the Texas Second Court of Appeals at Forth Worth, which protected the free speech rights http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=683 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=683 ANN ARBOR, MI – Yesterday, seven Texas-area Muslim organizations filed an appeal of the unanimous ruling of the Texas Second Court of Appeals at Forth Worth, which protected the free speech rights of internet journalists and at the same time dealt a blow to the legal jihad being waged by radical Muslim groups throughout the United States.  The Court ruling authored by Justice Terrie Livingston, dismissed the libel lawsuit filed against internet reporter Joe Kaufman by the seven Muslim organizations.

The lawsuit against Kaufman was funded by the Muslim Legal Fund for America.  The head of that organization, Khalil Meek, admitted on a Muslim radio show that lawsuits were being filed against Kaufman and others to set an example.  Indeed, for the last several years, Muslim groups in the U.S. have engaged in the tactic of filing meritless lawsuits to silence any public discussion of Islamic terrorist threats.  This tactic, referred to by some as Islamist Lawfare uses our laws and legal system to silence critics and promote Islamic rule in America.

The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan provided the lead attorney to represent Kaufman, at no charge.  The Law Center attorney, Brandon Bolling, was assisted by Texas attorney Thomas S. Brandon, Jr. who acted as local counsel, and Los Angeles, CA attorneys William Becker, Jr. and Manuel S. Klausner.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “This frivolous lawsuit is an example of the legal jihad being waged by radical Islamic organizations throughout our nation.  These lawsuits are aimed at stifling the free speech rights of Americans who dare to expose their agenda.  They  intentionally file lawsuits to intimidate reporters who seek to expose their agenda.  By making it costly to defend against their lawsuits, they hope journalists will refrain from writing about the threat to our nation.” 

Kaufman, a full-time investigative reporter, has written extensively on Radical Islamic terrorism in America.  He was sued because of his September 28, 2007 article titled “Fanatic Muslim Family Day” published by Front Page Magazine, a major online news website.  Kaufman’s article exposed the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and the Islamic Association of Northern Texas (IANT) ties to the radical terrorist group Hamas.

Kaufman’s article called ICNA a radical Muslim organization that has ties to Al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood.  According to Kaufman, ICNA is an umbrella organization for South Asian-oriented mosques and Islamic centers in the United States created as an American arm of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) of Pakistan.

A 1991 internal memorandum of the Muslim Brotherhood laid out their plan to destroy America from within:  “[The Muslim Brotherhood] must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands and the hands of believers so that it is eliminated and Allah’s religion is made victorious over all other religions.”

According to former FBI agent John Guandolo, who worked several years in the Bureau’s Counter Terrorism Division, every major Muslim organization is controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Significantly, neither ICNA nor IANT, which were mentioned in Kaufman’s article, sued Kaufman.  It is speculated that ICNA and IANT were afraid of being subjected to pretrial discovery. 

On the other hand, none]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - For the last five years, Pastor George Saieg and scores of his volunteers have visited Dearborn, Michigan during its annual Dearborn Arab International Festival to pass out religious http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=674 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=674 ANN ARBOR, MI – For the last five years, Pastor George Saieg and scores of his volunteers have visited Dearborn, Michigan during its annual Dearborn Arab International Festival to pass out religious literature and discuss their Christian Faith.  Pastor Saieg is a Sudanese Christian, and Founder and Director of the Arabic Christian Perspective (ACP), which ministers to Muslims.

Dearborn happens to be one of the most densely populated Muslim communities in the United States.  An estimated 30,000 of its 98,000 residents are Muslims.

Even though there has never been a disruption of the public peace during this Christian ministry, last week Dearborn police officials told Pastor Saieg that he and his group are prohibited from freely traveling the public sidewalks to distribute their literature outside the festival.  They must remain at a specific location.

As a result, the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the Becker Law Firm based in Los Angeles, California, the general counsel for ACP, filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Dearborn’s policy.  The lawsuit was filed only after attempts were made to amicably assert Pastor Saieg’s constitutional rights to free speech.   Click here to read the complaint.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “It’s ironic that while Americans are applauding the free speech exercised by hundreds of thousands of Muslims on the streets of Iran, the City of Dearborn is  restricting free speech rights Christians are attempting to exercise on the City’s public sidewalks.”

The conflict arose when Pastor George Saieg called the City of Dearborn to find out when the festival was to begin.  He was then told on June 9th that his group would be confined to a predetermined location.  Pastor Saieg questioned the constitutional validity of this restriction, especially considering his group had attended the Dearborn Festival many times in the past without incident.

Late this morning, Federal District Court Judge Nancy Edmonds denied an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) prohibiting Dearborn from restricting Pastor Saieg and his group from passing out Christian literature on the public sidewalks.  The Festival will be held for only 3 days, beginning tomorrow, Friday, June 19, 2009, and lasting through Sunday, June 21.

Thomas More Law Center attorney Robert J. Muise argued the motion before Judge Edmonds on behalf of Pastor George Saieg and the Arabic Christian Perspective (ACP).  Despite the TRO ruling, the lawsuit will proceed.  According to Muise, “This case involves an important constitutional question regarding the government’s ability to prohibit peaceful speech activities.  This preliminary ruling, while disappointing, will not affect the remainder of the case.  We intend to pursue this as far as necessary.”

The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America’s Christian heritage and moral values, including the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life.  It supports a strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America.  The Law Center accomplishes its mission through litigation, education, and related activities.  It does]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced today that it has filed a friend of the court brief opposing the ACLU's campaign http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=671 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=671 ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced today that it has filed a friend of the court brief opposing the ACLU’s campaign to tear down another war memorial cross.

At issue is a small cross originally erected on Sunrise Rock in 1934 by the Veterans of Foreign Wars in memory of the dead of all wars.  The cross is located in California’s Mojave Desert, in a remote area where the only visible signs of human activity are off-road vehicles and trail hikers.  The ACLU succeeded in its anti-cross agenda by obtaining a ruling in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals holding that the cross violated the so-called separation of church and state.  However, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case, Ken Salazar v. Frank Buono.

When the Supreme Court considers the case, it will have in its file a compelling brief supporting the use of crosses in war memorials filed by the Thomas More Law Center.   Click here to read the brief.  Joining the Law Center’s brief is the Individual Rights Foundation.

Richard Thompson, the President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center, commented, “Through our brief and the compelling stories of the war heroes we represent, we want the court to feel the devastating impact removing crosses will have on those who have sacrificed so much for this country.  Since the beginning of America, crosses have been used to memorialize our fallen war veterans and to give solace to their families and comrades. Ironically, the Ninth Circuit used the very constitution these veterans defended with their lives to order the destruction of the memory of their heroic sacrifices.  Sadly, the cross in the Mojave Desert is currently covered from view until the appeal is resolved.”

The Law Center’s brief was filed on behalf of former Navy pilot and Vietnam prisoner of war Rear Admiral Jeremiah Denton, USN (Ret.) and the families of Marine Majors Michael D. Martino (pictured at right) and Gerald Bloomfield, III, both of whom were killed in combat in Iraq on November 2, 2005, when their attack helicopter was shot down by a surface-to-air missile.  The memories and sacrifices of these war heroes are now preserved by plaques located under another cross, the cross at the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial.  The Law Center successfully defended that cross, but the cross is the subject of another lawsuit brought against the federal government by the ACLU.

Should the Supreme Court affirm the Ninth Circuit’s ruling, the cross at Mt. Soledad, which has been the subject of much litigation over the past twenty years, will be threatened as well.  A recent ACLU case challenging the Mt. Soledad cross is currently on appeal to the Ninth Circuit.  The Law Center has been actively involved in the successful defense of the Mt. Soledad cross for many years.

Jeremiah Denton, a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, a veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vi]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - A San Francisco City Board's resolution virulently condemning the Catholic Church because of its moral teachings on homosexuality does not violate the Constitution's prohibition of http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=669 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=669 ANN ARBOR, MI – A San Francisco City Board’s resolution virulently condemning the Catholic Church because of its moral teachings on homosexuality does not violate the Constitution’s prohibition of government hostility toward religion, so says a panel on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The anti-Catholic resolution, adopted March 21, 2006, was challenged by the Thomas More Law Center, a national Christian legal advocacy group based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on behalf of the Catholic League and two Catholic residents of San Francisco. The Board’s resolution refers to the Vatican as a “foreign country” meddling in the affairs of the City and proclaims the Church’s moral teaching and beliefs on homosexuality as “insulting to all San Franciscans,” “hateful,” “insulting and callous,” “defamatory,” “absolutely unacceptable,”  “insensitive[] and ignoran[t].”   Click here to read the City’s resolution.

 Click here to read the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center remarked, “It is not a stretch to compare the San Francisco Board’s actions to that of the Nazi Germany policy of Gleichschaltung: vilifying Jews as an auxiliary to and laying the groundwork for more repressive policies, including the final solution of extermination. The policy of San Francisco is one of totalitarian intolerance of Christians of all denominations who oppose homosexual conduct.  My concern is that if this ruling is allowed to stand, it will further embolden anti-Christian attacks.”

The Thomas More Law Center will seek en banc reconsideration (review by the full court) on behalf of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights and two Catholic residents of San Francisco.  If necessary, the case will be brought to the United States Supreme Court.

The Law Center’s lawsuit claimed that the City’s anti-Catholic resolution violated the First Amendment, which “forbids an official purpose to disapprove of a particular religion, religious beliefs, or of religion in general.”  The Board’s resolution went so far as to urge the Archbishop of San Francisco and Catholic Charities of San Francisco to defy Church directives.

The unanimous decision by the 9th Circuit panel did have an interesting concurrence from Judge Berzon.  In Judge Berzon’s concurring opinion, she states in part, “All of that said, I do find the result troublesome, and find much to agree with in Judge Noonan’s eloquent dissent in American Family. . . In particular, I am acutely aware that ‘the Constitution assures religious believers that units of government will not take positions that amount to the establishment of a policy condemning their religious belief,’ . . . and that resolutions such as the ones in American Family and the one in this case are near – if not at – the line that separates establishment of such a policy.”

Thompson further observed, “This di]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Proclaiming that times of crisis do not justify departure from the Constitution, Federal District Court Judge Lawrence P. Zatkoff allowed the lawsuit against Treasury Secretary Timothy http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=665 Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=665 ANN ARBOR, MI – Proclaiming that times of crisis do not justify departure from the Constitution, Federal District Court Judge Lawrence P. Zatkoff allowed the lawsuit against Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and the Federal Reserve Board challenging the AIG bailout to proceed.  The lawsuit was filed last December by the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and attorney David Yerushalmi, an expert in security transactions and Shariah-compliant financing.

In his well-written and detailed analysis issued yesterday, Judge Zatkoff denied the request by the Obama administration’s Department of Justice to dismiss the lawsuit.  The request was filed on behalf of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and the Federal Reserve Board – the named defendants in the case.  In his ruling, the judge held that the lawsuit sufficiently alleged a federal constitutional challenge to the use of taxpayer money to fund AIG’s Islamic religious activities.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “It is outrageous that AIG has been using taxpayer money to promote Islam and Shariah law, which potentially provides support for terrorist activities aimed at killing Americans.  Shariah law is the same law championed by Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban.  It is the same law that prompted the 9/11 terrorist attacks on our soil that killed thousands of innocent Americans.   We won this skirmish.  But the war to stop the federal government from funding Islam and Shariah-compliant financing is far from over.”

In its request to dismiss the lawsuit, the DOJ argued that the plaintiff in the case, Kevin Murray, who is a former Marine and a federal taxpayer, lacked standing to bring the action.  And even if he did have standing, DOJ argued that the use of the bailout money to fund AIG’s operations did not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.  The court disagreed, noting, in relevant part, the following:

In this case, the fact that AIG is largely a secular entity is not dispositive: The question in an as-applied challenge is not whether the entity is of a religious character, but how it spends its grant. The circumstances of this case are historic, and the pressure upon the government to navigate this financial crisis is unfathomable.  Times of crisis, however, do not justify departure from the Constitution.  In this case, the United States government has a majority interest in AIG.  AIG utilizes consolidated financing whereby all funds flow through a single port to support all of its activities, including Sharia-compliant financing.  Pursuant to the EESA, the government has injected AIG with tens of billions of dollars, without restricting or tracking how this considerable sum of money is spent.  At least two of AIG’s subsidiary companies practice Sharia-compliant financing, one of which was unveiled after the influx of government cash.  After using the $40 billion from the government to pay down the $85 billion credit facility, the credit facility retained $60 billion in available credit, suggesting that AIG did not use all $40 billion consistent with its press release.  Finally, after the government acquired a majority interest in AIG and contributed substantial funds to AIG for operational purposes, the government co-sponsored a forum entitled “Islamic Finance 101.”  These facts, taken together, raise a question of whether the government&rsq]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's May 12, 2009, revised explanation to a congressional subcommittee about her Department's controversial "Rightwing Extremism" report raise http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=660 Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=660 ANN ARBOR, MI – Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s May 12, 2009, revised explanation to a congressional subcommittee about her Department’s controversial “Rightwing Extremism” report raises even more questions about her candor and competence to protect our nation from terrorists. 

Napolitano originally told Americans that she had been briefed before its release and stood by the “Report.”  However, when public outrage over its contents reached a crescendo, she backtracked and told Americans she would have “reworded” the section that labeled returning veterans as potential terrorists.  When that did not calm the outrage, she apologized to veterans.  Now, Napolitano claims a rogue employee published the report without authorization.

On May 12, 2009, Napolitano told a congressional subcommittee that the Report “was not authorized to be distributed,” and that it was taken off the Department’s website.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, reacted to her latest explanation, “Our lawsuit against Secretary Napolitano will continue.  Since we filed that lawsuit, additional information has been brought to our attention that creates even more concern that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is unconstitutionally targeting Americans merely because of their conservative beliefs.  Moreover, simply removing the report from the DHS website, without a condemnation of its contents and specific instructions to all the enforcement agencies receiving it that that it should not be used, is merely hiding the evidence of an insidious ongoing agenda to go after conservative Americans.  In fact, her comment to the subcommittee that the report is being ‘redone’ and will be ‘much more precise’ in view of her previous linguistic contortions, is too vague to give comfort to conservative Americans.” 

Significantly, Napolitano has never apologized or retracted the report’s specific targeting as ‘potential terrorists’ conservative Americans who:

• Oppose abortions
• Oppose same-sex marriage
• Oppose restrictions on firearms
• Oppose lax immigration
• Oppose the policies of President Obama regarding immigration, citizenship, and the expansion of social programs
• Oppose continuation of free trade agreements
• Are suspect of foreign regimes
• Fear Communist regimes
• Oppose a “one world” government
• Bemoan the decline of U.S. stature in the world
• Are upset with loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs to China and India
• . . . and the list goes on.

Homeland Security’s “Rightwing Extremism” report, “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment,” which was first made public in a “leaked” Intelligence Assessment violates the civil liberties of American citizens by targeting them for disfavored treatment on account of their political beliefs.

Click here to read the Department of Homeland Security’s Report.

On April 16, 2009, the Thomas More Law Center, a public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan filed a lawsuit against Janet Napolitano and the Department of Homeland Security in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.  The lawsuit was filed on behalf of  nationally syndicated conservative radio talk show host Michael Savage, Gregg Cunningham (]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - The British government's ban of conservative talk show host Michael Savage from entering the United Kingdom prompted a formal appeal to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to call upon http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=654 Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=654 ANN ARBOR, MI – The British government’s ban of conservative talk show host Michael Savage from entering the United Kingdom prompted a formal appeal to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to call upon that government to rescind the ban as being arbitrary, capricious, and a violation of international law and treaties.  The appeal on behalf of Savage was made by the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  [ Read letter here]

On May 5, 2009, Jacqui Smith, the British Home Secretary, published a list of 16 individuals banned from entering the United Kingdom.  Savage was justifiably outraged that his name was placed on the list along with the names of radical Muslims who call for the overthrow of the British government, Hamas murderers, neo-Nazi skinheads, and Russian mobsters.

Eight individuals on the list are Muslim clerics and political advocates who were accused of fomenting terrorist violence.  One of the eight was a former member of the Palestine Liberation Front who served nearly 30 years in an Israeli prison for his involvement in the killing of four Israelis, including a 4-year old girl.

According to the Law Center’s May 13 letter to Secretary Clinton, the British government is punishing Mr. Savage for the exercise of his free speech rights in the United States, and not for what he has said or intends to say in the United Kingdom.  The ban of Savage has caused a political firestorm in England as well.  The Mayor of London claimed the Home Secretary’s decision to add Michael Savage’s name to the list made Britain look “so infantile, so pathetic.” 

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center stated, “Despite the fact that Michael Savage has been extremely critical of Secretary Clinton in the past, she now represents all Americans and not just those who supported her.  The State Department has publicly spoken out in support of Muslims in other countries; I would expect her to speak out in support of American citizen Michael Savage.  She can use her ‘good offices’ and prevail upon the British government to remove his name from the list.”

Thompson added, “Of course, the United Kingdom has the power to keep whomever they want from entering its country.  And it seems they are addicted to political correctness.  But I would hope that the right to freedom of expression protected by international law and treaties, and so essential to democracies, will prevail in the land of the Magna Charta.”

The irony of Michael Savage appealing to Hillary Clinton, a person he has publicly pilloried in the past, is not lost on the media.  However, Savage relies on the popular saying attributed to Voltaire, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America’s Christian heritage and moral values, including the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life.  It supports a strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America.  The Law Center accomplishes its mission through litigation, education, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions f]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - The Thomas More Law Center (TMLC), a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) joined forces to file a friend of the court http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=648 Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=648 ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center (TMLC), a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) joined forces to file a friend of the court brief asking the United States Supreme Court to overturn a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals penalizing San Diego Boy Scouts because of their “morally straight” values.

At issue in the case are leases from the City of San Diego allowing the San Diego Boy Scouts to build and operate campgrounds and an aquatic center for use by the Scouts and the public.  Lesbian and agnostic couples, who had never visited the facilities, sued the Scouts on a claim that they felt offended by the fact that the City leases the public property to a “morally straight” organization such as the Boy Scouts.  There were no religious symbols at the facilities.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center commented, “We are pleased to join forces with ADF in this is important case to protect the Boy Scouts of America.  Radical homosexuals are attempting to use every means possible to destroy the Scouts despite a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that recognized their First Amendment right to have a morally-based policy excluding homosexual involvement.”  

According to the Scout Oath, a Boy Scout is “to do [his] duty to God and [his] country… and to keep [himself] morally straight.”  The lawsuit against the Scouts was brought by a self-proclaimed “agnostic” couple and a lesbian couple.

The initial three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit that heard the case dismissed the lawsuit, finding that the couples lacked standing to sue because “offended observers” do not have a real injury in fact.  That decision was subsequently reviewed by an en banc panel of the Ninth Circuit, which reversed in favor of the agnostic and lesbian couples.  The Boy Scouts are asking the Supreme Court to review the decision.

In their friend of the court brief, TMLC and ADF argued that the Ninth Circuit’s permissive standing rule, which is essentially a permissive ideological standing rule since the agnostics and lesbians suing the Scouts never “observed” anything, represents a new threat for faith-based organizations that choose to cooperate with the government in establishing public benefit programs.  Litigants in the Ninth Circuit can now challenge programs like San Diego’s with nothing more than general offense at a tenet of an organization’s mission.  So long as a person feels unwelcome by the private groups’ beliefs – without any exposure to religious symbols or denial of any services – he can sue to have the program declared unconstitutional.

According to their brief, TMLC and ADF argued that the ideological standing authorized by the Ninth Circuit’s decision would significantly impact faith-based groups’ cooperation with government to provide much needed social services.  Consequently, the overarching effect of the Ninth Circuit’s decision is a new type of hostility to religion, where government excludes religious groups from programs simply because officials fear being sued.  This new hostility is a significant public detriment because it erodes faith-based groups’ provision of much-needed public services.  The brief concluded by noting that the permissive standing rule adopted by the Ninth Circuit combined with the unpredictable Establishment Clause jurisprudence of the Supreme Court forces government to steer away from cooperative efforts with fai]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced that on April 16th it filed a federal lawsuit against Homeland Security http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=631 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=631 ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced that on Thursday, April 16th, it filed a federal lawsuit against Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.  The lawsuit claims that her Department’s “Rightwing Extremism Policy,” as reflected in the recently publicized Intelligence Assessment, “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment,” violates the civil liberties of combat veterans as well as American citizens by targeting them for disfavored treatment on account of their political beliefs.   Click here to read the complaint filed by the Thomas More Law Center.

Napolitano tried to blunt the public furor over the Report by a half-hearted apology to veterans, but she left out of her apology all of the other Americans her Department has targeted because of their political beliefs. In fact, officials in DHS now admit that their internal office of civil liberties objected to the language in the extremism report, but the Department issued it anyway.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center stated, “Janet Napolitano is lying to the American people when she says the Report is not based on ideology or political beliefs. In fact, her report would have the admiration of the Gestapo and any current or past dictator in the way it targets political opponents.  This incompetently written intelligence assessment, which directs law enforcement officials across the country to target and report on American citizens who have the political beliefs mentioned in the report, will be used as a tool to stifle political opposition and opinions.  It will give a pretext for opponents of those Americans to report them to police as rightwing extremists and terrorists.  You can imagine what happens then.”

