SHJ Condemns Bigotry toward American Muslims

The Society for Humanistic Judaism joined the Interfaith Alliance in a broad coalition of 42 secular and religious organizations that sent a letter to Reps. Michele Bachmann, Trent Franks, Louie Gohmert, Thomas Rooney, and Lynn Westmoreland protesting the representatives' recent letters regarding prominent American Muslim individuals and organizations.

The organizations told the representatives that their "letters question the loyalty of faithful Americans based on nothing more than their religious affiliations and what is at best tenuous evidence of their associations. As such, your actions have serious implications for religious freedom and the health of our democracy." Among the organizations co-signing the letter along with the SHJ are National Council of Jewish Women, the Secular Coalition for America, NAACP, Rabbis for Human Rights - North America, People for the American Way, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and the ACLU. The letter and list of organizations signing may be found here.

"Our Humanistic Jewish values teach us to stand up for the dignity of all people," said Society for Humanistic Judaism executive director Bonnie Cousens. "An attack on any individual simply because of their religious beliefs or associations threatens the religious freedom guaranteed to all Americans by the First Amendment."