With just three weeks until the deadline to turn in signatures for Save Our Schools’ voucher expansion referendum, school vouchers are exploding on the news. Here’s why: Continue reading
Top four things to bring up when talking about school vouchers
We’ve been talking a lot with our neighbors lately about the issue of school vouchers. If there’s one thing we’ve learned after hundreds of these conversations, it’s this:
Not nearly enough people understand vouchers. Continue reading
AZ’s primary: what the results mean for separation of church and state
The votes are in. This primary, Republicans shifted harder toward the religious right, but Democrats pushed out some legislators who were soft on Christian nationalism. The balance of power in the Legislature may be decided by five races. And conspiracy theorists are vying for control of major statewide offices.
Here are the top results secular supporters need to know: Continue reading
At the Podium: Board Meetings and Civic Significance
An important measure was on the agenda of a July 28 Washington Elementary School District board meeting: a resolution affirming LGBTQ+ students and staff. This was the first official school board meeting I attended.
AZ Democrats who voted for Christian nationalist bills in 2022
This legislative session, the Arizona State Legislature heard 27 bills that advanced religious extremist causes—including those that sought to indoctrinate children in public schools, discriminate for religious reasons, and give religious entities exemptions from a sweeping array of laws and public safety policies. Several were signed into law.
An unprecedented 24 Democrats crossed party lines to pass three such bills. Below is a breakdown of the bills and who supported them. Continue reading
The State of Secular Government in the 2022 Arizona Legislature
The Fifty-fifth Legislature tested whether the separation of church and state will change from constitutional protection to a constitutional violation. There are two cases to be made in the aftermath of this session. First, the state of secular government in Arizona is strong thanks to Democrats who mostly (though not always) heeded constitutional mandates barring the establishment of religion. Second, the state of secular government in Arizona is weak thanks to Republicans who are resolved to promote their faith in every area of public life. The outcome of the 2022 Midterm Elections will decide whether the state of Arizona is governed as a democracy or a theocracy—and it rests upon the civic participation of secular voters and citizens who value fundamental civil liberties.
What June at the Supreme Court meant for church and state—in plain English.
The Supreme Court ruled on a number of cases this month that will significantly reshape our country. There’s been a lot to keep track of, so here’s the roundup of the top ones impacting our movement and what they mean: Continue reading
6 Big Things to Know About the Future of Abortion Rights in Arizona
Today, June 24th, 2022, the United States Supreme Court has overruled nearly five decades of precedent, striking down the landmark Roe v. Wade which established the constitutional right to abortion. The horrifying decision comes in the wake of a Trump-installed court that is decidedly right-wing, underpinned by conservative political ideologies unrepresentative of the politics f the American majority. The consequences of this case are immense, including the future of the court and its legitimacy in the public eye, the legality of abortion in states, and future rulings on issues from gun restrictions to same-sex marriage.
On a webinar, Secular AZ Legal Director Dianne Post shared insights into what the overturn of Roe v. Wade means for the state of Arizona. Continue reading
WATCH: Arizona State Republicans Vs. Drag Queens
This week, religious conservatives tried to use drag queens as a scapegoat to distract from problems of drought, poverty, religious abuse scandal, and more. Continue reading
A Perfect Brew for Abusers, A Perfect Storm for Victims
Two recent reports about hidden abuse in our religious and educational organizations add to the growing pile of abusive institutions, e.g. the Catholic Church, the Boy Scouts, and Olympic trainers. The reports illustrate the point that the lack of transparency and accountability alongside unjustified reverence for religious and private institutions is a perfect brew for abusers and a perfect storm for victims. Continue reading
FACT CHECK: Data Shows Less Religion Equals Less Violence
Arizona State Senator Rick Gray embarrassed himself and the state of Arizona on May 25, 2022 by claiming that forced religion would be the solution to mass shootings.
Continue reading
WATCH: Analysis of a Legislative Prayer for Conspiracy Theorists
Yesterday, 6/1/22, State Senator Kelly Townsend (R-16) opened a sham hearing on conspiracy theories with a prayer “in Jesus’ name,” containing dog whistles to anti-Semites, insurrectionists, and more. Continue reading