Separation of Church & State (NEW -- A SPECIAL PROJECT OF REACH OUT AMERICA Equitable Land Tax Alliance ELTA)

Mission Statement:

      "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . .” Article I

       “. . . no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” Article VI 

It is these words from our Constitution that this Committee of Reach Out America is dedicated to defending.  We act as an educational forum, and oppose any legislation to use tax dollars to pay for the promotion of a particular religious point of view. We will participate in the political process, whenever we feel elected officials, or those seeking political office, violate these constitutional guarantees, as well as endorse those candidates in agreement with our position. 

Actions:

• Educate and inform the community
• “Watch-dog” legislation and executive orders on the Federal, state and local level
• Mobilize and react to relevant issues
• Maintain consistent communication with legislators
• Establish coalitions of like-minded civic groups

History:

1. Presented major community educational programs with expert speakers:
   • “Your Rights and the Religious Right” – a joint presentation with Hofstra Law School and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State – September 2006
   • “The Religious Right and Our Military” – a joint presentation with the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (Mikey Weinstein) and Temple Beth-El of Great Neck – April 2007
   • “The Impact of the Imperial Presidency on Religious Freedom” – a joint presentation with Temple Beth-El of Great Neck – November 2006
   • “Checks and Balances” – a joint presentation with Hofstra Law School, local High Schools and The League of Women Voters – September 2007 
2. Organized regular monthly letter-writing campaigns to key elected officials on topics of concern.
3. Held frequent meetings with legislators.

Current Initiatives:

The Equitable Land Tax Alliance (ELTA), a special project of Reach Out America (ROA), was recently organized (2009), as an outgrowth of the Separation of Church and State Committee, a major, standing one of six for ROA.

    The Goal of ELTA is:
    To recruit and mobilize individuals, communities and public officials to create a national coalition around the repeal or amendment of a federal law, which is negatively impacting local communities by invalidating local zoning ordinances and thereby causing additional and unfair tax burdens.   This federal law, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), was enacted in 2000, and since then has been impelling unintended, serious, inequities in residential and commercial areas of numerous local communities nation-wide.  A national Equitable Land Tax Alliance has the potential of bringing about historic, constitutional and fair change in this law.