Jewish Public Affairs Arm Calls on Bush to Disavow Promise to Support Discrimination

NEW YORK, July 10, 2001— The Jewish Council for Public Affairs today called on the White House to disavow reported promises made to the Salvation Army to implement federally-funded discrimination in exchange for political support. "If the allegation is true, this would amount to federally-funded discrimination in exchange for the Salvation Army’s support for the administration’s faith-based initiative," said Leonard A. Cole, chair of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. "It goes against the very core of civil rights laws that enjoy overwhelming support in the United States," Cole said.

While the JCPA opposes discrimination based on sexual orientation, it recognizes the need for anti-discrimination legislation to incorporate exemptions for religious institutions to carry out their religious purposes. But the president’s apparent effort goes to the heart of the problem with his faith-based initiative: the federal government would be footing the bill for discrimination. "We urge the White House to clarify this matter and to oppose discrimination, especially in its own programs and in any that receive federal funds," Cole said. As a community with vast experience in working with diverse religious groups to attack pressing problems of homelessness, hunger, poverty and addiction, we have seen first-hand the value of many faith-based programs. Legislation in Congress, including the latest bill dealing with charitable choice, H.R. 7 the Community Solutions Act of 2001, would drain dollars from vital services and assign them to untested initiatives. As currently envisioned, clients would not be protected from being proselytized and employees could be subject to religious discrimination. Without these and other safeguards, charitable choice remains an invitation to abuse the First Amendment’s guarantee of separation between church and state.
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs remains steadfastly opposed to charitable choice programs that do not contain First Amendment safeguards, such as those that prevent proselytization, coercion or indoctrination and that safeguard clients and service provider employees against religiously-based discrimination.

JCPA, the public affairs arm of the organized Jewish community, serves as the national coordinating and advisory body for the 13 national and 122 local agencies comprising the field of Jewish community relations.

###