First Freedom First

As we begin another year, I would like to urge my five loyal readers to help spread the word about First Freedom First. You may have seen the "floating head guy" on the left, it's a link to the First Freedom First web site.

So why do I care about First Freedom First? Because it's about safeguarding separation of church and state, and protecting religious liberty.

I became a full time activists almost 17 years ago because of my concern about reproductive rights. The irony of this is that I knew I would never face the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy or the need to take birth control. My concern was for women in a broader sense. How could we compete in the workforce if the majority of women could not plan the timing of their families.

As someone who has always known I would be my sole support, it's important to me that women have the same opportunities for advancement as men.

Anyone who has ever defended a clinic entrance knows that the protesters do not wave medical journals, or shout that the doctors inside are practicing bad medicine. They wave Bibles and tell the women walking past them they are committing a sin.

Your religious belief is not a valid reason for taking away my rights.

Religious Right activists are also working to prevent same sex couples from having the right to legally marry. Why should it matter to them if two women who have spent more than 50 years in a loving relationship want to have that relationship legally recognized?

Marriage equality isn't a threat to "traditional" marriage -- the eradication of the middle class is a much greater threat. If Religious Right activists are truly interested in saving "marriage" they would work to increase the minimum wage, end corporate welfare, and insure that women earn the same dollar for their efforts as men. Money -- specifically the lack of it -- is a much greater threat to marriage. Loving same sex couples are not.

Your religious belief is not a valid reason for taking away my rights.

I am increasingly concerned about the influence the Religious Right has over science. There is no valid reason to restrict embryonic stem cell research. The majority of American's support it, and yet we are held hostage to the disproportionate influence of the Religious Right over our elected officials. Hopefully this will change with the new Congress.

The bottom line is this: Your religious belief is not a valid reason for taking away my right to the benefits afforded by having the best medical research possible. Your religious belief does not give you the right to define my family. And your religious belief is not justification for restricting reproductive rights.

First Freedom First provides a way for like-minded individuals to petition our government on the importance to safeguarding separation of church and state, and protecting religious liberty.

If you have not yet signed the petition, please do so today. If you have not yet invited your friends and family to sign, do so as quickly as possible. Every elected official -- from school board members to the President of the United States -- needs to know that a majority of Americans support separation of church and state. Send them a clear message by signing the petition today.