July 22nd RLRA Update

Greetings:

As we head into the weekend, we have 13 days to gather signatures for the RLRA petition effort. Thanks to all who have worked so hard. Keep up the intensity down the home stretch. While thousands of signatures have been collected, many more are needed. Keep up the great work!!



Some have asked for short message to rally around, here is part of an ad which captures it in a nutshell:

“Whether prohibiting a student from wearing a cross to school, forcing a nurse to dispense abortion inducing drugs, or forcing a business to provide services against its beliefs—our religious freedoms are in jeopardy because of a court ruling by non-elected justices. It is time to act!! Sign the Religious Liberty Restoration Amendment to allow the people of North Dakota to vote to restore and preserve our religious liberties.



Thanks to those who helped in the Bismarck & Grand Forks Blitz’s, and in advance to those who will help in Minot at the State Fair. Still need more volunteers…in Minot…………………….



What will, should, and needs to happen in the upcoming few days:

- Many churches will do one more collection in the church,---thanks….encourage your church..

- Some churches will do an initial collection—GREAT NEWS!! Encourage your church…

- Will be collecting at the State Fair in Minot (Booth #2003 in Commercial Bldg #3)

o Stop by to sign petition, direct others to do so as well

o Will have clipboards with a petition for you to pick up & go out at the fair & fill one petition with 35 signatures



- many of you have a petition, (from NDFA, Focus on the Family, NDCC, your church, or you may have downloaded), we need you to fill that petition with signatures of family, friends, neighbors, and church family

o There are virtually hundreds, if not thousands of petitions in the hands of individuals from across the state, we should not rest until every one is filled, notarized, and returned. Do you have one? Please fill & send in.



- We have extended the deadline to send the petitions in—to—July 31st if mailed, or August 3rd, if hand delivered to the NDFA office!!



As shared previously, we are so encouraged and inspired on a daily basis by the hundreds of individuals circulating the petitions, and the many thousand who have signed—their commitment and voices must be rewarded. You can do that by joining the team and this great effort by participating: complete your petition, encourage at your local church, come & help at the State Fair in Minot, and of course---pray that God’s will be done & that all be for His Glory.



Any with questions should call the NDFA, or go to the website at:

www.ndfa.org/ndreligiousliberty.php

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NDFA Files Brief Supporting National Day of Prayer,

NORTH DAKOTA FAMILY ALLIANCE
A TRUSTED VOICE IMPACTING OUR LEGACY________

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release – July 7, 2010

Media Interviews
NDFA Executive Director Tom Freier
tfreier@ndfa.org
701-364-0676; 701-471-0477 cell
www.ndfa.org

NDFA Files Brief Supporting National Day of Prayer,
Joins With Alliance of Top State and National Policy Leaders Demanding Reversal of Revisionist Opinion

Fargo. Today, North Dakota Family Alliance signed onto an amicus brief by Liberty Institute filed in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the National Day of Prayer in Freedom from Religion Foundation v. Obama. Those represented in the brief alongside North Dakota Family Alliance include Dr. James Dobson, the Family Research Council (FRC), Focus on the Family Action (Citizenlink), the American Civil Rights Union (ACRU), Let Freedom Ring, and Liberty Counsel, along with 27 other family policy councils located in states nationwide.

“In her decision to strike down the National Day of Prayer, Judge Barbara Crabb attempted to undo two hundred years of American History,” said Tom Freier, Executive Director of NDFA. “The decision below was an attack upon our heritage and the religious freedom upon which our nation was founded. This decision must be overturned.”

When Congress passed a statute in 1952 calling for the President to issue a proclamation designating the National Day of Prayer, it memorialized the virtually unbroken tradition of Presidents from Washington to Truman who designated a day of prayer.

On April 15, U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled that the federal government’s observation of prayer is unconstitutional, despite numerous rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court that protect long-standing traditions of religious invocations. Today’s brief argues that not only is the National Day of Prayer constitutional, but that Judge Crabb’s ruling establishes active hostility to religion and must be reversed.

“Prayer is the underpinning of this country that makes it great. I am proud to file this brief along with so many wonderful groups. Our nation has a rich history of Presidential proclamations for prayer and thanksgiving, and we must not allow revisionist history to dilute that heritage and freedom,” said Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family and head of Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson.