The Report specifically mentions the following political beliefs that law enforcement should use to determine whether someone is a “rightwing extremist”:

• Opposes abortion 
• Opposes restrictions on firearms
• Opposes lax immigration
• Opposes the policies of President Obama regarding immigration, citizenship, and the expansion of social programs
• Opposes continuation of free trade agreements
• Opposes same-sex marriage
• Has paranoia of foreign regimes
• Fear of Communist regimes
• Opposes one world government
• Bemoans the decline of U.S. stature in the world.
• Upset with loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs to China and India
• . . . and the list goes on

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of nationally syndicated conservative radio talk show host, Michael Savage, Gregg Cunningham (President of the pro-life organization Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, Inc (CBR)), and Iraqi War Marine veteran Kevin Murray.  The Law Center claims that Napolitano’s Department (DHS) has violated the First and Fifth Amendment Constitutional rights of these three plaintiffs by attempting to chill their free speech, expressive association, and equal protection rights.  The lawsuit further claims that the Department of Homeland Security encourages law enforcement officers througho]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - The Thomas More Law Center announced today that is has filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Department of Homeland Security demanding to know the basis for their recent http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=629 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=629 ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center announced today that is has filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Department of Homeland Security demanding to know the basis for their recent intelligence assessment targeting as “rightwing extremists” those who oppose abortion, gun control, lax immigration laws, and a myriad of other policies supported by President Obama’s administration.  The Law Center filed its request after consultation with conservative talk show host Michael Savage.

The Department of Homeland Security’s document in question, “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment” was released to law enforcement agencies throughout the country.  Of particular concern was the report’s singling out of military veterans as vulnerable to rightwing extremism.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center stated, “This is not an intelligence report but a diatribe against those who oppose the policies of the Obama administration.  It is a declaration of war against the American people and our constitution.  It is a prelude to extreme gun control legislation and hate speech laws targeting Christian churches and others who oppose abortion and same sex marriage.  The federal government should be focusing its attention on the 35 radical Muslim compounds in the U.S. training its followers on how to kidnap and kill Americans.”

Thompson went on to say that this may be another opportunity for the Law Center to team up with Dr. Michael Savage.  Michael Savage, the nationally syndicated conservative radio talk show host of The Savage Nation, recently teamed with the Thomas More Law Center in order to protect free speech by opposing the so-called “Fairness Doctrine.”  Michael Savage warned of the possibility of a document like this being produced by DHS when he raised the issue of “Fusion Cells.”  Fusion Cells are a set of local intelligence centers across the country created by the Department of Homeland Security to combat terrorism and related criminal activity, which includes pro-life activity.  

Michael Savage is a longtime on-air supporter of the Thomas More Law Center.  He used his radio show to marshal overwhelming support for one of the Law Center’s clients, Marine LtCol Jeffrey Chessani.  Chessani is being prosecuted by the government in the so-called Haditha massacre – a massacre that never happened.  A military judge ultimately dismissed the case.  The government appealed the ruling and lost, but may appeal again.   

The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America’s Christian heritage and moral values, including the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life.  It supports a strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America.  The Law Center accomplishes its mission through litigation, education, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - In November 2008, the Holy Land Foundation, a supposed Muslim "charity," and five of its former organizers, were found guilty by a federal jury of illegally funneling more than $12 mil http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=625 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=625 ANN ARBOR, MI – In November 2008, the Holy Land Foundation, a supposed Muslim “charity,” and five of its former organizers, were found guilty by a federal jury of illegally funneling more than $12 million to the Palestine terrorist group, Hamas.    

One of the documents introduced into evidence at that trial explicitly expressed their goal to dominate America from within:

"The Muslim Brotherhood must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands and the hands of believers so that it is eliminated and Allah’s religion is made victorious over all other religions."  Mohamed Akram, “An Explanatory Memorandum on the General Strategic Goal for the Group in North America,” May 22, 1991

They are well on their way of achieving their “grand jihad” in America.  These terrorist training compounds are just one example of what radical Muslims are doing in the United States.

According to former FBI agent John Guandolo, who worked several years in the Bureau’s Counter Terrorism Division, every major Muslim organization is controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood.  He said that federal leadership is reluctant to take action due to political correctness.

Radical Muslims have already infiltrated the highest levels of our government, our military, both major political parties, public schools, universities, financial institutions, and the culture elite. 

Radical Islam is the Enemy Within

• A recently released U.S. government report entitled “2008 Interagency Intelligence Committee on Terrorism” concluded that Hezbollah, the Iranian and Lebanese backed Islamic terror group, has been forming sleeper cells throughout the United States.  This is the same group that, in 1983, bombed the Marine barracks in Beirut and killed 241 U.S. Marines. 
• A 2007 intelligence report by the NYPD highlighted the homegrown threat of Islamic terrorists.  According to the report, “[E]nclaves of ethnic populations that are largely Muslim often serve as ‘ideological sanctuaries’ for the seeds of radical thought.”  The report went on to say, “[T]he greater the purity and isolation of these ethnic communities, the more vulnerable they are to be penetrated by extremism – under the guise that it represents a purer, more devout form of Islam.”
• The Washington-based Center for Security Policy found that 75% of Mosques randomly surveyed preach anti-Western extremism.  Frank Gaffney, a former Pentagon official who runs the Center, confirmed to the WorldNet Daily that the vast majority are inciting insurrection and Jihad through sermons by Saudi-trained imams and anti-Western literature, textbooks, and videos.

We can’t leave the job of defending America to the politicians in Washington.

Critical Lawsuits

The Thomas More Law Center is one of the few national public interest law firms recognizing the internal threat of Radical Islam and doing something about it.  Here are some of the cases we have filed challenging the encroachment of Radical Islam in America:

Anti-terrorist Decals ANN ARBOR, MI - In July 2008, the Honorable Larry Alan Burns, a federal district court judge in Southern California, dismissed the ACLU's latest lawsuit to tear down the historic Mt. Soledad cross http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=615 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=615 ANN ARBOR, MI – In July 2008, the Honorable Larry Alan Burns, a federal district court judge in Southern California, dismissed the ACLU’s latest lawsuit to tear down the historic Mt. Soledad cross, which is part of a national memorial honoring the veterans of the U.S. armed forces.  Not surprisingly, the ACLU appealed that ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  When the appellate court considers the case, however, it will have in its file a compelling brief supporting the Mt. Soledad cross filed by the Thomas More Law Center.   Click here to see brief.

The Law Center’s friend of the court brief was filed on behalf of former Navy pilot and prisoner of war Rear Admiral Jeremiah Denton, USN (Ret.), and the families of Marine Majors Michael D. Martino and Gerald Bloomfield, III, both of whom were killed in combat in Iraq on November 2, 2005, when their attack helicopter was shot down by a surface-to-air missile.  The memories and sacrifices of these war heroes are now preserved by plaques located under the Mt. Soledad cross.  The plaques were dedicated in their honor.  Click here to see photographs.

Richard Thompson, the President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center, commented, “Through our brief and the compelling stories of these war heroes, we want the court to feel the devastating impact removing the cross will have on those who have sacrificed so much for this country.  Ironically, the ALCU wants to use the very constitution these veterans protected with their lives to eliminate the memory of their heroic sacrifices.”

Jeremiah Denton is a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, a veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam; a former prisoner of war from July 18, 1965 to February 13, 1973; and a former U.S. Senator from the State of Alabama.  Admiral Denton first came to the attention of the American public during a television interview arranged by his North Vietnamese captors in 1966.  Expected to give “proper responses” to a journalist’s recitation of alleged American war atrocities, Admiral Denton affirmed his faith in his government’s position, stating, “I will support it as long as I live.”  While responding to questions from his interrogator, Admiral Denton blinked his eyes in Morse Code, repeatedly spelling out the covert message “TORTURE.”  His message was the first confirmation that American POWs were being mistreated. 

During his nearly eight years as a POW, Admiral Denton was subjected to severe torture.  He became the first American military captive to be subjected to four years of solitary confinement.  Admiral Denton’s extraordinary account of his endurance and sacrifice for our country while imprisoned in North Vietnam was told in his 1976 book, When Hell Was in Session. 

After his release in 1973, Admiral Denton continued his military career, ultimately achieving the rank of Rear Admiral.  Upon retirement from the Navy, Admiral Denton was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming the first Republican ever elected by the popular vote to]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - The Thomas More Law Center, a national, public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, responded yesterday to a motion to dismiss its federal lawsuit challenging the AIG http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=611 Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=611 ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national, public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, responded yesterday to a motion to dismiss its federal lawsuit challenging the AIG bailout.  The request to dismiss was filed by the Obama administration’s Department of Justice on behalf of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and the Federal Reserve Board.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “Although widespread public anger has rightfully focused on bonuses AIG paid to top executives using taxpayers’ money, that anger would be at an even higher pitch if the public knew that our tax dollars were being used by AIG to promote Islam and Shariah law, which provides support for terrorist activities aimed at killing Americans and destroying America.”

In its motion to dismiss, the Department of Justice claimed that the government does not control AIG and that it provided billions of dollars in taxpayer money to AIG “to address what is possibly the worst financial crisis this country has encountered since the Great Depression.”  In its response the Law Center pointed out that, while our federal government may be compelled to act in unprecedented ways during these difficult times, the crisis itself does not excuse the government from using tax dollars to promote the religion of Islam in violation of the Constitution.  [ See the Law Center’s response here.]

The lawsuit, which was filed in December of last year in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, is a constitutional challenge to that portion of the “Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008” that appropriated $40 billion in taxpayer money to fund and financially support the federal government’s majority ownership interest in AIG, which engages in Shariah-based Islamic religious activities that are anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Jewish.  According to the lawsuit, “The use of these taxpayer funds to approve, promote, endorse, support, and fund these Shariah-based Islamic religious activities violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.”  [ See the complaint here.]

Continued Thompson, “Through this taxpayer-funded bailout, our own government is providing financial support to anti-American, Islamic activities.  Make no mistake, there is a cultural jihad underway against our great nation, and I fear that our government is unwittingly complicit in it.” 

The lawsuit was brought on behalf of Kevin Murray, a former Marine who served honorably in harm’s way in Iraq to defend our country against Islamic terrorists.  Murray objects to being forced as a taxpayer to contribute to the propagation of Islamic beliefs and practices predicated upon Shariah law, which is hostile to his Christian religion.  He is being represented by Law Center attorney Robert Muise and by David Yerushalmi, an associated attorney who is an expert in Shariah law and Shariah-compliant financing, as well as general counsel to]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Conservative talk-radio host Michael Savage and the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, have joined forces to challenge the http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=596 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=596 ANN ARBOR, MI – Conservative talk-radio host Michael Savage and the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, have joined forces to challenge the so-called “Fairness Doctrine.”  Several liberal senators and former President Bill Clinton have made recent threats to muzzle talk radio by reinstituting the Doctrine, which is reminiscent of a totalitarian state and not a free democratic society. 

“Michael Savage is the personification of what the liberals hate about conservative talk radio, and we’re proud to represent him in this crucial battle to preserve the grand purpose of political speech protected by the First Amendment,” said Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center.

Democrat politicians such as Senator Debbie Stabanow, Senator Tom Harkin, and former President Clinton have called for hearings on radio “fairness” and the passage of a law that will have the effect of silencing the conservative voice on important political issues. 

“With the stink of public corruption blanketing Washington, with our elected officials passing the single largest spending bill in our nation’s history without even reading or debating it, with the increasing nationalization of our financial institutions, with almost dictatorial control of Congress by one political party, and with increasing signs we are becoming a socialistic country, Americans need more dynamic talk show hosts like Savage, not less,” said Thompson. 

Michael Savage’s nationally syndicated radio show, The Savage Nation, is one of the highest-rated talk shows in the country.  Millions of faithful listeners hear it each week.  Dr. Savage coined the phrases “Compassionate Conservative” and “Islamo-Fascist,” now widely used by Republican speechwriters.

Conservative talk-radio hosts such as Dr. Savage have been so effective in rallying public outcry against many aspects of the liberal agenda that Democrat politicians have increasingly called for a return to the “Fairness Doctrine,” Orwellian- speak for censorship.

Thompson commented, “If the Doctrine is so fair, why are the liberals limiting it only to radio?  Why not television, the internet, and all the print media?” 

The Fairness Doctrine, first introduced in 1949, required radio stations to broadcast opposing views on any matter of public importance they discussed.  However, in 1987, President Reagan directed that it be abandoned.  Since then, Democrats have made several unsuccessful attempts to reinstate the Doctrine.

With total Democrat control of the federal government, the Fairness Doctrine can be reinstituted by a regulation of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or by Congressional enactment.  Whatever form its reinstatement may take, any limitation on the Free Speech rights of Michael Savage will result in an immediate legal action.  The U. S. Supreme Court would most likely find any reinstatement of the Doctrine unconstitutional.

Thompson continued, “A regulation of speech motivated by nothing more than a desire to silence political opposition on controversial issues of public interest is the purest example of a law abridging the freedom of speech.  Such action is the hallmark of totalitarian governments, not a free society.”

Law Center attorney Robert Muise has already been assigned as the lead attorney representing Dr. Savage.  The Law Center is receiving offers of assistance from attorneys across the nation who are outraged at this threat to free speech. 

Savag]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - This past Wednesday, the New York City Council heard testimony from attorney Brian Rooney of the Thomas More Law Center and Bill Donohue of the Catholic League in support of a Council http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=576 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=576 ANN ARBOR, MI — This past Wednesday, the New York City Council heard testimony from attorney Brian Rooney of the Thomas More Law Center and Bill Donohue of the Catholic League in support of a Council Resolution that would end discrimination against Christians in the City’s public schools during the Christmas season. The current school policy expressly permits the display of the Islamic Star and Crescent and the Jewish Menorah during their respective religious holidays, but completely bans the display of nativity scenes during Christmas.

Council member Tony Avella introduced the resolution on Wednesday that called upon the City’s Department of Education (DOE) to end its discriminatory policy.  Click here to read the City Council’s resolution.

In his prepared remarks Rooney told the council, “The Star and Crescent and Menorah are religious symbols that serve the DOE’s secular learning purpose.  A crèche is no different.  Discrimination is discrimination, and the DOE’s policy has the effect of being discriminatory.  By excluding the crèche, the DOE’s policy current policy is internally inconsistent, objectively hostile and bigoted, and it must be changed.”

Click here to read Rooney’s full remarks in support of the resolution.

Several other members of the New York City faith community testified as well.   A representative of Americans United for Separation of Church and State testified in opposition to the resolution.

The Council resolution was prompted by a ruling of the Second Circuit Court in a lawsuit challenging the policy brought by the Thomas More Law Center, a national, public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Andrea Skoros and her two minor children, devout Roman Catholics, who wanted to display a nativity scene during Christmas. 

In their ruling, the Second Circuit Court clarified that the Menorah and Star and Crescent are in fact religious symbols – contrary to the DOE policy.  Although the Court did not rule that displaying a nativity scene would be unconstitutional, its reasoning allowing for the Menorah and Star and Crescent make clear that if the school system wanted to place a crèche in schools, this too would be constitutional.  Essentially, the Second Circuit Court left the issue of the crèche up to the school officials.

The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

]]> There's still time to get your end-of-the-year donations in: A special personal message update reissued from Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center. http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=566 Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=566 There's still time to get your end-of-the-year donations in: A special personal message update reissued from Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center. 

Dear TMLC Supporter:

        “These are the times that try men’s souls.” 

        These words begin the stirring message written by Thomas Paine on December 23, 1776.  It inspired Washington’s bedraggled and demoralized army that had been defeated in New York and driven across New Jersey.   

        This Christmas season, Paine’s passage applies to many of us as we face a cruel winter of hard economic times. 

        But as a supporter of the Law Center, you know: sacrifice for country in times of trouble are not new to Americans.                

                                                                            

        Our first American patriots made many sacrifices.  George Washington, describing the condition of his army encamped at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777, wrote that you could tell the route of their marches by their bloody footprints in the snow

        Some were boys as young as 12 ─ others in their 50s and 60s. They were barefoot, half naked, with no food, suffering from all kinds of illnesses ─ 2,500 of the 11,000 encamped at Valley Forge died during that harsh winter. 

        But animated with the spirit of liberty, those who lived, stayed to fight.

        From the winter at Valley Forge in 1777 to the snow-laden mountains of Afghanistan in 2008, Americans have sacrificed for their country.

         &]]> TMLC filed its opening brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia, PA, challenging the constitutionality of a New Jersey school district's policy that banned http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=559 Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=559

ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, yesterday filed its opening brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, challenging the constitutionality of a New Jersey school district’s policy that banned the performance of traditional Christmas music in the district’s public schools. 

As so often is the case, a complaint from one parent resulted in the district’s policy that banned the playing of all Christmas music, including simple instrumentals without words.

Because of that complaint and the new policy that resulted from it, the high school brass ensemble was required to “eliminate” “traditional carols” from its “repertoire.”  And the Martin Luther King (MLK) Gospel Choir, a student organization, was banned from performing at the high school holiday assembly for the student body because the choir sang religious songs.  The new policy went so far as to remove from any “printed programs for any Holiday concert” any “graphics which refer to the holidays, such as Christmas Trees and dreidels.” 

Since at least 1960, Christmas music had been a part of the Christmas holiday traditions in the school district.  In fact, a year before the new policy, the school district held a December holiday concert that included such traditional religious songs as “Joy to the World,” “O’Come All Ye Faithful,” “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” and “Silent Night.”

At first the school superintendent defended the playing of traditional Christmas songs to the complaining parent.  However, in a 2004 performance review by his school board, he was told to eliminate them.  Consequently, in a closed-session meeting a new policy was developed that required the cleansing of religious holiday music of any kind. 

As a result of the ban on Christmas music, in December 2004 the Thomas More Law Center filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Michael Stratechuk and his two children, who were students in the New Jersey school district when the policy was enacted in 2004. 

According to the Law Center’s brief, the school district’s ban on Christmas music conveys the impermissible, government-sponsored message of disapproval of and hostility toward religion in violation of the Establishment Clause, and it deprives the students of the school district the right to receive information and ideas, an inherent corollary of their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and academic freedom. 

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, commented, “Thi]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - A federal lawsuit was filed this morning against U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr. and the Federal Reserve Board to stop all bailout funds from going to American http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=549 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=549 ANN ARBOR, MI – A federal lawsuit was filed this morning against U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr. and the Federal Reserve Board to stop all bailout funds from going to American International Group, Inc. (“AIG”).  According to the lawsuit, the U.S. government, through its ownership of AIG, is not only violating the Constitution, but also promoting and financing the destruction of America using American tax dollars.

The basis of the lawsuit is that AIG intentionally promotes Shariah-compliant businesses and insurance products, which by necessity must comply with the 1200 year old body of Islamic canon law based on the Quran, which demands the conversion, subjugation, or destruction of the infidel West, including the United States.  To help achieve these objectives and with the aid of federal tax dollars, AIG employs a three-person Shariah Advisory Board, with members from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Pakistan.  According to AIG, the role of its Shariah authority “is to review operations, supervise its development of Islamic products, and determine Shariah compliance of these products and investments.” 

Of particular significance is the Pakistani Board member, Dr. Muhammed Imran Ashraf Usmani.  Dr. Usmani is the son and devoted disciple of Sheik Mufti Taqi Usmani, the leading authority on Shariah financing who, in 1999, authored a book dedicating an entire chapter on why a Western Muslim must engage in violent jihad against his own country – even if Muslims are given equality and freedom to practice their religion and to proselytize.    

The lawsuit was filed in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of Kevin J. Murray, a former Marine infantryman who served two tours of duty in Iraq.  Murray is represented by the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and David Yerushalmi, an associated attorney who specializes in litigation and is an expert on Shariah law and Shariah compliant financing.  Mr. Yerushalmi also serves as general counsel to the Center for Security Policy in Washington, D.C.

According to the lawsuit, use of taxpayer funds to acquire ownership of a business that intentionally promotes, endorses, supports, and funds Shariah-based Islamic religious practices violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “This lawsuit not only raises significant constitutional issues, it also shines a light on serious national security issues that our own government has created by direct financial support and ownership of a business that supports anti-American, radical Islamic activities.  Make no mistake, there is an internal cultural jihad underway again]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Michael Newdow, who gained national attention for his near successful efforts to have the words "under God" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance only to be thwarted by the Supreme http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=542 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=542 ANN ARBOR, MI – Michael Newdow, who gained national attention for his near successful efforts to have the words “under God” removed from the Pledge of Allegiance only to be thwarted by the Supreme Court on technical grounds, has suffered another court loss.  This time a California state court dismissed Newdow’s defamation action against Reverend Austin Miles.

Newdow’s defamation lawsuit was based on an article Reverend Miles wrote, opining that Newdow had lied to the court by claiming his daughter was forced to recite the words “under God,” contained within the Pledge of Allegiance, at school.  Reverend Miles noted that Newdow’s daughter was actually a Christian who willingly said the Pledge.

In June 2004, Newdow had convinced the initial judge hearing this case to enter a default judgment in the amount of $1 million against Reverend Miles — who didn’t even know he had been sued.  After learning of the massive judgment, Reverend Miles contacted the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  The Law Center persuaded the Court to set aside the default judgment and allow the case to proceed to trial.  Attorney Mark A. Thiel, of Stockton, California, assisted the Law Center as local counsel.

