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The St. Louis Chapter held its Annual Meeting virtually on April 27, 2023.  We were updated by our guest speakers. Michelle Henry (left), is the lead AU attorney in the lawsuits in Missouri and Kentucky challenging abortion bans on the basis that they violate church-state provisions in the state constitutions. Alex Luchenitser (right), Interim AU Legal Director, reported the status of other AU suits and amicus briefs.

We hope you were able to join us on the 27th!   If you are on our mailing list, you should have already received a message about this, which was to include the Zoom link. Unfortunately, there was a glitch in that process, and we are not able to provide it.

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Rob Boston, Editor of Church and State and AU Senior Advisor appeared in a hybrid presentation at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, 12 Millstone Campus Drive in Maryland Heights, on March 13, 2023. Our own  Chapter President, Cynthia Holmes also participated.  Details are in the poster below:

Of course, it’s too late to click on “RSVP HERE”.

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On Thursday, January 19, AU and the National Women’s Law Center sued the state of Missouri for infringing religious freedom by banning abortions. St. Louis Chapter Board members joined AU President and CEO Rachel Laser and thirteen clergy from six different religious denominations in filing “Rev Blackmon v State of Missouri” in the Circuit Court for the City of St. Louis, asking that the court enjoin enforcement of Missouri’s comprehensive ban on abortions. If you are a member of AU, you should have already received an email about this historic action. More information about the basis of the suit and what you can do are available on the AU Website. The 83 page text of the suit can be found here. It requests a permanent injunction against enforcement of the abortion ban, and declaration that the law violates the constitution of Missouri.

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Church/state lawyer Andrew Seidel has a new book out, “American Crusade: How The Supreme Court is Weaponizing Religious Freedom”. Mr. Seidel explains in detail, with deep understanding and numerous examples, the dangerous perversion of the First Amendment that SCOTUS has promulgated.  The thesis of the book is identical to the AU viewpoint, and will give you all the talking points you will need for your next cocktail party arguments.

I learned about the book because of the “Opening Arguments” podcast, an enthusiasm that I recently learned that I share with AU President Rachel Laser. The 11/1 episode that includes an interview with Mr. Seidel is linked here.

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The picnic was at Deer Creek Park (also known as Rocket Park) – North Pavilion, in Maplewood. We provided sandwiches, beverages, and dessert to a good crowd.

Mr. Wolff was on the faculty at St. Louis University for 23 years before he was appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court, where he served from 1998 to 2011, and Chief Justice from 2005 to 2007. After his stint on the Supreme Court, he returned to SLU and was Dean of the Law School until 2017., and still has an Emeritus appointment. He has spoken to us before, and is always an engaging speaker.

 

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Another of our Board members, Ed Wright, also wrote to the Post-Dispatch Editor about the recent Supreme Court decision about school-sponsored prayer:

“Regarding the letter ‘Supreme court fumbled football coach’s prayer ruling’ (July 4): When I read about the U. S. Supreme Court’s decision allowing a public high school football coach to pray at the 50 yard line after games, I wondered if the six conservative justices had completely forgotten their days in middle and high school when the goal of students each day is to avoid being embarrassed, humiliated, singled out or bullied.

What the court has now allowed is nothing more than bullying – Christian bullying. It is clear from testimony by students and professional football players that the pressure to follow along with the coach was not subtle at all. this not a case of a coach’s free speech or religious rights but of inappropriate coercion by a public school authority figure.

We are not a Christian nation. We are a nation of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, agnostic, atheists, humanists, etc. We are strong because of our diversity and our support of diversity. However, this ruling is one more frightening step by the Supreme Court in its campaign on behalf of Christian nationalism.”

Ed Wright
Brentwood

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Our long-time Board member, Rev. Rudy Pulido had the following letter published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch today, July 5, 2022:Rudy Pulido

Regarding “Supreme Court backs coach in praying on field after games” (July 27): Amid all the recent U. S. Supreme Court decisions, giving Washington state coach Joseph Kennedy the right to pray at the 50-yard line after a high school football game was wrong. A school district and lower courts understood the First Amendment better than the Supreme Court. Government has no place supporting an employee’s religious practice on government property. I believe Kennedy has a poor understanding of his faith Jesus indicated prayer was best practiced in a closet, not in public venues like a 50-yard line.

Rev. Rudy Pulido, St. Louis County