"Since the conception of our nation, Americans have enjoyed religious freedom and the right to gather voluntarily for prayer," said Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council Action. "Judge Barbara Crabb's ruling squelches the religious freedom our Founding Fathers chose to protect in the Constitution and advances an activist agenda that is hostile toward religion in public life."

View the brief online at http://tinyurl.com/2837gj5.




North Dakota Family Alliance
3220 18th St S, Ste 8
Fargo, ND 58104
701-364-0676

For more information, visit www.ndfa.org.

Copyright © 2010 North Dakota Family Alliance

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Liberty--Is it worth defending?

Liberty—Is it worth defending?



Independence Day—2010! Freedom! Liberty! A great reason to celebrate. Fireworks! Sunday worship! What a great land we live in—this land we call America!

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

Just as there is no business ethics, no personal ethics, no cultural ethics, no political ethics, there is only ethics. If we believe we can act ethically in our business, but fail to follow those tenets in our home, we lie. There is only ethics, there is only integrity, there is only honesty.

So is the liberty provided by our Founding Fathers. There is only liberty. If we believe we can diminish our personal liberties, we loose our liberty. If we believe we can give some of our constitutional liberties, we loose our liberty. If we believe the government can infringe upon our religious liberties, we loose our liberty.

Because our Founding Fathers recognized the importance of the Creator and those unalienable rights, which are a gift not to be surrendered or taken, our religious liberty is especially vital. Some recognize if our religious liberty is diminished or removed, all liberty is mortally threatened. Absent the power of a sovereign Supreme Being, the peace and tranquility associated with our liberty is soon to become a distant memory of a generation past.

Today’s battle to protect our religious liberty is both the battle and the war. It is a test to measure the mettle of this land we call America, the people of North Dakota.

On this Fourth of July weekend, will we celebrate by just shooting off fireworks, enjoying a picnic, singing patriotic songs, and even thanking the Creator at a worship service—or will we take action?

Will we take the Religious Liberty Restoration Amendment with us to the parade, to the lake, to the picnic, to the fireworks celebration, to the school reunion, to the community church service, or to any gathering planned to honor our country and the liberty we enjoy. Is that outside of our comfort range? Will we be viewed as radical, religious nuts? Will we be bold for our faith? Will we be radical enough to stand up for our religious liberty?
Will we be bold enough to stand up for our children and grandchildren?

This weekend provides a great opportunity. It provides the opportunity to celebrate all our Creator has Blessed us with, especially our liberty and freedom. It also provides the opportunity to stand tall as we take action to preserve that unalienable right to liberty freely given as a gift.

Please proudly circulate the Religious Liberty Restoration Amendment petition, and carry a couple extra petitions that you might place them with other patriots.

And as we ask others to sign, compare our effort to that of those who over the years paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend our liberty.

May God Bless you and keep you safe, in this great land we call America.

For more information on the Religious Liberty Restoration Amendment, view an informative video, and/or download a petition, go to www.ndfa.org .

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Memorial Day A Time to Reflect

Memorial Day A Time to Reflect

As we prepare for an extended weekend, it truly is a time to reflect. In the midst of spending time with family and friends, the picnics, fishing, time at the lake, parades, speeches, and even prayers and sermons; are we really commemorating our fallen heroes? Are we keeping in perspective the real purpose of Memorial Day as we spend our time this weekend?

As we view the markers at the Arlington National Cemetery, or our own North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, we can only be struck by the immensity of the personal sacrifice of the many. As we think about the many hundreds of thousands who paid the ultimate price, we also understand the personal story of each and every fallen soldier. Each family has lost a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, some one dear and loved to them. As each fallen soldier has responded to the call, has made the ultimate sacrifice, their families also share in their serving their country.

Since the inception of our country, we know that our freedoms, our liberty does not come without a price. These brave American men and women have pledged to protect our liberty, to defend it even if it meant their lives. They have fought to defend all of our liberties. As we view the Bill of Rights, we thank the framers of the constitution, the Founding Fathers, for providing those rights. We thank the many today for defending these rights; there are many who on a daily basis fight to protect our freedom of religion, of speech, the right to assemble, for a fair trial, and the right for all to cast their vote. But let us remember, not just during this Memorial Day celebration, but throughout the year—that the real defenders of our liberty are those brave veterans who died for our freedom, the liberty that is America.