Law Center attorney Brandon Bolling ultimately tried the case.  After a lengthy trial, Judge Barbara Zuniga entered judgment in favor of Reverend Miles on November 20, 2008.  Judge Zuniga declared that Newdow was not defamed, nor entitled to any damages, and dismissed the defamation claim against Reverend Miles with prejudice.

Bolling, commented, “We are pleased with the court’s decision.  It was very clear from the start that Newdow’s claims against Reverend Miles had no merit.” 

The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - "A despicable double standard." That's what Thomas More Law Center President, Richard Thompson said as he blasted the University of Toledo's response justifying its firing of Crystal http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=537 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=537 ANN ARBOR, MI — “A despicable double standard.” That’s what Thomas More Law Center President, Richard Thompson said as he blasted the University of Toledo’s response justifying its firing of Crystal Dixon from her post as Associate VP for Human Resources.

Thompson was reacting to a press statement released by the University that claimed Dixon’s firing was about her ability to perform her sensitive job as associate vice president for human resources because of her statements in the Toledo Free Press.

Dixon’s past job performance at the University – spanning six years and all in Human Resources – has always been outstanding.  Her last job evaluation was excellent.  In July 2007, Dixon was promoted to Interim Associate VP for Human Resources over all UT campuses.

One month before she was fired, she was made permanent Associate VP for Human Resources (no longer interim).  Of course all that changed once she publicly expressed her private views on homosexuality based upon her Christian faith.

Thompson pointed to the fact that less than 6 months before Dixon was fired over her comments, the University’s vice provost, Carol Bresnahan, publicly attacked Christians who opposed domestic partnership laws, without being fired.  Thompson said, “The University of Toledo has displayed a double standard that trashes the right to free speech.  UT’s President encourages those who support the radical homosexual agenda to speak out, but punishes Christians who oppose the agenda.”

In a December 22, 2007 Toledo Blade article, UT Provost Bresnahan, identified as an official of the University, attacked those who opposed the law on domestic partnership registry as bigots.  She said, “It’s their religious beliefs, and bigotry in the name of religion is still bigotry.”

Bresnahan, an admitted lesbian, was in effect attacking Toledo Catholic Bishop Leonard Blair who publicly expressed disappointment on behalf of many people in Toledo regarding the registry law enacted by the Toledo City Council.

This past May, Dixon was fired by the University’s President because she responded to an opinion article written by the editor-in-chief of the Toledo Free Press entitled, “Gay Rights and Wrongs.”  Dixon wrote a letter of response based on her personal perspective.  She wrote, “As a Black woman ... I take great umbrage at the notion that those choosing the homosexual lifestyle are ‘civil rights victims.’  Here's why. I cannot wake up tomorrow and not be a Black woman. I am genetically and biologically a Black woman and very pleased to be so as my Creator intended.”

Further proof of the double standard was the UT President’s speech at a “Celebrate Diversity Week” rally in March 2007.  He urged his audience to speak out about diversity. He said “If you have something to say, speak out and speak up.  Speak up and never let it be said that people can’t hear you.  You are important to this university.  You are important to me, I care about you.”  Apparently, he did not mean Christians who oppose the homosexual agenda.

The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Crystal Dixon, a high ranking African American official at the University of Toledo, was summarily fired in May of this year by the University because she wrote a newspaper commentary http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=533 Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=533 ANN ARBOR, MI — Crystal Dixon, a high ranking African American official at the University of Toledo, was summarily fired in May of this year by the University because she wrote a newspaper commentary expressing her personal Christian views regarding homosexuality.

Dixon was responding to an opinion article written by the editor-in-chief of the Toledo Free Press entitled, “Gay Rights and Wrongs.”  In her private editorial, Dixon objected to the comparison of “gay rights” with the civil rights struggles of African Americans.    She wrote, “As a Black woman... I take great umbrage at the notion that those choosing the homosexual lifestyle are ‘civil rights victims.’  Here's why. I cannot wake up tomorrow and not be a Black woman. I am genetically and biologically a Black woman and very pleased to be so as my Creator intended.”

As a result of the University’s outrageous actions, the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor Michigan, today filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court, Northern District of Ohio against the University, its President, and its Vice President for Human Resources and Campus Safety.  The lawsuit claims violations of Dixon’s constitutional rights to free speech and equal protection of the law.

The Law Center is being assisted by local Toledo attorney Tom Sobecki.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center commented, “It’s clear that radical homosexuals have an inordinate amount of influence over the University President.  He openly brags about being friendly to ‘lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning individuals.’  But he doesn’t care about the constitutional free speech rights of Christians.”

Thompson observed, “Where is the so-called free expression of ideas and tolerance that universities so adamantly defend in other contexts?  Crystal Dixon has a constitutional right to privately express her personal opinions, and this particular opinion represents the view of a majority of Christian Americans.  Christians believe that homosexual acts are acts of grave depravity, contrary to natural law, and under no circumstances can they be approved.  Christians also believe one must love the sinner, but hate the sin.  Crystal Dixon believed and expressed this – essentially she was fired for being a Christian.”

Aggravating Dixon’s free speech violations is the claim that she had earlier questioned the University President’s insistence that his niece be hired to the exclusion of five more qualified candidates, including qualified minorities.  The President’s niece was hired in the Human Resources Department where Ms. Dixon worked.

The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - For the last several years, the Thomas More Law Center, a national nonprofit public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been successfully defending the right of http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=528 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=528 ANN ARBOR, MI — For the last several years, the Thomas More Law Center, a national nonprofit public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been successfully defending the right of Christians to display nativity scenes on public property and to celebrate Christmas in public schools. 

In years past and still today, the Law Center has asked thousands of supporters to go on the offensive – where there has been no nativity display before, ask the government for permission to erect one; where the government has allowed a religious display of another faith, ask that a nativity display be erected on the same property as well; where there is a public forum for the exercise of free speech, ask for permission to erect a nativity display.

Every year the Law Center sends its hundreds of affiliated attorneys across the nation a legal memo on how to deal with the war on Christmas in their area.  The Law Center has successfully defended the proper celebration of this national holiday in numerous cases.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center commented, “The ACLU’s war on Christmas is really a war on Christians. With few exceptions and then only to create a diversion from their real target, the ACLU avoids going after religious symbols of other faiths.  Despite the fact that over 80 percent of Americans are Christians, the ACLU has bullied elected representatives and school officials to eradicate the public celebration of Christmas under threat of lawsuits.  Municipalities and schools should be aware that the systematic exclusion of Christmas symbols during the holiday season is not warranted, and such exclusion itself could be inconsistent with the Constitution and subject them to a possible lawsuit.”

As part of its Christmas Campaign, the Law Center has asked its supporters to petition their local governments in writing for permission to erect nativity displays.  Law Center staff attorneys are standing by to assist in the petition, and if legally appropriate, to file a federal lawsuit should they be denied.    

In 1984, Chief Justice Warren Burger had this to say in his opinion upholding the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island’s nativity display:

“It would be ironic, however, if the inclusion of a single symbol of a particular historic religious event, as part of a celebration acknowledged in the Western World for 20 centuries, and in this country by the people, by the Executive Branch, by the Congress, and the courts for two centuries, would so ‘taint’ the City's exhibit as to render it violative of the Establishment Clause.  To forbid the use of this one passive symbol – the crèche – at the very time people are taking note of the season with Christmas hymns and carols in public schools and other public places, and while the Congress and Legislatures open sessions with prayers by paid chaplains, would be a stilted over-reaction contrary to our history and to our holdings. If the presence of the crèche in this display violates the Establishment Clause, a host of other forms of taking official note of Christmas, and of our religious heritage, are equally offensive to the Constitution.”

According to the Law Center:

• The display of a nativity scene, as with any religious symbol, by a private person is religious speech that the First Amendment protects. 
• The First Amendment protects private speech most strongly in a traditional public forum, such as a public park, or in what is known as a designated public forum, which is public property the government has d]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Brigitte Gabriel, one of the leading terrorism experts in the world and renowned New York Times bestselling author, warned of the successful cultural Jihad being waged against America http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=523 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=523 ANN ARBOR, MI – Brigitte Gabriel, one of the leading terrorism experts in the world and renowned New York Times bestselling author, warned of the successful cultural Jihad being waged against America by cells of radical Islamic terrorists already in the country.  She characterized many of America’s leading universities as “occupied territory,” having been infiltrated by anti-American, anti-Israel professors that dominate Middle East Studies departments funded by Saudi millions.  

  Her warning was made at the Thomas More Law Center’s annual Fall Event this past Tuesday evening in Birmingham, Michigan.

  Ms. Gabriel spoke for over an hour warning those gathered of the threat radical Islam poses to our Nation, not just by catastrophic events like 9/11, but by the Saudi money being used to undermine our country’s Christian heritage. 

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center who introduced Brigitte Gabriel to the audience, commented,  “Brigitte is a modern-day Paul Revere, a courageous Christian women who knows firsthand the atrocities perpetrated upon Christians once radical Islam gains dominance in a country.  As a young child of ten in Lebanon, she witnessed Muslim militants destroy her home.  She was forced her to live with her parents in an 8’x 10’ bomb shelter for seven years. She experienced Muslim neighbors, friendly to her just a week before the attack, join forces with the Islamic militants.” 

  Ms. Gabriel implored the audience to financially support the Thomas More Law Center because the Law Center was the first public interest law firm, and remains the most aggressive public interest law firm, fighting the insidious threat of radical Islam in America.  The audience gave her standing ovations several times during her speech.

  Ms. Gabriel is the founder of ACT! for America, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating millions of uninformed citizens about the threat of radical Islam to world peace and national security. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller BECAUSE THEY HATE: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America.  Her new book, THEY MUST BE STOPPED: Why We Must Defeat Radical Islam and How We Can Do It, was released in September of this year and became a New York Times Bestseller just 4 days after its release.

  Brigitte Gabriel is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Intelligence Summit and lectures nationally and internationally on terrorism and current affairs. Her expertise is sought by world and business leaders around the globe. She has addressed Australian Prime Minister John Howard, members of the British Parliament/House of Commons, members of the United States Congress, the Joint Forces Staff College, the US Special Operations Command, the FBI, and many others. In addition, Gabriel is a regular guest analyst on Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, and various radio stations daily across America. 

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America’s Christian heritage and moral values, including the religious freedom of Christians, traditional family values, and the sanctity of human life through litigation, education, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Jesse Nieto is a 25-year Marine veteran whose honorable service to our nation included two combat tours in Vietnam. His youngest son, Marc, and 16 of Marc's shipmates were killed on http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=519 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=519 ANN ARBOR, MI – Jesse Nieto is a 25-year Marine veteran whose honorable service to our nation included two combat tours in Vietnam.  His youngest son, Marc, and 16 of Marc’s shipmates were killed on October 12, 2000, by Islamic terrorists who bombed the USS Cole.  Nieto has worked as a civilian employee at the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina since 1994. 

  Since 2001, Nieto has displayed various decals on his vehicle expressing anti-terrorist sentiments, such as “Remember the Cole, 12 Oct 2000,” “Islam=Terrorism,” and “We Died, They Rejoiced.”  On July 31, 2008, two military police officers (MPs) issued Nieto a ticket for displaying “offensive material.” 

  In mid-August, after Nieto refused to remove all “offending” decals from his vehicle, the Base Magistrate issued Nieto a written order, ordering him to remove his vehicle from the base until all decals were removed and banning his vehicle from all other federal installations.  The order in effect prevented Nieto from driving his vehicle to Arlington National Cemetery (a federal installation) to visit the grave of his fallen son.

  As a result of the Marine Corps’ action, the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this week filed a federal lawsuit against the Camp Lejeune Commanding Officer and the Base Magistrate on behalf of Nieto in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.  The civil rights lawsuit challenges the military’s ban on Nieto’s speech on the basis that it violates Nieto’s constitutional rights to freedom of speech and the equal protection of the law.  [Click here to read the complaint filed by the Law Center.]

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “The banning of these decals is political correctness run amuck in the military.  Our troops are being killed by Islamic terrorists, 9/11 was caused by Islamic terrorists, these terrorists want to destroy America, the Islamic countries persecute Christians, and now the military is victimizing a father whose son was killed by Islamic terrorists while serving our nation.”

  Continued Thompson, “I suspect the next thing the Marine command will want to do is eliminate the Marine’s Hymn since the phrase ‘to the shores of Tripoli’ celebrates the Marine victory over Islamic forces in the Barbary Coast War and the Battle of Derne.”

  The lawsuit alleges that military officials have engaged in viewpoint discrimination prohibited by the First Amendment and have violated the Fifth Amendment’s equal protection guarantee by allowing some messages to be displayed but prohibiting others that they find unacceptable.  Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that the military’s ban on “offensive” speech is impermissible because there are no objective standards guiding the decisions of government officials, thereby granting these officials unbridled discretion to determine which speech is acceptable and which speech is unacceptable.

  Robert Muise is the Law Center attorney handling the Nieto case.  He is also one of the Law Center’s attorneys defending LtCol Jeffrey Chessani, USMC, the senior officer charged in the s]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - "Hamtramck Citizens Voting No to 'Special Rights' Discrimination" scored a landslide victory by overturning an ordinance enacted by their City Council in June of this year, which gave http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=512 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=512 ANN ARBOR, MI – “Hamtramck Citizens Voting No to ‘Special Rights’ Discrimination” scored a landslide victory by overturning an ordinance enacted by their City Council in June of this year, which gave special rights to homosexuals and so-called “transgendered” individuals.  The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, represented the citizens group and joined community religious leaders in urging a “No” vote on November 4th.

  The “No” vote carried the day, 55% to 45 %.

  The challenged ordinance had made it legal for men who perceive themselves as women to use women’s bathrooms in any school, business, or public facility.   In classic Orwellian doublespeak, the ordinance defines such behavior as “Natural Rights of Hamtramck Residents.”  Under the ordinance, any attempt to prevent such activity would have subjected the person to investigations, criminal prosecution, civil litigation, and fines of up to five hundred dollars per day.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center stated, “Radical homosexual groups have lost statewide attempts to impose their agenda on the public.  They are now engaged in a strategy of putting pressure on municipalities –in many cases successfully – to enact draconian provisions like Hamtramck’s.   In this case their new strategy failed as the will of the people prevailed.”

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through litigation, education, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - As a sign of tremendous grassroots support, hundreds of citizens representing various religious faiths and businesses gathered at the Knights of Columbus Hall in the small community of http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=507 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=507 ANN ARBOR, MI – As a sign of tremendous grassroots support, hundreds of citizens representing various religious faiths and businesses gathered at the Knights of Columbus Hall in the small community of Hamtramck, Michigan, to listen to speakers denounce an ordinance enacted by their city council in June of this year, which gives special rights to homosexuals and so-called “transgendered” individuals.  The rally, sponsored by “Hamtramck Citizens Voting No to ‘Special Rights’ Discrimination,” took place on October 12th.
  

  The challenged ordinance makes it legal for men who perceive themselves as women to use women’s bathrooms in any school, business, or public facility.   In classic Orwellian doublespeak, the ordinance defines such behavior as “Natural Rights of Hamtramck Residents.”  Under the ordinance, any attempt to prevent such activity would subject the person to investigations, criminal prosecution, civil litigation, and fines of potentially five hundred dollars per day.

  The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, represents the citizens group.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center stated, “According to the ordinance passed by the city council, people of faith who oppose homosexuality and transgenderism will be in danger of prosecution.  Radical homosexual activists are now importing Canadian-type laws which are used to prosecute religious leaders who speak out against homosexuality and transgenderism.  Canada has used laws similar to Hamtramck’s to bully and prosecute Catholic priest Father Alphonse de Valk and Protestant youth pastor Stephen Boissoin, for merely proclaiming the objective truths of their faith regarding homosexuality.”

  Thompson continued, “Hamtramck’s draconian provisions for investigation, prosecution, and civil actions with treble damages and attorney’s fees to force businesses, schools, and religions to accept this bizarre behavior would make any totalitarian regime envious.”   

  Speakers not only emphasized the anti-religious aspects of the ordinance, but also listed their public safety concerns with potential abuse by men who claim they are women.

   At a rally and press conference held in front of the Hamtramck City Hall on July 29th of this year, leaders of the petition drive to overturn the ordinance announced that over a thousand signatures were gathered, more than twice the amount needed to place the initiative on the ballot.

  Some of the more disturbing aspects of the ordinance include:

  • Excessive entanglement by the city in internal aspects of religious organizations.
  • Men being allowed to use women’s restroom facilities and other facilities specifically designated for women. 
  • To even question men on the propriety of them using the women’s facilities—whether dressed as a women or not—could be grounds for a discrimination complaint, $500 fine for each day this occurs, and a civil lawsuit.
  • Men dressed as women teaching your grade school children.
  • Civil litigation to force businesses, schools, and even religions to conform and accept these deviant lifestyle choices.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through litigation, education, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, c]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - The Thomas More Law Center and the American Legion, Department of California, will be honoring Vietnam War hero, retired Admiral and former U.S. Senator, Jeremiah Denton, with a plaque http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=475 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=475 ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center and the American Legion, Department of California, will be honoring Vietnam War hero, retired Admiral and former U.S. Senator, Jeremiah Denton, with a plaque dedication ceremony atop Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial in La Jolla, CA, this Friday, September 19, 2008, at 1 pm PST.

  Admiral Jeremiah Denton was a Vietnam POW for nearly eight years.  Suffering severe mistreatment, he became the first U.S. military captive to be subjected to four years of solitary confinement.  He first came to the public’s attention in 1966.  After being tortured and threatened with more torture and even death if he did not “correctly” answer the questions posed, he was televised in front of Communist dignitaries with the purpose of having him admit to American atrocities.  Instead, Admiral Denton replied, “Whatever the position of my government is, I believe it, I support it, and I will support it as long as I live.”   Years later, Admiral Denton authored, When Hell Was In Session, a reflection on his time as a POW.

  September 19th is the National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center commented, “This is a great honor for both the Law Center and the American Legion.  Admiral Denton represents everything good about America — a heroic patriot, a devoted husband, father, and a faithful Christian.   The Law Center is proud to have him as the Chairman of our Citizens Advisory Board.  Honoring him at Mt. Soledad is very appropriate, since he played an instrumental role in the Law Center’s efforts to save the Cross, where it is, as it is.”

  Ralph Huskey, American Legion District 22 Commander, will be the master of ceremonies.  Rear Admiral Len Hering, USN, Commander, Navy Region Southwest, will be a speaker and presenter of the dedication plaque to Admiral Denton’s son, Michael Denton.  Rees Lloyd, past Commander of California Legion District 21 will introduce Brian Rooney and Charles LiMandri from the Thomas More Law Center.  Click here to view a picture of the plaque that Michael Denton will receive in his father’s honor. 

  

  Click here to view full size version of Admiral Denton's plaque.

  Admiral Denton’s character and courage was epitomized in a North Vietnamese televised interview, Admiral Denton feigning sensitivity to harsh camera lighting, looked into the camera lens and blinked his eyes in Morse Code spelling out the message ‘T-O-R-T-U-R-E.’ Thus, he provided Naval Intelligence the first confirmation that American POWs in Vietnam were being tortured.  Further, as spokesperson for the first group of returning POWs in 1973, as he stepped from the plane he was asked to make a statement on behalf of the group.  He turned to the microphones and said, “We are honored to have the opportunity to serve our country under difficult circumstances.  We are profoundly grateful to our Commander-in-Chief and our nation for this day.  God bless America.”&]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - For the past twenty-five years, Brad Johnson, a high school math teacher at the Poway Unified School District in San Diego, CA, has been displaying large red, white and blue banners in http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=472 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=472 ANN ARBOR, MI – For the past twenty-five years, Brad Johnson, a high school math teacher at the Poway Unified School District in San Diego, CA, has been displaying large red, white and blue banners in his classroom that mention God.  The banners contain patriotic phrases such as: “In God We Trust,” “One Nation Under God,” and “God Bless America.”

  However, last year school officials ordered the banners removed because they promoted a “Judeo-Christian” viewpoint.  The School District allowed classroom displays by other teachers that included posters of Buddhist and Islamic messages and Tibetan prayer flags, among other displays.  As a result, the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, filed a federal lawsuit against the school district on behalf of Johnson.

  Last Friday, Federal District Judge Robert T. Benitez ruled that Johnson had a Free Speech right to display the banners.   Read the Judge’s ruling here.

  Judge Benitez stated, “Whether described as speech from a religious perspective or speech about American history and culture, through display of his classroom banners, Johnson was simply exercising his free speech rights on subjects that were otherwise permitted in the limited public forum created by Defendants and in a manner that did not cause substantial disorder in the classroom.  Thus, Johnson has made out a clear claim for relief for an ongoing violation of his First Amendment free speech rights.”

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center, commented, “Many public schools exhibit a knee-jerk hostility towards Christianity and seek to cleanse our Nation’s classrooms of our religious heritage while promoting atheism or other religions under the guise of cultural diversity.”

  Robert Muise, the Thomas More Law Center lawyer handling the case, added, “Judge Benitez’s strongly worded opinion sends a clear message to school districts across the country that hostility toward our Nation’s religious heritage is contrary to our constitution.”

