Americans United’s first-ever National Advocacy Summit concluded yesterday. It was an amazing virtual event that drew more than 800 participants. Our goal was to help people learn, connect and advocate. Mission accomplished!
Whether you attended the Summit or not, we urge you to get active to defend the separation of religion and government – the only principle that can protect the right to worship or not as you see fit as long as you don’t harm others.
Here are five easy things you can do to boost your activism:
- JOIN Americans United. If you’re not a member, please sign up. We’d love to have your support; we need it to continue our important work. Being a member of Americans United is a great way to stay informed and amplify your voice as you join in solidarity with others who want to protect the bedrock principle of church-state separation. With your membership, you’ll receive a subscription to AU’s Church & State magazine.
- SIGN up for Americans United’s alerts. You’ll get emails about breaking news, special alerts on actions you can take and a weekly newsletter. It’s the best way to stay on top of things in a fast-moving world. You can sign up on AU’s homepage.
- REPORT a potential church-state violation. Is there something going on in your community or state that you believe might violate separation of church and state? Does something look just not quite right? Let us know about it using this form. Our attorneys will check it out.
- LEARN more about the history of religious freedom in America. Boning up on the critical role church-state separation plays in protecting religious freedom gives you the tools to debunk the Christian nationalists’ bogus claims about our past – and it will inspire you to defend our legacy of freedom. A great place to start is this page of historical resources. Additional resources were listed in the June issue of Church & State.
- SPEAK out. Defend separation of church and state with whatever tools you’re comfortable using. That includes social media, letters to the editor, discussion groups or other forums. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and share our content with your friends and family. As several speakers stressed during the National Advocacy Summit, separation of religion and government is under assault today like never before. That principle needs defenders. Be one of them!
If you missed the summit, you can still watch all the sessions online at AU’s Facebook page – including Monday’s opening session on religious freedom being at the intersection of many social justice issues; the keynote conversation between AU President and CEO Rachel Laser and literary journalist Jeff Sharlet; and Tuesday’s kickoff rally to launch our National Day of Action around getting Congress to pass the Do No Harm Act.
Photo: Rachel Laser and Jeff Sharlet at AU’s National Advocacy Summit