The very first of those liberties is our freedom of religion. Today that freedom is under attack, on a daily basis. Our brave men and woman who paid the ultimate price, died for all our liberties, including the freedom of religion. Let us not dishonor their memory and service by not standing for this freedom provided by our Founding Fathers.

The actions of our Founding Fathers called for boldness, and an unapologetic commitment to this inalienable right given by the Creator. Our fallen soldiers stepped forward in absolute boldness in defending our liberties. Now is the time that all of us would honor their memories by stepping forward to defend our country, and the liberties we treasure so greatly.

Our Prayer:

We are Blessed, so immensely Blessed. We praise You as the Creator and Sustainer of all. Thank You. We thank You for the brave men and women who paid the ultimate price, defending this land we call America, protecting the liberties we have come to treasure, and providing the hope for our children and grandchildren to live in freedom. We lift up the families of those fallen heroes, that they might be blessed with the peace and comfort which only You can provide.

We ask all of this in the name which is above all names, the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Government videographer asks Salvation Army T-shirts be changed.

What does wearing the Rosary beads, a Salvation Army T-shirt, and saying a prayer have in common?

New York 7th grader suspended for wearing a Rosary to his school. Raymond Hosier, 13 year old wears the Rosary as a comfort in memory of a deceased brother and uncle. Schenectady school officials ordered him to remove the Rosary, and when he refused, he was sent home.

School officials referenced school policy stating that the Rosary “could be an identifier of gangs” and needed to be removed “for safety reasons”. After Raymond served the initial suspension, he returned to school only to be sent home again because of his wearing the beads.

The Supreme Court is very clear that students do not surrender their constitutional rights to religious expression or liberties when they go to school. What is very clear is that the school is arbitrarily using a vague dress code to silence and suppress Raymond’s religious expression and liberty.

Government videographer asks volunteers to change Salvation Army T-shirts
A FEMA representative said one of the agency's videographers was "absolutely wrong" to ask Mississippi church volunteers not to wear religious T-shirts for a video about tornado cleanup. Angelia Lott and Pamela Wedgeworth, who are sisters, said that the FEMA worker videotaping the cleanup on Saturday in the small town of Ebenezer asked them to do on-camera interviews but requested that they change out of their T-shirts because of a Salvation Army logo. "He said, 'We would like to ask you to change your shirt because we don't want anything faith-based,'" Lott said Tuesday.

These faith based volunteers should have the right to wear a T-shirt expressing their view of support for the Salvation Army, and should not be suppressed. This is clearly a right protected constitutionally.

Kudos to Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell on prayer policy

In the first official State Police function since Gov. Bob McDonnell lifted a policy requiring faith-neutral prayers at public events, a trooper invoked the name of Jesus Christ in a blessing at a Friday morning memorial service. "I lift this prayer to you from the many faiths of this great country and in the name of my personal savior, Jesus Christ, amen," Senior Trooper Patrick McCranie prayed during the benediction at the end of the ceremony.

The annual memorial ceremony honored 55 troopers killed while members of the state police force, from 1928 to the most recent death in 2007. Trooper McCranie said he felt ‘liberated’ for being able to pray in support of all faiths, but be able to pray in his personal faith tradition.

Already, ACLU activists are seeking someone to represent, someone who may have been offended. They will ask the government to sue the government. How silly is that?
McDonnell doesn't seem worried about the specter of legal action. "The only thing I'm concerned about is that we promote the traditions of religious liberty that have been the hallmark of the nation," he said. "And as long as I'm governor, we're not going to tell chaplains how to pray."

Kudos to the governor!

As we view the culture across this great country of ours, we are struck by the constant, never ending attacks on our religious liberties. And if we do not stand up for our liberties, how can be hope that our children and grandchildren will know the freedoms which our founding fathers provided for in the constitution?

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ACTION REQUIRED! Religious Liberty Restoration Amendment

ACTION REQUIRED!

Your help is crucial to get the RLRA on the N.D. November ballot.

Religious Liberty Restoration Amendment

Religious Liberties Threatened: What’s all the hype about?
Have you noticed the frequent news stories about attacks on our religious liberties?