  In its lawsuit, the Law Center alleged that the school district’s action amounted to government hostility toward a specific religion and violated Johnson’s Free Speech rights by imposing a viewpoint-based restriction on his speech that was not reasonably related to any legitimate pedagogical concern in violation of the United States and California Constitutions.  The school district responded to the lawsuit by filing a motion to dismiss the case for failure to state a claim.  Judge Benitez’s ruling rejected the school district’s view of the law and now allows the case to proceed.  The lawsuit ultimately seeks to have the speech restriction overturned so that Johnson can continue to display his banners, as he had been for 25 years. 

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at

  ANN ARBOR, MI — Today, July 31st at 10:00AM EST, a New Jersey Federal Court heard oral arguments in a legal challenge to a public school district’s policy totally banning Christmas music, including simple instrumentals without words, during year-end celebrations in its schools. 

  The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan filed the federal lawsuit on the grounds that the school district’s ban on religious music conveys a government-sponsored message of disapproval and hostility toward religion in violation of the Establishment Clause.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, commented, “The New Jersey school district’s anti-religious policy is yet another example of the militant hostility that many public schools have towards Christians and Christmas.”

  Robert Muise, the Thomas More Law Center attorney who will argue the case commented, “The Constitution prohibits school districts from adopting policies that disfavor religion.  Contrary to popular myth, our Constitution does not require complete separation of church and state; it affirmatively mandates accommodation, not merely tolerance of all religions, and forbids hostility toward any.  The school district’s policy is plainly unconstitutional.

  The case was filed by the Law Center and the American Catholic Lawyers Association, on behalf of Michael Stratechuk, who sued on his own and on behalf of his two school-age children on the grounds that the policy deprives the Stratechuk children of the right to receive information and ideas, an inherent corollary of their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and academic freedom. 

  On September 30, 2005, the district court dismissed the Law Center’s complaint, claiming that the Law Center failed to state a claim under the United States Constitution.  The Law Center appealed the ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the Circuit Court reversed the district court, vacating the lower court’s decision and remanding the case for further proceedings. 

  In its opinion, the Third Circuit held that “[b]ecause a categorical ban on exclusively religious music, enacted with the express purpose of sending a message of disapproval of religion, appears to state a claim under the First Amendment . . . , we conclude that the complaint . . . survive[s the] motion to dismiss.”  The Third Circuit also awarded the Law Center its costs for having to bring the appeal.

  The New Jersey School District policy at issue in this case was previously featured in a book, The War On Christmas, by Fox News anchor, John Gibson.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through litigation, education, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Federal District Court Judge Larry Alan Burns, ruled yesterday that the giant cross atop Mount Soledad, the center piece of a national veterans' memorial and... http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=450 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=450 ANN ARBOR, MI – Federal District Court Judge Larry Alan Burns, ruled yesterday that the giant cross atop Mount Soledad, the center piece of a national veterans’ memorial and subject of a 20 year legal battle, can stay as it is where it is.

  Judge Burns wrote: “The Court finds the memorial at Mt. Soledad, including its Latin cross, communicates the primarily non-religious messages of military service, death and sacrifice.” Judge Burns, in his ruling, specifically cited the brief supporting the Mt. Soledad Cross filed by the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Click here to read ruling).

  The Law Center’s friend of the court brief was filed on behalf of the families of Marine Majors Michael D. Martino and Gerald Bloomfield, III, both of whom were killed in combat in Iraq on November 2, 2005 when their attack helicopter was shot down by a surface-to-air missile.  Their memories are now preserved by plaques located under the Mt. Soledad Cross, which were dedicated in their honor by their Marine Squadron.  (Click here to see brief.)

  The Law Center filed its brief on behalf of Sybil and Robert Martino—parents of Major Martino—and Julie Bloomfield—spouse of Major Bloomfield.  The brief contains several moving photographs of family members at the grave site at Arlington National Cemetery and at the Mt. Soledad Memorial.   (Click here to see photographs.)

  Richard Thompson, the President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center, commented, “This is a wonderful victory, not only for the families of Majors Martino and Bloomfield who can have some comfort knowing that the memories of their loved ones are preserved under the Cross, but for all Americans who care about our young men and women who have sacrificed their lives in defense of our country.  Sadly, I fully expect the ACLU attorneys to appeal this decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  So this fight is not over.” 

  In May 2006, Major Martino and Major Bloomfield’s unit, which had recently returned from Iraq, sponsored a plaque dedication ceremony at the memorial to commemorate the fallen Marines’ heroic service and to provide a place to honor them.  Over three hundred Marines stood in line for over three hours to meet the Marines’ families and to pay respect for their fallen comrades. 

  The Law Center stepped in and defended the Cross just weeks before it was to be taken down pursuant to an agreement between the City of San Diego and a self-proclaimed atheist who was seeking to remove it.  From that point on, the Law Center, with assistance from its West Coast Regional Director, Charles LiMandri, has played a significant role in defending the Cross.

  The Law Center initially prevailed in petitioning Justice Anthony Kennedy to enjoin the City of San Diego from tearing the Cross down during and until our appeals were complete. The Law Center also launched a highly successful petition drive asking the President to save the Cross. Ultimately the Law Cent]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Does the San Francisco Board's resolution virulently condemning the Catholic Church because of its moral teachings on homosexuality violate the Constitution's prohibition of government http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=444 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=444 ANN ARBOR, MI – Does the San Francisco Board’s resolution virulently condemning the Catholic Church because of its moral teachings on homosexuality violate the Constitution’s prohibition of government hostility toward religion?  That will be the issue argued before a panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals sitting in San Francisco on Wednesday, July 16th at 9:30 a.m. PST.

  Thomas More Law Center attorney Robert Muise will present oral arguments urging the Court to reverse the decision of District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel. Judge Patel, a Carter appointee and one time counsel for the National Organization for Women (NOW), ruled that the resolution did not violate the constitution because the Catholic Church invited the condemnation by publicly opposing adoptions by homosexual partners. 

  The Thomas More Law Center, a national Christian legal advocacy group based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is appealing the ruling on behalf of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights and two Catholic residents of San Francisco. 

  The Law Center’s lawsuit claimed that the City’s anti-Catholic resolution violated the First Amendment, which “forbids an official purpose to disapprove of a particular religion, religious beliefs, or of religion in general.”  The Board’s resolution went so far as to urge the Archbishop of San Francisco and Catholic Charities of San Francisco to defy Church directives.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, observed, “Judge Patel attempted to rationalize the evocative rhetoric and venom of the resolution which are sad reminders of Catholic baiting by the Ku Klux Klan.  Sadly, the ruling itself clearly exhibited hostility toward the Catholic Church. The judge in her written decision held that the Church ‘provoked the debate’ by publicly expressing its moral teaching, and that by passing the resolution the City responded ‘responsibly’ to all of the ‘terrible’ things the Church was saying. ”

  The anti-Catholic resolution, adopted March 21, 2006, alludes to the Vatican as a “foreign country” meddling in the affairs of the City and describes the Church’s moral teaching and beliefs as “insulting to all San Franciscans,” “hateful,” “insulting and callous,” “defamatory,” “absolutely unacceptable,”  “insensitive[] and ignoran[t].” 

  Click here to read the City’s resolution.

  Muise stated, “Our constitution plainly forbids hostility toward any religion, including the Catholic faith.  In total disregard for the Constitution, homosexual activists in positions of authority in San Francisco have abused their authority as government officials and misused the instruments of the government to attack the Catholic Church.  Their egregious abuse of power now has the backing of a lower federal court.  This decision must be reversed.  Unfortunately, all too often we see a double standard being applied in Establishment Clause cases.” 

  Click here to read the complaint filed by the Catholic League against the City.

  According to Catholic doctrine, allowing children to be adopted by homosexuals would actually mean doing violence to these children, in the sense that their condition of dependency would be used to place them in an environment]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - At a meeting held on May 20, 2008, the City Council of Frankenmuth, Michigan, dubbed by its Chamber of Commerce as "Michigan's Little Bavaria," unanimously voted to retain the Thomas http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=398 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=398 ANN ARBOR, MI — At a meeting held on May 20, 2008, the City Council of Frankenmuth, Michigan, dubbed by its Chamber of Commerce as “Michigan’s Little Bavaria,” unanimously voted to retain the Thomas More Law Center to defend its unique historical and cultural heritage symbolized by a small cross in the city shield and a cross erected in a city park.  Both the shield and the park have been in existence for more than 30 years. 

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, commented, “The council’s unanimous vote to retain the Thomas More Law Center in the face of a previous attempt to remove the small cross from its city shield and now the more recent focus on the cross in Cross Park by Americans United for the Separation of Church and State reflects a deep commitment on the part of the council to defend these symbols of the city’s unique history and culture.”

  The German word “Franken” represents the Province of Franconia in the Kingdom of Bavaria, and the German word “Muth” means courage, thus the city name Frankenmuth means “courage of the Franconians.” 

  Frankenmuth’s shield represents its German cultural heritage as well as its American patriotism.  Frankenmuth was founded by Lutheran missionary farmers who traveled from Bavaria in 1845 to settle a unique German community in the United States.  This history of Frankenmuth is represented on the city shield by a swath of grain and a “Luther Rose,” which has a cross in the center.  Other parts of the shield depict the Bavarian region from which the
  missionaries came.  Even today, Frankenmuth maintains a close relationship with the people of Bavaria through a well established Sister City Program.  Finally, the shield contains an eagle and the colors red, white, and blue, depicting Frankenmuth’s proud American heritage.

  In addition to a recent complaint about the shield, the city has received threats of legal action on account of a city park that was created in 1976.  The park, known as “Cross Park,” was one of three projects the city created to celebrate the 1976 Bicentennial of the United States.  The sign greeting visitors to the park reads, “A Grateful Community.”  There is also a log cabin located in the park and a tall cross, both representing the history of the founding of this “grateful” community.

  Continued Thompson, “These symbols serve to link and promote Frankenmuth’s unique origins and history ─ all secular purposes.  The sign at Cross Park expresses  gratitude from a people with a missionary history.  We need not purge all historical references to religion merely to satisfy militant atheists.”

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Crystal Dixon, an African American and high ranking administrator of the University of Toledo, summarily fired because she wrote an editorial expressing her Christian views against http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=388 Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=388 ANN ARBOR, MI — Crystal Dixon, an African American and high ranking administrator of the University of Toledo, summarily fired because she wrote an editorial expressing her Christian views against homosexuality and objecting to the comparison of so-called “gay rights” with the civil rights struggles of African Americans, has retained the Thomas More Law Center to represent her.  The Law Center will be assisted by local Toledo attorney, Tom Sobecki.

  Dixon was fired by the University’s President because she responded to an opinion article written by the editor-in-chief of the Toledo Free Press entitled, “Gay Rights and Wrongs.”  Dixon wrote a letter of response based on her personal perspective.  She wrote, “As a Black woman ... I take great umbrage at the notion that those choosing the homosexual lifestyle are ‘civil rights victims.’  Here's why. I cannot wake up tomorrow and not be a Black woman. I am genetically and biologically a Black woman and very pleased to be so as my Creator intended.”

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, a national Christian public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, commented, “Crystal Dixon is a courageous Christian woman whom we are privileged to represent.  The University of Toledo brags about being friendly to ‘lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning individuals.’  They apparently are also proud of their hostility toward Christians.”

  Thompson observed, “Where is the so-called free expression of ideas that universities so adamantly defend in other contexts?  Not only does Crystal Dixon have a constitutional right to express her opinion, but that opinion represents the view of a majority of Christian Americans.  Christians believe that homosexual acts are acts of grave depravity, contrary to the natural law, and under no circumstances can they be approved.  Christians also believe one must love the sinner, but hate the sin.   Crystal Dixon believed and expressed this — essentially she was fired for being a Christian.”

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - On Monday, April 14, 2008, the Honorable Larry Alan Burns, a federal district court judge in Southern California, will hear oral arguments in the ACLU's latest lawsuit to tear down the http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=340 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=340 ANN ARBOR, MI – On Monday, April 14, 2008, the Honorable Larry Alan Burns, a federal district court judge in Southern California, will hear oral arguments in the ACLU’s latest lawsuit to tear down the Mt. Soledad Cross.  When Judge Burns considers the case, he will have in his file a compelling brief supporting the Mt. Soledad Cross filed by the Thomas More Law Center.

  The Law Center’s friend of the court brief was filed on behalf of the families of Marine Majors Michael D. Martino and Gerald Bloomfield, III, both of whom were killed in combat in Iraq on November 2, 2005 when their attack helicopter was shot down by a surface-to-air missile.  Their memories are now preserved by plaques located under the Mt. Soledad Cross, which were dedicated in their honor by their Marine Squadron.  (Click here to see brief.)

  The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, filed its brief on behalf of Sybil and Robert Martino—parents of Major Martino—and Julie Bloomfield—spouse of Major Bloomfield.  The brief contains several moving photographs of family members at the grave site at Arlington National Cemetery and at the Mt. Soledad Memorial.   (Click here to see photographs.)

  Richard Thompson, the President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center, commented, “Rather than focusing solely on cold legal precedent, we wanted the court to feel the devastating impact removing the cross will have on families who have given up their most precious possession in defense of our country.  Ironically, the ALCU wants to use the very constitution these Marines died protecting to eliminate the memory of their sacrifices.” 

  In May 2006, Major Martino and Major Bloomfield’s unit, which had recently returned from Iraq, sponsored a plaque dedication ceremony at the memorial to commemorate the fallen Marines’ heroic service and to provide a place to honor them.  Over three hundred Marines stood in line for over three hours to meet the Marines’ families and to pay respect for their fallen comrades. 

  The Law Center stepped in and defended the Cross just weeks before it was to be taken down pursuant to an agreement between the City of San Diego and a self-proclaimed atheist who was seeking to remove it.  From that point on, the Law Center, with assistance from its West Coast Regional Director, Charles LiMandri, has played a significant role in defending the Cross.  The Law Center ultimately prevailed in both the state and federal courts by successfully petitioning the federal government to transfer the cross from city to federal property, thereby rendering a district court’s order to remove the cross moot.      

  However, the ACLU soon thereafter filed a new lawsuit, this time against the federal government, claiming the transfer was improper and that the display of the memorial cross as part of this veterans’ memorial violated the so-called “wall of separation of church and state.”  Federal government lawyers are defending the cross in this new lawsuit.  How]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Last week, federal judge Charles R. Simpson, III, dismissed an ACLU lawsuit against a Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children (recently renamed Sunrise Children's Services) following an http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=333 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=333 ANN ARBOR, MI – Last week, federal judge Charles R. Simpson, III, dismissed an ACLU lawsuit against a Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children (recently renamed Sunrise Children’s Services) following an 8-year legal battle.  The case began when Alicia Pedreira, a seven month employee, sued the Home, which provides social services for at-risk children, after she was terminated for an openly proclaimed lesbian lifestyle.  The reason for the termination was that her lifestyle was contrary to the Home’s Christian mission and values.

  Pedreira’s fist lawsuit, filed in 2000, claimed her firing was an act of religious discrimination.  However, the court rejected that claim in 2001, but allowed her and several other taxpayers represented by the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State to pursue a claim under the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, namely, the Home was using government funds to promote religion.

  This past week, however, relying on the U.S Supreme Court’s  2007 Hein v. Freedom from Religion Foundation decision,  Judge Simpson  dismissed the new claim as well, on the grounds that taxpayers do not have standing to sue over executive branch funding of faith-based agencies.   An attorney for plaintiffs indicated they will appeal Judge Simpson’s ruling. 

  Attorneys with the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law center based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, began providing legal assistance to Baptist Home’s principle attorney John Sheller, soon after the ACLU’s lawsuit was filed in 2000. 

  Pat Gillen, one of the Thomas More Law Center attorneys who worked on the case, observed,  “Sunrise Children’s Services has the same right to receive reimbursement to provide help to the children of Kentucky as any other social services provider.” Gillen currently serves as a visiting professor at Ave Maria School of Law.  

  In his decision dismissing the case, Judge Simpson found that Kentucky legislators merely made appropriations for government funding, but executive agencies that oversee social services for children and families actually made the decision to devote partial funding to the home.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> The new Dutch video, Fitna, released last week caused international controversy for its shocking exposition of Radical Islam and the Quran. Sadly, as a result of threats to the filmmaker's staff, the http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=329 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=329 The new Dutch video, Fitna, released last week caused international controversy for its shocking exposition of Radical Islam and the Quran. Sadly, as a result of threats to the filmmaker’s staff, the video was withdrawn from several websites over the weekend.

  However, TMLC and others, not to be intimidated by such threats, continued to show the video on their sites — we still have free speech here. 

  Near the end of this video you will see adherents to Radical Islam specifically announce their aim to destroy the United States.   Although the video is graphically violent, it is a testament to the true mission of Radical Islam. The video is available for you to watch here at the TMLC website. 

  To view the video now, please click here. 

  *WARNING: This video is very violent and graphic.*

  TMLC is currently involved in several cases opposing Radical Islam in the United States, particularly its effort to indoctrinate American children in the public schools, and influence many of our large universities and colleges with multimillion dollar donations from Saudi Arabian donors.

  Please share this Alert with your family and friends.  They must be informed of the danger of Radical Islam to America.

  If you believe that Radical Islam poses a real threat to the United States,  please consider contributing to help our attorneys' work in these cases.  

  ]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Without a warrant or other legal authorization, uniformed police officers conducted several raids on Faith Baptist Church in Waterford Township, Michigan, and threatened to prosecute http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=312 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=312 ANN ARBOR, MI — Without a warrant or other legal authorization, uniformed police officers conducted several raids on Faith Baptist Church in Waterford Township, Michigan, and threatened to prosecute several young Christian musicians for disorderly conduct – because the Township prosecutor objected to the playing of contemporary religious music.  “Praise and worship” music is a central part of Faith Baptist’s religious services.

  The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, filed a federal lawsuit on Monday against the Waterford Township supervisor, prosecutor and two high ranking police officials.  The lawsuit was prompted by the series of police incursions into the church and threats by the Township prosecutor to raid the church every time music was heard coming from it. 

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, observed, “Uniformed police officers entering a church during religious services and young church members being threatened with prosecution is something that happens in Communist China – not in America.”  

  Continued Thompson, “It is clear that Waterford Township authorities targeted Faith Baptist Church because of the type of religious music it uses in its services.   Some of the individual police officers involved in the raids – apparently more sensitive to the constitutional protections surrounding religion than were their superiors – personally apologized afterwards.” 

  Faith Baptist Church, headed by Pastor Jim Combs, has a congregation of 10,000 members and conducts religious services on three different campuses.  The police raids targeted the Waterford Township campus with 5,000 members.

  Pastor Jim Combs first contacted the Thomas More Law Center in late October 2007, after the first in a series of police raids. 

  During a Wednesday night youth service, uniformed Township police, led by the Township prosecutor, burst into the Church’s sanctuary where the Church’s “Praise and Worship” band was warming up. The prosecutor ordered the officers to take the names and addresses of all the young people on stage so that they could be charged with “disorderly conduct.” 

  The very next Sunday, Waterford Township police again raided Faith Baptist, this time during the Pastor Comb’s evening sermon.  Officers were about to disrupt the services and remove the “Praise and Worship” band members and order them to surrender their driver’s licenses for personal information.  However, an Assistant Pastor volunteered to bring the members to the police so as not to create an uproar among the congregation.  

  The Township prosecutor was caught conducting personal surveillance on the Church from his parked car just days later.

  The lawsuit, filed Monday, alleges that Waterford Township officials violated Faith Baptist Church’s and the band members’ rights to Free Exercise of religion, Free Speech and Freedom of Association under both the Michigan and the United States Constitutions, and that Waterford Township’s actions have chilled Plaintiffs’ ability to worship according to their religious beliefs. Plaintiffs are asking the court to permanently prohibit further police raids and for monetary damages.

  Brandon Bolling, the Law Center attorney handling the case, stated, “The Township prosecutor was very explicit:  he told the pastors that churches should not play ‘rock music,’ and threatened that each time he heard music coming from the church he would conduc]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - In March 2007, the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, alerted Americans that the federal government had removed "In God We Trust" http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=241 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=241 ANN ARBOR, MI – In March 2007, the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, alerted Americans that the federal government had removed “In God We Trust” from the face of newly minted $1 Presidential coins and relegated our national motto to the virtually unreadable edge of the coin.  The motto appeared to be merely scratches on the edge, unless one looked for it with a magnifying glass.  To make matters worse, thousands of the coins did not even have the motto stamped on the edge as required by law. 

  Outraged that Congress had effectively accomplished what atheists had been unsuccessfully trying to do for years, Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, encouraged the public not to use the coins and to petition Congress to repeal the 2005 law that required the U.S. Mint to place the motto on the edge of the coins.   

  The public outcry was heard.  Legislation introduced by Senators. Sam Brownback, R. – KS, and Robert Byrd, D. – WV, that would return "In God We Trust" to a more visible location on the face of the coins passed both houses of Congress and is awaiting President Bush's signature.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Persistence paid off for Frances Burke, a senior resident of Bayside, New York. For many years, the Bayside Hills Civic Association refused Burke's request to include a nativity http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=222 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=222 ANN ARBOR, MI — Persistence paid off for Frances Burke, a senior resident of Bayside, New York.  For many years, the Bayside Hills Civic Association refused Burke’s request to include a nativity display in its annual holiday celebration which included a menorah and tree lighting ceremony at the public park. 

