11/4/2013 - November 2013 SLI Newsletter

                                                                                                                        November 2013

Dear Friends and Supporters,

We take for granted our important constitutional rights.  We have had them since the founding of the nation.  We have grown accustomed to them and exercise daily, without question, our rights of freedom of speech, association, religion, and other individual liberties.  At the same time, we do not notice that some of those rights may be eroded or even taken away.

 We recognize the family, along with government and the church, as one of the pillars of our culture.  We do not notice the family pillar being eroded by the same-sex gay rights juggernaut.  Again, we go day to day, taking for granted the way things are. 

Last month, I had the privilege of speaking to the Alabama Federation of Republican Women about the same-sex issue, as well as, the use of foreign law to diminish our religious freedom.  Both of these relate to the American and Alabama Laws for Alabama Courts Amendment which will be on the ballot next November in the general election.  It will be a constitutional amendment to protect Alabamians rights and the institutions which make Alabama such a good state in which to live and work.  There will be more on that next year.

Religious freedom is the foremost issue with which Southeast Law Institute is concerned.  Surprisingly, we had an old issue raise its head after many years of dormancy.  The “See You at the Pole” student initiated prayer event at public schools began in 1990.  There were initial concerns that it was an unconstitutional state act, but the courts and the policies of government at all levels accepted its constitutionality.  Nevertheless, there are still those who from time to time lose their way in the constitutional thicket of individual rights in public fora.

Such a case arose in Coosa County, Alabama when See You at the Pole activities there were questioned.  We have written the Coosa County Board of Education explaining to them the well settled law and the constitutionality protected rights of students.  Our Educational Update this month is an abbreviated version of that letter.  We urge you to share this with local schools in your areas, in order to avoid any future problems.  If you need more information on this, let us know.  Again, we can never take these liberties for granted.

As we come closer to the end of the year, please remember to budget SLI in your charitable giving.  Your contributions are tax deductible to you and not taxable to us.  Your contributions make our continuing work possible.  We thank you for your trust and support.  

                                                                                    Yours very truly,

                                                                                   A. Eric Johnston

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