Did you know that a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in1990 greatly diminished our religious liberties?

Did you know that Congress passed a law to restore those rights in1993, but it did not apply to the states? Because of this 15 states have already passed legislation to restore those rights.

NOW is the time to act for North Dakota by passing the very best in protection: a N.D. Constitutional amendment to restore our liberties.

Bottom Line: What is the urgency?

The result of that Supreme Court ruling had this effect: The burden has fallen to the people and religious organizations to protect themselves from the government infringing upon their religious liberties, instead of the burden rightly being placed on the government as it seeks to infringe on our religious freedoms. The Constitution provided a system of justice whereby the burden is placed on the government, not the people. This amendment will restore and protect our religious liberty.

ACTION List: What can you do?

1) Sign the RLRA petition. (Download a petition at www.ndfa.org/ndreligiousliberty.php. Remember you cannot sign the petition you plan to circulate.)

2) Verify the RLRA petition is being circulated in your church, visit with your pastor/priest and help coordinate the effort.

3) Make others aware of the RLRA petition drive by:
a. Notifying your email list
b. Talking to your Facebook friends
c. Tweeting on Twitter about the RLRA

4) Take the Times Three Pledge (X3P) Challenge
a . Print 3 copies of the petition.
b. Carry one to your Bible study, Rotary Club, workplace, gym/spa, coffee klatch.
c. Collect 35 signatures on that petition and place the other 2 petitions with two of those who signed your petition.

Steps to involvement and frequently asked questions can be found at: www.ndfa.org/ndreligiousliberty.php. Contact NDFA at admin@ndfa.org or 701-364-0676 or www.ndfa.org.

Please join the North Dakota Family Alliance in the effort to Restore our Religious Liberties.
www.ndfa.org/ndreligiousliberty.php

North Dakota Family Alliance, 3220 18th St. S. Ste. #8, Fargo, ND 58104
On behalf of all our coalition partners.

Religious Liberty Restoration Amendment
Government may not burden a person's or religious organization’s Freedom of Religion.
The right to act or refuse to act in a manner motivated by a sincerely held religious belief
may not be burdened unless the government proves it has a compelling governmental interest in infringing the specific act or refusal to act and has used the least restrictive means to further that interest. A burden includes indirect burdens such as withholding benefits, assessing penalties, or an exclusion from programs or access to facilities.

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Thanks to Focus on the Family for promoting the Religious Liberty Restoration Amendment effort.

Take Action: from Focus on the Family

Please sign a petition to protect religious Liberty in North Dakota!

To get a petition and to find out more information about the Religious Liberty Restoration Amendment, visit the North Dakota Family Alliance web site, at www.ndfa.org.


North Dakota: Help Protect Religious Liberty in Your State!

Dear Friend,

Religious liberty is a treasured freedom on which our country was founded. In fact, our Founding Fathers chose to place religious liberty first in our U.S. Constitution for that reason. And for most of our country's history, laws and the court system have recognized and protected that right.

But in 1990, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a ruling which reduced the level of protection historically afforded to religious liberty. In Employment Division v. Smith, the Court established a lower threshold of protection for religious liberty--an action that prompted Congress to pass the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). But the federal RFRA does not apply to the states, leaving citizens vulnerable to ill-conceived actions of state governments that infringe on our liberties.

We are seeing professionals from every walk of life being forced to violate their religious beliefs in fear of governmental punishment. For example, medical professionals have been fired for refusing to conduct abortions or dispense medicine that can cause an abortion. Additionally, there were several court cases in North Dakota during the 1980s where parents were denied the right to home school their children. It seems that the religious liberty our country was founded upon is slowly being chipped away.

And the recent court ruling from a Wisconsin District Court Judge declaring the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional only further emphasizes the need for North Dakotans to step in and protect religious freedom at the state level.

The only way a state can truly protect this freedom is through a constitutional amendment to their state Constitution adding this protection. Fortunately, the people of North Dakota have an opportunity to place a Religious Liberty Restoration Amendment on the November ballot. The North Dakota Family Alliance is currently working to collect enough signatures to place the amendment on the ballot, and they need your help to get that done.


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© 2010, Focus on the Family.

Focus on the Family
Colorado Springs, CO 80995
1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459)

Source Code: VP10EECRND

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