  This year, however, Burke teamed up with the Thomas More Law Center, a national Christian public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which seeks to restore public acknowledgment of the religious significance of Christmas. As a result, for the first time in its history, the Bayside Hills Civic Association prominently displayed a nativity scene as part of its holiday celebration.  

  The Law Center was assisted in its endeavor on behalf of Burke by the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, which donated the nativity display, and New York Councilman Tony Avella, who assisted with obtaining the proper permits from the New York City Parks Department. 

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center, commented, “Frances Burke’s perseverance and willingness to fight for the nativity display and against the Civic Association’s discriminatory practice is an example to all Christians.  There is a clear and growing trend among municipalities, public schools and universities, major commercial establishments and corporations to secularize and even ignore the reason for celebrating Christmas – the birth of Christ.  As long as groups like the ACLU exist, the War on Christmas will continue.  The antidote to the ACLU is more Frances Burkes.”

  Earlier in the Christmas season, the Thomas More Law Center armed its 500 pro bono attorneys with a legal memorandum on how to deal with local issues surrounding the celebration of Christmas by public entities. Each year the Thomas More Law Center handles scores of inquiries and disputes regarding the recognition and celebration of Christmas.  Many of these cases, like the Burke case, are favorably resolved without recourse to court action.  

  Robert Muise, the Thomas More Law Center attorney who handled Frances Burke’s case stated, “A crèche depicts the historical origins of Christmas, which has long been recognized as a National Holiday.  To exclude this one passive symbol from year-end holiday displays demonstrates hostility toward the Christian faith.”

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> UTICA - When firefighters at the Shepherd Place firehouse display a homemade sign every Christmas that states "Happy Birthday Jesus - We love you," people notice. For some people, the sign serves as a http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=212 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=212 UTICA – When firefighters at the Shepherd Place firehouse display a homemade sign every Christmas that states “Happy Birthday Jesus – We love you,” people notice.

  For some people, the sign serves as an inspiring reminder of the meaning of Christmas.

  For others, the placard has sparked questions of whether such a display is appropriate for a public facility.

  Utica Fire Chief Russell Brooks said the two or three negative letters he has received this year pale in comparison to the outpouring of cards, baked goods and friendly words the sign has prompted.

  But one person recently contacted a local chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union, which then brought the issue to the attention of City Hall, officials said.

  According to several U.S. Supreme Court decisions in the 1980s, as well as President Richard Thompson of the Thomas More Law Center, the Utica Fire Department is well within its right.

  Continue reading this article from The Observer-Dispatcher of Utica, NY...

  ]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Federal District Judge Larry Alan Burns blocked a second attempt by ACLU attorneys to take the deposition of the Thomas More Law Center's West Coast Regional Director, Charles LiMandri http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=118 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=118 ANN ARBOR, MI – Federal District Judge Larry Alan Burns blocked a second attempt by ACLU attorneys to take the deposition of the Thomas More Law Center’s West Coast Regional Director, Charles LiMandri, in regards to the Thomas More Law Center’s fight to save the Mt. Soledad Cross.   The ACLU’s first attempt to subpoena Mr. LiMandri was denied by Federal Magistrate Judge McCurine on September 13, 2007. 

  In this most recent ruling, Judge Burns stated, “In this type of situation, the Court must be particularly vigilant to accord non-party activists and political opponents such as LiMandri the broad protection…they are entitled to, to prevent the possible misuse of deposition subpoenas as tools of oppression, intimidation, or harassment.”   Judge Burns went on to say that the ACLU could not articulate relevant questions that would require the deposition of Mr. LiMandri.

  Judge Burns further held that the ACLU was attempting to circumvent another court order (by deposing Mr. LiMandri) that denied the ACLU from deposing Rep Duncan Hunter for his leading role to move the cross from state to federal property.  The courts ruled that a deposition of Rep Hunter was barred by the “Speech and Debate Clause” of the Constitution.  

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center stated, “The ACLU’s repeated attempts to take Mr. LiMandri’s deposition was nothing more than an attempt to intimidate and harass him.  It was meant as a warning to all citizens that those who oppose the ACLU’s agenda could be hauled in and subjected to interrogation under oath. The ACLU’s actions in this case should be considered a threat to the liberty of every American.”

  The Law Center was assisted in its motion to quash Mr. LiMandri’s subpoena by local San Diego attorney Peter D. Lepiscopo.

  The first lawsuit to remove the Mt. Soledad Cross failed, in large part due to the efforts of Mr. LiMandri and the Thomas Morel Law Center.  However, after the United States took possession of the national veteran’s memorial from the City of San Diego, the ACLU had filed a second federal lawsuit last year, again challenging the property transfer of the Mt. Soledad Cross.

  The Law Center is involved in the second battle as well, but this time in a supporting role to the Federal government which has the primary responsibility for defense of the veteran’s memorial, which has stood in San Diego, in one form or another, since 1913.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org. 

  ]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Last winter, cowed by threats from the ACLU, the Berkley City Council in Michigan voted to remove a decades-old Nativity display from city property. The council's controversial action http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=108 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=108 ANN ARBOR, MI – Last winter, cowed by threats from the ACLU, the Berkley City Council in Michigan voted to remove a decades-old Nativity display from city property.  The council’s controversial action ignored the plea from many of this small town’s citizens to keep the display.

  As a result, a grassroots effort “Berkley Citizens Vote YES to Christmas Holiday Display,” led by resident Georgia Halloran mounted a successful petition drive to overrule the City Council’s vote.  Enough signatures were gathered to place a proposed Charter Amendment on the November 6, 2007 general election ballot. 

  A ‘yes’ vote on the ballot question will require the city to display a nativity scene from the Monday following Thanksgiving through January 6.

  Halloran, as spokesperson for the group commented, “Christmas is a national holiday.  And we’re not going to let ACLU threats dictate how we publicly celebrate it.”  

  The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, offered to represent the city without charge should it be sued by the ACLU, provided legal assistance to Halloran’s group.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, commented:  “Despite all of their public rationalizations of why the Nativity should be removed from city property, it is clear the city council acted out of fear of an ACLU lawsuit.  The council made the wrong decision, and Berkley citizens are working within the political system to correct that wrong.”

  The Charter Amendment requires that the Christmas holiday display comply with governing law and allows the display to be modeled after the display appearing in nearby Clawson, Michigan—a holiday display that includes a nativity scene and that was ruled constitutional by the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the federal court that governs Michigan.

  For further information about the petition drive, you may contact “Berkley Citizens Vote YES to Christmas Holiday Display,” at 248-224-0361, or visit their website at: www.berkleyvoteyes.com.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.  

  ]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - The Thomas More Law Center, a national, public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced today that is has filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the high http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=104 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=104 ANN ARBOR, MI — The Thomas More Law Center, a national, public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced today that is has filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the high court to review the Law Center’s challenge to the Los Angeles County’s policy decision to remove a small cross from the County’s official seal because it is a Christian symbol.  The cross had been a part of the official seal since 1957. 

  On June 1, 2004, LA County supervisors caved in to an intimidating ACLU letter demanding removal of the cross.  The County’s decision set off a firestorm of protest and resulted in the present lawsuit.

  According to Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, “This is another example of the ACLU’s plan to purge every symbol of Christianity from the public square.  That organization seems to have a particular aversion to crosses.  The cross on the LA seal merely represented the history and heritage of LA County; it was not placed on the seal to promote Christianity.  Nevertheless, by their unnecessary removal of the cross, the LA County Board of Supervisors chose to offend Christians, rather than fight the ACLU.”

  The lawsuit was brought on behalf of Mr. Ernesto Vasquez, a County employee, who objected to the removal of the cross because it showed hostility towards Christians.  According to the lawsuit, LA County’s official act ordering removal of the cross “conveyed an impermissible state-sponsored message of disapproval of and hostility toward Christianity in violation of the Establishment Clause.” 

  Robert Muise, the Law Center attorney handling the case, commented, “This case will provide the court with the opportunity to abandon its much maligned Establishment Clause jurisprudence in favor of a standard that is consistent with our Nation’s religious history.”

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - Judge Michael Gerou of the 35th District Court ruled yesterday that a provision of the Northville Township, Michigan Zoning Ordinance under which Miles Christi, a Catholic religious http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=102 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=102 ANN ARBOR, MI – Judge Michael Gerou of the 35th District Court ruled yesterday that a provision of the Northville Township, Michigan Zoning Ordinance under which Miles Christi, a Catholic religious order, was being prosecuted was unconstitutionally vague, and dismissed the civil infraction on a motion for directed verdict after the Township attorney rested his case.   The religious order was represented without charge by the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

  At issue was the phrase “more intensive use” which the Township employed in an attempt to force the construction of additional parking facilities at the residence occupied by 6 priests and brothers.  The cost of this construction would have been over $100,000.   The phrase “more intensive use” was not specifically defined in the zoning ordinance of the Township, nor were Township witnesses able to explain what the phrase meant in definitive terms—admitting its application was a subjective evaluation.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center commented, “In my opinion, the Township targeted the home occupied by this religious order as a result of pressure by a neighbor.  The home was placed under police surveillance, cars parked at the home were photographed, and license numbers noted ─ all in an effort to detect a zoning violation.  The Law Center considers these actions a serious violation of the U. S. Constitution, federal and state laws, and is further pursuing the matter in federal court.”

  The mission of the Miles Christi religious order includes spreading the Gospel message and sanctification of the laity, particularly university students in Michigan and across the country.  It has occupied the home in Northville Township since 2002.   Daily Mass is held in one of the rooms which the priests converted into a small chapel in order to celebrate Mass everyday, a requirement of the Order’s religious vocation.  Additionally, the priests conducted private Bible study groups at their home as part of their religious vocation. These activities have been hosted by the Miles Christi order for the past four years.

  In 2003, after the initial complaint of the neighbor was investigated, the Township approved the religious order’s use of the home.  No further enforcement action was taken until the neighbor again made complaints beginning in February 2007.

  Before the Law Center entered the picture, this small religious order had already expended $5,000 for a consultant to draft site plans for increased parking in an attempt to comply with directives of the zoning officials. 

  The civil infraction issued on June 5, 2007 charged the Miles Christi religious order with failure to follow site plan review procedures, a civil infraction, carrying a fine of up to $500 per day for each day they were in violation. Judge Gerou determined that the standard used by the Township to demand a site plan was so vague that the religious order as well as the general public, were incapable of understanding when use of a home would be considered “more intensive” as to require a site plan to be filed.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our we]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - On September 13, 2007, United States Magistrate Judge William McCurine Jr. granted a motion by the Thomas More Law Center to quash the ACLU's subpoena to depose Charles S. LiMandri http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=92 Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=92 ANN ARBOR, MI – On September 13, 2007, United States Magistrate Judge William McCurine Jr. granted a motion by the Thomas More Law Center to quash the ACLU’s subpoena to depose Charles S. LiMandri, a practicing San Diego attorney and the Law Center’s West Coast Regional Director, regarding his involvement in the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial case.

  The ACLU represents the Jewish War Veterans of America and several individual plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit filed last year challenging the statute by which the United States took possession of the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial from the City of San Diego, as well as the display of a cross as the centerpiece of that Memorial.

  LiMandri had advised San Diego area Rep. Duncan Hunter and other Congresspersons regarding the federal legislation and also had represented a grassroots group of San Diego residents who promoted a successful ballot measure requiring the City to donate the Veterans Memorial to the United States.  (The federal legislation affected a taking of the property while a court order invalidating the ballot measure as unconstitutional was on appeal.  The appellate court reinstated the ballot measure.)   On behalf of the Law Center, LiMandri also had submitted several “friend of the court” briefs in a prior federal lawsuit challenging the presence of the memorial cross on City parkland.

  In quashing the deposition subpoena, Judge McCurine, a Harvard Law School graduate and former Rhodes scholar, found that any attempt to glean the “motivations” of Congresspersons in advancing legislation regarding the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial would violate the “Speech and Debate Clause” of the United States Constitution, which protects speech and other activities undertaken by members of Congress acting within a legitimate legislative sphere.   The judge said, “[I]t is clear to this Court that permitting the deposition of Mr. LiMandri would produce a harmful chilling effect on the right of federal legislators to gather information and consult with paid or non-paid advisors with regard to prospective legislative activities and decisions.”

  Judge McCurine had previously denied the ACLU’s request to depose Rep. Hunter on the basis of the Speech and Debate Clause, noting that Rep. Hunter’s motives in sponsoring the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial legislation were irrelevant to the issue of the constitutionality of that law.

  Judge McCurine also found that the ACLU’s proposed deposition of LiMandri would invade the attorney-client privilege and, to the extent any non-privileged information was sought, would be unreasonably duplicative of other available evidence and unduly burdensome on LiMandri.

  LiMandri stated: “As Judge McCurine pointed out in his order, the ACLU was just trying to do an end-run around his refusal to let them depose Rep. Hunter.  Trying to depose me perfectly fits the ACLU’s usual modus operandi of intimidation and harassment.  This time it backfired.” 

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, today announced that United States District Judge Victoria A. Roberts has entered http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=91 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=91 ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, today announced that United States District Judge Victoria A. Roberts has entered a permanent injunction granting equal rights to a Bible club and its members at Farmington High School in Farmington, Michigan.

  The Law Center represents ALIVE, a voluntary student Bible club, its president and co-founder, Aaron Grider, and his parents.  In 2006, Grider had requested that ALIVE be recognized by the school as a noncurriculum-related student group and receive the same treatment and benefits that other noncurriculum-related student groups receive at Farmington High School.  In the past, Farmington High School has recognized several noncurriculum-related student groups, including the Gay Straight Alliance, R.E.A.C.H. (a diversity club), and S.A.D.D. (Students Against Drunk Driving).

  School officials denied Aaron’s request.  Unlike recognized noncurriculum-related student clubs, school officials allowed ALIVE to meet informally before school, but did not allow ALIVE to advertise over the school’s public address system, on the school’s bulletin boards, on the school’s website, in the school’s yearbook, or over the school’s internal television network, and they did not allow the club to use the school’s photocopying machines.

  The Law Center filed a lawsuit in federal court in Detroit, Michigan, and raised claims that school officials had violated plaintiffs’ rights under the Federal Equal Access Act, the Michigan Equal Access Act, and the federal constitution. 

  Before the start of the school year, which began on September 4, 2007, plaintiffs filed motions seeking a court injunction to ensure that ALIVE and its members would be treated the same as other noncurriculum-related groups are treated at Farmington High School.

  Last week, Judge Roberts issued a permanent injunction in favor of plaintiffs and required school officials to provide ALIVE the same benefits, treatment, and privileges enjoyed by other noncurriculum-related student clubs.

  According to Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, “The judge’s order should highlight to all school officials in Michigan and in other states that once a public high school allows one noncurriculum-related student club to meet on campus, they cannot discriminate against a Bible club.  A Bible club must be permitted the same rights as other student clubs.”

  Judge Roberts determined that plaintiffs were likely to succeed on the merits of their claims under the Federal and Michigan Equal Access Acts, and, therefore, she did not need to consider the constitutional claims.  Judge Roberts stated that “it appears clear that ALIVE has been treated differently than other student groups ‘on the basis of’ the religious content of their speech.” 

  Judge Roberts also determined that because plaintiffs have been denied equal access to the school in violation of the Federal Equal Access Act, based on plaintiffs’ religious viewpoint since at least October 2006, that the plaintiffs would be irreparably harmed this school year without an injunction to ensure that their rights as a club are protected.

  Commented Edward L. White III, trial counsel for the Thomas More Law Center handling the case:  “Judge Roberts’s permanent injunction will protect the rights of ALIVE and its members this school year and thereafter.  These students will be able to enjoy all the benefits that other noncurriculum-related student clubs enjoy at Farmington High School.”

  The Thomas More Law C]]> ANN ARBOR, MI - A large coalition of concerned citizens gathered on the steps of NY City Hall to express their concerns regarding the opening of the Khalil Gibran International Academy (KGIA). Brian http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=37 Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=37 ANN ARBOR, MI – A large coalition of concerned citizens gathered on the steps of NY City Hall to express their concerns regarding the opening of the Khalil Gibran International Academy (KGIA).  

  Brian Rooney, spokesman for the Thomas More Law Center Stated, “The Law Center will continue to use the courts to get information on the school that the city has refused to provide.  We want to know what the curriculum is, what textbooks are being used, who the teachers are, and what groups affiliated with the school like the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) will have access to the children.  The Law Center will also monitor the school in order to ensure that it comports with state and federal law.  We are concerned that the city is setting up a segregated, separate but equal public school system: one for Islam and another for everyone else.”

  KGIA, which will immerse its students in Islamic culture, has three fundamentalist Islamist imams on its Board of Advisors, as well as other promoters with connections to militant Islamic organizations.  Federal prosecutors have listed CAIR as an unindicted co-conspirator in an ongoing case against the Holy Land Foundation, which is alleged to have provided material support to foreign terrorists. 

  According to news reports, FBI wiretaps have placed the current executive director of CAIR at a meeting of alleged Hamas leaders several years ago.  An FBI agent testifying at the trial involving the Muslim charity linked to Hamas has revealed that CAIR's Nihad Awad was present when Hamas officials and supporters hatched a plot to disguise funds for suicide operations through the Holy Land Foundation. 

  Thompson went on to say, “This lack of response to our request for information strongly suggests that the school cannot meet state education standards.  Moreover, it continues to raise suspicions that KGIA is an anti-American, anti-Christian, and anti-Jewish propaganda center operating as a public school. 

  Thompson further stated, “Radical Islam is a threat to Western Civilization in general, to America in particular, and to NYC especially.  As the New York Police Department recently said, the biggest threat to NYC is the homegrown threat.  This school lends itself to subtle and covert influence of these young impressionable children.   Like every other public school in America, this school should be focusing on preparing students to become citizens of the United States.”  

  The Law Center will continue to act as co-counsel with attorney David Yerushalmi.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities.  It does not charge for its services.  The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.  You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> Claiming it is nothing more than a thinly disguised incubator for Islamist radicalization, the Thomas More Law Center, a national Christian public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=18 Mon, 27 Aug 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=18 ANN ARBOR, MI – Claiming it is nothing more than a thinly disguised incubator for Islamist radicalization, the Thomas More Law Center, a national Christian public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced today that it will represent a group of citizens opposed to the September 4 opening of the publicly funded Khalil Gibran International Academy (KGIA) by the New York City Department of Education.   KGIA, which will immerse its students in Islamic culture, has three fundamentalist Islamist imams on its Board of Advisors, as well as other promoters with connections to militant Islamic organizations.
   
  “This proposed public school is nothing more than an incubator for the radicalization that leads to terrorism, as a NYPD Intelligence Report warned Americans just about two weeks ago,” cautioned Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center.   “Rather than use the public school system to assimilate Muslims and other immigrants into American culture, New York City is doing everything it can to keep them isolated – a target rich  environment  for  recruiting potential new homegrown terrorists and a recipe for a future 911 disaster, according to my read of the NYPD Report,” said Thompson.
  
  Continued Thompson, “As uncomfortable as it makes one feel, we must understand that the political goal of radical Islam is to destroy our Judeo-Christian culture.   And the KGIA is a Trojan Horse New York City is building for radical Islam with taxpayer money.   That the Quran calls for Muslims to subjugate the world, especially Christians and Jews, is a fact that anyone can look up.”
  
  Thompson further added, “New York City School Chancellor, Joel Klein, who is aggressively promoting this Islamic school, is the same person who refused to allow two Christian students, a second and a fourth grader, to display a nativity scene during Christmas—another example of how political correctness is leading to a malicious double standard when it comes to religious expression in public schools.”
  
  The Law Center will act as co-counsel with attorney David Yerushalmi, who filed a Freedom of Information Act request on July 23, 2007 asking for more specific details about KGIA.   Thus far, his requests have gone unanswered, leading to increased suspicion that the school as currently configured cannot meet state educational standards.  Moreover, several factors, including an executive summary of the KGIA proposal, point to the school as an anti-American, anti-Christian, and anti-Jewish propaganda center paid for by American tax dollars.
  
  Some of the school’s promoters have ties to questionable Islamic organizations including CAIR (Council of American Islamic Relations), an un-indicted co-conspirator in cases dealing with the funding of terror, whose founder and chairman publicly stated in 1998:

  “Islam isn’t in America to be equal to any other faith but to become dominant.
  The Quaran should be the highest authority in America,
  and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth.”
  
  On KGIA's Advisory Board is Imam Talib Abdul-Rashid, the resident imam of the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood. The "About Us" page of the Mosque of the Islamic Brotherhood website contains the ominous slogan of the Muslim Brotherhood:

  The Qu’ran is our constitution
  Jihad is our way
  And death in the way of Allah is our promised end.
  
  The Executive Summary of the new school has a section entitled “A Day in the Life of a Student at the]]> The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has received the written assurance from Elementary School District 159, which is outside of Chicago http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=3 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=3 ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has received the written assurance from Elementary School District 159, which is outside of Chicago, Illinois, that its client, Rhajheem Haymon, a third-grade student, will be permitted to read his Bible in school.

  After being contacted by Leslie Haymon, Rhajheem’s father, and being informed that school officials had denied Rhajheem the right to read his Bible during “reading time,” a time during the day when students may read a book of their choosing, Edward L. White III, trial counsel with the Thomas More Law Center, immediately sent school officials a demand letter on the Haymon’s behalves.

