It used to be common knowledge that America's first national Thanksgiving Day was established by President George Washington in 1789. While a few modern critics might be rankled by, as Washington's proclamation puts it, an official "day of public thanksgiving and prayer," for most Americans, the first national Thanksgiving Day stands as an enduring precedent reminding us of Washington's wise vision for American religious freedom.
Belmont Abbey College (N. Car.) sued the federal government over new Health and Human Services regulations under Obamacare (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, PPACA). (Wash. Post story) These regulations require every American’s health insurance plan to cover sterilization services, abortion counseling, and contraceptives, including prescription drugs the FDA warns can cause the death of a developing human embryo. The Obama administration has granted waivers from PPACA’s requirements to thousands of organizations ranging from teachers’ unions to McDonald’s. But, the lawsuit alleges, the PPACA would require Belmont Abbey to fund drugs that would cause an abortion (as defined under federal law) Read More >>
Citing Maryland’s ground-breaking adoption in 1649 of religious freedom rights, Maryland Catholic bishops issued a statement calling the faithful to prayer, education, and action to protect religious freedom. Mounting threats, the statement says, include government mandates violating formerly unquestioned rights of conscience and hostile legislation such as the 2009 measure considered by the Connecticut legislature that would have imposed a reorganization of the governance structure of the church. (Main page | Press release | PDF of full statement)
In a national survey of registered U.S. voters commissioned by EPPC's American Religious Freedom Program in early November 2011, respondents provided their opinions on various topics related to domestic First Amendment rights. Below are top-line findings from the survey. Read More >> (Click charts below for a larger view)
| Senator Joe Lieberman at ARFP's Inaugual Event | Be sure to check out these other videos: |
Brian Walsh, ARFP Executive Director Michael W. McConnell, Stanford University Vincent Philip Munoz, University of Notre Dame Question & Answer Session |
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Click the images below to view some of the key documents from George Washington's views on religious freedoms:
Thanksgiving Day Proclamation (1789) 
Letter to Newport (R.I.) Synagogue (1790) 
Farewell Address to the American People (1796)