  In the letter, White informed school officials that the United States Supreme Court and the United States Department of Education have assured that students are free to express their religious views while at school, a freedom that includes a student’s choice to read religious materials. He explained that a public school may not suppress or exclude the speech or expression of individual students for the sole reason that the speech is religious or contains a religious perspective. Soon after receiving the letter, the school district sent written assurance that Rhajheem could bring his Bible to school and read it at the appropriate times during the school day.

  Leslie Haymon stated: “I thank the Thomas More Law Center for the assistance given to me and my family. I thank them for protecting our rights as Christians and as Americans. I thank God for the work of the Thomas More Law Center.”

  Assisting the Thomas More Law Center in this matter was Kevin Edward White, an attorney in Chicago.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=43 Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=43 ANN ARBOR, MI — Thomas More Law Center Director of Communications, Brian Rooney, addressed a press conference attended by over 100 supporters on the steps of the New York City Hall on Sunday, June 24, 2007, as City Councilman Tony Avella introduced a City Council resolution that calls upon the New York City Department of Education (DOE) to amend its discriminatory holiday display policy for public elementary and secondary schools.

  DOE’s current policy allows displays of the Jewish Menorah and Islamic Star and Crescent during their respective holidays, but bans displays of nativity scenes during Christmas. Council Member Avella stated, “The menorah and star and crescent are religious symbols. By adding a crèche to the holiday display, Christians will receive equal representation during the holiday season.”

  Brian Rooney, representing the Thomas More Law Center at the conference, commented, “At best the City policy as applied today is ignorant—at worst—hateful and discriminatory. The state of New York and the Federal government both recognize Christmas as a legal holiday. The holiday is to mark the birth of a historic, religious—and to Christians—divine figure, Jesus Christ. This is best done through a crèche.”

  Rooney was flanked by the Law Center’s long standing courageous client Andrea Skoros (with her two sons), Bill Donohue of the Catholic League and Council Member Avella. Rooney continued, “A bureaucrat in the city Department of Education should not be the final arbiter as to what symbol is best suited for display—especially when a clear hostility towards one particular religion is manifest.”

  The original constitutional challenge was brought by the Thomas More Law Center, a national, public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on behalf of Andrea Skoros and her two minor children, devout Roman Catholics, who attend the New York City’s schools. The lawsuit was filed only after William Donohue, president of the Catholic League, made several unsuccessful attempts to convince school officials to allow Nativity displays alongside the other religious symbols.

  The resolution was introduced now in order for the DOE policy to be changed for this upcoming Christmas season. The Thomas More Law Center urges all of its supporters to contact Council Member Tony Avella’s office to offer support and find out further information on how to get this resolution adopted. Rooney observed, “The critical thing is to get this resolution placed before the council. If it gets before the council it will pass. We need as much pressure as possible brought to bear upon the leadership of the council so that they will bring the resolution up for a vote.”

  The Thomas More Law Center will continue working closely with Council Member Avella, Bill Donohue and others to finally get this discriminatory policy changed. Council Member Avella’s numbers are 718-747-2137 or 917-723-3289.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=44 Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=44 ANN ARBOR, MI — Thomas More Law Center attorney Brian Rooney will address a press conference on the steps of the New York City Hall this Sunday, June 24, 2007 as City Councilman Tony Avella announces a resolution to change New York City’s public schools anti-Christian policy, which bans Nativity scenes during Christmas, but specifically allows and encourages Jewish and Islamic displays during their respective religious holidays.

  Avella’s resolution was prompted by the February 2007 refusal of the U. S. Supreme Court to overturn lower court decisions which held New York’s discriminatory anti-Christian policy was constitutional. His resolution will allow Nativity scenes to be displayed in an inclusive manner similar to how the Jewish and Islamic symbols are displayed in the City’s public schools.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, stated, “This case illustrates the court supported double-standard used by public schools across the country to outlaw Christian expressions while permitting and even encouraging expressions of every other religion. I applaud Councilman Avella’s endeavor to correct this obvious injustice to the Christian parents and their children that he represents. Authentic tolerance and pluralism includes respect for Christians.”

  The original constitutional challenge was brought by the Thomas More Law Center, a national, public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on behalf of Andrea Skoros and her two minor children, devout Roman Catholics, who attend the New York City’s schools. The lawsuit was filed only after William Donohue, president of the Catholic League, made several unsuccessful attempts to convince school officials to allow Nativity displays alongside the other religious symbols.

  The Supreme Court considered the Law Center’s request for review at seven different conferences, signaling a strong interest in the matter. At the end of the day, however, by deciding not to review the case the Court allowed to stand an anti-Christian policy that adversely affects over one million students enrolled in the Nation’s largest public school system, which has 1,200 public elementary and secondary schools. Robert Muise, the Law Center attorney who litigated the case, stated, “Our Nation has a strong Christian heritage that is reflected in our traditions. One such tradition is displaying a crèche during the Christmas season. New York City’s current Nativity ban exhibits a hostility toward religion that is contrary to our history and our Constitution.”

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=45 Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=45 ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor Michigan, announced today that it has filed a federal lawsuit against the Detroit Police Department, Police Chief Bully-Cummins, and other officers in order to vindicate the First Amendment rights of Monica Miller, a pro-life demonstrator who was told to go home and threatened with arrest while engaged in peaceful pro-life activities.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “Abortion is one of the greatest evils in our nation, and those who continue to protest abortion must be given the full protection of the First Amendment, regardless of the popularity of their message.”

  The suit arose when Miller and others were engaged in a peaceful pro-life counter- demonstration near a pro-life pregnancy center that was being picketed by pro-abortion protestors. Miller called for police assistance when she witnessed pro-abortion protestors assaulting a pro-life protestor. When the police showed up, they told Miller she had to march in a circle in the same area as pro-abortion demonstrators and said her pro-life poster violated Detroit’s sign ordinance. When Miller objected, she was ticketed for violating the sign ordinance and “failing to obey a lawful order.”

  The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Detroit, and seeks a declaration that Miller’s First Amendment rights were violated, an injunction prohibiting the Defendants from applying Detroit’s sign ordinance to Miller and others engaged in similar activities, as well as damages and fees.

  Patrick T. Gillen, the Law Center’s attorney who will represent Miller at trial, expressed concern that the violation of Miller’s rights is part of a larger and more disturbing pattern. “There is reason to believe that Detroit’s Police Department has decided that the best way to deal with pro-life protestors is to keep them off the street. This suit should put the department on notice that there are consequences for disregarding the First Amendment rights of those who seek to speak out on behalf of the most vulnerable.”

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=46 Fri, 25 May 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=46 It Is the Soldier

  It is the Soldier, not the reporter Who has given us freedom of the press.

  It is the Soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech.

  It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer, Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

  It is the Soldier, not the lawyer, Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

  It is the Soldier, who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag, And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protestor to burn the flag.

  
  By Father Dennis Edward O’Brien, USMC

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=47 Mon, 21 May 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=47 ANN ARBOR, MI – For over nine months Aaron Grider, a sophomore at Farmington High School in Michigan, has been unsuccessfully trying to get his Christian Bible club recognized by the school as an official noncurriculum-related student club in order to receive the same benefits as other student clubs at the school. School officials told him that because his group’s purpose was religious, and not secular, it would not become a recognized student group. Aaron contacted the Thomas More Law Center, a national Christian legal advocacy group based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

  The Thomas More Law Center announced today it has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Aaron, his parents and the Bible Club, “ALIVE,” in the Federal District Court in Detroit. The lawsuit alleges that the Farmington Public Schools and several school officials violated Aaron’s constitutional and statutory rights by refusing to give a student-led Bible club the same rights as other student-led groups.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, stated, “The policy and attitude of Farmington High School represents the extreme secularism that has captured many public school systems in America. In this case the school policy not only violates the U. S. Constitution, but also federal and state Equal Access Laws. Farmington High School has not provided ‘ALIVE’ and its members the same access to school facilities it allows other non-religious student groups, and we intend to rectify that problem.”

  Farmington High School has recognized several noncurriculum-related student groups, including the Gay Straight Alliance, R.E.A.C.H. (a diversity club), R.H.U.B.A.R.B. (Rockin’ High-Schoolers Unite Because Art Reflects Beauty), the Equestrian Club, and S.A.D.D. (Students Against Drunk Driving). Recognized groups are permitted to advertise their meetings over the school’s public address system, appear in the school’s yearbook, and receive other benefits denied to “ALIVE” and its members.

  According to Edward L. White III, trial counsel with the Thomas More Law Center who is representing “ALIVE” and the Griders, “The Federal Equal Access Act was passed, in particular, to prevent the type of discrimination against Bible clubs that is taking place at Farmington High School. ‘ALIVE’ and its members have the legal right to receive the same benefits and treatment that other noncurriculum-related student groups receive at Farmington High School.”

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=48 Tue, 15 May 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=48 ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national Christian legal advocacy group based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, offers our deepest sympathy to the family of Jerry Falwell and thousands of others deeply touched by the death of this gracious Christian gentleman.

  We saw Jerry Falwell as a capable defender of decency and godly values, a man who inspired Christians to look past their religious groups and stand together. In 1979, he established the Moral Majority and brought millions of Christians into the center of political activism.

  Richard Thompson, President of Thomas More Law Center said, “I had the opportunity to meet this human dynamo of Christian leadership on several occasions and I am better for it.”

  Jerry Falwell was a supporter of the Law Center and a Christian leader dedicated to his faith. His legacy will continue and it is up to each of us to continue his work in our own way. We are left to exude the courage, dignity and religious leadership he taught us. Although his life on earth is fulfilled, his eternal life in Heaven awaits. We will miss him.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=49 Thu, 03 May 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=49 THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. And welcome to the White House. I'm honored to join you for this National Day of Prayer. I'm sorry Laura is not here. She is camping in one of our national parks. (Laughter.) I appreciate the chairman -- Chairwoman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, Shirley Dobson. Thank you for your leadership on this important day. And I see you brought your husband, Jim. (Applause.)

  The 2007 Honorary Chairman is with us, and that's Chuck Swindoll. Thank you, Chuck, for being here, and I'm glad you brought Cynthia, as well. Welcome. I appreciate the members of the Cabinet who have joined. I appreciate the members of the Congress. Thank you all for being here.

  And the Mayor -- Mr. Mayor, thank you, sir. It's good to see you. Thanks for joining us. It means a lot that you're here. I appreciate Mayor Ron Rordam, Blacksburg, Virginia. Mr. Mayor, we're honored you're here. Thanks for bringing Mary. (Applause.)

  Members of the United States military have joined us. Thanks for wearing the uniform.

  I appreciate those who are participating. Rabbi, thank you for your really kind remarks and strong statement. I am glad that one of my fellow Texans has made it. Mike, thanks for coming from Prestonwood Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas. And you married a woman named Laura. (Laughter.) Chaplain Houston Yu, Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. Proud to have you here. (Applause.) Bishop Coles, thank you for bringing Leona. Proud you all are here, too. Thanks for joining us. Appreciate the United States Army Chorus. By the way, Sergeant First Class Alvy Powell, friend of Presidents 41, 42, and 43. (Laughter.) The man has got some longevity. (Laughter.)

  As Shirley mentioned, since the days of our founding, our nation has been called to prayer. That's exactly what our first President did, George Washington. "It's the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and to humbly implore his protection and favor." It's interesting that the first President said those words.

  For two centuries, Americans have answered this call to prayer. We're a prayerful nation. I believe that makes us a strong nation. Each day, millions of our citizens approach our Maker. We pray as congregations in churches and in synagogues, and mosques, and in temples. We welcome people of all faiths into the United States of America.

  We pray as families, around the dinner table, and before we go to sleep. We pray alone in silence and solitude, withdrawing from the world to focus on the eternal, spending time in personal recollection with our Creator.

  We pray for many reasons. First, we pray to give thanks for the blessings the Almighty has bestowed upon us. We pray to give thanks. We give thanks for our freedom. We give thanks for the brave men and women who risk their lives to defend it. We give thanks for our families who love and support us. We give thanks for our plenty. We give thanks for our nation.

  Second, we pray for the strength to follow God's will in our lives, and for forgiveness when we fail to do so. Through prayer, each of us is reminded that we are fallen creatures in need of mercy, and in seeking the mercy and compassion of a loving God, we grow in mercy and compassion ourselves.

  We feel the tug at our souls to reach out to the poor, the elderly, the stranger in distress. And by answering this call to care for our brothers and sisters in need, our hearts grow larger and we enter into a deeper relationship with God.

  Third, we pray to acknowledge God's sovereignty in our lives and our complete dependence on Him. This is probably the toughest prayer of all, particularly for those of us in politics. In the humility of prayer we recognize the limits of human strength and human wisdom. We seek the strength and wisdom that comes from above. We ask for the grace to align our hearts with His, echoing t]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=50 Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=50 ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced today that it has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Poway Unified School District, located in San Diego, California.  The lawsuit was brought on behalf of Brad Johnson, a respected teacher who has been teaching in the school district for 30 years. The lawsuit claims that school officials violated Johnson’s constitutional rights by ordering him to remove several educational banners from his classroom walls because, according to these officials, the banners promote a “Judeo-Christian” viewpoint.

  The banners, which Johnson had displayed in his classroom without complaint for nearly 25 years, contained the following phrases: “In God We Trust,” the official motto of the United States; “One Nation Under God,” the 1954 amendment to the Pledge of Allegiance; “God Bless America,” a patriotic song considered to be the unofficial national anthem of the United States; “God Shed His Grace On Thee,” a line from “America the Beautiful,” a popular patriotic song; and “All Men Are Created Equal, They Are Endowed By Their Creator,” an excerpt from the preamble to the Declaration of Independence. School officials objected to the banners because they included the words “God” and “Creator.”

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center, commented, “Cleansing our Nation’s classrooms of our religious heritage and history and imposing viewpoint restrictions on speech to silence such expressions advance no legitimate educational purpose. In fact, such actions undermine the primary purpose of public education: to prepare students for citizenship in our Republic.”

  The lawsuit alleges that the school district violated Johnson’s constitutional rights by imposing a viewpoint-based restriction on his speech. It further alleges that this restriction “serves no valid educational purpose, is not reasonably related to any legitimate pedagogical concern, and conveys a government-sponsored message of disapproval of and hostility toward religion” in violation of the United States and California Constitutions.

  Robert Muise, the Law Center attorney handling the case, commented, “It is without question that religious people founded this Nation. As a result, references to God are common in our songs, mottoes, and slogans. And it is the responsibility of our Nation’s public schools to educate students to be informed citizens. Consequently, it is the responsibility of all public school teachers, including Mr. Johnson, to educate students regarding our Nation’s history and its founding. Mr. Johnson’s educational banners serve that purpose.”

  The lawsuit seeks to have the speech restriction overturned so that Johnson can continue to display his banners, as he had been for 25 years.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=51 Mon, 23 Apr 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=51 ANN ARBOR, MI – In its brief filed last week with the U. S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Thomas More Law Center urged the court to reverse a federal judge’s ruling that an anti-Catholic resolution of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors was constitutionally justified because the Church opposed adoptions by homosexual couples.

  District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel, a President Carter appointee and one-time counsel for the National Organization for Women (NOW), ruled that the Board resolution condemning Catholic moral teaching on homosexuality and urging the Archbishop of San Francisco and Catholic Charities of San Francisco to defy Church directives does not violate the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

  The Thomas More Law Center, a national Christian legal advocacy group based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is appealing the ruling on behalf of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights and two Catholic residents of San Francisco. Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, observed, “Judge Patel clearly exhibited hostility toward the Catholic Church. During oral argument and in her written decision she claimed that the Church ‘provoked the debate’ by publicly expressing its moral teaching, and that by passing the resolution the City responded ‘responsibly’ to all of the ‘terrible’ things the Church was saying. This judge attempted to rationalize the evocative rhetoric and venom of the resolution which are sad reminders of Catholic baiting by the Ku Klux Klan.”

  Just one week after the anti-Catholic resolution, the San Francisco Board voted—again unanimously—to condemn some 25,000 Evangelical teens who gathered in the city to express their opposition to homosexual conduct. Openly gay San Francisco Assemblyman Mark Leno said the teenage group is “obnoxious” and “disgusting” and should not be tolerated. He told the Christian group to “get out of San Francisco.”

  Thompson remarked, “The policy of San Francisco is one of totalitarian intolerance of Christians of all denominations who oppose homosexual conduct. My concern is that if the judge’s ruling is allowed to stand, it will further embolden the San Francisco Board in its anti-Christian attacks.”

  The anti-Catholic resolution, adopted March 21, 2006, alludes to the Vatican as a “foreign country” meddling in the affairs of the City and describes the Church’s moral teaching and beliefs as “insulting to all San Franciscans,” “hateful,” “insulting and callous,” “defamatory,” “absolutely unacceptable,” “insensitive and ignoran[t].” The resolution calls on the local Archbishop to “defy” the Church’s teachings and describes Cardinal William Joseph Levada, the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which is responsible for safeguarding the doctrine on the faith and morals of the Church throughout the Catholic world, as “unqualified” to lead.

  Robert Muise, the Thomas More Law Center attorney handling this matter, observed, “Our constitution plainly forbids hostility toward any religion, including the Catholic faith. In total disregard for the Constitution, homosexual activists in positions of authority in San Francisco have abused their authority as government officials and misused the instruments of government to attack the Catholic Church. Their egregious abuse of power now has the backing of a federal judge.”

  Catholic doctrine proclaims that allowing children to be adopted by homosexuals would actually mean doing violence to these children, in the sense that their condition of dependency would be used to place them in an environment that is not conducive to their full human development. According to Church authority, such poli]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=52 Fri, 13 Apr 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=52 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all; please be seated. Good morning. Thank you. It's good to be with you. You know how to make a Methodist feel right at home. (Laughter.) I noticed that this year's breakfast was the Friday after Lent -- (laughter) -- you can eat your bacon in good conscience. (Laughter.) And the priests can relax. (Laughter.)

  I appreciate the opportunity to be with you, I really do. I thank you for having this prayer breakfast. Prayer breakfasts show the true strength of our nation. I am honored that people say to me and Laura, "We pray for you." It means a lot. A prayerful nation is a strong nation. A prayerful nation is a nation, the true strength of which lies in the hearts of the men and women of our nation.

  Our Declaration of Independence states that our freedom rests on self-evident truths about the dignity of the human person. Throughout our nation's history, Catholic Americans have embraced, sustained, and given their lives to defend these truths. This morning, we give thanks for the blessings of freedom, and we ask Almighty God to guide us as we renew our founding promise of liberty and justice for all.

  I'm sorry Laura couldn't be here. She is by far the best representative of our family. Thank you for praying for her.

  I appreciate my friend, Leonard Leo, for inviting me. I thank the leaders of the National Catholic Prayer breakfast. I'm honored to be in the presence of Archbishop Donald Wuerl. I have known the Archbishop for quite a while. I appreciate his strong and firm dedication to making sure every child in America gets a good education. (Applause.) I am proud to be here with Archbishop Sambi, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States. I appreciate the members of the Catholic clergy. I am honored to be here with two members of our Supreme Court, the Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Sam Alito. (Applause.)

  I thank the members of my administration who have joined us, particularly our Cabinet Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Jim Nicholson, and Suzanne, thank you for joining us. (Applause.)

  I am in awe of people like Corporal Michael Blair, United States Marine Corps. (Applause.) I thank the members of our Armed Services who are here today. I appreciate the members of Congress who have joined us. Thanks for letting me come by to say, hello. (Laughter and applause.)

  Of the 56 men who signed our Declaration of Independence, only one was a Catholic -- Charles Carroll. In 1776, Carroll was one of the wealthiest men in America. But because he was a Catholic, he could not vote or hold public office in his native Maryland. John Adams noted that Carroll's wealth and patriotism marked him for special vengeance if the Revolution were to fail. That is why when Carroll added his name to the Declaration, one bystander said: "There go a few million." (Laughter.)

  Carroll was willing to risk those millions because he knew that something far more precious was at stake: freedom. He believed that the self-evident truths of our Declaration would lead to religious as well as civil liberty. He knew that an America where people were free to worship God as they saw fit would be a land where Catholics would flourish and prosper. And he understood that whatever America's failings, our founding promise would always be a source of hope and renewal for our country. And at this breakfast, we commit ourselves to renewing that promise in our own time.

  Renewing the promise of America begins with upholding the dignity of human life. (Applause.) In our day, there is a temptation to manipulate life in ways that do not respect the humanity of the person. When that happens, the most vulnerable among us can be valued for their utility to others -- instead of their own inherent worth. We must continue to work for a culture of life -- where the strong protect the weak, and where we recognize in every human life the image of our Creator. (App]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=53 Tue, 03 Apr 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=53 ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has submitted a friend of the court brief supporting the right of physicians to refuse to perform medical procedures that violate their sincerely held religious convictions. The brief was filed in a case pending before the California Supreme Court, North Coast Women’s Care v. Benitiz.

  In that case Guadalupe Benitez, a lesbian, sued two doctors who refused to artificially inseminate her—alleging that the doctors discriminated against her because of her sexual orientation in violation of California’s civil rights act. The doctors assert that they cannot be held liable for refusing to provide treatment based upon their sincerely held religious convictions because California’s constitution protects their right to the free exercise of religion. Benitez is represented by the LAMBDA Legal Defense Fund, one of the leading organizations promoting the homosexual agenda.

  According to Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel for the Thomas More Law Center, “Forcing doctors to violate their conscience smacks of Nazi Germany. Doctors are not ‘needles for hire.’ Benitez received treatment from other doctors. Her effort to punish these doctors is a mean-spirited effort to exact a pound of flesh from those who refuse to bow to the homosexual agenda based on sincerely held religious conviction.”

  Patrick T. Gillen, the attorney who authored the brief for the Law Center, observed that the case has broad implications for religious liberty. He noted, “if the California Supreme Court accepts Bentiz’s argument, the protection that California’s constitution provides to the free exercise of religion will be practically meaningless. The California Supreme Court should hold that California’s religious liberty provision bars Benitez from holding these doctors liable for their refusal to provide medical care based upon their sincerely held religious convictions.”

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=54 Fri, 30 Mar 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=54 ANN ARBOR, MI – More than 60 guests enjoyed an evening of great conversation, music and serious presentations at a private reception hosted Dr. and Mrs. Walter Knysz at their Jupiter Island, Florida home. The purpose of the March 16 event was to raise funds for the Thomas More Law Center, a national non-profit Christian legal advocacy group based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

  “Dr. and Mrs. Walter Knysz were very gracious to host this wonderful event. We are thankful for the opportunity they gave us to raise awareness about the major issues in the Culture War. It was a financial success as well, raising over $34,000.” said Thomas More Law Center spokesman Brian Rooney.

  Retired Admiral and former U. S. Senator from Alabama, Jeremiah Denton, was the main speaker of the evening. President Ronald Reagan publicly recognized him as a true American hero. Denton gained national prominence when as a Vietnam POW under threat of continued torture and death, he refused to condemn America in front of communist dignitaries and cameras. Instead he blinked T-O-R-T-U-R-E in Morse Code, giving Naval intelligence positive proof that American POWs were being tortured. Admiral Denton spoke about his nearly 8 years as a POW and why he is so concerned about the direction of American culture. He serves as a member of the Thomas More Law Center’s Citizens Advisory Board.

  Edwin O’Brien – Archbishop of the Military Services, gave a presentation on the state of the military Chaplaincy, and Law Center President Richard Thompson gave a short presentation on several current cases the Law Center is handling.

  Irish folk singer and locally famous artist, Hugh O’Neill, not only provided the music, but donated an oil painting on canvas of the Irish seaside for the silent auction. The silent auction also featured a donated bronzed bust of Christ by Southwest artist Dan Brook, a Ben Rothlisberger signed football donated by the Rooney Family, and a Lou Holtz signed and donated “Irish” helmet.

  “It was a natural for the Law Center to have an event in this area. Florida has become a crucial battleground in the Culture War. And our activity here has been increasing. We have been very successful in Florida, especially in cases dealing with public displays of nativity scenes during Christmas in places like the Town of Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, and North Miami Beach.” said Thompson.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=55 Mon, 12 Mar 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=55 ANN ARBOR, MI – A local Louisiana school board continued to battle the ACLU’s efforts to ban its 30 year practice of opening its meetings with an invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. In 2005, a federal district court judge sided with the ACLU and banned all school board prayers. The judge’s decision was later affirmed by a 3-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Now, the entire panel of sixteen active judges of the Fifth Circuit will rehear the case.

  The Thomas More Law Center, a national pubic interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has submitted a friend of the court brief supporting the Tangipahoa Parish School Board in Louisiana. The school board has been engaged in this 4 year legal battle with the ACLU over the right to open its meetings with prayers.

  The ACLU sued the Board in 2003 on behalf of the parent of two high school students. The federal trial judge, Helen Ginger Berrigan, determined that the school board was violating the Establishment Clause and permanently enjoined the school board from opening its meetings with any prayer. (Judge Berrigan was President of the ACLU of Louisiana before President Clinton had appointed her a federal judge.) What is really upsetting the ACLU is that the school board asks for Divine guidance and uses such phrases as “God,” “Heavenly Father,” and “Jesus.”

  According to Richard Thompson, Chief Counsel and President of the Thomas More Law Center, “If the ACLU believes that public prayer is un-American and must be stopped, I wonder how they would have stopped the prayers of our Founding Fathers as they deliberated on the establishment of our nation.”

  Continued Thompson, “The ACLU’s claim that they are merely attempting to stop Christian indoctrination of students is nonsense. What they are attempting to do is promote their own brand of religion—atheism or secular humanism.”

  The brief, authored by Law Center trial counsel Edward L. White III, argued that under Louisiana law, the Tangipahoa Parish School Board is a deliberative body designed to act in the public interest. As a deliberative body, the United States Supreme Court’s Marsh decision permits the school board to open its meetings with a prayer just as any other deliberative body may do.

  According to White, “We have brought to the Fifth Circuit’s attention numerous prayers said to open sessions of the United States House of Representatives, also a deliberative body, that are no different in substance to the prayers said to open Tangipahoa Parish School Board meetings. If the law permits the House of Representatives to open its sessions with prayer, then the law should also permit the school board to open its meetings with similar prayers.”

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=57 Thu, 08 Mar 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=57 ANN ARBOR, MI – (Picture enlarged and specially lighted) The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan today requested that the American public avoid using the newly minted coins not because of a minting error, but because the Presidential $1 Coin Act, enacted into law in 2005 requires the government to remove “In God We Trust” from the face of the coin and put it on the edge.

  Many Americans believed that the lack of our National Motto “In God We Trust” on the face of the $1 Presidential coin was merely a minting error. That was because earlier in the week the Mint acknowledged that it discovered an unspecified number of the newly minted coins had the National Motto missing - by mistake. What the Thomas More Law Center takes issue with is the fact that the Mint has relegated “In God We Trust” to the virtually unreadable edge of the coin.

  In a correctly minted coin, the motto “In God We Trust” appears to be merely scratches on the edge, that is, unless one looks for it with a magnifying glass.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, tested the new coin and found that 9 out of 10 people could not find the National Motto, even when asked to look for it. Thompson again encouraged Americans not to use the coin. “It is astounding that Congress has effectively done what atheist litigants have been unsuccessfully trying to do for years -- erase all reference to God from our money,” said Thompson.

  Said Thompson, “The past Presidents pictured on these coins would be insulted by the decision of Congress to remove the motto by making it almost invisible. I find it remarkable that the Mint said it made a mistake in not printing the national motto anywhere on thousands of these Presidential Coins. But even when they are not making this mistake, the Mint is still printing 300,000,000 coins where it is almost impossible to read the national motto on the slim edge of the coins.”

  The Treasury Departments previous two attempts at issuing dollar coins were disastrous. Despite the government’s fanfare, the public hated both coins, and 97 percent of them are no longer in circulation. 74 percent of Americans cannot remember the last time that they used a dollar coin.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=56 Thu, 08 Mar 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=56 ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national pubic interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is encouraging the public not to use the newly issued Presidential $1 Coins, which have “In God We Trust” removed from the face of the coins.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, commented, “It is astounding that Congress has effectively done what atheist litigants have been unsuccessfully trying to do for years -- erase all reference to God from our money.”

  Continued Thompson, “I encourage the public not to use the coins, and petition Congress to repeal the law under which they are being minted. This is just another step on the road to a secular society where all religious symbols are removed from public view. Besides they look and feel cheap - - like amusement park tokens.”

  The Presidential $1 Coin Act, enacted into law in 2005 requires the government to issue $1 circulating coins featuring the images of Presidents in the order they served. The first coin released this year features the image of George Washington. Coins with images of Adams, Jefferson, and Madison will also be issued in 2007. Four Presidents will be featured on the coins every year thereafter.

  The 2005 law requires the United States Mint to place “In God We Trust” and “E Pluribus Unum” on the edges of these coins. The U.S. Mint refers to this as “edge-incused inscriptions.” Released photos of the edge with the motto “In God We Trust,” clearly misrepresent what one actually sees.

  In actuality the motto “In God We Trust” appears to be merely scratches on the edge of these coins, that is, unless one looks for it with a magnifying glass.

  Also missing from the new coin is the word “Liberty” which is on our other coins.

  Most American do not like dollar coins. Other recent attempts to mint dollar coins instead of paper currency have failed. Susan B. Anthony and Sacagawea coins are stacked unused in bank vaults. This time the government is involved in a so called “outreach program” to get more people to buy into dollar coins.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=58 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=58 ANN ARBOR, MI – The California Supreme Court, yesterday, affirmed the precedent-setting decision of a California appellate court, which upheld the right of the people of San Diego to transfer the Mt. Soledad veterans memorial and cross to the federal government. At the same time, the Court denied the ACLU’s attempt to prevent the publication of the lower court decision favorable to the cross and veterans memorial. The ACLU was seeking to have the decision suppressed so that it would not be used against them in future lawsuits.

  The Thomas More Law Center, a national, public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, attacked by the other side because it was a Christian advocacy group, figured prominently in the victory. The Law Center represented San Diegans for the Mt. Soledad National War Memorial in the successful appeal, and it represented them in opposing Paulson’s petition to the California Supreme Court. The Law Center also filed a lengthy objection to the ACLU’s request for depublication.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center, commented, “This is a major victory for religious freedom, the democratic process, and for the people of San Diego who voted overwhelmingly to preserve the historic Mt. Soledad veterans memorial and cross for future generations.” Thompson commented further, “It was also important for us to defeat the ACLU’s sinister plan to have the decision of the California appellate court depublished. The ACLU wanted the decision depublished so it could continue with its anti-Christian agenda free from opposing precedent. This appellate court decision will forever be a stumbling block for the ACLU—and we are pleased about that.”

  This past November, the Fourth District Court of Appeals in California upheld the constitutionality of Proposition A—the hugely successful referendary petition drive that transfers the Mount Soledad memorial property, including the cross, to the federal government for use as a national veterans memorial. In a special election held in July 2005, Proposition A passed by an overwhelming 76% of the vote. However, a state superior court judge issued an order halting Proposition A, claiming that this transfer was unconstitutional.

  In a lengthy opinion, the California court of appeals reversed the superior court judge and held that the transfer of the memorial was in fact constitutional. The Thomas More Law Center represented San Diegans for the Mt. Soledad National War Memorial in the successful appeal. San Diegans is the organization that was responsible for the passage of Proposition A. As a result, it was granted party status in the case.

  In his petition, Paulson’s attorney asked the California Supreme Court to review the appellate court decision because he claimed the decision conflicts with precedent on an issue that is of great public importance. The Thomas More Law Center disagreed. As the Law Center pointed out in its answer, Paulson’s claims were without merit because the California appellate court applied well-established law to reach its unanimous conclusion that Proposition A was constitutional. The Law Center also pointed out that the California Constitution is not hostile to religion, contrary to Paulson’s assertions.

  Charles LiMandri, the West Coast Regional Director for the Law Center, commented, “We are pleased that the California Supreme Court rejected Paulson’s effort to disturb the well-reasoned, unanimous decision of the appellate court. This decision protects the will of the people and their desire to preserve a historical, veterans memorial for future generations.”

  Robert Muise, a Law Center attorney working on the matter, commented, “This latest attack on the Mt. Soledad veterans memorial was successfully thwarted. We will not allow our freedoms to be held hostage by one atheist a]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=59 Wed, 21 Feb 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=59 ANN ARBOR, MI — The United States Supreme Court yesterday decided not to review a case challenging the constitutionality of a New York City public school policy that expressly permits the display of the Jewish menorah and Islamic star and crescent during their respective religious holidays, but completely bans the display of Nativity scenes during Christmas.

  The constitutional challenge was brought by the Thomas More Law Center, a national, public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on behalf of Andrea Skoros and her two minor children, devout Roman Catholics, who attend the New York City’s schools. The lawsuit was filed only after William Donohue, president of the Catholic League, made several unsuccessful attempts to convince school officials to allow Nativity displays alongside the other religious symbols.

  The Supreme Court considered the Law Center’s petition for review at seven different conferences. At the end of the day, however, by deciding not to review the case the Court passed on the opportunity to clarify its much maligned Establishment Clause jurisprudence. More fundamentally, the Court allowed to stand an anti-Christian policy that adversely affects over one million students enrolled in the Nation’s largest public school system, which has 1,200 public elementary and secondary schools.

  In the petition, the Law Center asked the Supreme Court to review a February 2006 decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in which a sharply divided panel upheld the constitutionally of the City’s Nativity ban. The Circuit Court held that this policy of permitting Jewish and Islamic religious symbols but banning Christian religious symbols was permissible in part because it achieved a valid “pedagogical endeavor” by “us[ing] children’s natural excitement about various year-end holidays to teach the lesson of pluralism by showing children the rich cultural diversity of the city in which they live and by encouraging them to show tolerance and respect for traditions other than their own.”

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center, commented, “This case presents yet another example of how federal courts are using Justice O’Connor’s contrived test to cleanse America of Christianity. This unprincipled test allows judges to impose their own ideological views under the pretext of constitutional interpretation. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court refused to take up the case and remedy its flawed jurisprudence.”

  In a religious display cased decided by the Court in 2005, Justice Thomas echoed the sentiments of Thompson, stating, “The unintelligibility of this Court’s precedent raises the further concern that, either in appearance or in fact, adjudication of Establishment Clause challenges turns on judicial predilections. . . . [A] more fundamental rethinking of our Establishment Clause jurisprudence remains in order.”

  Robert Muise, trial counsel for the Law Center who handled this case, was disappointed with the Court’s decision, stating, “Our Constitution plainly forbids hostility toward Christians. Our Nation has a strong Christian heritage that is reflected in our traditions. One such tradition is displaying a crèche during the Christmas season. New York City’s Nativity ban exhibits a hostility that is contrary to our history and our Constitution. The Supreme Court should have reviewed this case.”

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reac]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=60 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=60 ANN ARBOR, MI – On Friday, January 12, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed the district court’s order requiring the City of San Diego to remove the Mt. Soledad Cross and vacated that order because the City no longer owns the land on which the Cross stands, ruling that the case brought against the City by the deceased, self-proclaimed atheist Philip Paulson was now moot.

  Robert Muise, the Law Center trial attorney who argued the case, explained the basis for the ruling, “When a civil case becomes moot during the course of an appeal, as in this case, the established practice in the federal system is to reverse or vacate the judgment below and remand with a direction to dismiss. Because this controversy is now moot, both the trial and appellate courts lack subject matter jurisdiction and the concomitant power to declare the law by deciding the merits of the case.”

  Richard Thompson, the President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center, commented, “We welcome this ruling. But the battle to save the Mt. Soledad veterans memorial is not over. The ACLU, displaying it zealous anti-Christian animosity, filed a new lawsuit to remove the Mt. Soledad Cross—this time against the federal government. We must now turn our resources toward defeating them again. We are committed to that task.”

  Last summer, the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, filed a motion in the appeals court urging the court to dismiss the order enforcing the injunction because recent federal legislation (which the Thomas More Law Center played an instrumental role in developing) transferring the Mt. Soledad veteran’s memorial property to the federal government mooted the case against the City. The Ninth Circuit agreed.

  The Law Center’s motion to “Dismiss and Vacate” was based on a Congressional Act, signed into law by President Bush on August 14, 2006 (attended by West Coast Regional Director, Charles LiMandri), that immediately transferred all title and interest to the Cross and memorial property to the federal government for its use as a national war memorial honoring the veterans of the U.S. armed services. Thus, as of August 14, 2006, the City of San Diego no longer owned the property upon which the memorial is located.

  In its motion, the Law Center argued that this property transfer to the federal government moots the district court’s judgment against the City of San Diego because the City no longer owns the memorial property and the injunction cannot be enforced against it. The Law Center also argued that the injunction cannot be enforced against the federal government because the federal government is not a party to the action and, more fundamentally, it is not subject to the California Constitution, which served as the legal grounds for the district court’s decision.

  The Law Center filed the motion on behalf of San Diegans for the Mt. Soledad National War Memorial, the organization that spearheaded the successful referendary petition drive (“Proposition A”) to transfer the memorial property to the federal government in order to preserve the veterans memorial for future generations. Proposition A was approved by an overwhelming 76% of the vote.

  This past Friday, the Ninth Circuit agreed with the Law Center’s legal argument, reversing and vacating the district court’s order.

  Over the past two years, the Law Center has provided thousands of attorney hours without charge to preserve the memorial cross from destruction. Charles LiMandri, the West Coast Director of the Thomas More Law Center who led the effort, commented, “It was time for the Ninth Circuit to put this 17-year court battle to rest. The people of San Diego overwhelmingly support the preservation of the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial, the President of the Unite]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=61 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=61 Comrades, Colleagues and Patriots:

  I am forwarding FYI this notice from the Alliance Defense Fund of the decision issued today by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in the Mt. Soledad National War Memorial case which vacates as "moot" the order of the U.S. District Court in San Diego on May 3, to destroy the Cross at the Mt. Soledad veterans memorial. (Paulson v. City of San Diego, et al, Case No. 06-55769; District Cout No. CV-89-00820-GT, filed January 12, 2007.)

  A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit `issued a unanimous opinion that, because the memorial site has been transferred to the federal government from the city , the 17-year-long litigation of the atheist Philip K. Paulson, and his ACLU-backed attorney James McElroy to destroy the Cross at Mt. Soledad is now "moot," and, therefore, the District Court's order must be vacated and no further relief can be granted in that case to destroy, remove, or otherwise affect the memorial.

  Justice Ronald M. Gould, wrote the opinion joined by Justices Harry Preferson, and Richard R. Clifton. He wrote in part:

  "The appeal by the City of San Diego ("the City") of the district court's May 3, 2006 order to enforce a December 3, 1991 injunction under California constitutional authority is moot.[Citation] On August 14, 2006, federal legislation transferred title of the Mount Soledad Veterans War Memorial to the United States. [Citation] The legislative taking immediately divested the City of any Interest in the war memorial [citation], and the United States is not subject to state constitutional authority. Accordingly, the May 3, 2006 order is no longer enforceable, and the appeal is dismissed." [Citations omitted."

  The San Diegans for the Mt. Soledad National Memorial (the "San Diegans") had also appealed from the District Court's order denying them the right to participate in the litigation as intervenors defending the veterans memorial. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal as moot, too.

  Charles LiMandri, Regional Director of the Thomas More Law Center and the attorney for the San Diegans, has led the legal fight to preserve the Mount Soledad National War Memorial "as it is, where it is." The American Legion joined in the defense of the Mt. Soledad memorial by filing friend-of-the-court briefs by the National Organization and the Defense of Veterans Memorials Project of the Department of California and the Alliance Defense Fund.

  The San Diegans position, as argued in legal briefs by LiMandri and the American Legion, and as presented at oral argument by U.S. Marine Corps veteran Robert Muise of Thomas More Law Center, was that the case brought to destroy the cross at Mt. Soledad was rendered moot when the site was transferred to the federal government, and, therefore, the District Court order was no longer enforceable and the atheist plaintiff Paulson could not obtain any further relief in his multi-year case.

  The Ninth Circuit ruling is essentially what was sought by the San Diegans, the City, the Federal Government, and the Legion. The court rejected the argument of Paulson's attorney that the Ninth Circuit should allow the order to destroy the cross to be enforced because prior decisions had found it unconstitutional and the case had gone on so long, leaving Paulson with no destruction or removal order after seventeen years of effort. He cited Paulson's poor health. Paulson died in October, 2006, after oral argument and submission to the court for decision. His death was not cited as a ground for the mootness ruling.

  While the decision is, indeed, a victory in the defense of the Mt. Soledad veterans memorial from judicial destruction at the request of atheist Paulson, it does provide further evidence of the need for passage of the American Legion-supported Veterans Memorials, Boy Scouts, Public Seals, And Other Public Expressions of Religion Act (&]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=83 Sun, 31 Dec 2006 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=83 Thomas More Law Center Submits Brief Supporting The Public Display Of A Bible
  Thu, Dec 21, 2006

  ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has submitted a friend of the court brief to the fifteen-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that will be considering the case involving a fifty-year-old display of a Bible on government property.

  The Bible is part of a memorial to William Mosher, a prominent businessman and philanthropist in Houston, Texas, who had been a longtime supporter of the Star of Hope Mission, a Christian charity in Houston that has cared for the homeless since the early 1900s. In 1956, as a memorial to Mosher, the Star of Hope Mission erected a four-foot high monument topped by a glass case that includes an open Bible. The Mission included the Bible in the display to convey that Mosher was a Christian and a “Godly man” who had helped others.

  The Mission’s display caused no controversy until 2003, when Kay Staley a local attorney sued Harris County, Texas, over the display by claiming the display of the Bible violated the Establishment Clause to the United States Constitution. The federal trial judge agreed with Staley, as did a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit.
  The full court of the Fifth Circuit, however, in an unusual move, decided to review the case.

  According to Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, “We are pleased all the active judges of the Fifth Circuit agreed to hear this case. Their decision to review this case is a positive sign that a number of the active judges do not agree that the display of the Bible violates the Constitution.”
  The Thomas More Law Center had previously filed a friend of the court brief with the three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit and has now filed a modified version of its brief for all fifteen active judges to consider when they decide this case.

  Edward L. White III, trial counsel with the Law Center, who prepared the brief, stated, “The memorial to William Mosher is the private speech of the Star of Hope Mission, a private organization. Private religious speech on public property is protected by the First Amendment. The Star of Hope Mission’s monument should be protected by the courts and should not be forced to be removed from the place where it has stood for five decades.”

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.

   

  Federal Judge Says San Francisco’s Anti-Catholic Resolution is Constitutional: Thomas More Law Center Appeals
  Wed, Dec 13, 2006

  ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is appealing a federal judge’s recent approval of a virulently anti-Catholic resolution passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel, a Carter appointee and one time counsel for the National Organization for Women (NOW), ruled that the Board resolution condemning Catholic moral teaching on homosexuality and urging the Archbishop of San Francisco and Catholic Charities of San Francisco to defy Church directives does not violate the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

  The resolution, adopted M]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=84 Fri, 30 Jun 2006 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=84 Supreme Court Asked To Stay Lower Court Order To Remove the Mt. Soledad Cross
  Thu, Jun 29, 2006

  ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, this morning, filed an emergency application in the U.S. Supreme Court asking Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy to stay a lower federal court decision that orders the City of San Diego to remove the Mt. Soledad Cross by August 1st or face fines of $5,000 a day thereafter. The City has indicated that unless the legal situation changes, it will comply with the lower court order to remove the cross and will begin plans to implement that order beginning in the first week of July.

  The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, filed the emergency application for stay on behalf of San Diegans for the Mt. Soledad National War Memorial, the organization that spearheaded the highly successful referendary petition drive that resulted in the City Council repealing its March 8, 2005 vote not to transfer the memorial property to the federal government.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center commented, “The legislative actions of area Congressmen and the grass roots efforts of San Diegans for the Mt. Soledad National War Memorial have kept the cross atop Mt. Soledad. We are now, however, at a critical stage, and time is running out.”

  The Law Center’s emergency application explained that this case presents a serious question regarding the place of religious symbols in the public life of our nation.

  The Law Center argued, “Removing the memorial cross, which has been displayed continuously in its present location since 1954, would destroy the integrity of the Veterans Memorial, undermine the state court proceeding, and cause irreparable harm to Applicant, the citizens of San Diego, and the many family members, friends, and comrades of the nearly two thousand veterans who are honored by this memorial for their sacrificial service to this country. It would be a national tragedy to tear down the memorial cross, which is scheduled to occur on or before August 1, 2006, absent a stay.”

  Charles LiMandri, the West Coast Regional Director for the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “The Mt. Soledad Cross and Memorial represents the sacrifices our veterans and their families have made and the gratitude that we, as a community and a nation, have for them. They fought hard for our freedoms. We will fight hard to preserve them.”

  In addition to the emergency application to the Supreme Court, the Law Center is also involved in appeals to the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the California Court of Appeals, to save the cross.

  On Monday evening U.S. Congressman Duncan Hunter introduced House Bill 5683, which mandates the federal government take over the memorial and transfer it to the Defense department. Representative Darrell Issa and newly elected Representative Brian Bilbray are co-sponsors of that legislation. However, it will be a difficult undertaking to move the bill through both the House of Representatives and the Senate for signature of the President before the August 1st deadline.

  In addition to the numerous legal steps the Law Center is taking to prevent removal of the memorial cross by August 1st, the Law Center is also asking all Americans to join in the effort to urge President Bush to immediately use the federal powers of eminent domain to take the land on which the cross and memorial sit by signing a petition to the President contained on its website at: www.thomasmore.org.

  Explained Thompson, “Our legal team is pursuing every possible legal option to save the Mt. Soledad Cross, including an appeal to President Bush and Congress to take the land under the federal powers of eminent domain. Our veterans deserve]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=80 Sat, 31 Dec 2005 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=80 Court Issues Troubling Decision In Dover Intelligent Design Case
  Wed, Dec 21, 2005

  ANN ARBOR, MI — Today the district court judge issued a lengthy opinion in the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District case, holding that the School District violated the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution by reading to students of a ninth-grade biology class a short, one-minute statement that mentions “intelligent design” twice. Pursuant to this statement, the book Of Pandas and People, which addresses intelligent design arguments, was placed in the school district library for students to voluntarily review, along with other books that are critical of intelligent design. This statement was read in a class in which Darwin’s theory of evolution was taught pursuant to the Pennsylvania academic standards and pursuant to its standing in the scientific community. Moreover, the primary and only required text for this class, Biology by Prentice Hall, fully and comprehensively covers the theory of evolution, and it was co-authored by one of the experts who testified for the Plaintiffs. According to the judge’s opinion, this “policy” violates the Establishment Clause, which states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center, commented, “What is clear from this decision is that our present Establishment Clause jurisprudence, as several Supreme Court justices have noted, is in hopeless disarray and in need of substantial revision. In his opinion the judge bemoaned that the school district ‘deserved better than to be dragged into this legal maelstrom, with its resulting utter waste of monetary and personal resources.’ In this respect, he was correct. This case should have never made it into a federal courthouse. The Founders of this country would be astonished at the thought that this simple curriculum change ‘established religion’ in violation of the Constitution that they drafted.”

  Several Supreme Court justices have openly criticized the way in which this body of constitutional law has developed. For example, Justice Thomas stated in his concurring opinion in the pledge of allegiance case, “Our jurisprudential confusion has led to results that can only be described as silly.” In Edwards v. Aguillard, a case relied upon by the district court in which the Supreme Court held that it was unconstitutional to teach creationism alongside evolution, Justice Scalia criticized the Court’s “embarrassing Establishment Clause jurisprudence.” In a school prayer case, then Justice Rehnquist noted, “It is impossible to build sound constitutional doctrine upon a mistaken understanding of constitutional history, but unfortunately the Establishment Clause has been expressly freighted with Jefferson’s misleading metaphor for nearly 40 years.” Justice Rehnquist is referring to the metaphor of the wall of separation between church and state.

  Thompson continued, “The district court’s decision today continues along this path of applying a fundamentally flawed jurisprudence. Unfortunately, until the Supreme Court adopts a more coherent and historically sound jurisprudence, school districts like Dover will be at risk of costly lawsuits by the ACLU for adopting such modest curriculum changes such as the one at issue.”

   

  Ninth Circuit Appellate Court asked to Reconsider its Ruling that it is OK For Public Schools To Teach Seventh Graders “To Become Muslims”
  Mon, Dec 19, 2005

  ANN ARBOR, MI. – A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which had ruled in a short unpublished memorandum opinion that it was constitutionally permissible]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=81 Thu, 30 Jun 2005 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=81 Supreme Court Ratchets Up Hostility To Religion in Ten Commandments Cases; Political Solution Sought
  Mon, Jun 27, 2005

  ANN ARBOR, MI — According to Richard Thompson, Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, a national pubic interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, today’s United States Supreme Court rulings in the two Ten Commandment cases, one from Kentucky and the other from Texas, will have the practical effect of discouraging some public entities from displaying religious symbols.

  Said Thompson, “Justice Scalia got it right. These decisions do not rest on consistently applied principles of law. Thus, the Court announced no rule of law, which government entities can depend upon that will give them any reasonable certainty they are complying with the requirements of the Establishment Clause. Consequently, some local governments will decide not to take a chance and be forced to pay monstrous attorney fee awards to organizations like the ACLU if they lose. One political solution is to remove the statutory attorney fee awards to the prevailing party in these kinds of cases.” “However, I am certain of one thing,” said Thompson, “ this battle is far from over.”

  The Thomas More Law Center filed friend of the court briefs in favor of the Ten Commandment displays in both McCreary County v. ACLU and Van Orden v. Perry.   In its 5 to 4 decision issued today in the McCreary case, the Supreme Court ruled that the displays of the Ten Commandments in Kentucky courthouses in McCreary and Pulaski counties violated the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution. Both displays originally included only framed copies of the Ten Commandments. After the ACLU sued to remove the displays, the two counties supplemented the framed copies of the Commandments with eleven historical documents, including the Mayflower Compact and the Bill of Rights, calling the new displays the “Foundations of American Law and Government.” The additional documents were chosen because, like the Ten Commandments, they played a significant role in the foundation of our system of law and government.

  Despite the additions, a federal trial judge struck down the “Foundations” display because it included the Ten Commandments. On appeal, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit agreed with the trial judge, holding that the original display, which had only included the Ten Commandments, “unconstitutionally tainted” the subsequent “Foundations” display, making them unconstitutional as well. A sharply divided Supreme Court agreed, noting that the Kentucky counties had not sufficiently distanced themselves from any religious purpose in the first displays.

  The four dissenting justices (Justices Scalia, Rehnquist, Kennedy, and Thomas) criticized the majority’s decision and the majority’s application of the so-called Lemon test, which the dissenters explained can be manipulated to fit whatever result the Court wants to achieve. They noted that even if a government could show that its actual purpose in displaying the Ten Commandments was not to advance religion, the display could still be struck down if the Court’s imaginary “objective observer” would conclude that the government officials intended to advance religion. The dissenters explained that the majority’s new use of the Lemon]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=79 Fri, 31 Dec 2004 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=79 Pennsylvania School Board Selects Law Center to Fight ACLU Lawsuit Challenging Policy to Make Students Aware of Alternative Theories to Evolution
  Tue, Dec 21, 2004

  ANN ARBOR, MI — The Dover, Pennsylvania school board voted unanimously (7-0) Monday December 20th to appoint the Thomas More Law Center as its legal team to defend them against a lawsuit filed by the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State challenging the school board decision to make students aware of alternative theories to evolution. The Thomas More Law Center agreed to defend the school board against the lawsuit without charge.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center blasted the ACLU’s lawsuit. “The ACLU is now showing its true colors. They are in the business of banning books from school libraries and suppressing academic freedom.” “The Dover school district policy on making students aware of alternatives to the theory of evolution is merely following the congressional intent contained in the conference report from the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the specific amendment proposed by Senator Santorum passed by a 91-8 vote by the United States Senate,” said Thompson.

  Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, in his statement in the Congressional Record on December 18, 2001 indicated, “The time has come for school boards to resist threats of litigation from those who would censor teachers who teach the scientific controversy over origins, and to defend their efforts to expand student access to evidence and information about this timely and compelling controversy.”

  Dover is the first school district in the United States to require teachers to make students aware of alternative theories to evolution, including the theory that the complexity of the universe suggests an “intelligent design.” The Dover school board voted 6-3 in October to adopt the new policy. According to polls, Americans overwhelmingly desire to learn more about the scientific evidence for and against Darwin’s theory of evolution.

  Thompson continued, “Not only is Dover following congressional intent in adopting their policy, but their actions are constitutionally permissible.”

   

  New Jersey School District Sued for Ban on Christmas Music
  Mon, Dec 20, 2004

  ANN ARBOR, MI — The controversial music policy adopted by the Maplewood Public School District banning traditional Christmas music including instrumentals, has now become the subject of a federal lawsuit filed by the Thomas More Law Center. The lawsuit was filed Friday on behalf of Michael Stratechuk and his two children, who are students in the New Jersey School District, and claims that the policy is unconstitutional.

  The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, filed the federal civil rights lawsuit arguing that the School District’s total ban on religious music conveys the impermissible, government-sponsored message of disapproval of and hostility toward religion. The lawsuit further argues that because the religious music is banned from the public schools, students are denied the ability to learn about and listen to music that has influenced the social, cultural, and historic development of civilization.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, commented, “This is another example of the anti-Christmas, anti-religion policy, infecting our public school system. The constitution does not require our public schools to become religion–free zones. Forcing students to strip all religious content from music is like asking them to study art history while excluding paintings from the Renaissance because they contain religious subjects.”

  The lawsuit]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=78 Wed, 31 Dec 2003 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=78 Special Session of Palm Beach Town Council Refuses Nativity Request
  Tue, Dec 23, 2003

  ANN ARBOR – The Town of Palm Beach, Florida will not allow the public display of the Christmas Nativity alongside existing Jewish Menorahs on Town property. In a special session of the Town Council held Tuesday morning, Town officials declined to vote on a request to allow Nativity displays alongside town-sanctioned Menorahs.

  Richard Thompson, Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center that filed a federal lawsuit last week against the Town expressed his disbelief at the Town’s continued arrogance. “The Town of Palm Beach has refused for months to review requests to display the Christian Nativity, and now under pressure from a federal judge has again refused to rule on the request.”

  Thompson emphasized that requests made by residents have specifically asked for the Christian Nativity to appear equally alongside the Jewish Menorahs. “Our clients have requested from the beginning to have the Nativity displayed alongside the approved Menorahs. The double standard used by the Town is as shocking as it is offensive.”

  The decision by the Town Council comes a week after a federal lawsuit was brought by the Thomas More Law Center on behalf of Palm Beach residents Maureen Donnell and Fern deNarvaez. The lawsuit alleged that the Town of Palm Beach is discriminating against Christians by refusing to allow the Christian Nativity to be displayed alongside the Menorahs. Town officials have repeatedly refused to review requests to display the Nativity, and held the session Tuesday only after being compelled by a federal judge.

   

  Brief Filed in Supreme Court Argues Pledge is Constitutional
  Thu, Dec 18, 2003

  ANN ARBOR – Urging the Supreme Court to reverse the judgment of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which held the Pledge of Allegiance to be unconstitutional, the Thomas More Law Center filed a brief today with the Supreme Court arguing that the Pledge acknowledges our nation’s rich religious heritage and encourages continuing recognition of the idea of God-given freedom. The brief was filed on behalf of the Catholic League, the nation's largest Catholic civil rights organization.

  In its brief the Law Center argues that the phrase “under God” acknowledges the undeniable religious belief regarding God-given freedom, the very principle that unites Americans as a people. This ongoing acknowledgement, the brief argues, “serves a beneficial secular purpose and is completely compatible with the Establishment Clause.”

  Assisting in the brief was the Law Offices of Charles S. LiMandri, the Law Center’s western regional office in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

  Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center commented, “The court decision to abolish the Pledge of Allegiance signifies perhaps more clearly than any other case the relentless effort to eliminate all forms of religious expression from our public life. Our brief makes clear that the people of this country are not going to allow the public acknowledgement of the very heart and principle of our nation to be destroyed.”

   

  Federal Judge Orders Town of Palm Beach To Rule On Nativity Display
  Wed, Dec 17, 2003

  ANN ARBOR – Federal Judge Daniel Hurley issued an order Tuesday afternoon asking the Town of Palm Beach to explain why he should not force them to rule upon the multiple requests from two residents to display a Nativity scene. Citing a federal case that held constitutional Free Speech rights could be violated by inaction, the judge indicated that the refusal by Town officials to respond to multiple requests by two Palm Beach residents po]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=77 Tue, 31 Dec 2002 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=77 New York City Schools Sued In Federal Court Over Policy Discriminating Against Christians During Christmas Season
  Tue, Dec 10, 2002

  ANN ARBOR, MI — The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of New York, the Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, and another school official, alleging that the City’s policy regarding “Holiday Displays” unlawfully discriminates against Christians. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Andrea Skoros and her two children, elementary school students in the New York City public school system.

  At issue is a school policy promulgated by the Chancellor’s office that prohibits the display of Nativity scenes in the City’s schools during the Christmas season, but expressly permits and encourages these schools to display during certain religious holidays and seasonal observances the Jewish Menorah and the Islamic Star and Crescent. City officials claim that the goal of this policy is “to promote understanding and respect for the diverse beliefs and customs relating to our community’s observance of the winter holiday.” Ms. Skoros and her children are devout Roman Catholics, and they object to this policy because it endorses and promotes the Jewish and Muslim faiths and conveys the impermissible message of disapproval of Christianity.

  Last year, pursuant to this policy, several New York City public schools, including one of the schools attended by Ms. Skoros’ son, displayed the Jewish Menorah and the Islamic Star and Crescent, but not the Nativity scene. In fact, one public school principal issued a memo pursuant to the “Holiday Displays” policy encouraging teachers to bring to school “religious symbols” that represent the Islamic and Jewish religions. No mention of Christianity was made in this memo. Catholic League president William Donohue made several attempts to get school officials to change their discriminatory policy, with no success. School officials dismissed requests to display the Nativity scene and instead would only allow Christmas trees. However, the Christmas tree is a secular symbol and not the equivalent of the religious symbols allowed for Jews and Muslims.

  According to Richard Thompson, Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, “The policy relegates Christians to second class citizens. Forcing schools to only allow secular symbols for Christmas while allowing religious symbols for other religions’ holiday observances shows a callous indifference and hostility toward Christians during one of their holiest seasons. It is ironic that a religion enjoying the largest following in this nation is consigned by the City of New York to a least-favored status. It’s a shame that we have reached a point in our Nation’s history that ‘respect for diverse beliefs and customs’ has come to mean discrimination against Christians—at Christmas time no less.”

  This year, New York City public schools are at it again. Pursuant to the City’s policy, prominent displays of the Jewish Menorah abound, with no Christian Nativity scenes to be found. According to the lawsuit, the City’s policy violates the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment, as well as Ms. Skoros’ constitutional right as a parent to direct the religious education of her children.

  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes religious freedom, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. It depends on contributions from individuals, corporations and Foundations. It is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=76 Mon, 31 Dec 2001 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=76 Brighton Assembly of God Church Supports Thomas More Law Center
  Mon, Nov 12, 2001

  Ann Arbor, MI - While acknowledging the current war against terrorism in Afghanistan, a local Assembly of God congregation recently stepped up to support the ongoing battle for the soul of America at home. After listening to a brief talk by Richard Thompson, Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, the congregation took up a collection totaling over thirteen-hundred dollars in support of the Center, recognizing its ministry in the domestic battle for religious freedom and the sanctity of human life.

  Brighton Assembly of God Church invited Thompson to speak November 7th on the role of faith in public for people today. Thompson delivered his message to a group of about 200 listeners, calling attention to the battleground in America, and the importance for people of faith to stand up and respond to the forces that seek to remove “every vestige of God from our public life.” Nicolette Pearce of Northville Public High School was also in attendance, and spoke out about the work the Law Center performed on her behalf in allowing her Bible Club to meet after hours at school. The congregation demonstrated their support for Thompson and the Thomas More Law Center’s efforts in defense of Christians, by taking up the unexpected collection.

  “We must return to the Founding principles of this great nation. If we do nothing, we will bear the personal responsibility before God and future generations for having allowed evil to triumph in our country,” said Thompson. Brighton’s Assembly of God Church apparently agrees.

  The Thomas More Law Center (TMLC), is a public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michiga. It is a section 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with the Ave Marie Foundation. TMLC defends and promotes religious freedom, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities. TMLC does not charge for its services. You may contact TMLC at 734-827-2001.

   

  Dr. Laura Touts The Thomas More Law Center To Counter Harassment By ACLU
  Thu, Oct 18, 2001

  ANN ARBOR, MI - Nationally syndicated radio host Dr. Laura Schlessinger recognized the efforts of the Thomas More Law Center in their offer to provide free legal assistance to those denied the right to display the American flag or express patriotic slogans such as "God Bless America".

  The Dr. Laura Show, which provides answers to callers' moral and ethical dilemmas, was responding to specific requests from listeners whose children were told they could not wear an American flag pin to school. Dr. Laura recommended the services of the Thomas More Law Center noting, "Anyone denied the right to display the flag, schools, businesses, anywhere, or to profess God Bless America, they will defend you. The ACLU has been busy harassing people coast to coast...and these people will help you counter that."

  The radio program website also featured the TMLC as one of "Dr. Laura's Warriors". Under the title "A Message from Dr. Laura" the website asked "Is your child being harassed for wearing "In G-d We Trust" to school? Here's help." Within seconds of the broadcast, callers supporting their efforts jammed the Center's phone lines. Chief Counsel Richard Thompson was complimentary of his staff that is working swiftly to respond to the national broadcast to over 18 million listeners.

  The Thomas More Law Center is a 501c(3) public interest law firm affiliated with the Ave Maria Foundation in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Part of its mission involves the defense and promotion of religious freedom and traditional family values. It provides its legal services without charge.

   

  ]]> http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=75 Sun, 31 Dec 2000 00:00:00 PST http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=19&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=75 Top 10 Questions to Ask About Evolution
  Mon, Nov 27, 2000

  Ann Arbor, Michigan - Many people, including biology teachers and school administrators, erroneously believe the law forbids them from discussing any other theory of human origins besides Darwinian or naturalistic theories. In fact, teachers and students enjoy considerable academic freedom to address this controversy in a scientific way. Modern science has certainly provided ample reason to critique contemporary Darwinian theories of evolution. What is often presented as fact in many high school biology textbooks is simply not so.

  The Thomas More Center for Law & Justice has published a bookmark listing questions about evolution that students should ask in biology class. This bookmark identifies ten "icons of evolution" that are often presented as evidence to support Darwin's theory of evolution. The flaws of this so-called evidence, however, often go unnoticed. This bookmark identifies some of these flaws and invites students to critically analyze the evidence for evolution and to discuss it in their biology class.

  According to Richard Thompson, Executive Director and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Center, "This bookmark is a simple device designed to promote critical thinking and discussion. To uncritically teach just one side of this important and controversial subject constitutes indoctrination and not education. We are merely equipping students with the truth."

  To obtain a copy of this bookmark, contact the Thomas More Center Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or email info@thomasmore.org.

  The Thomas More Center is a national, section 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, public interest law firm that defends and promotes religious freedom, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life. The Thomas More Center achieves these goals on behalf of the citizens of the United States through education, litigation, and related activities. The Thomas More Center provides its services at no charge.

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